Here are 50 books that Hammered fans have personally recommended if you like
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I’ve been more than lucky to live a life of adventure from the start. My family did things a little unusually – we lived on a boat, we bought a ranch, we trained (and I still train) horses, we traveled, and through it all, we read. My entire adventuring family always had books, even on that boat when we have very little space. We would all go to the main cabin at night and either escape to a new world in novel or, in my case quite often, a note book. I’ll be forever grateful for these experiences because it was adventure shaped who I am as an author and reader.
I won’t lie, I am an audiobook fan because I can listen to them as I work. The story in The Spirit of Things, combined with the excellence of Nigel Peever as a narrator, is seriously fantastic! A Human boy raised among elves wants to find his way to finally being accepted. After having a vision, Fulco realizes what just might be his answer – he needs to find a way to possess magic.
A land in peril, a traitorous goddess, a human outcast living among the elves. Will he learn to harness his mysterious powers before it is too late?
By the age of seventeen rotations, Fulco has had a tough time growing up in a forest village. Abandoned as a baby and raised by a loving elven family, he is despised by the village elves as humans are deemed a plague upon the land.
Hoping to gain their approval through sportsmanship, Fulco dreams of winning a position on the elven Portare team. An epic sport where players must ride upon a beast,…
Delve into this internationally best-selling series, now complete! A fast paced laugh-out-loud mix of Urban Fantasy and Mystery.
I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time. I’m Jinx, a PI hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar–yet my gut…
I am a secret hearth witch, a simple gardener working hard to keep fairies, dragonflies, fireflies, and pixies alive. I love to cook, mixing in a dash of magic with flavors from all over the world. Dragons or cats are always welcome in my world, and I’ve been known to shelter a hellhound in need.
I love a lot of K.M. Shea’s work because her plots involve character growth as well as a mystery to be solved. One of my favorite series begins with The King’s Captive.
The main is a little cat shifter. She is not a powerful shifter or even a powerful person. She’s down on her luck but thrifty, scrappy, and courageous. She’s also a cat, so she’s sneaky and clever, even if she does lose tufts of fur to her enemies now and then. She needs help to survive, but finding it and trusting others, well, that’s all part of the great journey.
It’s a fun magic, except in a world filled with vampires and werewolves, it doesn’t exactly make me a powerhouse. Instead, the supernatural community has classified me as an outcast, which means one thing: picking on me is open season all day, every day.
The local fae are the worst of all, and it’s during one of their regular “capture the cat-girl” sessions that I shift into my cat form and meet HIM for the first time.
Noctus is so powerful his magic radiates off him like a sun, and my fae captors can…
In writing character-driven space fantasy, heavily influenced by my training as an electromechanical engineer, I’ve realized a love for stories with a heavy emphasis on moral dilemmas and shifts in thinking. How does a character change direction after realizing much of what they always believed was a lie? When well-trained instincts pull them backward instead of propelling them forward? I love these stories, mirroring my own messy self-discovery journey through life. The settings and stakes are more fantastical, but that makes them more appealing. A way to confront my own trials without becoming burdened by them. If the characters can do it, so can I.
I’m a sucker for unique worldbuilding, and this book's combination of military traditions and the age of sail with magic space travel scratches that itch nicely. Dianne Morrison tells a heartfelt and deeply emotional tale that is at once both a coming-of-age story following a young elf’s pursuit of dreams as a star-pilot and a gritty cautionary tale on the horrors of war.
I felt for Shaundar and friends as they struggled through their own challenges to pursue their dreams, their patriotism as they snuck away to join the new war effort, and their horror as those dreams fell apart and survival became paramount. Check the content warnings on this one, as the narrative leans heavily beyond heroes and into the dark sides of war.
Toy Soldier: A derogatory slang term for an elven marine.Battles great and terrible, small and bitter, raged across Known Space as the wars of Elves and Orcs played out their legacy of hatred across the stars themselves. Epics would be written, songs would be sung; but wars are fought by real people with loves and families and homes.
All Shaundar Sunfall ever wanted to be was a Star-Pilot. Raised on his father's ship, he has found an affinity for the stars -- although as a mixed-race elf and a bit of troublemaker, he often runs afoul of his commanding officers.
Planetary blockades. Rampant viral outbreaks. Can two ex-lovers forge a path through the stars to save their world?
Independent trader Gavril Danilovich is slowly slipping into madness. Stuck in quarantine on a dying planet, his raw talent to feel everyone’s emotions has him wrestling with waves of terror and rage.…
I’ve loved the fantasy genre for as long as I can remember. From playing Warhammer with my father as a child to first reading The Lord of the Rings, The Magician, and countless other unforgettable novels, I was hooked. The Orc was always my favorite bad guy, with their incredible strength and bloodlust. I have spent many a long hour trying to put myself in the mindset of a being so dark, so brutal, and so lovable. Reading the books on this list, and many more, have helped me develop a foundation in the Orc race that almost makes them real.
This book really introduced me to the darker side of fantasy, and in fact, this is more grimdark. While most fantasy books have a good versus evil theme, a lot tend to water down the actions of the evil characters to make them more palatable or more accessible to a wider range of readers. This really describes the evil actions in detail so be warned it is not Harry Potter! I realized when reading this that you can bring horror aspects into fantasy, which makes sense as it’s a genre that’s full of evil, monsters, and people armed with all kinds of brutal weaponry.
Fantasy author David Dalglish begins his series of the half-orc brothers, whose struggles will soon bathe the land of Dezrel in demon fire...Five hundred years ago, brother gods devastated their world with civil war. When they were imprisoned, their conflict ended without a victor. Centuries passed while their followers secretly continued the war, a war that will soon have an end. The gods have found their paragons.
When half-bloods Harruq and Qurrah Tun pledged their lives to the death prophet Velixar, they sought only escape from their squalid beginnings. Instead, they become his greatest disciples, charged with leading his army…
Storytelling is my passion. I have loved writing in the science fiction and fantasy genres since I learned to read as a kid. I’ve won multiple awards, have an optioned screenplay, and am actively working on several paid script projects. I love to swap stories with other writers and dive into new worlds.
I stole time out of math class to read this epic fantasy. It was huge and I finished it in 2 days. This is a true hero’s journey story from farmer to powerful earn, with all heavy-hitting emotional beats earned. It also presents a true crisis of faith to the main character and earning one’s courage back.
Paksenarrion wasn't planning to submit to an unwelcome marriage and a lifetime of poverty, so she left her village with a plan and her grandfather's sword. And a few weeks later, she was installed as Duke Phelan's newest recruit in a company of soldiers for hire, her arms training about to begin. But when Paks sees combat, she's stabbed with an ensorcelled knife and barely survives. Then the near-misses start mounting up, raising questions about this young fighter. Is she attracting evil because she is a danger to them all? Or is there another reason malignant forces seek her life?
Like many people of my generation, I first discovered fantasy worlds through morning cartoons. Then came comics, but The Lord of the Rings changed everything for me, followed by Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, and many more. I was an introverted child, often bored with ordinary life, and these worlds gave me somewhere to escape. Most importantly, I loved journeys that transformed characters, because they gave me hope that people could change too. I created fantasy realms in my head for years, but it took reaching my 40s to finally start putting them on paper. Today, I write and publish my own stories, including Chronicles of Ankhara, through AltWorld Comics.
I read this trilogy in 1998 when I had just finished high school.
Even then, I understood the book presented Frodo as the main hero, but I was always aware that without Sam, Frodo couldn't go far. He was just a gardener in the beginning, but when the books were over, he proved himself and even became the mayor of the Shire.
Seeing a regular guy carrying the main hero on his shoulders is something else. The decisions he made and his forcing himself to do more transformed him into a natural hero and a leader.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.
In Book 1 in the epic dragon romantasy series Annals of the Dragon Dreamer, Zyla Powerbane rises from orphan obscurity to dragon rider as she completes a seemingly never-ending set of tasks to return her world to balance and save the sentient Lynkyn forests that are key to dragon survival.
Like many people, The Lord of the Ringscaptivated me as a child. I read those books as well as The Hobbit half a dozen times before I was twelve, and a couple of times more since. What’s more, I was lucky enough to be nine when the first movie came out, which only furthered my childhood obsession. Though I’m less enthralled by the series now, the classic quest it represents still has a place in my heart. I’ve tried to reproduce the grandeur and adventure of that story in my writing, and I’ve found a good portion of it in the books I recommend below. May they take you on captivating new journeys!
About as classic as modern fantasy gets, Rise of the Rangernevertheless breathes fresh air into the genre. Both an epic and a quest story, it features characters spread out across the entirety of the world, yet their fates slowly become connected in the grand war that is only beginning. Witness the conflicts between elves, assassins, mages, and dragons all navigated by a host of likable and interesting protagonists, and enjoy a quest as it was meant to be.
Praise for Philip C. Quaintrell’s ‘The Echoes Saga’:
'For lovers of your classic Tolkien, this series has it all' - Alan Coleman - Amazon customer
'Best newcomer to the genre. Philip is up there with Feist and Sanderson' - Philip Spick - Amazon customer
300,000 COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE
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THE ECHOES OF FATE, A PROPHECY UTTERED UNTO THE WORLD A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, CANNOT BE DENIED…
Mankind has lorded over the land of Illian for a thousand years, building on the ruins left by the elves, as if it were their birthright. A thousand years is a long time…
I have a passion for reading and telling tales. But I am a Christian first and foremost, and when I am not studying the Bible, I love to write when my mind is at rest and not too busy with life’s responsibilities. I love fantasy as it has a rich capacity for symbolism, and Jesus taught with parables. Symbolism in storytelling is such a potent way to convey truths and stimulate thought as thoughts work like seeds. It only takes one seed to germinate and sprout. It takes a humble heart to listen and consider something new we haven’t thought of before. And epic tales have a strong impact for touching hearts, for it had truly reached mine.
From childhood, hearing and reading stories and folk stories with my parents and grandfather to reading Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I have always had a passion for the hearing, reading, and telling of tales, which strongly stimulates my love for fantasy as it is rich with symbolism.
Tolkien’s The Silmarillion took that love to new levels as it is the book I find myself always returning to, almost as though in its study. While it is commonly a difficult read for many due to its slow build for establishing its own context, I love how this book is a rich library of stories bespeaking themes of tragedy, despair, courage, hope, and nobility, where we get to see their fruits in the story’s conclusion.
Despite Tolkien’s decision to refrain from allegory as he kept the story purely ambiguous in nature as the fictional world feels both…
The forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion fills in the background which lies behind the more popular work, and gives the earlier history of Middle-earth, introducing some of the key characters.
The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.
Included on the recording are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and…
Children have vivid imaginations, and while mine was initially drawn to science fiction, I discovered my true passion for fantasy upon reading The Hobbit as a teenager. Since that day, escaping into fantasy worlds—whether it be through books, movies, TV, roleplaying, and video games—became my passion and hobby, leading me down many roads, including writing game reviews, a short story, a novel, and an extensive collection of fantasy-related replicas and statues. Ultimately, that endless feeling of wonder and exploration, adventure and danger is what convinced me to become an author; these five books sitting at the top of a long list that inspired me to reach that goal.
When a book in a beloved and lengthy series like the Shannara novels starts off with a tantalizing promise of finally exploring beyond the borders of the familiar map of the Four Lands, I simply couldn’t resist the lure of delving deeper and farther into Brooks’ world than ever before.
I absolutely love fantasy maps, finding them to be a critical component of any novel in that genre, and as fun as it is to methodically visit each location on them, I’m always wondering about what lies beyond the edges.
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy, which begins with Ilse Witch, accomplishes that in a way that left me begging for more, and not a little sad when it was over, and the heroes finally returned to the Four Lands.
Set a generation after THE TALISMANS OF SHANNARA, ILSE WITCH begins a new, five-book SHANNARA series. When the mutilated body of an elf is found floating in the sea, an old mystery resurfaces. Thirty years ago, an elven prince led an expedition in search of a legendary magic said to be more ancient, more powerful, than any in the world. None of the expedition's members ever returned... But the rescued elf carries a map which only one man has the skill to decipher: Walker Boh, last of the Druids. And one other understands the map's significance - the Ilse Witch,…
Deadwood meets The Vampire Diaries in this tale of brother versus brother and blood-magic set in a gaslamp fantasy world. Llew’s body transfers life. One nation wants her dead. Another wants her power for itself. Two brothers want the same. Only one might be swayed by love.
Since the summer of 1983, these stories have not only captivated my imagination but also directed much of my life. I love the apocalyptic fantasy genre. I love stories that push characters to their breaking points to see what happens. I love stories of lepers finding personal redemption through trials and despair, of impossible space battles, and of kings kneeling before unlikely heroes. I love the story arcs where the character grows into a whole new person because of their trials and faith. I love the beauty and incredible landscapes of a future Earth, as well as the view of space and the countless sights.
This book blew me away with an entirely new level of action and adventure!
The characters effortlessly drew you into them. I wanted to shout and cheer and curse all at once! I loved how the storyline took me along for the ride, almost like I was one of the characters.
The story was so beautifully written that I had no problems following it and couldn’t wait to finish a page so that I could find out what was happening next. I daydreamed and analyzed the depths of the story. I just couldn’t get enough of it!
***50 MILLION TERRY BROOKS COPIES SOLD AROUND THE WORLD***
THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES IS NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES
Volume one in the classic bestselling series - from one of the all-time masters of fantasy
'Terry's place is at the head of the fantasy world' Philip Pullman
Long ago, the world of the Four Lands was torn apart by the wars of ancient Evil. But in the Vale, the half-human, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford now lives in peace - until the mysterious, forbidding figure of the druid Allanon appears, to reveal that the supposedly long dead Warlock Lord lives again.
