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 Now2006
  2. Before They Are HangedBuy Now2007
  3. Last Argument of KingsBuy Now2008

Standalones (Set Between Trilogies)

  1. Best Served ColdBuy Now2009
  2. The HeroesBuy Now2011
  3. Red CountryBuy Now2012

Age of Madness Trilogy

  1. A Little HatredBuy Now2019
  2. The Trouble With PeaceBuy Now2020
  3. The Wisdom of CrowdsBuy Now2021

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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