Book picks similar to
Three Wells of the Sea by Terry Madden


fantasy
reviewed
epic-fantasy
coming-of-age-and-quests

Colorless


Rita Stradling - 2017
    Worship the Magicians. Forsake the Iconoclasts. To Annabelle Klein, the rules laid down by the Magicians are the mere ramblings of stuffy old men. As far as she’s concerned, the historic Iconoclasts, heretics who nearly destroyed the Magicians so long ago, are nothing but myth. She has much more important matters to worry about. Heiress to a manor mortgaged down to its candlesticks and betrothed to her loathsome cousin, sixteen-year-old Annabelle doubts the gods could forsake her more. Then Annabelle is informed of her parents’ sudden and simultaneous deaths, and all of the pigment drips out of her skin and hair, leaving her colourless. Within moments, Annabelle is invisible and forgotten by all who know her. Living like a wraith in her own home, Annabelle discovers that to regain her color she must solve the mystery behind her parents’ murders and her strange transformation. Meanwhile, hundreds of the Magicians’ monks, with their all-black eyes and conjoined minds, have usurped control of Annabelle’s family manor. An Iconoclast is rumored to be about—a person who they claim goes unseen, unheard, and lost to memory, yet is the greatest threat to all of Domengrad. For the first time in a hundred years, the monks plan to unleash the dire wolves of old. Their only target: Annabelle.

Queendom of the Seven Lakes


A.B. Endacott - 2017
    I am not certain that my skills actually extend to preserving it.” There are always those who are willing to pay for someone else’s death. Having grown up amongst the Family of Assassins, ELEN-AI knows well the prices people are willing to pay to see their enemies fall quickly, quietly, and discreetly. When she is asked to preserve life rather than take it, she is surprised. Upon hearing that her charge is the Queen’s only child GIDYON, who is secretly being groomed to succeed his mother, she is horrified. To ensure political stability, no man has ever sat on the throne of the Queendom of the Seven Lakes. Yet one does not easily refuse a Queen, and so reluctantly, Elen-ai accepts the contract. Her fears only deepen upon meeting the sixteen-year-old Prince Gidyon, who treats her as no better than a petty murderer. However, following an attack on his life, Elen-ai is forced to admit that the danger of leaving this boy-prince alone may be even worse than leaving him to his own devices. Elen-ai reluctantly accompanies Gidyon across the country to identify those within the seven most powerful families who are responsible for the attempt on the Prince’s life. Somewhere in their travels from the calm waters of Lake Tak to the looming cliffs above Lake Bertak, the two form an unlikely yet profound friendship, and Elen-ai begins to see that Gidyon has the makings of a great ruler within him. As they meet with the families of power, it becomes increasingly clear that secrets and power games run far deeper throughout the Queendom of the Seven Lakes than either of them ever suspected.

The Beholder


Ivan Amberlake - 2013
    Each has a sign. Each is a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. A NYC interior designer Jason Walker receives a message saying he is the final piece.Emily Ethan, a startling beauty with supernatural powers, appears and tells Jason that powers dormant within him are about to wake. He is the only person who can prevent darkness from enslaving the world. He is the Beholder whose advent has been awaited for many years.Setting out on a journey with Emily, Jason discovers the world he could have never imagined, but the greatest surprise arrives the moment he realizes he has fallen in love with Emily.

Dragonslayer


Duncan M. Hamilton - 2019
    Hamilton debuts the first book in a fast-moving trilogy: a dangerous tale of lost magics, unlikely heroes, and reawakened dragons.Once a member of the King's personal guard, Guillot dal Villevaurais spends most days drinking and mourning his wife and child. He's astonished--and wary--when the Prince Bishop orders him to find and destroy a dragon. He and the Prince Bishop have never exactly been friends and Gill left the capitol in disgrace five years ago. So why him? And, more importantly, how is there a dragon to fight when the beasts were hunted to extinction centuries ago by the ancient Chevaliers of the Silver Circle?On the way to the capitol city, Gill rescues Solène, a young barmaid, who is about to be burned as a witch. He believes her innocent...but she soon proves that she has plenty of raw, untrained power, a problem in this land, where magic is forbidden. Yet the Prince Bishop believes magic will be the key to both destroying the dragon and replacing the young, untried King he pretends to serve with a more pliable figurehead. Between Gill's rusty swordsmanship and Solène's unstable magic, what could go wrong?

Tesla


Mark Lingane - 2013
    The planet has slowly been getting hotter and water is becoming a rare resource. Out of the ruins of a civilization that has collapsed in on itself, have arisen a new breed of people - those with the power to control magnetism.Seb, a young orphan boy from a quiet rural town, is being hunted by strange part-machine, part-human people. His only hope is Melanie, an angry, dying teenage girl who is dragged into the adventure and sets out to deliver him to the Steam Academy, even if it’s just to stop him talking. Seb must confront an unknown past and fight against everything he believed in. And occasionally wash his hair.Aimed at a teen audience.*** From the Author ***When writing this, I wanted to produce something that would compete against the "console" generation, where plot is delivered by cut scenes. The question was how do you write for an Assassin's Creed fan? Something that a teenage boy could enjoy.My list became: Short, sharp, constantly evolving, ridiculous amounts of action where no one important ever seems to get hurt, and make fun of current pop culture, social media, adults and technology.And, of course, an easy way to explain quantum mechanics, and turn science into magic - or the other way around.This is an exploration of that challenge.

Alter


Jeremy Robinson - 2018
    Gregory Zekser is on a mission to visit the furthest reaches of the Amazon, providing medical aid to recently contacted tribes. As a general practitioner and food pantry director, his life in Massachusetts can be chaotic, but serving people is what he does best, and he doesn't mind sacrificing his personal life to help others, at home or half way around the world.But any hope of returning home to his wife, daughter, and comfortable life are eradicated when the small plane carrying him back to civilization plummets into the unknown depths of the jungle. Swallowed by endless green, with both pilots dead, Greg struggles to stay alive in a world that wants to infect his body, suck him dry, and eat him whole. Ravaged by illness and dehydration, and stalked by a ruthless predator, Greg's life teeters on the edge of oblivion until a scream lets him know that he is not alone.His first encounter with an uncontacted tribe ends in death--the first of many. Driven to the brink of madness, and then beyond, Greg finds himself caught up in a feud that existed before his arrival, but will only end with his death--or his enemies'.International bestselling author Jeremy Robinson, the master of taking creative and original concepts and fusing them with realistic and emotive characters, explores the depths to which a man can descend, and what it takes to climb back out.

A New Age


Jordan Baker - 2013
    Raised in the middle of nowhere, where he was taught to be an expert swordsman, Aaron finds his life irreversibly changed by events that send him on a journey to discover his true destiny.

The Broadcast: A Mystery Thriller


Liam Fialkov - 2018
    Two decades ago, nuns collaborated in seizing her newborn baby.Could the show help her reunite with her son? Who is behind the astonishing footage? Are the films authentic or an elaborate scam? How far back in time will the TV show go? Will it show the crucifixion of Jesus? Will Sarah and Jonathan manage to restore their love?"A riveting story with exciting plot twists and characters that linger in readers' minds. Liam Fialkov's ability for summary and measured sentences makes his work absorbing." - Readers' Favorite, 2019 International Contest - Award WinnerSarah thinks she’d found an opportunity to reunite with her son, but the road is filled with centuries’ old mysteries, and a peculiar connection to “The Broadcast,” a riveting new television show, that may or may not be a scam. “If you’re looking for a riveting novel that is shrouded in mystery and will draw you in with vivid details, then “The Broadcast” is a fabulous choice.” - Editorial Review, Manybooks. Sarah watches with awe as “The Broadcast” not only cracks unsolved crime cases, but it airs actual footage of historical events going back 2,000 years.A well-respected journalist is on the hunt for answers too, and he works tirelessly to prove the strange recordings are a hoax.While they seek answers, the show begins to expose a shattering secret that could threaten many people’s beliefs and perception of history.This captivating psychological thriller is as enigmatic and gripping as the television series itself. It intertwines personal drama with suspenseful twists and turns, all leading to an astonishing conclusion.If you like charismatic characters, riveting suspense, and mysteries that keep you guessing, then you’ll love Liam Fialkov’s gripping novel. "A truly innovative thriller that should make for a lively book club discussion." - Official Review, BestThrillers.com "I love it when a unique book comes my way. Well-written and intelligent, "The Broadcast" is such an interesting premise and it twists and turns with many of the characters’ stories and secrets. This book was a fun read and I can recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling and different book that draws you in and won’t let you go. Isn’t that the best kind?"- HUGEOrange Publication Review - Editor’s Pick Winner"If you are looking for a story filled with mystery and a great plot, then this is the book for you." - Official review, onlineBookClub.com "A complex suspense tale which convincingly examines esoteric characters. In addition to the mystery of Walter’s unnamed source, this book is also an engrossing melodrama. Backstories are particularly strong, from 2-year-old Jonathan experiencing a car accident to nuns taking away teen Sarah’s baby while she’s at a convent." - Kirkus Reviews “The book is a promising and engaging read that'll stick with readers.” - Pacific Reviews “Wow! This story’s mystery and meticulous build-up to the “what’s next” and “what’s gonna happen” is a work of art. This is what mysteries are supposed to be like.

Empire of the Vampire


Jay Kristoff - 2021
    For nearly three decades, vampires have waged war against humanity; building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Now, only a few tiny sparks of light endure in a sea of darkness.Gabriel de León is a silversaint: a member of a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending realm and church from the creatures of the night. But even the Silver Order could not stem the tide once daylight failed us, and now, only Gabriel remains.Imprisoned by the very monsters he vowed to destroy, the last silversaint is forced to tell his story. A story of legendary battles and forbidden love, of faith lost and friendships won, of the Wars of the Blood and the Forever King and the quest for humanity’s last remaining hope: The Holy Grail.Fromauthor Jay Kristoff comes Empire of the Vampire, the first illustrated volume of an astonishing new dark fantasy saga.

Half-Bloods Rising


J.T. Williams - 2016
    As his parents leave, Kealin and his siblings stay behind to continue to train for the inevitable bloodshed that will reach their shores. For all their lives they have been persecuted for being half-elf. Kealin has never questioned his mother's true lineage but she has been in hiding and he will soon discover why. A prophecy is revealed that foretells doom for all the warriors who departed. In order to avert the disaster, Kealin and his half-blood siblings embark into the frigid seas of the north aboard an enchanted ship. In a perilous journey, Kealin discovers a power not at all elven in nature. He is changing. As the blood of the race of a long dead people surges in his veins, a power awakens within his mind tying him to a lost and powerful culture. But what else is waking in the long frozen north, will risk all of them and Kealin is playing into the hands of a master deceiver. He must learn to control this ancient power before a hidden plot destroys all he seeks to save.

Cosega Search


Brandt Legg - 2014
    What he finds is beyond imagining. It unleashes a mystery older than recorded time, rewrites human history, and promises to change the planet’s future. It must be suppressed.The most powerful forces in the world align against him, and a deadly competition for the artifact ensues. Capturing Gaines is not enough--everyone who has seen the artifact must be killed. His only hope is to stay alive long enough to decode the Cosega Sequence. Dig far enough into the past . . . you may just discover the future.

Red Rising: Sons of Ares


Pierce Brown - 2018
    The Golds rule all, but what will happen when one falls for a lowly Red? See how a forbidden love will set the course of events for the future and lead to the formation of the formidable Sons of Ares!Written by author Pierce Brown (The Red Rising Trilogy) and Rik Hoskin (Heroes of Skyrealm, Brandon Sanderson's White Sand), with art by Eli Powell (Yakuza Demon Killers, The 13th Artifact), comes the in-continuity story of revolution and Red Rising!

Impostor


Susanne Winnacker - 2013
    Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI.When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. Tessa hates everything about being an impostor - the stress, the danger, the deceit - but loves playing the role of a normal girl. Disguised as Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep.Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human arrives at a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

Lake Silence


Anne Bishop - 2018
    . . and find themselves enmeshed in danger and dark secrets.Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others–vampires, shapeshifters, and paranormal beings even more deadly. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget . . . After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns like Vicki’s have no distance from the Others, the dominant predators that rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what’s out there watching you.Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe–one of the shapeshifting Others–discovers a dead body, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the man’s death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, things get dangerous–and it’ll take everything they have to stay alive.

Dawn of Wonder


Jonathan Renshaw - 2015
    But for Aedan, a scruffy young adventurer with veins full of fire and a head full of ideas, this officer is not what he seems. The events that follow propel Aedan on a journey that only the foolhardy or desperate would risk, leading him to the gates of the nation’s royal academy – a whole world of secrets in itself. But this is only the beginning of his discoveries. Something is stirring in the land, something more ominous than the rising threat of hostile nations. Fearful travellers whisper of an ancient power breathing over Thirna, changing it, waking it. In the very heart of these stirrings, Aedan encounters that which defies belief, leaving him speechless with terror – and wonder.