Books like 'A Lesson in Taxonomy'
Readers who enjoyed A Lesson in Taxonomy by Dave Gross also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy dark fantasy high fantasy dark sword-sorcery
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The God is Not Willing by Steven Erikson
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsMany years have passed since three Teblor warriors brought carnage and chaos to the small lakeside settlement of Silver Lake. While the town has recovered, the legacy of that past horror remains, even if the Teblor tribes of the north no longer venture into the southlands. One of those three, Karsa Orlong, is now deemed to be a god, albeit an indifferent one... -
![Relic of the Gods by Philip C. Quaintrell]()
Relic of the Gods by Philip C. Quaintrell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe Echoes of Fate have been heard. After a thousand years, the prophecy has almost come to pass... The final days of hope have come and gone. The kingdoms of Illian stand on the edge of ruin, threatened by the armies of Valanis. As evil spreads across the land, too few are left to hold the line. A world away, the children of fire and flame may be the only hope for the realm... -
![The Crippled King by A. Trae McMaken]()
The Crippled King by A. Trae McMaken
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe life of a dwarven prospector is one of shame, loneliness, and a constant battle for survival. Striking it rich is the only way for Naen to keep his bones from bleaching in the sun without heritage or memory. When riches finally fall into his hands, he encounters a group of indentured servants fleeing from a vengeful master... -
![Distinctions: Prologue to Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson]()
Distinctions: Prologue to Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsThe Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass.What was, what will be, and what is,May let fall under the Shadow.Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time... -
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![The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski]()
The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsThe world is at war and the prophesied savior is nowhere to be found. The Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, races to find her in the fourth novel of Andrzej Sapkowski's groundbreaking epic fantasy series that inspired the hit Netflix show and the blockbuster video games. The world has fallen into war. Ciri, the child of prophecy, has vanished... -
![Hero in the Shadows by David Gemmell]()
Hero in the Shadows by David Gemmell
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThousands of years ago the city of Kuan Hador, a place steeped in evil, was defeated by a vast army of mystic warriors, the Enemy banished beyond the Gateway between Worlds. Spells of enormous power sealed the Gateway.Now, in the Duchy of Kydor, two thousand miles from the lands of the Drenai, icy mists begin to form around the ruins of Kuan Hador. Awesome Beasts stalk the hills and forests... -
![Magic-Scars by C.L. Schneider]()
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]()
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... -
![The Companions by R.A. Salvatore]()
The Companions by R.A. Salvatore
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThis latest installment in New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore's beloved fantasy saga, The Companions moves Salvatore's signature hero Drizzt into a new era of the Forgotten Realms. As Drizzt's fate hangs in the balance, he reflects on the lives of the trusted allies who stood by his side throughout his early life--the friends now known as the Companions of the Hall... -
![The Fates of Yoran by D.K. Holmberg]()
The Fates of Yoran by D.K. Holmberg
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen the Fates attack Yoran, the Chain Breaker must fight back.After establishing an uneasy truce with the constables, Gavin has settled in Yoran to offer protection to his friends and the remaining magical element in the city.When a job reveals a dangerous new threat in the city, Gavin must take action. This time the target isn’t Gavin, but the city itself... -
![The Free Bastards by Jonathan French]()
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... -
![To Blackfyre Keep by Anthony Ryan]()
To Blackfyre Keep by Anthony Ryan
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGUYIME—DEMON CURSED WIELDER OF THE NAMELESS BLADE—FOLLOWS THE TRAIL OF THE FABLED SEVEN SWORDS INTO THE TROUBLED NORTHLANDS, A REALM WHERE HE WAS ONCE CALLED KING…AND RAVAGER.Magically guided to enlist in the retinue of a lovesick knight, Guyime and his companions journey to the haunted ruin of Blackfyre Keep, a castle legend tells cannot be held. But a far deadlier threat than mere ghosts awaits... -
![The Thief Who Knocked on Sorrow's Gate by Michael McClung]()
The Thief Who Knocked on Sorrow's Gate by Michael McClung
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAn alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.The third installment in the Amra Thetys series:After surviving Thagoth and returning rich to Lucernis, Amra and Holgren have settled down to a very comfortable, if decidedly unexciting life -- until the night Amra receives an old enemy's head in a box... -
![The Thief Who Wasn't There by Michael McClung]()
The Thief Who Wasn't There by Michael McClung
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBellarius, saved from utter destruction, is now plunged into vicious civil war. Amra has vanished, and while Holgren has a plan to find her and bring her back, his plan teeters between impossibility and insanity... -
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![Shadow Blizzard by Alexey Pehov]()
Shadow Blizzard by Alexey Pehov
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShadow Blizzard is the third book by the international bestselling fantasy author Alexey Pehov. Like Shadow Prowler and Shadow Chaser, Shadow Blizzard is epic fantasy at its best; this is the third book in a trilogy that follows Shadow Harold, Siala's master thief, on his quest for the magic Horn that will restore peace to his world... -
![Assassin by Andy Peloquin]()
Assassin by Andy Peloquin
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAll in Voramis know the legend of the Hunter. Relentless. Immortal. Death walking. The greatest assassin who ever lived. Pay the master killer his due and the Hunter will execute any target, carry out any contract, no matter how impossible.But when the Bloody Hand crime syndicate harms the innocents under his protection, they foolishly make an enemy of the one man they can’t afford to anger... -
![Thief of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin]()
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]()
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... -
![Vulture by Bex Hogan]()
Vulture by Bex Hogan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPower, politics and pirates collide in Vulture, the finale of the epic YA fantasy series The Isles of Storm and Sorrow, perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.We are all one misstep away from being the villain...Marianne has passed the ultimate test required to be a Mage. She is finally powerful enough to reunite the Twelve Isles... -
![A Man of His Word by Dave Duncan]()
A Man of His Word by Dave Duncan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA young couple battles forces determined to keep them apart in this high fantasy series by “one of the leading masters of epic fantasy” (Publishers Weekly). These four fantasy novels of love and adventure follow the exploits of childhood friends Inos and Rap as their feelings are tested by the direst of circumstances... -
![Wicked Ties by Shanora Williams]()
Wicked Ties by Shanora Williams
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn Vakeeli, trust will get you killed…After being betrayed by one of the few people he trusts, Caz has become a prisoner in his own mind. For once, he can’t work his way out of a deadly situation…but with a mate like Willow, there’s always a way... -
![The Pillars of Sand by Mark T. Barnes, Nick Podehl]()
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... -
![Child of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin]()
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... -
![Legacy of Steel by Matthew Ward]()
Legacy of Steel by Matthew Ward
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWarfare, myth and magic collide in Legacy of Steel, the spectacular sequel to Matthew Ward's acclaimed fantasy debut Legacy of Ash. A year has passed since an unlikely alliance saved the Tressian Republic from fire and darkness, at great cost. Thousands perished, and Viktor Akadra - the Republic's champion - has disappeared... -
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![The Blackest Heart by Brian Lee Durfee]()
The Blackest Heart by Brian Lee Durfee
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGladiator. Assassin. Thief. Princess. And the Slave. The Five Warrior Angels have been revealed, one by one the mystical weapons they once wielded are being found, and an ancient prophecy is finally being fulfilled. Or is it? For when it comes to recorded history, much is intended to manipulate and deceive... -
![Hyperborea by Clark Ashton Smith]()
Hyperborea by Clark Ashton Smith
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsScience Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy...Categorized as:
dark sword-sorcery action-adventure adult anthologies cosmic-horror cthulhu dark-fantasy -
![The Prison of Angels by David Dalglish]()
The Prison of Angels by David Dalglish
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"This world is not safe. Your angels have done great things, but I fear their illusion of safety has been more damaging than they can possibly understand. The ancient evils may be gone, but new ones have replaced them."----Five years have passed since the death of the war god, and now angels watch over the land. It should be a time of peace and prosperity. It is not... -
![Shadow Chaser by Alexey Pehov]()
Shadow Chaser by Alexey Pehov
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSaddened because they have left one of their number in a grave in the wilderness, Harold and his companions continue their journey to the dreaded underground palace of Hrad Spein... -
![The True Bastards by Jonathan French]()
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... -
![Road Brothers by Mark Lawrence]()
Road Brothers by Mark Lawrence
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA volume of short stories by the bestselling author of THE BROKEN EMPIRE series, Mark Lawrence.An extended version of the earlier collection of the same title - 50% longer.This is a collection of fourteen stories of murder, mayhem, pathos, and philosophy, all set in the world of the Broken Empire... -
![Aching God by Mike Shel]()
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... -
![Sin Eater by Mike Shel]()
Sin Eater by Mike Shel
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 20 ratings"I SHALL BAPTIZE YOU, SIR, AND MY BAPTISM WILL BURN YOUR FOLLY AND FLESH AWAY!"A year has passed since Auric Manteo descended into the haunted depths of a Djao ruin to return a lethal artifact, only to face down a bloodthirsty, imprisoned god. Now his daughter Agnes comes to bring him back to the capital with promises of hidden secrets finally revealed... -
![The Walrus & the Warwolf by Hugh Cook, China Miéville]()
The Walrus & the Warwolf by Hugh Cook, China Miéville
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA boy of sixteen, swordsmith’s apprentice Drake Douay loves nothing more than booze, loose women, and causing endless amounts of trouble. Yet when he’s sentenced to death by the merciless ogre king of his homeland, Drake has no choice but to sign on with two warring and ragtag gangs of pirates... -
![Queen of Thorns by Dave Gross]()
Queen of Thorns by Dave Gross
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSecret of the ElvesIn the deep forests of Kyonin, elves live among their own kind, far from the prying eyes of other races. Few of impure blood are allowed beyond the nation’s borders, and thus it’s a great honor for the half-elven Count Varian Jeggare and his hellspawn bodyguard Radovan to be allowed inside... -
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![Steel, Blood & Fire by Allan Batchelder]()
Steel, Blood & Fire by Allan Batchelder
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTARMUN VYKERS His awestruck opponents call him The Reaper, an iron-willed man with no memory of his past, a ruthless champion who has risen to the level of death incarnate. But The Reaper has collected a legion of enemies as he cut a bloody swath through the greatest of heroes and villains. And these dogs have finally had their day, exacting a revenge both cruel and creative... -
![Corruption by Mitchell Hogan]()
Corruption by Mitchell Hogan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA corrupted power stirs from beyond the grave.The Necromancer Queen will rise again.An immersive and ambitious new series from the Aurealis Award-winning author of A Crucible of Souls.In the wake of the rebel Niyandrians’ abduction attempt, Anskar DeVantte, now a knight-inferior of the Order of Eternal Vigilance, has set sail with the Grand Master, bound for the mother house in Sansor... -
![Pathfinder Tales: Lord of Runes by Dave Gross, Steve West]()
Pathfinder Tales: Lord of Runes by Dave Gross, Steve West
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe aristocratic Pathfinder Varian Jeggare and his hellspawn bodyguard Radovan (Pathfinder's answer to Sherlock Holmes and Watson) return for their fifth standalone novel... -
![Die Legende Der Terrarch 3 by William King]()
Die Legende Der Terrarch 3 by William King
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“The King of High Adventure.” Starlog.In a world of magic and gunpowder, the half-breed Rik must rise from simple soldier to the deadliest assassin the world has ever known.The plans of the Dark Brotherhood reach a crescendo as magical murder is unleashed in the conquered city of Halim... -
![Underling Revenge by Craig Halloran]()
Underling Revenge by Craig Halloran
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs Venir struggles to survive the wrath of the underlings, Fogle Boon the wizard and Mood the Blood Ranger continue the search for their missing comrade. But how will they find a man that completely disappeared from Bish without a trace? Back in the City of Bone, Melegal the thief is pushed to the limits under the thumb of the powerful Royal Lord Almen... -
![The Warrior King by Michael Wallace]()
The Warrior King by Michael Wallace
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMarching at the head of a vast army, the young ruler of the Free Kingdoms lays siege to the Dark Citadel, hoping to throw down the Dark Wizard before he can recover from the crushing defeat of the previous summer.But the Dark Wizard's weakness was only a feint, and he emerges from his citadel at the head of an unstoppable force of undead knights... -
![The Edge of Darkness by D.K. Holmberg]()
The Edge of Darkness by D.K. Holmberg
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey called him the Volatar. He came from nothing. Found his power. Became a legend, then lost it all. Now he has all the power in the world but can't touch it. With war growing, an old enemy on his heels, his best friend by his side, only the north holds the secret to reconnecting with his lost power. But war has a way of pushing old heroes aside... -
![War of Wizards by Michael Wallace]()
War of Wizards by Michael Wallace
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs the combined forces of Balsalom and the Free Kingdoms assault the dark wizard's citadel, the enemy raises an unstoppable army of wights, dragons, and dead knights to crush them. Meanwhile, in the deserts of the south, a rogue band of wizards enters the war, their motives selfish and their loyalties suspect... -
![Many Are the Dead by Anthony Ryan]()
Many Are the Dead by Anthony Ryan
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“The Faith requires all we have.” New York Times bestselling author Anthony Ryan returns to the Raven’s Shadow world in this prequel novella set ten years before the events in Blood Song. For decades the brothers of the Sixth Order have fought a savage war against the Lonak clans amidst the frozen peaks of their Dominion... -
![Weapon of Vengeance by Chris A. Jackson]()
Weapon of Vengeance by Chris A. Jackson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWeapon of Vengeance continues the story of Lad, a man crafted of magic and flesh to be the most lethal assassin the world has ever known.A weapon in pain...Guilt wracked and vengeful, Lad scours Twailin for the killer who destroyed his life. With the Assassins Guild at his beck and call, the search should be straightforward...Categorized as:
dark sword-sorcery action-adventure assassins book dark-fantasy fiction high-fantasy -
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![Die Legende Der Terrarch 2 by William King]()
Die Legende Der Terrarch 2 by William King
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA thousand years ago the world of Gaeia fell to the Terrarchs, cruel and beautiful alien invaders with a deadly secret. Masters of sorcery and intrigue they have ruled humanity with a fist of steel inside a glove of velvet. For a thousand years, ancient demons have slept, waiting for the moment of their return. Now the stars are right. Old and evil gods are wakening... -
![Gods of the Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker]()
Gods of the Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn a world locked in eternal winter and haunted by prophecy, a young boy trains for years to become the Chosen One, only for another to rise and claim his place in the start of an unmissable epic from a rising star in fantasy. The northlands of Crua are locked in eternal winter, but prophecy tells of the chosen child – who will rule in the name of their God, and take warmth back from the South... -
![The Chamber of Eternity by James E. Wisher]()
The Chamber of Eternity by James E. Wisher
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe road to immortality is a long one.With the empire secure, Otto turns his focus west.The first piece of The Immortality Engine lies across the ocean in Lord Colt’s Workshop.Complicating Otto’s mission, Eddred of Markane already in Colt’s Land trying to persuade them to help him defeat the empire... -
![Elric: The Sleeping Sorceress by Michael Moorcock]()
Elric: The Sleeping Sorceress by Michael Moorcock
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsElric of Melniboné. Traitor. Savior. Lover. Thief. Last king of a fallen empire whose cruelty was surpassed only by its beauty. Sustained by drugs and the vampiric powers of his black sword, Stormbringer, haunted by visions of a tragic past and a doomed future, Elric wanders the world in quest of oblivion. But the great lords of Law and Chaos have other plans for this tormented adventurer... -
![The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams]()
The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsNew York Times-bestselling Tad Williams’ ground-breaking epic fantasy saga of Osten Ard begins an exciting new cycle! • Volume One of The Last King of Osten ArdThe Dragonbone Chair, the first volume of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, was published in hardcover in October, 1988, launching the series that was to become one of the seminal works of modern epic fantasy... -
![Assail by Ian C. Esslemont]()
Assail by Ian C. Esslemont
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsThis followup to Ian C. Esslemont's Blood and Bone is sure to delight Malazan fans.Tens of thousands of years of ice is melting, and the land of Assail, long a byword for menace and inaccessibility, is at last yielding its secrets...
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