41 books like Homeland

Legend and the rest of the Drenai saga were required reading for initiation into a fraternity that I joined many years ago. I can say these books were by far and away the most enjoyable required reading that I have ever been assigned. David Gemmell’s greatest strength is his ability to manage a vast cast of characters and keep the reader’s interest maintained in each and every one. He is an author who is lauded by his peers as one of the best to ever write in the epic fantasy genre and rightfully so.

Mathew Harffy has a lot going for him in the historical fiction world. His fight scenes are not overly technical and are easy to follow. They have just the right amount of blood and gore to make you believe the characters are really in danger but are not simply gratuitous violence. What I really love about this book is his voice when he writes descriptions of the forest and the people who live in it. I grew up in the woods of a small town in Canada, and I know how the forest can be a peaceful, tranquil setting one moment and then suddenly transform into a place of shadows and dread. Judging by the cover of this book, I think Harffy knows this as well.

Bernard Cornwell’s fight scenes are what I would call emotional rather than technical. You feel his fights, the vibration of sword against shield, the panic of your feet slipping in the mud, the fear rising up in your guts that will allow only a half-crazed scream to come out of your mouth. If you’re looking for a manual on sword fighting, Cornwell is not your man. But if you want to be put in a character’s armor while someone is trying to skewer him with a spear, no one does it better. I was drawn to this book because it was about an archer, and I know how hard it is to write fight scenes with archers in them. I am an amateur bowyer and having made more than a few bows I know how much skill it takes to make and use these weapons. Cornwell did a lot of… show more.

An oldie, but I loved this book! It was actually two books when originally published (Time of the Dragons and Last of the Zinja). Set mostly in Mongolia and Japan, it tells the story of a warrior monk who falls in love with a Japanese princess who becomes a consort to Kubilai Khan (Ghenghis Khan’s grandson). As a kid, I loved the TV show Kung-Fu with David Carradine and Jebu (the main character) is a much bigger, badder version of Cane. Like Cane, Jebu is a half-blood but his barbarian side is the one that shows through so he is huge and red-haired. Lots of good action in this one. 

I recommend The Crystal Shard to everyone I know, because it is an absolute classic of the fantasy genre. It’s the first book to introduce the legendary dark elf Drizzt Do’Urdan.

When I first read this book, it reignited my passion for fantasy adventures filled with elves, dwarves, halflings, and monsters. What we learn from Drizzt’s outsider experience is the hope that someday we all find our people. There are people out there that will be our friends, champions, and family.

No matter how odd we feel sometimes, we’re not meant to be alone, and there are people out there who can build us up if we’re willing to take the chance and step into the adventure of finding them.

Drizzt Do’urden is arguably one of the most beloved characters ever to be created in a fantasy world. He is a dark elf of conviction, not allowing the circumstances of his birth to dictate how he lives his life. He understands the evil nature of his kin and chooses a different path, never giving up through his journeys. Beautifully, he meets people along the way that don’t judge him based on his appearance, but rather the contents of his character. Such a thing creates a bond between Drizzt and his friends that lasts their entire lives.

For me, this book really brought a deep lore and background to the Orc race. With intrigue and plot aplenty, this story follows an Orc attempting to bring about a strong Orc kingdom with cities and trade, allies, and stability. Not every Orc is ready or wants this change and there is certainly a challenge to bringing about the kingdom. This gives a great depth to the Orc race and is one of my favorites from a great author.

R.A. Salvatore’s work is known by many fantasy fans, and his newest novel, The Dao of Drizzt holds up to the hype. Drizzt is a drow elf in the mythical Menzoberranzan, but what makes this story so unconventional is the introspection. The inner workings of Drizzt’s mind are on display in every page of the book. It’s an incredibly refreshing change of pace for a fantasy novel and is perfect for those wanting to know the main character of the story inside and out.

This is a werewolf story with teeth.

For people who like traditional scary werewolves and a well written, believable community structure and strong plot and characters, this one is top of the class. There are characters to love, characters to hate and no punches pulled on who might get slaughtered.

The best part is that you still want to see the werewolves win.

The elves in this small English town have to blend in with their human neighbors. And a good job of it they do, too. I like the tenacity of Rosie Foxx. Her brother insists that she marry a human, and going along to get along seems the best course of action. But her elven heritage will not be denied. In a way, she is like the positrons in queen of the Quantum Realm—outcasts as they are, they think it better to be transformed into something they are not. this is very human.