50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of The Knight by Gene WolfeThe Knight
Modern · Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

The Knight

by Gene Wolfe
2004 · 544 pages · Fiction
52.6Must-Read
Score Modern
Critics' pick
≈ 14 hours to read · about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Able, a teenage boy from our world, wanders into Mythgarthr, a magical world of seven levels inspired by Norse and Arthurian legend. A fairy queen turns him into a full-grown man, and he sets out to become a true knight, finding love and adventure.

Why it's worth reading

It was a Nebula finalist. It's an unusual, rich fantasy by Gene Wolfe.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of The Bright Sword by Lev GrossmanThe Bright Sword
The Bright SwordLev Grossman
Cover of Soldier of the Mist by Gene WolfeSoldier of the Mist
Soldier of the MistGene Wolfe

Good to know

It's the first of two books.

By the numbers

52.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers7 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller11 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Nebula Award finalist (2004)

Reads as

Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Gene Wolfe

Cover of The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene WolfeThe Shadow of the Torturer
The Shadow of the TorturerGene Wolfe
Cover of Soldier of the Mist by Gene WolfeSoldier of the Mist
Soldier of the MistGene Wolfe

If you like this, read next

Cover of Scythe by Neal ShustermanScythe
ScytheNeal Shusterman
Cover of Skyward by Brandon SandersonSkyward
SkywardBrandon Sanderson
Cover of Thief of Time by Terry PratchettThief of Time
Thief of TimeTerry Pratchett
Cover of The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. WangThe Sword of Kaigen
The Sword of KaigenM.L. Wang
Cover of The Alloy of Law by Brandon SandersonThe Alloy of Law
The Alloy of LawBrandon Sanderson
Cover of The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster BujoldThe Curse of Chalion
The Curse of ChalionLois McMaster Bujold

Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedYoung adult booksTop 25 · 219 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Knight worth reading?

Yes. It was a Nebula finalist. It ranks #2,792 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 52.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Knight about?

Able, a teenage boy from our world, wanders into Mythgarthr, a magical world of seven levels inspired by Norse and Arthurian legend. A fairy queen turns him into a full-grown man, and he sets out to become a true knight, finding love and adventure.

How long does it take to read The Knight?

About 14 hours (544 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Knight?

If you liked it, try The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman or Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe.