Books like 'The Free Bastards'
Readers who enjoyed The Free Bastards by Jonathan French also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
fantasy high fantasy dark fantasy grimdark action / adventure horror dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery
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The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie
25 ratingsConspiracy. Betrayal. Rebellion.Peace is just another kind of battlefield...Savine dan Glokta, once Adua’s most powerful investor, finds her judgement, fortune and reputation in tatters. But she still has all her ambitions, and no scruple will be permitted to stand in her way... -
The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie
25 ratings“Chaos. Fury. Destruction.The Great Change is upon us . . .Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds... -
The Crippled God by Steven Erikson
27 ratingsThe Bonehunters march for Kolanse, led by Adjunct Tavore. This woman with no gifts of magic, deemed plain, unprepossessing, displaying nothing to instill loyalty or confidence, will challenge the gods - if her own mutinous troops don't kill her first.Her enemy, the Forkrul Assail, seek to cleanse the world, to annihilate everything... -
Wrath by John Gwynne
24 ratingsEvents are coming to a climax in the Banished Lands, as the war reaches new heights. King Nathair has taken control of the fortress at Drassil and three of the Seven Treasures are in his possession. And together with Calidus and his ally Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the remaining Treasures. With all seven under his command, he can open a portal to the Otherworld... -
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Ruin by John Gwynne
24 ratingsThe Banished Lands are engulfed in war and chaos. The cunning Queen Rhin has conquered the west and High King Nathair has the cauldron, most powerful of the seven treasures. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. They plan to bring Asroth and his host of the Fallen into the world of flesh, but to do so they need the seven treasures... -
The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan
27 ratingsThe capital has fallen...Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away.An army divided.. -
Reaper's Gale by Steven Erikson
27 ratingsAll is not well in the Letherii Empire. Rhulad Sengar, the Emperor of a Thousand Deaths, spirals into madness, surrounded by sycophants and agents of his Machiavellian chancellor, while the Letherii secret police conduct a campaign of terror against its own people. The Errant, once a farseeing god, is suddenly blind to the future... -
Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
27 ratingsIn Darujhistan, the city of blue fire, it is said that love and death shall arrive dancing. It is summer and the heat is oppressive, but for the small round man in the faded red waistcoat, discomfiture is not just because of the sun. All is not well. Dire portents plague his nights and haunt the city streets like fiends of shadow... -
The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan
29 ratingsThe hounds at our heels will soon know we are lionsTamas's invasion of Kez ends in disaster when a Kez counter-offensive leaves him cut off behind enemy lines with only a fraction of his army, no supplies, and no hope of reinforcements... -
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
41 ratingsGeralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.This is a collection of short stories, following the adventures of the hit collection THE LAST WISH...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure anthologies audiobook -
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
44 ratingsGeralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.This is a collection of short stories, following the adventures of the hit collection THE LAST WISH...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure anthologies audiobook -
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
44 ratingsSuperior Glokta has a problem. How do you defend a city surrounded by enemies and riddled with traitors, when your allies can by no means be trusted, and your predecessor vanished without a trace? It’s enough to make a torturer want to run – if he could even walk without a stick.Northmen have spilled over the border of Angland and are spreading fire and death across the frozen country...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 21st-century action-adventure anti-hero audiobook -
Wrath of Empire by Brian McClellan
22 ratingsThe country is in turmoil. With the capital city occupied, half a million refugees are on the march, looking for safety on the frontier, accompanied by Lady Flint's soldiers. But escaping war is never easy, and soon the battle may find them, whether they are prepared or not.Back in the capital, Michel Bravis smuggles even more refugees out of the city. But internal forces are working against him... -
The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
33 ratingsThey say Black Dow's killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbor, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud... -
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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 heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery action-adventure adult audiobook book dark-fantasy -
Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski
38 ratingsThe New York Times bestselling series that inspired the international hit video game: The Witcher The Wizards Guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
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 Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence
24 ratingsFrom the international bestselling author of the Broken Empire Trilogy, the thrilling conclusion to the Red Queen’s War... Mark Lawrence’s “epic fantasy” (The Washington Post) continues as a reluctant prince returns from the bowels of Hell to engage in his greatest battle yet—among the living and the dead... -
Dancer's Lament by Ian C. Esslemont
19 ratingsTaking Malazan fans back to that troubled continent's turbulent early history. The opening chapter in Ian C. Esslemont's epic new fantasy sequence, the Path to Ascendancy trilogy.For ages warfare has crippled the continent as minor city states, baronies, and principalities fought in an endless round of hostilities... -
Blood Will by Kirill Klevanski
14 ratingsHe made a deal with a dragon, getting its heart in return. He fought monsters to defeat the monster in himself. He won the war, razing one of the most powerful sects to the ground, and received the highest military rank possible.Now his path leads him to the very heart of the country — to the capital — to receive his title and well-deserved honors...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery action-adventure adult ancient-china ancient-civilization -
Overworld by Rohan M. Vider
14 ratingsA magic apocalypse. Refugees from Earth. A new world. Elves, orcs, and dragons!Portals from Overworld have appeared on Earth, and beings intent on conscripting humanity into the mysterious Trials have invaded.Earth is doomed. Humanity has been exiled... -
Red Country by Joe Abercrombie
31 ratingsThey burned her home.They stole her brother and sister.But vengeance is following.Shy South hoped to bury her bloody past and ride away smiling, but she'll have to sharpen up some bad old ways to get her family back, and she's not a woman to flinch from what needs doing. She sets off in pursuit with only a pair of oxen and her cowardly old step father Lamb for company... -
The Tower of the Swallow by Andrzej Sapkowski
35 ratingsThe world has fallen into war. Ciri, the child of prophecy, has vanished. Hunted by friends and foes alike, she has taken on the guise of a petty bandit and lives free for the first time in her life. But the net around her is closing. Geralt, the Witcher, has assembled a group of allies determined to rescue her. Both sides of the war have sent brutal mercenaries to hunt her down...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
Kings of Heaven by Richard Nell
10 ratingsIn the final book of the Ash and Sand trilogy, Ruka, son of Beyla, faces the emperor of the world, yet even victory may not save his people…With the death of his ally, Farahi Alaku, Ruka ‘Godtongue’ is alone. Or not exactly… The island prince Kale Alaku now haunts his mind, rattling within his once peaceful ‘Grove’, promising revenge and growing every moment in power... -
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Blood of Empire by Brian McClellan
19 ratingsAs the final battle approaches a sellsword, a spy, and a general must find unlikely and dangerous allies in order to turn the tides of war in this epic fantasy tale of magic and gunpowder by acclaimed author Brian McClellan... -
Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
30 ratingsKing Jorg Ancrath is twenty now—and king of seven nations. His goal—revenge against his father—has not yet been realized, and the demons that haunt him have only grown stronger. Yet no matter how tortured his path, he intends to take the next step in his upward climb. Jorg would be emperor. It is a position not to be gained by the sword but rather by vote...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery action-adventure anti-hero apocalyptic audiobook -
The Forgotten Faithful by Jez Cajiao
12 ratingsThings are looking up for Jax, more or less, He’s met a cool girl (Who’s a wisp), got some new friends (Who’re Dwarves and Cat people and Elves and all sorts), and started a war… (Whoops!)That last one might not be the best idea he’s had yet, admittedly, but the guy was an ass, and he deserved it... -
The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett
32 ratingsOn the night of the new moon, the demons rise in force, seeking the deaths of two men both of whom have the potential to become the fabled Deliverer, the man prophesied to reunite the scattered remnants of humanity in a final push to destroy the demon corelings once and for all... -
The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski
42 ratingsThe New York Times bestselling series that inspired the international hit video game: The Witcher Geralt is a witcher: guardian of the innocent; protector of those in need; a defender, in dark times, against some of the most frightening creatures of myth and legend. His task, now, is to protect Ciri...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
The Wolf's Call by Anthony Ryan
18 ratingsAnthony Ryan's debut novel Blood Song - book one of the Raven's Shadow series - took the fantasy world by storm. The sequels, Tower Lord and Queen of Fire were both New York Times bestsellers. Now, Anthony Ryan returns to the world of this acclaimed fantasy series with The Wolf's Call, which begins a thrilling new story of razor-sharp action and epic adventure... -
Soldiers Live by Glen Cook
18 ratingsWhen sorcerers and demigods go to war, those wars are fought by mercenaries, "dog soldiers," grunts in the trenches. And the stories of those soldiers are the stories of Glen Cook's hugely popular "Black Company" novels. If the Joseph Heller of Catch-22 were to tell the story of The Lord of the Rings, it might read like the Black Company books. There is nothing else in fantasy like them... -
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
34 ratingsThe second book in the Broken Empire series, Lawrence takes his young anti-hero one step closer to his grand ambition.To reach greatness you must step on bodies, and many brothers lie trodden in my wake...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery action-adventure anti-hero apocalyptic audiobook -
Dreams of the Dying by Nicolas Lietzau
10 ratingsIf your mind is the enemy, where do you run?Years after a harrowing war experience, ex-mercenary Jespar Dal'Varek has taken to drifting. It's a lonely existence, but, barring the occasional bout of melancholia, he has found the closest thing to peace a man like him deserves. Life is "all right."Or so he believes... -
Crowfall by Ed McDonald
14 ratingsCrowfall is a gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch and Daniel Polansky.'Dark, twisty and excellent . . . Grimdark with heart' Mark LawrenceA sorceress cataclysm has hit the Range, the final defensive line between the Republic and the immortal Deep Kings... -
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The Warring Son by Bryce O'Connor
14 ratings**Book 2 in the Top 10 Bestselling Epic Fantasy series on Amazon** Raz i'Syul Arro is a hunted man. To the south, the Mahsadën of Miropa are gone. The šef lay dead, slain at Raz's own hands, their cruel will ripped from the shadows of the city... -
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
43 ratingsGeralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good..Categorized as:
dark epic sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure anthologies audiobook dark-fantasy -
Midnight Sun: The Complete Stories of Kane by Karl Edward Wagner
6 ratingsMidnight Sun is the companion volume to Gods in Darkness, and collects all of the Kane short stories and poetry. The Complete Stories of Kane... -
Gods in Darkness: The Complete Novels of Kane by Karl Edward Wagner
6 ratingsKane An immortal, cursed to wander the Earth until he is destroyed by the violence that he himself has created. A warrior and statesman: As comfortable in the shadowy halls of courtly intrigue as he is on the bloody battlefields where those intrigue's inevitably play themselves out... -
Queen of the Night Guild by Andy Peloquin
6 ratingsHer life burned to ashes. Her city under siege. She will sacrifice everything she has for bloody vengeance.Ilanna has lost everything: her friends, her home, her family, her dreams of freedom. All that remains is a burning desire to find the bastards who burned down her city and tried to kill her.But a traitor hides among the ranks of the Night Guild, poisoning her friends and allies with lies... -
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
49 ratingsGeralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good..Categorized as:
dark epic sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure anthologies audiobook dark-fantasy -
Dawn of the Exile by Mitchell Hogan
8 ratingsFor the damned, redemption may be just a mad dream…Years have passed since the demon Tarrik and his master, the sorcerer Ren, destroyed the servants of Samal and suppressed the very essence of the vile lord. The cost was greater than even a demon could have imagined. But in the realms of demons and humans, no evil can be fully controlled, and no one’s true fate can be foretold. Including Tarrik’s... -
The Hindering Ones by Mike Truk
8 ratingsMy name's Noah Kilmartin. I'm from Ruddock, Ohio, and I'm about 85% unqualified to save the universe from the slavering demonic hordes of the super evil bitch queen Lilith.But I haven't failed yet.Somehow I've passed the five trials, accumulated a team of powerful companions, and made it through the portal into Ghogiel... -
Shadows Linger by Glen Cook
24 ratingsMercenary soldiers in the service of the Lady, the Black Company stands against the rebels of the White Rose. They are tough men, proud of honoring their contracts. The Lady is evil, but so, too, are those who falsely profess to follow the White Rose, reincarnation of a centuries-dead heroine...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult anti-hero -
Crown of Shadows by C.S. Friedman
24 ratingsMore than a millennium after the human race forges an uneasy stalemate against the demonic human-psyche feeders known as the fae, a pain-hungry demon called Calesta declares war on all living beings. Reprint... -
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Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski
32 ratingsThe Witcher returns in this action-packed sequel to The Tower of Swallows, in the New York Times bestselling series that inspired The Witcher video games. After walking through the portal in the Tower of Swallows while narrowly escaping death, Ciri finds herself in a completely different world... an Elven world. She is trapped with no way out...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook -
The Core by Peter V. Brett
26 ratingsFor time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them. Then two heroes arose—men as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal... -
Fulcrum of Light by C.J. Aaron
10 ratingsFreedom has come at a price.Stranded on the coast of an uncharted land, Ryl will be tested as the world outside the Palisades proves darker than within.With little to no direction save the cryptic information from a mysterious stranger, Ryl must rely on his new-found skills and place his trust in his new companion. Together they forge onward into the barren wastes of the Outlands...Categorized as:
dark epic heroic-fantasy sword-sorcery action-adventure audiobook book coming-of-age -
City of Daggers by Scott Straughan
10 ratingsThe lawless North is changing. The strongest bandits have begun claiming territory for themselves, and there is only so much to go around. The spectre of violence hangs heavy over the land. Daggerpoint is a hive of villainy and evil, ruled by no one. Thugs and murderers roam the streets, where anything is available for the right price, even the darkest of secrets and most dangerous of magics... -
Nightblade's Honor by Ryan Kirk
10 ratingsIn the riveting sequel to Nightblade’s Vengeance, the nightblades must choose a side, and the Kingdom will either rise again… or shatter into pieces.With the realm on the brink of war, the once-celebrated blades have become an easy target for the rage of its devastated citizens... -
God of Broken Things by Cameron Johnston
10 ratingsAn outcast magician must risk his body and mind to save the world from horrifying demons, in the heart-pounding epic fantasy sequel to The Traitor God.Tyrant magus Edrin Walker destroyed the monster sent by the Skallgrim, but not before it laid waste to Setharis, and infested their magical elite with mind-controlling parasites...
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