TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE ONE PIECE

NON-AMERICAN NOVEL MENTION: LIGHT NOVELS

Specific Recommendations:

Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Naruto and more!

Start Reading [Amazon Links]:

Jujustu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Naruto

First things first: this would not be a fair list of books to read if you like anime if I didn't start by mentioning light novels as a whole.

A light novel is a style of Japanese novel targeting teenagers and young adults. These novels contain mostly illustrations in anime or manga style. They are usually published in bunkobon size (A6 – 105 x 148mm). Light novels are not very long. The length is comparable to a novella in US publishing terms.

That said, I have done my own searching for novel formatted anime-style books and Light Novels weren't the solution for me. 

I LOVE manga, but I also love reading novels, and I wanted something in between, and Light Novels were not what I was looking for. 

I have read all of the Light Novels I linked to above, and I loved some of them, but not because they were a perfect format of novel and anime - mainly because I already loved the world building that was done in the manga, anime or both and then got a deeper dive into the characters as a whole (in some ways).

That said, I have found a couple that almost hit the mark for me, but still ultimately prefer other options that I list below and would normally just grab manga if I had to choose between manga or a light novel.

Anime Workout Databases at SHJ:

Anime Workouts Database

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE ONE PIECE

HONORABLE MENTION: DRESDEN FILES

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 17

Series Name: Dresden Files

Author: Jim Butcher

Start Reading:
Amazon

Up first on our list of the top books to read if you like One Piece is The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.

I LOVE The Dresden Files and Harry Dresden, but I didn't think to originally put them on the list being that the world is SO different it doesn't even remotely resemble One Piece when I first think about it. 

That said, after seeing some others recommend it for it's humor in a fantasy world with tons of books in the series I knew I had to at least give it an honorable mention.

For those of you who haven't heard of it: The Dresden Files follows Harry Dresden, who is a wizard detective, as he navigates a magical Chicago.

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE ONE PIECE

NUMBER FIVE: THE WHEEL OF TIME SERIES

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 20

Series Name: Wheel of Time

Author: Robert Jordan

Start Reading:
Amazon

Up next among the top books to read if you like One Piece is The Wheel of Time Series.

I'm really playing to the length of One Piece with these fantasy worlds, coming in first with a 17 book series and next with another massive series of Wheel of Time.

The thing that really sticks out about this one for me is the world building and storytelling of The Wheel of Times series that I think would make it a great choice for any One Piece lover that's looking to get into a fantasy western novel.

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE ONE PIECE

NUMBER FOUR: MISTBORN

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 3

Series Name: Mistborn

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Start Reading:
Amazon

Coming in at number four among our list of the top books to read if you like One Piece is Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy.

Sanderson is incredible, and his Mistborn Trilogy is the at the top notch among all of his books for me personally, which is why it isn't taken down off the top peg of this one just yet.

Sanderson is one of the bestselling fantasy writers, and for good reason, which is why Mistborn is an obvious choice for number one on this list with constant anime-like battles and distinctive characters.

Plus, not that it's an anime, but the book basically has metal benders as if they're coming straight out of Avatar: The Last Airbender...and who doesn't want that?

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE ONE PIECE

NUMBER THREE: THE TRAVELER'S GATE TRIOLOGY

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 3

Series Name: The Traveler's Gate Trilogy

Author: Will Wight

Start Reading:
Amazon

Coming in within the top three books to read if you like One Piece is Will Wight's Traveler's Gate Trilogy!

If you've been reading any of my book recommendations you'll know Will Wight has made it onto every list that has had to do with anime and manga thus far for his Cradle Series (which I listed in the runner up section).

Ironically enough, since we're talking about One Piece and we know One Piece fans don't mind enormously long series, I chose to add Traveler's Gate here instead of Cradle being that I knew either way I would be recommending Cradle, and this just happened to be the one popping up from other other One Piece fans.

Oh, and another amazing thing about Will Wight is that he gives all his book away completely free with Kindle Unlimited! 🙂

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE ONE PIECE

NUMBER TWO: GENTLEMEN BASTARDS

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 3

Series Name: Gentlemen Bastards

Author: Scott Lynch

Start Reading:
Amazon

Coming in at number two among our top books to read if you like One Piece is the Gentlemen Bastards series.

I personally have not gotten to this series just yet, but it is highly recommended by other creators and avid readers I trust (hence why I already have it purchased and waiting on my bookshelves).

This one comes in at number two because it is not only a fun heist series with massive twists at every turn (something One Piece fans can appreciate), but it's also a series about pirates! I mean, c'mon!

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE ONE PIECE

NUMBER ONE: DISCWORLD

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 41

Series Name: Discworld

Author: Terry Pratchett

Start Reading:
Amazon

Coming in at number one among our list of the top books to read if you like One Piece is Terry Pratchett's incredible Discworld series.

Discworld has a tremendous 41 books, so it definitely hits the mark in terms of volume if we were going for that indicator of similarity with One Piece, but it has much more than that.

A fellow One Piece fan asked for a mix of fantasy and adventure with a magic system and some similarities to shonen manga vibes, and another One Piece fan comments that Discworld was the only series that truly scratched the itch for him and hit all the marks.

And I have to agree. Though I haven't completed all 41 novels, I've read enough to know that this deserves the number one slot.