Best Ken Scholes Books
Ken Scholes built his reputation on the Psalms of Isaak series — a post-apocalyptic fantasy set in the Named Lands, where civilizations are catalogued and preserved by mechanical men called metal men, and where the destruction of a great library sets off a chain of dynastic grief and political reckoning that spans generations. Starting with Lamentation, Scholes writes with an elegiac intensity, his prose measured and ceremonial, suited to a world where knowledge itself is sacred. The series rewards readers who appreciate slow-burn world-building and earned emotional payoffs over breakneck plotting. Beyond Isaak, his contributions to collaborative anthologies like METAtropolis: Cascadia show his range — he's equally comfortable in near-future speculative territory. Scholes is the author for readers who want their fantasy weighted with consequence and atmosphere, and who don't mind sitting with a world before it fully reveals itself.
Where to Start with Ken Scholes
- Best entry point → Lamentation
- What readers keep coming back to → METAtropolis: Cascadia
- Highest rated by readers → Requiem (Psalms of Isaak #4)
Best Ken Scholes Books
- 1
Antiphon
Psalms of Isaak • Book 3
by Ken Scholes
More about this pick
Ken Scholes weaves a tale where the ancient past refuses to stay buried, as wizard kings manipulate events to reclaim lost power. Desert chases and hidden conspiracies drive this third installment forward.
★ 3.99 Goodreads (976 ratings) - 2
Canticle
Psalms of Isaak • Book 2
by Ken Scholes
More about this pick
Nine months after gaining the dissolved Androfancine Order's wealth, Rudolfo faces fatherhood and the dangerous task of preserving forbidden knowledge.
★ 3.94 Goodreads (1.5K ratings) - 3
Requiem
Psalms of Isaak • Book 4
by Ken Scholes
More about this pick
Fourth installment of the Psalms of Isaak saga introduces the enigmatic Crimson Empress, whose arrival could reshape the post-apocalyptic fantasy landscape forever.
★ 4.00 Goodreads (539 ratings) - 4
Unfettered III: New Tales
The Chathrand Voyage #Thasha's cure for cabin fever • Book 3
by Shawn Speakman, Tad Williams, Naomi Novik, Megan Lindholm, John Gwynne, David Anthony Durham, Callie Bates, Jason Denzel, Carrie Vaughn, Deborah A. Wolf, Anna Stephens, Patrick Swenson, Ramon Terrell, Peter Orullian, Terry Brooks, Lev Grossman, Seanan McGuire, Delilah S. Dawson, Mark Lawrence, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, Todd Lockwood, Cat Rambo, Robert V.S. Redick, Ken Scholes, Scott Sigler, Anna Smith Spark, Marc Turner
More about this pick
Benefits medical debt relief while showcasing original tales from Brandon Sanderson, Naomi Novik, Terry Brooks, and other genre luminaries.
★ 3.98 Goodreads (571 ratings) - 5
Hymn
Psalms of Isaak • Book 5
by Ken Scholes
More about this pick
Scholes concludes his five-book Psalms of Isaak epic as the Andro-Francine Order and Y'Zirite Empire reach their climactic confrontation—all mysteries of Lasthome finally revealed.
★ 4.11 Goodreads (246 ratings) - 6
Lamentation
Psalms of Isaak • Book 1
by Ken Scholes
More about this pick
A mysterious weapon obliterates an entire city in an instant, leaving only a young apprentice to witness the horror that launches this sweeping fantasy.
★ 3.70 Goodreads (3.2K ratings) - 7
METAtropolis: Green Space
METAtropolis • Book 3
by Jay Lake, Tobias S. Buckell, Mary Robinette Kowal, Ken Scholes, Dion Graham, Robin Miles, Mark Boyett, Scott Brick, Allyson Johnson, Sanjiv Jhaveri, Jennifer Van Dyck, Jonathan Davis, Elizabeth Bear, Karl Schroeder, Seanan McGuire
More about this pick
Set in the 22nd century after environmental collapse and renaissance, this anthology explores humanity's social evolution through interconnected virtual environments. Multiple authors weave together a complex vision of post-crash civilization.
★ 3.75 Goodreads (354 ratings) - 8
METAtropolis: Cascadia
METAtropolis • Book 2
by Jay Lake, Mary Robinette Kowal, Elizabeth Bear, Ken Scholes, Karl Schroeder, René Auberjonois, Kate Mulgrew, Wil Wheaton, Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Tobias S. Buckell
More about this pick
The United States has shattered by the 2070s, and breakaway Cascadia in the Pacific Northwest faces genetic experimentation, economic collapse, and environmental warfare. Six sci-fi writers collaborate on this shared world where survival depends on adaptation.
★ 3.68 Goodreads (834 ratings)