Books like 'Fast Ships, Black Sails'
Readers who enjoyed Fast Ships, Black Sails by Ann VanderMeer, Jeff VanderMeer, Steve Aylett, Garth Nix, Eric Flint, Kage Baker, Elizabeth Bear, Michael Moorcock, Jayme Lynn Blaschke, Dave Freer, Sarah Monette, Rhys Hughes, Kelly Barnhill, Carrie Vaughn, Conrad Williams, Scott Altmann, Naomi Novik, Howard Waldrop, Brendan Connell, Paul D. Batteiger, Rachel Swirsky, Justin Howe & Katherine Sparrow also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy action / adventure horror space monsters hard-sci-fi high-fantasy outlaws historical-fiction
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Art of the Hunt by Lindsay Buroker
14 ratingsOur heroes have escaped with the ancient dragon gate, but powerful enemies are right behind them.If they can’t figure out the magic of the mysterious artifact, and find great allies and resources in another world, their hopes of overthrowing their tyrannical wizard rulers will end as surely as their lives...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era paranormal steampunk suspense sword-sorcery action-adventure -
![Vale of the Gods by A.E. Rayne]()
Vale of the Gods by A.E. Rayne
14 ratingsVale of the Gods is the explosive conclusion to the epic adventure that has been The Furyck Saga. Draguta Teros wants to crush her enemies.Every last one of them…Her disloyal sister, Dara.Briggit Halvardar and her Followers.Jael Furyck and her Brekkan army.The gods themselves.But Draguta will not be cowed by any of them.She will have her revenge...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure adult -
![Orbs of Wisdom by Lindsay Buroker]()
Orbs of Wisdom by Lindsay Buroker
14 ratingsThe final installment in the Dragon Gate saga!With his mother’s life at stake and the entire world threatened by powerful dragons, the sand in the hour glass is running out for Jak Freedar. He and his allies must find the ancient Orbs of Wisdom and hope they hold the solutions to the problems plaguing humanity and the dragons before it’s too late... -
![Chosen for Power by Lindsay Buroker]()
Chosen for Power by Lindsay Buroker
10 ratingsJak and his allies venture through the portal in search of the longevity plant their king demands, but all Jak wants is to find the elder dragons.Some say they’re extinct. Some say they’re in hiding.If he can’t locate them, there won’t be anyone to teach his hatchling how to fly. Or to protect the dragon eggs preserved within a glacier on another world...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era paranormal steampunk sword-sorcery action-adventure adult -
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![Portal to Nova Roma by J.R. Mathews]()
Portal to Nova Roma by J.R. Mathews
8 ratingsTo find peace, Alexander must first embrace war.After tragically losing the only person he ever cared about, Alexander, a rogue artificial intelligence, opens a portal to an alternate dimension to escape his grief...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era magic sword-sorcery action-adventure ai alternate-history -
![Citadel by Jez Cajiao]()
Citadel by Jez Cajiao
10 ratingsWith the God of Death out for his life, Jax has a choice to make, and it’s time for the brothers to face each other…Nimon, The God of Death, has named Jax and all who follow him ‘Apostate’ decreeing their death and has dispatched his Dark Legion, the Imperial Legion’s antithesis, to see the job done once and for all...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era magic paranormal steampunk sword-sorcery action-adventure -
![Kingdoms at War by Lindsay Buroker, Vivienne Leheny]()
Kingdoms at War by Lindsay Buroker, Vivienne Leheny
14 ratingsFor centuries, wizard kings have ruled the world from their elite sky cities, battling each other to add to their wealth and power, while using normal human beings as pawns. Those without magic struggle to feed their families and live in constant fear of bringing down the wrath of their tyrannical masters.Something must change... -
![Bloodline by Jordan L. Hawk]()
Bloodline by Jordan L. Hawk
16 ratingsBetween his bullying father and dissolute brother, Percival Endicott Whyborne has quite enough problematic family members to deal with. So when his sister returns to Widdershins asking for help solving the mystery of a derelict ship, Whyborne is reluctant to get involved. Until, that is, a brutal murderer strikes, leaving Whyborne and his lover Griffin no choice but to take the case... -
![A Long Spoon by Jonathan L. Howard]()
A Long Spoon by Jonathan L. Howard
12 ratingsYou may have heard of Johannes Cabal; he is a necromancer and a little infamous. He is also very sensitive to attempts on his life. When a murder of crows tries to... well, murder him, and the contents of his bath are transmuted into hot nitric acid, he suspects someone may mean him harm. The trail leads to one of the less travelled parts of Hell itself, and there Cabal will need a guide... -
![The Stalking Jack the Ripper Collection: Books 1-4 by Kerri Maniscalco]()
The Stalking Jack the Ripper Collection: Books 1-4 by Kerri Maniscalco
6 ratingsDevour the complete #1 New York Times bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series: Stalking Jack the Ripper, Hunting Prince Dracula, Escaping from Houdini, Capturing the Devil, and a free novella are included in this thrilling new collection!Between social teas and silk dress fittings, Audrey Rose Wadsworth leads a secret life studying corpses in the gruesome practice of forensic medicine...Categorized as:
dark historical-fiction industrial-era paranormal action-adventure book fiction historical -
![Magician's End by Raymond E. Feist]()
Magician's End by Raymond E. Feist
18 ratingsThe final volume in the epic Riftwar Cycle.The dragons are calling...Civil war is tearing apart the Kingdom of the Isles, for the throne lies empty and rivals are converging... -
![King's Warrior by Frost Kay]()
King's Warrior by Frost Kay
14 ratingsRevolution and war come with a price in the fourth volume of USA Today Bestselling Author Frost Kay’s The Aermian Feuds Series. Returning to Aermia should’ve been easy, but nightmares and death haunt her, leaving Sage as an outsider, even in her own family...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure alpha-mc -
![The Infernal Battalion by Django Wexler]()
The Infernal Battalion by Django Wexler
16 ratingsMilitary might and arcane power clash in Django Wexler’s thrilling new Shadow Campaigns novel. The Beast, the ancient demon imprisoned beneath the fortress-city of Elysium for a thousand years, has been loosed on the world. It absorbs mind after mind, spreading like a plague through the north... -
![The Searching by Vanessa Nelson]()
The Searching by Vanessa Nelson
6 ratingsOath-sworn to help those in need, Yvonne has been framed for murder.Tracking down those responsible for the destruction of the Stone Walls was a difficult enough task, but someone has made it much harder. The King is dead, and Yvonne is accused of his murder... -
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![Ghost in the Ashes by Jonathan Moeller]()
Ghost in the Ashes by Jonathan Moeller
8 ratingsCaina Amalas is a Ghost nightfighter, one of the elite agents of the Emperor of Nighmar, and she has defeated both corrupt lords and mighty sorcerers. As the Padishah of Istarinmul prepares to make peace with the Emperor, the Ghosts must keep the Padishah’s ambassador safe from assassins. But when an escaped slave begs for Caina’s help, she finds dark plots stirring in the shadows...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure assassins audiobook -
![Life at the Coffin Joint by Ann Charles, Sam Lucky]()
Life at the Coffin Joint by Ann Charles, Sam Lucky
8 ratingsDeadwood (late 1876) ... A rowdy and reckless undertaker’s delight. What better place for a killer to blend in?Enter undertaker Clementine Johanssen, tall and deadly with a hot temper and short fuse, hired to clean up Deadwood’s dead … and the “other” problem. She’s hell-bent on poking, sticking, or stabbing anyone that steps out of line...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal suspense action-adventure adult audiobook -
![The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan]()
The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
11 ratingsThe Justice of Kings, the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy, follows the tale of Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice – a detective, judge and executioner all in one. As he unravels a web of secrets and lies, Vonvalt discovers a plot that might destroy his order once and for all – and bring down the entire Empire. As an Emperor's Justice, Sir Konrad Vonvalt always has the last word... -
![War Master's Gate by Adrian Tchaikovsky]()
War Master's Gate by Adrian Tchaikovsky
12 ratingsRelentlessly advancing towards Collegium, the Empire is again seeking to break down its walls. The mighty imperial armies have learnt from their failures, and Empress Seda will brook no weakness in her soldiers. However, Stenwold Maker has earned his title, and the War Master has strategies to save his city...Categorized as:
high-fantasy industrial-era magic steampunk sword-sorcery action-adventure adult audiobook -
![Masque by W.R. Gingell]()
Masque by W.R. Gingell
12 ratingsBeauty met the Beast and there was . . . Bloody murder? It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated. In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal steampunk action-adventure -
![Factotum by D.M. Cornish]()
Factotum by D.M. Cornish
16 ratingsRossamund Bookchild stands accused of not truly being a human at all, but of being a monster. Even the protection of Europe, the Branden Rose-the most feared and renowned monster-hunter in all the Half-Continent-might not be enough to save him. Powerful forces move against them both, intent on capturing Rossamund- whose existence some believe may hold the secret to perpetual youth...Categorized as:
high-fantasy industrial-era magic monsters paranormal steampunk action-adventure alternate-history -
![The Night Crossing by Robert Masello]()
The Night Crossing by Robert Masello
16 ratingsBram Stoker kept secret a tale even more terrifying than Dracula. It begins among the Carpathian peaks, when an intrepid explorer discovers a mysterious golden box. She brings it back with her to the foggy streets of Victorian London, unaware of its dangerous power…or that an evil beyond imagining has already taken root in the city... -
![The Empire of Ashes by Anthony Ryan]()
The Empire of Ashes by Anthony Ryan
18 ratingsFor hundreds of years, the Ironship Trading Syndicate was fuelled by drake blood–and protected by the Blood-blessed, those few who could drink it and wield fearsome powers. But now the very thing that sustained the corporate world threatens to destroy it.A drake of unimaginable power has risen, and it commands an army of both beasts and men... -
![Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish]()
Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish
18 ratingsThe eagerly awaited second book of the critically acclaimed trilogy! Orphan Rossamund Bookchild has been sworn into the Emperor's service his duty is to light the lamps along the Emperor's highways and protect travelers from the ferocious bogles that live in the wild...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era magic monsters paranormal steampunk action-adventure -
![Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft]()
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... -
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![Warsinger by James Osiris Baldwin]()
Warsinger by James Osiris Baldwin
6 ratingsAn ancient kingdom falls to tyranny. A dark empire rises in its place, while the old gods stir...After kicking an unholy amount of undead ass, Hector and his dragon have new goal: to revive the war-torn province of Myzsno, preferably before their nemesis arrives with his army and a legion of Drachan, demonic dragons that would make even H.P Lovecraft scream in terror...Categorized as:
high-fantasy industrial-era paranormal steampunk sword-sorcery action-adventure adult audiobook -
![The People's Will by Jasper Kent]()
The People's Will by Jasper Kent
6 ratingsPart historical adventure, part vampire thriller -- the fourth dark and dazzling novel in Jasper Kent's 'Danilov Quintet'. Turkmenistan 1881: Beneath the citadel of Geok Tepe sits a prisoner. He hasn't moved from his chair for two years, hasn't felt the sun on his face in more than fifty, but he is thankful for that. The city is besieged by Russian troops and soon falls...Categorized as:
dark historical-fiction monsters paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history book -
![Kings of Fate by A.E. Rayne]()
Kings of Fate by A.E. Rayne
6 ratings‘Wow, more twists and turns than a roller coaster.... I love this series!!!’Lothar the Usurper has stolen his brother’s throne. And now he squats upon it, thinking of how to get rid of his troublesome niece, Jael Furyck. Brekka’s most famous warrior. The one they thought would be queen after her father’s death.Her presence hangs over him like an axe...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy historical-fiction paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure adult book -
![Queen & Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo]()
Queen & Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo
6 ratingsHow does one conquer a kingdom without spilling blood? You offer your hand in marriage to the king who killed your husband. Almira was raised by a calculating father who forged her in political cunning. She’s prepared for this moment since childhood. Like pieces on a board, she lays out the players one by one. One. King Alton, the brother-killer...Categorized as:
high-fantasy historical-fiction dark sword-sorcery romance fantasy historical poc-mc -
![A Question of Honor by Lindsay Buroker]()
A Question of Honor by Lindsay Buroker
8 ratingsWith less than six months until his entrance exams for the famed Nurian warrior-mage academy, Yanko is sent to his uncle’s salt mine for “hardening,” as his father calls it. He expects endless days of physical labor; what he doesn’t expect is to have to choose one of the mine’s prisoners as a sparring partner...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era paranormal steampunk sword-sorcery action-adventure adult -
![The Broken God by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan]()
The Broken God by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan
8 ratingsDark gods and dangerous magic clash in this third book of Gareth Hanrahan's acclaimed epic fantasy series, The Black Iron Legacy. Enter a city of dragons and darkness... The Godswar has come to Guerdon, dividing the city between three occupying powers. A fragile armistice holds back the gods, but other dangerous forces seek to exert their influence...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era paranormal steampunk sword-sorcery action-adventure adult -
![Broken Sky: #03 by Chris Wooding]()
Broken Sky: #03 by Chris Wooding
8 ratingsKia and Ryushi are trapped in a realm beyond their comprehension. All they can rely on is their courage and trust in one another. As danger mounts they must stay strong, for in their young hands lies the fate of the world...Categorized as:
high-fantasy industrial-era paranormal steampunk action-adventure book children-books dragons -
![Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey]()
Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey
10 ratingsCousins Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope are all dealing with what it means to be a Lovegrove. For Gretchen, it means she often feels like her head is going to explode. As a Whisperer, Gretchen constantly hears the whispers of other witches' spells...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal steampunk action-adventure book fiction -
![Outlaw by K. Eason]()
Outlaw by K. Eason
10 ratingsThe battle against the gods continues in the heart-pounding sequel to Enemy.Snow never planned on having a partner. Never planned on picking fights with a god. And certainly never expected to start a revolution.But that was before the goddess Tal’Shik returned, looking for revenge on the republic that rejected her... -
![The Shotgun Arcana by R.S. Belcher]()
The Shotgun Arcana by R.S. Belcher
12 ratingsR. S. Belcher’s debut novel, The Six-Gun Tarot, was enthusiastically greeted by critics and readers, who praised its wildly inventive mixture of dark fantasy, steampunk, and the Wild West. Now Belcher returns to Golgotha, Nevada, a bustling frontier town that hides more than its fair share of unnatural secrets.1870...Categorized as:
dark historical-fiction industrial-era magic paranormal steampunk action-adventure adult -
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![The Sword Saint by C.F. Iggulden]()
The Sword Saint by C.F. Iggulden
12 ratingsTHE EPIC CONCLUSION TO THE BESTSELLING EMPIRE OF SALT SERIES. Cities have been broken. Empires have fallen. And darkness is coming. Success has drawn a cold gaze. A false king seeks dominion. His soldiers will bring desolation and despair to Darien. With treachery on all sides, the ancient capital looks set to fall. Yet within the walls of that great city, a small team gathers...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy historical-fiction sword-sorcery action-adventure adult audiobook book -
![The Spirit Stone by Katharine Kerr]()
The Spirit Stone by Katharine Kerr
14 ratingsPrince Dar of the Westlands calls the new fortress of Zakh Gral "a dagger laid against our throat." It was built by the Horsekin, ancient enemies of his people. To destroy the threat, the elven prince has called upon his dwarven and human allies. Their leaders know that if the Westlands fall, their own throats will feel the dagger next...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy historical-fiction magic paranormal sword-sorcery action-adventure adult -
![Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky]()
Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky
16 ratingsThe first casualty of war is truth . . .First, Denland's revolutionaries assassinated their king, launching a wave of bloodshed after generations of peace. Next they clashed with Lascanne, their royalist neighbour, pitching war-machines against warlocks in a fiercely fought conflict. Genteel Emily Marshwic watched as the hostilities stole her family's young men... -
![Closer to the Chest by Mercedes Lackey]()
Closer to the Chest by Mercedes Lackey
16 ratingsHerald Mags, the King of Valdemar’s Herald Spy, has been developing a clandestine network of young informants who operate not only on the streets of the capital city of Haven, but also in the Great Halls and kitchens of the wealthy and highborn. In his own established alternate personas, Mags observes the Court and the alleys alike, quietly gathering information to keep Haven and the Kingdom safe... -
![The Legion of Flame by Anthony Ryan]()
The Legion of Flame by Anthony Ryan
18 ratingsSurvival is the only currency...For centuries, the vast Ironship Trading Syndicate relied on drake blood--and the extraordinary powers it confers to those known as the Blood-blessed--to fuel and protect its empire. But when the drake blood lines began to fail, a perilous expedition was mounted to secure them... -
![Blackwing by Ed McDonald]()
Blackwing by Ed McDonald
18 ratingsThe republic faces annihilation, despite the vigilance of Galharrow's Blackwings. When a raven tattoo rips itself from his arm to deliver a desperate message, Galharrow and a mysterious noblewoman must investigate a long dead sorcerer's legacy... -
![Deeplight by Frances Hardinge]()
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
18 ratingsTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets Frankenstein in this inventive YA fantasy from award-winning author Frances Hardinge The gods are dead. Fifty years ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. Now, even coin-sized scraps of dead god are worth a fortune because of the strange powers they're said to possess... -
![Threshold by Jordan L. Hawk]()
Threshold by Jordan L. Hawk
18 ratingsIntroverted scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne wants nothing more than a quiet life with his lover, private detective Griffin Flaherty. Unfortunately, Whyborne’s railroad tycoon father has other ideas: namely hiring Griffin to investigate mysterious events at a coal mine... -
![Dissolution by Richard Lee Byers]()
Dissolution by Richard Lee Byers
24 ratingsWhile their whole world is changing around them, four dark elves struggle against different enemies. Yet their paths will lead them all to the most terrifying discovery in the long history of the drow, and set them on a quest to save not only Menzoberranzan but the entire dark elf race from Dissolution.The War of the Spider Queen begins here...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era magic paranormal steampunk sword-sorcery action-adventure -
![The Dragon Lantern by Alan Gratz]()
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...Categorized as:
historical-fiction industrial-era magic monsters paranormal steampunk 19th-century action-adventure -
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![Hold The Dark by Frank Tuttle]()
Hold The Dark by Frank Tuttle
6 ratingsDemons in a feeding frenzy drive the world-weary Markhat to the brink… A Markhat story. Quiet, hard-working seamstresses aren’t the kind that normally go missing, even in a tough town like Rannit. Martha Hoobin’s disappearance, though, quickly draws Markhat into a deadly struggle between a halfdead blood cult and the infamous sorcerer known only as the Corpsemaster...Categorized as:
early-modern flintlock industrial-era paranormal steampunk action-adventure adult book -
![Sunshield by Emily B. Martin]()
Sunshield by Emily B. Martin
6 ratingsA lawless wilderness. A polished court. Individual fates, each on a quest to expose a system of corruption.The desolate canyons of Alcoro - and the people desperate enough to hide there - couldn’t be more different from the opulent glass palace and lush forests of Moquoia...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy industrial-era sword-sorcery action-adventure audiobook book coming-of-age -
![Throne of Darkness by Douglas Nicholas]()
Throne of Darkness by Douglas Nicholas
6 ratingsPerfect for fans of Game of Thrones, this novel from acclaimed author Douglas Nicholas continues the gripping dark fantasy series that Kirkus Reviews describes as "a more profound Harry Potter for adults."It's 1215 in northwest England, and mystical Irish queen Maeve and her unlikely band of warriors must protect the region from a chilling fate...Categorized as:
dark historical-fiction magic paranormal suspense sword-sorcery action-adventure adult -
![The House of Diamond by Ursula Vernon]()
The House of Diamond by Ursula Vernon
8 ratingsBlack Dogs: The House of Diamond is the first of two volumes chronicling the adventures of young Lyra, sole survivor of the massacre of her family's estate. Along with a wandering dog-soldier, she is swept up on a mission for the elven nation of Anu'tintavel in its war against a powerful sorcerer...Categorized as:
dark high-fantasy magic paranormal action-adventure book coming-of-age female-author -
![Ironfoot by Dave Duncan]()
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:
dark historical-fiction industrial-era magic steampunk action-adventure alternate-history audiobook -
![The Queen of Swords by R.S. Belcher]()
The Queen of Swords by R.S. Belcher
8 ratings1870. Maude Stapleton, late of Golgotha, Nevada, is a respectable widow raising a daughter on her own. Few know that Maude belongs to an ancient order of assassins, the Daughters of Lilith, and is as well the great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Anne Bonney, the legendary female pirate...Categorized as:
dark historical-fiction industrial-era magic outlaws paranormal steampunk action-adventure
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