62 Books Like The Face in the Frost

I read this book at sixteen and fell in love with it.

A romance written in 1912, it’s a story of adventure, action, and love. The sun has died; humanity dwells in an enormous pyramid surrounded by Forces of Evil, awaiting its force field to die, so they can feed on both the inhabitants’ bodies and souls. The hero’s long-lost love has been reborn in another, dying pyramid across the Night Land. He must travel to rescue her.

One of the Great Books, it’s marred by the archaic language the writer chose to employ. But it’s beautiful, awesome, and magnificent.

I loved it so much, I rewrote it in more modern language years ago. Mine’s available, but if you can get through the original, I highly recommend it.

The Earth has stopped spinning; magic rules on the night side, science on the light.

Not all of Zelany’s work holds up, but this one, a tale of Jack, a denizen of the dark side, is perhaps his best novel. I love the world Zelazny creates here.

It’s a slender book that drew me through from beginning to end.

If I died, went to the edge of Heaven, and then returned, how would I be different? That’s what happens to a young boy named Diamond.

I love the premise, which wasn’t obvious until I realized the Back of the North Wind represents death. This is supposedly a children’s book, but the original is 300 pages long.

I love the sophistication and insights of the dialogue, the gorgeous passages, and the depictions of the god-like North Wind as a tall, beautiful woman. As the book progressed, I was introduced to a little girl, Nanny, Diamond’s companion in adventure.

MacDonald’s works radiate a deep respect for life, and especially for women. This may well be his best book.

I love the mysterious quality of this book, which is actually collected short stories about the Traveler in Black, an entity given the task of making the newly-formed universe less chaotic by imposing order. I was fascinated by the concept.

Brunner is a famous science fiction writer, but I prefer it when his work leans toward the fantastic.   

When I was around ten years old, I read everything I could get my hands on. This book fell into my mental lap and, though it was intended for an older audience, the puns and wit taught me how funny a fantastical world could be. I mean it has everything: a chameleon (who is actually three people), ghosts, zombies, witch battles, and more puns than you can shake a wand at. The protagonist, Bink, is born without an obvious magical talent, which is illegal in Xanth so he is exiled to Mundania where he is captured by an outcast wizard who wants to use him to invade Xanth. Written in the late 1970s, the book is a little dated but still immensely entertaining and the first of many Xanth books. It’s truly a cornucopia of wordplay.

Spell Sweeper is another fantastic recent release by the talented Lee Edward Fodi that I just couldn't put down. Set in an updated magic school, the story will pull you in with its incredible world-building. The main character, Cara, is a loveable outcast. She's a sort of anti-chosen-one who is forced into an adventure with her fellow remedial magic students, the nervous Gusto, and the talking, magical fox Zuki. But when she finds out she will also have to work with her rival, the seemingly too perfect Harlee Woo, who Cara thinks might be secretly behind the recent magical instabilities, the heat really turns up. Though Cara feels isolated and intentionally pushes others away, she ultimately has to learn to trust her companions and, more importantly, herself. 

This is a high fantasy adventure that does hilarious things with classic RPG tropes.

A magical kingdom grows fed up with hosting epic fantasy adventures for tourists from the world next door, complete with Wizard Guides, tavern stays, dragons, and epic battles with a Dark Lord.

Wizard Derk is assigned to be this year’s Dark Lord and—while he’s at it—save the world from these destructive tours.

The story romps across countries and continents, includes plenty of action, and doesn’t hold back when it comes to the somewhat messy familial relationships between Derk, his wife, and his children.

This is one of those books that reveals something new every time you read it.

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld hooked me from the very first pages—cliché as that may sound, it’s true. Virtually the entire book (as well as others from the Discworld) I read with a smile on my face.

Pratchett’s unique humor, his satirical take on human nature, the imaginative world of Discworld, and his reflections on reality come together in a brilliant mix that made me read… and read… and read.

This is my favorite book. It’s funny and thoughtful, and I relate to the bedraggled hero in so many unfortunate ways. Rincewind is a wizard in name only (and only when wizard is spelled with two Z’s). He’s a bit hopeless at everything, we join him in the middle of a desert digging a pointless hole, and he is constantly struggling against forces that couldn’t care less about him. So unfortunate and so very, very relatable.

In truth, though, I could recommend any of the Discworld books. They proudly flaunt usual fantasy tropes and instead delve into the nitty-gritty of what it would really be like to live in a squalid city populated by self-important wizards, thieves with the correct documentation, and shadowy assassins for hire.

This book is so underrated, it’s painful. A truly engrossing read. Han Alister must rise up from the slums of the city to embrace his magic, and find revenge for his innocent sister’s death. She was his heart, and when her life is extinguished, so is that part of himself. Or so he thought, until Raisa. A princess by birth, she’ll have to overcome her so-called privilege to have a chance at real happiness with someone less than a commoner—a reformed thief and gang leader. Or is he? Will revenge prove a more powerful conviction than love? Magical twists and surprises abound, and the depth of this world will suck you right in. If you’re not cheering for Han by the end, do you even like morally gray heroes?