Fans pick 66 books like Shadowrun Legends

By Christopher Kubasik,

Here are 66 books that Shadowrun Legends fans have personally recommended if you like Shadowrun Legends. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Library at Mount Char

Kell Shaw Author Of Final Night: The Revenant Records, Book One

From my list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love how urban fantasy mixes magic and the real world, and I’m obsessed with stories that explore identity, especially when life throws you a curve ball and you need to recalibrate your existence around questions like “Who am I? Where am I going?” These books are set in contemporary fantasy universes and explore the themes of identity in different ways. Their worlds are bleak, which makes the spots of humor shine brighter and the protagonists’ triumphs all that more satisfying. As Ursula LeGuin said, “There must be darkness to see the stars.”

Kell's book list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity

Kell Shaw Why did Kell love this book?

I love how weird and dark this book is. Carolyn and her siblings were raised by their abusive, adopted father, who trained them each in a single portfolio of magic.

When their father goes missing, Carolyn and her allies explore the truth of his disappearance. I was with Carolyn every step of the way of her journey to claw back her identity from her abusive past. And I can’t stop thinking about the explosive ending, even years after I first read the book.

By Scott Hawkins,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Library at Mount Char as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Wholly original . . . the work of the newest major talent in fantasy.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Freakishly compelling . . . through heart-thumping acts of violence and laugh-out-loud moments, this book practically dares you to keep reading.”—Atlanta Magazine

A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe. 
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.
 
Carolyn's not so different from the other people around her. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. Clothes are a bit tricky, but everyone says nice things about her outfit with the Christmas…


Book cover of The Last Sun

Kell Shaw Author Of Final Night: The Revenant Records, Book One

From my list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love how urban fantasy mixes magic and the real world, and I’m obsessed with stories that explore identity, especially when life throws you a curve ball and you need to recalibrate your existence around questions like “Who am I? Where am I going?” These books are set in contemporary fantasy universes and explore the themes of identity in different ways. Their worlds are bleak, which makes the spots of humor shine brighter and the protagonists’ triumphs all that more satisfying. As Ursula LeGuin said, “There must be darkness to see the stars.”

Kell's book list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity

Kell Shaw Why did Kell love this book?

This is a great story that mixes high fantasy tropes with modern noir. Rune St John is an impoverished aristocrat in New Atlantis and makes his living performing errands for his powerful sponsor. When Rune takes on a missing person’s case, he exposes a conspiracy linked to the fall of his family.

I love this book as it’s got great characters, snappy dialogue (especially when Rune banters with his foster brother Brand), and unique world-building. I enjoyed how Rune’s quest to reclaim his heritage is explored in subsequent books, with secrets introduced in this book having a payoff later in the trilogy.

By K. D. Edwards,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Last Sun as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this debut novel and series starter, the last member of a murdered House searches for a missing nobleman, and uncovers clues about his own tortured past. Rune Saint John, last child of the fallen Sun Court, is hired to search for Lady Judgment's missing son, Addam, on New Atlantis, the island city where the Atlanteans moved after ordinary humans destroyed their original home. With his companion and bodyguard, Brand, he questions Addam's relatives and business contacts through the highest ranks of the nobles of New Atlantis. But as they investigate, they uncover more than a missing man: a legendary…


Book cover of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

Kell Shaw Author Of Final Night: The Revenant Records, Book One

From my list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love how urban fantasy mixes magic and the real world, and I’m obsessed with stories that explore identity, especially when life throws you a curve ball and you need to recalibrate your existence around questions like “Who am I? Where am I going?” These books are set in contemporary fantasy universes and explore the themes of identity in different ways. Their worlds are bleak, which makes the spots of humor shine brighter and the protagonists’ triumphs all that more satisfying. As Ursula LeGuin said, “There must be darkness to see the stars.”

Kell's book list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity

Kell Shaw Why did Kell love this book?

In this alternate Victorian London, those with purple eyes can see ghosts and spirits. Normally, this would mean Silas would have an elite career, but because he’s a trans man, he’s sent to a horrific girl’s boarding school for ‘treatment’.

I love how this book explores how you can be ‘you’ when everyone sees you as something else. Even though the institution is monstrous, it heightens the importance of Silas’s battle for identity. I really connected with him and couldn’t stop turning the pages, as I wanted to see how he’d survive and triumph.

By Andrew Joseph White,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Spirit Bares Its Teeth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

A blood-soaked and nauseating triumph that cuts like a scalpel and reads like your darkest nightmare.

New York Times bestselling author Andrew Joseph White returns with the transgressive gothic horror of our time!

Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old trans, autistic Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed…


Book cover of Sworn to the Night

Kell Shaw Author Of Final Night: The Revenant Records, Book One

From my list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love how urban fantasy mixes magic and the real world, and I’m obsessed with stories that explore identity, especially when life throws you a curve ball and you need to recalibrate your existence around questions like “Who am I? Where am I going?” These books are set in contemporary fantasy universes and explore the themes of identity in different ways. Their worlds are bleak, which makes the spots of humor shine brighter and the protagonists’ triumphs all that more satisfying. As Ursula LeGuin said, “There must be darkness to see the stars.”

Kell's book list on hard-edged urban fantasy that explores identity

Kell Shaw Why did Kell love this book?

This book marks the start of an amazing trilogy set in modern-day New York. The story follows Marie, a cop on the trail of a serial killer, and Nessa, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage who becomes intrigued by witchcraft. As their lives unfold, it becomes clear that neither of them are who they think they are. Instead, they are eternal lovers, cursed to reincarnate endlessly, experiencing brief moments of happiness before tragedy inevitably strikes.

One of the standout aspects of the story is its use of familiar tropes, especially the theme of rejecting identities imposed by others and reclaiming one’s own destiny. The narrative begins in a gritty, realistic setting but gradually expands into a wider fantasy universe, which adds depth and intrigue. The shift from grounded realism to an epic fantasy backdrop is seamless and elevates the story to another level.

The romance was particularly compelling, focusing…

By Craig Schaefer,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Marie Reinhart is an NYPD detective on the trail of a serial killer. When she sleeps, though, she dreams of other lives; she dreams of being a knight, in strange wars and strange worlds. On the other side of the city, Nessa Roth is a college professor trapped in a loveless marriage, an unwilling prop in a political dynasty. She's also a fledgling witch, weaving poppets and tiny spells behind closed doors. When Marie's case draws her into Nessa's path, sparks fly. What comes next is more than a furtive whirlwind affair; it's the first pebbles of an avalanche. Nessa…


Book cover of Hilda and the Troll

Joshua Hauke Author Of Doom's Day Camp

From my list on monster loving middle grade reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I always used to want to sleep with a nightlight. Then one night my dad said, “what does it matter, if when you close your eyes it’s dark anyway?” That’s when I realized, he was completely right. I'd been vulnerable to monsters this whole time and since none of them had tried to snack on me yet, then that must mean some were friendly… right? The only way to be sure was to learn more about them. So, I did. Here's a list of some of my favorite middle grade books featuring monsters. Because the only thing better than a book about a monster, is a book about kiddos that they scare or befriend.

Joshua's book list on monster loving middle grade reads

Joshua Hauke Why did Joshua love this book?

There are so many things to love about Hilda and the Troll that it is hard to pin down why I enjoy it so much.

Is there an awesome monster? Of course. Amazing art work? Sure. A magical adventure? Absolutely. But, probably the best thing about this book is Hilda. She is the type of character that is downright infectious. All she wants to do is help.

From tiny invisible people trying to kick her out of her own house, to enormous giants that can crush cities, Hilda does her best to make sure everyone… or, rather everything she meets is heard and cared for.

By Luke Pearson,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Hilda and the Troll as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

While on an expedition to seek out the magical creatures of the mountains around her home, Hilda spots a mountain troll. As she draws it the blue-haired explorer starts to nod off. when she wakes, she finds herself lost in a snowstorm and her troll has totally disappeared. On her way home, Hilda ventures deep into the woods, befriends a lonely wooden man and narrowly avoids getting squashed by a lost giant.


Book cover of The Troll Inside You: Paranormal Activity in the Medieval North

William R. Short and Reynir A. Óskarson Author Of Men of Terror: A Comprehensive Analysis of Viking Combat

From my list on to make your inner viking geek battle ready.

Why are we passionate about this?

In the Viking age, one could not escape destiny, and so it is with William and Reynir, men from two vastly different fields who met by chance and shared a passion for discovery. Their research on Viking combat has led to many groundbreaking discoveries and never before done testing. Their work has been accepted by leading museums, universities, and professional societies, and they regularly share their research findings in lectures, classes, and presentations at these venues. The National Museum of Iceland recently opened a special exhibit that features their research. In many ways, their work has changed our understanding of Vikings and shown a new approach to Viking research.

William's book list on to make your inner viking geek battle ready

William R. Short and Reynir A. Óskarson Why did William love this book?

Ármann breaks the mold to show us how to understand and research Vikings in general. The essence of the supernatural being that Vikings called tröll shows us clearly that what we think is the norm today is unlikely to be that of the Viking age. 

His book is a warning that we modern people need a ground penetrating radar to reveal all the landmines that our modern mindset places in our path to learning about Vikings.

By Ármann Jakobsson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

What do medieval Icelanders mean when they say “troll”? What did they see when they saw a troll? What did the troll signify to them? And why did they see them?

The principal subject of this book is the Norse idea of the troll, which the author uses to engage with the larger topic of paranormal experiences in the medieval North. The texts under study are from 13th-, 14th-, and 15th-century Iceland. The focus of the book is on the ways in which paranormal experiences are related and defined in these texts and how those definitions have framed and continue…


Book cover of The Sea of Trolls

Roger Eschbacher Author Of Dragonfriend

From my list on YA and MG fantasy for readers of all ages.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been reading middle grade and young adult science fiction and fantasy books via visits to local library branches (thanks, Mom!) and bookmobiles (anybody under 40 remember those?) since I was in grade school and writing in those same genres since 2005. That was when I tapped into my love of MG/YA fantasy novels and began writing about dragons between gigs as a professional animation writer.

Roger's book list on YA and MG fantasy for readers of all ages

Roger Eschbacher Why did Roger love this book?

The Sea of Trolls is an excellent and satisfying read that immersed me in the fascinating Norse/Saxon world of 793 A.D. It’s the first book in one of the best series I've read in a long time—featuring rich world-building, magic at all levels, bold deeds, and a dry sense of humor. 

By Nancy Farmer,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Sea of Trolls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Jack is an apprentice bard and just beginning to learn the secrets of his mysterious master, when he and his little sister are captured by Viking chief, Olaf One-Brow, and taken to the court of Ivar the Boneless. Ivar is married to a half-troll named Frith, an evil and unpredictable queen with a strange power over her husband's court. Jack is sent on to the kingdom of the trolls, where he has to find the magical well and undo the charm he has cast on Frith. He is accompanied by Thorgill, a shield maiden, aged 12, who wants to be…


Book cover of How Mirka Got Her Sword

Sylvie Kantorovitz Author Of Sylvie

From my list on middle-grade depicting different cultures.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was five, my family moved from Morocco to France. We were Jewish in a very homogeneously Catholic world. My French upbringing didn’t include much exposure to other cultures and I often felt uncomfortably different. I would have liked to know more about various lifestyles, cultures, and traditions than those I observed around me. I now love to learn about other cultures through personal accounts, stories, and memoirs. I feel engaged and interested in a way I never experienced with textbooks. Reading about people who live a different life from our own can be an eye-opening experience.

Sylvie's book list on middle-grade depicting different cultures

Sylvie Kantorovitz Why did Sylvie love this book?

Mirka is a dreamer, unlike what her Orthodox Jewish family expects of her: to prepare herself for a future husband, to help around the house, to knit, to study. She dreams of witches, of trolls, and of fighting dragons. 

I loved the character of Mirka: bravely standing up to local bullies, cleverly outwitting the giant knitting troll, and also dealing—more or less successfully—with parental expectations and a large number of siblings. 

I found the mix of fantasy and cultural traditions delightful. I loved the few words of Yiddish sprinkled here and there (with their translation), and the cozy world of the Sabbath during which even concerns about trolls must stop. This is a really fun and funny book.

By Barry Deutsch,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How Mirka Got Her Sword as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn't interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There's only one thing she does want: to fight dragons! Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn't stop the plucky girl from honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her heart's desire: a dragon-slaying sword! All…


Book cover of Elf Killers

Bruce A. Borders Author Of Over My Dead Body

From my list on entertaining a restless mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

While the subject matter of the books on my list may vary, the thing that ties them together is the suspenseful tension that builds and keeps the reader on edge. The unexpected twists and turns are the "secret sauce"  that adds flavor and fervor. I like the way each of these books keeps your mind from wandering by combining vivid imagery with a compelling storyline. As an author myself, I am always fascinated by those who make it look so easy and effortless. And as an avid reader, I constantly search for these kind of books; the kind that make you feel as if you just have to keep reading.

Bruce's book list on entertaining a restless mind

Bruce A. Borders Why did Bruce love this book?

Welcome to the world of elves. It's a different world, one that takes a little getting used to. The language of the Trolls is, at first, a bit confusing. But I thought it was interesting how quickly the reader's mind can adapt, making the unfamiliar words meaningful and understandable. (The included glossary helps). The story of the elves is told very well and kept me interested to the end. An enjoyable read!

By Carol Phipps, Tom Phipps, Marija Vilotijevic (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

“Not for the fainthearted! Kids die horribly, and amid the trolls jockeying for leadership is trial by head bashing.”
For the Elves, it's the very worst time to be in the woods.
Trolls are hunting them down.
Will they live long enough to reach a safe place to live?
"Elf Killers is a fast-moving Fantasy Adventure with a ton of heart and boundless imagination."

Oisin’s plan is to come with his bow to help Aedan and Doona lead a party of children into the forest to gather the maidenhair seedlings his people would take across the sea as they flee…


Book cover of The Scions of Shannara

J.D. Edwards Author Of The Scions of Faerie: The Faerie Chronicles Book 1

From my list on epic fantasies with immersive world building.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was bullied throughout grade school until my senior year of high school. As a child, I only read Hardy Boy mysteries, so my mother tried to expand my range of literature by having me read The Hobbit. Reading epic fantasies allowed me to escape into another world and set my imagination on fire. ADHD has always been a part of my life, but fantasy novels helped to channel my creativity, allowing me to sit down and focus on something for hours on end. Readers will find themes from several fantasy authors in my books. They say to write what you know. I know epic fantasy and teen fiction.

J.D.'s book list on epic fantasies with immersive world building

J.D. Edwards Why did J.D. love this book?

I first read The Scions of Shannara when I was 13 years old. At the time, this book was the first in a new series from Terry Brooks. In less than a year, I devoured his first series, The Shannara Chronicles, and wanted more. Terry did not disappoint. This book picked up 300 years after the original series and expanded his initial world-building of the Four Lands. While it contained Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Trolls, like most fantasy books, Terry developed his world based on a post-apocalyptic Earth. The sign of a good series is its ability to connect to the reader’s soul. With The Scions of Shannara, I connected to the story to the point where I became emotional and could not put the book down.

By Terry Brooks,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

***50 MILLION TERRY BROOKS COPIES SOLD AROUND THE WORLD***

THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES IS NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES

'Terry's place is at the head of the fantasy world' Philip Pullman

Three hundred years have passed in the Four Lands. The Federation now controls all of the Southland. In the West, the Elves have vanished. In the East, the dwarves are enslaved. Par Ohmsford has retained some of the magical powers of his ancestors, although he does not fully understand the way they work. He is troubled by dreams of Allanon, the Druid whose fate has always seemed linked with that…


Book cover of The Library at Mount Char
Book cover of The Last Sun
Book cover of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

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Interested in trolls, Chicago, and orcs?

Trolls 16 books
Chicago 401 books
Orcs 20 books