Books like 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses'
Readers who enjoyed The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Jane Werner Watson also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
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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
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... -
The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsKeeping watch over the young Arthur Pendragon, the prince and prophet Merlin Ambrosius is haunted by dreams of the magical sword Caliburn, which has been hidden for centuries. When Uther Pendragon is killed in battle, the time of destiny is at hand, and Arthur must claim the fabled sword to become the true High King of Britain...Categorized as:
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Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 48 ratingsKidnap a dragon? How daring!How stupidCimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, is back--but where is Kazul the dragon? That's what Cimorene is determined to find out. Luckily--or perhaps not-so-luckily--she's got help: Mendenbar, the not-very-kingly King of the Enchanted Forest, has joined her in her quest...Categorized as:
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Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsPursuing her dream to be a Harper of Pern, Menolly studies under the Masterharper learning that more is required than a facility with music and a clever way with words...Categorized as:
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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...Categorized as:
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Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsBOOK DESCRIPTION:Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply? For more than twenty years, the children of J.R.R...Categorized as:
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Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 71 ratingsCimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for... -
The High King by Lloyd Alexander
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 49 ratingsWhen 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... -
The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsArthur Pendragon is King! Unchallenged on the battlefield, he melds the country together in a time of promise. But sinister powers plot to destroy Camelot, and when the witch-queen Morgause -- Arthur's own half sister -- ensnares him in an incestuous liaison, a fatal web of love, betrayal, and bloody vengeance is woven...Categorized as:
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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...Categorized as:
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The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsFifth century Britain is a country of chaos and division after the Roman withdrawal. This is the world of young Merlin, the illegitimate child of a South Wales princess who will not reveal to her son his father's true identity. Yet Merlin is an extraordinary child, aware at the earliest age that he possesses a great natural gift - the Sight... -
Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsWhen the children of his village were struck with a mysterious illness, Number Ten Ox sought a wiseman to save them. He found master Li Kao, a scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Together, they set out to find the Great Root of Power, the only possible cure...Categorized as:
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Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsAlways be polite to dragons!That's what Daystar's mother taught him...and it's a very wise lesson--one that might just help him after his mom hands him a magic sword and kicks him out of the house. Especially because his house sits on the edge of the Enchanted Forest and his mother is Queen Cimorene.But the tricky part is figuring out what he's supposed to do with the magic sword...Categorized as:
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Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 48 ratingsA Princess's work is never done--not even when she becomes a queen!Princess Cimorene is now Queen Cimorene ... and she's faced with her first queenly crisis -- the Enchanted Forest is threatened with complete destruction!Those wizards are back -- and they've become very smart. (Sort of.) They've figured out a way to take over the forest once and for all ... and what they have planned isn't pretty... -
The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSixteen-year-old Tiuri must spend hours locked in a chapel in silent contemplation if he is to be knighted the next day. But as he waits by the light of a flickering candle, he hears a knock at the door and a voice desperately asking for help.A secret letter must be delivered to King Unauwen across the Great Mountains—a letter upon which the fate of the entire kingdom depends...Categorized as:
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The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 79 ratingsGeralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good..Categorized as:
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The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsGeralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good..Categorized as:
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The Secrets of the Wild Wood by Tonke Dragt
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA stunning gift edition of the thrilling Sunday Times and Telegraph Book of the Year, the sequel to The Letter for the King.One of the King's most trusted knights has vanished in the snow, so young Sir Tiuri and his best friend Piak must journey into the shadowy heart of the forest to find him. The Wild Wood is a place of mysteries, rumours and whispered tales... -
Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia by David Day
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe first encyclopedic illustrated guide to the world of Middle Earth and the Undying Lands, this book brings together every important aspect of Tolkien's vast cosmology. More than five hundred alphabetical entries cover five major subject areas: history, geography, sociology, natural history and biography... -
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...Categorized as:
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Wise Child by Monica Furlong
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsIn a remote Scottish village, nine-year-old Wise Child is taken in by Juniper, a healer and sorceress. Then Wise Child's mother, Maeve, a black witch, reappears. In choosing between Maeve and Juniper, Wise Child discovers the extent of her supernatural powers - and her true loyalties...Categorized as:
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Song of the Wanderer by Bruce Coville
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsOne unicorn dwells on Earth.Hundreds fight in Luster.Their legends are recorded inThe Unicorn Chronicles.Book II: Song of the WandererCara must return to Earth to save her grandmother, the Wanderer. But to do so, Cara must first travel through the wilderness of Luster, land of the unicorns, full of unknown creatures and perilous adventure around every bend in the road...Categorized as:
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The Atlas of Middle-Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsKaren Wynn Fonstad's THE ATLAS OF MIDDLE-EARTH is an essential volume that will enchant all Tolkien fans. Here is the definitive guide to the geography of Middle-earth, from its founding in the Elder Days through the Third Age, including the journeys of Bilbo, Frodo, and the Fellowship of the Ring...Categorized as:
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Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 69 ratingsA magnificent epic set against a history of seven thousand years of the struggles of Gods and Kings and men - of strange lands and events - of fate and a prophecy that must be fulfilled! THE BELGARIADLong ago, so the Storyteller claimed, the evil God Torak sought dominion and drove men and Gods to war. But Belgarath the Sorcerer led men to reclaim the Orb that protected men of the West... -
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...Categorized as:
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Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsFinally, 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...Categorized as:
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The Search for Kä by Randall Garrett, Vicki Ann Heydron
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRikardon and Tarani, with Keeshah and his mate Yayshah, set off on their quest for the lost city of Ka to find the twin to Serkajon's sword and prove Tarani's claim to the throne of Eddarta. To locate the legendary city, Rikardon must meld once again with the mystic All-Mind and travel back in time to share the memories of the fabled King Zarek himself... -
Harpist in the Wind by Patricia A. McKillip
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIn the midst of conflict and unrest the Prince of Hed solves the puzzle of his future when he learns to harp the wind, discovers who the shape changers are, and understands his own relationship to Deth, harpist of the wizard Ohm...Categorized as:
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The Dictionary of Imaginary Places: The Newly Updated and Expanded Classic by Alberto Manguel, Gianni Guadalupi
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsFrom Atlantis to Xanadu and beyond, this Baedeker of make-believe takes readers on a tour of more than 1,200 realms invented by storytellers from Homer's day to our own. Here you will find Shangri-La and El Dorado; Utopia and Middle Earth; Wonderland and Freedonia. Here too are Jurassic Park, Salman Rushdie's Sea of Stories, and the fabulous world of Harry Potter... -
Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsTaran is an Assistant Pig-Keeper no longer; he has become a hero. Now he dreams of winning the hand of the Princess Eilonwy. Eager to find his origins, Taran sets off with the faithful Gurgi on a quest across the marvelous land of Prydain...Categorized as:
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Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsThe Trail of Prophecy...Legends told of how the evil God Torak had coveted the power of the Orb of Aldur, until defeated in a final battle. But prophecy spoke of a time when he would awake and again seek dominance over the world. Now the Orb has been stolen by a priest of Torak, and that time was at hand... -
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... -
Mio, My Son by Astrid Lindgren
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom Sweden comes a tale of uncommon beauty, in which young Anders is carried away from his bleak life as an unloved foster child in Stockholm to become the son of the King of Farawayland. Line illustrations...Categorized as:
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The Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsKnopf is proud to present a handsome 20th-anniversary edition of Dick King-Smith’s bestselling novel that became an Academy Award–nominated movie. When Babe arrives at Hogget Farm, Mrs. Hogget’s thoughts turn to sizzling bacon and juicy pork chops—until he reveals a surprising talent for sheepherding, that is. Before long, Babe is handling Farmer Hogget’s flock better than any sheepdog ever could...Categorized as:
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The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsNow, the spellbinding, final chapter of King Arthur's reign, where Mordred, sired by incest and reared in secrecy, ingratiates himself at court, and sets in motion the Fates and the end of Arthur...Categorized as:
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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... -
Rise of a Merchant Prince by Raymond E. Feist
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsA TALE OF WEALTH AND AMBITION IN A WORLD OF MURDER, MAGIC AND INTRIGUE.Roo Avery, recently returned from a harrowing brush with the armies of the Emerald Queen, is now free to choose his own destiny and his ultimate ambition is to become one of the richest and most powerful merchants in Midkemia... -
The Tower of the Elephant (Conan, #3) (Weird Tales) by Robert E. Howard
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsConan infiltrates a perilous tower in the City of Thieves in order to steal a fabled gem from an evil sorcerer. A classic of Conan lore, often cited as one of Howard's best tales...Categorized as:
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The Golden Fleece by Robert Graves
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAlong with I, Claudius, The Golden Fleece is considered one of Robert Graves's most exciting and transporting historical novels. The Golden Fleece was at one time the most sacred religious object of the ancient Greeks, and had been sent away as the result of a power struggle between the Greeks and earlier inhabitants of the Greek peninsula...Categorized as:
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Nightbirds on Nantucket by Joan Aiken
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHaving had enough of life on board the ship that saved her from a watery grave, Dido Twite wants nothing more than to sail home to England. Instead, Captain Casket's ship lands in Nantucket, where Dido and the captain's daughter, Dutiful Penitence, are left in the care of Dutiful's sinister Aunt Tribulation. In Tribulation's farmhouse, life is unbearable...Categorized as:
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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...Categorized as:
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The Crown of Dalemark by Diana Wynne Jones
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe Countess and Lord Keril send Mitt to kill a young woman Noreth Onesdaughter, who claims to know where the lost crown is hidden... -
The Lays of Beleriand by J.R.R. Tolkien
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThis is the third volume of the History of Middle-earth, which comprises here-tofore unpublished manuscripts that were written over a period of many years before Tolkien's Simlarillion was published. Volumes 1 and 2 were the Book of Lost Tales, Part One and The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two... -
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The Seven Songs by T.A. Barron
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsTHE SAGA CONTINUES...Merlin has brought hope to Fincayra, the enchanted isle that lies between earth and sky. But Fincayra is still in great danger - and its first victim is Merlin's mother. Merlin's only hope to save her is to master the Seven Songs of Wisdom, but to do that he must defeat an ogre whose merest glance could mean death."A delightfully original story of magic and myth...Categorized as:
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Trumps of Doom by Roger Zelazny
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAlternate cover for ISBN 0380896354 / 9780380896356Merle Corey is a brilliant young computer designer in San Francisco, but, he is also Merlin, son of Corwin, vanished prince of Amber, and heir to his father's wonderous powers. And, someone is determined to kill him... -
Tales from Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsFive stories of Ursula K. Le Guin's world-renowned realm of Earthsea are collected in one volume. Featuring two classic stories, two original tales, and a brand-new novella, as well as new maps and a special essay on Earthsea's history, languages, literature, and magic...Categorized as:
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Salamandastron by Brian Jacques
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe inhabitants of Redwall relax in the haze of summer-but as they do, the neighboring stronghold of Salamandastron lies besieged by the evil weasel army of Ferhago the Assassin. Worse still, Mara, beloved daughter of Urthstripe, Badger Lord of the Fire Mountain, is in terrible danger...Categorized as:
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The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 81 ratingsNARNIA... the world of wicked dragons and magic spells, where the very best is brought out of even the worst people, where anything can happen (and most often does)... and where the adventure begins.The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries... -
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:
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