- by Douglas Hulick
Its criminal protagonist navigates a dangerous city of thieves, rival factions, and risky schemes.
- by Michael Joseph Sullivan Jr., Michael J. Sullivan
The first Riyria Revelations novel pairs two professional rogues in a fast-moving fantasy plot built on intrigue and misdirection.
- by Tyler Whitesides
A master con artist assembles a crew for a high-stakes fantasy caper full of ingenuity and reversals.
- by Sebastien De Castell
A disgraced former guardsman’s brisk, bantering adventures make this a lively detour for readers drawn to roguish fantasy.
- by Leigh Bardugo
A gifted crew plans an apparently impossible robbery in a vivid city shaped by crime, ambition, and shifting loyalties.
- by Megan Whalen Turner
A wily thief is drawn into a perilous mission where sharp character work and clever plotting reward close attention.
- by Robert Jackson Bennett
A gifted street thief becomes entangled in a dangerous magical scheme amid the machinery and rival powers of a city.
- by Michael J. Sullivan
This collected edition opens the Riyria Revelations with two rogues whose unlikely partnership fuels a broad fantasy adventure.
- by M. A. Carrick
A determined swindler attempts to infiltrate an aristocratic family in a richly layered city of masks and political maneuvering.
- The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
A resourceful thief narrates a dangerous journey with irreverent humor, sharp survival instincts, and a richly imagined fantasy setting.
- by Daniel Abraham
The opening of The Dagger and the Coin uses clever scheming and economic power plays to drive its character-rich fantasy intrigue.
- by Jasper Fforde
Its playful alternate world and inventive plotting suit readers who enjoy elaborate literary games and wry narration.
- by Rachel Aaron
A charming thief with magical talents leads a lively fantasy adventure full of audacious plans and an expanding band of allies.
- Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
This is the seed work, so it is excluded from recommendations.
- by Steven Brust
This playful, musketeer-inspired fantasy brings lively banter, bold exploits, and a close-knit band of adventurers.
- by William Goldman
Its clever, affectionate parody of adventure fiction offers a lighter bridge to the seed’s wit and swashbuckling spirit.
- by Michael Crichton
A meticulously plotted Victorian-era robbery offers the intricate planning and criminal ingenuity of a classic caper.
- by Alexandre Dumas
Its duels, disguises, plots, and spirited band of companions make it a foundational match for swashbuckling fantasy.
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Dumas’s elaborate tale of transformation and carefully devised plans shares a taste for theatrical reversals and long-game plotting.
- The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
A resourceful heroine uncovers a hidden supernatural world through quick thinking, dangerous encounters, and dry humor.
- City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
A detective investigates a politically charged mystery in a distinctive city where history and power are inseparable.
- by Gareth Hanrahan
A trio with criminal roots faces supernatural dangers in a strange, densely imagined city.
- The City & The City by China Miéville
A detective story built around an ingenious, unsettling city offers the same pleasure of navigating a richly constructed urban world.
- by Tim Powers
A tangled adventure through nineteenth-century London combines secret plots, eccentric characters, and imaginative historical fantasy.