Looking for more books like the way of kings?
Anyone who has read any of Brandon Sanderson’s novels knows that he has built his career within the epic fantasy genre. the way of kings is now 10 years old and was the first in the stormlight archive. The mere mention of Shardblades, Voidbringers, and Radiant Blades still makes me glow.
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Wheel of Time series is often held up as one of the benchmarks for epic fantasy novels. the way of the kings exceeds that mark by a few thousand kilometers. If you love stories that take place in painstakingly crafted fantasy worlds that can literally take your breath away, you may be interested in the following books that sound a lot like the way of kings.
8 books like the way of kings
the king must die, by mary renault
The King Must Die is probably not the first book like the way of kings that a reader would think of, but you’d be foolish not to read it. epic fantasy is based on human history and myth. In myth, we all know Theseus as the heroic assassin of the Minotaur hidden in a dark labyrinth on the island of Crete.
Actually, we don’t know much, but Renault uses its historical knowledge combined with archaeological finds at the Palace of Knossos (the oldest sign of modern civilization in the Western world – look up the Minoan Empire if you want to know more) to create a story of theseus that seems more real and fantastic than the myth.
here, theseus is a young man. he is armed with an enthusiastic attitude and eagerly accepts any challenge the gods throw at him. The story follows his adventures from Troizen to Crete, where he becomes king of the victims. gods and monsters are scattered throughout the very real story of a man trying to find his way in life.
Both memorable and interesting, you need to remind yourself that you’re technically reading a semi-historical novel, rather than an epic fantasy. everything from the rich crete landscape to the blood and sweat as theseus jumps bulls feels epically fantastical. that’s how good this book is.
Do you love reading about Greek mythology? Check out our list of books like Circe and the Song of Achilles!
the painted man (demonic cycle 1), from peter v. brett
Books like The Way of Kings offer the reader a rich fantasy world full of demons and monsters that terrorize the protagonists, often human. the painted man (published as the sheltered man in north america), follows a similar but different pattern.
arlen, our humble hero at the beginning, might be another luke skywalker-esque trope, but he’s more inventive and down-to-earth than the famous jedi knight. However, Arlen is not alone, and the book follows him, Leesha and Rojer, three people who don’t meet until they are adults.
Like the Stormlight Archive series, the icing on the cake is Brett’s world-building. in this world, humans must stay inside magically protected houses or structures at night. if they get caught outside after sundown, then the supernatural abysses will catch them.
I really enjoyed this book and the combination of strong characters, an interesting magic system and scary demons had me hooked from the start. worth a read if you’re a fan of the way of kings.
the spirit thief, by rachel aaron
for a book like the way of kings to work, it must do the following as a minimum:
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1. introduce the reader to a believable protagonist
2. make the protagonist want something bad
3. that it is almost impossible for them to succeed
4. make me believe in the world and any magic contained within that world
the spirit thief meets all four criteria and then some. Eli Monpress’s character is not only believable, he’s funny, he’s a thief and… he’s a wizard. monpress’s rebellious nature contributes greatly to the success of this novel. Deciding to kidnap a king to increase the bounty on his head just so he can institute an even grander plan is hilarious and epic.
The rules of the world are established in such a way that you believe them without hesitation. wizards work with the spirits of the world to keep the peace or start a fight and you think it’s really happening.
Although some fans of the epic fantasy have accused the spirit thief of being “too low key”, the light tone of the story works. furthermore, epic fantasy can be too melodramatic for its own good.
the name of the wind (the kingkiller chronicle 1), by patrick rothfuss
From a heist to a coming of age story, the name of the wind is a great title to read if you’re a fan of the stormlight archive. I’ve talked about it before, but this book more than earns its place on this list. first-person narratives can limit a reader’s perspective, but the name of the wind handles the challenge with style and grace.
kvothe is the most notorious wizard the world has ever seen and now he shares his story with us. From being a kid in a traveling theater to an orphan to his daring and successful bid to get into the best magic school, you’ll feel like you’re in kvothe’s shoes.
kvothe’s musings range from sad to philosophical and sociopathic as he recounts his story to a chronicler who has come in search of the legend. Both epic and intimate, The Name of the Wind might not please every fan of fantasy, but as an in-depth character study, this novel wins.
Have you already read this series? check out our list of books like the name of the wind!
furies of calderon, by jim butcher
Books like the way of kings often pit one race or group against another in a brutal and bloody battle for victory. Known best for his Harry Dresden urban fantasy series, Butcher’s codex alera bears striking similarities to the stormlight archive.
We have a high fantasy world complete with characters coming of age and going on the hero’s journey. We also have a world full of warring races and empires, with the largest based on the Roman Empire.
However, we also have an almost computer game-style magic and battle system in the way that tavi is trying to build his bond with the magical “furies” of the world. the magic system is based on a person being able to summon the elementals of earth, air, fire, water and metal.
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tavi can’t seem to work with any of them and it’s this brave character that we end up rooting for. Add spies and political intrigue to the mix, and furies of calderon ends up being a nice blend of high fantasy and RPG adventure.
the eye of the world (the wheel of time 1), by robert jordan
You can’t talk about books like The Way of Kings without mentioning Jordan’s epic Wheel of Time series. The fact that Sanderson completed the saga after Jordan’s untimely death shows how closely related his works are.
just like sanderson with the stormlight file, jordan reveled in detail. the eye of the world is so packed with detail in the world jordan built, you just follow along as rand, mat and perrin set out on their journey. Trollocs (sort of like werewolves) are just fairy tales to these barely young men, until creatures that look and sound terrifyingly like the beasts from fairy tales of old attack their village.
the eye of the world is often compared to the lord of the rings and it is difficult to deny that comparison. However, Jordan goes beyond a simple obsession with a magic ring. in his novel, one of the main characters could be the bad guy himself.
Sharp-eyed readers (ie, unbearably smart clogs) love to say that it’s easy to guess which of the main characters is the “dark one” at the beginning of the book. My advice is to make up your mind and try reading this for yourself.
Do you already know and love this epic fantasy series? check out or list books like the wheel of time!
the lens of the world, by r.a. macavoy
This is another finely crafted fantasy in the vein of the stormlight archive. following the Nazhuret boy, an outcast orphan who starts out as a junior ward at a military school. You can probably guess what happens next, but that doesn’t make Nazhuret’s journey any less interesting.
The fantasy setting is deep without being too flashy. There are hints of the supernatural, but they are not overused and remain believable within the world that Macavoy has created. What sets it apart from other books like The Way of Kings is the style in which it is written.
the lens of the world is presented as a series of cards from nazhuret as he tells his story to a friend. while this is not a new way of telling a story (see bram stoker’s dracula), it makes this novel shine and advances well.
the dart of kushiel, by jacqueline carey
Imagine not being able to tell the difference between pleasure and pain. That’s the core concept that drives Carey’s sophisticated fantasy. Phèdre nó Delaunay was pricked by Kushiel’s dart and condemned to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. sold into servitude, she is bought by a nobleman who recognizes what she is.
phèdre soon learns all there is to know about court intrigue, murder, love and betrayal. Kushiel’s Dart may not be for everyone, but it does have similarities to the way of kings in the high fantasy setting (technically a parallel earth) and interesting magic systems are employed.
There’s a lot of sex and morality issues to deal with, which I think is Carey’s point. Because Phèdre was cursed/blessed by the guardian of hell, her ability to perceive no difference between pleasure and pain leads to some interesting scenes.
I found it enlightening that some high fantasy readers have rejected the sex scenes in kushiel’s dart, but are okay with the intense and often graphic violence depicted in books similar to the stormlight archive. I would recommend reading this and making a decision.
There are plenty of books like The Way of Kings to keep fans of epic fantasy entertained. some are cheerful, others are dark and more somber in setting. They all have something to offer and if you’ve enjoyed the Stormlight archive I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend any of the titles above. Of course, this is just an opinion.
Looking for more books like the stormlight archive? Do you have any recommendations that are not on the list? tell us in the comments!
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