An ancient library window opens onto a distant mountain kingdom

BEYOND THE LAST PAGE

For the worlds
we never quite leave.

Thieves worth trusting. Kings worth questioning.
Stories worth talking about long after the end.

Open the review journal

FROM CORY’S JOURNAL

Two thieves.
One unlikely
friendship.

Inside Theft of Swords, the banter is only the beginning.

Theft of Swords book cover

RIYRIA REVELATIONS · VOLUME I

Theft of Swords

Theft of Swords hooked me pretty quickly because Royce and Hadrian are just fun to follow.

From the review by Cory Lane

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A FEW PAGES TO WANDER INTO

Off the shelf.

Browse every review →
Malice book cover

The Faithful and the Fallen

Malice

John Gwynne

Corban’s ordinary loyalties make the coming danger worth caring about.

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MAPS FOR THE LONGER JOURNEYS

Choose your realm.

Where to begin, what to expect,
and reviews to help you along the way.

I

The long journey

The Wheel of Time

Fourteen main novels, a prequel, and a cast that grows from a village into a world.

Follow the reading guide →
II

The intricate puzzle

The Licanius Trilogy

A completed three-book story, designed to be read closely together.

Follow the reading guide →
III

The unlikely friendship

Riyria Revelations

A cynical thief, an idealistic swordsman, and a partnership that gives an expanding adventure its heart. Three omnibus volumes collect six novels.

Follow the reading guide →
IV

The hard-won hope

The Faithful and the Fallen

Loyalty, prophecy, and ordinary courage in the Banished Lands. Four increasingly intense volumes with a completed central story.

Follow the reading guide →
5

FANTASY

The Kingkiller Chronicle

Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicle follows Kvothe’s life, music, magic, and growing reputation. Read The Name of the Wind, then The Wise Man’s Fear. Both reviews are available below; The Doors of Stone is not yet reviewed.

Follow the reading guide →
6

DARK FANTASY

The Talisman Trilogy

Read The Talisman, Black House, and Other Worlds Than These in order. All three books have reviews here, with a guide to Jack Sawyer’s story and its Dark Tower connections.

Follow the reading guide →
7

EPIC FANTASY

The Stormlight Archive

The first five main novels in numbered reading order, with reviews of The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer, Rhythm of War, and Wind and Truth.

Follow the reading guide →
8

DARK FANTASY

The Dark Tower

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower follows Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, on his journey toward the Tower. It brings together fantasy, Westerns, horror, and strange worlds. Start with The Gunslinger and follow the seven main novels in order. Reviews of all seven main novels and the companion novel are available below.

Follow the reading guide →
9

EPIC FANTASY

Hierarchy

James Islington’s Hierarchy follows Vis through an elite academy and a society where power flows from the many to the few. Start with The Will of the Many, then continue with The Strength of the Few.

Follow the reading guide →
10

THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS

Middle-earth

Start with The Hobbit, then read The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. A spoiler-free starting point and reading order for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, with reviews of all four books by Cory Lane.

Follow the reading guide →
11

FANTASY

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter follows a young wizard through seven novels of magic, friendship, and growing danger. Start with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and read the seven main books in order. Reviews of all seven books are available below.

Follow the reading guide →
12

DARK FANTASY

Empire of the Vampire

Jay Kristoff’s dark fantasy trilogy begins with Empire of the Vampire, followed by Empire of the Damned and Empire of the Dawn. Find the reading order and Cory Lane’s reviews below.

Follow the reading guide →

THE COMMON ROOM

A fire. A good book.
A difference of opinion.

Bring the character you can’t forgive, the ending you’re still thinking about, or the next book you need help finding.

Pull up a chair →