69 books like Warbreaker

This book delivers slow-burn action, incredibly nuanced characters, and a world that grows on you increasingly with every page. As a younger reader, I struggled with the slow pacing and the lack of real action. But going back to read it recently, I found myself sucked into the story of this bastard child in a very medieval France/England-feeling royal court.

The characters introduced alongside FitzChivalry are incredibly compelling, and everyone leaped off the page and came to life in my imagination. I tore through the entire trilogy back to back because though they were light on the assassination; they were incredibly rich in worldbuilding, magic, and character depth.

This book is a treasure that ignited and brought attention to the fantasy genre. There is a certain style to Terry Brooks, and yes it is similar to Tolkien, but it's refreshing, because (like Tolkien), this story focuses on wonder, miracles, and making the moral choice.  

This tale is not about who wields the magic but about the effect it has when used by good or evil people. In an “ever-grey” world, it is a boon to remember that some choices are black and white.

When I first read this book in 1957, I had the now-impossible experience of reading a book I had never heard of by an unknown author. It was an unforgettable and unrepeatable experience, and I’ve never lost the sheer wonder of that discovery, even though it has now become the unintended inspiration for all of the sword-and-sorcery fantasies and little-guy-with-a-big-mission sagas that weigh down the shelves of today’s bookstores.

Several things distinguish it from its hapless descendants. 1. It's writing: Tolkien’s ability to change the tone from down-to-earth vernacular to the language of high medieval romance cannot be matched by his successor. 2. Its integrity: the book draws on his own previously created and entirely consistent Silmarillion legendarium mythology to create a different yet familiar world the reader can enter. 3. Its range moves seamlessly from low comedy to high tragedy and effortlessly mixes the mundane with the mysterious.

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I tend to enjoy a pallet cleanser between the various epics that color the fantasy landscape. This book is the perfect remedy.

The novella is a quick read that is an inspiration of love. Its protagonist delights in the small things, and you see the world of wonder through the eyes of someone who is neurodivergent. Yes, this tale also deals with a tortured and troubled soul, yet it does not leave the world a darker place.

Since the first page, I have not been able to stop thinking about Whitten’s gorgeously immersive world.

With a main character named Red and something about a wolf, you may think that this is just another Little Red Riding Hood rewriting…but it is so much more. A magical murderous forest, prophesies, blood pacts, destiny, love—all the things I already knew I loved, but then add even more—haunted trees, a twisting sickness caused by shadow, and two sisters fighting to determine their own fate.

This last aspect lends a specialness to Whitten’s novel and reminds me of my favorite novels growing up. These are not your average princesses. For the Wolf teeters on that edge between NA and adult, and the language alone is worth the read!

The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, Wilson’s debut work, is another wonder among wonders.

It feels like an epic fantasy, but instead of following more Viking-blonde heroes with their magical swords, we’re following hired mercenaries to escort a caravan through dangerous lands.

And instead of the usual fantasy worlds descended from the Western European Middle Ages, we’re in one influenced by re-colonial Africa.

There are magical jungles and magical tigers, and violence and death, and an LGBT love story between smart, dedicated men.

It’s a character study worthy of a literary novel, but the love of words, and the masterful inclusion of various dialects, particularly a kind of medieval hip-hop slang, makes this a truly fascinating read.

This is my favorite retelling of Greek mythology from a woman’s (well, goddess’s) point of view. Margaret Miller uses her deep knowledge of the ancient texts—she trained as a classicist—to transform them, giving a big player from the Odyssey her own story and a compelling narrative voice.

The book excels at world-building, with striking descriptions that make its mythological universe a place you can see and touch. And Circe herself is both strange enough to be fascinating and yet powerfully empathetic. This is the book I was looking for as a teenager, but I only appreciated it fully in middle age.

For fans of slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers fantasy, this book is gold.

With Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone vibes, this book tells the story of a human woman who is kidnapped and wed to the Frost King, a brooding immortal.

The writing is beautiful, and I appreciated how it took a long time for the heroine and hero to trust each other and break down their walls. Both characters are deeply flawed, yet you still root for their happiness.

The world-building is lovely and folkloric. Getting into the steamy parts takes a while, but it’s worth the wait!

Set in a fantasy world inspired by North African folklore and mythology, A River of Royal Blood creates the perfect environment for magic not seen in the mainstream literary fiction.

Within the story, magic plays an integral part in the conflict known as the “Rival Heir” tradition, where the female heirs to the throne must fight one another to the death when the youngest turns of age. Only one of them can be queen. The magic is their greatest tool but is somehow Eva’s greatest curse as no one knows how to use her magic, least of all her. And when more than just her older sister wants her dead because of her powerful magic, I was on the edge of my seat and impatiently awaiting a sequel.

This fairytale fantasy for young readers is one of the most poignant books I have ever read, in any genre. My best friend, Emma, and I were both fans of Levine growing up. A few months ago, we realized we could both recite the epic poem that concludes this book word for word. Step follows step, hope follows courage. It’s a beautiful story of familial love, growing up and finding yourself, and grappling with the inevitability of illness and loss, all set in a delightfully adventurous fantasy world. The tone is playful and bright throughout, the message ultimately hopeful, but there’s no denying the heartbreak along the way.