Matt Dinniman-Approved Trilogy Releasing In November Should Be Your Next Fantasy Read

Published Oct 9, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV. For readers who have enjoyed Matt Dinniman's work, whether it's more recently with Dungeon Crawler Carl or deeper in the past, an endorsement from the fantasy author carries a fair bit of weight, which is why your next read should be this November release with his backing. Dinniman has become one of the most recognizable names in modern fantasy, and while he's open about the books that he enjoys, getting his seal of approval means something, especially to the community of readers he's built over the course of the 2020s. With fantasy having become a crowded genre, a recommendation means the world. Dinniman's seal of approval has most recently been stamped on Tao Wong's The First War, which is the highly-anticipated next chapter in the acclaimed A Thousand Li series. Releasing on November 10, the sweeping Chinese fantasy draws from cultural history to develop an epic cultivation story that pulls from tradition, mythology, and history. The First War, which is the third book in Wong's series, brings supernatural abilities, martial arts, and the pursuit of immortality together to continue the story of Long Wu Ying. With Dinniman's seal of approval, The First War is set up to be an epic release ready for success. Matt Dinniman's Endorsement Puts The First War On The Radar Starlit Publishing Wong's The First War completes the trilogy of A Thousand Li, and with Dinniman's endorsement, the fantasy series should be something fans of the LitRPG author are reaching for. Dinniman calls the upcoming release, "one of the most epic English-language cultivation book series of all time," and having recommended the rest of the series, as well, it's clear the Dungeon Crawler Carl author is a fan of Wong's work. While the recommendation alone doesn't mean every reader of Dinniman's work will enjoy the series, the fact that it's a well-crafted, highly-acclaimed fantasy series should push readers to give it a shot. Dinniman's endorsement also makes it clear that readers who love progression fantasy, wherein the characters work to develop their abilities over the course of the series, would enjoy Wong's trilogy. A Thousand Li has its own identity that's well outside the world of Dinniman, drawing on Chinese tradition and martial arts, weaving mystical cultivation and immortality into a series of stories that is coming to a natural tipping point with the release of The First War. For readers looking for an expansive adventure, turning to a series Dinniman himself has recommended couldn't be a safer bet, especially with a release coming so soon. It's The Perfect Time To Read Wong's A Thousand Li Series With The First War coming out in hardcover on November 10, this is the perfect time for readers to jump into Wong's A Thousand Li series. As the third installment of the progression fantasy series, the novel is part of a trilogy that opens the world, so it doesn't technically end the series. Instead, The First War is simply the final book of the first trilogy of A Thousand Li, which means that the universe could expand from here. Readers will have the chance to jump into a series that comes highly recommended, but isn't coming to a massive end. With the larger series offering more material for readers than the first thee books, A Thousand Li is comprised of a ton of material, structured in a specific way that always makes it interesting to read. As fans of Dinniman's books, those looking for a new fantasy series to jump into should take the opportunity to get ready for The First War while there's time. Before the novel's release, getting into the series could open a whole new world of martial arts fantasy for readers who didn't realize what they were missing. With Dinniman highly recommending The First War, diving into A Thousand Li feels like the perfect choice.