Joe Abercrombie Books in Order: First Law, The Devils & More

If you’re looking for the Joe Abercrombie books in order, things can look straightforward at first, but the order gets confusing fast once you start separating the First Law world from everything else he’s written.

Most of his best-known books belong to The First Law, including the original trilogy, the standalone novels, The Age of Madness, and the short fiction. But The Shattered Sea is separate, and The Devils starts a different fantasy series in its own world.

If you want the Joe Abercrombie books in order, the lists below break everything apart so you can see what belongs to First Law, what doesn’t, and where the short stories fit.

Jump to:

• Best First Law Reading Order
• First Law Books by Series
• First Law Short Stories and Collections
• Other Joe Abercrombie Series
• The Devils Books
• Shattered Sea Books
• Joe Abercrombie Adaptations
• Who Is Joe Abercrombie?

Best First Law Reading Order

For the First Law world, I’d read the books in publication order. The full-length novels mostly line up with the internal chronology anyway, and publication order gives you the reveals, returning characters, and worldbuilding in the order Abercrombie first built them.

The short fiction is the only place where things get trickier. Sharp Ends jumps around the earlier timeline, while The Great Change belongs with The Age of Madness. I’d treat both collections as bonus material rather than stopping between novels for every short story.

1. The Blade Itself (2006)
2. Before They Are Hanged (2007)
3. Last Argument of Kings (2008)
4. Best Served Cold (2009)
5. The Heroes (2011)
6. Red Country (2012)
7. Sharp Ends (2016)
8. A Little Hatred (2019)
9. The Trouble with Peace (2020)
10. The Wisdom of Crowds (2021)
11. The Great Change (and Other Lies) (2023)

First Law Books by Series

The First Law Trilogy

The original trilogy is where Abercrombie introduces the world, the tone, and the characters that everything else keeps circling back to. It’s dark, violent, funny, and full of people who are usually trying to survive more than they’re trying to be good.

1. The Blade Itself (2006)
2. Before They Are Hanged (2007)
3. Last Argument of Kings (2008)

First Law Standalone Novels

These books are called standalones because each one has its own main story. But I’d still read them after the original trilogy. They build on the world, and several familiar faces return in important ways.

1. Best Served Cold (2009)
2. The Heroes (2011)
3. Red Country (2012)

The Age of Madness Trilogy

The Age of Madness is also set in the First Law world, but it takes place later. The world has shifted into an age of industry, revolution, old grudges, and new kinds of power.

1. A Little Hatred (2019)
2. The Trouble with Peace (2020)
3. The Wisdom of Crowds (2021)

First Law Short Stories and Collections

Joe Abercrombie has written short fiction set in the First Law world. The easiest way to handle it is by collection, not by hunting down every anthology appearance.

1. Sharp Ends (2016)
2. The Great Change (and Other Lies) (2023)

Sharp Ends is the main First Law short story collection. I’d read it after Red Country and before A Little Hatred.

The Great Change (and Other Lies) is tied to The Age of Madness. I’d read it after The Wisdom of Crowds. It includes The Thread, The Stone, The Point, and The Great Change.

Other Joe Abercrombie Series

The Devils Books

The Devils is not part of the First Law world. It starts a separate fantasy series set in a magic-riddled version of Europe, where monsters may be the best tools the church has left.

You can read this series without reading The First Law first. It has its own cast, setting, and story.

1. The Devils (2025)
2. The Heretics (2027)

Shattered Sea Books

The Shattered Sea is separate from the First Law world. It’s a Viking-inspired fantasy trilogy with a younger cast, but it still has Abercrombie’s taste for sharp turns, hard choices, and people who are rarely as noble as they claim.

1. Half a King (2014)
2. Half the World (2015)
3. Half a War (2015)

You can read this trilogy at any point. It doesn’t connect to First Law or The Devils.

Joe Abercrombie Adaptations

Adaptation news doesn’t change the reading order, but there are a couple of projects worth knowing about.

Best Served Cold was announced as a film project, with Abercrombie writing the script, Tim Miller attached to direct, and Rebecca Ferguson attached to play Monza Murcatto.

The Devils has also drawn screen interest. James Cameron’s Lightstorm acquired the screen rights, with Cameron and Abercrombie attached to work on the script.

I wouldn’t pick your starting point based on adaptations. If you want the main Abercrombie experience, the First Law list above is the one to use. If you’re coming in because of The Devils, you can start there without needing First Law homework.

Who Is Joe Abercrombie?

Joe Abercrombie is an English fantasy author best known for The First Law. He’s one of the biggest modern names in grimdark fantasy, and his books are known for brutal violence, cynical humor, messy politics, and characters who rarely fit into simple hero or villain boxes.

He began with The Blade Itself, then expanded the First Law world with standalone novels, short fiction, and The Age of Madness. He also wrote The Shattered Sea trilogy and later started The Devils, a separate fantasy series in a different world.

If you’re new to him, The First Law is the foundation for the work most readers are talking about when they recommend Joe Abercrombie.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.

• Books in Order (Full Index)
• The Witcher Books in Order
• Game of Thrones Books in Order
• Malazan Books in Order