The Fantasy 101 › Books Like

Books Like The Broken Empire

Lawrence, 2011 · #37 on the Epic Fantasy 101 Booklist · 85/120

Jorg Ancrath, a prince turned road-brigand at thirteen, fights his way back to a throne in a ruined future that was once our world.

Its strongest scores: mood and climax and fights. The five books below have the closest scores across all eleven criteria.

If you liked The Broken Empire, read:

1. The Chronicles of Prydain

   Alexander, 1964 · #53 on the list · 79/120

   Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper leaves his farm to chase a lost oracular pig. He grows into a hero in the war against Arawn, Lord of the Land of Death.

   Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

2. Tigana

   Kay, 1990 · #34 on the list · 85/120

   A sorcerer-king's curse has erased a province's very name from memory. A few survivors plot to win it back.

   Close on mood, structure, further reading, creative details.

3. The Old Kingdom

   Nix, 1995 · #24 on the list · 89/120

   Sabriel, daughter of the Abhorsen, crosses the Wall from her English-style boarding school into a land where the dead will not stay dead. She must walk into Death itself.

   Close on mood, theme, structure, creative details.

4. The Witcher

   Sapkowski, 1992 · #35 on the list · 85/120

   Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter, finds the men who hire him are often worse than the beasts. He is bound by destiny to a princess named Ciri.

   Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

5. Heroes Die

   Stover, 1998 · #36 on the list · 85/120

   Caine, a celebrity assassin from a future Earth, is sent into a fantasy world as entertainment for viewers back home. He must rescue his wife from a god-emperor.

   Close on mood, theme, structure, creative details.

How the scores work: each book is rated 1 to 10 on eleven criteria; real-world blend and climax and fights count double, for a maximum of 120. See the full Fantasy 101.