Books like 'The Reluctant Swordsman'
Readers who enjoyed The Reluctant Swordsman by Dave Duncan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy high fantasy action / adventure mystery military, war & conflict epic magic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery alternate-universe
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Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.76 of 5 stars · 83 ratingsWords of Radiance, Book Two of the Stormlight Archive, continues the immersive fantasy epic that The Way of Kings began.Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status "darkeyes...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military 21st-century action-adventure assassins audiobook -
![The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson]()
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 84 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of The Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike... -
![Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson]()
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 76 ratingsIn Oathbringer, the third volume of the New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe with numbers as great as their thirst for vengeance... -
![Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson]()
Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 72 ratingsThe eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Oathbringer, from epic fantasy author Brandon SandersonAfter forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war... -
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![Mark of the Fool 4 by J.M. Clarke]()
Mark of the Fool 4 by J.M. Clarke
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Fool has returned to a realm in chaos.As Generasi recovers from the wrath of a demon knight, Alex Roth travels to Thameland to uncover the mysteries of the Ravener. He and his friends have grown in power, ready to take on any threat lurking in the hills of Greymoor, where their university mounts their expedition.But some things await Alex that no amount of training can counter... -
![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...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery action-adventure assassins audiobook -
![First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher]()
First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 50 ratingsFor Gaius Octavian, life has been one long battle. Now, the end of all he fought for is close at hand. The brutal, dreaded Vord are on the march against Alera. And perhaps for the final time, Gaius Octavian and his legions must stand against the enemies of his people. And it will take all his intelligence, ingenuity, and furycraft to save their world from eternal darkness...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery action-adventure alternate-history audiobook -
![System Interference by SunriseCV]()
System Interference by SunriseCV
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWith those he cares about safe and sound in the city of Savannah, Derek sets off to help another.After a successful auction, the young Prince Edgar requested Derek’s help on an issue that concerned the safety of the entire Kingdom of Cydaria. A new, level 250 raid dungeon appeared, and Edgar needed the kingdom’s elite to help clear it before the unstable dungeon overflowed, or even worse, broke... -
![Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie]()
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsSuperior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors, when your allies can by no means be trusted, and your predecessor vanished without a trace? It’s enough to make a torturer want to run – if he could even walk without a stick.Northmen have spilled over the border of Angland and are spreading fire and death across the frozen country...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery 21st-century action-adventure anti-hero -
![Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher]()
Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 55 ratingsIn his acclaimed Codex Alera novels, bestselling author Jim Butcher has created a fascinating world in which the powerful forces of nature take physical form. For millennia, the people of Alera have used their unique bond with these elementals for protection. Now, as enemies become allies, and friends become bitter foes, a danger beyond reckoning looms. . .Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery action-adventure alternate-history audiobook -
![Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher]()
Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsThe power-hungry High Lord of Kalare has launched a rebellion against the aging First Lord, Gaius Sextus, who with the loyal forces of Alera must fight beside the unlikeliest of allies-the equally contentious High Lord of Aquitaine...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery action-adventure alternate-history audiobook -
![Overtaken by K.F. Breene]()
Overtaken by K.F. Breene
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsReunited with her people, Shanti knows that she must make a move in order to finally put her duty to rest. But as always, Xandre is one step ahead of her.For one brief moment when she lets down her guard, Shanti falls into enemy hands. But if Xandre thought she would be a docile prisoner, he was sadly mistaken... -
![Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie]()
Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsThe end is coming. Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the King of the Northmen still stands firm, and there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest enemy. It's past time for the Bloody-Nine to come home...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery 21st-century action-adventure anti-hero -
![The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan]()
The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsThe hounds at our heels will soon know we are lionsTamas's invasion of Kez ends in disaster when a Kez counter-offensive leaves him cut off behind enemy lines with only a fraction of his army, no supplies, and no hope of reinforcements... -
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![The Ace of Skulls by Chris Wooding]()
The Ace of Skulls by Chris Wooding
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThey've been shot down, set up, double-crossed and ripped off. They've stolen priceless treasures, destroyed a ten-thousand-year-old Azryx city and sort-of-accidentally blew up the son of the Archduke. Now they've gone and started a civil war. This time, they're really in trouble. As Vardia descends into chaos, Captain Frey is doing his best to keep his crew out of it... -
![Invasion by K.F. Breene]()
Invasion by K.F. Breene
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsThe Hunter was not trained to admit defeat.With the title of Chosen secured, Shanti and Cayan must look to the next steps in ripping back their freedom from the most deadly tyrant in the land. Unfortunately, they aren't the only ones with an agenda.Without mental power to defend themselves, the Westwood Lands are trapped within their own walls... -
![Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski]()
Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 62 ratingsThe New York Times bestselling series that inspired the international hit video game: The Witcher The Wizards Guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
![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...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult -
![The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan]()
The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsThe seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind.In Tar Valon, Min sees portents of hideous doom. Will the White Tower itself be broken?In the Two Rivers, the Whitecloaks ride in pursuit of a man with golden eyes, and in pursuit of the Dragon Reborn...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure audiobook -
![Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher]()
Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsFor centuries, the people of Alera have relied on the power of the furies to protect them from outside invaders. But the gravest threat might be closer than they think.Tavi has escaped the Calderon Valley and the mysterious attack of the Marat on his homeland... -
![Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw]()
Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsWinner 2016 Readers' Favourite Award for Epic FantasyWinner 2015 LYRA Award for Sci-Fi/FantasyWinner 2015 CIPA EVVY Award for Fiction/FantasyWinner 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award for FantasyWinner 2016 Audible Best Fantasy AudiobookRunner-up 2016 IPPY Awards and 2015 Great Midwest Book Festival for Sci-Fi/Fantasy#1 Bestseller in Epic, Historical and Coming of Age Fantasy... -
![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...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic sword-sorcery action-adventure anti-hero assassins audiobook -
![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...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
![The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell]()
The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsEnter a powerful realm of legend, dark sorcery, and conquest, where the mighty Drenai warrior Druss faces his most deadly opponent . . .Druss the Legend, the dark axman known as the Deathwalker, must join the warrior Talisman on a mission of blood and glory...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy military sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
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![The Swords of Night and Day by David Gemmell]()
The Swords of Night and Day by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsEven in death, Skilgannon the Damned's name lives on. Now, as an ancient evil threatens to flood the Drenai heartlands in a tide of blood, he returns...A thousand years after they fell in battle, two heroes - Druss and Skilgannon - are revered throughout the war-torn lands of the Dernai, where men and women live in abject fear of the dark sorceress known as the Eternal.. -
![King of Assassins by R.J. Barker]()
King of Assassins by R.J. Barker
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe epic conclusion to RJ Barker's debut fantasy trilogy, set in a world ravaged by magic, featuring a cast of assassins, knights, and ambitious noblemen.Many years of peace have passed in Maniyadoc, years of relative calm for the assassin Girton Club-Foot. Even the Forgetting Plague, which ravaged the rest of the kingdoms, seemed to pass them by... -
![Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist]()
Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsHe held the fate of two worlds in his hands... Once he was an orphan called Pug, apprenticed to a sorcerer of the enchanted land of Midkemia.. Then he was captured and enslaved by the Tsurani, a strange, warlike race of invaders from another world.There, in the exotic Empire of Kelewan, he earned a new name--Milamber. He learned to tame the unnimagined powers that lay withing him... -
![Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie]()
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsSpringtime in Styria. And that means war. Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery action-adventure anti-hero assassins -
![Age of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan, Marc Simonetti]()
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... -
![Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson]()
Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsIn the vast dominion of Seven Cities, in the Holy Desert Raraku, the seer Sha’ik and her followers prepare for the long-prophesied uprising known as the Whirlwind. Unprecedented in size and savagery, this maelstrom of fanaticism and bloodlust will embroil the Malazan Empire in one of the bloodiest conflicts it has ever known, shaping destinies and giving birth to legends...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery 21st-century action-adventure assassins -
![Coliseum Arcanist by Shami Stovall]()
Coliseum Arcanist by Shami Stovall
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsAdventure. Competition. A duel to the death.While on a journey to the famous city of Thronehold, Volke Savan learns of the Sovereign Dragon Tournament. The massive celebration involves hundreds of arcanists competing for fame and glory, and Volke is determined to win.Dark forces dwell in the city, however, and rumors of the legendary world serpent spread amongst the shadows... -
![The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie]()
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 75 ratingsLogen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian – leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery 21st-century action-adventure anti-hero -
![Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky]()
Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWelcome to Alkhalend, Jewel of the Waters, capital of Usmai, greatest of the Successor States, inheritor to the necromantic dominion that was the Moeribandi Empire and tomorrow's frontline in the Palleseen's relentless march to bring Perfection and Correctness to an imperfect world.Loret is fresh off the boat, and just in time... -
![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... -
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![To Green Angel Tower, Part 2 by Tad Williams]()
To Green Angel Tower, Part 2 by Tad Williams
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe evil minions of the undead Sithi Storm King are beginning their final preparations for the kingdom-shattering culmination of their dark sorceries, drawing King Elias ever deeper into their nightmarish, spell-spun world. As the Storm King’s power grows and the boundaries of time begin to blur, the loyal allies of Prince Josua struggle to rally their forces at the Stone of Farewell... -
![Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher]()
Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen a party of goblin warriors find themselves trapped behind enemy lines, it'll take more than whining (and a bemused Elven veterinarian) to get them home again.Nine Goblins is a novella of low...very low...fantasy... -
![Stalking Darkness by Lynn Flewelling]()
Stalking Darkness by Lynn Flewelling
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsWith the Leran threat laid to rest, Alec and Seregil are now able to turn their attention to the ancient evil which threatens their land. The Plenimarans, at war with Skalans, have decided to defeat their ancient enemy by raising up the Dead God, Seriamaius...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure age-gap audiobook -
![An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington]()
An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThe second book in a glorious new fantasy trilogy by the next major force in commercial epic fantasy. In the wake of the devastating attack on Ilin Illan, an amnesty has been declared for all Augurs - finally allowing them to emerge from hiding and openly oppose the dark forces massing against Andarra... -
![A Darkness At Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist]()
A Darkness At Sethanon by Raymond E. Feist
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsA Darkness at Sethanon is the stunning climax to Raymond E. Feist's brilliant epic fantasy trilogy, the Riftwar Saga. Here be dragons and sorcery, swordplay, quests, pursuits, intrigues, stratagems, journeys to the darkest realms of the dead and titanic battles between the forces of good and darkest evil...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure audiobook -
![Midnight Falcon by David Gemmell]()
Midnight Falcon by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsBane the Bastard is the illegitimate son of the Rigante king who men called Demonblade. Born of treachery, Bane grew up an outcast in his own land, feared by his fellow highlanders, and denied by the father whose unmistakable mark he bore–the eyes of Connavar, one tawny brown, the other emerald green... -
![Stormrider by David Gemmell]()
Stormrider by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsOne glorious spark, one moment of Rigante rebellion has ignited a revolution and forged a legend. In the mountains of the north, the outlaw leader known as Ravenheart waits, knowing the forces of the blackhearted Moidart will come, led by the brutal ruler’s only son, Stormrider... -
![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...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic military sword-sorcery action-adventure anti-hero apocalyptic -
![In the Realm of the Wolf by David Gemmell]()
In the Realm of the Wolf by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsEnter the extraordinary, action-filled world that became Legend--as the exciting Drenai adventure continues to unfold . . .A mighty warrior and a feared assassin among the Drenai, Waylander the Slayer is now a man hunted by his own people--with a fortune in gold offered as grim reward for his murder... -
![Tuyo by Rachel Neumeier]()
Tuyo by Rachel Neumeier
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRaised a warrior in the harsh winter country, Ryo inGara has always been willing to die for his family and his tribe. When war erupts against the summer country, the prospect of death in battle seems imminent. But when his warleader leaves Ryo as a sacrifice -- a tuyo -- to die at the hands of their enemies, he faces a fate he never imagined... -
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![The Black Prism by Brent Weeks]()
The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsGuile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live... -
![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...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
![The Assassin's Dragon by W.M. Fawkes, Sam Burns]()
The Assassin's Dragon by W.M. Fawkes, Sam Burns
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn Atheldinas, everyone’s secrets have been uncovered. Tristram is a half-dragon, Nicholas is a villain scheming to take the throne from his cousin Roland, and eternally sharp Bet is nothing less than a hero.The cost has been high, and now Tristram is forced to amass the armies of Llangard to save his king from Jarl Vidar, the mysterious figure who’s hellbent on tearing Llangard in two... -
![The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan]()
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 81 ratingsThe Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again...Categorized as:
epic heroic-fantasy magic sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure audiobook book -
![Dragon Bonds by Ava Richardson]()
Dragon Bonds by Ava Richardson
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Darkening has risen... Agathea Flamma and Sebastian Smith now face an overwhelming enemy. The rapid spread of the Darkening, a threat arising from the mists of legend, looms over the entire land. With both their families torn apart by the conflict and betrayal lurking around every corner, one mistake could doom the kingdom... -
![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...
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