The Fantasy Review’s list of 10 Epic Fantasy Books That Deserve More Readers.
Illborn (The Illborn Saga, #1) by Daniel T. Jackson
Check out our reviews of Illborn and Aiduel’s Sin by Daniel T. Jackson!
From the blurb:
Long ago, The Lord Aiduel emerged from the deserts of the Holy Land, possessed with divine powers. He used these to forcibly unite the peoples of Angall, before His ascension to heaven.
Over eight hundred years later, in a medieval world which is threatened by war and religious persecution, four young men and women begin to develop supernatural abilities. These forbidden and secret powers will shatter the lives that they have known, and will force each of them to confront the mystery of the ethereal Gate which haunts their dreams. What does the dream mean, and how is it connected to their burgeoning abilities?…
The Fury of Kings (The Erland Saga, #1) by R.S. Moule
From the blurb:
An ancient magic is rising… And none will escape.
After decades of peace, the kingdom of Erland is sliding toward disaster. The rebellious lords of the West are gathering their armies. On the mountain that towers over the capital, strange storms rage.
When the king’s heir is murdered, war seems certain.
Fighting in the practice yard every day, Orsian dreams of glory. As the son of Erland’s greatest warrior, he longs to prove his own bravery. Now, for the first time, he will face the reality of battle.…
Priestess of the White (Age of the Five, #1) by Trudi Canavan
From the blurb:
Her heroism saved a village from destruction; now Auraya has been named Priestess of the White. The limits of her unique talents must be tested in order to prove her worthy of the honor and grave responsibility awarded to her. But a perilous road lies ahead, fraught with pitfalls that will challenge the newest servant of the gods. An enduring friendship with a Dreamweaver—a member of an ancient outcast sect of sorcerer-healers—could destroy Auraya’s future. And her destiny has set her in conflict with a powerful and mysterious, black-clad sorcerer with but a single purpose: the total annihilation of the White. And he is not alone . . .
Inda (Inda, #1) by Sherwood Smith
From the blurb:
Indevan-Dal is the second son of the Prince and Princess of Choraed Elgaer, destined to become his elder brother Tanrid’s Shield Arm-his military champion. Like all second sons, he is to be privately trained at home by Tanrid, the brother whose lands he will one day protect.
When the King’s Voice comes to summon Inda to the Military Academy, he might well feel foreboding, or even fear-war is imminent-yet youthful Inda feels only excitement. But there are things that Tanrid hadn’t prepared him for, and Inda will soon learn that the greatest threats to his safety will not come from foreign enemies, but from supposed allies within his own country.
Empire in Black and Gold (Shadows of the Apt, #1) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
From the blurb:
The days of peace are over . . .
The Lowlands’ city states have lived in peace for decades, hailed as bastions of civilization. Yet that peace is about to end. A distant empire has been conquering neighbours with highly trained soldiers and sophisticated combat techniques. And the city states are its desirable new prize.…
The Cloud Roads (Books of the Raksura, #1) by Martha Wells
From the blurb:
Moon has spent his life hiding what he is — a shape-shifter able to transform himself into a winged creature of flight. An orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon tries to fit in among the tribes of his river valley, with mixed success. Just as Moon is once again cast out by his adopted tribe, he discovers a shape-shifter like himself… someone who seems to know exactly what he is, who promises that Moon will be welcomed into his community.…
The Grim Company (The Grim Company, #1) by Luke Scull
From the blurb:
It is a time of darkness. The last magic of the dead gods is on the wane. Demons and half-formed monsters plague the land as the final barriers between the realms begin to fail. The jealous Magelords of three great cities sit in their towers of stone and brood over the scant power that remains…
It is not a time of heroes. Their songs are long forgotten, their deeds go unwritten….
The Grey Bastards (The Lot Lands, #1) by Jonathan French
From the blurb:
Jackal and his fellow half-orcs patrol the barren wastes of the Lot Lands, spilling their own damned blood to keep civilized folk safe. A rabble of hard-talking, hog-riding, whore-mongering brawlers they may be, but the Grey Bastards are Jackal’s sworn brothers, fighting at his side in a land where there’s no room for softness.…
King’s Dragon (Crown of Stars, #1) by Kate Elliott
From the blurb:
It begins with civil war….
For though King Henry still holds the crown of Wendar, his reign has long been contested by his sister Sabella. There are many eager to flock to her banner, and there are ways to make even the most unwilling lord into a weapon pointed at the heart of Henry’s realm….
The Black Hawks (Articles of Faith, #1) by David Wragg
From the blurb:
Vedren Chel holds every oath of service sacred ― except his own.
His father’s sermons on the nobility of duty left him ill-prepared for the grind of service to his indolent step-uncle. Chel’s wretched oath has dragged him from home and family across a war-splintered kingdom; he craves an escape from this life.
When foreign invaders heave into port, Chel finds opportunity in the chaos – a bargain with a stranded prince. Escort the prince to safety, and in return: release from his oath, a chance to go home. A solemn duty at last….
