Series

Books like Shadow War: 9 series to read next

Shadow War is epic fantasy and fantasy, about dark lord, set in secondary world, adventurous in register. The 9 series below are ranked by how much of that they share — each card says which parts.

Shadow War is 3 books, 1995–1999.

“The film stars Warwick Davis as the title character, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Billy Barty and Jean Marsh.”
from the catalogue description
Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

The Shadow War page →Narrow this list →

Tolkien's legendarium
Willow Universe
The Riftwar
Sparhawk
Narnia
Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
Shannara
Lord of the Isles
Pellinor

Tolkien's legendariumUniverse

universe163 books1923

Fantasy, set in secondary world.

“Before the seas were bent and the mountains raised, there was Music — and from that Music came Arda, and in the west of Middle-earth the long defeat and stubborn hope of those who dwell there.”
from the catalogue description

Reading order →

Willow UniverseSeries

seriesChris Claremont, George Lucas, Cathy East Dubowski, Joan D. Vinge & Wayland Drew6 books1988

Epic fantasy and fantasy, adventurous in tone, about dark lord and chosen one, set in secondary world.

“In a magical land, a poor farmer is entrusted with the care of an infant who is destined to become a good and wise queen and bring about the downfall of the evil sorceress who is the present queen.”
from the catalogue description of Willow

Start with Willow →

The RiftwarUniverse

universe44 books1982

Epic fantasy and fantasy, set in secondary world.

“On the world of Midkemia a tear opens in the air itself, a rift hung between stars, and through it march the armies of an empire from another world entirely.”
from the catalogue description

Reading order →

SparhawkUniverse

universe6 books1989

Epic fantasy and fantasy, adventurous in tone, about quests, set in secondary world.

“Sir Sparhawk is not a young man, and he has little patience for the pageantry his order pretends to.”
from the catalogue description

Reading order →

NarniaUniverse

universe38 books1950

Portal fantasy.

“Once there is a wardrobe at the back of a spare room, and behind the fur coats the wood gives way to snow, and a lamp-post burns alone among the trees.”
from the catalogue description

Reading order →

Thomas Covenant the UnbelieverSeries

seriesStephen R. Donaldson11 books1977

Epic fantasy and fantasy, dark in tone, about quests, set in secondary world.

Reading order →

ShannaraUniverse

universe50 books1977

Epic fantasy and fantasy, set in secondary world.

“Long after the world we know has burned itself to slag in the Great Wars, the Four Lands rise green over the bones of the old age.”
from the catalogue description

Reading order →

Lord of the IslesSeries

seriesDavid Drake10 books1997

Epic fantasy, adventurous in tone, about quests, set in secondary world.

“In 1997, Drake began his largest fantasy series, Lord of the Isles, using elements of Sumerian religion and medieval-era technology.”
from the catalogue description
Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Start with Lord of the Isles →

PellinorSeries

seriesAlison Croggon5 books2002

“Maerad has spent most of her life enslaved on a remote farm, until the wandering Bard Cadvan recognizes in her the Gift -- a rare and powerful magical ability -- and takes her from captivity into training.”
from the catalogue description

Start with The Bone Queen →

Why these

No sales rank, no star ratings, no readers also bought.

Shared terms are not a promise that a book feels the same. Two series can be far-future political intrigue and read nothing alike — what the ranking can say is what they are about, and each card says which parts it shares.

Questions readers ask

What should I read after Shadow War?: Tolkien's legendarium — the closest match to Shadow War on what it is about, not on what sells.
Where do I start with Shadow War?: Shadow Moon. It is the entry the catalogue recommends for Shadow War.
How big is Shadow War?: Shadow War is 3 books, 1995–1999.

Books like Shadow War: 9 series to read next

Read next in Shadow War

Why these

Questions readers ask

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