Books like 'Scarlet'
Readers who enjoyed Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy action / adventure alternate history historical-fiction christian retellings medieval myths epic
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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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Kushiel's Avatar by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. It's inhabited by the race that rose from the seed of angels, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child. Her bond was purchased by a nobleman who recognized that she was pricked by Kushiel's dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one... -
Queen of Ash and Iron by Melanie Karsak
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFated to lead a rebellion against Rome.Destined to become a legend.Britain, A.D. 47All at once, everything changes.The rebellion of the Northern Iceni under King Caturix results in dire consequences for Boudica. Without Aulus Plautius’s protection, Boudica must face the new, more severe Roman Governor Scapula...Categorized as:
historical-fiction spirituality myths fantasy war tragedy sword-sorcery action-adventure -
Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsIn The Winter King and Enemy of God Bernard Cornwell demonstrated his astonishing ability to make the oft-told legend of King Arthur fresh and new for our time. Now, in this riveting final volume of The Warlord Chronicles, Cornwell tells the unforgettable tale of Arthur's final struggles against the Saxons and his last attempts to triumph over a ruined marriage and ravaged dreams... -
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Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe balance of King Arthur's unified kingdom is threatened by Merlin's quest for the last of Britain's 13 Treasures; by the conflict between the ancient religion and the new Christianity; and by Britain's war with the Saxons. A master storyteller continues his retelling of the Arthurian legend... -
The Outcasts by John Flanagan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsFrom the author of the global phenomenon Ranger's Apprentice!They are outcasts. Hal, Stig, and the others - they are the boys the others want no part of. Skandians, as any reader of Ranger's Apprentice could tell you, are known for their size and strength. Not these boys. Yet that doesn't mean they don't have skills...Categorized as:
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The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by John Joseph Adams, Stephen King
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsThe game is afoot! Night Shade Books is proud to present the fantastic adventures of the world's greatest detective — mystery, fantasy, science fiction, horror, no genre can escape the esteemed detective's needle-sharp intellect and intuition...Categorized as:
classics drama historical-fiction retellings suspense 21st-century action-adventure adult -
The Long Sword by Christian Cameron
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratings'One of the finest historical fiction writers in the world' Ben KanePisa, May 1364.Sir William Gold is looking forward to a lucrative career as a hired sword in the endless warring between Italy's city states. But when a message comes from the Grand Master of the Hospitaliers, William is forced to leave his dreams of fame and fortune behind him...Categorized as:
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The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsMitch Albom creates a magical world through his love of music in this remarkable new novel about the power of talent to change our livesThis is the epic story of Frankie Presto—the greatest guitar player who ever lived—and the six lives he changed with his six magical blue stringsFrankie, born in a burning church, abandoned as an infant, and raised by a music teacher in a small Spanish town,...Categorized as:
christian drama historical-fiction spirituality action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook -
The Words of Kings and Prophets by Shauna Lawless
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sequel to the critically acclaimed The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, The Words of Kings and Prophets is the powerful new historical fantasy novel by Shauna Lawless.Ireland, 1000 AD. Gormflaith is unhappily married to Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, and although a queen she struggles with her limited position... -
Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsHaving learned a lesson about thwarting the will of the gods, Imriel and Sidonie publicly confess their affair, only to see the country boil over in turmoil. Younger generations, infatuated by their heart-twisting, star-cross romance, defend the couple...Categorized as:
epic historical-fiction medieval myths suspense action-adventure adult alternate-history -
Lord of the Silver Bow by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsHe is a man of many names. Some call him the Golden One; others, the Lord of the Silver Bow. To the Dardanians, he is Prince Aeneas. But to his friends, he is Helikaon. Strong, fast, quick of mind, he is a bold warrior, hated by his enemies, feared even by his Trojan allies. For there is a darkness at the heart of the Golden One, a savagery that, once awakened, can be appeased only with blood... -
The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsA Wall Street Journal bestseller Owen Kiskaddon first came to the court of the formidable King Severn as a prisoner, winning favor with the stormy monarch by masquerading as a boy truly blessed by the Fountain... -
Outcasts in Time by Sarah Woodbury
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJoin David and his friends and family for the next installment in the After Cilmeri series!Last we heard from David, he'd allowed George to abduct him at the behest of the CIA, for the stated purpose of forcing him to time travel between Earth Two and Avalon. Meanwhile, Lili and the refugees from Paris were floating down the River Seine, making for the English Channel...Categorized as:
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Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsMighty Kushiel, of rod and wealLate of the brazen portalsWith blood-tipp'd dart a wound unhealedPricks the eyen of chosen mortalsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child...Categorized as:
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Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 65 ratingsThe birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday...Categorized as:
christian historical-fiction myths retellings spirituality 21st-century action-adventure adult -
Champions of Time by Sarah Woodbury
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsApril 1294. With David returned from Ireland and Anna from Avalon, the time has come to confront the traitors who sought to assassinate David and take his throne.But before that can happen, David is tested yet again by his inability to account for everything or everyone in his life--and especially the magic that surrounds him...Categorized as:
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Khon'Tor's Wrath by Leigh Roberts
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat If... A long time ago, in order to avoid extinction, the ancient Sasquatch interbred with the humans. What if... The community repopulated, and lived in peace and harmony with all creation for generation after generation — until the compassionate act of their Healer set it all on end...Categorized as:
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Unbroken in Time by Sarah Woodbury
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn 1282, David and his sister Anna crashed through time to save the life of their father, the last Prince of Wales. Thirteen years later, David is a grown man--husband, father, and High King of Britain. He is also the Duke of Aquitaine, a fact which King Philip of France appears to resent...Categorized as:
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Lion of Macedon by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsOver and again, the aged seeress Tamis scried all the possible tomorrows. In every one, dark forces threatened Greece; terrible evil was poised to reenter the world. The future held only one hope: a half-caste Spartan boy, Parmenion. So Tamis made it her mission to see that Parmenion would before the deadliest warrior in the world -- no matter what the cost...Categorized as:
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Lord of Emperors by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsThe Thrilling Sequel To Sailing To SarantiumBeckoned by the Emperor Valerius, Crispin, a renowned mosaicist, has arrived in the fabled city of Sarantium. Here he seeks to fulfill his artistic ambitions and his destiny high upon a dome that will become the emerror's magnificent sanctuary and legacy.But the beauty and solitude of his work cannot protect his from Sarantium's intrigue...Categorized as:
epic historical-fiction myths spirituality 21st-century action-adventure adult alternate-history -
The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsUther, the High King, has died, leaving the infant Mordred as his only heir. His uncle, the loyal and gifted warlord Arthur, now rules as caretaker for a country which has fallen into chaos - threats emerge from within the British kingdoms while vicious Saxon armies stand ready to invade... -
The First Dragon by James A. Owen
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRestoring the Archipelago of Dreams comes with a precious price in this final volume of the critically acclaimed Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series.To save the world, Charles, the Grail Child Rose Dyson, and Edmund McGee must travel deep into the past to discover the identity of the mythical Architect of the Keep of Time...Categorized as:
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The Fell Sword by Miles Cameron
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsTHE RED KNIGHT was one of the most acclaimed fantasy debuts of 2012 - and now he rides again. Prepare for one epic battle...In The Fell Sword the Red Knight and his company go across the mountains to the Morea and Thrake - those are the kingdoms to the east of Alba - to put down what appears to be a local rebellion and proves to be larger... -
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The Dragon's Apprentice by James A. Owen
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSeven years after the events of The Shadow Dragons, John, Jack and Charles are finally able to return to their beloved Archipelago of Dreams. But even as their return is celebrated by old friends, new concerns shadow the reunion: the threat of Ecthroi, primordial Shadow. And perhaps even worse, the apparent splintering of Time itself...Categorized as:
arthurian classics historical-fiction myths retellings action-adventure alternate-history animals -
Φάκελος Ανάσταση by Og Mandino
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn front of eight million TV viewers, "The Greatest Mystery Writer in the World" bragged he could prove Christ was actually stolen from the tomb and never really rose from the dead . . . if he were given just one week back in ancient Jerusalem. That night author Matt Lawrence got his wish. A knock-out punch took him right out of this world and landed him in Biblical Judea in 26 A.D...Categorized as:
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The Silver Hand by Stephen R. Lawhead
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThe great king, Meldryn Mawr, is dead, and his kingdom lies in ruins. Treachery and brutality rule the land, and Albion is the scene of an epic struggle for the throne. Lewis Gillies returns as Llew, seeking the true meaning behind a mysterious prophecy - the making of a true king and the revealing of a long awaited champion: Silver Hand...Categorized as:
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Rise of Kali: Duryodhana's Mahabharata by Anand Neelakantan
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsTHE MAHABHARATA ENDURES AS THE GREAT EPIC OF INDIA. While Jaya is the story of the Pandavas, told from the perspective of the victors of Kurukshetra, Ajaya is the tale of the Kauravas, who were decimated to the last man. From the pen of the author who gave voice to Ravana in the national bestseller, ASURA, comes the riveting narrative which compels us to question the truth behind the Mahabharata...Categorized as:
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The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsRarely, if ever, does a new writer dazzle us with such a vivid imagination and storytelling, flawlessly capturing the essence of a land, a people, a legend. Conn Iggulden is just such a writer, bringing to vivid life one of the most fascinating eras in human history... -
Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsCrispin is a master mosaicist, creating beautiful art with colored stones and glass. Summoned to Sarantium by imperial request, he bears a Queen's secret mission, and a talisman from an alchemist...Categorized as:
epic historical-fiction medieval spirituality 20th-century action-adventure adult alternate-history -
Dark Prince by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe chaos spirit had chosen the child Alexander to be its human host. But Parmenion, most powerful warrior of ancient Greece, had won a small victory over the darkness that sought to rule through Alexander. The boy's soul had not been destroyed by evil, but instead had merged with it -- and now Parmenion aided Alexander in the battle between light and dark that constantly raged within him...Categorized as:
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Byzantium by Stephen R. Lawhead
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAlthough born to rule, Aidan lives as a scribe in a remote Irish Monastery on the far, wild edge of Christendom. Secure in work, contemplation, and dreams of the wider world, a miracle bursts into Aidan's quiet life...Categorized as:
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The Dragons of Winter by James A. Owen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Archipelago of Dreams is no more…but the battle to save it has just begun in the penultimate book in the acclaimed Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series.The Caretakers are at war. The Archipelago of Dreams has fallen to the Echthroi, and the link to the Summer Country has been lost...Categorized as:
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The Wolf and the Raven by Steven A. McKay
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the aftermath of a violent rebellion Robin Hood and his men must fight for survival with an enemy deadlier than any they've faced before... 1322. England is in disarray and Sir Guy of Gisbourne, the king's own bounty hunter, stalks the greenwood, bringing bloody justice to the outlaws and rebels who hide there...Categorized as:
historical-fiction myths suspense action-adventure adult alternate-history book fiction -
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The Shadow Dragons by James A. Owen
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica are at war. The Imperial Cartological Society, led by Richard Burton, have collected all of the doors from the Keep of Time, and are building a new tower in our world at the request of an old enemy: The Winter King’s Shadow...Categorized as:
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The Indigo King by James A. Owen
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsJohn and Jack are mystified when they discover a cryptic warning on a medieval manuscript—a warning that is not only addressed to them, but seems to have been written by their friend, Hugo Dyson. But before they can discover the origins of the book, Hugo walks through a door in time—and vanishes into the past.In that moment, the world begins to change... -
The Story of the Stone by Barry Hughart
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsIn the valley of Sorrows, a monk is brutally murdered for a worthless manuscript, and the abbot of the humble monastery calls upon Master Li and Number Ten Ox to investigate the seemingly senseless killing. The most likely suspect is the infamous Laughing Prince, founder of the valley, whose murderous frenzies have made him a legend...Categorized as:
classics epic historical-fiction myths retellings 20th-century action-adventure adult -
The Archer's Tale by Bernard Cornwell
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, now available in paperback—the first book in the Grail Series--a spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family's honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail...Categorized as:
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Heaven's Net Is Wide by Lian Hearn
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe new beginning — and the grand finale to — the beloved Tales of the Otori series.Heaven's Net Is Wide is the new first volume of the now complete Tales of the Otori — prequel to Across the Nightingale Floor, the book that first introduced Hearn's mythical, medieval Japanese world...Categorized as:
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River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn his critically acclaimed novel Under Heaven, Guy Gavriel Kay told a vivid and powerful story inspired by China’s Tang Dynasty...Categorized as:
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The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 60 ratingsToday, He is a God. 4000 years ago, He was just a man. The hunt is on. The sinister Naga warrior has killed his friend Brahaspati and now stalks his wife Sati. Shiva, the Tibetan immigrant who is the prophesied destroyer of evil, will not rest till he finds his demonic adversary. His vengeance and the path to evil will lead him to the door of the Nagas, the serpent people. Of that he is certain...Categorized as:
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Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven and River of Stars, Guy Gavriel Kay is back with a new book, set in a world inspired by the conflicts and dramas of Renaissance Europe. Against this tumultuous backdrop the lives of men and women unfold on the borderlands—where empires and faiths collide...Categorized as:
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The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel, Sandra Burr
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 68 ratingsLibrarian note: See an alternate cover edition here.This unforgettable odyssey into the distant past carries us back to the awesome mysteries of the exotic, primeval world of The Clan of the Cave Bear, and to Ayla, now grown into a beautiful and courageous young woman...Categorized as:
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Sword of the Ronin by Travis Heermann
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn 13th-Century Japan, a land of ancient spirits, shapeshifting animals, and demons, Ken'ishi is a warrior without a master. Orphaned in infancy, he has only one link to his past - Silver Crane, his father's sword. When Silver Crane is stolen, Ken'ishi must go on a quest to recover his very identity. The crime lord known as Green Tiger holds the key to Ken'ishi's past...Categorized as:
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Blood Cartel by Nicholas Woode-Smith
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBeing a hero sucks…You can slay a hundred monsters and some people will still look down on you. And for every person that calls you a hero, there’s another that calls you a murderer.I’ve been punished for doing my job and tossed to the side to solve a sham of a case, when I’d rather be busting the heads of undead and necromancers.People go missing in Hope City every day...Categorized as:
historical-fiction medieval myths retellings action-adventure alternate-history book coming-of-age -
One King's Way by Harry Harrison, John Holm
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA craftsman, visionary, and warrior, Shef has risen from slavery to become king of a mighty Viking nation. But his growing kingdom menaces all of Europe, and he has made many powerful enemies.Chief among his enemies are the Knights of the Lance, a fanatical order of soldiers sworn to bring Shef down, no matter what the cost...Categorized as:
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The Steel Seraglio by Mike Carey, Linda Carey
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sultan Bokhari Al-Bokhari of Bessa has 365 concubines - until a violent coup puts the city in the hands of the religious zealot Hakkim Mehdad. Hakkim has no use for the pleasures of the flesh: he condemns the women first to exile - and then to death. Cast into the desert, the concubines must rely on themselves and each other to escape from the new sultan's fanatical pursuit...Categorized as:
epic historical-fiction myths retellings 21st-century action-adventure adult alternate-history -
Interregnum by S.J.A. Turney
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Empire has fallen. The Empire must rise A historical fantasy tale of valour, honour, and determination against all odds For twenty years civil war has torn the Empire apart; the Imperial line extinguished after the mad Emperor Quintus was burned in his palace, betrayed by his greatest general and oldest friend, Kiva Caerdin...Categorized as:
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Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire...Categorized as:
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Brilliance of the Moon by Lian Hearn
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA beautiful, haunting evocation of the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's imagination, this thrilling follow-up to Grass for His Pillow and Across the Nightingale Floor delves deeper into the complex loyalties that bind its characters from birth...Categorized as:
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