Books like The Dark Is Rising
30 fantasy books to read after The Dark Is Rising, by Cooper, Susan, the closest match first.
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1. The God Stalker Chronicles
by Hodgell, P.c.
- On the same lists
Virtually unknown by most and recently reprinted, The God Stalker Chronicles are very underrated. For those in the know, this is one of the better unknown series out there. The...
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2. The Chronicles Of Amber
by Zelazny, Roger
- On the same lists
Not strictly unknown, yet still ignored by the average fantasy reader. The world of Amber is one of the most original and most interesting fantasy worlds out there - something...
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3. Winds Of The Forelands
by Coe, David B.
- On the same lists
A character-driven fantasy with plenty of magic to boot. It’s fallen by the wayside with all the recent fantasy that’s come out, but it’s a sharp tale with great characterization,...
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The Dark Is Rising book 2
4. The Dark Is Rising
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
Harry Potter did the English magician story very well, but it also overshadowed some incredible books with similar settings. Will is a chosen one of sorts, one of the few...
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5. Book Of The Jhereg
by Brust, Steven
- On the same lists
Steven Brust, while known in some circles, seems to be largely ignored by most fantasy readers these days. For a certain type of fantasy - heavy comic book action with...
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Song Of Albion book 1 Start here
6. The Paradise War
by Lawhead, Stephen R.
- On the same lists
A crossover series where the protagonists (university students) are transported from ordinary London to ancient times. This alternate world is filled with Celtic mythology as well as Christian themes.
One of Stephen Lawhead’s lesser-known works, but perhaps the most beautiful. It tells the tale of an ordinary man, Lewis, who’s a graduate student from Oxford. Lewis is a rather...
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7. Wheel Of The Infinite
by Wells, Martha
- On the same lists
An original fantasy standalone with a bit of an eastern flavor. It gets much less attention than her “The Death of a Necromancer” but is, in my opinion, every bit...
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8. The Silmarillion
by Tolkien, J.r.r.
- On the same lists
The author J.R.R. Tolkien is certainly not underrated but his majestic work, The Silmarillion gets very little attention compared to his other great works, The Hobbit and The Lord of...
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9. Wars Of Light And Shadow
by Wurts, Janny
- On the same lists
Another “forgotten” epic fantasy. As seems to be the case with these forgotten epic fantasies, there is a big tradeoff between action and characterization, this series opting for characterization over...
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10. Monarchies Of God
by Kearney, Paul
- On the same lists
A lot of people call Kearney's Monarchies of God 'A Game of Thrones Lite.' And for the most part, this is true. There are a five books (each only a...
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11. Fafhrd And The Gray Mouser
by Chaykin, Howard
- On the same lists
Leiber helped to pioneer the sword-and-sorcery genre and is widely hailed as one of the most influential fantasy writers ever. Unfortunately, he's never received the credit he deserves for such...
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The Dark Is Rising book 1 Start here
12. Over Sea
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
Three children on a holiday in Cornwall find an ancient manuscript which sends them on a dangerous quest for a grail that would reveal the true story of King Arthur.
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13. The Dark Is Rising Sequence
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
The setting is our world, but rooted in a mythological Celtic past.
One of the best YA epic fantasy series. Well-developed characters that are stereotypical but still exhibit a surprising amount of depth. A standard save-the-world plot, but one that still evokes...
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The Dark Is Rising book 3
14. Greenwitch
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
Includes an excerpt from the next story in the Dark Rising Sequence, 'The grey king.'
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The Dark Is Rising book 4
15. The Grey King
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
Will Stanton, the youngest of the Old Ones who guard the world against the Dark, is sent to stay with relatives in Wales to recover from an illness that has...
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The Dark Is Rising book 5
16. Silver On The Tree
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
"And Where the Midsummer Tree Grows Tall by Pendragon's Sword the Dark Shall Fall." The Dark is rising in its last and greatest bid to control the world. Six individuals...
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The Dark Is Rising book 1 Start here
17. Over Sea
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
Part of Cooper's Dark Is Rising fantasy, "Over Sea, Under Stone" is now available in this digest edition.
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The Dark Is Rising book 3
18. Greenwitch
by Cooper, Susan
- Same author
Simon, Jane, and Barney, enlisted by their mysterious great-uncle, arrive in a small coastal town to recover a priceless golden grail stolen by the forces of evil -- Dark. They...
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19. Bartemaus
by Stroud, Jonathan
- On the same lists
This series follows a magician in training and Bartimaeus, a 5,000 year old djinni (who has quite the wit).
In a genre that's collapsing under the weight of cloned Tolkien worlds, hackneyed plots, and stick-thin characters, it's hard to find something new and interesting. That is until you read...
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20. 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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21. 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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The Second Sons book 1 Start here
22. The Lion Of Senet
by Fallon, Jennifer
- On the same lists
Another series that seems to be virtually ignored by the general public. Perhaps because it’s a low fantasy series (i.e. there is no magic, though the world is a sort...
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23. 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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24. The Chronicles Of Prydain
by Alexander, Lloyd
- On the same lists
You might call this a more focused, mini version of The Lord of the Rings and one that most of you will probably never have heard of. It's an older...
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25. 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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26. 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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Magics book 1 Start here
27. Master Of The Five Magics
by Hardy, Lyndon
- On the same lists
A series with the most logical and detailed magic systems ever invented. This is one for those analytical readers who like magic to actually make sense and follow consistent rules.
The story follows Alodar, an apprentice magician, as he discovers and masters the five paths of magic. It's an exciting adventure that's virtually unknown by the modern fantasy reader and...
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28. Garrett, P.i. Series
by Cook, Glen
- On the same lists
Gritty detective fantasy in a warzone - this is The Dresden Files before Dresden. Garrot PI has been vastly overshadowed by Cook’s The Black Company, but these are actually some...
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29. Man Of His Word
by Duncan, Dave
- On the same lists
A beloved fantasy series by all who've read it, though few modern fantasy readers have read it. This is probably one of the best hidden epic fantasy gems out there...
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30. 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...
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 The Dark Is Rising.
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