Books like 'The Grand Design'
Readers who enjoyed The Grand Design by John Marco also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy high fantasy action / adventure military, war & conflict epic military
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The Tiger’s Wrath by Marc Alan Edelheit
12 ratingsFinalist for Best Series: 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards! The fifth installment of the award-winning Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer series is finally here! Ben Stiger, Legate of the Lost Thirteenth Legion, a nobleman from an infamous family and born fighter, has defeated the servants of the evil god Castor and crushed the dark deity’s orc-led army... -
Lost Legio IX by Marc Alan Edelheit
15 ratingsBestselling, award-winning author of STIGERS TIGERS, Marc Alan Edelheit, delivers a new action-packed fantasy epic filled with gods and magic. One of history’s greatest mysteries, the Ninth Imperial Legion guarding Rome’s northernmost frontier in Britannia disappeared around the year 122 AD. This is their story...Categorized as:
epic military action-adventure adult alternate-history ancient-civilization audiobook book -
Stiger by Marc Alan Edelheit
14 ratingsThe long awaited prequel to the Award Winning Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer series that started with the bestselling military fantasy book Stiger’s Tigers. A nobleman from an infamous family, Ben Stiger finds himself freshly assigned to Third Legion, Seventh Company as a lowly lieutenant in the opening stages of war between the Empire and the Kingdom of the Rivan... -
High Mage by Terry Mancour
16 ratingsRock Star! Things were starting to look up for Magelord Minalan the Spellmonger – the magic mountain in his domain not only made him a wealthy man and the most powerful mage in history, it also produced a lode of magical gemstones with unique properties – properties the Alka Alon, the masters of magic on Callidore, are fascinated by... -
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The Tiger by Marc Alan Edelheit
16 ratingsAbandoned and cut off from friendly lines, Stiger takes the fight to the enemy! A nobleman from an infamous family, imperial legionary officer, fighter, and a right proper bastard of a man…Captain Ben Stiger captured Castle Vrell and rid it of a minion of a dark god...Categorized as:
epic military action-adventure adult alternate-history anthologies audiobook fiction -
The First Compact by Marc Alan Edelheit
10 ratingsThe Bestselling, award-winning author of STIGERS TIGERS Marc Alan Edelheit delivers the third action-packed book in his fantasy epic, The Karus Saga. One of history’s greatest mysteries, the disappearance of ancient Rome’s Ninth Imperial Legion, is now revealed in this untold story... -
Deadhouse Landing by Ian C. Esslemont
17 ratingsAfter the disappointments of Li Heng, Dancer and Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz. Immediately, of course, Kellanved plans to take it over. To do so they join forces with a small band of Napans who have fled a civil war on their own home island... -
The Bone Ship's Wake by R.J. Barker
12 ratingsThe sea dragons are returning, and Joron Twiner's dreams of freedom lie shattered. His Shipwife is gone and all he has left is revenge.Leading the black fleet from the deck of Tide Child Joron takes every opportunity to strike at his enemies, but he knows his time is limited. His fleet is shrinking and the Keyshan's Rot is running through his body... -
Into Vushaar by Robert M. Kerns
10 ratingsHelp his friend go home.Just because Gavin's goal is simple, doesn't mean it's easy!His friend's home is Vushaar, the world's oldest monarchy and a land fractured by civil war. Slaver parties roam the countryside at will, claiming any they desire for their vile trade, and a great army lays siege to the capital... -
A Dark Foretoken by Marc Alan Edelheit
10 ratingsThe best-selling, award-winning author of Stiger's Tigers delivers the next action-packed installment in the Tales of the Seventh series. Where a Stiger goes, death follows… Stiger has survived the brutal ordeal at Fort Covenant, which saw his company shattered and an enemy army destroyed... -
Relentless by R.A. Salvatore
12 ratingsThe epic conclusion to the long-awaited trilogy featuring one of the most beloved characters in all of fantasy—Drizzt Do'Urden—a rollicking tale of life, death, intrigue, magic, danger, and the timeless bonds of family and friendship from New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore... -
The Empire's Ruin by Brian Staveley
12 ratingsOne soldier will bear the hopes of an empireThe Kettral were the glory and despair of the Annurian Empire – elite soldiers who rode war hawks into battle. Now the Kettral’s numbers have dwindled and the great empire is dying. Its grip is further weakened by the failure of the kenta gates, which granted instantaneous access to its vast lands... -
Outcasts of Order by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
12 ratingsModesitt continues his bestselling Saga of Recluce with his 20th book in the long-running series. Beltur began his journey in The Mongrel Mage and continues with Outcasts of Order, the next book of his story arc in the Saga of Recluce. Beltur, an Order mage, discovers he possesses frightening powers not seen for hundreds of years... -
Assassin’s Price by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
12 ratingsThe latest fantasy novel in the New York Times bestselling Imager Portfolio and the third book in the new story arc that began with Madness in SolidarFans of L. E. Modesitt, Jr.'s, bestselling fantasy series the Imager Portfolio will be pleased with the latest novel in his new story arc.Six years have passed since the failed uprising of the High Holders against Rex Lorien... -
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Heritage of Cyador by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
14 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author L.E. Modesitt comes Heritage of Cyador, the new novel in the Saga of Recluce.Scarcely a year after the events of Cyador’s Heirs, Lerial uses his mastery of Order and Chaos, the competing natural forces that shape his world and define the magic that exists within it, to utterly destroy an Afritan military force crossing into Cigoerne... -
Boundless by R.A. Salvatore
14 ratingsThis second book in New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore’s all-new trilogy—full of swordplay, danger, and imaginative thrills—features one of fantasy’s most beloved and enduring characters, Drizzt Do’Urden.Split between time and two worlds, Zaknafein had always been conflicted... -
The Squire by Duncan M. Hamilton
14 ratingsWhen creatures that lurk in the dark dare to venture out into the world, lives are changed forever.Conrad lives a quiet rural life with his parents in the Northlands. During one fated night, his world is turned on its head, as nightmares become reality. While his Northlands blood cries out for revenge, Conrad’s head tells him surviving is the best he can do... -
Queen of Storms by Raymond E. Feist
16 ratingsDark and powerful forces threaten the world of Garn once more in this second novel in legendary New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist’s epic fantasy series, the Firemane Saga.Hatushaly and his young wife Hava have arrived in the prosperous trading town of Beran’s Hill to restore and reopen the fire-damaged Inn of the Three Stars... -
Imager's Battalion by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
16 ratingsQuaeryt, now holding the rank of subcommander in the Telaryn army of Lord Bhayar, leads history's first imager fighting force into a retaliatory war against the hostile nation of Bovaria, which recently attempted the annexation of Telaryn. But Court intrigues pursue Quaeryt to the front lines of the conflict as the imager's enemies continue to plot against him... -
The Roots of Wrath by B.T. Narro
6 ratingsAs Jon prepares for the inevitable battle with Rohaer, strategies must evolve in response to the enemy’s overwhelming advantage. But Rohaer is not Jon’s only concern. Political players among his allies may plan to use the upcoming strife as an opportunity to grab power for themselves... -
The Heart of War by Ben Hale
6 ratingsKing Tryton has rebuilt a nation, forged peace from war, and returned his people to the honor they had lost. Now guarding mages, guildmasters, and kings, the rock trolls inspire respect rather than fear. In spite of his feats it is his family that brings him pride. He has trained his children in every facet of combat, preparing them for a world of conflict. It will not be enough... -
Tuyo by Rachel Neumeier
6 ratingsRaised a warrior in the harsh winter country, Ryo inGara has always been willing to die for his family and his tribe. When war erupts against the summer country, the prospect of death in battle seems imminent. But when his warleader leaves Ryo as a sacrifice -- a tuyo -- to die at the hands of their enemies, he faces a fate he never imagined... -
Soldier Sword by D.K. Holmberg
8 ratingsAs Endric continues his search for the traitor Urik, a new threat emerges, one that demands the attention of the Denraen. Now an officer, Endric should be a part of the planning, but the general seems determined to keep him from it... -
The Path of Giants by B.T. Narro
8 ratingsJon is the hand and will of the king against the growing shadow. Dark power stirs, giants about to clash. Jon has tasted the stench of death, and he knows he cannot face these challenges alone.Betrayal and suspicions among Jon’s trusted friends threaten to tear asunder their fragile plans... -
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Fairhaven Rising by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
10 ratingsModesitt continues his bestselling Saga of Recluce with his twenty-second book in the long-running series. Fairhaven Rising is the first book in a new character arc, and follows The Mage-Fire War.Sixteen years have passed since the mage Beltur helped to found the town of Fairhaven, and Taelya, Beltur's adopted niece, is now a white mage undercaptain in the Road Guards of Fairhaven... -
Fletcher by P.S. Power
10 ratingsThis is the one, because time is running out...***As death sought his last breath, the mind of the historian and storykeeper Farad Ibn Istel was placed in one of the very rare crystals of memory...Now, a long time later, he awakens, tasked with saving the life of a young boy. A thing that no one else can do... -
The Mongrel Mage by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
12 ratingsThe Saga of Recluce chronicles the history of this world with world-building detail and an ingenious and disciplined magic system. L. E. Modesitt, Jr. returns to his longest and bestselling fantasy series with volume nineteen, which marks the beginning of a new story arc.In the world of Recluce, powerful mages can wield two kinds of magic the white of Chaos or the black of Order... -
The Last Druid by Terry Brooks
14 ratingsThe riveting conclusion not only to the Fall of Shannara but to the entire Shannara series--a truly landmark event, twenty-nine books and forty-three years in the making.Bringing a conclusion to an epic that has spanned centuries is a vast undertaking, but Terry Brooks is entirely equal to the challenge... -
Rex Regis by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
14 ratingsThe saga of the Imager Quaeryt, Commander in the forces of Lord Bhayar, reaches a new climax as the great struggle to unify the continent of Lydar enters its final phase. Only the land of Khel remains uncommitted to Bhayar’s rule. Their decision could mean a lasting peace, or more conflict across an already war-ravaged realm... -
Madness in Solidar by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
14 ratingsFour centuries after its founding, Solidar’s Collegium of Imagers is in decline, the exploits of its founder, the legendary Quaeryt, largely forgotten. The Collegium is so lacking in leadership that the dying Maitre must summon Alastar, an obscure but talented senior imager from Westisle far to the south who has little knowledge of politics in the capital, as his successor... -
Antiagon Fire by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
14 ratingsThe hard-won battles fought in Imager's Battalion have earned Quaeryt a promotion to commander, as well as an assignment to convince the Pharsi High Council in the nation of Khel to submit to Lord Bhayar's rule. If he succeeds, it will be a major step toward unifying the entire continent of Solidar under one rule... -
Bright Steel by Miles Cameron
14 ratingsEvery war comes down to the flash of bright steel, even when the air is full of magic . . .Aranthur and his friends have come together across different continents and realms with one purpose: to strike back against the forces which have torn a hole in the heavens and threaten to rip the world beneath them apart as well... -
The Scarlet Tides by David Hair
16 ratingsThe Moontide has come and the Leviathan Bridge stands open: now thrones will shake and hearts will be torn apart in a world at war.A scarlet tide of Rondian legions is flooding into the East, led by the Inquisition’s windships flying the Sacred Heart, bright banner of the Church’s darkest sons. They are slaughtering and pillaging their way across Antiopia in the name of Emperor Constant... -
Princeps by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
16 ratingsThe thrilling follow-up to Scholar—in which, after discovering a coup attempt and preventing a bloody civil war, Quaeryt was appointed princeps of Tilbor—begins a new episode in the young Imager's life... -
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Scion of Cyador by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
16 ratingsL. E. Modesitt, Jr. is one of the standard setters in fantasy today and his most famous series is the Saga of Recluce. Each novel fills in pieces of the history of this land where Chaos and Order strive to maintain a magical balance.Scion of Cyador continues the story begun in Magi'i of Cyador... -
Mage-Guard of Hamor by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
16 ratingsAcclaimed author L. E. Modesitt, Jr. continues his new Recluce story in Mage-Guard of Hamor, the second of two volumes set mostly on the continent of Hamor, far across the sea from Recluce, where the story began. Rahl was a young apprentice on the island of Recluce sent to the mages training school for testing, then banished to Hamor. His education now continues under dangerous circumstances... -
Timeless by R.A. Salvatore, Victor Bevine
16 ratings12 Hours and 30 MinutesAt long last, New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore returns with one of fantasy's most beloved and enduring icons, the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, in an all-new trilogy full of swordplay, danger, and imaginative thrills... -
Soldier Saved by D.K. Holmberg
6 ratingsEndric returns to Vasha after discovering his connection to the Antrilii and how they serve the north but finds that much has changed, including his relationship with Senda and Pendin. As he struggles to understand how he can serve the Denraen, he learns that the Denraen hold Urik—and that his father has granted him the freedom of the city... -
Secrets of The Tally by Halie Fewkes
6 ratingsMeet Allie: she's just woken up in an empty forest with blood on her hands and everything she's ever known wiped from her mind. In her survival-oriented world, people are hunted by vicious predators and it quickly becomes clear that they are specifically hunting her... -
The Age of War by Ben Hale
6 ratingsRelentless in their pursuit of perfection, the rock trolls have waged war for millennia. Legendary warriors, vast armies, and even dragons have fallen before their might. But now their enemy comes from within. Rising to the throne by right, King Sybrik seeks conflict even as his people dwindle and perish. His thirst for blood will see no end. Unless Tryton can stop him... -
The Bones of Titans by B.T. Narro
6 ratingsMankind has failed to stop a growing rift for more than a decade. It will destroy all life on Aathon if nothing changes. But when Leo arrives with half of the human army, it seems that every leader is finally intent on stopping this growing rift together. What Leo will find out, however, is that some of these very powerful people don’t see the rift as a problem... -
The Summoner's Handbook by Taran Matharu
8 ratings"The ability to summon is passed down through the blood..." Summoner: One who is gifted with the ability to summon demonic creatures that are emotionally connected to their human counterparts. As brought to life in the bestselling Summoner series, the magic of summoning is also an art, with a story of its own...Categorized as:
epic military action-adventure book children-books fiction high-fantasy sword-sorcery -
The Flesh of War by Ben Hale
8 ratingsForged for combat, the rock trolls have no equal. They train from birth, endure brutal conditioning, and mark their skin with every kill. They have become the very flesh of war, but their history of honor has been forgotten. Now a bounty has been issued, one which calls for the extermination of their race. To survive they must awaken to what they have lost, before their enemies begin to gather... -
Sylvanas by Christie Golden
8 ratingsThe epic, definitive story of Sylvanas Windrunner, one of World of Warcraft’s most enduring and iconic characters, as chronicled by bestselling author Christie Golden.Ranger-General. Banshee Queen. Warchief. Sylvanas Windrunner has borne many titles. To some, she is a hero... to others, a villain... -
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City in the Sky by Glynn Stewart
9 ratingsTrapped between two peoplesErik Tarverro is a half-breed raised as a smith in the human city of Vidran. Hounded for his mixed blood and denied mastery in his craft, he leaps at the chance to join his father’s people in the Sky City of Newport.There, he learns he is the only heir of an ancient and noble line... -
Initiate's Trial by Janny Wurts
10 ratingsThe first book in the fourth arc, Sword of the Canon, finds Arithon and Lysaer on an unstoppable path toward direct conflictHalf-brothers Arithon and Lysaer were laid under a curse of lifelong enmity when they defeated the Mistwraith and freed the world of Athera. Now Arithon has been magically imprisoned and his memories have been removed... -
The Mage-Fire War by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
10 ratingsModesitt continues his bestselling Saga of Recluce with the twenty-first book in this bestselling epic fantasy series.Once again, prejudices against the use of chaos magic force Beltur and his companions to flee their refuge in Axalt. The rulers of nearby Montgren have offered them sanctuary and the opportunity to become the Councilors of the run-down and disintegrating town of Haven... -
Soldier Son by D.K. Holmberg
10 ratingsEndric wants only to serve, but he's destined to lead. As the second son of the general of the Denraen, Endric wants only to fight, not the commission his father demands of him. When a strange attack in the south leads to the loss of someone close to him, only Endric seems concerned about what happened... -
The King's Own by Lorna Freeman
12 ratingsWhen Rabbit joined the Royal Army of Iversterre, he was just trying to get off the family farm. Instead, he gets mixed up with a magical from the Border, learns he cannot escape his noble lineage, and develops some surprising talents that he can't always control. Original... -
The Stiehl Assassin by Terry Brooks
14 ratingsAfter The Black Elfstone and The Skaar Invasion comes the next chapter in the Fall of Shannara, a saga more than four decades in the making.The Skaar have arrived in the Four Lands, determined to stop at nothing less than all-out conquest. They badly need a new home, but peaceful coexistence is not a concept they have ever understood...
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