How many books has Joe Abercrombie written?

Joe Abercrombie has published 15 novels that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read Joe Abercrombie's books in?

Read each series in its own order: start The First Law with The Blade Itself, Shattered Sea with Half a King and The Age of Madness with A Little Hatred. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.

What is Joe Abercrombie's most famous book?

The Blade Itself (2006) is Joe Abercrombie's most widely read book.

Are Joe Abercrombie's books connected?

11 books belong to 3 series (The First Law, Shattered Sea and The Age of Madness); the other 4 books stand alone.

Joe Abercrombie books in order

British fantasy writer and film editor

Born: 1974
Country: United Kingdom
Books: 15
Series: 3

Fantasy

Joe Abercrombie has published 15 novels, beginning with The Blade Itself (2006). The 3 series include The First Law (5 books, starting with The Blade Itself), Shattered Sea (3 books, starting with Half a King) and The Age of Madness (3 books, starting with A Little Hatred). The latest is The Devils (2025).

Updated September 2026

The First Law books in order (5)Series page

Reading order: 1 The Blade Itself (2006) · 2 Before They Are Hanged (2007) · 3 Last Argument of Kings (2008) · Best Served Cold (2009) · The Heroes (2011)

1.
The Blade Itself (May 2006)
531 pages★ 4.1 (93 ratings)
Buy
2.
Before They Are Hanged (Mar 2007)
560 pages★ 4.2 (67 ratings)
Buy
3.
Last Argument of Kings (2008)
663 pages★ 4.2 (59 ratings)
Buy
Best Served Cold (Jun 2009)
632 pages★ 4.3 (33 ratings)
Buy
The Heroes (Jan 2011)
672 pages
Buy

Shattered Sea books in order (3)Series page

Reading order: 1 Half a King (2014) · 2 Half the World (2015) · 3 Half a War (2015)

1.
Half a King (2014)
365 pages★ 4.2 (18 ratings)
Buy
2.
Half the World (2015)
392 pages★ 4.4 (10 ratings)
Buy
3.
Half a War (2015)
375 pages
Buy

The Age of Madness books in order (3)Series page

Reading order: 1 A Little Hatred (2019) · 2 The Trouble with Peace (2020) · 3 The Wisdom of Crowds (2021)

1.
A Little Hatred (Sep 2019)
496 pages★ 4.3 (16 ratings)
Buy
2.
The Trouble with Peace (Sep 2020)
506 pages★ 4.6 (10 ratings)
Buy
3.
The Wisdom of Crowds (Sep 2021)
528 pages★ 4.9 (8 ratings)
Buy

Where to start with Joe Abercrombie

Start here
The Blade Itself
Joe Abercrombie's most-read book and the first of the 5 The First Law books.
Highest rated
Best Served Cold
Rated 4.3 out of 5 by 33 readers.
Shortest way in
Half a King
One of the most-read, at about 365 pages.

Standalone novels in order

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year (2011)
536 pages
Buy
Red Country (2012)
464 pages★ 4.2 (13 ratings)
Buy
Sharp Ends (2016)
304 pages
Buy
The Devils (May 2025)
Buy

About Joe Abercrombie

Joseph Edward Abercrombie is an English author of epic fantasy books and a film editor. He is the author of The First Law and The Age of Madness trilogies, as well as other fantasy books in the same setting, and a trilogy of young adult novels. His novel Half a King won the 2015 Locus Award for best young adult book.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Joe Abercrombie FAQ

How many books has Joe Abercrombie written?: Joe Abercrombie has published 15 novels that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Joe Abercrombie's books in?: Read each series in its own order: start The First Law with The Blade Itself, Shattered Sea with Half a King and The Age of Madness with A Little Hatred. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
What is Joe Abercrombie's latest book?: The Devils (2025).
What is Joe Abercrombie's most famous book?: The Blade Itself (2006) is Joe Abercrombie's most widely read book.
Are Joe Abercrombie's books connected?: 11 books belong to 3 series (The First Law, Shattered Sea and The Age of Madness); the other 4 books stand alone.