There’s often debate in the reader space about whether duologies or trilogies are better, but personally, I just feel like they’re different reading experiences.
I love reading a good trilogy, but I often find myself a victim of the ‘filler middle book’ in an effort to stretch a series to be longer than it needs to be, and I don’t enjoy that. There have been plenty of trilogies where I haven’t felt that way, but it happens more often than not.
That’s kind of the beauty of a duology. Everything that needs to be there is included, because you don’t actually have the space to keep going.
And, if you enjoy a shorter series because you have a lot of books on your TBR and don’t want to commit yourself to something ongoing, unfinished, or seven books long, duologies can be a great option!
Here are some of the best duologies out there—based on books I’ve personally read, as well as reader recommendations.
A Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson
I read this duology in audiobook format when I was working my night cleaning job a few years ago. It was the kind of duology that I couldn’t wait to keep listening to, and that stuck with me for hours afterwards. I really enjoyed it, though I was a little confused since I was new to Mary E. Pearson’s work and I hadn’t read her prior series.
This duology does slow burn enemies to lovers extremely well, and it also has found family which is heartwarming to read. The worldbuilding is detailed and very well done. Listening in audio format was both good and bad because it’s dual POV, so it had two narrators, and they would do the voices for the other character differently. This did throw me off a bit, but it also was kind of interesting because it was like being in each character’s head and seeing how they saw the other character. So just up to preference, I guess.
The second book was my favourite and the one I remember the most since I enjoyed it even more, and I highly recommend picking this one up.
This duology is a character driven romance set in a unique and atmospheric fantasy world. Rebecca Ross’ writing is beautiful and lush, making this an emotional and wonderful read. You can also expect slow burn romance and found family in this one, and the characters are incredible and will make you feel all the things.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
This duology gives gothic fantasy vibes, with a beautifully eerie setting and intriguing characters. It’s another book where the characters are each very well done, with distinct personalities (and arguably, the side characters are even more enjoyable to read about!)
You can expect secrets, drama and magic, so definitely run to pick this one up!
The Serpent and The Wings of Night by Clarissa Broadbent
Clarissa Broadbent is everyone’s new favourite author and I’m not even surprised. If you love a good romantasy and some vampires, you need to get your hands on this one.
In this duology you can expect enemies to lovers, angst, complex characters, and the most incredible worldbuilding. And if you love the story (and Clarissa’s writing style) there is another duology set in the same universe you can jump into, as well as a seperate standalone novel.
Blood Magic by Pagan Alexandria
When I say you won’t see the plot twist(s) coming in this one, and you’ll have theories for days.
This duology is set on a French-inspired university campus with dark academia vibes, where two rival vampire hunting guilds protect the students from the monsters that stalk the streets at night. When Fleur, a vampire hunter, is sought out by her rival, Percy Renaud, she discovers he has been turned into a vampire—and if they don’t find a cure, he will be staked.
This duology has a compelling mystery all the way to the end, enemies-to-lovers, and a world full of magic and supernatural creatures to dive into.
Kaz Brecker is one of the best characters ever written, and the walking definition of an antihero. He’s complex, driven, and he has a disability (points for extraordinary rep!) and is the most morally grey character you’ll ever meet. Obsessed.
Pair that with an incredible cast of characters (hello Inej and Jasper!) who basically do dangerous, near-impossible heists to make bank (set in a fantasy world?) There are so many reasons why this duology gets so much hype. It’s really that good.
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
So this duology is basically Romeo and Juliet, but with gangs, set in 1926 Shanghai. There’s enemies-to-lovers, a forbidden romance, and a super compelling and un-put-downable storyline where a mysterious illness is sweeping the city.
This one is more of a historical fiction, so if you enjoy that sort of thing, this could be the perfect next read for you!
Set in England, 1184, this is another historical fiction feeling book. It has an amazing writing style and the story spans centuries following a woman gifted with immortality by a shape-shifting god.
The story is incredibly beautiful and contains a slow burn romance with similar vibes to Divine Rivals.
Kingdom of Sirens and Monsters by Pagan Alexandria
Set on an island inspired by Greece, this unusual duology follows Coral Klassan as she uncovers a dark family secret and is swept away to a world beneath the sea—only to discover that she must break a curse on a heartless prince in order to save her family.
This story is full of magic, mermaids, sirens and undine, and allows you to venture to three distinctly different underwater kingdoms. There’s also an unexpected romance ARC throughout both books, and some shocking secrets and twists to uncover along the way. If you love royalty, curses and magic, this duology is for you!
