Here are 31 books that The Path of Flames fans have personally recommended if you like The Path of Flames. 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 Age of Myth

Ross Hightower and Deb Heim Author Of Argren Blue

From my list on complex storylines and bad-ass female characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ross and I have backgrounds in academia, in the finest liberal arts tradition. Although we are currently in the fields of Information technology and public health, between us we have read extensively in military history, sociology, economics, feminist theory, Buddhist philosophy, mythology and all manner of fantasy fiction. This list of books reflects our favorites, in large part because of their focus on character and historical world-building. We are always eager to share our favorite fantasy fiction with other readers who love deeply complicated stories with unforgettable characters.

Ross' book list on complex storylines and bad-ass female characters

Ross Hightower and Deb Heim Why Ross loves this book

I have read the six books in Michael J. Sullivan’s First Empire series multiple times, in part because of the sweeping storyline that spans the entire series. Although the main protagonist is male, for me, the real heroes are Persephone and Suri.

As with my other recommendations, these characters respond to extraordinary circumstances by becoming extraordinary themselves. 

By Michael J. Sullivan ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Age of Myth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of fantasy’s finest next-generation storytellers continues to break new ground.

Michael J. Sullivan’s trailblazing career began with the breakout success of his Riyria series: full-bodied, spellbinding fantasy adventures whose imaginative scope and sympathetic characters won a devoted readership and comparisons to fantasy masters Brandon Sanderson, Scott Lynch, and J.R.R. Tolkien himself. Now Age of Myth inaugurates an original five-book series.

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans…


If you love The Path of Flames...

Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Chasing Graves

David Estes Author Of Kingfall

From my list on epic fantasies to deprive you of sleep.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up and still today, I read a lot of fantasy, including reading the covers right off my copy of The Lord of the Rings boxed set. I’ve also written two major epic fantasy series each more than a million words in length. So I know a thing or two about what makes compelling epic fantasy stories. And these five books (and the series that follow) go above and beyond any measure. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed, but your REM cycle might suffer!

David's book list on epic fantasies to deprive you of sleep

David Estes Why David loves this book

If you’re in the mood for a darker story to fill the moonlit hours between dusk and dawn, Chasing Graves is what you’ve been searching for. Galley’s writing is nothing short of magnificent, his creativity almost alien in its imagination. Not a second went by while reading this book that I wasn’t utterly lost between its pages, living in the world of the author’s creation, immersed in a story with one of the best twists I’ve ever read. When you begin this book, you might as well forget about sleep altogether, it’s that good. 

By Ben Galley ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Meet Caltro Basalt. He’s a master thief, a selfish bastard, and as of his first night in Araxes, stone cold dead.

They call it the City of Countless Souls, the colossal jewel of the Arctian Empire, and all it takes to be its ruler is to own more ghosts than any other. For in Araxes, the dead do not rest in peace in the afterlife, but live on as slaves for the rich.

While Caltro struggles to survive and tries to reclaim his freedom, those around him strive for the emperor’s throne in Araxes’ cutthroat game of power. The dead…


Book cover of A Threat of Shadows

David Estes Author Of Kingfall

From my list on epic fantasies to deprive you of sleep.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up and still today, I read a lot of fantasy, including reading the covers right off my copy of The Lord of the Rings boxed set. I’ve also written two major epic fantasy series each more than a million words in length. So I know a thing or two about what makes compelling epic fantasy stories. And these five books (and the series that follow) go above and beyond any measure. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed, but your REM cycle might suffer!

David's book list on epic fantasies to deprive you of sleep

David Estes Why David loves this book

The words I would use to describe Andrews’ writing are as follows: spirit, strength, impact. Not only does each sentence read like melted butter circling a saucepan, but they are written with purpose. Filled with characters so likable you’ll wish they were your real friends, Andrews puts them through hell and back again in a way that makes you want to cheer for them, or even fight by their sides. If you haven’t read A Threat of Shadows and the rest of The Keeper Chronicles, be prepared to count plenty of sheep to fall asleep afterward. 

By JA Andrews ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Threat of Shadows as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#SPBFO Semifinalist

2nd Edition

Alaric betrayed everything he believed to save Evangeline — and failed.

His last chance to save the woman he loves lies in an ancient Wellstone, a repository of power, buried and lost long ago.


Luck—or something more troubling—leads him to a small group searching for the same stone.

A disgruntled dwarf,

a bumbling wizard,

and an elf with an unsettling amount of power.


If he can gain their trust, they might help him find the cure.

But the Wellstone holds more than he knows, and a terrible evil he’d thought defeated is stirring again, searching for…


If you love Phil Tucker...

Book cover of I, Robot Alien

I, Robot Alien by Joel R. Dennstedt,

“Intelligent, unique, and tremendously entertaining.” - Readers' Favorite 2025

BOOKLIFE EDITOR’S PICK!

EARTH… CENTURIES AFTER THE FALL!

I was created by beings who couldn’t touch this world... only watch it crumble. Every twenty years, a new tribe... a new hope... a new failure.

I was told, “Do not interfere.” But…

Book cover of Six of Crows

Anneliese Peters Author Of King Assassin

From my list on fantasy books for one-time assassins.

Why am I passionate about this?

Though most of the books and characters I recommended are full-on assassins, I wrote King Assassin as a one-time killer because this was always a story of redemption and grief, as a lot of these assassins face. I wrote the book after losing my best friend, and the journey the main character goes through in her search for redemption, only to find it in herself, was something I needed as I grieved my loss. I see it in all of the assassins I’ve read about, and I resonate so so much with the idea that a person is not made of only their mistakes, but of so much more than that.

Anneliese's book list on fantasy books for one-time assassins

Anneliese Peters Why Anneliese loves this book

Now, I understand most people would consider Six of Crows a “heist book,” but can I just say… Inej is a goddess.

Her backstory is truly heartbreakingly powerful and has stuck with me even years after finishing. I loved this duology so much that I got my mother and two sisters to read it, and could rave about it for hours. 

By Leigh Bardugo ,

Why should I read it?

31 authors picked Six of Crows as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

*See the Grishaverse come to life on screen with Shadow and Bone, now a Netflix original series.*

Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017, this fantasy epic from the No. 1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the Grisha trilogy is gripping, sweeping and memorable - perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Laini Taylor and Kristin Cashore.

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams - but he can't pull it off alone.

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk…


Book cover of Heretic Behaviour

Paula Weston Author Of The Shadow of the Eagle

From my list on fantasy books with slow-burn romance and rich world building.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved epic fantasy ever since discovering The Hobbit and David Eddings as a teenager. I’ve also always loved a good old-fashioned slow burn and/or antagonistic romance. As I’ve grown (much) older, I’ve come to understand that the sweet spot for me is a perfect blend of world-building and a complex romance that makes sense in the context of that world.

Paula's book list on fantasy books with slow-burn romance and rich world building

Paula Weston Why Paula loves this book

This book ticked all the boxes for me.

It’s well written (by a fellow Australian author!), has a strong female protagonist, a genuine slow-burn attraction, and is set in a world with a religious system and accompanying bigotry that feels all too real. I love that Mila’s strength is in her resilience and that she’s very much a product of the world in which she exists.

As for the romance, the slow-build attraction between her and Culis is genuinely believable in the context of both characters’ story arcs. And let me just say that E.C. Glynn knows how to tease!

By E.C. Glynn ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The elite are always heretics when it suits them.

Mila's time is up. After years spent hiding, she's been caught by the Church, accused of being a demon, and offered as sacrifice to the all-powerful God-King Midas.

However, her fate takes an unexpected turn when the cruel and beautiful Princess Jezebel stays Mila's execution on the condition that Mila entertains her at court with her unusual power.

The arrival of a handsome, enigmatic, and ruthless merchant prince throws Mila's efforts to escape into turmoil. Will his arrival be her undoing...or her path to freedom?

A twist on an old myth,…


Book cover of Crave

C.P. Rider Author Of Spiked

From my list on urban fantasy with a simmering romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

Not only am I a writer of urban fantasy romance, I've been a huge fan of the subgenre since I was a kid—since before it was called urban fantasy. When I happened upon a series I liked back then, I'd track down every book, stack them on the green shag carpet beside my bed, and read one right after another until I was finished. Thankfully, my mom and grandmother were readers and understood my obsession. If you like action, suspense, a little magic, and a splash of romance in your fiction, consider giving one of these stories a try. Enjoy!

C.P.'s book list on urban fantasy with a simmering romance

C.P. Rider Why C.P. loves this book

My last pick is action-packed, sexy, and pure fun.

Nava Katz’s twin brother, Ari, was chosen at birth to join the Brotherhood of David, a secret organization of demon hunters. The induction ceremony takes a turn when Nava is chosen instead. The first female ever to be chosen, and everyone—her parents, her rabbi, and the other hunters—all agree this must be a mistake. It might seem that this one doesn't qualify as slow burn since it's sexy right from the start, but it's the heart connection that takes time and therefore, qualifies it for inclusion.

By Deborah Wilde ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Enjoy this urban fantasy series by best-selling author Deborah Wilde. Featuring a snarky heroine, kickass action, and spicy romance, this hilarious adventure sucker-punches you in the heart when you're not looking.

What doesn’t kill you ...
… seriously messes with your love life.

Nava is happily settling into her new relationship and life is all giddy joy and stolen kisses.

Except when it’s assassins. Talk about a mood killer.

She and Rohan are tracking the unlikely partnership between the Brotherhood and a witch who can bind demons, but every new piece of the puzzle is leaving them with more questions…


If you love The Path of Flames...

Book cover of An Heir of Realms

An Heir of Realms by Heather Ashle,

An Heir of Realms tells the tale of two young heroines—a dragon rider and a portal jumper—who fight dragon-like parasites to save their realms from extinction. 

Rhoswen is training as a Realm Rider to work with dragons and burn away the Narxon swarming into her realm. Rhoswen’s dream is to…

Book cover of The Taking

Michael Potts Author Of Unpardonable Sin

From my list on in theological horror.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was a fraternal twin, and my brother died about two hours after birth from a bilateral pulmonary hemorrhage. Knowing this as a child, I became fascinated with death, thinking of it as annihilation. Later, I feared my religion (Christianity) might be false and I would be annihilated at death. Thus I became fascinated by all things philosophical and theological, including theological horror. The works I like most center on themes of the truth of religion and life after death while avoiding preachiness and the trap of telling rather than showing.

Michael's book list on in theological horror

Michael Potts Why Michael loves this book

I highly recommend The Taking because it continues to haunt me with existential terror—I have never been as frightened by a horror novel in my life. The struggles of a young couple in the face of an apparent alien invasion are frightening enough, but the imagery is overwhelmingly frightening and powerful. When the reveal comes at the end, the surprise was almost too scary to bear, since it concerns entities in which I truly believe. This book lingers with me… and lingers…. and lingers….

By Dean Koontz ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?


#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

On the morning that marks the end of the world they have known, Molly and Neil Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain on their roof. A luminous silvery downpour is drenching their small California mountain town. It has haunted their sleep, invaded their dreams, and now, in the moody purple dawn, the young couple cannot shake the sense of something terribly wrong.

    As the hours pass, Molly and Neil listen to disturbing news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. By nightfall, their little town loses all contact with the outside world. A thick…


Book cover of Another Fine Myth

Michelle Salsbery Author Of The Scrivener's Apprentice

From my list on books where character death really means something.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a lifelong reader, and over the years I’ve probably gotten to know thousands of characters. I don’t like it when they die, but their deaths can be so moving if done well. It really frustrates me when a beloved character dies and it doesn’t amount to anything. I’ve gotten attached to these people–they shouldn’t just die without impacting anything! But I love it when a death results in a plot twist or meaningful consequences for the remaining characters.

Michelle's book list on books where character death really means something

Michelle Salsbery Why Michelle loves this book

When I was a kid, a favorite uncle gave me a later book in this series, and I was immediately entranced by the combination of humor and fantasy–I love both genres, and I’d never seen them done together before. This is the first book in that much-loved and reread series.

It starts when Garkin, an irascible old wizard, summons a demon to impress his mouthy apprentice. Garkin then gets killed, which releases the demon and launches the mouthy apprentice, Skeeve, into a series of outlandish adventures. It’s a dark start to a light book, full of trope reversals and puns. I loved it as a kid and as an adult.

By Robert Asprin ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Another Fine Myth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Skeeve is a magician’s apprentice (and a wanna-be thief) until an assassin’s bolt kills his master, Garkin. Along with Aahz, the green-scaled, purple-tongued demon and master magician summoned by Garkin, he sets out on a quest to get even. The road to vengeance is bound to prove rocky, however, because Skeeve can barely light a candle with his beginning magic, and Aahz has lost his own considerable magical abilities as a consequence of Garkin’s summoning spell. Before they can confront the power-mad wizard who ordered Garkin’s assassination, they must survive a trip to a weird alternate dimension, encounters with Impish…


Book cover of Midnight Falcon

Tom Barber Author Of Nine Lives

From my list on beating the odds, the villain, and your personal demons.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been drawn to stories of good versus evil and watching a hero overcome a great struggle to beat a villain and win the day. I feel it’s innate in humans to want to hear such tales ever since the days gathered around the campfires thousands of years ago, and when it’s done well, it can be a story that inspires you in your own life. Hopefully, these novels can do the same for you! 

Tom's book list on beating the odds, the villain, and your personal demons

Tom Barber Why Tom loves this book

This pick is slightly out of left field, coming from the heroic fantasy genre, but it is possibly my favorite novel. The story is loosely based on a Celtic-esque society and follows the central character, Bane, who is the bastard son of the most powerful king of their era. Angry and hurt but with signs of goodness in him, Bane leaves on a hero’s journey, where he ends up becoming a gladiator in the allegorical version of Rome.

I’ve reread this book so many times and still love it dearly. The choices of right and wrong, becoming a strong man, fighting for what you believe in, and defending those who can’t defend themselves are foundations of other authors’ work on my list, and David Gemmell is a worthy addition. 

By David Gemmell ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

They called him Bane the Bastard - though none said it to his face. Born of treachery, his name a curse, he grew up among the warriors of the Rigante. They valued his skills in war, but they feared the violence in his heart. And when, as a Wolfshead and Outlaw, he left Rigante lands, they breathed sighs of relief. But Bane would return, the destiny of the Rigante in his hands, the fate of the world resting on his skills with a blade. Midnight Falcon continues the tale of the Rigante, which began in Sword in the Storm, and…


If you love Phil Tucker...

Book cover of The Tao of Poison

The Tao of Poison by Isham Cook,

A poisonous maiden, a Daoist sex cult, and a violent insurgency.

The polyandrous Yan family in China's rural Shaanxi Province takes in two carpenter brothers. When one brother is convicted of murder after killing their neighbor in a dispute, a constable threatens to expose the family's rumored polyandry and extorts…

Book cover of The Demon, the Hero, and the City of Seven

Scott McCormick Author Of The Dragon Squisher

From my list on fantasy books for when you need a laugh.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was in high school, someone handed me a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I haven’t been the same since. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. It was packed to the gills with action, adventure, wild ideas, and, above all, humor. Every sentence made me giggle. Every observation made my jaw drop. Plus, loving this book made me feel like I belonged to a weird little club. When I started to write The Dragon Squisher, my first thought was to do “a Douglas Adams thing” but for fantasy. Then I thought: Maybe I should see if someone’s done this already. 

Scott's book list on fantasy books for when you need a laugh

Scott McCormick Why Scott loves this book

I love an epic tale as much as the next nerd, but sometimes, I want my fantasy to be a little cozier. Such is the case with this lovely book (and series). It’s a classic Odd Couple story in which a foul-mouthed and vice-loving demon has been magically bonded to a goody-goody hero. Antics ensue.

The writing is perfect, and it’s filled with great lines like, "It was Chet, our next-door neighbor. The one that shared a bathroom with us and unknowingly let me clean my fingernails with his toothbrush." The whole series is great. I was nervous going into the last book because so many writers don’t stick to the landing. I needn’t have worried, though. The finale was everything I hoped it would be.

By A.E. Kincaid ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Demon, the Hero, and the City of Seven as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“…the subtlety and humor of an assassin’s stiletto inserted straight down into the funny bone.”
Carl R. Jennings, author of Just About Anyone


What happens when good and evil collide?

They yell, Ouch!

When you’re a demon who’s recently (but accidentally) been magically bound to a human for eternity, life is bound to be annoying. But when that human is also an inept hero who tosses his lunch whenever he gets stressed out? Breaking the connection becomes priority one. Not knowing what else to do, our demon, Lord Malgon, and our hero, Sir Reginald, set off to see a wizard…


Book cover of Age of Myth
Book cover of Chasing Graves
Book cover of A Threat of Shadows

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Interested in demons, heresy and heretics, and squires?

Demons 137 books
Squires 7 books