Books like 'Two-Bit Heroes'
Readers who enjoyed Two-Bit Heroes by Doris Egan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy romance high fantasy 20th century epic female-mc outlaws far-future
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The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 98 ratingsWhat happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams?As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride... -
![Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones]()
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 80 ratingsAn alternative cover for this ISBN can be found hereSophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady...Categorized as:
female-mc 20th-century action-adventure audiobook book british-isles children classics -
![Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce]()
Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 68 ratingsFrom Tamora Pierce, the final book in the Song of the Lioness Quartet, honored with the Margaret A. Edwards Award.Having achieved her dream of becoming the first female knight errant, Alanna of Trebond is not sure what to do next. She has triumphed in countless bloody battles, and her adventures are already legendary... -
![Mistress of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts]()
Mistress of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsThe world on the other side of the rift: Kelewan, a land seething with political intrigue and deadly conspiracies. Following the opulent panoply of Daughter Of The Empire and the dazzling pageantry of Servant Of The Empire comes the resounding conclusion to the Empire trilogy... -
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![Servant of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts]()
Servant of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist, Janny Wurts
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsSecond in Feist & Wurts' wonderful epic trilogy -- one of the most successful fantasy collaborations of all time THE EMPIRE TRILOGY: BOOK II Nobody knows how to play the Game of the Council better than Mara of the Acoma... -
![The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay]()
The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite empire has splintered into decadent city-states led by warring petty kings... -
![The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley]()
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 52 ratingsThis is the story of Corlath, golden-eyed king of the Free Hillfolk, son of the sons of the Lady Aerin.And this is the story of Harry Crewe, the Homelander orphan girl who became Harimad-sol, King's Rider, and heir to the Blue Sword, Gonturan, that no woman had wielded since the Lady Aerin herself bore it into battle... -
![Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey]()
Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThe final chapter in Mercedes Lackey's spellbinding fantasy trilogy! The Herald-Mage, Vanyel, and his Companion, Yfandes, are alone responsible for saving the once-peaceful kingdom of Valdemar from the forces of a master who wields a dark, forbidding magic. And if either Vanyel or Yfandes falters, both Valdemar and its Herald-Mage must pay the ultimate price... -
![A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay]()
A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsBased on the troubadour culture that rose in Provence during the High Middle Ages, this panoramic, absorbing novel beautifully creates an alternate version of the medieval world... -
![The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley]()
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 52 ratingsAerin could not remember a time when she had not known the story; she had grown up knowing it.It was the story of her mother, the witchwoman who enspelled the king into marrying her, to get an heir that would rule Damar; and it was told that she turned her face to the wall and died of despair when she found she had borne a daughter instead of a son.Aerin was that daughter... -
![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... -
![The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce]()
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 64 ratings"Let her prove herself worthy as a man." Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death -- either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead... -
![Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey]()
Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsMage-Craft—Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior's path, wishing instead to become a Bard. Yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well... -
![Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind]()
Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 75 ratingsIn the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help . . . and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence... -
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![The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley]()
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... -
![The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye]()
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAlong with Wit, Charm, Health, and Courage, Princess Amy of Phantasmorania receives a special fairy christening gift: Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen... -
![Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind]()
Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsIn Wizard's First Rule, Richard Cypher's world was turned upside down. Once a simple woods guide, Richard was forced to become the Seeker of Truth, to save the world from the vile dominance of Darken Rahl, the most viciously savage and powerful wizard the world had ever seen... -
![The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady by Gerald Morris]()
The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady by Gerald Morris
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsSquire Terence and Sir Gawain are off questing again, but this time their journey is overshadowed by their ultimate destination: Gawain is to meet up with the Green Knight in a contest that could easily lead to Gawain's death. Along the way the two have a slew of hair-raising adventures and encounter the usual odd assortment of characters, including the plucky Lady Eileen... -
![Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey]()
Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsWith Elspeth, the heir to the throne of Valdemar, come of marriageable age, Talia, the Queen's Own Herald returns to court to find Queen and heir beset by diplomatic intrigue as various forces vie for control of Elspeth's future...Categorized as:
epic female-mc 20th-century abuse action-adventure alpha-mc animals anthropomorphism -
![Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey]()
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsHOW CAN ONE GIRL SAVE AN ENTIRE WORLD?To the nobles who live in Benden Weyr, Lessa is nothing but a ragged kitchen girl. For most of her life she has survived by serving those who betrayed her father and took over his lands. Now the time has come for Lessa to shed her disguise—and take back her stolen birthright. But everything changes when she meets a queen dragon... -
![The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope]()
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:
female-mc 20th-century action-adventure audiobook book children classics early-modern -
![Ashling by Isobelle Carmody]()
Ashling by Isobelle Carmody
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe powerful farseeker Elspeth Gordie is sent to Sutrium, seat of the totalitarian council that rules the Land, to seal an alliance between the secret Misfit community at Obernewtyn and rebel forces... -
![Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey]()
Arrow's Flight by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsSet in the medieval fantasy kingdom of Valdemar, this unique and exciting novel continues the story of Talia. Having mastered the powers necessary to a guardian of the kingdom, she faces the final preparation for her initiation as adviser and protector of the Queen... -
![The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett]()
The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsDunnett introduces her irresistible hero Francis Crawford of Lymond, a scapegrace nobleman of elastic morals and dangerous talents whose tongue is as sharp as his rapier. In 1547 Lymond is returning to his native Scotland, which is threatened by an English invasion. Accused of treason, Lymond leads a band of outlaws in a desperate race to redeem his reputation and save his land... -
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![Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling]()
Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsWhen young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But one thing he never expected was his cellmate. Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things–none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them... -
![The Changeling Sea by Patricia A. McKillip]()
The Changeling Sea by Patricia A. McKillip
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsSince the day her father's fishing boat returned without him, Peri and her mother have mourned his loss. Her mother sinks into a deep depression and spends her days gazing out at the sea. Unable to control her anger and sadness any longer, Peri uses the small magic she knows to hex the sea... -
![On Fortune's Wheel by Cynthia Voigt]()
On Fortune's Wheel by Cynthia Voigt
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThere are some who say that the Lady Fortune has a wheel, and all men are fixed upon it. The wheel turns, and the men rise, or fall, with the turning of the wheel... -
![The Warlock in Spite of Himself by Christopher Stasheff]()
The Warlock in Spite of Himself by Christopher Stasheff
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsBack in Print: the novel that launched the epic Warlock series. In an interstellar romp that proves science and sorcery can mix, only hard-headed realist Rod Gallowglass can save the people of Gramarye from their doom by becoming--The Warlock in Spite of Himself--if only he believed in magic... -
![Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine]()
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 83 ratingsAt birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the "gift" of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: "Instead of making me docile, Lucinda's curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally...Categorized as:
female-mc 20th-century action-adventure audiobook book children classics coming-of-age -
![The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip]()
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsSixteen when a baby is brought to her to raise, Sybel has grown up on Eld Mountain. Her only playmates are the creatures of a fantastic menagerie called there by wizardry. Sybel has cared nothing for humans, until the baby awakens emotions previously unknown to her. And when Coren--the man who brought this child--returns, Sybel's world is again turned upside down... -
![Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind]()
Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 59 ratingsThere is an alternate cover edition here.Richard comes to terms with his true identity as a War Wizard. The New World, and all the freedom of humankind, is under threat from the Imperial Order after he had brought down the barrier between the Old and New World. The Imperial Order has already sent delegations and armies into the New World... -
![The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley]()
The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsBlending archaeological fact and legend, the myths of the gods and the feats of heroes, Marion Zimmer Bradley breathes new life into the classic tale of the Trojan War-reinventing larger-than-life figures as living people engaged in a desperate struggle that dooms both the victors and the vanquished, their fate seen through the eyes of Kassandra-priestess, princess, and passionate woman with the... -
![Delusion's Master by Tanith Lee]()
Delusion's Master by Tanith Lee
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDelusion's Master is the third book of the stunning arabesque high fantasy series Tales from the Flat Earth, which, in the manner of The One Thousand and One Nights, portrays an ancient world in mythic grandeur via connected tales... -
![The Forbidden Tower by Marion Zimmer Bradley]()
The Forbidden Tower by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis is the novel of four who defied the powers of the matrix guardians - fanatics who protected those powers so that the planet of the ruddy sun might never fall beneath the influence of materialistic Terrans.The four who found themselves fused into a terrifying unity in that defiance were two men and two women... -
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![Archangel by Sharon Shinn]()
Archangel by Sharon Shinn
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsAnd so it came to pass... Through science, faith and force of will, the Harmonics carved out for themselves a society that they conceived of as perfect. Diverse peoples held together by respect for each other and the prospect of swift punishment if they disobeyed their laws. Fertile land that embraced a variety of climates and seasons... -
![The Shadow Matrix by Marion Zimmer Bradley]()
The Shadow Matrix by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAfter spending her youth in the Terran Empire, Margaret Alton returns to Darkover, the planet of her birth. There she discovers she has the Alton Gift--forced rapport and compulsion--one of the strongest and most dangerous of the inherited Laran gifts of the telepathic Comyn--the ruling families of Darkover...Categorized as:
epic 20th-century action-adventure anthologies female-author fiction first-contact high-fantasy -
![A Man Rides Through by Stephen R. Donaldson]()
A Man Rides Through by Stephen R. Donaldson
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsIn The Mirror of Her Dreams, the dazzling first volume of Mordant's Need, New York Times bestselling author Stephen R. Donaldson introduced us to the richly imagined world of Mordant, where mirrors are magical portals into places of beauty and terror. Now, with A Man Rides Through, Donaldson brings the story of Terisa Morgan to an unforgettable conclusion.. -
![Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley]()
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 58 ratingsA strange imprisonment...Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage...Categorized as:
female-mc 20th-century action-adventure audiobook book children classics coming-of-age -
![Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern by Anne McCaffrey]()
Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAn air of pleasant anticipation hung so thickly over the Halls, Holds, and Weyrs of Pern that it had affected even the businesslike ways of Moreta, the Weyrwoman of Fort Weyr. Her dragon, Queen Orlith, would soon clutch; spring had made a glorious debut; the Gather at Ruatha Hold was extremely merry; and Moreta was enjoying the attentions of Alessan, the new Lord Holder of Ruatha Hold... -
![Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt]()
Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt
Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThere is much want in the kingdom and the tales of Jackaroo, the masked outlaw who helps the poor in times of trouble, are on everyone's lips. Gwyn, the innkeeper's lively daughter, pays little attention to the tales...Categorized as:
female-mc 20th-century action-adventure book children classics coming-of-age fairy-tale -
![Sword-Dancer by Jennifer Roberson]()
Sword-Dancer by Jennifer Roberson
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsSOUTHRON BLADE SKILL,NORTHERN SWORD MAGIC...He was Tiger, born of the desert winds, raised as a slave and winning his freedom by weaving a special kind of magic with a warrior's skill. Now he was an almost legendary sword-dancer, ready to take on any challenge--if the price was right...or the woman pretty enough.She was Del, born of ice and storm, trained by the greatest of Northern sword masters... -
![Guilt-Edged Ivory by Doris Egan]()
Guilt-Edged Ivory by Doris Egan
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsQuiet, scholarly Theodora of Pyrene is lured to the exotic and treacherous Ivory where she and Ran, the leader of a powerful family of sorcerers, must prove they are innocent of killing a member of an aristocratic family... -
![The Alleluia Files by Sharon Shinn]()
The Alleluia Files by Sharon Shinn
Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsLegend has it that the Alleluia Files contain the truth about the god of Samaria. Now, a child raised in captivity among the angels will journey the length and breadth of her world to seek the documents that will alter the face of Samaria forever.. -
![Jaran by Kate Elliott]()
Jaran by Kate Elliott
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsThe first book of Kate Elliott’s epic Novels of the Jaran, set in an alien-controlled galaxy where a young woman seeks to find her own life and love, but is tied to her brother’s revolutionary fateIn the future, Earth is just one of the planets ruled by the vast Chapalii empire. The volatility of these alien overlords is something with which Tess Soerensen is all too familiar... -
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![Illusion by Paula Volsky]()
Illusion by Paula Volsky
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIn the two hundred years since their magical powers defended the nation against invaders, the Exalted class has ruled unchallenged. Now, after ten generations, they neglect their powers, preferring the pleasures their Exalted station affords them, and ignore the abject poverty of the lower classes... -
![The Raven Ring by Patricia C. Wrede]()
The Raven Ring by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThe world of Lyra is the world of two moons which humans share with the folk of magic: the silvery people of the ancient Shee, the elusive forest-dwelling Wyrd, and the dread Shadow Born, whose evil seeps into men's hearts and the shadows of the world.In this Lyra adventure, a proud young mountain woman must leave her stronghold to travel to the city and accomplish a bitter task... -
![Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde]()
Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFifteen-year-old Alys is not a witch. But that doesn't matter—the villagers think she is and have staked her out on a hillside as a sacrifice to the local dragon. It's late, it's cold, and it's raining, and Alys can think of only one thing—revenge... -
![The Mirror of Her Dreams by Stephen R. Donaldson]()
The Mirror of Her Dreams by Stephen R. Donaldson
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsWith The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Stephen R. Donaldson changed the face of fantasy fiction forever. In The Mirror of Her Dreams, the astonishing first novel in the two-volume Mordant’s Need series, Donaldson shows us a world of wondrous beauty and seductive illusion, where mirrors hold the deadliest of magics and nothing is what it seems. . .Categorized as:
epic female-mc 20th-century action-adventure alternate-universe audiobook book classics -
![Deerskin by Robin McKinley]()
Deerskin by Robin McKinley
Rated: 3.91 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAs Princess Lissla Lissar reaches womanhood, it is clear to all the kingdom that in her beauty she is the image of her dead mother, the queen. But this likeness forces her to flee from her father's lust and madness; and in the pain and horror of that flight she forgets who she is and what it is she flees from: forgets almost everything but the love and loyalty of her dog, Ash, who accompanies her... -
![Lady of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Diana L. Paxson]()
Lady of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Diana L. Paxson
Rated: 3.91 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsJourney to a time before King Arthur... to a world called Avalon--a fantastic isle of golden vales and silver mist, where destinies are changed and legends born..
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