Here are 27 books that A Drop of Corruption fans have personally recommended if you like A Drop of Corruption. Book DNA is a community of 13,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Project Hail Mary

Gloria Oliver Author Of Last Stop

From Gloria's 3 favorite reads in 2026.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Gloria's 3 favorite reads in 2026

Gloria Oliver Why Gloria loves this book

Writing hard science fiction that doesn't get lost in the science takes a balancing act. Andy Weir does an incredible job of that in Project Hail Mary. He also has moments of pure humor as well as an underlying mystery outside of the immediate problem at hand, which added a great amount of emotional impact. Especially in a moment diluted in the film—that despite having previously been a coward, he made the decision to risk his life/future in another hail Mary attempt to help his 100% doomed friend.

By Andy Weir ,

Why should I read it?

115 authors picked Project Hail Mary as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through…


If you love A Drop of Corruption...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of The Hero of Ages

Deandra Maria

From Deandra's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Unknown Author Why Deandra loves this book

One of the best ending to a series I’ve ever read. Everything wraps up so beautifully, you can feel that everything is planned down to the little details. Love love love it

By Brandon Sanderson ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Hero of Ages as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

Brandon Sanderson - the international phenomenon who finished the Wheel of Time sequence - concludes his smash-hit Mistborn fantasy trilogy.

Tricked into releasing the evil spirit Ruin while attempting to close the Well of Ascension, new emperor Elend Venture and his wife, the assassin Vin, are now hard-pressed to save the world.

This adventure brings the Mistborn epic fantasy trilogy to a dramatic and surprising climax as Sanderson's saga offers complex characters and a compelling plot, asking hard questions about loyalty, faith and responsibility.


Book cover of The Tainted Cup

Ryan Fuhrman

From Ryan's 3 favorite reads in 2026.

Unknown Author Why Ryan loves this book

I love good mystery and I especially love a mystery set and a brand new imagined world that seems well lived in. Where the greatest mystery might be where the leviathans come from and why the leviathans come. While this is not answered, the backdrop creates a very engaging fantasy world where there's not magic just strange creatures that yield even stranger properties.

By Robert Jackson Bennett ,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked The Tainted Cup as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated novelist Robert Jackson Bennett—an unforgettable new Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with an irresistible mystery twist.

In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all…


If you love Robert Jackson Bennett...

Book cover of Those People Behind Us

Those People Behind Us by Mary Camarillo,

Those People Behind Us is set in the summer of 2017, post-Trump election and pre-pandemic. The story takes place in the fictional city of Wellington Beach, California, a suburban coastal town increasingly divided by politics, protests, and escalating housing prices. These divisions change the lives of five neighbors--a real estate…

Book cover of Wild Dark Shore

Eva Silverfine Author Of How to Bury Your Dog

From Eva's 3 favorite reads in 2026.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Eva's 3 favorite reads in 2026

Eva Silverfine Why Eva loves this book

I am a fan of Charlotte McConaghy. This is the third novel she’s written and the third I’ve read, and it more than the others can be called “a page turner.” McConaghy writes beautifully, seamlessly, making the art seem easy. Her novels include complex, strong, driven women and her plots revolve around a deep connection to the environment. The novel opens with a shipwrecked woman being rescued from the surf by a family, now the only inhabitants of an island. Her arrival is a mystery, and from the outset there is distrust in both directions. As the secrets she and the family harbor unfold, so does a story about parenthood and a story of loss, grief, and love.

By Charlotte McConaghy ,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked Wild Dark Shore as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world's largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers. But with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up the seeds before they are transported to safer ground. Despite the wild beauty, isolation has taken its toll on the Salts. Raff, eighteen and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, seventeen, has…


Book cover of City of Stairs

Scott A. Bollens Author Of ReStart: Stories of the Cairn Age

From my list on dystopia where cities pulsate with life and death.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an academic in rebellion. I have interviewed hundreds of urban leaders and professionals in nine divided urban areas throughout the world. I have written much on this subject, replete with footnotes and sophisticated writing. I am weary of writing more about this important topic—how people do or do not get along in urban settings—from an academic distance. I find the scholarly posture sterilized and insufficiently provocative. I entered into the fictional genre in order to reach a broader audience. I think that fictional futurist writing has the unique ability to portray extraordinary new worlds while at the same time addressing fundamental issues that we face now.

Scott's book list on dystopia where cities pulsate with life and death

Scott A. Bollens Why Scott loves this book

What could be more fun than Gods getting involved in city planning? Spy story wrapped inside a grand and mysterious history of once-supreme Gods now dormant (or not). Memorable characters. Don’t mess with the giant grunt Sigrud. Divine power with 6 Gods (light bearer, judge, warrior, seed-sower, trickster, and builder). Imagine holding a committee meeting with this group. Magical portals that enable back-and-forth between current gritty and past majestic city. A thought-provoking conclusion that speaks to worldwide conflict in real life today. 

By Robert Jackson Bennett ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked City of Stairs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Robert Jackson Bennett deserves a huge audience' - Brent Weeks, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Prism

In the city of stairs, nothing is as it seems.

You've got to be careful when you're chasing a murderer through Bulikov, for the world is not as it should be in that city. When the gods were destroyed and all worship of them banned by the Polis, reality folded; now stairs lead to nowhere, alleyways have become portals to the past, and criminals disappear into thin air.

The murder of Dr Efrem Pangyui, the Polis diplomat researching the Continent's past,…


Book cover of Foundryside

H.J. Reynolds Author Of Without a Shadow

From my list on unique and memorable magic systems.

Why am I passionate about this?

I read almost any genre, but fantasy is what I love most, both reading and writing. Stories are magic, but when they have actual magic in them, I’m hooked. Having studied both Film and Creative Writing at university, I love to go in-depth on storytelling and have reviews aplenty on my website if you want further recommendations. The books I’ve chosen for this list have incredibly unique worlds full of bizarre magic. When I enter a new world, I want it to be exactly that: new and exciting with a touch of the surreal. To me, these books showcase magic at its most vivid and creative. 

H.J.'s book list on unique and memorable magic systems

H.J. Reynolds Why H.J. loves this book

I thought this would be a typical thief turned rebel leader story, but this book really surprised me. The world is utterly unique, and the magic system adds a lot of humor with sentient keys and locks, literally arguing the laws of physics on whether to open it or not.

There’s a cool heist to go along with, as well as fun, diverse characters, but it was really the unique blend of science and magic that captivated me. The magic feels ancient, but there’s a razor-sharpness in how it’s implemented that is as exacting as any scientific discipline. 

By Robert Jackson Bennett ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Foundryside as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists.”—Brandon Sanderson

“Complex characters, magic that is tech and vice versa, a world bound by warring trade dynasties: Bennett will leave you in awe once you remember to breathe!”—Tamora Pierce

In a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself—the first in a dazzling new series from City of Stairs author Robert Jackson Bennett.
 
Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on…


If you love A Drop of Corruption...

Book cover of The Blade in the Angel's Shadow

The Blade in the Angel's Shadow by Andy Darby,

The Blade in the Angel's Shadow delivers a compelling fusion of dark magic, espionage, and philosophical tension between chaos and order.

A heretic swordswoman, cosmic entities using humans as pawns, Elizabethan occultism, time travel, and the apocalyptic ambitions of the Angels? It’s bold, unsettling, and fiercely imaginative.

Book cover of Piranesi

Tim Weed Author Of The Gatepost

From my list on recent speculative novels.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was six, I wrote an eleven-page epic about an adventurous otter named "Ottiga." The causality between that early effort and my career as a novelist is uncertain, but it did establish a pattern. I was the perpetual new kid on the block, and novels provided a pathway to escape the difficulties of being young and introverted. I learned that fiction is an antidote to loneliness; that it has the power to transport us to entirely new worlds, or to show us the familiar world in entirely new and unexpected ways. The speculative novels on this list did that for me, and I hope they do the same for you!

Tim's book list on recent speculative novels

Tim Weed Why Tim loves this book

This is a highly propulsive and emotionally engaging novel with a sympathetic protagonist at its core.

It could be considered a portal fantasy, but I'd categorize it, along with the other books on this list, as “speculative,” because it doesn’t fit neatly into either the fantasy or science fiction genres and is anchored in contemporary or near-future realism.

Piranesi’s beautifully executed theme, about how a dramatic change in perspective can lead to a deeper appreciation for the beauty and nobility abiding beneath the ugliness of humanity and our one and only world, is one for the ages.

This highly original and beautiful book is destined to endure as one of the classics of early twenty-first century literature.

By Susanna Clarke ,

Why should I read it?

36 authors picked Piranesi as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the 2021 Women's Prize for Fiction
A SUNDAY TIMES & NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The spectacular new novel from the bestselling author of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL, 'one of our greatest living authors' NEW YORK MAGAZINE
__________________________________
Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has.

In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides that thunder up staircases, the clouds that move in slow procession through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend,…


Book cover of The Lies of Locke Lamora

Krista Wallace Author Of Gatekeeper's Key

From Krista's 3 favorite reads in 2026.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Krista's 3 favorite reads in 2026

Krista Wallace Why Krista loves this book

One, "Oh no! How are they going to get out of this one!" after another. I absolutely loved the tight--dare I say "impervious"--friendship between the characters. So flawed, and yet so endearing.

By Scott Lynch ,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked The Lies of Locke Lamora as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'One of my top ten books ever. Maybe top five. If you haven't read it, you should' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind

'Fresh, original and engrossing' George R.R. Martin, the phenomenon behind A Game of Thrones

They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myth, and mostly street-corner rumor. And they are wrong on every count.

Only averagely tall, slender, and god-awful with a sword, Locke Lamora is the…


Book cover of A Little Hatred

James Dwyer Author Of The Memory of Blades

From my list on fantasy with dark humour and light entertainment.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a writer by day and martial arts instructor by night, so when not spending time with my wife and kids, I love nothing more than to read, write, and fight. My favourite books are the ones filled with irreverent characters, who can smirk and joke at any grim situation, laughing the light of entertainment through the darkest of ordeals. These are the type of books I’m always drawn to, both in writing and in reading, where I can imagine taking any standout character and dropping them into a completely different book, then sitting back to watch the chaos they could make.

James' book list on fantasy with dark humour and light entertainment

James Dwyer Why James loves this book

Joe Abercrombie is the king of writing casual comic conversations in dire situations. His seventh book in this world, A Little Hatred is the first in a new trilogy, the freshest from a seven-year gap in the series, and one of the best for the sheer quality of standout characters. Savine dan Glokta is my favourite – “What an honour to see you, my lady.” “Isn’t it though!” – followed closely by Teufel, the brass-knuckled spy; Gunnar Broad, the man or bull (if he wears his spectacles); and Bremer dan Gorst, the deadliest man in the union who can only speak in a high-pitched squeak.

Not only is this a book you can read without prior knowledge of the previous six, this book will also convince you to go back and read all those other books, then re-read this again for it to take on an entirely different light, become…

By Joe Abercrombie ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Little Hatred as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WAR. POLITICS. REVOLUTION.
THE AGE OF MADNESS HAS ARRIVED . . .

'Funny and sardonic, violent and compelling' Guardian

'A tale of brute force and subtle magic on the cusp of an industrial revolution ... Buckle your seat belts for this one' Robin Hobb

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

On the battlefields of the North, the next generation of would-be heroes rushes to make the same bloody mistakes as the last.

While the age of the machine dawns, the age of magic refuses to die. One might glimpse the future,…


If you love Robert Jackson Bennett...

Book cover of The Birthright of Sons: Stories

The Birthright of Sons by Jefferey Spivey,

The Birthright of Sons is a collection of stories centered around the experiences of marginalized people, namely Black and LGBTQ+ men. Although the stories borrow elements from various genres (horror, suspense, romance, magical realism, etc.), they are linked by an exploration of identity and the ways personhood is shaped through…

Book cover of The Vagrant

James Dwyer Author Of The Memory of Blades

From my list on fantasy with dark humour and light entertainment.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a writer by day and martial arts instructor by night, so when not spending time with my wife and kids, I love nothing more than to read, write, and fight. My favourite books are the ones filled with irreverent characters, who can smirk and joke at any grim situation, laughing the light of entertainment through the darkest of ordeals. These are the type of books I’m always drawn to, both in writing and in reading, where I can imagine taking any standout character and dropping them into a completely different book, then sitting back to watch the chaos they could make.

James' book list on fantasy with dark humour and light entertainment

James Dwyer Why James loves this book

A Newman on the scene and, atrocious pun aside, Peter Newman redefines what it is for an author to have a fresh voice, especially since his lead character in The Vagrant speaks all of one word. And that’s one word per book if you go on to read the trilogy, which you will, because this novel is amazing. 

What more can you ask for when it comes to dark humour and light entertainment than a man traversing a poisoned world – filled with tainted humans, half-breed demons, and twisted infernals – and his companions on this journey are none other than a belligerent goat and a new-born baby. None of them speak, yet all three pull you into their hearts and them into yours.

An eye opens. A book is read. A reader becomes a Newman fan.

By Peter Newman ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Vagrant as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Vagrant is his name. He has no other.

Years have passed since humanity's destruction emerged from the Breach.

Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate, war-torn landscape.

As each day passes the world tumbles further into depravity, bent and twisted by the new order, corrupted by the Usurper, the enemy, and his infernal horde.

His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war.

What little hope remains is dying. Abandoned by its leader, The…


Book cover of Project Hail Mary
Book cover of The Hero of Ages
Book cover of The Tainted Cup

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