Books like 'Daughters of a Dead Empire'
Readers who enjoyed Daughters of a Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O'Neil also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy alternate history military, war & conflict historical-fiction retellings war grief suspense royalty
-
A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsA Breath of Snow and Ashes continues the extraordinary story of 18th-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his 20th-century wife, Claire.The year is 1772, and on the eve of the American Revolution, the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Men lie dead in the streets of Boston, and in the backwoods of North Carolina, isolated cabins burn in the forest...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction suspense war action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook -
Lost Legio IX by Marc Alan Edelheit
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBestselling, award-winning author of STIGERS TIGERS, Marc Alan Edelheit, delivers a new action-packed fantasy epic filled with gods and magic. One of history’s greatest mysteries, the Ninth Imperial Legion guarding Rome’s northernmost frontier in Britannia disappeared around the year 122 AD. This is their story...Categorized as:
historical-fiction war action-adventure adult alternate-history ancient-civilization audiobook book -
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:
historical-fiction politics royalty war action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsBy scheming and theft, the Thief of Eddis has become King of Attolia. Eugenides wanted the queen, not the crown, but he finds himself trapped in a web of his own making.Then he drags a naive young guard into the center of the political maelstrom. Poor Costis knows he is the victim of the king's caprice, but his contempt for Eugenides slowly turns to grudging respect...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics royalty war action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
-
A Hero's Tale by Catherine M. Wilson
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsIn Book II, Tamras moved from her home into the lands beyond its border. In Book three, the stage widens further: she deals with the struggles of whole peoples. Caught up in intrigues that would once have been far above her, the heroine risks everything unless she can not only learn to swim in treacherous waters, but to master them. The heroine 's inner journey continues to match her outer one...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction war action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history book coming-of-age -
Stiger by Marc Alan Edelheit
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe long awaited prequel to the Award Winning Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer series that started with the bestselling military fantasy book Stiger’s Tigers. A nobleman from an infamous family, Ben Stiger finds himself freshly assigned to Third Legion, Seventh Company as a lowly lieutenant in the opening stages of war between the Empire and the Kingdom of the Rivan... -
The Tiger by Marc Alan Edelheit
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAbandoned and cut off from friendly lines, Stiger takes the fight to the enemy! A nobleman from an infamous family, imperial legionary officer, fighter, and a right proper bastard of a man…Captain Ben Stiger captured Castle Vrell and rid it of a minion of a dark god...Categorized as:
historical-fiction war action-adventure adult alternate-history anthologies audiobook epic -
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsA publishing event: Bestselling author Ken Liu selects his award-winning science fiction and fantasy tales for a groundbreaking collection—including a brand-new piece exclusive to this volume.With his debut novel, The Grace of Kings, taking the literary world by storm, Ken Liu now shares his finest short fiction in The Paper Menagerie...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics retellings war 21st-century action-adventure adult aliens -
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 war royalty fantasy spirituality 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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction retellings war 20th-century action-adventure adult alternate-history arthurian -
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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction retellings war 20th-century action-adventure adult alternate-history arthurian -
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:
historical-fiction war action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook book crusades -
The Tiger's Fate by Marc Alan Edelheit
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratings2017 Gold Medal Winner for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror E-Book Independent Publisher Book Awards The third installment of the award-winning Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer series is here!A nobleman from an infamous family, imperial legionary officer, fighter and a right proper bastard of a man…Captain Ben Stiger has successfully thwarted the attack from an army of the...Categorized as:
historical-fiction war action-adventure adult alternate-history anthologies audiobook dragons -
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... -
-
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 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...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction politics war 20th-century action-adventure adult alternate-history -
Fourth Point of Contact by A.J. Sherwood, Lloyd Thomas
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsListening Length: 12 hours and 25 minutes“Renjimantoro.” Ren’s head snapped up, as Brahms only used his full name when being completely serious. Those dark blue eyes met his levelly, penetratingly, as if he could see every thought going through Ren’s head. And he likely could. The man was exceptionally good at seeing through people. “Come with me.” Oh hell...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics royalty war action-adventure adult alternate-history angst -
Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsWith the future of the Great Library in doubt, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone must decide if it's worth saving in this thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.The corrupt leadership of the Great Library has fallen. But with the Archivist plotting his return to power, and the Library under siege from outside empires and kingdoms, its future is uncertain...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics suspense war action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
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... -
Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsThere would be blood. Blood for blood. Blood to pay. An entire world of it.For the resistance in the Third Reich, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun. Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction multi-pov suspense war 20th-century action-adventure alpha-mc -
Bright We Burn by Kiersten White
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsHaunted by the sacrifices he made in Constantinople, Radu is called back to the new capital. Mehmed is building an empire, becoming the sultan his people need. But Mehmed has a secret: as emperor, he is more powerful than ever . . . and desperately lonely. Does this mean Radu can finally have more with Mehmed . .Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction politics retellings royalty war action-adventure alpha-mc -
The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 48 ratingsRevengeWhen Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, stole Hamiathes's Gift, the Queen of Attolia lost more than a mythical relic. She lost face. Everyone knew that Eudenides had outwitted and escaped her. To restore her reputation and reassert her power, the Queen of Attolia will go to any length and accept any help that is offered... she will risk her country to execute the perfect revenge...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics royalty war action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFor the US hardback, see ISBN13: 9780451489210.To save the Great Library, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone, Paper and Fire, and Ash and Quill put themselves in danger in the next thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.The opening moves of a deadly game have begun...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics suspense war action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
Stiger's Tigers by Marc Alan Edelheit
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe empire has endured many centuries but is now threatened by multiple wars and a major rebellion in the South. A nobleman from an infamous family, imperial legionary officer, fighter and a right proper bastard of a man… Captain Ben Stiger finds himself reassigned from a crack legion to the rebellion simmering in the South... -
-
Red-Robed Priestess by Elizabeth Cunningham
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter a long, eventful life that has brought her through slavery to the Resurrection garden, through the controversies of the early Church to a hermit cave in southern Gaul, Maeve, the Celtic Magdalen, comes full circle. With her daughter Sarah, Maeve returns to the British Isles to seek her first-born daughter taken from her by the druids more than forty years ago...Categorized as:
historical-fiction retellings war adult alternate-history ancient-civilization book christian -
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... -
War God: Return of the Plumed Serpent by Graham Hancock
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe conquistador Hernán Cortés is hell-bent on conquering Mexico for the Aztecs’ gold. Having destroyed the Maya at Potonchan, Cortés now marches on Tenochtitlan, the Golden City of the Aztecs, wrapped in the aura of a returning, vengeful god.His small force of just five hundred men will have to defeat the psychotic emperor Moctezuma and the armies of hundreds of thousands he commands... -
A Radical Act of Free Magic by H.G. Parry
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA tale of revolution and wonder in a world not quite like our own, A Radical Act of Free Magic is the conclusion to this genre-defying series of magic, war, and the struggle for freedom in the early modern world.The Concord has been broken, and a war of magic engulfs the world... -
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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics retellings war action-adventure adult alternate-history anti-hero -
Kingdom by Robyn Young
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOn the 700th anniversary of a pivotal event in Scottish history comes the conclusion of Robyn Young's epic trilogy about Robert the Bruce, one of history's greatest rebels.Robert the Bruce has achieved his great ambition to be crowned King of Scotland, but in so doing has provoked the wrath of Edward of England... -
Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsHer story begins on a train.The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction suspense war 20th-century action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history -
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:
historical-fiction retellings war action-adventure adult alternate-history book drama -
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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics suspense war 21st-century action-adventure adult alternate-history -
Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsI lean forward, pushing my body out past the battlements. The wind plucks at my cloak, buffets against me, as if it would carry me off in flight, just like the birds or the knight's soul. Let go, it cries, I will take you far, far away. I want to laugh at the exhilarating feeling, I will catch you, it whistles seductively.The convent has returned Sybella to a life that nearly drove her mad...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction royalty war abuse action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history -
-
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 suspense war action-adventure adult alternate-history book fiction -
Something Human by A.J. Demas
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThey met on a battlefield and saved each other's lives. It's not the way enemies-to-lovers usually works.Adares comes from a civilization of democracy and indoor plumbing. Rus belongs to a tribe of tattooed, semi-nomadic horse-breeders. They meet in the aftermath of battle, when Rus saves Adares's life, and Adares returns the favour... -
Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war.Tess Aubreyson can’t run far enough or fast enough to escape the prophetic dreams that haunt her...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction suspense war action-adventure alternate-history boarding-school book -
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:
historical-fiction politics war action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook book -
The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEverything she loved is gone.Trapped. Aileana Kameron, the Falconer, disappeared through the fae portal she was trying to close forever. Now she wakes in an alien world of mirrors, magic, and deception—a prisoner of the evil fae Lonnrach, who has a desperate and deadly plan for his new captive.Tortured...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction royalty war action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history book -
A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsInternational bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay's latest work is set in a world evoking early Renaissance Italy and offers an extraordinary cast of characters whose lives come together through destiny, love, and ambition. In a chamber overlooking the nighttime waterways of a maritime city, a man looks back on his youth and the people who shaped his life...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics war action-adventure adult alternate-history assassins audiobook -
The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAfter spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction royalty war action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history audiobook -
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:
historical-fiction retellings suspense war action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
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:
historical-fiction politics war action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook book -
The Royal Librarian by Daisy Wood
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA royal palace. A closed book. A betrayal that will echo through generations…Windsor, 1940: War rages, and as bombs rain down across Britain, nowhere is safe: not even a royal palace.Secretly tasked with foiling a suspected plot, Sophie Klein is placed in the Royal Library at Windsor castle, where the princesses reside... -
-
Midnight on the Marne by Sarah Adlakha
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSet during the heroism and heartbreak of World War I, and in an occupied France in an alternative timeline, Sarah Adlakha’s Midnight on the Marne explores the responsibilities love lays on us and the rippling impact of our choices.France, 1918. Nurse Marcelle Marchand has important secrets to keep... -
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:
historical-fiction retellings war action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook book -
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:
historical-fiction politics retellings war action-adventure adult alternate-history book -
How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It by K.J. Parker
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis is the story of how the City was saved, by Notker the professional liar, written down because eventually the truth always seeps through.The City may be under siege, but everyone still has to make a living. Take Notker, the acclaimed playwright, actor and impresario. Nobody works harder, even when he's not working...Categorized as:
historical-fiction politics war action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook book -
Light Perpetual by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsReynevan is still in trouble. All the time someone is trying to kill him or presents him with offers he cannot refuse. Secret agents stalk him as well as dark forces, which do not hide their diabolical nature.. -
Now I Rise by Kiersten White
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsLada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction multi-pov politics retellings royalty war action-adventure
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.