Books like 'The Shadow Within'
Readers who enjoyed The Shadow Within by Karen Hancock also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy romance action / adventure high fantasy christian epic medieval drama spirituality
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A Wish Upon the Stars by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNearly a year ago, blinded by grief and betrayal, Sam of Wilds made a desperate decision to follow the Great White into the Dark Woods. Now, he emerges to a world changed. The City of Lockes is a prison. The King has been locked away in the dungeons. The Kingdom of Verania has fallen, and the Dark wizard Myrin sits on the throne... -
The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 51 ratingsA thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed—Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love.Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana’Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch... -
A Sharpened Axe by Jill M. Beene
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsA cursed nation. An unlikely heroine. Deadly stakes. This love could kill...A jaded fae princess and a few words whispered in the dark...that’s all it took for the prosperous country of Leiria to fall under a curse. Disease, famine and calamity followed. Fifteen years later, Samiris is one of the Chosen, a group of young women brought to the palace to try and break the curse... -
A Dance with Dragons: After the Feast by George R.R. Martin
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 26 ratings'Some had been heroes, some weaklings, knaves, or cravens. Most were only men. The best of them overcame their flaws, did their duty, and died with their swords in their hands. The worst... the worst were those who played the game of thrones'The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance... -
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Winterlight by Kristen Britain
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThis seventh novel of the Green Rider series follows the adventures of messenger, magic wielder, and knight Karigan G'ladheon as she fights to save king and country from dark magic and a looming war.After her capture at the hands of Grandmother and the Second Empire, Karigan G'ladheon is making halting progress towards recovery... -
Secrets and Spellcraft by Michael G. Manning
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsNow a student at Wurthaven, Will is confronted with the truth of the present. The powerful magic embodied by wizards like his grandfather is but a distant memory, while the practice of the current day is timid and uninspired, and yet he needs the knowledge still preserved and managed by the college... -
The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsA Wall Street Journal bestseller Owen Kiskaddon first came to the court of the formidable King Severn as a prisoner, winning favor with the stormy monarch by masquerading as a boy truly blessed by the Fountain...Categorized as:
christian epic spirituality action-adventure alternate-history arthurian audiobook book -
Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsMighty Kushiel, of rod and wealLate of the brazen portalsWith blood-tipp'd dart a wound unhealedPricks the eyen of chosen mortalsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child... -
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:
epic medieval spirituality 20th-century action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook -
Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThere's a babe in my belly that whispers the valley, Froi. I follow the whispers and come to the road . . .Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi must travel through Charyn to search for Quintana, the mother of Charyn's unborn king, and protect her against those who will do anything to gain power... -
The Ciphers of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsFrom the moment she was banished by her father, the king, Princess Maia journeyed to seek sanctuary at Muirwood Abbey, the epicenter of magic and good in the land. Now safe for the first time since her cruel abandonment, Maia must foster uneasy friendships with other girls training to be Ciphers: women who learn to read and engrave tomes of ancient power, despite the laws forbidding them to do so... -
Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA New Tale Is Added to this Christy Award-Winning Fantasy Saga!Submissive to her father's will, Lady Leta of Aiven travels far to meet a prospective husband she neither knows nor loves--Lord Alistair, future king of the North Country. But within the walls of Gaheris Castle, all is not right. Vicious night terrors plague Lord Alistair to the brink of insanity. Whispers rise from the family crypt... -
The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsThe champion must not waver.The champion must not fear.The gate of darkness closes.Elisa is a fugitive.Her enemies have stolen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, with her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight... -
When We Were Dancing by Auryn Hadley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAS QUEEN, SHE CAN NEVER MARRY THE MAN SHE LOVES. SO SHE’S JUST GOING TO HAVE TO GET CREATIVE. They called her the Gladiator Queen, the first female heir to the throne of Norihame. Leyli never wanted this. But her cousin's scheming left no other option. He'd killed her brother, trying to claim the throne for himself, and sold her off to be a gladiator, hoping to get rid of her. It didn't work... -
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The Blight of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn The Blight of Muirwood, the second book in the Muirwood Trilogy, Lia finds herself filled with inner turmoil after the great battle of Winterrowd that led to the death of the wicked king and her closest ally...Categorized as:
christian epic medieval spirituality 21st-century action-adventure alpha-mc audiobook -
Resistance by Jaye L. Knight
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 16 ratings“Don’t you know? Animals like you have no soul.”Could God ever love a half-blood all of society looks upon with such fear and disdain? Jace once believed so, but when a tragic loss shatters the only peace he’s ever known, his faith crumbles as the nagging doubts he’s tried to put behind him descend on his grieving heart... -
King of Sword and Sky by C.L. Wilson
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsKing of Sword and Sky is the third book in the epic romantic adventure that combines sweeping fantasy with breathtaking paranormal romance. USA Today and New York Times bestseller C. L... -
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 47 ratingsShe does not know what awaits her at the enemy's gate.Elisa is a hero. She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country's ruler should be secure. But it isn't.Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from both foreign realms and within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled... -
Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThe Black Dogs are on the hunt, but who is their prey?When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal... -
Royal Spy by Heather Frost
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA DECOY recruited to be a spy.A PRINCE compelled to become an assassin.A SERJAH pressured by an unwanted crown.A WORLD covered in shadows.Mere months ago, Clare was just a kitchen maid. Now, she is a decoy for Princess Serene and a novice spy, caught in the royal family's web of secrets... -
Enflamed by Jody Hedlund
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDuring a time when legends were born . . .ENFLAMEDThe most beautiful noblewoman in the kingdom, the lowly knight who can never have her, and the forbidden love they share.When Sylvi Prestegard discovers that her father has arranged for her to marry a wealthy nobleman known for his thieving ways, she’s desperate to avoid the union...Categorized as:
christian drama medieval spirituality action-adventure ancient-civilization arthurian betrayal -
The King's Scrolls by Jaye L. Knight
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFollowing the harrowing events that brought them to Landale Forest, Jace and Kyrin have settled comfortably into their new lives and the mission of protecting those under the emperor’s persecution. The fast approach of winter brings with it the anticipation of a quiet few months ahead... -
Frostbite by Adrienne Woods
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsLosing Lucian McKenzie, the Prince of her heart and discovering her true identity has made Elena Watkins' life almost unbearable. However, new trials will test the 17 year-old's strength and push her to limits she didn’t think were possible.Only a mysterious offer from Blake Leaf, the Rubicon and a dragon predestined for evil, reveals there may be a light at the end of Elena’s dark tunnel... -
The Well of Shades by Juliet Marillier
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsJuliet Marillier continues the epic fantasy begun with" The Dark Mirror, " which" Interzone" called: "A fascinating evocation of life in Pictish England and an emotional roller coaster of a story." King Bridei is a man with a mission. His wish to unite his kingdom seems almost within his grasp but there are forces working to undo his dream... -
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Flight of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsExiled and on the run, Selene Ravenwood is in search of the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking but first she must adapt to her marriage with the man she was originally assigned to kill. With war impending and a dark being after her gift, she finds herself at a crossroads but time is running out and soon her choice will be made for her... -
The Queen and the Cure by Amy Harmon
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThere will be a battle, and you will need to protect your heart. Kjell of Jeru had always known who he was. He'd never envied his brother or wanted to be king. He was the bastard son of the late King Zoltev and a servant girl, and the ignominy of his birth had never bothered him. But there is more to a man than his parentage... -
Samara's Peril by Jaye L. Knight
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhen news arrives that Emperor Daican has been in contact with his chief war strategist, it signals potential doom for the country of Samara. Determined to intervene, the resistance in Landale, headed by Lady Anne, embark on a covert mission in hopes of unearthing further information. However, a shocking discovery leads to complications no one could have foreseen... -
A Crimson Frost by Marcia Lynn McClure
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBeloved of her father, King Dacian, and adored by her people, the Scarlet Princess Monet endeavored to serve her kingdom well—for the people of the Kingdom of Karvana were good, and worthy of service. Long Monet had known that even her marriage would serve her people. Her husband would be chosen for her—for this was the way of royal existence...Categorized as:
christian medieval spirituality action-adventure arranged-marriage arthurian book fairy-tale -
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... -
Find Me Their Bones by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNo one can save her.In order to protect Prince Lucien d’Malvane’s heart, Zera had to betray him. Now, he hates the sight of her. Trapped in Cavanos as a prisoner of the king, she awaits the inevitable moment her witch severs their magical connection and finally ends her life.But fate isn't ready to give her up just yet... -
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 Scourge of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe Scourge of Muirwood is the final installment of the Muirwood Trilogy.Upon discovering she is the lost heir of Pry-Ree, Lia is forced to leave the protection of Muirwood once again. She embarks upon a perilous journey across the kingdom where she avoids capture and begs passage on a ship bound to Dahomey... -
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 66 ratingsShe was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste.Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans... -
Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsHunted, Killed—Survived?As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement... -
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The Archmage Unbound by Michael G. Manning
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsMordecai’s growing power and success have made him a threat, not just to the gods and their minions, but also to the king of Lothion. An unholy bargain has been struck to bring him to heel and increasingly it seems that victory may not be worth the price, not if the cost is measured in the blood of his family. Wizard, lord, husband, father, and now archmage.. -
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... -
DragonKnight by Donita K. Paul
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsReturn to the land of dragons and magic you discovered in Dragonspell and DragonQuest, in this finely crafted and memorable work of fantasy fiction with a core of eternal truth.Trapped in an evil spell... can the knights of Paladin be rescued?Before vowing his allegiance to Wulder as a knight, Bardon heads to the mountains for solitude... -
The Story Raider by Lindsay A. Franklin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDeceiving an empire is a treacherous game.Tanwen and the Corsyth weavers race to collect the strands of an ancient cure that might save Gryfelle. But Tanwen has a secret: Gryfelle isn’t the only one afflicted by the weaver's curse.As Queen Braith struggles to assert her rule, a new arrival throws her tenuous claim to the Tirian throne into question... -
Heart of Red, Blood of Blue by Rebecca Belliston
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA girl on the run. A kingdom to save.Princess Gisela of Steinland was born without color. Albino. When her betrothal to Prince Jerrik of Kronga ends in his death, it starts a ten-year war her father is determined to win, even if it means bringing her out of hiding to do it. Now the savage Krongon war commander, Bloodless Kristoff, seeks the hearts of the entire royal family, especially Gisela's...Categorized as:
christian drama medieval spirituality action-adventure book enemies-to-lovers fairy-tale -
The Sorcerer's Alpha by Corey Kerr
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey’re lost in the wilderness. And there’s only one tent. When a routine mission goes horribly awry, expert wilderness scout Marut finds himself solely responsible for protecting one of the powerful court sorcerers. Marut is suspicious of magic and more comfortable with horses than people, but he comes to begrudgingly respect Sycamore as they flee for their lives... -
Drew by Barbara Bard
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWar is a time for glory, but there is no greater glory than love. Sarah, a timid handmaiden, is forced to pretend to be someone she's not in order to avoid death at the hands of the cruel Lord Flynn. Pretending that she's his bride, the wedding draws closer and she knows the truth will be revealed, bringing humiliation for Lord Flynn and death to her...Categorized as:
christian medieval spirituality europe british-isles united-kingdom scotland romance -
Exiles by Jaye L. Knight
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsExiled after their defeat in Samara, the resistance struggles to find allies in their quest to restore King Balen to his throne and put an end to the emperor’s tyranny. When half of the crete people refuse to lend their aid, Balen leads a group to Dorland to try to reason with them and win their support... -
Entrusted by Jody Hedlund
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDuring a time when legends were born . . .ENTRUSTEDThe feisty enemy princess, the cunning knight holding her captive, and the ultimate battle that will determine their fate.Hoping to minimize the death and destruction of the coming war, Princess Birgitta of Swaine leads the Dark Warriors as part of her brother King Canute’s efforts to take the throne of Norvegia...Categorized as:
christian medieval spirituality romance fantasy young-adult historical historical-fiction -
River of Dreams by Lynn Kurland
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAisling of Bruadair is frantic to find both the truth about her future and a mercenary to save her country. When an offer of aid comes from an unexpected direction, she is relieved her quest is almost complete. But she soon realizes her task is far from over . . . and will include perils she never dreamed she would ever face... -
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Saving Marilee by Annette K. Larsen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA proper, clean romance. Marriage wasn't bliss—not for Marilee. Instead of finding contentment with the handsome son of a sovereign duke, she found betrayal and neglect. And fear. A fear that finally lifts when her husband dies, freeing her from his domineering hand... -
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 47 ratingsDescending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves…and has lost... -
Spark City by Robert J. Power
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsp> Erroh has a plan. A simple plan. It’ll never work. Despite his family's warrior pedigree, he'd rather gamble and drink while living from one tavern to the next. But when his wanderings bring him upon a gruesome slaughter of innocents he is torn from carefree ways.Spark City is on the horizon and with it the mysterious trials of The Cull... -
Fire Falling by Elise Kova
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsSoldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life. As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity... -
The Gold Falcon by Katharine Kerr
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe cholera epidemic that ravaged the city of TrevHael has left many orphans in its wake, including Neb, the scribe's son, and his brother. Sent to the desolate farm of their last living relative, they soon learn that a worse plague lurks beyond the western border of Deverry... -
The Rook by Frost Kay
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe Dark Court is no place for a lady.After tricking the king, Tempest has finally won her prize - a place on the king's council - but it comes with a steep price. The monarch wishes for her to once again infiltrate the Jester's Dark Court and crush the remaining rebellion.Trapped between her kingdom and her honor, she throws herself into the task, determined to discover her true enemies...
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