Books like 'Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules'
Readers who enjoyed Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules by Tony Cliff also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy action / adventure mystery alternate history historical-fiction humor myths steampunk industrial-era
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The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud
26 ratingsFive months after the events in THE CREEPING SHADOW, we join Lockwood, Lucy, George, Holly, and their associate Quill Kipps on a perilous night mission: they have broken into the booby-trapped Fittes Mausoleum, where the body of the legendary psychic heroine Marissa Fittes lies. Or does it? This is just one of the many questions to be answered in Book 5 of the Lockwood & Co. series...Categorized as:
female-mc friendship humor industrial-era steampunk action-adventure alternate-history audiobook -
The Good, The Bad and The History by Jodi Taylor
16 ratingsSt Mary's is under investigation. Their director has been shot and Max is Number One Suspect. Can things get any worse? We all know the answer to that one.Max needs to get away - fast - and a Brilliant Idea soon leads her to a full-scale uprising in twentieth-century China. If she can come by a historical treasure or two in the process, even better. That is, if she makes it out alive... -
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
38 ratingsMore than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles... -
Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan
18 ratingsThe conclusion to the thrilling memoirs of Lady Isabella Trent and her legacy of dragon evolutionary research and anthropological adventures... -
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In the Labyrinth of Drakes by Marie Brennan
18 ratingsIn the Labyrinth of Drakes, the thrilling new book in the acclaimed fantasy series from Marie Brennan, the glamorous Lady Trent takes her adventurous explorations to the deserts of Akhia.Even those who take no interest in the field of dragon naturalism have heard of Lady Trent's expedition to the inhospitable deserts of Akhia... -
The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley
18 ratings1888. Five years after they met in The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, Thaniel Steepleton, an unassuming translator, and Keita Mori, the watchmaker who remembers the future, are traveling to Japan. Thaniel has received an unexpected posting to the British legation in Tokyo, and Mori has business that is taking him to Yokohama... -
Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine
18 ratingsWith the future of the Great Library in doubt, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone must decide if it's worth saving in this thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.The corrupt leadership of the Great Library has fallen. But with the Archivist plotting his return to power, and the Library under siege from outside empires and kingdoms, its future is uncertain... -
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
30 ratingsWhen the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career... -
Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel
25 ratingsA legendary ghost ship. An incredible treasure. A death-defying adventure.Forty years ago, the airship Hyperion vanished with untold riches in its hold. Now, accompanied by heiress Kate de Vries and a mysterious gypsy, Matt Cruse is determined to recover the ship and its treasures... -
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
27 ratingsMatt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. It is the life Matt's always wanted; convinced he's lighter than air, he imagines himself as buoyant as the hydrium gas that powers his ship. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies... -
Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine
18 ratingsFor the US hardback, see ISBN13: 9780451489210.To save the Great Library, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone, Paper and Fire, and Ash and Quill put themselves in danger in the next thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.The opening moves of a deadly game have begun... -
The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman
20 ratingsA corrupt countessA spy in dangerAnd an assassin at largeThe fifth title in Genevieve Cogman's witty and wonderful Invisible Library series, The Mortal Word is a rollicking literary adventure.Peace talks are always tricky, especially when a key diplomat gets stabbed. This rudely interrupts a top-secret summit between the warring dragons and Fae... -
Miss Bennet's Dragon by M. Verant
6 ratingsRoyal Dragonfly Award Winner for Fantasy. Foreword INDIE Finalist for Fantasy.An unforgettable fantasy retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that is romantic, funny, and more relevant than ever.Elizabeth Bennet is hiding a forbidden power. She can speak to draca, the fire-breathing creatures kept as status symbols by English gentry. If only Mr...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction industrial-era action-adventure adult alternate-history book dragons -
The Shadow of Water by Jacquelyn Benson
6 ratingsLily Albright can see the future, and it looks like hell. In an England on the brink of war, Lily is plagued by visions of the cataclysmic destruction of London. An ancient prophecy is coming to fruition, and it starts with the gruesome discovery of a corpse in the sewers.To save her city, Lily must untangle a web of conspiracy and violence... -
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Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
22 ratingsIt’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.Ever since a faerie cursed her, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear, embarrassment, or even happiness—a condition which makes her sadly prone to accidental scandal...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction humor industrial-era action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman
24 ratingsAfter being commissioned to find a rare book, Librarian Irene and her assistant, Kai, head to Prohibition-era New York and are thrust into the middle of a political fight with dragons, mobsters, and Fae. In a 1920s-esque New York, Prohibition is in force; fedoras, flapper dresses, and tommy guns are in fashion: and intrigue is afoot... -
Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
24 ratingsDead wizards, stolen enchantments, and broken promises force a young spellbreaker out of the shadows in the next thrilling installment of the Spellbreaker series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.England, 1895. An unsolved series of magician murders and opus thefts isn’t a puzzle to Elsie Camden... -
Angel Fire by Ella Summers
12 ratingsCadence Lightbringer, daughter of an archangel, has trained from birth to one day drink the Nectar of the gods and ascend to the angels’ ranks. She’s always been the perfect soldier. She’s always known exactly where her life is headed. Until she is assigned to a mission with Damiel Dragonsire, Master Interrogator of the Legion of Angels... -
Odalisque: The Baroque Cycle #3 by Neal Stephenson
14 ratingsThe trials of Dr. Daniel Waterhouse and the Natural Philosophers increase one hundredfold in an England plagued by the impending war and royal insecurities -- as the beautiful and ambitious Eliza plays a most dangerous game as double agent and confidante of enemy kings...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction industrial-era myths steampunk 21st-century action-adventure adult -
Turning Darkness Into Light by Marie Brennan
14 ratingsAs the renowned granddaughter of Isabella Camherst (Lady Trent, of the riveting and daring Draconic adventure memoirs) Audrey Camherst has always known she, too, would want to make her scholarly mark upon a chosen field of study... -
The Secret Chapter by Genevieve Cogman
18 ratingsA Librarian’s work is never done, and once Irene has a quick rest after their latest adventure, she is summoned to the Library. The world where she grew up is in danger of veering deep into chaos, and she needs to obtain a particular book to stop this from happening... -
The Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan
18 ratings, may believe themselves already acquainted with the particulars of her historic voyage aboard the Royal Survey Ship Basilisk, but the true story of that illuminating, harrowing, and scandalous journey has never been revealed—until now... -
The Dark Archive by Genevieve Cogman
18 ratingsA professional spy for a mysterious Library which harvests fiction from different realities, Irene faces a series of assassination attempts that threaten to destroy her and everything she has worked for.Irene is teaching her new assistant the fundamentals of a Librarian's job, and finding that training a young Fae is more difficult than she expected... -
The Magician's Diary by C.J. Archer
18 ratingsPRAISE FOR C.J. ARCHER'S GLASS AND STEELE SERIES: "Part romance, part mystery, part magic; all of which a joy to read." - Dreamer J's Book Reviews "This story has everything I look for in a quality, entertaining piece of fiction. 1) A strong female lead, 2) a dark and mysterious male character (I admit, they are my weakness), 3) eloquent writing, and 4) lots of quirky humor and banter...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era steampunk action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book -
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Marking Time by April White
18 ratingsSeventeen-year-old tagger Saira Elian can handle anything... a mother who mysteriously disappears, a stranger who stalks her around London, and even the noble English Grandmother who kicked Saira and her mother out of the family... -
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
20 ratingsNebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns to his popular alternate Cairo universe for his fantasy novel debut, A Master of DjinnCairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era myths steampunk action-adventure adult africa alternate-history -
Airman by Eoin Colfer
24 ratingsOne dark night on the island of Great Saltee, fourteen-year-old Conor is framed for a terrible crime he didn’t commit. Thrown into prison by the dastardly Hugo Bonvilain, Conor is trapped in a seaswept dungeon and branded a traitor. He must escape and clear his name; he wants his old life back – his family, his friends . . . and his princess.Conor knows there is only one way out... -
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
25 ratingsThey are each other's fiercest love, greatest danger, and only hope. Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost -- one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumoured to grant its possessor the power of God... -
Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
28 ratingsThe Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. Immense as a mountain, the ancient Tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual animals and mysterious machines... -
Refuge for Masterminds by Kathleen Baldwin
10 ratingsIt’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war…Napoleon’s invasion of England is underway and someone at Stranje House is sneaking information to his spies. Lady Jane Moore is determined to find out who it is... -
Stolen Magic by Stephanie Burgis
10 ratingsWhen Kat’s family travels to a grand country house on the Devon coast for her sister Angeline’s wedding, Kat is stalked by a dangerous magical enemy - and finds everything she thought she knew about her late mother called into question...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era action-adventure alternate-history book children family -
The Clockwork Ghost by Laura Ruby
12 ratingsIt was only a few weeks ago that the Biedermann twins, Tess and Theo, along with their friend Jaime Cruz, followed the secrets of the Morningstarrs’ cipher further anyone had in its century-and-a-half history—and destroyed their beloved home in the process. But the Old York Cipher still isn’t solved. The demolition of 354 W... -
Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin
12 ratingsIt’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war.Tess Aubreyson can’t run far enough or fast enough to escape the prophetic dreams that haunt her... -
The Celestial Globe by Marie Rutkoski
14 ratingsAfter stealing her father’s eyes back from Prince Rodolfo, Petra Kronos lives in constant danger. She and her tin spider, Astrophil, end up hiding out in London, where she learns more about her magical abilities. London has its charms (like Petra’s attractive fencing master), but Petra needs to get back to Bohemia and her father... -
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Magician's Ward by Patricia C. Wrede
18 ratingsWhen Mairelon made Kim his ward, he promised to teach her to be a lady and a magician. But magic proves to be harder than it looks for a girl who has just learned to read, and being a lady is even harder. Before frustration - and Merrill's formidably correct aunt - can drive her mad, a mysterious gentleman attempts to burgle the Merrill town house...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction humor industrial-era steampunk action-adventure alternate-history book -
The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman
19 ratingsJune 1812. Just weeks after her catastrophic coming-out ball, Lady Helen Wrexhall—now disowned by her uncle—is a full member of the demon-hunting Dark Days Club. Her mentor, Lord Carlston, has arranged for Helen to spend the summer season in Brighton so that he can train her new Reclaimer powers... -
The Dragon Lantern by Alan Gratz
6 ratingsArchie Dent is convinced that he and his friends Hachi and Fergus are the first three members of a new League of Seven: a group of heroes who come together to fight the Mangleborn whenever the monsters arise to destroy humanity. His belief is put to the test when they are forced to undertake separate missions. Archie and his faithful Tik-Tok servant Mr... -
Storming by K.M. Weiland
6 ratingsIn the high-flying, heady world of 1920s aviation, brash pilot Robert “Hitch” Hitchcock’s life does a barrel roll when a young woman in an old-fashioned ball gown falls from the clouds smack in front of his biplane. As fearless as she is peculiar, Jael immediately proves she’s game for just about anything, including wing-walking in his struggling airshow...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction industrial-era steampunk action-adventure adult alternate-history book -
Magicians of Quality by Patricia C. Wrede, Caroline Stevermer
6 ratingsFor country-bred cousins Cecelia Rushton and Katherine Talgarth, something extraordinary is afoot besides the constant whirl of Regency balls - something Young Ladies of Quality rarely come in contact with: magic. Oh, not the mere love spells used by country folk, but real sorcery capable of thwarting ambitions and destroying life...Categorized as:
female-mc historical-fiction humor industrial-era action-adventure alternate-history book comedy -
Time of Trial by Michael Pryor
8 ratingsIn the fourth book of this utterly addictive series, magical genius Aubrey Fitzwilliam is heading deep into the heart of enemy territoryluckily, with his friends by his side It may look like a simple wire device, but the Beccaria Cage could be the cure for Aubrey's condition: a way to reunite his body and soul. But can Aubrey solve its mysteries while Dr... -
Word of Honour by Michael Pryor
8 ratingsSinister plots, schemes within schemes, magical upheavals, and a world to save from evil. As always, Aubrey goes looking for trouble--and finds it, in spades.Magical genius Aubrey Fitzwilliam, along with his loyal friend George, is trying to immerse himself in his new life at university. But for Aubrey life is never straightforward... -
Ironfoot by Dave Duncan
8 ratingsMedieval magic, murder, and mayhem!It is 1164, and for a hundred years England has been ruled by the Normans. A young Saxon boy named Durwin, crippled by a childhood accident, had caught the eye of a Norman sage teaching at a rural school of magic. Realizing that the boy had promise, Durwin was made stable boy, and eventually allowed to attend classes...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era steampunk action-adventure alternate-history audiobook book dark -
The Cecelia and Kate Novels: Sorcery & Cecelia, The Grand Tour, and The Mislaid Magician by Patricia C. Wrede
9 ratingsCourageous cousins are forced to do battle with magical foes in this series, collected here in a single volume In Sorcery & Cecelia, cousins Kate and Cecelia have been inseparable since childhood. But in 1817, as they approach adulthood, their families force them to spend a summer apart... -
The Golden Specific by S.E. Grove
14 ratingsThe eagerly-awaited sequel to the best-selling The Glass Sentence -- a historical, fantastical adventure perfect for fans of Philip Pullman!It is the summer of 1892, one year since Sophia Tims and her friend Theo embarked upon the dangerous adventure that rewrote the map of the world... -
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Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis
14 ratingsThe feisty Kat Stephenson is back in the second installment of the Regency era magical trilogy Kirkus Reviews calls “enjoyable mayhem...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era action-adventure alternate-history book children comedy -
Chainbreaker by Tara Sim
15 ratingsClock mechanic Danny Hart knows he's being watched. But by whom, or what, remains a mystery. To make matters worse, clock towers have begun falling in India, though time hasn't Stopped yet. He'd hoped after reuniting with his father and exploring his relationship with Colton, he'd have some time to settle into his new life. Instead, he's asked to investigate the attacks... -
The Fear Institute by Jonathan L. Howard
18 ratingsJohannes Cabal and his rather inexact powers of necromancy are back once more. This time, his talents are purchased by The Fear Institute as they hunt for the Phobic Animus - the embodiment of fear...Categorized as:
historical-fiction humor industrial-era myths steampunk action-adventure adult alternate-history -
Her Majesty's Necromancer by C.J. Archer
18 ratingsWhen bodies go missing from the cemetery, Lincoln and the Ministry of Curiosities investigate. But not Charlie. As a housemaid at Lichfield Towers, she doesn't get involved in Ministry business.Instead, she conducts investigations of her own. She searches for details about her real mother, and makes inquiries into Lincoln's background... -
The Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan
20 ratingsThe thrilling adventure of Lady Trent continues in Marie Brennan's The Tropic of Serpents . . . Attentive readers of Lady Trent’s earlier memoir, A Natural History of Dragons, are already familiar with how a bookish and determined young woman named Isabella first set out on the historic course that would one day lead her to becoming the world’s premier dragon naturalist... -
Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
26 ratingsA world of enchanted injustice needs a disenchanting woman in the newest fantasy series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.The orphaned Elsie Camden learned as a girl that there were two kinds of wizards in the world: those who pay for the power to cast spells and those, like her, born with the ability to break them...
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