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Books Like Blackhearts

6 books to read after Valnir’s Bane by Nathan Long, sorted by what you loved about it.

6 books By Sandro Andreatta, historian Updated
Cover of Valnir’s Bane

You loved

Valnir’s Bane

Nathan Long

Condemned renegades are offered survival through secret, exceptionally dangerous missions.

First Blackhearts novel; also collected in the Blackhearts omnibus, within Warhammer Fantasy.

Get your personal matchSee it on the shelf

If you loved: a fighting group under compromised authority

Cover of The Black CompanyThe Black Company

The Black Company

Glen Cook Start with Start with The Black Company; the early sequence continues with Shadows Linger and The White Rose.

Editorial match

What it is
Croaker, male physician and annalist of a mercenary company. Secondary-world conflict involving a mercenary company and powerful sorcerous rulers.
Why it fits
Soldiers must survive service to dangerous employers.
The difference
A mercenary chronicle rather than a penal-unit mission sequence.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: stay in Warhammer Fantasy

Cover of TrollslayerTrollslayer

Trollslayer

William King Start with Gotrek & Felix opening volume; also collected in The First Omnibus.

My pick Editorial match

What it is
Gotrek, a dwarf Slayer, and his human companion Felix. Warhammer Fantasy’s Old World.
Why it fits
The shared setting supports a natural reading route.
The difference
Companion adventures replace an expendable military team.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: secret missions with supernatural danger

The Dark Lands

Markus Heitz Start with English novel set during the Thirty Years’ War.

My pick Editorial match

What it is
In 1629, Aenlin Kane and Tahmina undertake a secret mission amid war and supernatural threats.
Why it fits
A perilous assignment anchors the story.
The difference
Historical dark fantasy rather than Warhammer.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: more military survival

Cover of The Ten ThousandThe Ten Thousand

The Ten Thousand

Paul Kearney Start with First novel of The Macht sequence.

Editorial match

What it is
A mercenary army hired to overthrow a ruler must fight for survival after its employer dies.
Why it fits
A fighting group must endure a lethal situation.
The difference
Army-scale retreat rather than covert operations.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: veterans and organised crime

Cover of Priest of BonesPriest of Bones

Priest of Bones

Peter McLean Start with War for the Rose Throne, book 1.

Editorial match

What it is
Tomas Piety, male returning soldier, priest and gang leader; Bloody Anne is a female veteran lieutenant. A city and criminal businesses contested after wartime service; precise historical analogue unverified.
Why it fits
Violence, group loyalty and compromised protagonists overlap.
The difference
An urban gang struggle, not a battlefield or penal-unit narrative.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: more compromised characters

The First Law — original trilogy

Joe Abercrombie Start with The Blade Itself; trilogy continues with Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings.

Editorial match

What it is
Ensemble, prominently male veterans/officers and an inquisitor; not a single-protagonist story. Secondary-world kingdoms, warfare and government intrigue; exact historical-period label not assigned.
Why it fits
Readers interested in flawed people within violent power structures may cross over.
The difference
Much broader political ensemble; not a close mission-structure match.

FAQ

What should I read after Valnir’s Bane?

It depends on what you loved about it. For a fighting group under compromised authority: The Black Company by Glen Cook. For stay in Warhammer Fantasy: Trollslayer by William King. For secret missions with supernatural danger: The Dark Lands by Markus Heitz.

How many books like Blackhearts are on this page?

6 books, grouped by what readers loved about Valnir’s Bane. Each one says why it fits, what is different and who backs the recommendation.

How this list is made: every match comes from Sandro's research catalog, which records who recommends what (book creators, readers, book sites) and an editorial comparison of what each book offers. Matches marked "Editorial match" are his own comparison. Recommendations cannot be bought.