The Fantasy 101 › Books Like

Books Like Vlad Taltos

Brust, 1983 · #74 on the Epic Fantasy 101 Booklist · 72/120

A human assassin climbs the underworld of an elf-like Dragaeran empire, with a witty familiar on his shoulder.

Mood7Theme6Structure7Further reading4Creative details8Real-world blend2Divine influence6Climax and fights6Epicness7Genre standard4Originality7

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

If you liked Vlad Taltos, read:

  1. Gentleman Bastard

    Lynch, 2006 · #68 on the list · 74/120

    Locke Lamora and his crew con the nobility of the canal city of Camorr, until a mysterious killer starts taking apart its underworld.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  2. Greatcoats

    de Castell, 2014 · #86 on the list · 69/120

    The King's travelling magistrates were disbanded when the king was killed. Falcio val Mond keeps the king's final order and keeps judging.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  3. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser

    Leiber, 1939 · #50 on the list · 80/120

    A towering northern barbarian and a small, quick thief roam the city of Lankhmar, stealing, drinking and getting into trouble with wizards.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  4. The Blacktongue Thief

    Buehlman, 2021 · #89 on the list · 68/120

    Kinch Na Shannack, a thief in debt to the guild that trained him, is pulled into a quest against giants with a battle-scarred knight he was supposed to rob.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  5. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn

    Williams, 1988 · #61 on the list · 77/120

    Simon, a kitchen boy at the Hayholt, is swept into a war as an undead elf-king returns to claim Osten Ard.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

Featured pick

Acenes of Sparta: The Dragon Slayer

Manolis Tsongas, 2026 · #5 on the list · 101/120 · for adults and mature teens

A dragon is the real reason King Leonidas and his three hundred died at Thermopylae. Sixty-two years later the gods send a Spartan boy of the agoge to kill it. The book takes lessons from tragedy and the cost of sacrifice, as is the Greek way.

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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.