Age of Madness reading order

Short version of the First Law door: Where to start The First Law. This page is the later generation only.

Three novels. Publication order. They assume the original trilogy’s weather. The standalones between the two trilogies (Best Served Cold, The Heroes, Red Country) are useful and not strictly required for every name in Age of Madness — but skipping the original three is how people get lost.

Age of Madness

House path:

1. First Law trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, Last Argument of Kings)
2. The three standalones if you want the full conversation
3. Age of Madness

Contested skip, labeled: you can open A Little Hatred cold. You will spend the trilogy paying a tax the original books were designed to collect. This house does not recommend it.

Common mistakes

• Starting with A Little Hatred because the covers look newer.
• Starting with The Wisdom of Crowds.
• Treating Age of Madness as a reboot.

What to read next

1. The First Law (Joe Abercrombie) — If you have not read it. That is the actual door.
2. The First Law standalones, then this trilogy. If you already finished the original three.
3. Gentleman Bastards (Scott Lynch) — If you want another grim crew, unfinished.
4. The Poppy War (R. F. Kuang) — If you want another finished grim war trilogy.
5. Stop after The Wisdom of Crowds. This later trilogy is complete.

FAQ

Can I start here?
You can. You should not.

Do I need the standalones?
They help. The original trilogy helps more.

Is Age of Madness finished?
Yes.

Sources

• Joe Abercrombie — author site. Opened 2026-09-13.
• Orbit, A Little Hatred — publisher page for Age of Madness book one. Opened 2026-09-13.