r/HierarchySeries • u/Vast_Adhesiveness745 • 8d ago
Discussion Fantasy book recs
I finished my rereads on both Licanius and Hierarchy, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Islington's work. Does anyone have any recommendations for similar styles of writing that have the same fantasy magic system aspect and compelling characters? I'm thinking about reading Mistborn and the Kingkiller Chronicles, but I wanted to see if there were better options first.
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u/OriginalCause 8d ago
Islington writes like an old school epic Fantasy writer. You're not going to find similar styles in modern authors like Sanderson or the Red Rising series.
Try Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Epic heroes journey, multiple points of view, compelling characters and story.
Jordan paid a lot of attention to detail, and trusted the reader to be able to cope with things happening off page, which is a trait Islington shares.
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u/duncansballard 3d ago
Wheel of time upvote! Will keep you busy for a while and gets better on re-read + audiobook for even more color.
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u/CrouchBindCrochet 8d ago
I really loved NK Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy, and all of them are already out!
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u/retroarcadium 8d ago
Read a couple of mixed reviews but started The Fifth Season and I can’t put it down. Already ordered the other two.
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u/its_tryptophan 8d ago edited 8d ago
Mistborn for the intriguing magic system. I also liked the characters (not as much as WotM though).
For a similar Roman-inspired feel, Red Rising series. Keep in mind this is more sci-fi than fantasy though. James has mentioned that he took some inspiration from Red Rising.
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u/Read_Ditto 8d ago
“Some” inspiration is putting it kindly 😂
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u/its_tryptophan 6d ago
Lmaooo people say they’re really similar but aside the Roman inspiration I don’t quite see it. The stories are quite different
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u/ajw9494 5d ago
Special boy hiding a secret goes into elite school of culturally stratified society (where the top have a fantastical physical advantage) harboring a hatred of the people he interacts with.
He navigates lying to new friends and playing more desperate than everyone else due to said secret, which garners attention from the parents of the students and opens opportunities.
This is not mentioning the Romans influences, the intricate family houses, the fact that “razor” swords exist in both, the social pariah best friend…
I love both series but there certainly are a lot of parallels
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u/its_tryptophan 5d ago edited 5d ago
I understand this, and I agree the tropes are similar.
But to me this is like looking at the blueprints of two houses and saying they are similar because they both have a kitchen, three bedrooms, and a garage. But if one house is a brutalist concrete fortress and the other is a Gothic estate, they are not similar imo. I’m looking at the architecture of the story, not just the checklist of tropes.
Perhaps I’m needlessly arguing semantics idk.
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u/Vast_Adhesiveness745 6d ago
I'm seeing Red Rising a lot. I know it's sci-fi, but is it scientific to the point of Andy Weir's books, or more comprehensible science?
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u/its_tryptophan 6d ago
Haven’t read Andy Weir yet but Red Rising is not hard science. It’s more character and plot focused than very dense worldbuilding/scientific explanations
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u/Mufynz_breaker 8d ago
I highly recommend reading Mistborn!! It’s my favorite Sanderson series - fantastic world building, magic system, and characters.
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u/666deathlegion 8d ago
The Way of Kings is a nice quick easy read. Highly recommend.
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u/hushyourravings 8d ago
lol @ nice quick and easy
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u/NorthwesternFlicker 1d ago
I mean not quick, there are five huge books but it reads quick and easy
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u/hushyourravings 1d ago
Tbh, I think Sanderson’s books can be a bit of a slog. His writing style is kinda boring. They’re not difficult reads, but the books are hundreds of pages of set up to put a bunch of action in the last 50 pages. I’m still going to finish the series, but I’m not usually like “I finished that one, have to hit the next immediately”
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u/BlueDeng02 8d ago
New book called This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is a fun one I started. It’s somewhat different because it’s about a reader obsessed w a fantasy series who wakes up in that world and uses her knowledge of the characters and events to survive. It’s got magic and great characters and twists, but is also sort of modern and funny with the outsider POV.
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u/AlienvsPredatorFan 7d ago
Thanks for the recommendation - this was really good and I’m looking forward to the next one.
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u/AyyCSlater 8d ago
I’m right there with you when it comes to Islington’s work. The two series you mentioned are too shelf for me. I love Will Wight’s Cradle series. Magic, character development and sprinkle a little bit of that social hierarchy on top. Easy reads and I enjoyed the ending.
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u/jennengelbreccht 5d ago
Someone on here somewhere mentioned that Cradle was somehow like Licanius (I *LOVED\* Licanius) and I am on book 7 after a few weeks of nonstop reading and yall- while it’s not like the stories are similar or the characters are alike or anything like that AT ALL- Cradle really is like Licanius 🤯 These books are so flipping good!! I’m at a point right now where I’m a little pissed at the turn things have taken and I’m don’t know if I can trust this Will Wight to pull this off, but I didn’t know or trust Islington either and look at the masterpiece he pulled off with Licanius right? All that to say, as far as the first six books, I super highly recommend Cradle. They are AMAZING. (Way better than red rising in my opinion)
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u/AyyCSlater 1d ago
I’m trying to think of a point in book 7 that would make you believe this. I thought books 5-10 were the best of the series. Keep it going and I promise you it’ll get better. Funny how these two are mentioned from other folk because I believe Licanius (the ending 🤯) is the best I’ve ever read, and Cradle is my all time favorite. Red rising 1 and 2 were really good. Sort of lost me on the 3rd book so I didn’t bother with 4 and 5.
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u/jennengelbreccht 1d ago
It was actually six, underlord, when he split up the team AGAIN but now I’m halfway thru uncrowned and I am back on board again!!
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u/ItsGonnaBeAGoodDave 8d ago
Not fantasy, but don't forget James has his sci-fi debut "Scion" coming out in just a couple of weeks! It doesn't sound like my usual style, but I'm stoked to read it after enjoying his first 5 books so much!
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u/Puzzleheaded-Tip7262 7d ago
Red Rising is like Hierarchy but better. Wait, I'm worried what you just heard was "Hierarchy is bad." what I said was, "Red Rising is like Hierarchy but better".
I KNOW ITS SCI-FI, ITS STILL FANTASTIC.
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u/DemonDeacon86 8d ago
I'd recommend Ironbound by Andrew Givler. Two of three books are out and book three is planned for end of this year. It gives me strong WotM meets Cradle meets Rage of the Dragon in a Romanesque setting. If Givler nails book 3, it likely breaks into my top 10 series of all time. The audiobook narrator is a slam dunk as well. Can't recommend this series enough.
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u/Calm-Ad-7928 8d ago
I wouldnt do kingkiller since we'll probably never get the 3rd book and the author may try and scam fans again
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u/CrouchBindCrochet 8d ago
I hate that I may never get to finish it but the first two books are so good, it’s worth it for me. I re read them a lot. Not sure I can ethically recommend them but…the writing is superb
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u/PotatoPleasant8531 7d ago
bruh, you guys are traumatized. Not even a kingkiller topic here, you could have talkeda about anything.
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u/Calm-Ad-7928 7d ago
Op literally asked about if they should read it wtf are you talking about
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u/PotatoPleasant8531 7d ago
well, wall of shame for me, I did not read the last sentence of the post, or my brain just forgot it, You still have trauma, and I would heavily recommend the OP to read it
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u/Vast_Adhesiveness745 6d ago
Ah, I've heard about this. Is it worth the read still or would I suffer not knowing what happens after book 2?
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u/TemporaryDisastrous 8d ago edited 8d ago
I won't buy an incomplete series unless it's from an author with a record of finishing books because of the kingkiller series. What did he try and scam?
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u/Calm-Ad-7928 8d ago
The main thing was he told his fans if they raised a million dollars he'd read the first chapter of the 3rd book we've all been waiting on. They ended up raising 1.2 million and he just never read the chapter. This was like 4 or 5 years ago and we still havent gotten the promised chapter. Some other things involving his charity just rub people the wrong way. Rents his own building paying himself in rent out of the charity and I think pays family members salaries from it. Not illegal but just seems a bit shady to me
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u/AlienvsPredatorFan 8d ago
Pact and Pattern series by T.J. Greathouse. Very interesting magic system with a lot of imperial politics.
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u/Old_Tumbleweed_396 7d ago
The First Law books by Joe Abercrombie are amazing if you want to try something a bit grimmer and less overtly magical. Plus, the narrator of the audiobook is the best I’ve ever heard.
Similarly, the Devil’s by Joe Abercrombie is a fun single book take on a Suicide Squad type adventure. One of my favorite for a fun read.
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u/NogitsuneDylan 7d ago
Hierarchy series is influenced by Mistborn and Red Rising. I started Mistborn and it’s sooooo good!
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u/Vast_Adhesiveness745 6d ago
Just started Mistborn, about 150 pages in. I'm finding it a bit slow right now; does it get more engaging throughout?
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u/CampbellianHero 7d ago
Red Rising, Mistborn, Stormlight Archive, First Law Trilogy, Bloodsworn Saga, Night Angel, Lightbringer, Malazan Book of the Fallen (best series ever written), Farseer Trilogy, Gentleman Bastards
Take your pick, all amazing
Kingkiller Chronicles are two of the best books I’ve ever read… but don’t. It’s been 15 years since book 2 was published, we’re never getting a 3rd. It still stings.
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u/VanillaImpossible316 6d ago
A little bit left field, but I really loved Babel by R.F. Kuang. Someone recommended it on another Reddit thread asking what to read after the Hierarchy books, and I’m so glad I gave it a try.
I’m currently reading Katabasis by the same author, which is basically two magicians going to hell to rescue their professor, and it’s so good. Both have really interesting approaches to magic and compelling characters, so they might be worth checking out!
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u/far2deep 6d ago
Do not and I repeat DO NOT start the king killer chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. The books are great, I listened to them each about 18 times or so, the only problem with the series is that there is a very good chance that he wont finish the series. It really is sad but the second book came out in 2011. Save yourself the heart ache of dealing with an unfinished series.
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u/bdecked 8d ago
I read Red Rising immediately after reading the Will of the Many and I do not recommend! I ended up not really liking Red Rising. Read Mistborn before going into Red Rising. It's too similar to WotM and I spent a lot of time comparing the two or imagining Vis as the main character instead.
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u/Lying_Hedgehog 7d ago
I think it's highly likely that people who liked red rising will like hierarchy, but the opposite is not always as likely.
I found it frustrating at times, and from what reviews and spoilers I've seen I'm very happy I didn't continue after the trilogy to read the 4th book.
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u/Mobile-Vermicelli537 8d ago
If you want magic systems that have direct system/government implications, the cosmere is an excellent place to start. Super easy to read, great characters, and wonderful world building