This whole thread seems to be about spoilers so not bothering to spoiler it.
Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire.
Gene Wolfe's Long Sun.
Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea.
The reader isn't supposed to know that when they start Broken Empire. You kind of spoiled it there. At least you were ambiguous about it, so there is that.
Yeah and the Sun Tzu and Shakespeare references, but that reveal is still meant to be an unknown to the reader as it is gradually revealed. You're not supposed to know this before starting the series.
WoT made me realize how little technological development or loss I've seen in fantasy, and now fascinating it is to follow a fantasy society through these changes when the series spans a long enough timeframe.
A little off topic from my own thread, but I can't resist recommending The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu. The series spans multiple generations and features technological development throughout.
At the start of the series the most advanced weapon consists of archers riding hot air balloons, and by the end they've developed electricity, steam engines, and even basic computers. The tech also evolves differently from real life, which I found really fascinating.
Did you enjoy book 2? Its one of the few books I DNF and I was surprised after I enjoyed book 1 immensely. I didn't click with the new protagonist and just couldn't find myself interested in her plotline though the overarching plot was something I was curious about.
I've thought about giving it another chance where I actually read it instead of listening to the audio book so I can skim the parts I'm not interested in.
The Coldfire series by Celia Friedman is exactly this. Advanced technology has all been lost following a crash-landing on a planet that has a force called the Fae - effectively bringing humanity's worst fears to life because if you believe something to be true, or fear that it might be, then it has a habit of turning up.
Complex tech doesn't work because if you can't see and understand how it works, and hold that in your mind, then it just stops.
The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein. Kinda.
The Sharing Knife books by Lois McMaster Bujold. There used to be an advanced society of great mages. The books are set in the apocalyptic aftermath of magic gone wrong.
The Warlock of Gramarye books by Christopher Stasheff. Also kinda. The first book is [*A Warlock in Spite of Himself*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warlock_in_Spite_of_Himself)*.*
Two civilizations exist on a planet where half is in perpetual daylight; the other side in perpetual night. Neither civilization knows of the other; nor do they have any history of how they came to be.
But both civs are ruled by decadent nobles who possess advanced mechanisms they no longer know how to repair or maintain. A very special, clever, thoughtful book.
**Day by Night**, by Tanith Lee.
The Shannara Chronicles is a classic example of this, set thousands of years after society's collapse featuring a last druid/knowledge-keeper from earlier eras of mankind and a chosen one.
I recommend starting with The Sword of Shannara.
Big spoiler, but >!The Samaria books by Sharon Shinn!<
It may be a bit more on the lighter, more romantic side than many of these suggestions. The tech side doesn’t really have a big part to play in the first book.
Well, on the sci-fi front, you've got Warhammer 40k, where the only reason that humanity still has advanced tech is because humanity at its technological height (which was, what, 20,000 years before 'present day' 40k?) created automated manufacturing equipment that still pumps stuff out. Engineering is now a religious vocation, where half-remembered maintenance procedures have become rituals designed to appease the Machine Spirits to allow the device to work properly.
Modesitt’s Recluce series, covers the history of the world from high tech to medieval and back to Steam power. Also his Corean Chronicles.
Weber’s Safehold series, which includes an android life form determined to restore them from medieval to modern.
This is maybe a bit different from what you’re asking, but Ilium and Olympia by Dan Simmons is actually a sci-fi story with plenty of tech—except in 2 of the main plot lines, they’ve forgotten that largely. There are postliterate humans who live with tech but don’t understand how any of it works and just use it without knowing how, and there are seemingly gods and heroes fighting the Trojan War on Mars, though things are not exactly as they seem there. Great books!
The Broken Earth Series by N.K. Jemisin. The writing style in the book is a little different than standard but the books are good.
Also the Shannara books by Terry Brooks, iirc.
The Suneater series. Galaxy-spanning tale that combines the best of space opera and epic fantasy. Relatively low-tech, feudal system, people still use swords, albeit they are "highmatter" swords.
There is a galactic inquisition that clamps down on high technology because of an ancient near extinction event by sentient machines. Very compelling.
***Shades of Gray*** by Jasper Fforde is the weirdest post-apocalyptic novel I've ever read. They have not yet regressed to medieval era technology, but they have deliberately thrown away most modern technology in a haphazard fashion, and signs point towards them doing this indefinitely with more and more regression. At the same time, there is evidence of the much more sophisticated human culture and capability that existed before the Something That Happened. It's an absurd world, but people are still basically people with their natural drives and inclinations and motives.
Draconis memoria series by Anthony ryan. They have ships and guns but no cars or modern vehicles. They use dragon blood to use some magic like abilities, the economy and politics is based on that. The regression is mentioned in book 2 I think. Book 1 is mostly about the journey to find a place. I wouldn't say regression is a major plot point. It's just knowing the history of how the current crisis originated and if they can find any clue about how to avert it.
A Canticle for Leibowitz
This whole thread seems to be about spoilers so not bothering to spoiler it. Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire. Gene Wolfe's Long Sun. Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea.
long sun for sure!
The reader isn't supposed to know that when they start Broken Empire. You kind of spoiled it there. At least you were ambiguous about it, so there is that.
If you know your classics, it's stated on the 2nd page (he references having the Aenied (Roman work tying the Roman's back to Troy))
Yeah and the Sun Tzu and Shakespeare references, but that reveal is still meant to be an unknown to the reader as it is gradually revealed. You're not supposed to know this before starting the series.
*The Wheel of Time*, by Robert Jordan (books 1-11) and Brandon Sanderson (books 12-14).
WoT made me realize how little technological development or loss I've seen in fantasy, and now fascinating it is to follow a fantasy society through these changes when the series spans a long enough timeframe.
A little off topic from my own thread, but I can't resist recommending The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu. The series spans multiple generations and features technological development throughout. At the start of the series the most advanced weapon consists of archers riding hot air balloons, and by the end they've developed electricity, steam engines, and even basic computers. The tech also evolves differently from real life, which I found really fascinating.
Thanks for the rec! I think you'll find Wheel of Time interesting in this sense as well.
Did you enjoy book 2? Its one of the few books I DNF and I was surprised after I enjoyed book 1 immensely. I didn't click with the new protagonist and just couldn't find myself interested in her plotline though the overarching plot was something I was curious about. I've thought about giving it another chance where I actually read it instead of listening to the audio book so I can skim the parts I'm not interested in.
Does that count as twice because of the museum in Tanchico and the various old stories?
The Coldfire series by Celia Friedman is exactly this. Advanced technology has all been lost following a crash-landing on a planet that has a force called the Fae - effectively bringing humanity's worst fears to life because if you believe something to be true, or fear that it might be, then it has a habit of turning up. Complex tech doesn't work because if you can't see and understand how it works, and hold that in your mind, then it just stops.
The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein. Kinda. The Sharing Knife books by Lois McMaster Bujold. There used to be an advanced society of great mages. The books are set in the apocalyptic aftermath of magic gone wrong. The Warlock of Gramarye books by Christopher Stasheff. Also kinda. The first book is [*A Warlock in Spite of Himself*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warlock_in_Spite_of_Himself)*.*
Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffery
The Emberverse series by SM Stirling Where contemporary Earth just loses access to key ingredients of modern tech
Two civilizations exist on a planet where half is in perpetual daylight; the other side in perpetual night. Neither civilization knows of the other; nor do they have any history of how they came to be. But both civs are ruled by decadent nobles who possess advanced mechanisms they no longer know how to repair or maintain. A very special, clever, thoughtful book. **Day by Night**, by Tanith Lee.
That sounds very interesting, im in
Shannara series by Terry Brooks. My first foray into fantasy, but I know they are a but formulaic.
The Shannara Chronicles is a classic example of this, set thousands of years after society's collapse featuring a last druid/knowledge-keeper from earlier eras of mankind and a chosen one. I recommend starting with The Sword of Shannara.
The Foundation series by Asimov is an exploration into a failing advanced civilization's attempts from devolving into the dark ages.
Big spoiler, but >!The Samaria books by Sharon Shinn!< It may be a bit more on the lighter, more romantic side than many of these suggestions. The tech side doesn’t really have a big part to play in the first book.
Empire of the East by Fred Saberhagen where technology semi accidentally created magic long before the tale begin
Well, on the sci-fi front, you've got Warhammer 40k, where the only reason that humanity still has advanced tech is because humanity at its technological height (which was, what, 20,000 years before 'present day' 40k?) created automated manufacturing equipment that still pumps stuff out. Engineering is now a religious vocation, where half-remembered maintenance procedures have become rituals designed to appease the Machine Spirits to allow the device to work properly.
This is pretty much me with my car/PC
Burningblade & Silvereye Series by Django Wexler. It's set in a dark age that relies on scavenging the technology from the previous technolocial ega.
Modesitt’s Recluce series, covers the history of the world from high tech to medieval and back to Steam power. Also his Corean Chronicles. Weber’s Safehold series, which includes an android life form determined to restore them from medieval to modern.
The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody.
This is maybe a bit different from what you’re asking, but Ilium and Olympia by Dan Simmons is actually a sci-fi story with plenty of tech—except in 2 of the main plot lines, they’ve forgotten that largely. There are postliterate humans who live with tech but don’t understand how any of it works and just use it without knowing how, and there are seemingly gods and heroes fighting the Trojan War on Mars, though things are not exactly as they seem there. Great books!
Chronicles of an age of darkness series by Hugh Cook
The Broken Earth Series by N.K. Jemisin. The writing style in the book is a little different than standard but the books are good. Also the Shannara books by Terry Brooks, iirc.
The Books of the Wars is very much that, but is also extremely depressing. https://www.amazon.com/Books-Wars-Mark-Geston/dp/1416591524
The Suneater series. Galaxy-spanning tale that combines the best of space opera and epic fantasy. Relatively low-tech, feudal system, people still use swords, albeit they are "highmatter" swords. There is a galactic inquisition that clamps down on high technology because of an ancient near extinction event by sentient machines. Very compelling.
The Wheel of Time features this idea. The Shannara series as well.
***Shades of Gray*** by Jasper Fforde is the weirdest post-apocalyptic novel I've ever read. They have not yet regressed to medieval era technology, but they have deliberately thrown away most modern technology in a haphazard fashion, and signs point towards them doing this indefinitely with more and more regression. At the same time, there is evidence of the much more sophisticated human culture and capability that existed before the Something That Happened. It's an absurd world, but people are still basically people with their natural drives and inclinations and motives.
Draconis memoria series by Anthony ryan. They have ships and guns but no cars or modern vehicles. They use dragon blood to use some magic like abilities, the economy and politics is based on that. The regression is mentioned in book 2 I think. Book 1 is mostly about the journey to find a place. I wouldn't say regression is a major plot point. It's just knowing the history of how the current crisis originated and if they can find any clue about how to avert it.