20 books like The Two Towers

The reason I fell in love with George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire goes hand in hand with why I love J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. GRRM’s series builds upon the work of his classic contemporary, layering a darker, grittier veil over the genre of epic fantasy. A Dance with Dragons, in my opinion, further builds upon the subject of power and politics as well as duty and honour. The “relativity of evil” is something that particularly stands out in this fifth installment, which is constructed so brilliantly and so effectively, it has completely changed the way I build grey and morally ambiguous characters. Its soft magic system, featuring things such as “greensight”, “shadow-binding” and “face-changing” is one of my favourite magic systems in ages.

It jerked back, and there was a sickening feeling in her stomach as the stick curved away towards the mountains.

There are five books in the Tiffany Aching series, but this one, Book 2, is my favorite because it’s when Tiffany really rolls up her sleeves as a witch—it also marks her first time riding a broom, but, in a delightful twist, Tiffany doesn’t like it. It’s not because she’s afraid of heights, it’s because she’s afraid of falling. Not to worry, even though she’s not an expert broom flyer, Tiffany has plenty of magical friends to rely on throughout the series: a lawyer who has been permanently transformed into a toad and has a penchant for cursing (“croap”), Horace the cheese, Miss Level (a witch of two bodies and one mind), and the ever-delightful Wee Free Men (they can escape from anywhere . . . except a pub).… show more.

I boarded a plane in Los Angeles the day after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows released.

Before we were airborne, I opened the pages to the epic conclusion of the HP series. When I glanced to my left and right, I realized the passengers in my row were all doing the same.

What struck me in that moment was how Harry Potter transcended from a series for young adults to one for YA fans of all ages—a remarkable feat by one of the greatest YA storytellers in history.

If you haven’t read the books but have seen the films, I would highly recommend diving into the HP series as you will not be disappointed.

So many themes are woven throughout Deathly Hallows rooted in the value of love and friendship from all ages.

Yup. ACOTAR. At first, I wasn’t going to add this to my list because of its popularity and how many people already know about its awesomeness, but I can’t help myself.

Feyre is the queen of getting it done—no matter what “it” is. I specifically like A Court of Mist and Fury more, but again, this is a series that builds on itself so starting with ACOTAR is a must. I love Maas’s world and the romance that unfolds, and she was a big inspiration for me because I have been writing fantasy romances for years.

So, to see one out there in the world getting the traction it does (with a heroine who has agency, no less), I was thrilled.

It must be the scariest horror book I have ever read.

A superb exploration of fear delivered with surgical accuracy. I’ve never been so scared reading words from a page in my whole life.

There is no rendition, on the screen, that does justice to this novel. The backstories, history, and seemingly insignificant descriptions help to paint a picture that feels all too real, even during the most surreal moments.

A must read!

The Chain is one of my most recent reads.

I’d categorise it as a dark thriller that created some of the tightest knots in my stomach. The concept alone was enough to generate terror, anxiety, and anger from the first page onward. But anything that involves the endangerment of children does that to me.

A gripping tale that puts the victims, both the kidnapped and the kidnappers, in peril from an unseen syndicate who controls their actions with a phone call.

Very realistic. Very scary.

With this stunning introduction to Shane “Scarecrow” Schofield, Reilly hits the heights of adventure like few before him.

The action is non-stop and just when you think you have a chance to breathe, the frigid Antarctic conditions rear their head. Not so much a full on foe, as a general hindrance, I loved Ice Station because Reilly’s sparse descriptions of the landscape and inhospitable weather were just enough to bring a sympathetic shiver to me before the action kicked off again.

The Chimera Vector: The Fifth Column 1 is one of those books which is impossible to put down. An absolute page-turner.

This techno-thriller roller coaster ride had me on the edge of my seat all the way.

Admittedly, I was gifted this book by the author when I first started writing but I would have happily paid if I knew what I was in for. In fact, after completing The Chimera Vector, I purchased the rest of the series as quickly as I could.

Action brilliance at its best!

What more can be said of the classic tale of good versus evil, which was penned less than a hundred years ago, but speaks of a timeless conflict as old as humanity itself? Yet what is most inspiring to me is that in this world of brave knights, powerful wizards, and deadly dragons, the true heroes are the hobbits. People viewed as insignificant by others, but whose courage saved the lives of all.

This is the first book in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic The Lord of the Rings adventure trilogy.

This creative coming-of-age story introduces readers to a captivating world of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and wizards. One of the things that drew me into this book was the fact that despite the fact that it’s about all these fantasy characters, there were so many relatable themes, including being brave, friendship, facing challenges, being hopeful, teamwork, and the struggle between good and evil.

I didn’t get all the hype until I read this book, and now I see why it is a timeless classic that resonates with readers of all ages. After reading this one, I couldn't wait to explore the rest of the trilogy.