Here are 71 books that The Pawn fans have personally recommended if you like
The Pawn.
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A few years ago (okay, decades, really), I left the seminary to become a young evangelist, then a denominational youth director, a college public relations director, a guest lecturer, an adjunct professor, and a pastor in three churches. And now I write.
I was in Israel when terrorists landed on the beach, intending to attack a hotel filled with travelers. Maybe my hotel. Their mission was thwarted, but I started thinking about terrorists attacking my homeland. And then it happened. Over the years, I’ve studied issues involving terrorism and even graduated from the Seattle FBI Citizens Academy. This is why I write inspirational thrillers today.
This is one of my absolute favorite novels. It's an older book, and it's so well written.
The story revolves around the life of Delan Walsh, who is at first a salty-talking Medal of Hero Marine Gunnery Sargent, then a Supreme Court Justice, a monk, and finally, the Pope.
I loved the extraordinary detail in every phase of this story. I especially learned a great deal about the US Supreme Court, and for me, a non-Catholic, the amazing and intimate insights into the Vatican were the best. I highly recommend this one, as it is both entertaining and insightful.
The New York Times Bestseller is now available in its 35th Anniversary Edition, featuring an extensive new introduction by Justice Samuel Alito of the U.S. Supreme Court. (NOTE: Only the new edition from QUID PRO BOOKS is an all-new printing and includes the new Foreword, even if this description erroneously appears under used copies of old versions.) This book is universally considered to be an unusual, fascinating, and well-written observation of the life of a man who was first a hero and Medal of Honor winner from a brutal war, then Chief Justice of the United States, later a monk…
Before the events of Holy Terror, there was a quickening. This prequel carries readers back to the dawn of creation, following Thumos - the last angel made by God, appointed as Heaven's right hand of vengeance - through the defining moments of Scripture.
My passion for novels about war with a love-related component is rooted in my upbringing. My father served in the military and suffered from PTSD all his life as a result. He regaled me with stories of his time in the army during World War II, but those stories were wildly comic or compelling tales of adventure in exotic, faraway lands. The darker aspects of his experience came out in his nightmares, and later in life, in the flashbacks he experienced after his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. My mother’s life was also impacted by war. Her first marriage ended when her husband was killed in battle, and she had her own kind of PTSD as a result.
Here is another book about strong women who supported each other as they served in battle, not as soldiers, but as nurses.
Reading The Women, I got to experience the evacuation hospitals designed to provide rapid trauma care near combat zones. The war-torn love represented in these pages is both platonic and romantic.
This is not a YA novel, but it is a very accessible read, and it raises important ethical questions. What makes a good war, exactly?
From master storyteller Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds, comes the story of a turbulent, transformative era in America: the 1960s. The Women is that rarest of novels—at once an intimate portrait of a woman coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided by war and broken by politics, of a generation both fueled by dreams and lost on the battlefield.
“Women can be heroes, too.”
When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these unexpected…
A few years ago (okay, decades, really), I left the seminary to become a young evangelist, then a denominational youth director, a college public relations director, a guest lecturer, an adjunct professor, and a pastor in three churches. And now I write.
I was in Israel when terrorists landed on the beach, intending to attack a hotel filled with travelers. Maybe my hotel. Their mission was thwarted, but I started thinking about terrorists attacking my homeland. And then it happened. Over the years, I’ve studied issues involving terrorism and even graduated from the Seattle FBI Citizens Academy. This is why I write inspirational thrillers today.
When Bob Dugoni learned I was interested in inspirational thrillers, he suggested I read this book, thinking I might enjoy it. He was right.
The author’s protagonist, Sam, who is born with a rare ocular albinism and sheltered by a loving mother, is unusual as the main character. It was easy for me to engage with his struggles of guilt, acceptance, and finding meaning in this coming-of-age story. I could identify with Sam’s experiences of being bullied and found his determination to be an overcomer inspiring.
Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni's coming-of-age story is, according to Booklist, "a novel that, if it doesn't cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border."
Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called "Devil Boy" or Sam "Hell" by his classmates; "God's will" is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by his mother's devout faith, his father's practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends.
He will stop at nothing to keep his secrets hidden.
Denise Tyler’s future in New Jersey with fiancé Jeremy Guerdon unravels when she stumbles upon a kill list, with her name on it. A chilling directive, “Leave the family memories of her, nothing else,” exposes a nightmare she never imagined.
A few years ago (okay, decades, really), I left the seminary to become a young evangelist, then a denominational youth director, a college public relations director, a guest lecturer, an adjunct professor, and a pastor in three churches. And now I write.
I was in Israel when terrorists landed on the beach, intending to attack a hotel filled with travelers. Maybe my hotel. Their mission was thwarted, but I started thinking about terrorists attacking my homeland. And then it happened. Over the years, I’ve studied issues involving terrorism and even graduated from the Seattle FBI Citizens Academy. This is why I write inspirational thrillers today.
I love how the story drew me into the racially charged Civil Rights 60’s era with totally believable characters: a white male lawyer who is in over his head, defending a black handyman charged with murdering a white elderly couple, and an experienced female black attorney who partners with him to defend the accused.
A well-written storyline and an unlikely cast of characters kept me up late. I’ve read many Baldacci books, giving this story a definite Five Stars. It might be his best!
Set in the tumultuous year of 1968 in southern Virginia, a racially-charged murder case sets a duo of white and Black lawyers against a deeply unfair system as they work to defend their wrongfully-accused Black defendants in this courtroom drama from #1New York Timesbestselling author David Baldacci.
Jack Lee is a white lawyer from Freeman County, Virginia, who has never done anything to push back against racism, until he decides to represent Jerome Washington, a Black man charged with brutally killing an elderly and wealthy white couple. Doubting his decision, Lee fears that his legal skills may not be…
Fantasy is my favorite genre, and honestly, I’m pretty deep in it. Not only do I read a lot of fantasy, I also write fantasy novels. I’ve been an active TTRPG player for the last few years, even creating and running a few campaigns. In addition, I wrote a one-shot campaign set in the world of my fantasy series, the Gifted Lands, which people can get for free when they sign up for my newsletter on my website. So it’s safe to say, I like fantasy. :) If you check out any of these books, let me know what you think of them!
This absolutely delightful duology from one of my absolute favorite authors is totally worth the read.
She has other series that I believe are more popular, but this particular book has a great mystery plot and memorable characters set against a Regency fantasy background.
If Jane Austen co-wrote a book with Agatha Christie (and added magic), they may have come up with A Matter of Magic.
One thing I really love about this book is the relationship between the two main characters, Kim and Mairelon. The progression of their relationship is fun, funny, and very real.
This is a book I tend to reread every year, that’s how much I love it!
When a stranger offers her a small fortune to break into a traveling magician's wagon, Kim doesn't hesitate. Having grown up a waif in the dirty streets of London, Kim isn't above a bit of breaking-and-entering. A hard life and lean times have schooled her in one lesson: steal from them before they steal from you. But when the magician catches her in the act, Kim thinks she's done for, until he suggests she become his apprentice; then the real trouble begins. Kim soon finds herself entangled with murderers, thieves, and cloak-and-dagger politics, all while trying to learn how to…
At heart, I believe every one of us is creative. It doesn’t matter if you express your creativity through words, notes, metal, wood, food, fabric, or paint. Personally, I love to sketch, paint, write, and sculpt. There is something magical about bringing your imagination to life and sharing it with the world! Our art allows us to share our emotions, dreams, memories, and culture with the world. As a fantasy author, I wanted to create a place where art can transform the physical world too.
Like many fantasy novels, The Paper Magician revolves around a character who feels small, lost, and powerless.
Although Ceony Twill desperately wants metal magic, she gets assigned to paper and decides to make the most of it. Since I’m half-Japanese, I immediately thought “origami!” when I read about the folding magic. It is the first book in a trilogy and I found the story to be a light, fast read.
Holmberg’s Victorian, gas-lamp world feels familiar, and though I found the characters a little thin (paper joke intended!), I enjoyed Ceony’s adventure. My favorite characters were two of the paper creatures, Fennel and Jonto, and I dare you not to adore them too!
"Charlie is a vibrant writer with an excellent voice and great world building. I thoroughly enjoyed the Paper Magician." -Brandon Sanderson, author of Mistborn and The Way of Kings
Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she's bonded to paper, that will be her only magic...forever.
Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to…
Across America, a wave of brutal, inexplicable killings leaves hardened detectives and desperate federal agents grasping for answers.
But what appears to be vigilante terror is something far more ancient - an invisible war between the forces of light and the agents of darkness, playing out on the streets of…
I love mixing the known with something new and creative–molding two universes in a way that still feels whole and plausible for the reader. Reading is, for me, part entertainment and recreation and also part education. I refuse to divide books into instructive and non-instructive–because broadening my horizon can happen while I enjoy myself. It’s something I treasure in my favorite authors and, therefore, also aim to provide. This requires a certain insight into human nature to build a credible story about how we, as a species, would deal with different circumstances; also the ability and patience to do some proper research before sitting down and shaping it all into a story.
I like the combination of having well-known principles and rules taken out of the context of my everyday world–and seeing how they unfold in a different place at a different time.
Differences shape our society, be they cultural background, income, education, religion, etc.–and adding a new element such as magic still has to follow the basic rules of human behavior and needs to be applied in a plausible and credible manner to make a story enjoyable for me. Trudy Canavan manages that in a way that feels authentic to me.
The phenomenally popular first novel from international No. 1 bestselling author Trudi Canavan
*Over 3 million Trudi Canavan copies sold worldwide*
Each year the magicians of Imardin gather together to purge the city streets of vagrants, urchins and miscreants. Masters of the disciplines of magic, they know that no one can oppose them. But their protective shield is not as impenetrable as they believe.
Sonea, angry, frustrated and outraged by the treatment of her family and friends, hurls a stone at the shield, putting all her rage behind it. To the amazement of all who bear witness, the stone passes…
I’ve always firmly believed that, being an all-encompassing genre, speculative fiction represents nearly everything I love about writing and storytelling. I’m therefore very proud to have established myself in that world over the past several years and hope to positively impact others in the way I’ve been positively impacted by the sorts of works I’ve mentioned here.
My second true love where speculative fiction universes are concerned is undoubtedly the Apprentice Adept series. The way it so deftly blends fantasy and science fiction, the iconic, unforgettable characters and concepts, and the, frankly, epic way the story evolves and eventually resolves absolutely blew my mind as a kid, and I’ve found revisiting it as an adult just as satisfying and enjoyable.
On the technological, decadent world of Proton, someone was trying to destroy Stile, serf and master Gamesman. His only escape lay through a mysterious “curtain” revealed by a loving robot.
Beyond the curtain lay Phaze—a world totally ruled by magic. There, his first encounter was with an amulet that turned into a demon determined to choke him to death. And there, he soon learned, his alternate self had already been murdered by sorcery, and he was due to be the next victim.
“Know thyself!” the infallible Oracle told him. But first he must save himself as he shuttled between worlds.
At heart, I believe every one of us is creative. It doesn’t matter if you express your creativity through words, notes, metal, wood, food, fabric, or paint. Personally, I love to sketch, paint, write, and sculpt. There is something magical about bringing your imagination to life and sharing it with the world! Our art allows us to share our emotions, dreams, memories, and culture with the world. As a fantasy author, I wanted to create a place where art can transform the physical world too.
If you like slice-of-life fantasy featuring art-based magic, check out Imager by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
The novel centers around a character named Rhenn who has spent several years apprenticing to become a master artisan. But when his patron is killed and he almost loses the opportunity of becoming an artist, he learns the true power of his art. I enjoyed the “classic fantasy” feeling of the world, and the interactions between the characters.
Bonus, if you love this story, there are eleven more books to enjoy in the series!
"Imager" is the beginning of a whole new fantasy in a whole new magical world from the bestselling creator of "Recluce". Although Rhennthyl is the son of a leading wool merchant in L'Excelsis, the capital of Solidar, the most powerful nation on Terahnar, he has spent years becoming a journeyman artist and is skilled and diligent enough to be considered for the status of master artisan - in another two years. Then, in a single moment, his entire life is transformed when his master patron is killed in a flash fire, and Rhenn discovers he is an imager - one…
I’ve loved portal fantasies since childhood—after all, who has never imagined being swept away to another world, particularly one in which magic is more than mere illusion? (The trick, of course, is then finding your way back…) Since the wardrobes in my life have thus far refused to open onto snowy forests, however, I write my own stories these days.
Clever, with rich worldbuilding and a cast of flawed, fleshed-out characters, this book is a definite page-turner. Nora Fisher’s life is in a slump: her dissertation is stalled, and her love life is in tatters. While attending a friend’s wedding, she slips off for a hike and accidentally winds up in another world, one far more beautiful than her own but where nothing is as it seems. Escaping her gilded prison is one matter, but to find her way home again, Nora will need to discover her talent for magic. I thoroughly enjoyed both this book and its recent sequel, How to Talk to a Goddess and Other Lessons in Real Magic.
"If Hermione Granger had been an American who never received an invitation to Hogwarts, this might have been her story." -People
Earning comparisons to wildly popular fantasy novels by Deborah Harkness and Lev Grossman, Emily Croy Barker's enchanting debut offers an intelligent escape into a richly imagined world. And with an appealing female protagonist, cinematic storytelling, wry humor, and wonderfully clever literary references, The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic is sure to capture the imaginations of readers everywhere.
During a miserable weekend at a friend's wedding, eager to forget about her disastrous breakup and stalled dissertation, Nora Fischer wanders…
