Books Like Cradle: Progression Fantasy Recommendations
If you loved Cradle by Will Wight, here's what to read next. Progression fantasy recommendations with similar vibes.
You finished Cradle. All twelve books. Lindon's journey is complete.
Now what?
Here's what to read when you need more progression fantasy.
What Made Cradle Work
Before finding alternatives, let's identify what we're looking for:
- Clear progression system with stages and advancement
- Training and improvement as central focus
- Underdog MC who starts weak
- Fast pacing with regular payoffs
- Found family and memorable side characters
- Power scaling that keeps raising stakes
- Great action scenes with satisfying combat
Different recommendations hit different elements. Know which matter most to you.
The Closest Matches
Forge of Destiny (Yrsillar)
Cultivation web fiction with fantastic worldbuilding. Female MC. More political and slice-of-life than Cradle but excellent progression.
Similar: Cultivation, progression, found family, clear stages Different: Slower pacing, more politics, female protagonist
Mage Errant (John Bierce)
Magic school progression with clear advancement. Great ensemble cast.
Similar: Training focus, found family, underdog MC Different: Western magic instead of cultivation
Arcane Ascension (Andrew Rowe)
Magic academy with explicit power levels. Detailed magic system.
Similar: Clear progression, training focus, detailed system Different: Slower pace, more intricate worldbuilding
Cultivation Fiction
A Thousand Li (Tao Wong)
English-language cultivation done well. MC joins a sect, climbs ranks.
Similar: Cultivation stages, martial arts focus, sect politics Different: Slower, more traditional cultivation structure
Beware of Chicken
Comedy cultivation. What if you rejected the cultivation rat race to farm?
Similar: Cultivation setting, found family, great characters Different: Comedic tone, anti-progression theme
Ave Xia Rem Y (RavensDagger)
Web fiction cultivation with a clever protagonist.
Similar: Cultivation progression, strategic thinking Different: Different worldbuilding approach
LitRPG Adjacent
Defiance of the Fall (TheFirstDefier)
System apocalypse with cultivation elements. Constant progression.
Similar: Underdog MC, continuous advancement, high stakes Different: LitRPG elements, darker tone, brutal world
Primal Hunter
LitRPG with fast advancement. Pure progression energy.
Similar: Constant power gains, underdog start, training focus Different: More brutal, less found family
Dungeon Crawler Carl
LitRPG with excellent character work. Progression through dungeon levels.
Similar: Progression, side characters, humor, great action Different: Survival focus, different power system, darker humor
He Who Fights With Monsters
Isekai with RPG elements and Australian protagonist.
Similar: Clear progression, found family, humor Different: More dialogue-heavy, different power structure
Wuxia/Xianxia (Translated)
Lord of the Mysteries (Cuttlefish That Loves Diving)
Mystery-cultivation hybrid. Incredible worldbuilding.
Similar: Clear progression, power advancement Different: Mystery focus, Western-ish setting, very long
Reverend Insanity (Gu Zhen Ren)
Dark cultivation with morally black MC. Progression at any cost.
Similar: Clear power stages, constant advancement Different: VERY dark, ruthless protagonist
Other Will Wight
If you haven't read his other series:
Traveler's Gate
Earlier Wight. Three magic systems, underdog MC. Rougher than Cradle but you can see the skills developing.
Elder Empire
Sea fantasy with two parallel stories showing different perspectives of the same events.
The Last Horizon (upcoming)
New series announced. Watch for it.
Worth reading if you want more of his style specifically. His pacing and character voice remain consistent across series.
By Priority
Read First (if you want closest Cradle experience):
- Forge of Destiny
- Mage Errant
- Defiance of the Fall
Read Next (excellent but different feel): 4. Dungeon Crawler Carl 5. Arcane Ascension 6. Lord of the Mysteries
Read Eventually (good but bigger departures): 7. Beware of Chicken 8. A Thousand Li 9. Primal Hunter
Where to Find Them
- Kindle Unlimited: Most are available
- Royal Road: Forge of Destiny, Defiance of the Fall, Beware of Chicken
- Webnovel: Translated Chinese novels
- Audible: Most have audiobook versions
Generate Your Own
Can't find exactly what you want? narrator can generate Cradle-style progression fantasy:
- "Cultivation story with underdog MC and clear power stages"
- "Progression fantasy with found family and training focus"
- "Fast-paced advancement story with continuous power gains"
You can get the exact progression rhythm you're craving.
The Post-Cradle Void
The void after finishing a beloved series is real. But progression fantasy is booming. There's more good content than ever.
Some advice: don't try to replace Cradle immediately. Let it settle. Then pick something from this list based on which Cradle elements you're craving most. If it's the found family, start with Mage Errant. If it's the pure progression, try Defiance of the Fall.
Pick something from this list. Start reading. By chapter ten, you'll have a new obsession. The genre keeps growing, and there's no shortage of paths to explore.
Lindon's story is over. Your progression fantasy journey continues.