100 books like The Oath

Orphan’s Song is a lot more of a subtle allegory than some of the books on this list, but that is not a criticism! The author has such a gorgeous writing style, and her world really draws you in. It’s the kind of place you want to visit, but it doesn’t bog down the story. The music theme is also very well done, and there’s a hint of mystery that keeps you turning pages. If you like griffons, this is the book for you.

A Cast of Stones brought me back to a magical time in my childhood when I could truly get lost in stories. Despite being a boring grown-up with boring grown-up problems constantly vying for my attention, this book took hold of me completely. Our main character, Errol Stone, is truly and devastatingly flawed. He’s an alcoholic, he has major dad issues, and he’s treated like trash by many around him. His doubts, his fears, his virtues, all of it comes to life on the page. I found myself rooting for him as I root for Frodo and Sam on the slopes of Mount Doom. If that wasn’t enough, the rest of the characters, plot, and prose are wonderful, too. 

I just can’t help myself from recommending the entire Blades of Acktar series at every opportunity. In my opinion, it is one of the greatest Christian fantasy stories ever written. The worldbuilding is incredibly unique. This is not your typical allegorical Christian fantasy in the vein of Tolkien or Lewis. This is an alternate world, but one where Jesus and the Bible exist. At first, it’s strange, but as you fall in love with the characters, it becomes the most natural thing in the world. The world of Acktar lives and breathes, and the author absolutely excels at handling some of the most difficult parts of the Christian faith with incredible insight through the eyes of her characters—including a reformed assassin that I may or may not be in love with.

Part of what I love the most about The Lord of the Rings is the way that J.R.R. Tolkien made Middle Earth feel like it could be real. I have to remind myself it’s not history, but fiction. Reading Recorder gives me the same feeling. Sure, technically, it’s science fiction. It’s set in space. But there is a depth and honesty to the world that Cathy McCrumb has created that is rare and worth exploring. It is both a prescient warning about the future of humanity and a powerful story about found family and finding hope when up against impossible odds. Also, the romantic subplot of this book will absolutely shatter you.

The key to understanding the development of Judaism and Christianity is understanding how the problem of evil was interpreted in antiquity. There are many books on the subject, but Neil Forsyth’s is my personal favorite. His book is very thorough, covering the topic from ancient polytheistic Mediterranean mythology up through the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Gnostics, and early Christianity. We can see that within religions of Semitic origin, there was fierce debate over whether evil was introduced by God himself, other heavenly beings such as angels or sons of God, by Satan, or by human beings. This led to debate over who the ruler of this world, the “material world,” really was. Was it God? Was it Satan? Was Satan actually God? These questions were of critical importance when Christianity emerged, and Forsyth’s book provides essential context.

Where to even start with this super weird masterpiece? It’s like William Burroughs (Naked Lunch, etc.) and Billy Martin (Lost Souls, etc.) teamed up to write a vampire novel.

Hobo junkie vampires roam the highways and streets of America, a teeming group of young kids, strung out, hungry for blood. The writing is beautiful, impossible to put down, pure poetry. The content? Disturbing, dark, and delicious.

I adored this book! Not only was I astounded at the believable way the author expertly tells a tale from a wolf’s perspective (no small feat to be realistic here) but it’s also based on the true story of the actual wolf OR-7. I was fascinated to be drawn into this journey and world. And the scrumptious illustrations throughout are icing on the cake. 

I have collected a lot of nonfiction focused on the women’s experiences in the Old West – there are many such books available now. But, when Nancy Wilson Ross published this book in 1944, there weren’t any.  Can you imagine that?

Ross writes about women in all walks of life, from missionaries to outlaws to farmers and ranchers. She writes mainly about white women and Native Americans, though some of her attitudes will feel a little dated to modern readers. But that just means that this book is as much a window into the ideas of the 1940s as it is into the lives of women in the 1800s, which I find fascinating.

This book perfectly demystifies the art of pruning trees and shrubs for even the most apprehensive gardener. Turnbull’s conversational style and matter-of-fact presentation of all you need to know to do it right and not wreck your plants, has been a fan favorite for years. I recommend it to my gardening students that may find the Brown/Kirkham pruning book a bit on the dry side. Cass makes pruning sound fun, and important, blending her horticultural knowledge and skill with a keen political sensibility that stresses the ethics of doing things the right way for the health and well-being of your plants.  

Boneshaker is set in an alternate Seattle where a rampant machine unearthed toxic gas that turns people into zombies, and the only way to contain this disaster was to wall off the city. What I love about Boneshaker is how people remain defiantly close to the city and move on with their lives despite the toxic rain, the zombies clawing on the walls, and, even more so, the people who take it further and travel through the ruins of the once great city in an airship, or, if they’re daring, on foot. 

Better pack your guns and your wits when exploring this cityscape!