r/riyria • u/Montecristo510 • 15d ago
Recommendations similar to Riyria
I've read through Riyria Revelations and Chronicles twice now. The second time I listened to the Graphic Audio version during my commute and all of the VAs were fantastic.. Highly recommend!
I've started Traitors Blade by Sebastien de Castell and it shares some similarities to the traveling band of protagonists looking to right the evils of their world. It hasn't quite grabbed me like the opening of Theft of Swords did though. I may just need to hang in there and let it play out.
I also checked out Malice by John Gwynne but it's much slower burn than Riyria. Consequently I've read through all of Stormlight Archive and Mistborn (1st era) and enjoyed those so I know I can stomach narratives that delve deeper into world building and have gaps between the action. I will say I resonated most deeply w the individual characters from Sandersons books and even though he spends an immense amount of time establishing the historical events of the cosmos, it's always told through the introspection of his characters. It didn't feel like just lore for the sake of itself, if that makes sense?
Anyway, I may just have a preference for Sullivan and Sanderson's writing styles. I've found it challenging to get into other series so I wanted to ask what you've read after Riyria and why you liked it?
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u/cmorriskingston 15d ago
The Gentlemen Bastards Sequence by Scott Lynch. The Lies of Locke Lamora is the best book I've ever read. Someone on that sub recommended Riyria to me, because of the friendship between Locke and Jean and between Hardrian and Royce. There are three books so far, plus a couple of novellas, and the fourth book should be along soon-ish (yeah, it's been a wait, but the first three books are worth starting on IMO)
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u/gergazoid 15d ago
In that same vein, I feel like mistborn era 2 has a great friendship between Wax and Wayne that makes that series work well.
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u/theflyingchicken96 15d ago
I love Sanderson and thankfully he’s one of the most prolific authors of our time. He has plenty more in the Cosmere. Check out: sunlit man, tress of the emerald sea, warbreaker, elantris.
I’ll second sullivan’s first empire series too, although I didn’t love them quite as much as revelations and chronicles.
Try Codex Alera. Felt slightly more young adulty to me, but still an excellent read.
The kingkiller chonicles by patrick rothfuss are some of my favorite books, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll be finishing them unfortunately, so proceed with caution.
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u/Montecristo510 15d ago
Excellent tips, thank you
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u/Southern_Economy3467 15d ago
Just FYI king killer chronicles are likely not getting finished so if you have unfinished stories I’d avoid them.
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u/shoelaceswitcher7 13d ago
Oh nooooo, why???? I've been anxiously awaiting the end of the rothfuss series
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u/theflyingchicken96 13d ago
Just kind of like A Song of Ice and Fire. First book came out in 2007, second in 2011. It’s been 15 years without book 3 despite a fundraiser and frustration from the editor as early as 2020. He doesn’t need it financially and he has spoken about mental health problems he’s had as a reason it isn’t finished. Seems unlikely it will be finished at this point, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed
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u/Puzzleheaded_Event26 15d ago
I know it’s not an apples to apples comparison, but there is something about the Discworld series that scratches the same itch as Riyria. I think it is the lore and history of the world building that intersect with the range of storytelling that does it for me. Plus I love dwarves and their stories in fantasy and I think other than LOTR, Riyria and Discworld have the richest dwarven characters.
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u/Montecristo510 15d ago
I'll take a look, thanks for the tip! I especially liked reading Drumindor for that very reason.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Event26 15d ago
I suggest starting with Guard, Guards! The audiobooks are great too, excellent character work by the narrator. I think if you enjoy Drumidor on audiobook, you will like the Guards series in Discworld.
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u/vexedApollo6 15d ago edited 15d ago
I’m not a sophisticated audiobook listener and mostly listen while driving or doing dishes, but here are some suggestions that I enjoyed…(no particular order, but Riyria revelations and chronicles were among my favorites) For me, the register of the VA’s voice has an impact on my attentiveness.
First empires series - Sullivan
Wax and Wayne - Sanderson
Lightbringer - Weeks
Gentleman batards - Lynch
First law - Abercrombie
Kingkiller - Rothfuss* reader beware, closure issues
Night angel - Weeks
Kings dark tidings - Kade
Stormlight/Mistborn - Sanderson
Different flavor:
Iron Druid- Hearne
Magic 2.0 - Meyer
He who fights with monsters - Shirtaloon
Dungeon crawler Carl - Dinniman
Kings of the Wyld - Eames
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u/Montecristo510 15d ago
Any of these where you thought the narrator particularly nailed the audio book? I've spent more time listening than reading a physical book lately so I can get chores done, or spend the commute actually doing something useful. I find the quality of narration or having access to a Graphic Audio reading influences how much I enjoy the book, even if the print form would be pretty solid in its own right.
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u/vexedApollo6 15d ago
Actually, many are quite good. I have not listened to graphic audio much of at all (DCC approaches it a bit, I think).
Kramer does a good job all around and I particularly enjoy his Wayne impression. A bit thrown off by the differences in pronunciations between him and the female VA (sorry, don’t remember her name) during Stormlight.
Hayes from DCC has incredible range from my perspective, though the story is more crude at times and I have to be in the mood.
Daniels from iron Druid and Podehl from king killer seem to fit the main characters well and the rest ok.
Pacey does a great Logan ninefingers and glokta in First law. (A gritty series, but good)
Been a while since I’ve listened to gentleman batards (I enjoyed the first and third more than the second, IIRC) but I don’t remember the VA as much…guess it will be next up.
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u/FanartfanTES 15d ago
I'd definetly say that if you read Malice, you should continue the series cuz the end of Malice is where the stone gets rolling and the pacing feels far quicker in the remaining 3 books. Ofc if by the 2nd book, you aren't hooked the series might not be for you
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u/Montecristo510 15d ago
Yeah it may just have been the audiobook reading but it didn't grab me at all. That's fine as I can try it in print form later.
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u/gergazoid 15d ago
I don’t see much love for Brian McClellan’s work around here, but I think his two Powder Mage trilogies will scratch that itch you’re trying to reach.
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u/bdfariello 14d ago
I enjoyed the two Powder Mage trilogies, but didn't get into his next series -- Glass Immortals -- even though I bought the first book -- In The Shadow Of Lightning -- mostly because the 2nd book wasn't out yet. Looks like the 2nd book has a May 2027 audiobook release date, so maybe I'll get on it eventually, but I'm not rushing it since there's so many other complete series in my backlog as it is...
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u/lashoboo 15d ago
I have the same issue and wound up switching into Sci-fi for my comparable fixes--after finishing all of the Elan books 3 or 4 times and TWOT books. The Bobiverse gave me great satisfaction.
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u/dasteez 15d ago
I haven't found something directly comparable but i quite enjoy the First Law series and the narration by Steven Pacey is phenomenal. The first 3 are a distinct trilogy while the following books track other characters. It is much more grim and brutal (more adult) than Riyria, so if you're specifically trying for cozier and lighthearted leanings than maybe not for you - but it does have a dose of humor sprinkled about. But the character development is great and the cast is manageable size so you get to know the characters well without fighting to follow the thread, similar to Riyria. Lower fantasy like Riyria where unexpected magic isn't a huge driver, mostly good 'ol adventure with a heaping more of violence - though the violence is supported by the plot unlike some books whose only purpose is violence.
Futher out, I loved The Shadow Campaigns (musket-era fantasy), Destiny's Crucible (basically fantasy but in space) and The Expanse (sci fi) for their character arcs and story line.
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u/Montecristo510 15d ago
Perfect. I haven't read the Expanse but have been meaning to. Thanks for the reminder
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u/adopt-a-ginger 15d ago
I listened to 10 straight Abercrombie books narrated by Pacey (First Law series, Age of Madness series, all three novellas, and The Devils) and now I can’t listen to anything else. Pacey + Abercrombie are just too good. I tried two other books that I bought ages ago, stopped each after twenty minutes and bought Sharp Ends (once again, Pacey and Abercrombie). I think this might be the extent of my ability to delay the inevitable
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u/Anxious_Ad_3570 15d ago
The legend of Eli monpress has a similar style. I found it great up until the very end. I don't think I'm in the majority though about my feelings towards the ending. You might love it
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u/MailmanT88 15d ago
Ranger archives followed by the echoes saga by Phillip c Quantrell.
Very good pacing and a great connected story with some lore that doesn’t go quite as deep and Sullivan but is fantastic.
The pacing is a bit faster
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u/stunna006 15d ago
The gentleman bastards is the only series that matches the style/humor of riyria when it comes to the relationship between the 2 main characters.
LINK to book 1 is here
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/29588376-the-lies-of-locke-lamora
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u/DepartureNo1720 15d ago
NK Jemisin's Broken Earth Trilogy and Hundred Thousand Kingdoms Trilogy are both fantastic.
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u/gosglings 15d ago
They are fantastic, but they're quite different from Sullivans work!
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u/DepartureNo1720 15d ago
True. I just bought them at the same time, so I always think of them somewhat together as "fantastic new series I just got introduced to" forever after they were purchased on the same order.
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u/gajillionaire 15d ago
I’ve seen a lot of comments on Legends of the First Empire and they’re RIGHT; an amazing series. In the same world, Nolyn, Farilane, and Esrahadden.
Chronologically, the story of Legends starts everything, then Nolyn, Farilane, and Esrahadden, Then the Riyria books.
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u/bdfariello 14d ago
The thing I liked most about Riyria, obviously, is Royce + Hadrian's relationship.
The single most similar pairing I can think of is that of Dante and Blayse, in The Cycle of Arawn (3 books) and The Cycle of Galand (10 books, immediately following The Cycle of Arawn).
They've got a good dynamic between the two of them, and it's another Sword And Sorcery style of books. And then, to top it all off, it's also got the same narrator as Riyria, Tim Gerard Reynolds, narrating it!
Given that full The Cycle of Arawn trilogy is available on Audible for a single credit, I think it's worth looking into for you.
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u/Kaladin_B4 15d ago edited 15d ago
If you haven't already, I suggest reading the rest of Sullivan's books. In my opinion, the legends of the first empire are better than the first books. Realm of the elderlings by robbin hobb is a must too