Book picks similar to
Hand of Fire by Thomas Rath


fantasy
fiction
good-reads
high-fantasy

Abhaya


Saiswaroopa Iyer - 2015
    A thoroughly enjoyable read" - Amish Tripathi A tale set in the times of Mahabharata. An assertive and idealistic Princess Abhaya meets the enigmatic Krishna Vaasudeva. A bereaved Dhatri, hounded by her own family is saved by Lord Bhauma. When subverted religion becomes a tool in the hands of power thirsty and strikes Bharatavarsha, the land of Aryas, Abhaya finds herself face to face with the impending doom. “Can we combat the fear with faith? Can we keep our faith undeterred when the last traces of hope melt away? Can we receive blame and adulation, accept them and yet not give in to them?” An excitingly different take on one of the myriad legends celebrating the light vs. darkness matrix that defines Diwali. The sparkling narration adds new facets to the compelling tale of the killing of the demon, Narakasur - Sangeeta Bahadur, Author of Kaal Trilogy Saiswaroopa Iyer is an IITian and an investment professional turned author.

Benjamin Ashwood Series


A.C. Cobble - 2018
     A young man leaves his small village with mysterious strangers on an epic journey. Life is simple in Ben’s village until an unexpected attack brings the arrival of exciting strangers. Before he understands what is happening, the strangers have recruited his sister to go with them on an adventure. Ben leaves with them to ensure her safety. Soon, they venture into a more dangerous world than he ever imagined. Mages, demons, thieves, and assassins are just a few of the perils they will face on an epic journey to a city shrouded in myth and legend. As the story unfolds, the stakes get higher, and much more than Ben’s life is at risk. Against the backdrop of warring political, economic, and military factions, Ben and his friends battle a threat to all of mankind. Ben's knowledge and skill grows, but he must decide if he will live under the control of the unscrupulous leaders who rule the land, flee from them, or break them. Packed full of action and adventure, Benjamin Ashwood is perfect for fans of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, or Jeff Wheeler’s Muirwood.

IN WINTER'S GRIP: A 1940s' Mystery Thriller


Gordon John Thomson - 2014
    The action of this period romantic mystery takes place in the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne two years after the end of the war, as Britain is caught in the grip of the worst winter in a thousand years. As blizzards rage and the country grinds to a frozen standstill, on Tyneside a young German woman, Elsa Platten, goes on trial for her life, accused of deliberately burning a man to death... Alexander Galbraith is the lawyer hired to defend her, a man undergoing a personal crisis of his own, since his vengeful wife, Virginia, has discovered evidence of a homosexual affair and is threatening to ruin him... Jack Raisbeck is the owner of the Tyneside shipyard where the murdered man, a Dutchman called Jeroen van Rijn, worked. Jack is a physically scarred and cynical survivor of the war in the North Atlantic but his developing romantic relationship with Elsa in the months before the murder has rejuvenated him. Yet, as Elsa begins her trial, Jack is also struggling to keep his shipyard business alive, beset with a rebellious workforce led by union leader Ernie Wilmot, and with the financial future of his yard hanging in the balance after a recent arson attack and an act of embezzlement by his former chief accountant, George Hetherington. As the evidence against Elsa unfolds in the course of the trial, she re-lives her past life in Germany and Holland: the rise of the Nazis and the invasion of Holland, her subsequent betrayal and deportation to the East, and her escape and struggle to survive the fall of Berlin. Jack and Alexander Galbraith both believe in Elsa’s innocence but that belief is strongly tested as the evidence against her grows. The trail to find the truth leads both men in unexpected directions. For Jack it leads to a confrontation with his brother-in-law on a frozen cliff top, and to other disturbing family revelations. For Galbraith it is something even worse - he has to make the ultimate choice between preserving his own career and reputation, or saving his client from the hangman...

The Manifestation of Caleb Lewis


Timothy D. Tims - 2015
    Caleb himself falls into a dark place. Brilliant, athletic, and charismatic, he begins to use his talents to manipulate those around him. Turning his back on everyone, Caleb descends into a world of drugs, sex, and violence. Rising to be the greatest college quarterback in the nation and playing for the National Championship, Caleb has power, wealth, and women but he continues to inflict pain on everyone around him until in the depths of despair he finds hope. THE MANIFESTATION OF CALEB LEWIS is a magical story of triumph, hope, love and perseverance

Forgotten Fortress: The Complete Swordmaster Trilogy


Rutger Krenn - 2018
    He flees … and plunges headlong into an epic quest of even greater danger. Talon, ruthlessly pursued by the warrior band, returns to the land of his birth. He finds it threatened by an army. The mountain fortress that guards the narrow pass into the realm is undermanned. Worse, the kingdom’s soldiers are fighting a battle on another front. There are no reinforcements. The fortress will soon fall. When it does, the enemy will ravage an entire kingdom. Talon risks his life to bring word to allies who might help. But to reach them, he must somehow pass through the very army set to destroy his homeland. He begins the quest, but the warrior band has not given up the hunt. Nor is the invading army led by a man, but by a sorcerer ready to risk anything for victory. Talon is beset by enemies at every step, including a creature of dark power that stalks him. The road to safety is long, and the hope of success is short. Yet, in the darkest hour of his life, he finds an unexpected ally. A girl of striking courage helps him, and he falls in love with her. But if his quest fails, only smoke and ash will remain of the future they might have shared. This boxed set contains the entire Swordmaster trilogy, previously released as Fortress of the Forgotten. This is a remastered and expanded edition.

Peace on Earth (isn't what what we're good at)


Audrey Faye - 2018
    We're just two women who know what it is to need one." Jane has problems, and this December, keeping her assassin best friend from actually killing somebody isn't the biggest one. Her songwriting muse keeps trying to rise from the dead, they have a new sidekick they can't seem to dislodge from the back seat, and it's that time of year when the ghosts of Christmas shake their chains and make an unbearable season even worse. Peace on Earth isn't what they're good at - but it's coming for them anyhow. Which isn't anything a couple of assassins want for Christmas. (Previously published as Lesbian Assassins, which was a nod to how the story got started, and a terrible description of its contents. Heavily revised to become the tale of holiday redemption Carly & Jane apparently always intended to become!)

Blood and Steel


Martin Parece - 2011
    Aquis is the largest of the Western Kingdoms, ruled by its benificent Queen Erella, High Priestess to Garod, leader of the gods of light.The son of a farmer in the bountiful kingdom Aquis, Cor Pelson had always been different. Shortly after he was born came the horrific coughing attacks, and his skin changed color to a gray reminiscent of the grave. He is a Dahken, a race the Loszian necromancers fear, reviled by the Western priests, and thought extinct by both. As a child, strangers entered his life, even if only briefly, and drove home that there are those that would bend him to their wills. Frightened and determined to protect those he loves, Cor steals away from home. He finds that the world is not the good, safe place that his parents taught him of, but in fact is a cruel, brutal place where blood flows readily and the ability to protect himself is paramount.He finds, even on the open sea, that those who would control the power within his blood follow him, intent on inflicting harm upon those around him. He must learn to tap the power within his blood to find his own path, take revenge and build a new world for his kind.

Anakisha's Dragon


Eileen Mueller - 2021
    A dashing dragon rider in the right place at the wrong time. And an unlikely pirate captain with nothing left to lose.Being a dragon rider is not in Anakisha’s plans. And Anakisha’s stubborn. She’s not giving up her dreams anytime soon.When Anakisha’s brother is murdered by a gang, she joins the Night Wings, a team of local vigilantes, and takes to the streets to avenge him. With a soft spot for defending underdogs, she’s found her niche.The Night Wing’s leader is the dreamy golden-haired son of the village arbitrator — a fine catch. If she can impress his father, she can marry him and improve her family’s fortune. But the underbelly of Fieldhaven is rife with politics and deceit. Although Anakisha is good with a bow and a dagger, she’s not always the best judge of character…And her plans do not include a dragon.But then, the King’s Rider appears on his sleek onyx dragon.And a bloodthirsty pirate captain rises to power, spreading terror on the Naobian Sea.Leaving Anakisha torn between her dream and her duty…

The Chronicles of the Black Gate: Books 1-3


Phil Tucker - 2017
    Includes bonus prequel: Escape from Bythos.When his hated liege lord dies in battle against invading heretics, Asho thinks his dream of becoming a knight has become a possiblity. However, with war engulfing the empire and old enemies seeking the destruction of his new Lady, Asho soon realizes that he may have to sacrifice everything - even his dreams of valor and honor - if they are to survive.Driven into exile and hunted by countless foes both mundane and demonic, Asho must rely on his burgeoning power and the unlikeliest of allies if he is to survive - and decide if he wishes to save the empire from the ancient secrets that are tearing it apart, or bend his will to destroying it.The Path of Flames (Book 1)A war fueled by the dark powers of forbidden sorcery is about to engulf the Ascendant Empire. Agerastian heretics, armed with black fire and fueled by bitter hatred, seek to sever the ancient portals that unite the empire - and in so doing destroy it.Asho--a squire with a reviled past--sees his liege, the Lady Kyferin, and her meager forces banished to an infamous ruin. Beset by tragedy and betrayal, demons and an approaching army, the fate of the Kyferins hangs by the slenderest of threads. Asho realizes that their sole hope of survival may lie hidden within the depths of his scarred soul--a secret that could reverse their fortunes and reveal the truth behind the war that wracks their empire.The Black Shriving (Book 2)After a harrowing battle Lady Kyferin and her stalwart followers have earned themselves a brief respite from Lord Laur's fury. They know, however, that the next assault will be impossible to resist. Their sole hope of survival lies in forging an alliance with the only force capable of resisting the empire's might: the Agerastian heretics themselves.The Siege of Abythos (Book 3)Lady Iskra and her followers have survived the onslaught of demons, forged powerful alliances, and are finally ready to wreck righteous vengeance on their enemies. Yet even as they begin their endgame, a new danger arises that threatens to annihilate everything in its path, heretic or no: Tharok, the greatest peril to humanity since Ogri the Destroyer.

Shadows on the Highway


C.S. Valentine - 2016
    This collection of delightfully twisted, supernatural short stories will captivate your imagination and entertain your darker side. A monster with a love of bakery, an old woman living in fear with her ex-con nephew, a widow with only one chance left, and a demon with a dark and powerful heart, are some of the characters wrestling with their darker selves in this enjoyable collection.

SPQR: The Roman Empire has just discovered a terrifying new world


Richard Blade - 2019
    In 55 B.C. the Roman Senate orders their most honored general, Demetrius Varinica, to cease mourning his wife and return to Rome to lead a fleet on an ill-fated invasion. The general and a handful of survivors from the devastated Fifteenth Legion wash up on an unknown shore and find themselves in a terrifying new world where every moment is a battle to stay alive. Befriended by a peaceful tribe, these hardened warriors learn a different way of life, existing with nature, without war, without fighting. But even as a new day dawns, a terrifying evil falls upon the land and confronts Demetrius with an unthinkable choice, honor his oath and return with his men to Rome or remain in this strange country and pick up his sword once again to face impossible odds in a desperate attempt to save the lives of these gentle people and the woman who has won his heart.

Blade Asunder Complete Series Box Set


Jon Kiln - 2017
     This special edition bundle contains all five books in the acclaimed Blade Asunder Series. Bereaved and exiled from his homeland, Ganry ekes out a living as a wandering mercenary. A contract to protect a fifteen year old princess sees him embark on a quest across the kingdom. Confronted with danger at every turn, they get help from some unlikely companions. And Ganry discovers that there is more at stake than his own survival. Contains all five books in the series: Mercenary Guardian Warden Champion Sentinel

The Pioneer


A.R. Holloway - 2019
    A world that operates similar to the video games Daniel has always enjoyed, Ethria is a place where power can be found in many forms, both light and dark, and whose true purpose is unknown even to most of its denizens. Taking the long way home, Daniel will make another choice, to help a group of persecuted people whose story mirrors that of his pioneer ancestors. But In a time when Gods are changing, the people of every race suffer, the foundations of nations shift, and change and danger are in the very air, what can one under-leveled, foreign wizard do? All the while at the roof of the world, at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains a darkness grows, a creature plots, and an ancient evil from the foundations of the world seeks to re-emerge onto Ethria.”

Galaxy's Edge: The First Trilogy


Jason Anspach - 2018
    When all hell breaks loose, they find themselves stranded, betrayed, and fighting for their lives… and the life of the man next to them. Galactic Outlaws An adventurous tale of bots, blasters, and bounty hunters. At the edge of the galaxy, a former Victory Company operator vies with a notorious bounty hunter to track down an enigmatic killer set on galactic conquest. Kill Team The curtain is pulled back to reveal the shadowy dealings of the Legion’s Dark Ops special forces and the Republic’s Nether Ops spy agency. Ruthless players weave their way through a seedy world of terrorism, rebellion, and murder. For audiobooks, see the Galaxy’s Edge series page: audible.com/series?asin=B079YXK1GL

The Bakery Murder (Sweetland Witch)


Zoe Arden - 2018
     Ava Fortune's got it all... magic, love, and a bakery. She just can't seem to stay out of trouble, especially now that her dad is getting married. And now Ava's father's been framed for murder… Obviously, she can't let this case rest. Ava can't let her dad down. She needs to find the real killer before he strikes again or her dad ends up behind bars forever. With her aunts and best friend there to help her, Ava can't possibly fail. Or can she? She wonders if this time the killer just might win. Can Ava save her father before it's too late, or is her magic all used up? Page Count: around 330 pages