Books like 'Ascension'
Readers who enjoyed Ascension by Kara Dalkey also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy high fantasy supernatural action / adventure myths mermaids magic arthurian historical-fiction
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The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 50 ratingsFollowing their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen. Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame...Categorized as:
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Memories of Prophecies by Davis Ashura
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe memories of the past may be forgotten, but prophecies linger.Cinder Shade and his fellow cadets have survived a brutal mission in the vast wilds of the Dagger Mountains. Laying to rest many of their brother warriors, they return to the Third Directorate, battered, bruised, and weary of soul.But the world turns, and new challenges press... -
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 60 ratingsThe Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden’s enchanting first novel, introduced readers to an irresistible heroine. Vasilisa has grown up at the edge of a Russian wilderness, where snowdrifts reach the eaves of her family’s wooden house and there is truth in the fairy tales told around the fire...Categorized as:
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Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsAfter years of comparative peace, darkness has fallen upon Ulster. Trouble is brewing and even those in the heart of the forest are not safe. Niamh, elder daughter of Sorcha, is required to make a strategic marriage, while her sister Liadan, who has the gift of Sight and her mother’s talent for healing, finds herself drawn into the shadowy world of the Painted Man and his warrior band...Categorized as:
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The King's Traitor by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAgainst all odds, Owen Kiskaddon grew from frightened boy to confident youth to trusted officer in the court of Kingfountain—and watched its regent, Severn Argentine, grow ever more ruthless and power-mad. Robbed of his beloved protector, his noble mentor, and his true love, Owen has anticipated the day when the king he fears and reviles, yet loyally serves, will be toppled...Categorized as:
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Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe “powerful and emotionally-charged” fantasy series from the author of the Sevenwaters novels continues, as Blackthorn and Grim face haunting secrets and old adversaries... Feather bright and feather fine, None shall harm this child of mine... Healer Blackthorn knows all too well the rules of her bond to the fey: seek no vengeance, help any who ask, do only good...Categorized as:
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The Forgotten Kingdom: A Novel by Signe Pike
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsFrom the author of The Lost Queen , hailed as “ Outlander meets Camelot ” (Kirsty Logan, the author of The Gloaming) and “ The Mists of Avalon for a new generation” (Linnea Hartsuyker, the author of The Golden Wolf), a “rich, immersive” ( Kirkus Reviews ) new novel in which a forgotten queen of 6th-century Scotland claims her throne as war looms and her family is scattered to the winds.AD 573... -
Age of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan, Marc Simonetti
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsA Goodreads Choice Award Nomination for Best Fantasy Novel of 2017 The gods have been proven mortal and new heroes will arise as the battle continues in the sequel to Age of Myth--from the author of the Riyria Revelations and Riyria Chronicles series.In Age of Myth, fantasy master Michael J. Sullivan launched readers on an epic journey of magic and adventure, heroism and betrayal, love and loss...Categorized as:
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Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsAge of Myth inaugurates another six-book series set in Elan.Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever...Categorized as:
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A Feast for Starving Stone by Beth Cato
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTwo countries at war. A delicious taste of magic. And a fierce princess comes of age in a rousing adventure by the author of A Thousand Recipes for Revenge . Princess Solenn’s marriage into royalty should have unified the continental neighbors of Verdania and Solenn’s homeland of Braiz against a common the country of Albion... -
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 74 ratingsMiryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold...Categorized as:
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Chosen by Jada Fisher
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShe is destined to soar with the dragons, but first...she needs to be chosen. An epic dragon riding adventure from Jada Fisher, author of the popular Dragon Oracle series. Eist was born to be a dragon rider, she just knows it. When fate conspires to take her parents and leave her orphaned and injured, her future appears bleak... -
The Raven and the Reindeer by T. Kingfisher
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen Gerta’s friend Kay is stolen away by the mysterious Snow Queen, it’s up to Gerta to find him. Her journey will take her through a dangerous land of snow and witchcraft, accompanied only by a bandit and a talking raven. Can she win her friend’s release, or will following her heart take her to unexpected places? A strange, sly retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s "Snow Queen," by T...Categorized as:
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Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Smitha has the wealth, status, and beauty that make her the envy of her town—until she rejects a strange man’s marriage proposal and disastrous consequences follow. Smitha becomes cursed, and frost begins to encompass everything she touches...Categorized as:
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Ghost in the Inferno by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is the Ghost circlemaster of Istarinmul, leader of the Emperor's spies in the city. She has defeated powerful foes, but more dangerous enemies lie before her.A sorcerous catastrophe threatens to destroy Istarinmul, and the only the mysterious sorceress Annarah, last loremaster of lost Iramis, knows how to stop it... -
Ghost in the Pact by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas has found the lost relics of Iramis, but with the relics comes deadly peril. For Grand Master Callatas is ready to work his terrible Apotheosis, and all he needs to unleash the dark power of the nagataaru is the Staff and the Seal of Iramis…once he takes them from Caina’s dead hands. Yet if Caina and Callatas do not work together, they are doomed... -
Ghost in the Razor by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA is the Ghost circlemaster of Istarinmul, leader of the Emperor's spies in the city. She has hindered the malevolent plans of the sinister Grand Master Callatas, but has been unable to defeat him. Callatas has slaughtered every foe who ever challenged him, and Caina may be next. CASSANDER NILAS is a ruthless magus of the brutal Umbarian Order, and seeks to destroy the Emperor... -
Ghost in the Throne by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas cheated death and escaped certain doom. So did her mortal enemy, the sorcerer Cassander Nilas. Now the city of Istarinmul teeters on the brink of civil war and sorcerous annihilation. Unless Caina summons all her bravery and cunning, Cassander's dark spell will kill millions of people. Starting with the people she loves.. -
Ghost in the Seal by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is out of time. She has risked too much for too long, and her enemies have finally closed around her. The Staff and Seal of Iramis have been found, and threaten to destroy the world with their sorcerous powers. The terrible Apotheosis of the evil Grand Master Callatas will succeed unless Caina makes one final sacrifice. Unless she makes the ultimate sacrifice.. -
Ghost in the Ashes by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost nightfighter, one of the elite agents of the Emperor of Nighmar, and she has defeated both corrupt lords and mighty sorcerers. As the Padishah of Istarinmul prepares to make peace with the Emperor, the Ghosts must keep the Padishah’s ambassador safe from assassins. But when an escaped slave begs for Caina’s help, she finds dark plots stirring in the shadows...Categorized as:
magic myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure assassins audiobook -
Ghost in the Surge by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is a nightfighter of the Ghosts, one of the elite agents of the Emperor of Nighmar. She has defeated powerful sorcerers and corrupt lords, freed slaves and overthrown great evils. But now someone has begun slaughtering the Ghosts of the Imperial capital, and the killer is wearing her face...Categorized as:
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Ghost in the Storm by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is a Ghost nightfighter, one of the Emperor's elite spies and assassins. And though she remains anonymous, already legends grow around her. Whispers speak of the Ghost nightfighter who stopped the fire of the gods from consuming Rasadda, who defeated sorcerers of terrible power, who liberated slaves and threw down cruel lords.Yet now the storm is coming to claim her..Categorized as:
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The Well of Shades by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsJuliet Marillier continues the epic fantasy begun with" The Dark Mirror, " which" Interzone" called: "A fascinating evocation of life in Pictish England and an emotional roller coaster of a story." King Bridei is a man with a mission. His wish to unite his kingdom seems almost within his grasp but there are forces working to undo his dream... -
Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsA brand new novel in the beloved world of Sevenwaters, a fantasy series that should appeal to "Lord of the Rings" fans (VOYA). The chieftains of Sevenwaters have long been custodians of a vast and mysterious forest. Human and Otherworld dwellers have existed there side by side, sharing a wary trust...Categorized as:
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Defender, Avenger, Champion by Robert J. Crane
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis is a collection of the first three titles in the Sanctuary Series (SERIES IS NOW COMPLETE), which is about a warrior in the mythical world of Arkaria, facing great battles against magical and fantastical foes. (Approx. 357,000 words or 950 pages total.) The world of Arkaria is a dangerous place, filled with dragons, titans, goblins and other dangers... -
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 57 ratingsWizardwood, a sentient wood.The most precious commodity in the world.Like many other legendary wares, it comes only from the Rain River Wilds...Categorized as:
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The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWelcome to the great kingdom of Camelot. Prince Arthur’s a depressed botanist who would rather marry a library than a princess, Lancelot’s been demoted to castle guard after a terrible misunderstanding, and nothing is going according to plan...Categorized as:
arthurian historical-fiction magic myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure -
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 74 ratingsHere is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, THE MISTS OF AVALON will stay with you for a long time to come...Categorized as:
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Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 53 ratingsAlosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders...Categorized as:
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East by Edith Pattou
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsRose has always been different. Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home... but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever...Categorized as:
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Secrets of the Deep by E.G. Foley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSome lost treasures were never meant to be found...With the Dark Druids after him and a magical war brewing, thirteen-year-old Jake Everton must lie low for a while, so his Elder witch aunt takes him and the gang on a long beach holiday, out of harm's way. But sure enough, Jake plunges into trouble once again when he meets a feisty royal mermaid on the run...Categorized as:
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Ghost in the Maze by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost circlemaster, leader of the Emperor's spies in Istarinmul. Yet the people of Istarinmul know her as the Balarigar, the daring master thief who challenged the corrupt lords and cruel princes of the city. And now Grand Master Callatas, the most powerful sorcerer of Istarinmul, wants her dead, and without allies Caina will not survive... -
Ghost in the Hunt by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCAINA AMALAS is the Ghost circlemaster of Istarinmul, the leader of the Emperor's spies in the city. With the aid of mysterious allies, she fights to stop the sinister plans of the ruthless Grand Master Callatas. But Callatas has spent two centuries preparing to remake humanity, and he will exterminate any who dare to oppose him... -
Pariah of Dragons by Cordelia Castel
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Wild Dragon, A Murderous Poacher, A Dozen Stolen Dragonets Threatened with expulsion and imprisonment for her offenses against the Magical Militia, Alba must stay out of trouble and obey the rules. But when a mysterious thief steals the dragonets, Alba and Fyrian must find the culprit before he escapes through the wards...Categorized as:
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The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 57 ratingsDeadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair...Categorized as:
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Ghost in the Winds by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Apotheosis has come at last, and it will shatter the world. CAINA is trapped in the ruins of an ancient necromancer's tomb. Unless she escapes the lethal trap, there will be no one to stop Grand Master Callatas from unleashing the Apotheosis. KYLON is desperate to save Caina's life... -
The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn 1558, while exiled by Queen Mary Tudor to a remote castle known as Perilous Gard, young Kate Sutton becomes involved in a series of mysterious events that lead her to an underground world peopled by Fairy Folk—whose customs are even older than the Druids’ and include human sacrifice...Categorized as:
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Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 78 ratingsNeil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales...Categorized as:
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The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsNow, the spellbinding, final chapter of King Arthur's reign, where Mordred, sired by incest and reared in secrecy, ingratiates himself at court, and sets in motion the Fates and the end of Arthur...Categorized as:
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Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsWhen Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist...Categorized as:
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Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAward-winning author Juliet Marillier’s “lavishly detailed”* Blackthorn & Grim series continues as a mysterious creature holds an enchanted and imperiled ancient Ireland in thrall. Disillusioned healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, have settled in Dalriada to wait out the seven years of Blackthorn’s bond to her fey mentor, hoping to avoid any dire challenges...Categorized as:
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Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsChild of the Prophecy is the thrilling conclusion to Juliet Marillier's award-winning Sevenwaters Trilogy.Magic is fading... and the ways of Man are driving the Old Ones to the West, beyond the ken of humankind. The ancient groves are being destroyed, and if nothing is done, Ireland will lose its essential mystic core...Categorized as:
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Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsMaeve, daughter of Lord Sean of Sevenwaters, was badly burned as a child and carries the legacy of that fire in her crippled hands. After ten years she’s returning home, a courageous, forthright woman. But while her body’s scars have healed, her spirit remains fragile, fearing the shadows of her past. Sevenwaters is in turmoil...Categorized as:
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Sword of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsFiery visions, a lost king, and a forthcoming destiny.A boy raised in secret after traitors kill his parents returns to Avalon faced with a formidable task: to prove his worth as a son of the kings and priestesses of his land and lead his followers to victory, wielding the newly-forged sword Excalibur...Categorized as:
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The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 78 ratingsAt the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales...Categorized as:
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Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsHigh in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters...Categorized as:
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Ghost in the Blood by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCaina is a Ghost nightfighter, one of the Emperor’s elite spies and assassins, and few enemies of the Empire ever escape her cunning. Yet all Caina’s wit and skill might not be enough to save her from a terrible fate.Sent to hunt down a cruel slave trader, Caina encounters something far darker. An ancient evil, a thing of legend and terror...Categorized as:
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A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAn ancient mystery. An unlikely union. For one young princess in a state of peril, a dangerous wish could be the only answer…She is the princess of Bharata—captured by her kingdom’s enemies, a prisoner of war. Now that she faces a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose...Categorized as:
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Return by Elliott Baker
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Sun God's Heir is a swashbuckling series, set at the end of the seventeenth century in France, Spain and northern Africa. Slavery is a common plague along the European coast and into this wild time, an ancient Egyptian general armed with dark arts has managed to return and re-embody, intent on recreating the reign of terror he began as Pharaoh...Categorized as:
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The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIt begins with a vicious tornado. (Odin on a Wild Hunt, as the young berserker Thorgil sees it.) The fields of Jack s home village are devastated, the winter ahead looks bleak, and a monster a draugr has invaded the forest outside of town. Soon, Jack, Thorgil, and the Bard are off to right the wrong of a death caused by Father Severus...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic mermaids myths paranormal retellings sword-sorcery action-adventure
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