Books like 'Shadow'
Readers who enjoyed Shadow by K.J. Parker also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy dark fantasy mystery grimdark action / adventure dark epic amnesia
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A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 96 ratingsA comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who hold sway over an age of enforced peace are dead, victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns... -
![Blood Song by Anthony Ryan]()
Blood Song by Anthony Ryan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 58 ratingsThe Sixth Order wields the sword of justice and smites the enemies of the Faith and the Realm.” Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith... -
![Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff]()
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsFrom holy cup comes holy light;The faithful hands sets world aright.And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,Mere man shall end this endless night.It has been twenty-seven long years since the last sunrise. For nearly three decades, vampires have waged war against humanity; building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Now, only a few tiny sparks of light endure in a sea of darkness... -
![The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend by David Gemmell]()
The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsHe was known as Druss. The Deathwalker. Though the blood of merciless butchers coursed through his veins, he had found a fragile peace through his love for beautiful, mystical Rowena. Then came the day when Druss returned to their village and found everyone dead--massacred by slavers who had stolen the women to sell for gold. Rowena was among the missing... -
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![Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks]()
Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsA new queen has usurped the throne and is leading Cenaria into disaster. The country has become a broken realm with a threadbare army, little food and no hope. So Kylar Stern plans to reinstate his closest friend Logan as King, but can he really get away with murder?In the north, the Godking's death has thrown Khalidor into civil war... -
![The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski]()
The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsThe world has fallen into war. Ciri, the child of prophecy, has vanished. Hunted by friends and foes alike, she has taken on the guise of a petty bandit and lives free for the first time in her life. But the net around her is closing. Geralt, the Witcher, has assembled a group of allies determined to rescue her. Both sides of the war have sent brutal mercenaries to hunt her down... -
![The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch]()
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 79 ratingsAn orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler... -
![Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks]()
Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsThe second novel in the Night Angel trilogy, the breakneck epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Brent Weeks.Kylar Stern has rejected the assassin's life. The Godking's successful coup has left Kylar's master, Durzo, and his best friend, Logan, dead. He is starting over: new city, new friends, and new profession... -
![Waylander by David Gemmell]()
Waylander by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsAll of Waylander's instincts had screamed at him to spurn the contract from Kaem the cruel, the killer of nations. But he had ignored them. He had made his kill. And even as he went to collect his gold, he knew that he had been betrayed... -
![She Who Waits by Daniel Polansky]()
She Who Waits by Daniel Polansky
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe third novel in the brilliant dark fantasy Low Town seriesLow Town: the worst ghetto in the worst city in the Thirteen Lands. Good only for depravity and death. And Warden, long ago a respected agent in the formidable Black House, is now the most depraved Low Town denizen of them all... -
![King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence]()
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 53 ratingsThe second book in the Broken Empire series, Lawrence takes his young anti-hero one step closer to his grand ambition.To reach greatness you must step on bodies, and many brothers lie trodden in my wake... -
![The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski]()
The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 68 ratingsThe New York Times bestselling series that inspired the international hit video game: The Witcher Geralt is a witcher: guardian of the innocent; protector of those in need; a defender, in dark times, against some of the most frightening creatures of myth and legend. His task, now, is to protect Ciri... -
![Winter Warriors by David Gemmell]()
Winter Warriors by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWinged demons gather, silent and unseen, above the city of Usa, their talons long and sharp. Their purpose is clear, as is the prophesy: Upon the deaths of the three kings, the demon riders of the Krayakin will become flesh, free to slake their thirst with human blood - and the stench of evil will cover the land. Two of the kings are already dead... -
![Knight's Shadow by Sebastien de Castell]()
Knight's Shadow by Sebastien de Castell
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 37 ratings'One hell of a good book' Conn Iggulden The Greatcoats have found the heir to the throne . . . but now they must keep her alive, against all the odds. Falcio Val Mond has completed the final task given to him by the late King Paelis: he has found the King's Charoites (well, one at least)... -
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![Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan]()
Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 44 ratings“The blood-song rose with an unexpected tune, a warm hum mingling recognition with an impression of safety. He had a sense it was welcoming him home.” Vaelin Al Sorna, warrior of the Sixth Order, called Darkblade, called Hope Killer... -
![The Sword of the Lictor by Gene Wolfe]()
The Sword of the Lictor by Gene Wolfe
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAlternative cover editions for this ISBN exist here and here.Beneath the dying sun the disgraced torturer, Severian, at last comes to his place of exile - Thrax, the city of Windowless Rooms.But Severian's journey is not ended, and high in Earth's ancient mountains he draws closer to his destiny... -
![Free the Darkness by Kel Kade]()
Free the Darkness by Kel Kade
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsRaised and trained in complete seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows... -
![Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick]()
Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIt’s been three months since Drothe killed a legend, burned down a portion of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince in the underworld, he’s learning just how good he used to have it.With barely the beginnings of an organization to his name, Drothe is already being called out by other Gray Princes... -
![Shadows Linger by Glen Cook]()
Shadows Linger by Glen Cook
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsMercenary soldiers in the service of the Lady, the Black Company stands against the rebels of the White Rose. They are tough men, proud of honoring their contracts. The Lady is evil, but so, too, are those who falsely profess to follow the White Rose, reincarnation of a centuries-dead heroine... -
![The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks]()
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 71 ratingsFrom New York Times Bestselling author Brent Weeks... For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art-and he is the city's most accomplished artist. For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly - and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint... -
![The Son of the Morning by Jacob Peppers]()
The Son of the Morning by Jacob Peppers
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFifty years ago, the nightwalkers appeared, creatures of shadow and darkness, thirsting for blood and death. Thousands died and the kingdom of Entarna was brought to its knees. Then the Chosen came, six men and women endowed with powers by Amedan, the God of Fire and Light. The Chosen joined with the kingdom’s armies and together they managed to defeat the night’s creatures. At least for a time... -
![The Pariah by Anthony Ryan]()
The Pariah by Anthony Ryan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsBorn into the troubled kingdom of Albermaine, Alwyn Scribe is raised as an outlaw. Quick of wit and deft with a blade, Alwyn is content with the freedom of the woods and the comradeship of his fellow thieves. But an act of betrayal sets him on a new path - one of blood and vengeance, which eventually leads him to a soldier's life in the king's army... -
![Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan]()
Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsThe Age of Kings is dead . . . and I have killed it. It's a bloody business overthrowing a king...Field Marshal Tamas' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving... -
![Quest for Lost Heroes by David Gemmell]()
Quest for Lost Heroes by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsThe Drenai stronghold had fallen. Now blood-hungry Nadir hordes spread desolation and despair across all the lands......even tiny Gothir, where slavers seized a young girl while the villagers looked the other way--all but the peasant boy Kiall. His unlikely rescue attempt would lead across the savage steppes and on through the Halls of Hell... -
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![Tomorrow, the Killing by Daniel Polansky]()
Tomorrow, the Killing by Daniel Polansky
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOnce he was a hero of the Great War, and then a member of the dreaded Black House. Now he is the criminal linchpin of Low Town.His name is Warden.He thought he had left the war behind him, but a summons from up above brings the past sharply, uncomfortably, back into focus. General Montgomery's daughter is missing somewhere in Low Town, searching for clues about her brother's murder... -
![She is the Darkness by Glen Cook]()
She is the Darkness by Glen Cook
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe wind whines and howls with bitter breath. Lightning snarls and barks. Rage is an animate force upon the plain of glittering stone. Even shadows are afraid.At the heart of the plain stands a vast grey stronghold, unknown, older than any written memory. One ancient tower has collapsed across the fissure... -
![Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence]()
Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsThe Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister—unseen by most and unspoken of by all... -
![The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan]()
The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThe New York Times bestselling Raven’s Shadow Trilogy was a perfect read for “fans of broadscale epic fantasy along the lines of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series and George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire novels.”* Now, Anthony Ryan begins a new saga, The Draconis Memoria...Throughout the vast lands controlled by the Ironship Syndicate, nothing is more prized than the blood of drakes... -
![White Gold Wielder by Stephen R. Donaldson]()
White Gold Wielder by Stephen R. Donaldson
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsThomas Covenant knew that despite his failure on the Isle of The One Tree, he had to return to the Land and fight. After a long and arduous journey, fighting all the way, he readies himself for the final showdown with Lord Foul, the Despiser, and begins to understand things he had only just wondered about before... -
![A Dance of Mirrors by David Dalglish]()
A Dance of Mirrors by David Dalglish
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author David DalglishOne has conquered a city. The other covets an entire nation. In book #3 of the Shadowdance series, Haern is the King's Watcher, protector against thieves and nobles who would fill the night with blood. Yet hundreds of miles away, an assassin known as the Wraith has begun slaughtering those in power, leaving the symbol of the Watcher in mockery... -
![Cry Havoc by Mike Morris]()
Cry Havoc by Mike Morris
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey say when the demons come, you either fight or you die. The Black Dogs know this all too well. For three hundred years, the warrior priests have sacrificed their lives to keep the island nation of Abios safe from the flesh-eating Nostros, while the rest of the world fell under the demons’ savagery. However, an armada now stands poised to invade mankind’s last bastion... -
![Deadman's Crossing by Joe R. Lansdale]()
Deadman's Crossing by Joe R. Lansdale
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDeadwood meets The Walking Dead in this wild and profane Western romp featuring zombies, werewolves, killer bees, and one pissed-off gun-slinging preacher.The Wild West has never seen the likes of Reverend Jebidiah Mercer, a hard man wielding a burning Bible and a bottle of whiskey in the battle between God and the Devil. Frankly, he's not sure he gives a damn who wins...Categorized as:
dark 21st-century action-adventure adult anthologies apocalyptic cosmic-horror dark-fantasy -
![Creeping Jenny by Jeff Noon]()
Creeping Jenny by Jeff Noon
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe third book in Jeff Noon's widely acclaimed 'Nyquist Mysteries' find our protagonist caught up in a new mystery that delves into nightmares, Saints and the answer to his father's disappearanceNyquist finds himself in a village where everyday is a different type of nightmare and whose bizarre rules are governed by whichever Saint rules that day...Categorized as:
dark 21st-century action-adventure adult alternate-history anthologies crime dark-fantasy -
![Betrayal in the Highlands by Robert Evert]()
Betrayal in the Highlands by Robert Evert
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRiddle in Stone’s unlikely hero holds the fate of humanity in his hands in this epic fantasy from the author of the Quests of the Kings Trilogy. Pursued relentlessly by goblin hunters for the ancient secret he knows, Edmund the stuttering librarian fights back in the fast-paced sequel to Riddle in Stone. Edmund’s old, boring life is gone forever... -
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![The Thousand Names by Django Wexler]()
The Thousand Names by Django Wexler
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsEnter an epic fantasy world that echoes with the thunder of muskets and the clang of steel—but where the real battle is against a subtle and sinister magic....Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life... -
![Priest of Bones by Peter McLean]()
Priest of Bones by Peter McLean
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe war is over, and army priest Tomas Piety heads home with Sergeant Bloody Anne at his side. But things have changed while he was away: his crime empire has been stolen and the people of Ellinburg--his people--have run out of food and hope and places to hide. Tomas sets out to reclaim what was his with help from Anne, his brother, Jochan, and his new gang: the Pious Men... -
![Riddle in Stone by Robert Evert]()
Riddle in Stone by Robert Evert
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA debut novel of epic fantasy featuring an unlikely hero and his life-changing adventure from the author of the Quests of the Kings Trilogy. Long after the last of the great heroes of old has died, the Undead King is stirring again, amassing a goblin horde ready to sweep out of the mountains and destroy all of humanity... -
![Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman]()
Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsOn the distant world of Erna, four people--Priest, Adept, Sorcerer, and Apprentice--are drawn together to battle the forces of evil, led by the demonic fae, a soul-destroying force that preys on the human mind... -
![The Eternal Champion by Michael Moorcock]()
The Eternal Champion by Michael Moorcock
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsJohn Daker dreams of other worlds, and a name: Erekosë. He finds the strength to answer the call, travelling to a strange land ruled by the aging King Rigenos of Necranal. Humanity is united in a desperate fight against the inhuman Eldren, and he must fight with them. But the actions of his brethren turns his loyalties, and as Erekosë he will take a terrible revenge... -
![Rogues by George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie]()
Rogues by George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsIf you’re a fan of fiction that is more than just black and white, this latest story collection from #1 New York Times bestselling author George R.R. Martin and award-winning editor Gardner Dozois is filled with subtle shades of gray... -
![Bestien in Samt und Seide by Jack Yeovil, Kim Newman]()
Bestien in Samt und Seide by Jack Yeovil, Kim Newman
Rated: 3.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAs a killer called "The Beast" stalks the Imperial capital of Altdorf, evidence points to members of the Imperial court. With the gruesome murders mounting, the disgraced watchman "Filthy" Harald Kleindeinst is reinstated for a single assignment: to stop the Beast's reign of terror and discover its true identity... -
![The Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington]()
The Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington
Rated: 3.78 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAs the witch-pyres of the Spanish Inquisition blanket Renaissance Europe in a moral haze, a young African slave finds herself the unwilling apprentice of an ancient necromancer. Unfortunately, quitting his company proves even more hazardous than remaining his pupil when she is afflicted with a terrible curse... -
![Shadow's Lure by Jon Sprunk]()
Shadow's Lure by Jon Sprunk
Rated: 3.71 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe unforgiving Northlands . . . He was at the top of the food chain in Othir. An assassin beyond compare, a dark shadow in the night. But Caim left that life behind when he helped an empress claim her throne. And now his past has come calling again. Searching for the truth behind the disappearance and murder of his parents, Caim discovers a land in thrall to the Shadow... -
![Ice Forged by Gail Z. Martin]()
Ice Forged by Gail Z. Martin
Rated: 3.74 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsCondemned as a murderer for killing the man who dishonored his sister, Blaine "Mick" McFadden has spent the last six years in Velant, a penal colony in the frigid northern wastelands of Edgeland. Harsh military discipline and the oppressive magic of the governor's mages keep a fragile peace as colonists struggle against a hostile environment... -
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![The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham]()
The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham
Rated: 3.77 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsAll paths lead to war...Marcus' hero days are behind him. He knows too well that even the smallest war still means somebody's death. When his men are impressed into a doomed army, staying out of a battle he wants no part of requires some unorthodox steps.Cithrin is an orphan, ward of a banking house. Her job is to smuggle a nation's wealth across a war zone, hiding the gold from both sides... -
![A Dance of Cloaks by David Dalglish]()
A Dance of Cloaks by David Dalglish
Rated: 3.71 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThren Felhorn is the greatest assassin of his time. Marshalling the thieves’ guilds under his control, he declares war against the Trifect, an allegiance of wealthy and powerful nobles.Aaron Felhorn has been groomed since birth to be Thren’s heir. Sent to kill the daughter of a priest, Aaron instead risks his own life to protect her from the wrath of his guild... -
![Devices and Desires by K.J. Parker]()
Devices and Desires by K.J. Parker
Rated: 3.71 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWhen an engineer is sentenced to death for a petty transgression of guild law, he flees the city, leaving behind his wife and daughter. Forced into exile, he seeks a terrible vengeance -- one that will leave a trail of death and destruction in its wake. But he will not be able to achieve this by himself. He must draw up his plans using the blood of others.. -
![Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence]()
Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Rated: 3.76 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsBefore the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse... -
![The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman]()
The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsPaul Hoffman's novel of astonishing scope and imagination, featuring a darkly gifted teenage boy at the center of a brutal holy war, grabs the reader from its incredible opening lines and refuses to let go... -
![The Beating of His Wings by Paul Hoffman]()
The Beating of His Wings by Paul Hoffman
Rated: 3.61 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFollowing the bestselling novels The Left Hand of God and The Last Four Things comes the final installment of Paul Hoffman’s stark, epic trilogy. Thomas Cale has been running from the truth…...Categorized as:
dark epic action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book coming-of-age dark-fantasy
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