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Books Like The Stormlight Archive

Sanderson, 2010 · #39 on the Epic Fantasy 101 Booklist · 85/120

On a storm-scoured world, a slave-soldier, a scholar and a guilt-ridden assassin take up the oaths of the broken Knights Radiant as an ancient enemy returns.

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

If you liked The Stormlight Archive, read:

1. Elric

   Moorcock, 1961 · #27 on the list · 88/120

   Elric, the albino emperor of Melniboné, is kept alive by drugs and by Stormbringer, a black sword that drinks souls. He brings ruin to those he loves.

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

2. The Wheel of Time

   Jordan, 1990 · #32 on the list · 86/120

   Rand al'Thor, a farm boy from the Two Rivers, learns he is the Dragon Reborn. He is destined to fight the Dark One and to break the world again.

   Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

3. Mistborn

   Sanderson, 2006 · #40 on the list · 84/120

   Under an ash-choked sky ruled by a god-king for a thousand years, a street thief learns to burn metals for power. She joins a crew planning the impossible heist of the Final Empire.

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

4. Powder Mage

   McClellan, 2013 · #49 on the list · 80/120

   After a coup topples a king, a powder mage field marshal faces royalist plots, foreign armies and a god threatening to return.

   Close on mood, real-world blend, divine influence, climax and fights.

5. Lightbringer

   Weeks, 2010 · #63 on the list · 76/120

   The Prism, who wields every color of light, hides a secret, while his newly discovered son must learn the magic and survive the war.

   Close on mood, further reading, creative details, real-world blend.

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.