Books like 'Shadowed By Despair'
Readers who enjoyed Shadowed By Despair by Candace Robinson also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy dark fantasy horror action / adventure female-mc zombies paranormal dark coming-of-age myths
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Death Bringer by Derek Landy
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsMeet Skulduggery Pleasant: detective, sorcerer, warrior.Oh yes. And dead.The Necromancers no longer need Valkyrie to be their Death Bringer, and that’s a Good Thing.There’s just one catch. There’s a reason the Necromancers don’t need her any more – because they’ve found their Death Bringer already, the person who will dissolve the doors between life and death... -
Lirael by Garth Nix
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 68 ratingsLirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Now, two years past the time when she should have received the Sight that is the Clayr's birthright, she feels alone, abandoned, unsure of who she is. Nevertheless, the fate of the Old Kingdom lies in her hands... -
Kings of Heaven by Richard Nell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the final book of the Ash and Sand trilogy, Ruka, son of Beyla, faces the emperor of the world, yet even victory may not save his people…With the death of his ally, Farahi Alaku, Ruka ‘Godtongue’ is alone. Or not exactly… The island prince Kale Alaku now haunts his mind, rattling within his once peaceful ‘Grove’, promising revenge and growing every moment in power... -
Abhorsen by Garth Nix
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 68 ratingsThe Ninth was strong and fought with might But lone Orannis was put out of the light Broken in two and buried under hillForever to lie there, wishing us ill.So says the song. But Orannis, the Destroyer, is no longer buried under hill. It has been freed from its subterranean prison and now seeks to escape the silver hemispheres, the final barrier to the unleashing of its terrible powers... -
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Imajica: The Reconciliation by Clive Barker
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsThe magical tale of ill-fated lovers lost among worlds teetering on the edge of destruction, where their passion holds the key to escape. There has never been a book like Imajica... -
Blood Will by Kirill Klevanski
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsHe made a deal with a dragon, getting its heart in return. He fought monsters to defeat the monster in himself. He won the war, razing one of the most powerful sects to the ground, and received the highest military rank possible.Now his path leads him to the very heart of the country — to the capital — to receive his title and well-deserved honors... -
Heritage by S.M. Boyce
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKara Magari isn't normal, even by Ourea's standards--and in a world of shape-shifters and soul stealers, that's saying something. To the royalty, she's a loose cannon. To the masses, she's a failure. But Kara doesn't have a home to go back to anymore. This war-torn world is all she has left, and she'll save it even if she dies trying... -
Greenblood by Actus
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe world is safe – from Henry.Damien has managed to survive all the challenges thrown at him, and he’s even starting to enjoy his time at Blackmist. With Henry and Sylph by his side, he just might actually make it through Blackmist without getting killed.Herald has other plans... -
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 78 ratingsWhen Rin aced the Keju — the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies — it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was... -
The Warring Son by Bryce O'Connor
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 24 ratings**Book 2 in the Top 10 Bestselling Epic Fantasy series on Amazon** Raz i'Syul Arro is a hunted man. To the south, the Mahsadën of Miropa are gone. The šef lay dead, slain at Raz's own hands, their cruel will ripped from the shadows of the city... -
Magic-Scars by C.L. Schneider
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey took it all: his will, his memories, his freedom, his magic. Imprisoned by his enemies, tortured and drugged to keep his magic suppressed, Ian Troy returns to a world as marred and broken as he is. Ravaged by the reign of her new High King, Draken of Langor, Mirra’kelan’s citizens live in fear. The Shinree, misled by Jem Reth’s promises, are no longer slaves, but they are far from free... -
Queen of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHer life burned to ashes. Her city under siege. She will sacrifice everything she has for bloody vengeance.Ilanna has lost everything: her friends, her home, her family, her dreams of freedom. All that remains is a burning desire to find the bastards who burned down her city and tried to kill her.But a traitor hides among the ranks of the Night Guild, poisoning her friends and allies with lies... -
Matt Archer: Redemption by Kendra C. Highley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“There’s more to me than you know…”When Matt Archer’s sister, Mamie, said those words to him three years ago, he had no idea how prophetic they were, or what this would mean for his family.Now, he knows. And it changes everything, bringing the war right to Matt’s doorstep.In the epic conclusion to the Matt Archer series, the endgame is near... -
Ghost in the Mask by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCaina Amalas is a nightfighter of the Ghosts, the spies and assassins of the Emperor of Nighmar, and through cunning and valor she has cast down both proud lords and mighty sorcerers. But a power darker than any she has ever faced is awakening... -
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Dawn of the Exile by Mitchell Hogan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFor the damned, redemption may be just a mad dream…Years have passed since the demon Tarrik and his master, the sorcerer Ren, destroyed the servants of Samal and suppressed the very essence of the vile lord. The cost was greater than even a demon could have imagined. But in the realms of demons and humans, no evil can be fully controlled, and no one’s true fate can be foretold. Including Tarrik’s... -
The Hindering Ones by Mike Truk
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMy name's Noah Kilmartin. I'm from Ruddock, Ohio, and I'm about 85% unqualified to save the universe from the slavering demonic hordes of the super evil bitch queen Lilith.But I haven't failed yet.Somehow I've passed the five trials, accumulated a team of powerful companions, and made it through the portal into Ghogiel... -
Fulcrum of Light by C.J. Aaron
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFreedom has come at a price.Stranded on the coast of an uncharted land, Ryl will be tested as the world outside the Palisades proves darker than within.With little to no direction save the cryptic information from a mysterious stranger, Ryl must rely on his new-found skills and place his trust in his new companion. Together they forge onward into the barren wastes of the Outlands... -
Nightblade's Honor by Ryan Kirk
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the riveting sequel to Nightblade’s Vengeance, the nightblades must choose a side, and the Kingdom will either rise again… or shatter into pieces.With the realm on the brink of war, the once-celebrated blades have become an easy target for the rage of its devastated citizens... -
The Free Bastards by Jonathan French
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe long-awaited war has come in the sweeping conclusion to the Lot Lands trilogy--another irresistibly swashbuckling, swaggering, foul-mouthed fantasy.The long-awaited war has come in the sweeping conclusion to the Lot Lands trilogy--another irresistibly swashbuckling, swaggering, foul-mouthed fantasy... -
Black Talon by Jaime Castle, Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKullen is the Emperor’s assassin. The sharp hand of justice. The Black Talon.Gifted a soul-forged bond with his dragon, Umbris, Kullen is tasked with hunting any and all who oppose the Empire.But when the secretive Crimson Fang murders two noblemen before his very eyes, Kullen must discover the truth of who they are and what they want... -
A Mark of Kings by Bryce O'Connor, Luke Chmilenko
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsDespite his youth, Declan Idrys knows of the evils of the world. He knows of the bastards and brigands who plague the King’s lands, of the monsters skulking in the wooded depths of the realm... -
Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus by William King
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGotrek the dwarf trollslayer and his companion Felix are Black Library's most popular fantasy duo. This omnibus edition gives readers a unique opportunity to enjoy their first three adventures through the haunted forests, mountains and castles of the grim Warhammer world... -
Iron Wolf by Siri Pettersen
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA new series from the author of The Raven Rings trilogy - Siri Pettersen!Juva knows all about blood readers. Praised for their Sight, they are nothing but swindlers, preying on people’s fears for power and profit. Born by blood readers herself, she knows only too well, and she has vowed never to become one of them... -
Terciel and Elinor by Garth Nix
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBestselling novelist Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom for the never-before-told love story of Sabriel’s parents, Terciel and Elinor, and the Charter magic that brought them together—and threatened to tear them apart. A long-awaited prequel to a classic fantasy series... -
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From the Shadows of the Owl Queen's Court by Benedict Patrick
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIf you value your life, stay out of the forest. As a captive of the Owl Queen’s Court, Nascha’s life has always been one knife’s edge away from disaster. But when she is threatened for nothing more than the colour of her hair, Nascha attempts the unthinkable: escape through the dreaded Magpie King’s forest... -
The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin, Samuel Roukin
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe greatest fantasies of the 20th century are J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle. Regrettably, the Earthsea Cycle has not received the fame and sales of Tolkien's trilogy. Fortunately, new Earthsea books have appeared in the 21st century, and they are as powerful, beautiful, and imaginative as the first four novels...Categorized as:
coming-of-age epic female-mc myths paranormal sword-sorcery 21st-century action-adventure -
Sabriel by Garth Nix
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 76 ratingsSent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him... -
Ghost in the Maze by Jonathan Moeller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost circlemaster, leader of the Emperor's spies in Istarinmul. Yet the people of Istarinmul know her as the Balarigar, the daring master thief who challenged the corrupt lords and cruel princes of the city. And now Grand Master Callatas, the most powerful sorcerer of Istarinmul, wants her dead, and without allies Caina will not survive... -
Thief of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe impossible becomes inevitable with the fate of her loved ones hanging in the balance…A cunning thief of unrivaled ingenuity, Ilanna is determined to secure her freedom at any cost. No price is too high to break the shackles of the Night Guild's callous cruelty.With her future on the line, nothing will stand in her way, not even the most powerful man in Praamis, Duke Phonnis... -
Legacy of Light by Matthew Ward
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWarfare, myth and magic collide in Legacy of Light, the spectacular conclusion to Matthew Ward's acclaimed Legacy trilogy.For the first time in many years, the Tressian Republic and the Hadari Empire are at peace. But war never sleeps.In Tregard, Empress Melanna Saranal struggles to protect a throne won at great cost... -
Breaking Chaos by Ben Galley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe endgame has begun. The battle for the emperor’s throne grows ever fiercer. The City of Countless Souls cowers behind locked doors as the whims of the downtrodden and the powerful bring the great game of Araxes to its chaotic conclusion.With the soulblade at his hip and magic in his soul, Caltro’s freedom is almost within reach... -
Traitors' Fate by Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne Death Changes Two Cities ForeverIlanna, Master of the Night Guild, has waged a war for eight years to cleanse her city of the rival criminal organization that nearly destroyed it... -
The Broken God by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDark gods and dangerous magic clash in this third book of Gareth Hanrahan's acclaimed epic fantasy series, The Black Iron Legacy. Enter a city of dragons and darkness... The Godswar has come to Guerdon, dividing the city between three occupying powers. A fragile armistice holds back the gods, but other dangerous forces seek to exert their influence... -
The Blind Dragon: A Tale from the Canon of Tarn by Peter Fane
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"There we are," Anna whispered. The dragon foal went still at her voice. Then it snorted and swiveled its snout towards her. Its eyes were still shut. Its tail quivered and its nostrils flared. A menacing growl rose from its chest. "Easy there," Anna said gently. "Easy." She placed her palm on its forehead, applying calm pressure between its eyes... -
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A Warrior's Burden: Book One of Saga of the Known Lands by Jacob Peppers
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhere he walks, death follows. He was once known as Prince Bernard, ruler of his people and the man who led them in the Fey War against creatures out of myth and legend, beings out of nightmare. A man renowned for his strength, a man feared by his own people as much as his enemies. But there are other names for him, too. Kingslayer. Oathbreaker. Traitor. The Crimson Prince.And they are all true... -
The Pillars of Sand by Mark T. Barnes, Nick Podehl
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe epic conclusion of the Echoes of Empire trilogy.Prophecy declared that corrupt politician Corajidin would rule the Shrīanese Federation, even become its new Emperor and sinister magic has helped him defy death in order to do it. But his victory is not assured, thanks to clashing rival factions that hinder any attempts to unify the nation... -
The Fifth Empire of Man by Rob J. Hayes
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Pirate Isles are united under Drake Morrass’ flag, but the war has only just begun. There’s still a long way to go before he’s able to call himself King. The Five Kingdoms and Sarth have assembled a fleet of ships unlike any the world has ever seen, and they intend to purge the Pirate Isles once and for all... -
Child of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey killed her family. They ripped apart her home. But to repay her debts, she'll have to sacrifice her innocence. Robbed of everything she loves, Viola mourns the sudden loss of her mother. Now burdened with an impossible debt to the Night Guild, she’s forced to train as a cunning thief... -
Fallen Sepulchre by J.D. Franx
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWarning: 18+ Only. Contains scenes of an adult nature. Threatened by an Elloryan invasion reinforced by the Ancients, the sanctuary Ember and Max sought in DormaSai after Kael’s burial is at its end. A civil war rages in Cethos, and the threat of Wildland tribal attacks in the Blood Kingoms is imminent... -
Brunner the Bounty Hunter by C.L. Werner
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOmnibus edition collecting all three novels in the Brunner the Bounty Hunter series. Dark and savage tales set in the world of Warhammer, by author C.L. Werner...Categorized as:
dark epic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure anthologies classics dark-fantasy -
Grave Empire by Richard Swan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBlood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money.A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.But dark days are coming... -
Darkblade Outcast by Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCan a killer escape the evil inside him?The Hunter has fled his home and the suffering left in his wake. Hoping to cleanse the stain of blood on his hands, he aids travelers beset by bandits only to discover those he saved are warrior clerics on a holy mission to kill him... -
Tevinter Nights by John Epler, Brianne Battye
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAn anthology of original stories based on the dark fantasy, role-playing video game series from Bioware.Ancient horrors. Marauding invaders. Powerful mages. And a world that refuses to stay fixed.Welcome to Thedas... -
Tribute at the Gates by C.J. Aaron
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCursed from birth. Forced into slavery. It's time to fight back.The blood of the Ancients is the most coveted ingredient in all of Damaris. The fabled elixir made from it grants those who drink it life that extends far beyond natural means.There is no higher honor in the kingdom then being granted the privilege of bidding for it... -
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The True Bastards by Jonathan French
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe sequel to The Grey Bastards--another irresistibly swashbuckling, swaggering, foul-mouthed adventure fantasy.Fetching was once the only female rider in the Lot Lands. Now she is the leader of her own hoof, a band of loyal half-orcs sworn to her command. But in the year since she took power, the True Bastards have struggled to survive... -
The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe second novel in the thrilling and epic new fantasy series from the international bestselling author of Red Sister and Prince of Thorns.On the planet Abeth there is only the ice. And the Black Rock.For generations the priests of the Black Rock have reached out from their mountain to steer the fate of the ice tribes... -
Kings of Paradise by Richard Nell
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA deformed genius plots vengeance while struggling to survive. A wastrel prince comes of age, finding a power he never imagined. Two worlds are destined to collide. Only one can be king. Ruka, called a demon at birth, is a genius. Born malformed and ugly into the snow-covered wasteland of the Ascom, he was spared from death by his mother's love... -
Insurrection by Thomas M. Reid
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe War of the Spider Queen spreads...A hand-picked team of the most capable drow adventurers begin a perilous journey through the treacherous Underdark, all the while surrounded by the chaos of war. Their path will take them through the very heart of darkness, and the Underdark will be shaken to its core. If the powerful dark elves falter, the world below is open for Insurrection... -
Aching God by Mike Shel
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 24 ratings“Closer, mortal. You are here, finally, to feed the Aching God…” The days of adventure are passed for Auric Manteo. Retired to the countryside and isolated with his scars and riches, he no longer delves into forbidden ruins seeking dark wisdom and treasure. But just as old nightmares begin plaguing his sleep, he receives an urgent summons back to that old life... -
Goldenhand by Garth Nix
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsLirael knows the blood that runs in her veins and her true powers. She also knows that Chlorr of the Mask has been conspiring with the clans of the steppe, from a message she’s received from her long-dead mother, Arielle. But no one else believes that nomads can be a real threat...
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