TL;DR: If you love big-name series like Throne of Glass, Fourth Wing, The Sun Eater, or Joe Abercrombie’s work—there are indie books delivering the same quality storytelling without the Big 5 label. These are the indie equivalents of your favorite series.
These aren’t “indie books” as a genre. They’re books that happened to be published independently and deliver the character-driven, immersive storytelling you already know you love.
The Indie Equivalents
Five Indie Books Matched to Your Favorite Series
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A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash
by J.F. Johns
Like the political intrigue of Throne of Glass?
If you loved the political intrigue, epic scope, and character relationships in Throne of Glass, this indie gem delivers the same emotional stakes and world-building quality. Found family, high stakes, and a magic system that doesn't hold back.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
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Umbra
by Amber Toro
Like the bonded rider trope?
For readers who loved the sassy dragon/rider relationship in Fourth Wing, this indie space opera delivers that same dynamic with dragons replaced by sentient AI ships. Epic world-building, intimate relationships, and the kind of character work that makes you invested from chapter one.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
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Immortal Aberration
by Calum Lott
Like how Christopher Ruocchio blends fantasy into sci-fi?
If The Sun Eater series grabbed you with its sci-fantasy blend—mixing fantasy elements into sci-fi worldbuilding—Immortal Aberration hits those same notes. Dark, richly detailed, and character-centric. This is what indie sci-fantasy can be when authors take risks traditional publishers won't.
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An Inkling of Flame
by Z.B. Steele
Like Abercrombie's deep character work?
For Joe Abercrombie readers who live for found family dynamics and earned character relationships—An Inkling of Flame is your indie alternative. Gritty, character-driven, with the kind of emotional depth that makes every relationship feel hard won and real. No shortcuts, no cheap tricks in the name of fast pacing.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
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Discovery
by J.A.J Minton
Enjoy the risks The Hierarchy takes?
If you loved the top-tier world-building, genre blending, and complex magic and politics of The Will of The Many, Discovery delivers a similar experience. The Mintons take risks that even James Islington would be proud of, Discovery is told in a 5 act structure, has a unique mythology, and is a genre transcending story that feels similar to the experience of reading The Hierarchy series.
BroMantasy Reader Experience:
Why Indie Books for Series Readers?
Here’s the thing: great storytelling doesn’t require a publisher imprint. Some of the most ambitious, character-focused fantasies aren’t published traditionally because indie authors get to take risks big publishers won’t touch.
If you already know you love:
- Character relationships that feel earned
- World-building with consequences
- Emotional stakes alongside action
- Writers who aren’t afraid to let their characters fail or change
…then you already have the taste for indie books. You just might not know it yet.
The Indie Books for You
Below are five indie books matched to beloved traditional series. Same quality. Same character focus. Different origin story.
If You Loved Throne of Glass, Read A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash
J.F. Johns delivers the political intrigue, interesting magic system, and epic scope that Throne of Glass readers live for. The character relationships build over time, the magic system doesn’t hold back, and the world-building is the kind that makes you want to live in it. This book does all of that and manages to add some interesting themes to the mix and a good exploration of how power doesn’t necessarily mean good.
What you’ll get: Political stakes, enemies to lovers, a romance that feels naturally built, magic that has some interesting mechanics, emotional payoffs that land.
If You Loved Fourth Wing, Read Umbra
Amber Toro’s SciMantasy hits the same notes as Fourth Wing—that bonded-rider dynamic where the rider and the bonded creature become a team that banters but ultimately has the best interst of the other at heart. Swap dragons for sentient AI ships and you’ve got epic world-building with intimate character work. The kind of book where you’re invested in the relationship because you watched it build. Unlike Fourth Wing, this book has much more yearning and much less of the “missed communication” trope that can sometimes feel draining.
What you’ll get: Bonded-rider dynamic, space opera world-building, character depth, relationship stakes that feel real and yearning that feels natural.
If You Loved The Sun Eater, Read Immortal Aberrations
Calum Lott’s SciFantasy blends fantasy into sci-fi in ways that feel fresh. Dark, richly detailed, and absolutely character-centric. This is indie SciFantasy at its best—ambitious, uncompromising, and willing to go places traditional publishing often avoids.
What you’ll get: Sci-fi and Fantasy blending, dark tone, character-driven narrative, world-building that rewards attention.
If You Loved Joe Abercrombie, Read An Inkling of Flame
Z.B. Steele gets what Abercrombie fans live for: found family dynamics where every relationship feels hard-won and real. Gritty, character-focused, with no cheap emotional beats. Steele also nails that friendly banter that allows you to torture each other for the littlest mistakes, but you know that it’s all out of love. Just people in complicated situations making hard choices.
What you’ll get: Found family, character-driven narrative, earned relationships, gritty tone, and a bit of banter that feels natural.
If You Loved The Will of The Many, Read Discovery
If you were hooked by interesting take on magic, intricate plot weaving, and high-stakes political maneuvering in The Will of The Many, J.A.J Minton’s Discovery hits that same high bar for quality and innovation. It’s a genre-transcending story that blends Sci-Fi, Cosmic Horror, and Mystery, all told through a unique five act structure. This is the kind of masterful, convergent storytelling that in no way feels like a debut novel. The Mintons each have a hand in writing this book bringing something different to the table, all while maintaining a cohesive story that feels like a single author wrote it.
What you’ll get: A story telling style that feels like a movie, a unique five act structure, and a story that will have you on the edge of your seat while sweating whats coming next.
How to Approach Indie Books
Indie books require the same attention as traditional releases. You can’t skim them. The writing is often tighter because there’s no marketing department padding things out.
What to expect:
- Blends of genres that
- More experimental prose styles
- Character work that requires engagement
- World-building that doesn’t hold your hand
What you might not expect:
- These aren’t diamond-in-the-rough stories. These authors made deliberate choices.
- Indie ≠ self-published passion project. Some indie authors have had offers and turned them down to maintain creative control.
- Quality varies, but that’s true of traditional publishing too.
The #IndieVember Challenge
November is #IndieVember—when readers celebrate indie authors and indie books get their moment.
Our challenge to you: Pick one of these five indie books. Treat it like you’d treat a new Brandon Sanderson or Sarah J. Maas release. Give it the attention it deserves.
Because great storytelling is great storytelling. The publisher doesn’t matter. The story does.
Want Full Reviews?
Dive deeper into any of these indie books with our character-first reviews. We use the same 8-category rating system for indie books as we do for traditionally published releases.
[Link to individual reviews in each section above]
Celebrate #IndieVember With Us
Every November, we highlight indie fantasy, sci-fi, and romantasy books worth your time. Indie authors take creative risks. They deliver character-driven stories without publisher committees weighing in.
If you’re looking to expand beyond the Big 5, start here.