Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbarians | 2013 | David Farland | Buy |
| 2 | The Runelords | 1998 | David Farland | Buy |
| 3 | Brotherhood of the Wolf | 1999 | David Farland | Buy |
| 4 | Schattenherz | 1999 | David Farland | N/A |
| 5 | Wizardborn | 2001 | David Farland | Buy |
| 6 | The Lair of Bones | 2002 | David Farland | Buy |
| 7 | Sons of the Oak | 2006 | David Farland | Buy |
| 8 | Worldbinder | 2001 | David Farland | Buy |
| 9 | The Wyrmling Horde | 2008 | David Farland | Buy |
| 10 | Chaosbound | 2009 | David Farland | Buy |
| 11 | Ashes and Starlight | 2014 | David Farland | Buy |
| 12 | A Tale of Tales | 2012 | David Farland | Buy |
The Runelords is David Farland’s signature series, a twelve-book epic fantasy published between 1998 and 2014. The series is built around a distinctive magic system: characters can give or receive “endowments” that transfer physical and mental attributes like strength, speed, beauty, and intelligence from one person to another. This system creates a world where power is literal and physical, and the ethics of taking attributes from others drives much of the conflict.
The series begins with The Runelords (1998) and continues through Brotherhood of the Wolf, Wizardborn, The Lair of Bones, Sons of the Oak, Worldbinder, The Wyrmling Horde, and Chaosbound, among others. The scope expands over the course of the series, moving from personal conflicts to threats that endanger entire civilizations.
The endowment system is what most readers remember about these books. It creates tactical depth in the battle scenes and moral complexity in the characters’ decisions. The series has been praised for this inventive approach to fantasy magic, which gives it a distinct identity in the genre.