First Law Reading Order

Joe Abercrombie's First Law series is grimdark fantasy at its finest — morally gray characters, brutal violence, and subverted tropes. 10 books spanning two trilogies and three standalones, all set in the same world.

Our Recommendation: Publication Order Start with The Blade Itself. Read the original trilogy, then the standalones, then the Age of Madness trilogy. The standalones are essential, not optional.

Complete First Law Reading Order

The First Law Trilogy

  1. The Blade ItselfBuy NowAudible2006
  2. Before They Are HangedBuy NowAudible2007
  3. Last Argument of KingsBuy NowAudible2008
Own the Complete Series Buying the whole series at once is usually cheaper than individual books, and box sets make a great gift. See First Law box set options on Amazon ›

Standalones (Set Between Trilogies)

  1. Best Served ColdBuy NowAudible2009
  2. The HeroesBuy NowAudible2011
  3. Red CountryBuy NowAudible2012

Age of Madness Trilogy

  1. A Little HatredBuy NowAudible2019
  2. The Trouble With PeaceBuy NowAudible2020
  3. The Wisdom of CrowdsBuy NowAudible2021

Are the Standalones Really Standalone?

Not really. They're called standalones because each has a new main character, but they advance the world's timeline and contain returning characters. Best Served Cold, The Heroes, and Red Country set up the Age of Madness trilogy. Don't skip them.

Short Story Collection

Sharp Ends (2016) collects short stories from throughout the timeline. Read after Red Country, before Age of Madness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I read Age of Madness without the earlier books?

Technically yes, but you'd miss massive amounts of context. The Age of Madness trilogy is essentially a sequel trilogy featuring children of characters from the earlier books.

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