Book picks similar to
King's Exile by William L. Culbertson
fantasy
dragons
epic-fantasy-series
first-in-series
The Awakening
Stuart Meczes - 2012
A geeky, social pariah, he's the victim of constant bullying at school. His home life isn't much better with a stepfather who resents him and a half brother who is better than him at everything.But that all changes the day the mysterious and beautiful Gabriella De Luca walks into his life. Everyone wants to know her, to be with her. But she is interested in Alex.Because Alex is different.Soon afterwards he is thrown into a world he never thought possible. A world where he and others like him are the last line of defence. A world where an ancient unspeakable evil lurks. Evil which seeks to consume him.DILECTI SURGEMUS - SOCII POLLEMUS(Chosen we rise - Allied we prevail)
Witch's Reign
Shannon Mayer - 2018
If I can find a way out, if I can find a way to escape, perhaps I can outrun this curse. But that means passing through the Ice Witch's realm-something no one has returned from. But life has a funny way of changing directions on you. A freak accident. A child in danger. And a damn Warlock named Merlin who thinks he can manipulate me. It looks like I'm about to start a journey I never planned on, to face a Witch who has never been challenged, in an attempt to survive a storm of magic, danger, and trickery.
Confrontation
Nathan Hystad - 2019
An unfamiliar crew. An old nemesis. Thomas Baldwin has been appointed captain of the state-of-the-art cruise ship Constantine, named after his heroic grandfather. When their first diplomatic mission turns deadly, all signs point to the return of a former adversary, one the Concord claims to have defeated five decades earlier. No one has seen Baldwin’s commander, Treena Starling, since her previous ship was destroyed in a gruesome battle, leaving her the sole survivor. Can her secret help them rescue one of their crew members from captivity at the enemy’s hands? When the Concord advises Baldwin to walk away from a fight, he must rely on his new crew, including the AI based on his younger grandfather, Constantine, to make the right decisions. One wrong step, and Captain Baldwin could be throwing the entire Concord into another intergalactic war...and this time they might not be so lucky. Confrontation is the first book in the epic new Baldwin’s Legacy series, written by the best-selling author of the Survivors series.
Rebel Dragon
Steve Turnbull - 2019
Being responsible for a racing dragon means her existence is more than just drudgery and fear, even if her life is at the whim of her masters and their rules.But when her dragon wakes her in the middle of the night Kantees is forced to make a life-or-death decision that breaks her masters’ rules and means her own life is forfeit.Escaping on the back of dragons, with a hodgepodge of unwelcome associates, she attempts to right a wrong that can never be fixed. Until, ultimately, she must put her own life on the line to keep the freedom she has stolen for herself.
The First Book in the Dragons of Esternes Epic fantasy series.
Child of the Sword
J.L. Doty - 2012
A feral, filthy and malnourished child; he haunts the streets of the medieval city Anistigh and survives on what he can steal. When he tries to steal a purse and bungles it, a mob wants to cut off his hand as punishment, so to save himself he slips into a convenient shadow to hide. Rat thinks it's just another warm and comfortable shadow cast by the sun, but a clan wizard sees him create the shadow with his magic, an instinctive act of which Rat is unaware. Rat's magic is subtle, but potentially quite powerful, so he is adopted into the greatest of the Lesser Clans, adopted into a family, and given the name Morgin.Morgin quickly grows into manhood and the clan teaches him wizardry and sorcery and swordsmanship. Having survived the streets of Anistigh, Morgin is inclined to avoid conflict, would be content to remain on the sidelines in the ever present clan rivalries. But as a clansman he inherits the enemies of the clan, and his shadowmagic proves to be a potent weapon. And when he comes into possession of a powerful talismanic sword, he's thrust into the forefront of the clan rivalries. As the ancestral conflict between the Greater and Lesser Clans once again leads to war, not even the clans realize that their petty little war is spawned by the primeval battle between the righteous gods of the Celestial Plane and the fallen gods of the Nether Plane. And Morgin learns that it is upon the Mortal Plane, with mortal lives, and mortal pain and suffering and death; it is upon the Mortal Plane that the gods meet and fight their wars.
Bound to the Abyss
James R. Vernon - 2014
Settlements abound, both large and small, each with a life of their own and hidden secrets.Except Rottwealth. A backwater village, surrounded by mountains and ignored by most, nothing of merit ever leaves the valley. Aside, of course, from the mystical plant which shares its name. A plant that can heal even the most dire wounds in a matter of moments, and flourishes within the swamp that takes up part of the valley.Ean Sangrave, a disgruntled Healer’s apprentice barely in his twenties, wants to escape and start a new life outside of the village that hates him. If the village ever discovered Ean's ability to summon creatures from the Abyss - like his closest friend, Zin the imp - judgment would be swift and punishment final.When an unconquerable monster takes residence in the new mine, the mayor’s oldest son, Bran Erikson, is given the task of traveling to the capital city Lurthalan to seek help. To the surprise of the entire village, he chooses Ean to accompany him. But with a connection to a taboo god and a power he barely understands, can Ean fit into the world outside of his secluded village, or will the stigma that has been placed on him since birth follow him the rest of his life.
Dragon of Ash & Stars: The Autobiography of a Night Dragon
H. Leighton Dickson - 2016
When a violent storm strikes his island aerie, he is carried on hurricane winds into the complicated and sometimes cruel world of men. There, his journey takes him from fisher dragon to farmer, pit-fighting dragon to warrior, each step leading him closer to a remarkable destiny. But war is coming to the land of Remus and with it, a crossroads for the Night Dragon and the young soul-boy he allows on his back. How far is Stormfall willing to go in a war that is not his own?
The Complete Trilogy
Aaron Hodges - 2017
Now that balance has been shattered, and chaos threatens. A town burns and flames light the night sky. Hunted and alone, seventeen year old Eric flees through the wreckage. The mob grows closer, baying for the blood of their tormentor. Guilt weighs on his soul, but he cannot stop, cannot turn back. If he stops, they die. For two years he has carried this curse, bringing death and destruction wherever he goes. But now there is another searching for him – one who offers salvation. His name is Alastair and he knows the true nature of the curse. Magic. BOOK 2: Firestorm The Gods have fallen. The Three Nations are in chaos. Archon is coming. Enala is surrounded, trapped on the blood-soaked sands of Malevolent Cove. Desperate and alone, she faces the sky, watching as the Gold dragons circle. Yet it is not the beasts she fears – but the men and woman encircling her. They promise their protection, but they are only words, and she has already lost everything to betrayal. Swamped by grief, she teeters on the edge of madness. Meanwhile, Eric is close to mastering the curse of his magic. The perilous force writhes within him, desperate for freedom, but he refuses to bend to its will. Instead, he is determined to wield it for good, to right the wrongs of his past. BOOK 3: Soul Blade The Three Nations are crumbling. Darkness is gathering. And only Eric remains to stand against it. Eric stumbles through the wilderness, searching, hunting – desperate for sign of his sister. But the girl is gone, stolen away by the power of the Soul Blade. With each passing hour its hold on her tightens, her spirit fading before the onslaught of its magic. If he cannot save her soon, it will claim her soul. And he will have to kill her. Meanwhile, Gabriel is trapped, imprisoned in the black cells beneath Ardath. The darkness presses in around him, absolute, suffocating. Time, hope, sanity, all have long since slipped beneath the waves of his despair. Only it remains – the unrelenting voice of the demon. It haunts the darkness, tempting him with the promise of freedom. How long can he resist its call? From New York Times Bestselling Author Aaron Hodges comes The Sword of Light TRILOGY
Heartless
Anne Elisabeth Stengl - 2010
She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror. Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.
The Floating Islands
Rachel Neumeier - 2011
The Floating Islands are unlike anything Trei has ever seen: stunning, majestic, and graced with kajurai, men who soar the skies with wings.Trei is instantly sky-mad, and desperate to be a kajurai himself. The only one who fully understands his passion is Araene, his newfound cousin. Prickly, sarcastic, and gifted, Araene has a secret of her own . . . a dream a girl cannot attain.Trei and Araene quickly become conspirators as they pursue their individual paths. But neither suspects that their lives will be deeply entwined, and that the fate of the Floating Islands will lie in their hands.Filled with rich language, and told in alternating voices, The Floating Islands is an all-encompassing young adult fantasy read.
Wanderer's Song
P.E. Padilla - 2020
The Malatirsay would come, the Chosen One to save the world of Dizhelim, wielding magic unseen in centuries. To prepare for this future time, the Hero Academy was built, its sole purpose to train the One. But it has lost its focus throughout the ages, not watching vigilantly for the signs of the end.The time has arrived and the animaru have come, dark creatures of un-life, intent on snuffing out all living things and light itself. But where is the Malatirsay?Aeden Tannoch, trained as a highland clan warrior, raised by the Gypta traveling people, could be the One, but he cannot use the promised magic. Yet. In the midst of the dark swarm invading his world, he must travel to the Hero Academy to seek the aid and tutelage of the masters there. The enemy has caught his scent and pursues him. If he doesn’t learn to use the power he is prophesied to employ, not only will he fall, but the entire world will die with him.
The Sorceress of Ashtown, Part I
Brandon Varnell - 2017
Only nobles, people with power and prestige, are allowed within these hallowed grounds—which explains why Caspian Ignis del Sol is hated by everyone. He's not a noble, or of even slightly noble lineage. As payment for being enrolled in the academy, Caspian is sometimes given tasks to perform that take him outside of the academy walls. This time, his job is to deliver a letter to a Sorceress living in Ashtown, but when the train that he’s riding on is attacked by a mysterious band of thugs in cloaks, he’ll find that there is a whole lot more to this quest than he first imagined.
Curse of Shadows and Thorns
L.J. Andrews - 2021
A curse without an end. A love that will bring a kingdom to its knees.Long ago, Elise's ancestors stole the crown from the fae king. As the niece of the brutal, current king, her purpose is to do whatever is asked to ensure her family keeps the throne for centuries to come. The trouble is, Elise would rather sneak into gambling halls with the servants than be a silent princess at a ball.Soon reckless games are ended when her uncle forces her into negotiations for a marriage. If she refuses, her deathly-ill father will pay the price.Trapped by her sense of duty, Elise is given to the charge of Legion Grey, the handsome and mysterious dowry negotiator. But Legion holds more than her future in his hands. He incites her anger and a forbidden passion.When a coup upends the kingdom, Elise flees with Legion, only to discover he holds more secrets than anyone. Unknowingly, Elise sets in motion a beastly curse Legion has endured as long as he can remember.As secrets unravel about Legion's vicious past, questions rise over who has the true right to the throne. When answers come, more lives are put at stake, and Elise is forced to make an impossible choice: avoid a bloody game by leaving Legion to the beast within, or end his curse and restore magic to the land by sacrificing a life--hers.For fans of Court of Thorns and Roses and The Shadows Between Us, this tale of a rebellious princess and cursed rogue is seductively romantic. Part Viking, part Beauty and the Beast, one-click to preorder a dark, swoon-worthy slow burn romance with the perfect amount of sweet and steam.
Firebolt
Adrienne Woods - 2013
Right. Teenage girls don’t believe in fairy tales, and sixteen-year old Elena Watkins was no different.Until the night a fairy tale killed her father.Now Elena’s in a new world, and a new school. The cutest guy around may be an evil dragon, a Prince wants Elena’s heart, and a long dead sorcerer may be waking up to kill her. Oh. And the only way Elena’s going to graduate is on the back of a dragon of her own.Teenage girls don’t believe in fairy tales. Now it’s time for Elena to believe – in herself.
Drifters' Alliance, Book 1
Elle Casey - 2015
One hand of cards and it's all over but the crying... Cass Kennedy finally gets what she's been dreaming of for the past ten years: a drifter ship to call her own. All the sim time and battle training is going to pay off in spades as she sets her course for the future. She'll be living on her own terms, not those of her father's. But drifting through deep space with a crew of nutty strangers on the DS Anarchy carries a lot more surprises than she bargained for. Nobody told her that her ship is falling apart, that dead chickens are something you really want to hang on to, and that the OSG has big plans for the universe that don't necessarily jibe with her plans for herself. Jump onboard with Cass and her crew as she charts a course toward an alliance that will either make her or break her as Captain of the DS Anarchy. SERIES: This is Book 1 in a series of 3 or more GENRE: Science Fiction, Space Opera AUDIENCE: For older teens and adults CONTENT WARNING: Colorful language, sexy stuff, and general badassery