Books like Prince of Thorns, Lies of Locke Lamora, or...

**Imrannan** · November 1st, 2012, 08:21 AM

Hey guys,

So I just finished Prince of Thorns and loved it. I was very skeptical at first but I couldn't put it down and finished it in two days. I plan on buying King of Thorns today actually, but I'd like your guys opinions on a few other books I might like so I can grab them all at once. So far I've read both of Rothfuss' books and loved them, three books into ASoIaF, Lies of Locke Lamora (getting Red Skies Over Red Seas today as well) all of Joe Abercrombies books, quite a lot of zombie books, and right now reading The Spirit Thief (though if I'm honest I'm shaky on it so far).

I liked the post apocalypse setting of Prince of Thorns, I just found it comical and strange and depressing all in one and loved it. The book was amazing, so I'm getting the next one. I also finished Lies of Locke Lamora last week and loved the light reading yet darkness and violence right there as well. Comical and bloody, some parts had me laughing out loud.

Based on previous reads I'm going to try Prince of Nothing, RSORS, King of Thorns, and anything else you guys think I may like. I like gritty books but I also like comedy. A really good book I enjoyed was Goblin Corps, where it follows the bad guys the whole way with their bloody battles, deception, and incredibly foul mouths.

I'd like to know if there is anything post apocalyptic similar to Prince of Thorns but more geared towards fantasy readers. I'm okay with scifi but its generally not my cup of tea. No robots or lasers or spaceships, I like the thought of the world being thrown back into the dark ages. The mutants in PoT was a good twist that I enjoyed. I really like gritty, violent books but I enjoy the comedic light side as well.

Any suggestions based on my likes and previously read? Post apocalyptic or fantasy or gritty or anything you guys can think of.

Thank you!

**Justin2209** · November 1st, 2012, 09:15 AM

I'm going to be the first to suggest (because there will be many more that agree) Joe Abercrombie. Start with The First Law Trilogy and follow it up with Best Served Cold and Heroes (both standalone books in the same world). His western fantasy Red Country (reviewed by Hobbit on the front page), also a standalone, comes out the end of this month.

RSORS is a decent read but fell short of the first book (IMO). King of Thrones was great though.

**Imrannan** · November 1st, 2012, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Justin2209

I'm going to be the first to suggest (because there will be many more that agree) Joe Abercrombie. Start with The First Law Trilogy and follow it up with Best Served Cold and Heroes (both standalone books in the same world). His western fantasy Red Country (reviewed by Hobbit on the front page), also a standalone, comes out the end of this month.

RSORS is a decent read but fell short of the first book (IMO). King of Thrones was great though.

Yeah a few other reviews said RSORS wasn't as good but I'm gonna give it a try, I'll just return it if I don't like it at the end of it. I read about a book a week at the least and I have two weeks to return books so if its terrible I'll bring it back. I've also read all of Joe Abercrombies books except the one not out yet. I do really enjoy his books, I own them all.

**Justin2209** · November 1st, 2012, 09:38 AM

You could give Glen Cook's The Black Company a go. Mildly gritty and some good humor in there. As a bonus, you can get them in omnibus form. Mmmm omnibus.

**Imrannan** · November 1st, 2012, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Justin2209

You could give Glen Cook's The Black Company a go. Mildly gritty and some good humor in there. As a bonus, you can get them in omnibus form. Mmmm omnibus.

I tried his first book but I really hate books that don't explain factions and I had very little of an idea of what was going on in the first five or six chapters. I still have it, maybe I will give it another try. I want to try Malchazeer or however it is spelled but I worry if I don't like Black Company I won't like that book either. Black Company was just downright confusing for me for some reason. I like books that explain how people look as they come into play and explain factions as they come into play. I'm a guy of many questions. If I don't know why a faction is at another's throat it just distracts me until I know. I like answers.

Today at the bookstore I'll sit down for like an hour and try to read it again.

**AmethystOrator** · November 1st, 2012, 04:52 PM

It sounds like you may like Among Thieves: A Tale of the Kin by Douglas Hulick, if you haven't tried it already.

**Loerwyn** · November 1st, 2012, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Imrannan

I'd like to know if there is anything post apocalyptic similar to Prince of Thorns but more geared towards fantasy readers.

Terry Brooks' Shannara books are THE series for that. A lot of people will tell you to ignore the first book (Sword of Shannara) and instead go for the second, Elfstones of Shannara. But they're more traditional fantasy, and less... violence-porn, at least from what I understand.

As for other fantasy recs:
The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas - Getting reissued, along with the rest of the series, in the UK with new covers next year (yay!), I really quite enjoyed this. It's not super gritty or anything, but it's got a very interesting take on the dynamics, biology and psychology of dragons within fantasy worlds. It's like a Game of Thrones-lite, I guess. I think I laughed once or twice, too.

The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham - If you haven't read this, you must. More Modesitt than Abercrombie, more Martin than Lynch, but it went down really well on most fantasy sites. Can't remember how gritty it is, though.

Shadow's Son by Jon Sprunk - First book is set in a city and is a novel about an assassin with, well, some rather good twists. Quite a dark book (literally; most of it's set at night), and the second and third books become a little more traditional and have a second, more political/large warfare centric PoV (which develops out of the first book). Nice bits of comedy in here, too.

Farlander by Col Buchanan - Fairly violent, dark and gritty, with a rather cool twist at one point.

Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton - I think this just got a revised edition. Pretty dark and gritty, but also moralistic and a bit of a critique. Some might be annoyed by this, and you may be one. Not a lot of comedy.

**chokipokilo** · November 1st, 2012, 11:56 PM

Based on your list I'd highly recommend Bakker's "Prince of Nothing" series and Stover's "Acts of Caine."

Since you've enjoyed Rothfuss work, I'd give Anthony Ryan's "Blood Song" a try. Maybe Robin Hobb's "Farseer" books as well.

Similar to Martin you might like JV Jones' "Sword of Shadows" or David Durhams "War with the Mein."

Brent Weeks might be of interest.

And, though they aren't really similar to anything you listed, I'll recommend Guy Gavriel Kay's books, just because your tastes are similar to mine and he's one of my favorite authors. "A Song for Arbonne" is my personal favorite, though "Lions of al Rassan" and "Tigana" are probably a little more popular.

**Alrin** · November 2nd, 2012, 06:23 AM

Stover's Acts of Caine. Simply because it's the best damn thing you'll ever read. Ever.

**Rulkez** · November 2nd, 2012, 02:40 PM

If you like post apocalyptic and/or Zombie fic I would recommend The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell or Ashes by Ilsa J Bick.

The Newsflesh trilogy by Mira Grant is also excellent.

**Seak** · November 2nd, 2012, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Alrin

Stover's Acts of Caine. Simply because it's the best damn thing you'll ever read. Ever.

I'll second these books. Heroes Die (#1) and Blade of Tyshalle (#2) are absolutely incredible.

Might try Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards, it's definitely along the same lines as Prince.

**Mark Lawrence** · November 2nd, 2012, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by Seak

I'll second these books. Heroes Die (#1) and Blade of Tyshalle (#2) are absolutely incredible.

Might try Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards, it's definitely along the same lines as Prince.

I've heard good things about Jeff's book.

Prince of Nothing is a much broader sweep with many points of view, but it certainly has a share of violence and isn't all shiny happy people (at least judging by book 1).

**Imrannan** · November 2nd, 2012, 07:40 PM

Thank you for all the input and recommendations! I went and bought King of Thorns and the first book of Malazan, but my book store nor any around me carry Prince of Nothing. I was shocked and itritated because I wanted to try that one the most, so I'll have to order it. I'll look into most of these books as well, just not Brent Weeks. I hated his Night Angels trilogy. Just was not my cup of tea. I thought about Black Prism but I just don't know yet. Malazan I like so far except that none of the races are really explained up front and its hard to tell who's on what side of the war so far. I just keep looking up the races as they come and figured the clarity of the war will come into focus or its meant to be like that, so I'll just deal.