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Books Like The Heroes

7 books to read after The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, sorted by what you loved about it.

7 books By Sandro Andreatta, historian Updated
Cover of The Heroes

You loved

The Heroes

Joe Abercrombie

Union and Northern armies fight a three-day battle while ambition, rivalry and exhausted veterans shape the outcome.

Second standalone novel in the First Law world; not a separate universe or the original trilogy entry.

Get your personal matchSee it on the shelf

If you loved: read the earlier First Law story

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
The earlier trilogy develops this world and returning characters.
The difference
Same universe; broader plotting rather than another concentrated battle.

If you loved: more soldiers and compromised employers

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
Military service and survival complicate easy moral judgments.
The difference
Chronicle narration and more sorcery.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: army survival and cohesion

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
Professional soldiers confront the consequences of command.
The difference
A retreat narrative in an ancient-inspired world.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: war through institutional improvisation

Cover of Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled CitySixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

K. J. Parker Start with Begin with this named siege novel.

Editorial match

What it is
Orhan, a colonel of engineers with little respect for authority, must organise the defence of an unprepared city.
Why it fits
Flawed leaders and practical decisions matter.
The difference
One engineer’s account and a siege replace the ensemble field battle.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: a different perspective on costly war

Cover of Guns of the DawnGuns of the Dawn

Guns of the Dawn

Adrian Tchaikovsky

My pick Editorial match

What it is
Emily Marshwic is drawn from civilian life into a musket war as the demands of recruitment grow.
Why it fits
Military service undermines comfortable assumptions.
The difference
Female conscript and gunpowder war rather than veteran Northern fighters.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

If you loved: a more heroic defence

Cover of LegendLegend

Legend

David Gemmell Start with Drenai publication entry; Legend only, not Druss’s full chronology.

Editorial match

What it is
Ageing warrior Druss joins the defence of Dros Delnoch against an overwhelming Nadir army.
Why it fits
Veteran fighters carry the military story.
The difference
A substantial tonal turn toward inspirational heroism rather than corrosive irony.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

What book creators recommend next

War Song

Michael Michel Start with Prequel novelette (The Price of Power 0.5), set 73 years earlier; best read after the novel.

Recommended by book creators or readers

What it is
Admar, a miner under Scothean occupation who has lost his family.
Why it fits
Creator comp: The Heroes + Ryse → War Song.
The difference
A short prequel; best after The Price of Power.

On the shelfSee who recommends it

FAQ

What should I read after The Heroes?

It depends on what you loved about it. For read the earlier First Law story: The First Law — original trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. For more soldiers and compromised employers: The Black Company by Glen Cook. For army survival and cohesion: The Ten Thousand by Paul Kearney.

How many books like The Heroes are on this page?

7 books, grouped by what readers loved about The Heroes. 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.