Books like 'The First'

Readers who enjoyed The First by Katherine Applegate also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

fantasy  action / adventure  high fantasy  military, war & conflict  animals  children  friendship  war  magic  family 

  • The Way of Kings, Part 2 by Brandon Sanderson

    The Way of Kings, Part 2 by Brandon Sanderson

    Rated: 4.76 of 5 stars
    · 25 ratings
    According to mythology mankind used to live in The Tranquiline Halls. Heaven. But then the Voidbringers assaulted and captured heaven, casting out God and men. Men took root on Roshar, the world of storms. And the Voidbringers followed ...They came against man ten thousand times. To help them cope, the Almighty gave men powerful suits of armor and mystical weapons, known as Shardblades...
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by Brian Sibley, Michael Bakewell

    The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by Brian Sibley, Michael Bakewell

    Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars
    · 36 ratings
    The second instalment of Tolkien's epic tale, adapted from the original BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation. Having fled the Shire in their escape from Sauron's Dark Riders, Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring have journeyed to Rivendell and beyond. Their mission is to reach the Mountain of Fire in Mordor, where the Ruling Ring can be destroyed, but already their campaign is in jeopardy...
  • The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

    Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars
    · 90 ratings
    In the third volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy the good and evil forces join battle, and we see that the triumph of good is not absolute. The Third Age of Middle-earth ends, and the age of the dominion of Men begins...
  • The Way of Kings, Part 1 by Brandon Sanderson

    The Way of Kings, Part 1 by Brandon Sanderson

    Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars
    · 27 ratings
    Speak again the ancient oaths. Life before death. Strength before weakness, Journey before destination. And return to men the shards they once bore. The knights radiant must stand again.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...
  • The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 94 ratings
    One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind themFrodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria...
  • Ember's End by S.D. Smith

    Ember's End by S.D. Smith

    Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars
    · 17 ratings
    The end is here. Heather and Picket face off for the last time with their tyrannical foes in this final installment of the Green Ember Series. The Mended Wood flickers dimly in the vision of the rabbits of Natalia, as they battle bravely for their survival and a hopeful future beyond. My place beside you, my blood for yours, till the Green Ember . . . ends...
  • Ember Rising by S.D. Smith

    Ember Rising by S.D. Smith

    Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars
    · 17 ratings
    A harrowing adventure inside enemy territory. Heather and Picket are plunged into the darkness of Morbin’s shadow, fighting to bear the flame of the cause and light the way for rabbitkind’s upright insurrection...
  • Iron Flame (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros, Khaya Fraites

    Iron Flame (Part 1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros, Khaya Fraites

    Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College―Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through...
    Categorized as:
    magic  war  friendship  romance  audiobook  fantasy  dragons  fiction
  • The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

    Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars
    · 69 ratings
    One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkeness bind themIn ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him...
  • Ember Falls by S.D. Smith

    Ember Falls by S.D. Smith

    Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars
    · 19 ratings
    The stage is set. It's war. Morbin Blackhawk, slaver and tyrant, threatens to destroy the rabbit resistance forever. Heather and Picket are two young rabbits improbably thrust into pivotal roles.The fragile alliance forged around the young heir seems certain to fail. Can Heather and Picket help rescue the cause from a certain, sudden defeat? My Place Beside You My Blood For Yours Till The Green..
  • Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

    Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 41 ratings
    Kazi and Jase have survived, stronger and more in love than ever. Their new life now lies before them--the Ballengers will be outlaws no longer, Tor's Watch will be a kingdom, and Kazi and Jase will meet all challenges side by side, together at last...
  • Iron Flame (Part 2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros

    Iron Flame (Part 2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros

    Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College―Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through...
    Categorized as:
    magic  war  friendship  romance  audiobook  fantasy  dragons  fiction
  • The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren, Jens Wawrczeck

    The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren, Jens Wawrczeck

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 30 ratings
    The Brothers Lionheart (Swedish: Bröderna Lejonhjärta) is a children's fantasy novel written by Astrid Lindgren. It was published in the autumn of 1973 and has been translated into 46 languages. Many of its themes are unusually dark and heavy for the children's book genre. Disease, death, tyranny, betrayal and rebellion are some of the dark themes that permeate the story...
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 71 ratings
    An alternate cover edition can be found here and hereA great modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure...
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 83 ratings
    An alternate cover edition can be found here and hereA great modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure...
  • Age of War by Michael J. Sullivan

    Age of War by Michael J. Sullivan

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 37 ratings
    Rich in magic and adventure, Michael J. Sullivan’s soaring fantasy novels are masterworks of heroism, love, and sacrifice. Now, in Age of War, the epic battle between humankind and the cruel godlike beings who once ruled them finally ignites in all its fury.The alliance of humans and renegade Fhrey is fragile—and about to be tested as never before...
  • The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce

    The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 49 ratings
    During a dire battle against the fearsome Skinners, Daine and her mage teacher Numair are swept into the Divine Realms. Though happy to be alive, they are not where they want to be. They are desperately needed back home, where their old enemy, Ozorne, and his army of strange creatures are waging war against Tortall. Trapped in the mystical realms Daine discovers her mysterious parentage...
  • Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce

    Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 51 ratings
    In the final thrilling installment of Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small series ( First Test, Page, and Squire), our sturdy young heroine, Keladry of Mindelan (a.k.a. Kel), has finally been knighted. Never one to rest on her laurels, Kel champs at the bit, ready to tackle the horrific magic killing devices she was shown in the Chamber of the Ordeal during her knighthood initiation...
  • The Battle of Hackham Heath by John Flanagan

    The Battle of Hackham Heath by John Flanagan

    Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    THE SAME WORLD. BRAND NEW STORIES.The peace in Araluen is under threat and newly crowned King Duncan must prepare for war. Morgarath is in hiding, recruiting an army of savage beasts known as Wargals for his next attack.Halt prepares for a seemingly impossible task – to scale the Mountains of Rain and Night to spy on the enemy and uncover their plans...
  • The Ghostfaces by John Flanagan

    The Ghostfaces by John Flanagan

    Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    When the Brotherband crew are caught in a massive storm at sea, they’re blown far off course – so far that they wash up on the shores of a land to the west that Hal can’t recognize from any of his maps. Eerily the locals are nowhere in sight, yet the Herons have a creeping feeling they are being watched...
  • One True King by Soman Chainani

    One True King by Soman Chainani

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 35 ratings
    Beyond Good and Evil. Beyond Ever Afters.The fairy tale of Sophie and Agatha comes to a dramatic conclusion in this sixth and final book of Soman Chainani's New York Times bestselling fantasy seriesWho will sit on Camelot's throne and rule the Endless Woods? Who will be the One True King? Prepare yourself for the End of Ends . .
  • Squire by Tamora Pierce

    Squire by Tamora Pierce

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 50 ratings
    Fourteen-year-old Keladry of Mindelan is not your average squire. For one thing, she's a girl. For another, she's almost six feet tall. And most important of all, her ability to pass the Ordeal that soon confronts her may determine her kingdom's future. When Kel is chosen by the legendary Lord Raoul to be his squire, the conservatives of the realm hardly think she’s up to the job...
  • The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

    The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · 66 ratings
    They have always scared him in the past — the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom...
  • The Inquisition by Taran Matharu

    The Inquisition by Taran Matharu

    Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
    · 36 ratings
    A year has passed since the Tournament.Fletcher and Ignatius have been locked away in Pelt’s dungeons, but now they must face a trial at the hands of the Inquisition, a powerful institution controlled by those who would delight in Fletcher’s downfall...
  • Duel at Araluen by John Flanagan

    Duel at Araluen by John Flanagan

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 30 ratings
    International bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger's Apprentice in this new installment of the Royal Ranger series starring Maddie, Will Treaty's fearless young apprentice. King Duncan and Princess Cassandra are trapped in the south tower of Castle Araluen and under near-constant attack from the Red Fox Clan...
  • A Crystal of Time by Soman Chainani

    A Crystal of Time by Soman Chainani

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 35 ratings
    In this fifth instalment in Soman Chainani's New York Times bestselling fantasy series, The School for Good and Evil, Sophie, Agatha, and their friends must find a way to overthrow the sinister evil that twists lies into the truth and seeks to rewrite their story.A false king has claimed the throne of Camelot, sentenced Tedros to death, and forced Sophie to be his queen...
  • The Green Ember by S.D. Smith

    The Green Ember by S.D. Smith

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 36 ratings
    Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world. Kings fall and kingdoms totter. Tyrants ascend and terrors threaten. Betrayal beckons, and loyalty is a broken road with peril around every bend...
  • The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani

    The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani

    Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
    · 42 ratings
    In the epic next chapter of Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling series, The School for Good and Evil, everything old is new again as Sophie and Agatha fight the past as well as the present to find the perfect end to their story.As A World Without Princes closed, the end was written and former best friends Sophie and Agatha went their separate ways...
  • Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull

    Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull

    Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
    · 39 ratings
    The second epic installment of Brandon Mull’s #1 New York Times bestselling fantasy series! After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known—yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian...
    Categorized as:
    children  family  magic  quest  war  action-adventure  audiobook  book
  • The High King by Lloyd Alexander

    The High King by Lloyd Alexander

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · 49 ratings
    When the sword of Dyrnwyn, the most powerful weapon inthe kingdom of Prydain, falls into the hands of Arawn-Death-Lord, Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and Prince Gwydion raise an army to march against Arawn's terrible cohorts. After a winter expedition filled with danger, Taran's army arrives at Mount Dragon, Arawn's stronghold...
  • Heart of Flames by Nicki Pau Preto

    Heart of Flames by Nicki Pau Preto

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev must stop the advancing empire from destroying the Phoenix Riders in this fiery sequel to Crown of Feathers, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake calls “absolutely unforgettable!”You are a daughter of queens.The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders...
  • Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

    Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 38 ratings
    Poor Creel. She can't believe her aunt wants to sacrifice her to the local dragon. It's a ploy to lure a heroic knight so that he will fight the dragon, marry Creel out of chivalrous obligation, and lift the entire family out of poverty. Creel isn't worried. After all, nobody has seen a dragon in centuries...
  • The Last by Katherine Applegate

    The Last by Katherine Applegate

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 18 ratings
    In this first book of an epic middle grade series, Katherine Applegate takes us on an unforgettable journey.A New York Times bestseller from the beloved author of the action-packed Animorphs series and the award-winning The One and Only Ivan.Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack...
  • The Dreamtrails by Isobelle Carmody

    The Dreamtrails by Isobelle Carmody

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 18 ratings
    The adventure continues with acclaimed fantasy author Isobelle Carmody's The Dreamtrails, an omnibus edition of books five and six in the dystopian fantasy the Obernewtyn Chronicles--"Wavesong" and "The Stone Key!" Captured, Elspeth Gordie is drawn deep into the heart of her enemies. Once there, she meets unusual allies and uncovers a devastating plot brewing in their ranks...
  • The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

    The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

    Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars
    · 21 ratings
    After a year at the king's palace, Miri has learned all about being a proper princess. But the tables turn when the student must become the teacher!Instead of returning to her beloved Mount Eskel, Miri is ordered to journey to a distant swamp and start a princess academy for three sisters, cousins of the royal family...
  • The Warrior Princess of Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson

    The Warrior Princess of Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    For fans ofShannon Hale s Princess Academyand Soman Chainani sThe School for Good and Evil, comes the thrilling finale to the "breathtakingly exciting" Pennyroyal Academy trilogy.Evie and Maggie are still enjoying the glow of their victory as they travel into the forest on their coach. But the happiest day of Evie's life is suddenly turned upside-down when they're ambushed by witches...
  • Redwall by Brian Jacques

    Redwall by Brian Jacques

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 66 ratings
    A quest to recover a legendary lost weapon by bumbling young apprentice monk, mouse Matthias. Redwall Abbey, tranquil home to a community of peace-loving mice, is threatened by Cluny the Scourge savage bilge rat warlord and his battle-hardened horde. But the Redwall mice and their loyal woodland friends combine their courage and strength...
  • Rise of the Horde by Christie Golden

    Rise of the Horde by Christie Golden

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 18 ratings
    Though the young Warchief Thrall ended the demon curse that had plagued his people for generations, the orcs still wrestle with the sins of their bloody past. As the rampaging Horde, they waged a number of devastating wars against their perennial enemy -- the Alliance. Yet the rage and bloodlust that drove the orcs to destroy everything in their path nearly consumed them as well...
  • Владыка Ледяного сада: Носитель судьбы by Jarosław Grzędowicz

    Владыка Ледяного сада: Носитель судьбы by Jarosław Grzędowicz

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 18 ratings
    Ледяной драккар вспарывает холодные волны осеннего моря, оставляя за спиной пылающие поселения Побережья Парусов. Сын императора, потерявший все и ставший рабом, идет навстречу своему предназначению. Близится его встреча с пришельцем, сошедшим с небес, и на горизонте уже встает Ледяной Сад, странная крепость, непохожая ни на что в Мидгарде...
  • Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George

    Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 35 ratings
    With the Dragon Wars over, Creel finds herself bored with life as a seamstress. Then word comes that a bordering country has been breeding dragons in preparation for an invasion...
  • The Hidden Relic by James Maxwell, Simon Vance

    The Hidden Relic by James Maxwell, Simon Vance

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    The second book in the action-packed Evermen Saga.With the fate of their homeland still in jeopardy, siblings Ella and Miro must face the Primate's evil as he discovers a new technique--a way to extract essence from human blood.The Primate has been temporarily defeated, but his home was once inhabited by the Evermen, and their ancient secrets still remain...
  • Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques

    Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 45 ratings
    Finally, the long awaited tale of Martin, the Warrior mouse of RedwallAs a child, Martin was brought to the stronghold of Badrang the Tyrant, forced into enslavement behind its massive walls. But he was strong. He was brave...
  • A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

    A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 27 ratings
    2021 LODESTAR AWARD for BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOKFourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance...
  • A Veil of Spears by Bradley P. Beaulieu

    A Veil of Spears by Bradley P. Beaulieu

    Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    The third book in The Song of Shattered Sands series—an epic fantasy with a desert setting, filled with rich worldbuilding and pulse-pounding action.Since the Night of Endless Swords, a bloody battle the Kings of Sharakhai narrowly won, the kings have been hounding the rebels known as the Moonless Host...
  • The Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire

    The Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Princess Andaryn's six older brothers have always been her protectors—until her father takes a new Queen, a frightening, mysterious woman from the forest who quickly enchants the men in the royal family. When Ryn’s attempt to break the enchantment fails, she makes a bitter bargain: the Queen will spare her brothers’ lives if she remains silent for six years...
    Categorized as:
    children  friendship  grief  magic  quest  war  action-adventure  book
  • The Beasts Who Fought for Fairyland Until the Very End and Further Still by Catherynne M. Valente

    The Beasts Who Fought for Fairyland Until the Very End and Further Still by Catherynne M. Valente

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    From Catherynne M. Valente's blog:"Ever since the election, people have been telling me to shut up and go back to Fairyland. Be silent. Be good. Accept. Submit. Stop talking about politics. Stick to fairy tales. (As if fairy tales have ever not been about politics.) Go back to Fairyland. Go back to Fairyland.So I did...
  • Pawn's Gambit by Rob J. Hayes

    Pawn's Gambit by Rob J. Hayes

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.Yuu wants nothing more than to forget the mistakes of her past. The Gods have other plans.Once a renowned strategist and general, five years ago Yuu made a mistake that cost her everything. Now she is on the run, royal bounty hunters snapping at her heels...
  • Rex Regis by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

    Rex Regis by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    The saga of the Imager Quaeryt, Commander in the forces of Lord Bhayar, reaches a new climax as the great struggle to unify the continent of Lydar enters its final phase. Only the land of Khel remains uncommitted to Bhayar’s rule. Their decision could mean a lasting peace, or more conflict across an already war-ravaged realm...
  • The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

    The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 43 ratings
    When Alex finds out he is Unwanted, he expects to die. That is the way of the people of Quill. Each year, all the thirteen-year-olds are labeled as Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Wanteds get more schooling and train to join the Quillitary. Necessaries keep the farms running. Unwanteds are set for elimination...
  • Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

    Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

    Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars
    · 73 ratings
    It began with Eragon... It ends with Inheritance.Not so very long ago, Eragon — Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider — was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss...
The First by Katherine Applegate
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