Recommendations based on "Play of Shadows"

'Fabulous . . . Sure to be another fantasy classic' Huffington Post UK'A marvellous piece of imagination with plenty of twists, a refreshingly different setting, and excellent world-building' Mark LawrenceClaydon Torcreek has survived drake-infested jungles, hostile tribes and the cold touch of betrayal - yet his troubles have only just begun.The legendary white drake - believed to be nothing more than a myth - has awoken from its long slumber with a thirst to reduce the world of men to ashes.One city has already fallen to the drake's formidable legions. More will follow, unless Clay can uncover an ancient secret that lies buried beneath the southern ice.Once again Clay must face unthinkable danger, and this time he carries not just the hopes of his own nation, but the fate of the entire world.The Legion of Flame is the action-packed second novel in the Draconis Memoria series - an enthralling epic fantasy of magic, adventure and the furious battle to forge an empire.Praise for the series:'The world Ryan has created for his new dragon adventure is a joy to visualise' SciFiNow'A fascinating world packed with dragons, pirates, political machinations and an interesting magic system to boot' Fantasy Faction'Memorable characters and great action' Django Wexler'Excellent epic fantasy' BookBagBooks by Anthony Ryan:Draconis MemoriaThe Waking FireThe Legion of FlameThe Empire of AshesRaven's ShadowBlood SongTower LordQueen of FireRaven's BladeThe Wolf's Call (coming July 2019)

The third novel in an epic fantasy trilogy, which follows the tale of Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice – a detective, judge and executioner all in one.THE TIME OF JUDGEMENT IS AT HANDThe Empire of the Wolf is on its knees, but there's life in the great beast yet.To save it, Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies - to the wolfmen of the southern plains, and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep, and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova.Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy, the zealot Bartholomew Claver, wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him, they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane—but such allegiances carry a heavy price.As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife, the final reckoning draws close. Here, at the beating heart of the Empire, the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice . . . or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny.

An outcast mage caught between two warring empires must either save the world or destroy everything she loves in the second novel of "an unforgettable epic fantasy" trilogy (Publishers Weekly).Sal the Cacophony -- outlaw, outcast, outnumbered -- destroys all that she loves. Her lover lost and cities burned in her wake, all she has left is her magical gun and her all-consuming quest for revenge against those who stole her power and took the sky from her.When the roguish agent of a mysterious patron offers her the chance to participate in a heist to steal an incredible power from the famed airship fleet, the Ten Arrows, she finds a new purpose. But a plot to save the world by bringing down empires swiftly escalates into a conspiracy of magic and vengeance that threatens to burn everything to ash, including herself.For more from Sam Sykes, check out:The Grave of Empires:Seven Blades in BlackTen Arrows of IronBring Down Heaven:The City Stained RedThe Mortal TallyGod's Last BreathThe Affinity for Steel Trilogy:Tome of the UndergatesBlack HaloThe Skybound Sea

The next installment in New York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu's Soulbound Saga, continuing the harrowing journey of Jai as he navigates returning to his own people, growing in his magic and as a warrior, fending off attacks both without and within...and, of course, bonding even more with his dragon! Jai dreams of being a dragon rider. He dreams of freedom from the Sabine Empire and a world in which he can lead his people, the Kidara, to freedom. But even though he has his dragon, Winter, she is still growing, just as he's still growing in his own power. And the road to victory is even more fraught than he had hoped. Because even when he finds a tribe on the Great Steppe, they are not his people. More, they are outcasts, the Tainted, and he finds that he knows little of the customs and political intricacies that take place in these vast grasslands. He is a stranger amongst his own kind, and that is even more apparent when he reunites with the Kidara, for Jai's uncle rules, and is loath to cede power to his nephew. And even if Jai was sure he could take the reins of the leadership, he isn't sure he could actually hold them. But the legionaries and Gryphon Guard of the Sabine Empire are wreaking havoc against the other tribes of the Great Steppe, and Jai is forced to learn a lifetime's worth of knowledge in a matter of months. From taming the massive khiroi that make up the tribe's calvary, to levelling up his magic, to becoming a true warrior, worrying over the fate of the woman he loves, and strengthening his bond with Winter, Jai is a dragon rider with a massive weight on his young shoulders. And his greatest hope is that the shoulders of Winter will soon be strong enough to help carry him.

He will face the ultimate battle of dark against light. . . . The flame of hope is flickering throughout the Four Lands. But thanks to Brona, the evil Warlock Lord, a cloud of dark magic is sweeping south, spreading fear and death. Already Brona’s savage armies have crushed the forces of the Elves and their king. Now nothing stands between them and the fair city of Tyrsis. And if Tyrsis falls, the whole Southland will follow, plunged into an endless night of slavery and worse. The Druid Allanon has dispatched Menion, the Prince of Leah, to aid in the defense of Tyrsis while he himself continues to search for Shea Ohmsford, the young half-elf who bears the awesome burden of wielding the only weapon capable of destroying Brona: the mysterious Sword of Shannara. Yet magic of the fabled weapon makes it as dangerous to Shea as it is to the Warlock Lord. Now, in the very heart of the Dark Lord’s domain, Shea is about to unlock the deadly secret of the Sword–and come face to face with his destiny. . . . The Sword of Shannara Part 3: The Secret of the Sword is the newest addition to the Del Rey Imagine program, which offers the best in classic fantasy and science fiction for readers 12 and up.

The epic saga continues in the third installment of this thrilling series!Drew Ferran, Lyssia's last remaining Wolf and the rightful heir to the kingdom's throne, is held prisoner by an evil Lizardlord. But rebellion's always a possibility when Drew's around, and with the help of his cohorts, he overthrows the slavers and embarks on a quest to find the long-lost tribe of Hawklords so they can join his war against the evil Catlords. This third book in the Wereworld series features even more heart-pounding action, wild characters, and epic struggle between good and evil."Game of Thrones for the tween set." —School Library Journal

Kelly McCullough, author of Drawn Blades, presents another Fallen Blade adventure with Aral Kingslayer...Aral Kingslayer has nothing to lose—and only justice to gain. Torn apart by the death of his goddess, he must avenge her in order to save himself from being lost forever....It’s been nine long years since the death of his patron, Namara, and exalted assassin Aral Kingslayer desperately misses the thrill and glory of being a higher power of justice. Now he is haunted by the ghosts of the past—and by the ghost of the lost goddess herself.When Namara calls upon Aral in a dream to seek justice for her death and the ruination of her temple, Aral must obtain the help of his fellow former Blades and his Shade familiar, Triss, to pursue the vengeance he knows Namara deserves. Even if it means attacking Heaven’s Son—and going against one of their own—in a bloody battle of epic proportions...

From one of the most original voices in fantasy comes a heroic tale of honor, friendship, and battlefield salvage. It's important to look after your crew when you're in the battlefield salvage business. It's stressful work at the best of times, and although your employees are unlikely to be happy it makes sense to keep them alive. So when Saevus Corax finds himself having to capture a castle to stop his men from being killed, he has no choice but to give it a try. Needless to say, the conventional rules of siegecraft are unlikely to be followed. For more from K. J. Parker, check out: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It A Practical Guide to Conquering the World The Two of Swords The Two of Swords: Volume One The Two of Swords Volume Two The Two of Swords: Volume Three The Fencer Trilogy Colours in the Steel The Belly of the Bow The Proof House The Scavenger Trilogy Shadow Pattern Memory Engineer Trilogy Devices and Desires Evil for Evil The Escapement The Company The Folding Knife The Hammer Sharps

A powerful band of women warriors must face off against an oppressive enemy in one final showdown that will determine their survival and the fate of their world in this concluding volume in Ausma Zehanat Khan's powerful fantasy series—an epic of magic, bravery, adventure, and the fight for freedom that lies "somewhere between N. K. Jemisin and George R. R. Martin" (Saladin Ahmed). Armed with the powerful sorcery of the Bloodprint and supported by the Talisman, the oppressive One-Eyed Preacher is on the verge of conquering Ashfall, the Black Khan’s capital in the west. Yet not all is lost for Arian, Sinnia and the Council of Hira. If these brave female warriors can uncover the secrets of an ancient magic weapon known as the Bladebone, they can defeat the Preacher and crush his cruel regime. Neither Arian and Sinnia, nor their allies, the Mages of Khorasan, know the Bladebone’s whereabouts, and not all may survive the search to uncover it. Pursued by a nefarious enemy aligned with the Preacher, they become separated, each following a different path. Then, in their darkest hour, unexpected help appears. But is the Khanum of Black Aura a friend or foe? Arian may discover the answer too late. When the secret of the Bladebone is finally revealed, the knowledge comes at a devastating price for Arian. As the capital falls, only Hira, home of the Companions, stands in the way of the Preacher’s victory. While the Companions rise to defend their Citadel from enemies outside and within, Arian must face off in a cataclysmic battle with the Preacher that pits the powers of the Bloodprint against the Sana Codex.  For those who survive, Khorasan will never be the same.

'AN ADDICTIVELY READABLE - AND UNDENIABLY COOL - FANTASY MASTERWORK' Kirkus BRING ON THE ORCS . . . Jackal is proud to be a Grey Bastard, member of a sworn brotherhood of half-orcs. Unloved and unwanted in civilized society, the Bastards eke out a hard life in the desolate no-man's-land called the Lots, protecting frail and noble human civilization from invading bands of vicious full-blooded orcs. But as Jackal is soon to learn, his pride may be misplaced. Because a dark secret lies at the heart of the Bastards' existence - one that reveals a horrifying truth behind humanity's tenuous peace with the orcs, and exposes a grave danger on the horizon. On the heels of the ultimate betrayal, Jackal must scramble to stop a devastating invasion - even as he wonders where his true loyalties lie. A standout adventure fantasy debut that's down, dirty and damn good fun - perfect for fans of Joe Abercombie, Markus Heitz's Dwarves series and Stan Nicholl's Orcs series. 'A gritty adventure with a fantastic, foul-mouthed voice . . . Fans of Abercrombie's The First Law . . . will like this a lot' Django Wexler 'A bloody good tale of battle, betrayal and war pigs' Brian McClellan 'Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdry charm and vicious characters. The Grey Bastards has instantaneously catapulted him into my must-read list' Fantasy Book Critic 'I'd like to raise a tankard to The Grey Bastards' brilliance' Fantasy Faction