Books like Bartemaus
30 fantasy books to read after Bartemaus, by Stroud, Jonathan, the closest match first.
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1. Nos4r2
by Hill, Joe
- On the same lists
One of those weird trips into a nightmare land that you want to wake up from but can't. NOS4R2 reads with the same style and power of Stephen King horror...
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2. The Lightbringer Trilogy
by Weeks, Brent
- On the same lists
A recent epic fantasy trilogy, but one of the most exciting epic fantasy series the past decade. The Lightbringer has probably the most unique magic system I've seen yet in...
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3. World Without End
by Russell, Sean
- On the same lists
Sean Russell writes books for people who like to read. Ponderous, slow, and often steeped in mystery, his worlds are rich with characterization and plot. His "Moontide and Magic" is...
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4. Forgotten Beasts Of Eld
by Mckillip, Patricia A.
- On the same lists
An endearing modern classic that won the World Fantasy Award, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a powerful tale about a good young sorceress who is wronged because of man's...
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5. A Song For Arbonne
by Kay, Guy Gavriel
- On the same lists
An Historical Fantasy that focuses on the clash between two cultures and features intrigue, romance, mystery, revenge and redemption.
A book that's powerful in the beauty of its lyrical prose, the powerful descriptions, and the deep characters. This is a book that has more in common with pure historical...
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6. Talion: Revenant
by Stackpole, Michael A.
- On the same lists
List more than a few entries on this Top 100 list, Talion is a completely underrated fantasy book. Stackapole is a prolific author, writing everything from Star Wars novels, video...
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7. Elantris
by Sanderson, Brandon
- On the same lists
This fantasy fiction novel will suck you in. Elantris is one of the best standalone fantasy books in the genre. It's about addictive as chocolate and a whole lot healthier!...
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8. The Broken Sword
by Anderson, Poul
- On the same lists
Dark gritty fantasy the way it's meant to be: violent, brutal, mythical, and supremely well written. Much has been made about the recent grimdark movement, with much credit being given...
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9. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz
by Baum, L. Frank
- On the same lists
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Another classic quest story about a young girl who just wants to go home.
A true classic and not at all like the movie. Because of the popularity of the movie, many assume the book and the movie are the same; but this is...
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10. The Etched City
by Bishop, K.j.
- On the same lists
The Etched city was formed from the love union between Stephen King and China Mieville. If you want a more complex fantasy novel with a good dose of the bizarre,...
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11. Bartimaeus Sequence
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
If you're fed up with books that take themselves too seriously, Jonathan Stroud's debut series is a great place to find a break. His style is of a casual, comedic...
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12. Devices And Desires
by Parker, K. J.
- On the same lists
KJ Parker is a highly underrated author. His (or her...the author writes under a pseudonym) books are not the normal fantasy fare. Expect complicated characters, moral ambiguity, deep themes, and...
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The Monarchies Of God book 1 Start here
13. Hawkwood's Voyage
by Kearney, Paul
- On the same lists
One of the best undiscovered epic fantasy series out there a sort of A Song of Ice and Fire lite if you will. Yes, if you want to look at...
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14. Neverwhere
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
An example of the crossover between Urban Fantasy and Crossworlds. An ordinary man is transported to a world of shadows and darkness and must make his way home.
Most (all?) of Gaiman’s works are urban fantasy. The crowd favorite is Neverwhere, which is an interesting take on the whole multiverse conceit found in science fiction. The premise is...
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15. Among Others (2012)
by Walton, Jo
- On the same lists
An award-winning and break-out novel, that is about good versus evil magic, about books, about self-discovery, about imagination. It is an example of an unfolding and nonlinear plot.
Morwenna Phelps grew up in the Welsh valleys talking to fairies among the ruins of old factories. After a disaster involving her mother, a witch, she is left with a...
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The Bartimaeus book 2
16. The Golem's Eye
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
The second adventure in the Bartimaeus trilogy finds our young apprentice magician Nathaniel working his way up the ranks of the government, when crisis hits. A seemingly invulnerable clay golem...
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Bartimaeus Sequence book 3
17. Ptolemy's Gate
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
Three years have passed since the magician Nathaniel helped prevent a cataclysmic attack on London. Now an established member of the British Government, he faces unprecedented problems: foreign wars are...
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The Bartimaeus book 4
18. The Ring Of Solomon
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
Bartimaeus, everyone’s favorite (wise-cracking) djinni, is back in book four of this best-selling series, now available in paperback. As alluded to in the footnotes throughout the series, Bartimaeus has served...
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Bartimaeus Sequence book 2
19. The Golem's Eye
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
In their continuing adventures, magician's apprentice Nathaniel, now fourteen years old, and the djinni Bartimaeus travel to Prague to locate the source of a golem's power before it destroys London.
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20. Lockwood & Co Series
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
Ghosts walk the streets of London, and if they touch you, you die. Only children can see them, so what do the local Psychic Investigations Agencies do? Hire them, of...
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21. The Whispering Skull
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his...
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22. The Hollow Boy
by Stroud, Jonathan
- Same author
As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony Lockwood is dashing,...
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23. Tigana
by Kay, Guy Gavriel
- On the same lists
Tigana is based on Renaissance Italy. Kay uses Italian politics to make the story seem plausible.
Tigana is both a sweeping epic and a look into human nature – flaws and all. The characters and plot exist in an area of grey where good and evil...
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24. The Worm Ouroboros
by Eddision, E. R.
- On the same lists
If there was an award given out for the Most Influential Fantasy Novel Ever Written That No One Ever Reads, this book would get it. The book tells a stylized...
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25. The Golem And The Jinni
by Wecker, Helene
- On the same lists
In Wecker's debut novel, two very unusual immigrants arrive, separately, in 19th century immigrant New York. These two characters are (unsurprisingly) a golem named Chava, created by a Jewish rabbi...
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26. The Curse Of Chalion
by Bujold, Lois Mcmaster
- On the same lists
Lois McMaster Bujold is famous for her very atypical characters. She demonstrated this with her Miles Vorkosigan character, and she does the same thing with the Curse of Chalion. The...
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27. Good Omens
by Gaiman, Neil
- On the same lists
A sushi-loving angel, a gearhead demon and Death as a gamer nerd. Do we even need to be a plot?Why it's on this listSometimes fantasy (and its audience) takes itself...
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28. The Princess Bride
by Goldman, William
- On the same lists
A cult classic both on the page and in film, this story is full of romance, sword fights, comedy, true love, miracles, pirates, princesses, wild beasts, and a good dash of wit. An entertaining read worth every moment.
If you've never said, “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die”, you're about as rare as a swear word at Hogwarts. Part of the reason...
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29. The King Of Elfland's Daughter
by Dunsany, Lord
- On the same lists
The King of Elfland's daughter tells the tale of a human prince who is dispatched by his father to woo and wed the elf princess of a mystical land.Why it's...
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30. The Anubis Gates
by Powers, Tim
- On the same lists
An award winning novel that has time travel, historical figures, Egyptian mythology, and 19th century England.
In creating this world, Powers borrowed ideas from all over the place. Mythology, Ancient Egyptian theology, quantum theory, and classical literature“ they're all used in The Anubis Gates. It's a...
Matches come from series and authors, from the lists the books share, and from the books readers open together. They are rebuilt every night. Back to Bartemaus.
The shortlist
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