Books like 'The Dark Earth Below'
Readers who enjoyed The Dark Earth Below by Martha Wells also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy high fantasy action / adventure supernatural romance lgbtq family literary-fiction epic shapeshifters
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The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsThe final chapter in the Daevabad Trilogy, in which a con-woman and an idealistic djinn prince join forces to save a magical kingdom from a devastating civil war.Daevabad has fallen.After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people... -
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 Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 58 ratingsReturn to Daevabad in the spellbinding sequel to THE CITY OF BRASS.Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal court of Daevabad and quickly discovered she would need all her grifter instincts to survive there... -
The Consumption of Magic by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSam of Wilds faced the Dark wizard Myrin and lived to tell the tale. Granted, the battle left him scarred, but things could be a hell of a lot worse. It’s not until he reunites with Morgan of Shadows and Randall that he realizes just how much worse things could be. Because the scars have meaning and hint at Myrin’s true plans for Sam and the Kingdom of Verania... -
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Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 54 ratingsSarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old.She believed she knew every horror and was beyond surprise.She was wrong.In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep... -
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 72 ratingsWitness the fate of beloved heroes - and enemies.THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise... -
Risen by Auryn Hadley
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn the final stretch of the war, the rules are changing faster than Anglia can keep up. The Kaisae of all Iliri is gone. Her mates are holding the army together. Her dreams are changing everything—and Sal? She's not done yet. The Emperor has taken too much from her. Life, loves, and much of her happiness. All she has left is desperation—and blind trust. But she's not alone. She never has been... -
Dao Dominion by Bruce Sentar
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDar and his dao companions are free of Bellhaven and breaking ground for their new village. But the forest by their village brings its own share of problems. A feral jaguar demoness harasses their hunters while a hive of devil ettercaps threatens village’s safety.All Dar wants to do is get the village ready for the harsh winter. He needs food and lumber to do that... -
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsTarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11... -
The Reckoning by Vanessa Nelson
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMissing girls. A plea for help she can’t ignore. An ancient enemy with plans of his own. Nine-year-old girls are missing from across the lands. Yvonne has promised to find them, and she always keeps her promises. Even when she doesn’t know where to start looking. There’s more trouble around. Mercenaries are disappearing... -
The Lightning-Struck Heart by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThis edition is out of print. For current Paperback edition see: The Lightning-Struck HeartOnce upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident... -
Golden Prophecy by Paulina Vasquez
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe's not just an Alpha, he's THE Alpha. The one they fear. The one they whisper about. The one they call The Rogue King. Every King needs his Queen and Cassiopeia happens to be at the right place at the right time. They can't help who they are - He's the Rogue King and she's unlike anything he's ever met... -
A Destiny of Dragons by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsOnce upon a time, the wizard’s apprentice, Sam of Wilds, got his happily ever after in the arms of his cornerstone, Knight Commander Ryan Foxheart. A year has passed, and while Sam’s been captured five or six more times since then, things are pretty great... -
Origins by Lindsay Buroker
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAre you still human if your father was a dragon? Even though Captain Trip always knew he was a little odd, he’s still shocked by the revelation that the elder gold dragon, Agarrenon Shivar, sired him. It’s time, however, to accept reality and learn to use his power, even if it alienates him from his magic-fearing friends—and the woman he’s come to care about... -
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The Obsidian Palace by Benjamin Medrano
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsRuethwyn’s body had been made whole and her magic restored in the Frostglades to the north, though in a way she’d never anticipated. Supported by her friends, at long last, she looks to the future and her ultimate goal, to rescue those who Resvarygrath had stolen from her... -
Wings of Fire by Jocelynn Drake
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsSecrets can kill.The Goddess of Fire calls from the Isle of Stone, and Caelan must obey.But the new king must first unravel a lifetime of secrets if he wants to have any chance of saving Drayce’s life.Caelan and his companions battle dragon clans and cranky gods in their quest to protect their world from the Goddess of the Hunt... -
Wandfasted by Laurie Forest
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMagic, romance and adventure collide in WANDFASTED, the irresistible ebook prequel to THE BLACK WITCH Twenty years before Elloren Gardner enrolled at the illustrious Verpax University, Erthia was rent asunder during the devastating Realm War. When Tessla Harrow is driven from her home by the fighting, she discovers a depth of power she never knew she had.. -
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... -
Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsMaster storyteller Julie Kagawa concludes the enthralling journey into the heart of the fantastical Empire of Iwagoto in the third book of the Shadow of the Fox trilogy. As darkness rises and chaos reigns, a fierce kitsune and her shadowy protector will face down the greatest evil of all. A captivating fantasy for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Sarah J. Maas and Marie Lu... -
The Prisoner of Limnos by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsIn this sequel novella to “Mira’s Last Dance”, Temple sorcerer Penric and the widow Nikys have reached safety in the duchy of Orbas when a secret letter from a friend brings frightening news: Nikys’s mother has been taken hostage by her brother’s enemies at the Cedonian imperial court, and confined in a precarious island sanctuary... -
Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsFor the first time, an Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar's throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities.Tarisai is determined to survive. Or at least, that's what she tells her increasingly distant circle of friends... -
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... -
Magic and Mayhem by Hannah Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLife in Corent is exciting and challenging. As one of the main paranormal communities you never know what might be around the corner. Matt’s life has always been peaceful. He splits his time between helping at his mama’s shop and spending time with family, friends, and his coven... -
Reyr the Gold by Melissa Mitchell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter fulfilling an Unbreakable Promise to Cyrus, Claire has finally accepted her new life in Dragonwall. She has a new Promise and purpose—one she created for herself. She must save Dragonwall, that much is certain. What isn’t so certain, is how she will achieve this end. Powerful magic courses through her veins, and she has no idea how to control it.Mastering magic isn’t Claire’s only challenge... -
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The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsIn the highly anticipated finale to the Bone Witch trilogy, Tea’s life—and the fate of the kingdoms—hangs in the balance Tea is a bone witch with the dark magic needed to raise the dead. She has used this magic to breathe life into those she has loved and lost…and those who would join her army against the deceitful royals... -
Queen of Ice by Benjamin Medrano
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsRuethwyn hadn’t expected to risk death while attending the most renowned mage academy in the kingdom, but after surviving a dragon’s attack, she hadn’t been willing to back down. Though she’d nearly died due to her efforts, Ruethwyn managed to protect the lives of her friends and earn the grudging respect of some of her opponents... -
Ghostsmith by Nicki Pau Preto
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn this action-packed finale to the House of the Dead Duology, Wren and her friends put everything they know to the test as they battle the living and the undead to save their world.Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead... -
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... -
The Siren Depths by Martha Wells
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAll his life, Moon roamed the Three Worlds, a solitary wanderer forced to hide his true nature--until he was reunited with his own kind, the Raksura, and found a new life as consort to Jade, sister queen of the Indigo Cloud court.But now a rival court has laid claim to Moon, and Jade may or may not be willing to fight for him...Categorized as:
epic family lgbtq literary-fiction paranormal shapeshifters action-adventure audiobook -
Light Mage by Laurie Forest
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsJourney to the magical world of Erthia in this exciting full-length ebook prequel to The Black Witch by critically acclaimed author Laurie Forest.Before Elloren Gardner came to possess the Wand of Myth, the Wand was drawn to another bearer: Sagellyn Gaffney... -
Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsMage-Craft—Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior's path, wishing instead to become a Bard. Yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well... -
Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book Two by Ginn Hale
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFive years after abandoning the Sagrada Acedemy, Elezar Grunito has become infamous in the sanctified circles of noble dueling rings for his brutal temper and lethal blade. Men and women of all ranks gather to cheer and jeer, none of them knowing Elezar’s true purpose. But a violent death outside the ring marks Elezar as a wanted man and sends him into hiding in the far northern wilds of Labara... -
The Silent City by Ginn Hale
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen John opens a letter addressed to his missing roommate, Kyle, he expects to find a house key, but instead he is swept into a strange realm of magic, mysticism, revolutionaries and assassins. Though he struggles to escape, John is drawn steadily closer to a fate he share with Kyle—to wake the destroyer god, the Rifter, and shatter a world... -
Mira's Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsIn this sequel to the novella “Penric’s Mission”, the injured Penric, a Temple sorcerer and learned divine, tries to guide the betrayed General Arisaydia and his widowed sister Nikys across the last hundred miles of hostile Cedonia to safety in the Duchy of Orbas... -
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Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsAs two lethal elemental gods set out to destroy Mytica, sworn enemies must become allies in the final fight to save the kingdoms.Jonas continues to willfully defy his destiny, but the consequences of plotting his own course are drastic. As the fight for Mytica rages on, he must decide just how much more he's willing to sacrifice... -
Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, Book One by Ginn Hale
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsFive years after abandoning the Sagrada Acedemy, Elezar Grunito has become infamous in the sanctified circles of noble dueling rings for his brutal temper and lethal blade. Men and women of all ranks gather to cheer and jeer, none of them knowing Elezar’s true purpose. But a violent death outside the ring marks Elezar as a wanted man and sends him into hiding in the far northern wilds of Labara... -
Starlight by Adrienne Woods
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIn the Fifth and final part of the Dragonian Series, eighteen-year-old Elena Watkins and her dragon, the Rubicon, need to find the missing ingredients in order to free her father from Etan...Categorized as:
epic paranormal shapeshifters action-adventure alpha-mc audiobook book coming-of-age -
The Cat Returns to Adderly by Sam Burns
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOrphaned, Luke Miller is left alone and homeless with only his cat for company. But Wentworth is more than an average feline, and when Luke makes a set of leather boots to keep his paws safe, it might help them both find the path to where they belong. Previously published in Fables Retold under the same title... -
The Archer's Heart Book Three by Astrid Amara
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the ancient kingdom of Marhavad, noblemen dominate the lower castes, wielding mystic weapons, known as shartas, against any who oppose them. For generations the rule of Marhavad’s kings has been absolute. But now the line of succession is divided, and whispers of revolution are heard in even the royal palace.Keshan Adaru, an outspoken man of unearthly charms, welcomes these changes... -
The Avatar's Flames by Benjamin Medrano
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsRuethwyn’s life was promising. Talented in magic, the young elven woman didn’t fit in in her hometown, but was scheduled to attend the most renowned academy of magic in the kingdom, and was even building up the courage to confess her love in the hope that it might be returned. That all ended in a dragon’s fire... -
The Prince's Dragon by W.M. Fawkes, Sam Burns
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe last place Lord Tristram Radcliffe ever expected to find himself was right hand to the Llangardian throne. His parentage should have seen him banished, but he managed to keep his draconic secret. Now, King Reynold is dead. Long live King Roland... -
The Foxglove King by Hannah F. Whitten
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWhen Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city... -
Ride the Wave by Elizabeth Briggs
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe epic conclusion to the Her Elemental Dragons series! The Black Dragon and her men may think they’ve defeated me and my mates, but we’re not giving up without a fight. We’re the only ones who can restore balance to the world, even if it means destroying my family in the process. This time we’re taking the battle to them and we will overthrow their oppressive rule—no matter the cost... -
Sting & Song by Benjamin Medrano
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhat happens when the god of chaos wins a divine poker game? Bee-girls. The life of a giant bee is a simple one. The life of a giant bee when her queen turns the entire hive into human-like apis to fend off an attack? That’s a good deal more complicated. Getting down from a 50-foot giant rose without wings, while surviving the attacks of malevolent wasps is just a start... -
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The Queen's Bargain by Anne Bishop
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsPOWER HAS A PRICE. SO DOES LOVE. Return to the dark, sensual, and powerful world of the Black Jewels in this long-awaited new story in the New York Times bestselling fantasy saga.After a youthful mistake, Lord Dillon's reputation is in tatters, leaving him vulnerable to aristo girls looking for a bit of fun. To restore his reputation and honor, he needs a handfast--a one-year contract of marriage... -
Brighid's Quest by P.C. Cast
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIn this follow-up to Elphame's Choice, Brighid flees her centaur clan's rigid traditions and prejudice to find peace and acceptance among the humans of Clan MacCallan. When her family summons her home, Brighid must make a fateful decision... -
Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsI had a sister, once… In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart. I promised her the throne would not come between us. Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old... -
Jarrett by Kathi S. Barton
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAddison Parker is on the run. No matter how fast she runs, or how far she travels she can't hide from herself, or the gift she's been cursed with. She can read people's minds and with a touch can see into their future. That is a secret that she has learned to keep well everyone always wanted something from her when they learned what she could do. It's easier to avoid people all together... -
Bright Familiar by Jeffe Kennedy
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe wanted her with consuming passion... and so did the monster within.Lady Veronica Elal has been freed from her tower—and entered a life of servitude. It doesn’t matter that her wizard master has odd ideas about circumventing Convocation tradition and making their relationship equal. Nic prides herself on her practicality and that means not pretending her marriage is full of hearts and flowers... -
Blackstone by Shea Godfrey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Captain Darrius Durand and Princess Jessa of Lyoness announce their love, they know it will be an end to many things. What they do not expect is that it will be the beginning of so much more. For good or ill, in the wake of their declaration, the tide of events that sweep through the corridors of Blackstone Keep will change the course of history...
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