65 books like Fierce Heart

By Tara Grayce,

Here are 65 books that Fierce Heart fans have personally recommended if you like Fierce Heart. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Princess of Mars

Nathaniel Hardman Author Of School

From my list on magic-in-space for middle schoolers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been reading science fiction and fantasy since I was a kid, and I love when the two genres meet. I’m also fascinated by the power of stories and language, which has led me to work as an intern at a literary agency and later as an editor at a website that reviewed and gave feedback on unpublished manuscripts. I love finding ways to imbue stories with the kind of magic that can transport us to new worlds.

Nathaniel's book list on magic-in-space for middle schoolers

Nathaniel Hardman Why did Nathaniel love this book?

I remember being twelve, lying in bed and reading this into the wee hours of the night, dimly aware of the train whistle from the other side of town.

The magic of the story – the wonder of the aliens and their world – transported me and wrapped me up and made me want to go rescue alien princesses and liberate oppressed alien peoples. Nothing about this book makes sense scientifically (what else do you expect from the author of Tarzan?), but somehow it still made me want to go to be an astronaut and explore new worlds. 

Don’t write it off because of the terrible movie adaptation or the schlocky book covers. Embrace the camp and feel the magic!

By Edgar Rice Burroughs,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked A Princess of Mars as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rediscover the adventure-pulp classic that gave the world its first great interplanetary romance-now featuring an introduction by Junot Diaz

In the spring of 1866, John Carter, a former Confederate captain prospecting for gold in the Arizona hills, slips into a cave and is overcome by mysterious vapors. He awakes to find himself naked, alone, and forty-eight million miles from Earth-a castaway on the dying planet Mars. Taken prisoner by the Tharks, a fierce nomadic tribe of six-limbed, olive-green giants, he wins respect as a cunning and able warrior, who by grace of Mars's weak gravity possesses the agility of a…


Book cover of Balanced on the Blade's Edge

Allen Ballantine Author Of Knight of the Wood

From my list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to read, and a good story is one thing. But once you’ve read the story, you know how it ends. It’s the characters in the story that determine if you want to go back and read them again. These are stories that I enjoy reading over again, (some several times) although I know how the story ends. The characters in these stories have inspired me to write my own.

Allen's book list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back

Allen Ballantine Why did Allen love this book?

Lindsay Buroker is probably my favorite fantasy author, her books are full of fun, quirky characters who even have me reading genres I don’t normally read. In this book, Colonel Ridgewalker Zirkander, a cocky war hero pilot in a world where magic is hated and feared, meets Sardelle Terushan, a sorceress from an earlier era who was preserved in a stasis chamber. Along with her snarky sentient sword Jaxi, Sardell must help Ridge fend off an attack while hiding her magical ability. An ability that would have everyone wanting to kill her. This is the first book of a series featuring adventures of Ridge, Sardell, Jaxi, and Ridge’s squadron of young goofy pilots.

By Lindsay Buroker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Balanced on the Blade's Edge as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Colonel Ridge Zirkander isn’t the model of military professionalism—he has a tendency to say exactly what’s on his mind, and his record has enough demerits to wallpaper the hull of an airship—but as the best fighter pilot in the Iskandian army, he’s used to a little leniency from his superiors. Until he punches the wrong diplomat in the nose and finds himself issued new orders: take command of a remote prison mine in the inhospitable Ice Blades Mountains. Ridge has never been in charge of anything larger than a flier squadron—what’s he supposed to do with a frozen fortress full…


Book cover of A Thief In Farshore

Allen Ballantine Author Of Knight of the Wood

From my list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to read, and a good story is one thing. But once you’ve read the story, you know how it ends. It’s the characters in the story that determine if you want to go back and read them again. These are stories that I enjoy reading over again, (some several times) although I know how the story ends. The characters in these stories have inspired me to write my own.

Allen's book list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back

Allen Ballantine Why did Allen love this book?

A feisty thief, sentenced to fight in the arena at Farshore, a colony in the new world, meets races she thought were only mythical. She ends up teaming with a group of outcasts, an arrogant elf, an enigmatic orc shaman, a brawling dwarf, a reclusive and dangerous halfling and a surly guard to not only survive the arena, but save the new continent in this first book of the Farshore Chronicles series.

By Justin Fike,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Thief In Farshore as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A New World.
A Fight To The Death.
Her Adventure Has Only Just Begun...

"Charity is my kind of badass! She's mouthy and stubborn and gets herself into and out of a whole lotta trouble." - Amazon ★★★★★

I'm Charity, and before I saved the world I was just a common thief.

Also a drunk, rabble-rouser, harlot, and blasphemer according to the magistrate who sentenced me to ten years of forced labor in Farshore, the emperor's new colony across the great sea. You'd think that stepping off of a prison ship on the ass-end of the world was bad enough,…


Book cover of Babylon Rising

Allen Ballantine Author Of Knight of the Wood

From my list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to read, and a good story is one thing. But once you’ve read the story, you know how it ends. It’s the characters in the story that determine if you want to go back and read them again. These are stories that I enjoy reading over again, (some several times) although I know how the story ends. The characters in these stories have inspired me to write my own.

Allen's book list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back

Allen Ballantine Why did Allen love this book?

Although this technically isn’t a fantasy book, it’s still one of my favorites. Dr. Michael Murphy is a biblical prophecy scholar and archaeologist. A modern-day Indiana Jones with a mysterious and dangerous benefactor who gives him clues to find ancient biblical artifacts while a diabolical cabal is intent on stopping him. A thrilling read that’s hard to put down.

By Tim LaHaye, Greg Dinallo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Babylon Rising as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tim LaHaye created the Left Behind Series, which has become one of the most popular fiction series of all time. Those novels, with more that 50 million copies sold, presented a unique combination of suspense and substance drawn from his lifelong study of Biblical prophecy.

Now Tim LaHaye has created a new series that begins with Babylon Rising. The novels in this new series are even faster-paced thrillers based on prophecies that are not covered in the Left Behind books and that have great relevance to the events of today.

Babylon Risingintroduces a terrific new hero for our time. Michael…


Book cover of The Last Descendant

S. A. Gibson Author Of In the Horde's Way

From my list on where different cultures mix in a fantastical world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am fascinated by how people communicate. I enjoy when different cultures clash and cooperate. Coming from another country and growing up in California exposed me to my first taste of different groups. Traveling around the country and the world has allowed me to see the vast variety of people and I continue to wonder how we can get along together.

S. A.'s book list on where different cultures mix in a fantastical world

S. A. Gibson Why did S. A. love this book?

Rie is a kickass heroine who must survive in a world where humans like her don’t fit in and are not respected. The story mixes creatures of different types, high elves, dark elves, pixies, goblins, imps, and more. Handles the problem of an inferior trying to deal with more powerful friends and enemies. Great story.

By Megan Haskell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Last Descendant as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A woman torn between honor and survival…

Rie is only human. The high elves have made that very clear. Even training as an elite fighter isn’t enough to earn the respect she craves. Her only allies are the fierce carnivorous pixies who travel by her side, yet still she clings to the hope of one day earning her place in the Upper Realm.


When she's attacked by assassins from the enemy Shadow Realm, Rie's martial prowess keeps her alive...and frames her as a traitor. Facing execution at the hand of a merciless king, Rie must forsake her oaths and flee…


Book cover of Silk & Steel

Elle Arroyo Author Of The Nine: Zane

From my list on dark fantasy enemies to lovers mm romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an author and avid reader of romance, especially those full of conflict in a world heavy with magic, shifters, vampires, and others. My dad was a great storyteller and sparked my interest in the paranormal. When I was a kid, he’d tell me stories about growing up in the mountains of Puerto Rico. The evil that lived there. My imagination took it from there. I wish I would’ve written down those stories. I can’t get him to talk about them anymore. It might be the reason why The Nine: Zane had started out as a contemporary romance story until Zane took over with all his paranormal drama. 

Elle's book list on dark fantasy enemies to lovers mm romance

Elle Arroyo Why did Elle love this book?

Another one of Ariana Nash’s books. This one about a dragon shifter and an elf.

The elves are at war with the dragons. Their kind do not mix, which is the major conflict in the story. The elf hates the dragon while the dragon continues to prove that he’s not evil. It’s heartbreaking at times and satisfying in others.

A slow burn with an eventual HEA which is satisfying. 

By Ariana Nash,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Silk & Steel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A tormented dragon prince.

A captured elven assassin.

Duty demands they fight for their people but love has other plans.


Eroan, one of the last elven assassins, lives for one purpose: kill the queen. 


He would have succeeded if not for her last line of defense: Prince Lysander. Now, captured and forced into the queen's harem, Eroan sees another opportunity. Why kill just the queen when he can kill them all? It would be simple, if not for the troubled and alluring dragon prince. A warrior, a killer, and something else... something Eroan finds himself inexplicably drawn to. 


Trapped in…


Book cover of The Phoenix Unchained

M.C.A. Hogarth Author Of Mindtouch

From my list on scifi-fantasy about best friends.

Why am I passionate about this?

While I love a good romance, I was disappointed to discover how few novels are written about friendship. In so many books, friends take a backseat to the love interest, or to the plot; it’s hard, outside of fiction aimed at children, to find stories that treat friendship as pivotal to a character’s life as friendship usually is in normal life. I love stories that show us what that kind of friendship looks like, and how it can matter… which is why I write them.

M.C.A.'s book list on scifi-fantasy about best friends

M.C.A. Hogarth Why did M.C.A. love this book?

Harrier, son of a harbormaster, and Tiercel, nobleman’s son, make for exactly the kind of friendship you often see in real life, where one of the pair’s a dreamer and the other a pragmatist, and they need one another for balance. Their friendship remains central to all three books of this series, keeping them sane as they take on an impossible world-saving task.

By Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Phoenix Unchained as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory teamed up to write The Obsidian Trilogy, set in a wondrous world filled with magical beings, competing magic systems, and a titanic struggle between good and evil.

That world proved so popular with the creators and readers alike that Lackey and Mallory have returned to it with The Phoenix Unchained, Book One of The Enduring Flame, the opening volume of a new epic fantasy trilogy.
After a thousand years of peace, much Magick has faded from the world. The Elves live far from humankind. There are no…


Book cover of Rise of the Ranger

J.D.L. Rosell Author Of A King's Bargain

From my list on fantasy that makes you want to go on an adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

Like many people, The Lord of the Rings captivated me as a child. I read those books as well as The Hobbit half a dozen times before I was twelve, and a couple of times more since. What’s more, I was lucky enough to be nine when the first movie came out, which only furthered my childhood obsession. Though I’m less enthralled by the series now, the classic quest it represents still has a place in my heart. I’ve tried to reproduce the grandeur and adventure of that story in my writing, and I’ve found a good portion of it in the books I recommend below. May they take you on captivating new journeys!

J.D.L.'s book list on fantasy that makes you want to go on an adventure

J.D.L. Rosell Why did J.D.L. love this book?

About as classic as modern fantasy gets, Rise of the Ranger nevertheless breathes fresh air into the genre. Both an epic and a quest story, it features characters spread out across the entirety of the world, yet their fates slowly become connected in the grand war that is only beginning. Witness the conflicts between elves, assassins, mages, and dragons all navigated by a host of likable and interesting protagonists, and enjoy a quest as it was meant to be.

By Philip C. Quaintrell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rise of the Ranger as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Praise for Philip C. Quaintrell’s ‘The Echoes Saga’:

'For lovers of your classic Tolkien, this series has it all' - Alan Coleman - Amazon customer

'Best newcomer to the genre. Philip is up there with Feist and Sanderson' - Philip Spick - Amazon customer

300,000 COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE

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THE ECHOES OF FATE, A PROPHECY UTTERED UNTO THE WORLD A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, CANNOT BE DENIED…

Mankind has lorded over the land of Illian for a thousand years, building on the ruins left by the elves, as if it were their birthright. A thousand years is a long time for…


Book cover of The Elf Tangent

Megan Haskell Author Of The Last Descendant

From my list on unconventional fantasy heroines by female authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been a fantasy reader since the fourth grade when my father introduced me to The Hobbit. As I grew older, I found myself drawn to female-led fantasy stories. Before I started writing fiction, I reviewed books on a (now defunct) blog, learning from those authors as I critiqued what worked and what didn’t. Now, as a fiction author in my own right, I’ve focused on the story elements that truly speak to me; characters who live and breathe on the page, adventures through magical lands and diverse cultures, myths that feel so true they could almost be real, and heart-pounding action that breaks me out of my own safe little world.

Megan's book list on unconventional fantasy heroines by female authors

Megan Haskell Why did Megan love this book?

The Elf Tangent is an adorable (yet surprisingly dangerous) romp through the woods. Our heroine, Aldari, is an intellectual princess who has reluctantly agreed to marry the prince of a neighboring kingdom (sight unseen!) to save her own people. As she travels to her wedding day, her party is attacked and she and her bodyguard are kidnapped by elves who need her help to break a generations-old curse. For once, someone needs—and appreciates—her brains! Caught between the needs of her people and the intriguing puzzle presented by the elves (oh, and the enticing commander of their party), Aldari must use her wit—and at one point a shovel—to get out of her predicament.

By Lindsay Buroker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Elf Tangent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As a princess in the impoverished kingdom of Delantria, it’s Aldari’s job to look pretty, speak little, and marry a prince.

Studying mathematics and writing papers on economic theory in an effort to fix her people’s financial woes? Her father has forbidden it. With war on the horizon, they must focus on the immediate threat.

Reluctantly, Aldari agrees to marry a prince in a neighboring kingdom to secure an alliance her people desperately need. All is going to plan until the handsome elven mercenary captain hired to guard her marriage caravan turns into her kidnapper. His people are in trouble,…


Book cover of Dragon Soul: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance

Laurie Bowler Author Of The Realm of Witches

From my list on fantasy you will get lost inside of.

Why am I passionate about this?

I especially love reading fantasy stories and stories based on actual historical events. I've been an avid reader since I was a little girl; while my siblings were playing outside or inside with toys I was the one sat curled up in the corner reading. I've also worked hard and gained qualifications in creative writing. I've also had a passion for writing and have written my own fantasy novels; being an author is simply amazing because you can create characters that are unique and special as well as true to life, plus you get to create worlds that are entirely different to our own. 

Laurie's book list on fantasy you will get lost inside of

Laurie Bowler Why did Laurie love this book?

This is a box set containing the complete Daughter of Shadow series. Four full-length books filled with spellbinding fantasy romance. The Daughter of Shadow series is a slow-burn and slow-build romantic fantasy that will have you on the edge of your seat sometimes. This is absolutely perfect for those who love reading about unique worlds combined with supernatural creatures such as elves and dragons. This series will draw you into a fantastic world of pure fantasy featuring strong, fiercely protective men who will do anything for the story's heroine, who just so happens to be the centre of their world. The story's heroine is a strong, mighty, magical woman who is a well-written and relatable character. 

By LJ Swallow,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dragon Soul as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A sorceress with dark magic who’s a threat to the kingdom. Three powerful men from the royal courts sworn to protect her. And a pet dragon with a secret.

The dragons are dead, the Ebon Queen has destroyed the elven realms, and the courts are at war. The queen’s dark magic is growing in strength, and the kingdom is losing the battle against her. Three men are sent from the Silvercrest stronghold to seek others who can aid their cause.

Leander, a high-ranking and domineering High Lord. Rohan, a fierce and seductive knight of the realm. Galen, a deceptively gentle…


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