Assassin's Apprentice
Robin Hobb
Like Gardens of the Moon, it draws you into a deeply personal story while hinting at a much larger political and magical world beyond the protagonist's view.
11 books to read next
Books Like Gardens of the Moon
If you loved Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
Gardens of the Moon is the opening volume of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. Readers love its sprawling cast, its sense of an ancient world with a long, tangled history, and its gritty, war-weary soldiers seen up close. The pace is deliberately dense, with many threads moving at once and rewarding patient readers who piece the lore together. Its tone mixes dark humour, political intrigue and large-scale sorcery, with a strong focus on mercenaries and the people caught between armies and gods.
Same sprawling epic scale
The Lies of Locke Lamora
Scott Lynch
A crew of con artists, sharp banter and a city full of intrigue give the same grounded, morally grey feel that Erikson's mercenaries and schemers offer.
The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss
Its layered history, magic system and richly built world reward the same kind of attentive reading that Gardens of the Moon demands.
Gritty soldiers and mercenaries
The Black Company
Glen Cook
Told by a company clerk chronicling a mercenary unit, it shares Gardens of the Moon's focus on soldiers' loyalty, dark humour and the cost of war.
Red Seas Under Red Skies
Scott Lynch
Its fast-moving, bleakly funny adventure keeps the tone of scheming criminals and dangerous politics that fans of Erikson's dense world will recognise.
Best served cold
Joe Abercrombie
Hard-edged, morally complicated characters and brutal violence show the same appetite for grit and dark wit found in Gardens of the Moon.
Ancient gods and sorcery
The Fifth Season
N. K. Jemisin
A world shaped by geological catastrophe and powerful, dangerous magic offers the same sense of vast, ancient forces working behind ordinary lives.
Perdido Street Station
China Miéville
Its weird, densely imagined city and strange creatures match the sense of an uncanny world with many hidden layers that Gardens of the Moon creates.
The Blade Itself
Joe Abercrombie
A dense cast of flawed characters and political machinations unfolding around a larger conflict will suit readers who enjoyed the layered politics of Erikson's opening book.
Go deeper into the world
The Wheel of Time
Robert Jordan
A long, sweeping epic with a large cast and a carefully constructed world appeals to readers who enjoy following many threads across a huge landscape.
Mistborn
Brandon Sanderson
Its inventive magic, political rebellion and sharp plotting offer a more accessible route into a big, rule-driven fantasy world with plenty of surprises.
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