The Fantasy 101 › Books Like

Books Like The Broken Sword

Anderson, 1954 · #8 on the Epic Fantasy 101 Booklist · 99/120

A human child stolen by elves and the changeling left in his place grow up to wage a Norse-saga war, armed with a cursed sword.

Its strongest scores: mood and climax and fights. The five books below have the closest scores across all eleven criteria.

If you liked The Broken Sword, read:

1. The Warlord Chronicles

   Cornwell, 1995 · #2 on the list · 106/120

   Arthur fights to hold post-Roman Britain together against Saxons, rival kings and Merlin's dying gods. The tale is told by Derfel, a warrior turned monk.

   Close on mood, theme, creative details, real-world blend.

2. Thomas Covenant

   Donaldson, 1977 · #7 on the list · 100/120

   A leper from our world is pulled into the Land, where his illness is cured and the people hail him as a saviour. He refuses to believe any of it is real.

   Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

3. Watership Down

   Adams, 1972 · #6 on the list · 100/120

   A handful of rabbits flee a doomed warren on a seer's warning and cross the Berkshire downs to found a new home. They must outwit the tyrant General Woundwort to survive.

   Close on mood, theme, further reading, creative details.

4. Three Hearts and Three Lions

   Anderson, 1961 · #29 on the list · 87/120

   A Danish resistance fighter in 1943 is thrown into a world of Carolingian legend, where he is a hero he has forgotten.

   Close on structure, further reading, creative details, real-world blend.

5. Grendel

   Gardner, 1971 · #17 on the list · 93/120

   The monster from Beowulf tells his own story. He is lonely, mocking and searching for meaning in the meadhall's songs.

   Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

How the scores work: each book is rated 1 to 10 on eleven criteria; real-world blend and climax and fights count double, for a maximum of 120. See the full Fantasy 101.