Books like The Privilege Of The Sword
27 fantasy books to read after The Privilege Of The Sword, by Kushner, Ellen, the closest match first.
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1. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone
by Rowling, J. K.
- On the same lists
Say what you may, but on a list of fantasy books with female authors, J.K. Rowling, likely the most popular female fantasy author of all time, can hardly be left...
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2. The Queen Of The Tearling
by Johansen, Erika
- On the same lists
One of the more recently published novels on this list, Queen of the Tearling has elicited strong reactions; this seems to be one of those love it or hate it...
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3. The True Game Series
by Tepper, Sheri S.
- On the same lists
Warning: get ready to commit if you enjoy this stories; The True Game series is not just a trilogy, it's a trilogy of trilogies. This unique delivery of her story,...
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Song Of The Lioness book 1 Start here
4. Alanna: The First Adventure
by Pierce, Tamora
- On the same lists
While Tamora Pierce's novels are mainly marketed towards younger readers, her Song of the Lioness series is still a worthwhile read, especially if you're looking for a break from some...
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World Of The Five Gods book 1 Start here
5. The Curse Of Chalion
by Bujold, Lois Mcmaster
- On the same lists
Lois McMaster Bujold did not start off writing fantasy, instead rising to fame in the early 1990s as a prolific science-fiction novelist, winning numerous accolades such as the Hugo, Nebula,...
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Sword Of Shadows book 1 Start here
6. A Cavern Of Black Ice
by Jones, J. V.
- On the same lists
Set in the same world as her bestselling The Book of Words trilogy, A Cavern of Black Ice is the first book in the separate Sword of Shadows series. This...
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7. Ash: A Secret History
by Gentle, Mary
- On the same lists
A gritty, realistic story that is also a part Military Fantasy; set in medieval France.
Ash: A Secret History is one of the few novels on this list with ties to the present world, framed from the start and throughout as a story a historian...
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8. The Golden Key
by Rawn, Melanie
- On the same lists
The Golden Key is the only book on this list with multiple authors (and three of them at that), perhaps because such works have a tendency to be disjointed, a...
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9. The Goblin Emperor
by Addison, Katherine
- On the same lists
This Hugo and Nebula nominee goes outside the realm of traditional fantasy in a blend of steampunk and dark magic. All too often, fantasy focuses on human protagonists, or half-elves/faeries....
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10. 1991: Thomas The Rhymer
by Kushner, Ellen
- Same author
Thomas is a young and flashy balladeer who follows the various courts of the mighty while preserving a friendship with a farming couple and flirting with their pretty neighbor. Thomas...
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11. Swordspoint
by Kushner, Ellen
- Same author
A definitive example of the Fantasy of Manners sub-genre. This is a witty novel with plot twists, humor, and interesting characters.
Perhaps the quintessential definition of the 'fantasy of manners' subgenre (sometimes referred to as 'mannerpunk'). It's a book that brilliantly combines elements of court intrigue, unbridled human emotion, and sword...
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12. Thomas The Rhymer (1991)
by Kushner, Ellen
- Same author
Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner won the 1991 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel
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13. Swordspoint: A Melodrama Of Manners
by Kushner, Ellen
- Same author
Considering the theatrical title of the book, this is a light and easy to read fantasy that manages to be equal parts refreshing and enchanting.Why it made this listWe love...
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Farseer book 1 Start here
14. Assassin's Apprentice
by Hobb, Robin
- On the same lists
Several sets of linked trilogies and short stories of high fantasy set in the same world.
How could a story about the apprentice of an assassin not be grimdark? It couldn't, that's how. This first entry sparked off three trilogies about the one protagonist, which contain...
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15. 2004: Tooth And Claw
by Walton, Jo
- On the same lists
Different from other books in the Fantasy of Manners sub-genre in that the characters are dragons. It is a story about the death of a patriarch and love, money, and familial conflict.
The story opens with a moderately well-to-do family gathering at the deathbed of their father, and fighting over the inheritance - not his gold hoard, which has been divided equitably,...
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16. Kushiel's Dart
by Carey, Jacqueline
- On the same lists
Comparisons to George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series abound when discussing Kushiel's Dart, but this novel isn't what you would think of as typical fantasy;...
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17. War Of Light And Shadow
by Wurts, Janny
- On the same lists
This series is epic in every sense of the word. It takes place over many generations, its world is complex and detailed and the quest at the heart of the...
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Temeraire book 1 Start here
18. His Majesty's Dragon
by Novik, Naomi
- On the same lists
This series explores a post-colonial world and both sides have their faults.
The Napoleonic Wars seem to be an especially fascinating era for writers; this series is the second on the list set in this time period at the turn of the...
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Worldbreaker Saga book 1 Start here
19. The Mirror Empire
by Hurley, Kameron
- On the same lists
This first installment in the Worldbreaker Saga (the second came out last October) is an epic fantasy with intriguing world(s), an engaging plot, and complex characters. Throughout the 500 plus...
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20. 1975: The Forgotten Beasts Of Eld
by Mckillip, Patricia A.
- On the same lists
Sybel is 16 years old, and alone in the world, orphaned by her princess mother and her wizard father. Her only goal in life is to maintain the magical animals...
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21. 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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22. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
by Jemisin, N. K.
- On the same lists
First book in The Inheritance Trilogy, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms centers on the novel's narrator, Yeine, granddaughter of the ruler of the world. Yeine suddenly is named heir to this...
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The Mists Of Avalon book 1 Start here
23. The Mists Of Avalon
by Bradley, Marion Zimmer
- On the same lists
A story of King Arthur's court, through the eyes of Arthur's half-sister Morgaine Le Fay.
I can't do a list of the top 50 fantasy novels with strong female leads without including The Mists of Avalon. Considered one of the great classics of modern fantasy...
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24. War For The Oaks
by Bull, Emma
- On the same lists
What happens when a rock star is pulled into a supernatural conflict between good and evil? Well, let's head on over to Minneapolis of all places and find out
It was in the 80s that the subgenres of fantasy we know today started. One of these – urban fantasy – owes much of its development from War for the...
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Howl’s Moving Castle book 1 Start here
25. Howl's Moving Castle
by Jones, Diana Wynne
- On the same lists
A journey of discovery and wonder. This story is part fairy tale, but flips some of the typical conventions—like the main character is an old lady.
Before famous director, Hayao Miyazaki turned Howl's Moving Castle into an animated film, it was an enchanting novel written by Diana Wynn Jones. This novel follows the life a young...
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26. 2005: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
by Clarke, Susanna
- On the same lists
The revival of magic in an alternate Britain with two very different magicians and some fairies, too.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is an epic tale of the rebirth of magic in nineteenth-century England. Taking place among the regular historical occurrences of the time, the main difference...
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The Earthsea Cycle book 1 Start here
27. A Wizard Of Earthsea
by Guin, Ursula K. Le
- On the same lists
Today, Ursula K. Le Guin’s magic system may not sound exceptional. Like many, it uses the knowledge of true names to control elements, creatures, and even humans. Consider, however, that...
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 Privilege Of The Sword.
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