How To Read Joe Abercombie’s Books In Order

Joe Abercrombie’s fantasy books — and particularly his First Law universe books — are phenomenal additions to the genre. However, since the author has quite a few novels and short stories set in this world, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy and its extended universe of novels and short stories give readers a lot to dive into.

The stellar fantasy series crafts an intricate world, setting the stakes of the conflict between the Union and its enemies high through its morally complex characters and their quests for power and vengeance. The First Law series is definitely worth getting into for grimdark fantasy fans looking for a gritty but engrossing world.

Every Joe Abercrombie Book In Publication Order

Custom image by Yailin Chacon

Abercrombie has been writing since the early 2000s, and in that time, he has published multiple trilogies of books, as well as standalone novels and short stories. However, his first series, the First Law trilogy, remains the author’s most well-known work.

The First Law series begins with the novel The Blade Itself, which introduces the characters Logen Ninefingers, Sand dan Glokta, Jezal dan Luthar, Bayaz, Dogman, Collem West, and Ferro Maljinn, among others. This is then followed by Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings.

Following the release of the original trilogy in the lates 2000s, Abercrombie then published three standalone novels that take place within the same universe. These are Best Served Cold (2009), The Heroes (2011), and Red Country (2012).

After the release of the standalone installments from the First Law series, Abercrombie went on to publish an entirely separate trilogy called the Shattered Sea trilogy, a young adult fantasy series comprised of Half a King, Half the World, and Half a War. In 2016, he returned to the First Law universe with a collection of short stories called Sharp Ends.

In 2019, Abercrombie once again returned to the First Law world with the Age of Madness trilogy: A Little Hatred (2019), The Trouble with Peace (2020), and The Wisdom of Crowds (2021). In 2023, he published the short story collection The Great Change (And Other Lies), marking the current end of the First Law universe.

Abercrombie’s most recent book, The Devils, was published in May 2025 and is completely unrelated to any of his other works. Abercrombie has already confirmed that The Devils will be getting sequels.

The First Law Trilogy Books In Order

Luckily, compared to some other fantasy series where the release order may be counter to the order in which the events of the series take place chronologically, Abercrombie’s First Law series is relatively straightforward. The original trilogy should be read in their release order for the story to make the most sense.

This means starting with The Blade Itself, then reading Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. Where the chronology of the original trilogy does get more complicated is when the author’s short story collections are included. The arc that includes this trilogy takes place from 566 After the Union to 577 AU.

Chronologically, the first entry in the series is the short story “A Beautiful Bastard.” This is followed by the story “Made a Monster.” Next are the first two First Law novels, followed by the short story “Hell.” Finally, the third novel of the original trilogy makes up the last installment of that story arc.

Every Standalone Book In The First Law Universe & Where It Falls

After the original First Law books and short stories that correspond to them, the series then flows into three standalone novels and several more short stories that follow the same characters. Like the First Law trilogy, the standalone books’ chronological order matches their release order.

Best Served Cold takes place in 579 AU, two years after Last Argument of Kings. This book is followed by the short story “Wrong Place, Wrong Time,” which includes the same characters. Abercrombie’s short stories cover a large period and various characters, making them best to read with the standalone novels. They can also be dispersed chronologically as outlined.

The Heroes takes place next chronologically for the standalone novels, with both the novel and the short story “Yesterday, Near a Village Called Barden” taking place in 584 AU. The characters from this arc also appear in “The Fool Jobs” story, which is set in 574 AU, putting it chronologically between the first two First Law novels.

Finally, the stories “Some Desperado” and “Freedom!” include characters from the third standalone book, Red Country and take place in 584 and 590 AU, respectively. Red Country also unfolds in 590 AU, making it the last novel before the Age of Madness trilogy.

The Age Of Madness – How Long After The First Law It’s Set & Reading Order

The First Law trilogy ends in 577 AU, and the Age of Madness trilogy begins in 605 AU. The trilogy follows the changes occurring in the Union and the new challenges that its leaders face. The time jump also makes sense given that the new series introduces the children of some of the original trilogy’s characters.

The trilogy begins with A Little Hatred, followed by the short stories “The Thread” and “The Stone.” The second and third novels, The Trouble With Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds follow that chronologically. The final two stories revolving around the Age of Madness’ characters are “The Point” and “The Great Change.”

Though the numerous stories and books within the universe can feel overwhelming to tackle initially, the series is easier to follow than you might think, and it is certainly worth it. Generally, it is best to read Abercrombie’s beloved fantasy books in release order, though it is up to the reader whether to mix the short stories in at the same time.