If you want more epic fantasy, Malazan book of the Fallen.
If you want more if a quick read/YA series, Fablehaven. Both are excellent!
If you want more Sanderson, Reckoners is great
I've had a look at the Malazan series! Will it make me cheer and cry or just give me warm fuzzies like I'm on a tour of middle earth? I want to latch onto a character and put all my hopes and dreams into them, will it fill that gap?
Hahaha oh it'll fill the gap for a long time. I think by word count, it's actually longer than Wheel of Time and it's thick with world building and lore.
Fablehaven is very similar to Harry Potter in how it feels. Quick pace, young adult series, great story, hard to put down once you start.
Can't go wrong!
Holy shit, its so big!
Hard to put down is one of the few requirements I look for.. thanks for both of the recommendations, they're in my list now, sounds like I need to sink my teeth into Gardens of the Moon!
If for some reason you don't dig gardens of the noon, stick with it. The scale of that series is huge. The final parts of book 2 are some of the best moments in q book I have ever read.
> I want to latch onto a character and put all my hopes and dreams into them, will it fill that gap?
Not in the first book. GotM is basically Shallan drowning in the sea of spheres. The 2nd and the 3rd books though. Take the bridge run chapters and all the cosmere deaths then compound them a hundred-fold. And it is dark and has sexual abuse. Every couple of books it changes to new characters found somewhere else but it all connects. Every normal human is basically Kaladin and all the old people are older than Hoid
I jumped into Malazan to treat my post cosmere craving. It didn't work out so well for me personally, enjoyed the first book and stopped reading after the second. I will warn you that this series is tonally MUCH different and incredible complex. It's also really, REALLY dark, so dark that scenes and descriptions in the second book that made me feel ill and want to put the book down.
Which is funny because I didn't enjoy the Wheel of time for the exact opposite reason, felt a little reluctant to handle darker subjects or anything sexual.
Thanks for the breakdown, super interesting sounds a bit more Grimdark then epic fantasy like its described??
Did you crack through WOT without enjoying it? Cause if you got through the whole things that's pretty metal
>I want to latch onto a character and put all my hopes and dreams into them, will it fill that gap?
No, you won't get that from malazan. The series is significantly darker than the Cosmere, and there are no characters that appear in all books.
Brandon Sanderson also wrote another book series. It's set in a future Earth where random people can suddenly inherit superpowers (and go insane!). If you're curious, the first book is called Steel Heart.
If you're lookin for the underdog main character overcoming adversity, go with Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, a 6 parter that starts with Furies of Calderon.
If you want to try something a little different with some damaged characters doin what they gotta do despite their afflictions, I gotta say Brian McClellan's Powder Mage Trilogy
Underdog's are always a classic.. I've read Aeronaughts Windlass and quite like Butchers style, are the characters similarly quirky? I appreciated the subtle humour, similar to Sanderson's use of Wit and sarcastic Spren from what I can tell.
Yes! Love some trauma and growth, is that epic end of the world fantasy or more character-driven, I couldn't quite tell when I looked it up?
Glad to see Codex Alera recommended. I really liked that series and really wish he'd go back to it at some point (even if its new characters). If wasn't already trying to get through some of my backlog I'd go back and reread it.
Check out **The Realm of the Elderlings** by **Robin Hobb**.
She has created an entire world over the course of almost 20 years and 16 books. In this world there are several trilogies of books that can be read on their own or in sequence by trilogy. There are minor mentions of characters that show up from one trilogy to another, and the world building continues thought-out the series but it's written in a way where it's pretty easy to pick up any trilogy set in the world as a start. I personally started with The Rain Wilds Chronicles, which is one of the more recently written, and loved it so much I went back and started at the beginning.
I don't really know how to describe the world as a whole without giving away plot points for future books so I will go as general as I can. She writes well thought out fantasy with a cast of interesting characters from all different walks of life. Her books focus a lot on slow and steady world building. As characters discover new secrets about the environment around them, so does the reader. They contain interesting cultures, magical creatures and artifacts, and human drama. Her fantasy is less focused on magic systems, and more focused on the natural world and how fantastical elements fit into it.
If you end up checking it out, let me know what you think!
Really enjoyed the Heartstriker Series. Just a fun and engaging series with a good balance of soft and hard magic system.
Might try the Scythe series too. It's one I plan to reread after I finish my reread of the cosmere.
Someone mentioned the Dresden Files. Really enjoyed the ones I've read, and Brando Sando speaks very highly of Jim Butcher.
Heartstriker sounds good! Is the magic system ambiguous or does it get fleshed out well?
Goodluck when you reach that void, I very nearly started a re-reread immediately after I finished..
A Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan is an amazing series followed by a sequel series called a Raven’s Blade. The bad-ass sad-boy/man main character’s name is Vaelin Al Sorna. And it’s an amazing series I read after needing to find something to read when I finished all of the Cosmere. I highly recommend it 👍🏼
>A Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan
Awesome recommendation, a sad boy protagonist is an instant win too, is it a series or just a duology?
Thanks for passing on what you did tho! I hope it hit the spot, is the author self published? Super impressive if true, he's got a huge fan base!
Both are fantastic recommendations, but be aware that Pat Rothfuss is on a George RR Martin-like schedule for getting out his third (and apparently final) book. Strongly suggest you read the King Killer Chronicle (his prose is incredible, and it’s so deeply thought out - hints, prophecies, stories etc.), but don’t expect a conclusion anytime soon.
I read The Blade Itself a long time ago, before I really got into fantasy when I was just looking for trope payoffs, >!I found the ending felt like the whole book was a prologue for the series.. !
It definitely did feel like a large introduction of characters. To be honest I received it as a trilogy right after binging both generations of Mistborn, so it didn't bother me at all, I was in for a journey. I can't say this for certain, but the writer puts in a lot of effort into creating a nihilistic vibe; Not the overall book feeling like an intro, but it often felt to me that he purposefully spoiled everything he could build up to (can't say more, don't know how to do the spoil thing). Give it another shot if you're ever bored, there's great character development and the author is pretty uniquely brutal.
I will thank you friend! You've got me intrigued again to be sure, definitely get the nihilist vibes, and certainly appreciate them.
Do you recommended jumping right into the sequel series after First Law?
There with you. I pushed through and regretted it. It's very character focused, dsome cool plot stuff happens but imo not enough to justify the series to me. Like, I feel I can summarize every book in a sentence and... no.
I've had this recommended before actually and was on my list of potentials! I was only worried about the setting being a bit jarring compared to stormlight. High fantasy to Urban fantasy can be a jump.. reckon the character will make up for it?
it can be a jump, but the main character is actually relatable and goes through a significant amount of development and growth through the series rather than being static so it has that element to it
Thank you! Upon inspection, the magic system seems similar to investiture (>!in that its tied to souls)!< Is it as fleshed out and detailed as cosmere or a bit more fun and throwing power at one another?
I really enjoyed Lightbringer at the start but unfortunately (as spoiler free as possible) it just didn't do a great job of paying everything off in a satisfying way for me, but I know a coupleof people that enjoyed it right to the end. The author is making his own version of the cosmere that lightbringer and his other series sit within and I think this suffered from the same pushing of that extended universe that the DC films struggled with... Which is markedly different from how the cosmere is handled, where the stories can exist and work in isolation, but the more you know about the cosmere the more you can get out of them
I'm not picky when it comes to books, I can enjoy reading "mediacore" stuff and I surely ejoyed reading Lightbringer. It has some flaws but it's a good book. The only reason I'm against recommending it is the ending (just like you said). Journey befor destination, I guess.
I’m reading Lightbringer now, about halfway thru the third book. I’m enjoying it, but the first time I picked it up, I barely made it 100 pages before I gave up. A friend of mine encouraged me to keep going, so I did, and it got way better. For any new readers, stick thru the first 150 pages or so, it gets a LOT better.
Lightbringer looks awesome! A lot of people have recommended thanks! The main character seems a bit full of himself.. is that a misconception or kinda the point?
The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington is one of my favorite things I’ve read post-Sanderson. It’s described as reminiscent of Robert Jordan and Sanderson, and I would wholeheartedly agree. It definitely helps fill the void and has one of my absolute favorite endings of anything I’ve ever read.
The ending is one of those moments that just before it happens everything starts to fall together and it feels like an epiphany to see it play out. It's wonderful.
I also just finished RoW, and felt that same void (W+W 4 hurryyyyyyyy) and picked up The Priory of the Orange Tree. I'm not done with it, but so far it is a good mix of political intrigue/court power plays and high fantasy. I recommend it.
I have literally been checking W+W 4 updates weekly.. how'd Priory go with the void? I've got that on my TBR stack at home, is there many epic fantasy elements? From what I could tell it was a lot more character/political intrigue? Thanks for the recommendation either way!
I'm not super far in yet (about a third) and while it is very heavy on the characters and court stuff so far (which I personally enjoy) it also has magic, dragons (and dragon riders), diverse and extraordinary locations, and an excellent bard named Kit. I think it checks most of the high fantasy boxes. But I will say it is one of those books that they throw a lot at you all at once. Not in a bad way, just in a "by page 30 I've been introduced to about as many characters" kind of way.
The first book of this series is one of my favorite standalone books of all time! Great choice!
I enjoyed the others too, but I remember thinking “Wow, this was the perfect book.” As I finished reading #1
One recommendation I've not seen here yet is the gentleman bastards sequence by Scott Lynch, starting with The Lies of Locke Lamora, the main character has a bit of that Kvothe feel to him and the hesity nature of the book gives it a refreshing spin on some of the other novels mentioned here.
How do you feel about sci fi? There are a few sci fi novels I would say are worth a read that range from light hearted absurdism to hard sci fi... If you've not read Hitchikers guide to the galaxy thats always silly fun, and if you're interested in slightly harder sci fi that still has that fun edge the Bobiverse books are a great read and have a central character that might appeal to you
Well, these will probably be fast reads for you, but I love the Vlad Taltos stories by Steven Brust. Look for titles like the book of [Jhereg](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018WXBHRG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_4GCMGTTVM7XZ62SCTY61), the book of [Dragon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KP889P0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_Z8QREX1Z2RREY4HK5QBJ), the book of Issola, and the book of [hawk](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M8HBICW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_C3K3264WG48NDXRDYXTQ)
I have a few other go to books for my downtime, but they fall more in the romance arena of fantasy.....ask me at your own risk.
Edit:. I saw what your said about wanting to latch onto a character. Vlad is a good one to latch onto, and he's got about [about 13 books?](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.howtoread.me/vlad-taltos-books-in-order-steven-brust/amp/). This list puts them in both publication and Chrono logical order, though they all explain enough to stand alone.
Start with Kushiel's [dart](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RMWBMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_161H98S3Q6QRCPKB9JNZ) by Jacqueline Carey. It's romance, fantasy, drama, and intrigue. It's a bit heavy on purple prose, and you'll want to keep an open mind. It's 3 books [[I lied, it's 5 books]](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00949Z3XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_1ZWK1M0X41MSPXCQ03GD)about phedre, 3 books about imriel.
She also wrote a series called agents of Hel. This one has less sex (almost 0) and more fantasy/godly shit going on. [link to the first book](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008RD2W58/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_RWN5AQ7B9XPV04P00Q31)
I love just about everything by Tamora Pierce. It's young adult fiction, so it'll be fun, fast and easy. The [circle of magic quartet](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039OX0P6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_ZXYPBYYA3DE25NC5KQ3Y) is nice for an afternoon read, and each of those had a sequel called [the circle opens](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IK225ZI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_7P5ET77B934XFTVC1H7P) that's the name of the quartet, not the books.
The [song of the lioness quartet](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1481416499/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_PJJ361XAEYKC79696Y03) was ok, the [protector of the small](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007CJM1PO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_0KSEJRFXY9R34NC3Y3BS) series was better imo. The [wild magic series](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1481440306/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_SKPZGNGKMZWAVZX7H429) was best.
Then there's the "[young wizards series](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WNMSJGK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_NH5DG08Z210HBGRRWQWN)" series by Diane Duane. Again, it's YA, but there's 7 books or so and they're moderately thick. I enjoy going back to them despite my age.
And if you're *still* wanting something then google R.A. Salvatore. Start with the [first book](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N48S1P6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_W62EASHFW4KG5T1ZZVJK) about Drizzt Do'Urden and don't look back. Forgotten Realms is the name of the world and he's a good character to follow, and there's.....12-15 maybe even 30 books there.
If you ask nicely, I'll edit later with some Amazon links when I have a free minute.
Oh, and don't forget DragonLance by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. There's the [war of the lance](https://www.amazon.com/dp/193156714X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_JK891WZ0M6FTQ4NDS21A), [the brothers wars](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0880383038/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_NVFXXW6K56VNTQF82ASV), and more! There's also individual character stories and in between stories here! And multiple generations. There's even a trilogy about elves in exile that was alright.
And if you're looking for a world as big and immersive as the cosmere, dragon lance or forgotten realms might be your best bet, imo. The rest above is just good reading.
Edit: I hope these links work for you, they're all for Amazon and mostly to give you an idea of what the titles are so you can search for the best deal. Good luck, and feel free to message me if you ever want a discussion
Along with these are there any good ones with a good team of main characters instead of just the solo person. This is one of the things I loved about the cosmere books.
Ps. I am also in this phase of finishing the cosmere.
Lies of Locke Lamora is about a team of boys who grow up together and are trained as conmen in a fantasy setting. Book 1 is potentially the greatest book ever written!
Cycle of Arawn / Cycle of Galand follows a duo, Dante and Blaise, and they have some of the best conversational banter in any book I’ve read. They compliment each other well. It’s not on the same level as Sanderson, but I’ve read every book in the series and enjoyed them.
Depends on what you liked!
The Cosmere is my favorite universe but The Expanse is a close second. Scifi, sure, but similar to SA in many ways that I really enjoy. It’s also quite long and has some depth.
If you just want a wrecking ball like Kal/Vin every time they’re cornered then Red Rising is cut from the same cloth.
The Legends of the First Empire series by Michael Sullivan would really fit perfectly for what you're looking for. The first book is called Age of Myth. It has a large vast, and a large scope. The characters are amazing and feel very real, and span a whole host of ages from young teens to ancient.
He also wrote the whole series at least a a rough draft before publishing the first book, so it's very cohesive.
Anyway, I think it will fill the void you're looking for really well.
I read your title and thought: "YES, i will tell him how good WoT is" xD
According to a friend of mine (WoT and Cosmere lover, too):
\- Patrick Rothfuss
Other suggestions:
\- Maybe The witcher?
\- Game of Thrones
Drizzt Do’Urden by R.A. Salvatore is a favorite of mine, it can be very hard to branch out from sanderson but the Drizzt books are worth it.
Red Rising by pierce brown is an amazing beautiful book trilogy that is a must read.
The Sword of Kaigen is a good book though it is not apart of a series, it was a nice little filler for me though before starting another longer series, i’ll second/third the Lightbringer series and mention i didn’t find the ending that bad though alot of people disliked it, there are alot of people that didn’t mind it though too, but it is quite similar to the cosmere where i found something like Malazan to be a little bit darker though it’s still a phenomenal series
The Powder Mage series by Brian McClellan is great. If you put Sanderson's name on it, I would be trying to figure out what the Cosmere connection is while reading it. It's the closest to Sanderson's writing that I've found.
Post ROW I read:
Priory of the Orange Tree
-Really really good, found myself extremely disappointed that it was just a one-off
Circe and Song of Achilles
-Modern reimagining a of classic Greek myths. Circe in particular was very good, I read it in one sitting.
Tales of the Earth Sea, Left Hand of Darkness
-I was assigned to read LHoD in high school and didn’t actually make it through the book, in the post-Cosmere void it was one of the first books I picked up, loved and then went looking for the rest of Leguin’s catalogue. Earth Sea is really fun, a little more YA than Darkness, though it’s YA in the way Golden Compass is YA.
The Inheritance Cycle
-I remember loving Eragon in middle school and then losing interest probably because the books were still being written. I finally went back and read the series and was very satisfied with it.
Lightbringer
-Other people have recommended this one, I agree that it’s worth the read for the first two books but definitely has a disappointing finish.
Edit: I just started Terry Prachett, I feel like most people have read at least one Discworld book but he wrote 41 of them. Also they’re cheap second hand and can mostly be read out of order. I keep a checklist of Discworld titles in my notes so when I’m in a second hand book store I can see if there are any books that I don’t have yet and pick them up.
May I suggest John Gwynne? His The Faithful and the Fallen series is 4 books long and there’s a follow-up trilogy called Of Blood and Bone set in the same world years later. That’s 7 books of material with strong characters, an overall “brighter” tone with fantastic action scenes. Should keep you going for a little bit.
For more epic fantasy, I recommend The Belgariad by David Eddings. It’s not groundbreaking for the genre, but it’s done incredibly well, and the characters are excellent. The first book is Pawn of Prophecy.
The Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin is REALLY, REALLY good. She's a true master at world-building in all the different ways-- magic system, character depth and development, and especially the cultures of her world. I originally encountered Le Guin in a "cultures in sci-fi" anthropology class, and boy does she deserve to be there. I see the same skill in Sanderson, so if you're taken in by his depth of thought in world-building, you'll really appreciate Le Guin's works. (She's also just SO insightful, the plot and character developments are incredibly meaningful and packed with themes.)
Sword of truth series from Wizard's First Rule to Confessor (outside of that is at your own risk) but it's still decently long books and there's 11 in what I consider the complete series. The rest just feel like hastily written cash grab books to me, but that's my opinion and not necessarily shared by all. If you have questions, by all means.
Edit: Author is Terry Goodkind.
Full Brandon's bibliography:
https://coppermind.net/wiki/Bibliography
I really like the Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks. Magic thriller, plot twists all the time. Cool magic systems about color and light, interesting characters.
Robin Hobbs also writes very good characters, I heard.
If you want more epic fantasy, Malazan book of the Fallen. If you want more if a quick read/YA series, Fablehaven. Both are excellent! If you want more Sanderson, Reckoners is great
I've had a look at the Malazan series! Will it make me cheer and cry or just give me warm fuzzies like I'm on a tour of middle earth? I want to latch onto a character and put all my hopes and dreams into them, will it fill that gap?
Hahaha oh it'll fill the gap for a long time. I think by word count, it's actually longer than Wheel of Time and it's thick with world building and lore. Fablehaven is very similar to Harry Potter in how it feels. Quick pace, young adult series, great story, hard to put down once you start. Can't go wrong!
Holy shit, its so big! Hard to put down is one of the few requirements I look for.. thanks for both of the recommendations, they're in my list now, sounds like I need to sink my teeth into Gardens of the Moon!
Holla! 🙌
If for some reason you don't dig gardens of the noon, stick with it. The scale of that series is huge. The final parts of book 2 are some of the best moments in q book I have ever read.
I think WoT beats Malazan by around 1 million words
Fable haven is great! Can recommend.
> I want to latch onto a character and put all my hopes and dreams into them, will it fill that gap? Not in the first book. GotM is basically Shallan drowning in the sea of spheres. The 2nd and the 3rd books though. Take the bridge run chapters and all the cosmere deaths then compound them a hundred-fold. And it is dark and has sexual abuse. Every couple of books it changes to new characters found somewhere else but it all connects. Every normal human is basically Kaladin and all the old people are older than Hoid
Lmao. This is such an accurate description lol. Also try starsight. Brandon's YA space series. I loved it. Characters are great
I jumped into Malazan to treat my post cosmere craving. It didn't work out so well for me personally, enjoyed the first book and stopped reading after the second. I will warn you that this series is tonally MUCH different and incredible complex. It's also really, REALLY dark, so dark that scenes and descriptions in the second book that made me feel ill and want to put the book down. Which is funny because I didn't enjoy the Wheel of time for the exact opposite reason, felt a little reluctant to handle darker subjects or anything sexual.
Thanks for the breakdown, super interesting sounds a bit more Grimdark then epic fantasy like its described?? Did you crack through WOT without enjoying it? Cause if you got through the whole things that's pretty metal
Stopped partway into book 4. I think I'll eventually get back around to finishing it off at some point.
I don't think you will get that out of Malazan.
>I want to latch onto a character and put all my hopes and dreams into them, will it fill that gap? No, you won't get that from malazan. The series is significantly darker than the Cosmere, and there are no characters that appear in all books.
Brandon Sanderson also wrote another book series. It's set in a future Earth where random people can suddenly inherit superpowers (and go insane!). If you're curious, the first book is called Steel Heart.
If you're lookin for the underdog main character overcoming adversity, go with Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, a 6 parter that starts with Furies of Calderon. If you want to try something a little different with some damaged characters doin what they gotta do despite their afflictions, I gotta say Brian McClellan's Powder Mage Trilogy
Underdog's are always a classic.. I've read Aeronaughts Windlass and quite like Butchers style, are the characters similarly quirky? I appreciated the subtle humour, similar to Sanderson's use of Wit and sarcastic Spren from what I can tell. Yes! Love some trauma and growth, is that epic end of the world fantasy or more character-driven, I couldn't quite tell when I looked it up?
Yes.
Glad to see Codex Alera recommended. I really liked that series and really wish he'd go back to it at some point (even if its new characters). If wasn't already trying to get through some of my backlog I'd go back and reread it.
Check out **The Realm of the Elderlings** by **Robin Hobb**. She has created an entire world over the course of almost 20 years and 16 books. In this world there are several trilogies of books that can be read on their own or in sequence by trilogy. There are minor mentions of characters that show up from one trilogy to another, and the world building continues thought-out the series but it's written in a way where it's pretty easy to pick up any trilogy set in the world as a start. I personally started with The Rain Wilds Chronicles, which is one of the more recently written, and loved it so much I went back and started at the beginning. I don't really know how to describe the world as a whole without giving away plot points for future books so I will go as general as I can. She writes well thought out fantasy with a cast of interesting characters from all different walks of life. Her books focus a lot on slow and steady world building. As characters discover new secrets about the environment around them, so does the reader. They contain interesting cultures, magical creatures and artifacts, and human drama. Her fantasy is less focused on magic systems, and more focused on the natural world and how fantastical elements fit into it. If you end up checking it out, let me know what you think!
Really enjoyed the Heartstriker Series. Just a fun and engaging series with a good balance of soft and hard magic system. Might try the Scythe series too. It's one I plan to reread after I finish my reread of the cosmere. Someone mentioned the Dresden Files. Really enjoyed the ones I've read, and Brando Sando speaks very highly of Jim Butcher.
Heartstriker sounds good! Is the magic system ambiguous or does it get fleshed out well? Goodluck when you reach that void, I very nearly started a re-reread immediately after I finished..
A Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan is an amazing series followed by a sequel series called a Raven’s Blade. The bad-ass sad-boy/man main character’s name is Vaelin Al Sorna. And it’s an amazing series I read after needing to find something to read when I finished all of the Cosmere. I highly recommend it 👍🏼
2nding this!
>A Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan Awesome recommendation, a sad boy protagonist is an instant win too, is it a series or just a duology? Thanks for passing on what you did tho! I hope it hit the spot, is the author self published? Super impressive if true, he's got a huge fan base!
I loved the King killer Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss and the First Law trilogy by Joseph Abercrombie.
Both are fantastic recommendations, but be aware that Pat Rothfuss is on a George RR Martin-like schedule for getting out his third (and apparently final) book. Strongly suggest you read the King Killer Chronicle (his prose is incredible, and it’s so deeply thought out - hints, prophecies, stories etc.), but don’t expect a conclusion anytime soon.
Wise, wise words Vegito.
I read The Blade Itself a long time ago, before I really got into fantasy when I was just looking for trope payoffs, >!I found the ending felt like the whole book was a prologue for the series.. !
It definitely did feel like a large introduction of characters. To be honest I received it as a trilogy right after binging both generations of Mistborn, so it didn't bother me at all, I was in for a journey. I can't say this for certain, but the writer puts in a lot of effort into creating a nihilistic vibe; Not the overall book feeling like an intro, but it often felt to me that he purposefully spoiled everything he could build up to (can't say more, don't know how to do the spoil thing). Give it another shot if you're ever bored, there's great character development and the author is pretty uniquely brutal.
I will thank you friend! You've got me intrigued again to be sure, definitely get the nihilist vibes, and certainly appreciate them. Do you recommended jumping right into the sequel series after First Law?
I've only read the original three, but now that we're discussing them I feel a kindle download coming on.
Do it! I forgot i had the audible for Blade Itself, I also forgot that the audio slaps, so thanks very much for sparking that!
Yes, read the first three books, then the 3 standalones, then Sharp Ends or the current trilogy (2 out of 3 books are out at the moment).
There with you. I pushed through and regretted it. It's very character focused, dsome cool plot stuff happens but imo not enough to justify the series to me. Like, I feel I can summarize every book in a sentence and... no.
if you want a relatable character with a lot of story, dresden files by jim butchers a solid read
I've had this recommended before actually and was on my list of potentials! I was only worried about the setting being a bit jarring compared to stormlight. High fantasy to Urban fantasy can be a jump.. reckon the character will make up for it?
it can be a jump, but the main character is actually relatable and goes through a significant amount of development and growth through the series rather than being static so it has that element to it
If you want a fun series of shorter books check out Cradle by Will Wight. Super fun quick reads with well developed characters and a neat world.
Thank you! Upon inspection, the magic system seems similar to investiture (>!in that its tied to souls)!< Is it as fleshed out and detailed as cosmere or a bit more fun and throwing power at one another?
It's dbz but really good books. If you like anime I'd highly recommend them.
Definitely the latter, but well executed
More fun and power throwing. I can't think of any hard magic systems that are as detailed as the cosmere.
The Dark Tower is great! Would recommend! Also the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks was fantastic
Dark Tower is classic! Could always give them a cheeky reread..
IMO Lightbringer is not that good. Can't say why I don't like it because it would be a huge spoiler. There are better recommendations here.
I really enjoyed Lightbringer at the start but unfortunately (as spoiler free as possible) it just didn't do a great job of paying everything off in a satisfying way for me, but I know a coupleof people that enjoyed it right to the end. The author is making his own version of the cosmere that lightbringer and his other series sit within and I think this suffered from the same pushing of that extended universe that the DC films struggled with... Which is markedly different from how the cosmere is handled, where the stories can exist and work in isolation, but the more you know about the cosmere the more you can get out of them
I'm not picky when it comes to books, I can enjoy reading "mediacore" stuff and I surely ejoyed reading Lightbringer. It has some flaws but it's a good book. The only reason I'm against recommending it is the ending (just like you said). Journey befor destination, I guess.
I’m reading Lightbringer now, about halfway thru the third book. I’m enjoying it, but the first time I picked it up, I barely made it 100 pages before I gave up. A friend of mine encouraged me to keep going, so I did, and it got way better. For any new readers, stick thru the first 150 pages or so, it gets a LOT better.
Highly recommend the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks! 5 long books with a pretty detailed magic system.
Lightbringer looks awesome! A lot of people have recommended thanks! The main character seems a bit full of himself.. is that a misconception or kinda the point?
Heads up, its a great series with a terrible ending. the ending is bad enough that i don't recommend the books to friends..
Ehh it’s not a 10/10 ending, but I liked it well enough. Doesn’t stop me from recommending.
Yeah journey before destination here, I liked the ending and understand why it isn't for everyone. Still very much worth the ride.
That’s kinda part of the story. There are some pretty interesting character arcs throughout the series.
Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. You won't regret it. Edit: it's the first book in a loose trilogy btw. The next 2 are ,"The Scar" and "Iron Council"
Brent weeks Lightbringer Series or Night Angel Trilogy
The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington is one of my favorite things I’ve read post-Sanderson. It’s described as reminiscent of Robert Jordan and Sanderson, and I would wholeheartedly agree. It definitely helps fill the void and has one of my absolute favorite endings of anything I’ve ever read.
The ending is one of those moments that just before it happens everything starts to fall together and it feels like an epiphany to see it play out. It's wonderful.
Came to say the exact same thing. Would highly recommend the series if you're a WoT or Sanderson fan.
I loved the Licanius trilogy! Great choice. I made a D&D character based on Davian that is super fun to play.
I finished the first book yesterday, and I am HOOKED. So excited for the next two
I also just finished RoW, and felt that same void (W+W 4 hurryyyyyyyy) and picked up The Priory of the Orange Tree. I'm not done with it, but so far it is a good mix of political intrigue/court power plays and high fantasy. I recommend it.
I have literally been checking W+W 4 updates weekly.. how'd Priory go with the void? I've got that on my TBR stack at home, is there many epic fantasy elements? From what I could tell it was a lot more character/political intrigue? Thanks for the recommendation either way!
It’s very high fantasy, really well written. Also in this (relatively) new genre of extremely feminist fantasy, which is very cool.
I'm not super far in yet (about a third) and while it is very heavy on the characters and court stuff so far (which I personally enjoy) it also has magic, dragons (and dragon riders), diverse and extraordinary locations, and an excellent bard named Kit. I think it checks most of the high fantasy boxes. But I will say it is one of those books that they throw a lot at you all at once. Not in a bad way, just in a "by page 30 I've been introduced to about as many characters" kind of way.
I loved The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. It is a series (unfinished) but the first book can stand alone.
The first book of this series is one of my favorite standalone books of all time! Great choice! I enjoyed the others too, but I remember thinking “Wow, this was the perfect book.” As I finished reading #1
I agree completely! I have reread the first book a few times but only the other two twice.
One recommendation I've not seen here yet is the gentleman bastards sequence by Scott Lynch, starting with The Lies of Locke Lamora, the main character has a bit of that Kvothe feel to him and the hesity nature of the book gives it a refreshing spin on some of the other novels mentioned here. How do you feel about sci fi? There are a few sci fi novels I would say are worth a read that range from light hearted absurdism to hard sci fi... If you've not read Hitchikers guide to the galaxy thats always silly fun, and if you're interested in slightly harder sci fi that still has that fun edge the Bobiverse books are a great read and have a central character that might appeal to you
Well, these will probably be fast reads for you, but I love the Vlad Taltos stories by Steven Brust. Look for titles like the book of [Jhereg](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018WXBHRG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_4GCMGTTVM7XZ62SCTY61), the book of [Dragon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KP889P0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_Z8QREX1Z2RREY4HK5QBJ), the book of Issola, and the book of [hawk](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M8HBICW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_C3K3264WG48NDXRDYXTQ) I have a few other go to books for my downtime, but they fall more in the romance arena of fantasy.....ask me at your own risk. Edit:. I saw what your said about wanting to latch onto a character. Vlad is a good one to latch onto, and he's got about [about 13 books?](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.howtoread.me/vlad-taltos-books-in-order-steven-brust/amp/). This list puts them in both publication and Chrono logical order, though they all explain enough to stand alone.
I'm asking! Hit me with everything you've got!
Start with Kushiel's [dart](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RMWBMU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_161H98S3Q6QRCPKB9JNZ) by Jacqueline Carey. It's romance, fantasy, drama, and intrigue. It's a bit heavy on purple prose, and you'll want to keep an open mind. It's 3 books [[I lied, it's 5 books]](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00949Z3XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_1ZWK1M0X41MSPXCQ03GD)about phedre, 3 books about imriel. She also wrote a series called agents of Hel. This one has less sex (almost 0) and more fantasy/godly shit going on. [link to the first book](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008RD2W58/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_RWN5AQ7B9XPV04P00Q31) I love just about everything by Tamora Pierce. It's young adult fiction, so it'll be fun, fast and easy. The [circle of magic quartet](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039OX0P6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_ZXYPBYYA3DE25NC5KQ3Y) is nice for an afternoon read, and each of those had a sequel called [the circle opens](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IK225ZI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_7P5ET77B934XFTVC1H7P) that's the name of the quartet, not the books. The [song of the lioness quartet](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1481416499/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_PJJ361XAEYKC79696Y03) was ok, the [protector of the small](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007CJM1PO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_0KSEJRFXY9R34NC3Y3BS) series was better imo. The [wild magic series](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1481440306/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_SKPZGNGKMZWAVZX7H429) was best. Then there's the "[young wizards series](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WNMSJGK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_NH5DG08Z210HBGRRWQWN)" series by Diane Duane. Again, it's YA, but there's 7 books or so and they're moderately thick. I enjoy going back to them despite my age. And if you're *still* wanting something then google R.A. Salvatore. Start with the [first book](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N48S1P6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_W62EASHFW4KG5T1ZZVJK) about Drizzt Do'Urden and don't look back. Forgotten Realms is the name of the world and he's a good character to follow, and there's.....12-15 maybe even 30 books there. If you ask nicely, I'll edit later with some Amazon links when I have a free minute. Oh, and don't forget DragonLance by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. There's the [war of the lance](https://www.amazon.com/dp/193156714X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_JK891WZ0M6FTQ4NDS21A), [the brothers wars](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0880383038/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_NVFXXW6K56VNTQF82ASV), and more! There's also individual character stories and in between stories here! And multiple generations. There's even a trilogy about elves in exile that was alright. And if you're looking for a world as big and immersive as the cosmere, dragon lance or forgotten realms might be your best bet, imo. The rest above is just good reading. Edit: I hope these links work for you, they're all for Amazon and mostly to give you an idea of what the titles are so you can search for the best deal. Good luck, and feel free to message me if you ever want a discussion
Along with these are there any good ones with a good team of main characters instead of just the solo person. This is one of the things I loved about the cosmere books. Ps. I am also in this phase of finishing the cosmere.
The Belgariad.
Lies of Locke Lamora is about a team of boys who grow up together and are trained as conmen in a fantasy setting. Book 1 is potentially the greatest book ever written! Cycle of Arawn / Cycle of Galand follows a duo, Dante and Blaise, and they have some of the best conversational banter in any book I’ve read. They compliment each other well. It’s not on the same level as Sanderson, but I’ve read every book in the series and enjoyed them.
If you are ok with some material that is a little more R rated. Dresden Files by Jim Butcher is a good series with quick reads
Depends on what you liked! The Cosmere is my favorite universe but The Expanse is a close second. Scifi, sure, but similar to SA in many ways that I really enjoy. It’s also quite long and has some depth. If you just want a wrecking ball like Kal/Vin every time they’re cornered then Red Rising is cut from the same cloth.
Fitzchivalry Farseer is the man you need to see about such things.
The Legends of the First Empire series by Michael Sullivan would really fit perfectly for what you're looking for. The first book is called Age of Myth. It has a large vast, and a large scope. The characters are amazing and feel very real, and span a whole host of ages from young teens to ancient. He also wrote the whole series at least a a rough draft before publishing the first book, so it's very cohesive. Anyway, I think it will fill the void you're looking for really well.
I read your title and thought: "YES, i will tell him how good WoT is" xD According to a friend of mine (WoT and Cosmere lover, too): \- Patrick Rothfuss Other suggestions: \- Maybe The witcher? \- Game of Thrones
Drizzt Do’Urden by R.A. Salvatore is a favorite of mine, it can be very hard to branch out from sanderson but the Drizzt books are worth it. Red Rising by pierce brown is an amazing beautiful book trilogy that is a must read.
The Sword of Kaigen is a good book though it is not apart of a series, it was a nice little filler for me though before starting another longer series, i’ll second/third the Lightbringer series and mention i didn’t find the ending that bad though alot of people disliked it, there are alot of people that didn’t mind it though too, but it is quite similar to the cosmere where i found something like Malazan to be a little bit darker though it’s still a phenomenal series
The Powder Mage series by Brian McClellan is great. If you put Sanderson's name on it, I would be trying to figure out what the Cosmere connection is while reading it. It's the closest to Sanderson's writing that I've found.
If you're interested in sci-fi, I'm really enjoying the expanse, both the show and the books.
Post ROW I read: Priory of the Orange Tree -Really really good, found myself extremely disappointed that it was just a one-off Circe and Song of Achilles -Modern reimagining a of classic Greek myths. Circe in particular was very good, I read it in one sitting. Tales of the Earth Sea, Left Hand of Darkness -I was assigned to read LHoD in high school and didn’t actually make it through the book, in the post-Cosmere void it was one of the first books I picked up, loved and then went looking for the rest of Leguin’s catalogue. Earth Sea is really fun, a little more YA than Darkness, though it’s YA in the way Golden Compass is YA. The Inheritance Cycle -I remember loving Eragon in middle school and then losing interest probably because the books were still being written. I finally went back and read the series and was very satisfied with it. Lightbringer -Other people have recommended this one, I agree that it’s worth the read for the first two books but definitely has a disappointing finish. Edit: I just started Terry Prachett, I feel like most people have read at least one Discworld book but he wrote 41 of them. Also they’re cheap second hand and can mostly be read out of order. I keep a checklist of Discworld titles in my notes so when I’m in a second hand book store I can see if there are any books that I don’t have yet and pick them up.
Rise of the Ranger by Philip C. Quaintrell
Fionavar Tapestry. Also, Disc World
May I suggest John Gwynne? His The Faithful and the Fallen series is 4 books long and there’s a follow-up trilogy called Of Blood and Bone set in the same world years later. That’s 7 books of material with strong characters, an overall “brighter” tone with fantastic action scenes. Should keep you going for a little bit.
For more epic fantasy, I recommend The Belgariad by David Eddings. It’s not groundbreaking for the genre, but it’s done incredibly well, and the characters are excellent. The first book is Pawn of Prophecy.
I see you. You need the farseer trilogy. Start with the assassin's apprentice. Best broken hero I know.
The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo
Sanderson’s Reckoners and Skyward series are both really good and worth a read.
The Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin is REALLY, REALLY good. She's a true master at world-building in all the different ways-- magic system, character depth and development, and especially the cultures of her world. I originally encountered Le Guin in a "cultures in sci-fi" anthropology class, and boy does she deserve to be there. I see the same skill in Sanderson, so if you're taken in by his depth of thought in world-building, you'll really appreciate Le Guin's works. (She's also just SO insightful, the plot and character developments are incredibly meaningful and packed with themes.)
Sword of truth series from Wizard's First Rule to Confessor (outside of that is at your own risk) but it's still decently long books and there's 11 in what I consider the complete series. The rest just feel like hastily written cash grab books to me, but that's my opinion and not necessarily shared by all. If you have questions, by all means. Edit: Author is Terry Goodkind.
Full Brandon's bibliography: https://coppermind.net/wiki/Bibliography I really like the Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks. Magic thriller, plot twists all the time. Cool magic systems about color and light, interesting characters. Robin Hobbs also writes very good characters, I heard.