One such rarity is Vin, a young girl who grew up with abuse on the streets. The series detail Vin's struggle to protect the people she loves without being used a killing tool. The ever-evolving plot brilliantly details a band of rogues as they set their ambitions far higher than anyone expected. It's a perfect blend of swordplay, character, intrigue and environment. The world is so rich and detailed that it almost hurts to leave it behind.
A fantasy assassin list would not be complete without a mention of David Dalglish's Shadowdance series. Through the course of the novels, we get the viewpoint of not one, but two trained killers. He's been trained since birth to kill, but that doesn't mean he's happy with his father's ambitions. Throughout the course of several books, Dalglish drags you through a story of growth, political intrigue, and action.
It's fast, deadly, and home to interesting and developed characters. Some of these make an appearance in the Half-Orc series, and those tie-ins give the reader a more detailed impression of the author's dark and brilliant world. Of course, the series also features magic, and this is another place the books shine. Haern doesn't have any powers of his own, giving a refreshing viewpoint and opening the plot up to some more great characters.
Unlike some fantasy, magic isn't used to get the hero out of any sticky situation. Instead, the protagonist has to rely on wits, skill, and brutality. As you can imagine, it doesn't always play out well, and Dalglish creates a GRRM-like world where characters can die at any moment. Tears of a Heart marks the tale of a young man, Aeden, who unwittingly shapes the world. The writing is beautiful, layered, and timely. Chase Blackwood weaves an intricate tale that hints at so much more. And that may be its greatest challenge. Tears of a Heart, the first book in the series, was beautifully written, and interesting.
It shows us an amazing world filled with detail and depth, but for a portion of it, just a touch slow. The writing, such beautiful writing, overshadows this, as does the ending. Tower of the Arkein , the next book in the series, is where the story truly begins to unfold, and where Chase Blackwood shines as an author. It is fast paced, full of action, adventure, and love.
A very strong entry in the fantasy genre, and if the next book is equally as good, expect it to make quite a splash. You can buy on Amazon now. However, there's also something to be said for books that are just effortless to read, and Sprunk's Shadow Saga is definitely that. Caim lives in Othir: Augmented by dark magic and a ghostly familiar, he becomes involved in a plot far bigger than himself. It's not a complex plot, nor is it a particularly original one. However, Sprunk's simple execution brings new twists to familiar tropes and creates a series that's an absolute joy to read.
Part of that is due to the excellent pacing of the books, with short chapters that end with you turning the page to the next every time. You get the impression that everything in this novel is carefully and conservatively crafted.
Angel Killer
There isn't unnecessary exposition, yet the reader still gets a good sense of the world. Action scenes are perfectly placed to keep interest, while good character building provides plenty of entertainment in the downtimes. Though there's plenty to love about the series, it's this simplicity that makes it so exceptional. Sprunk hasn't fallen into the trap of telling rather than showing. Instead, he's a perfect example that, with finesse, thousands of pages aren't required for a great fantasy novel. Though Graceling is marketed as YA , it leans further towards adult than others. The book accurately explores both teenage life and the moral struggle of a born killer.
Katsa develops a magically enhanced ability to kill, her first victim slain in an accident at the age of eight. The story follows her in Cashore's beautifully crafted world as she fights not just her King's enemies but her own desire to do the right thing. As with many YA books, there is an element of romance, but it plays out in a more realistic and non-intrusive way. This creates an excellent addition to the fantasy assassin genre that's suitable for a range of ages. Sullivan's Ryria series is one of the highest rated in fantasy, and for good reason. His books have sold over one million copies in English and thousands more across their fourteen languages.
There's plenty to love here for fans of Tolkien, and just as much for those who aren't. Sullivan's world is set a thousand years after the fall of an empire, with magic all but gone and clashes between religion, race, and philosophies. However, the true marvel is Sullivan's incredible characterization. Riyria tells the story of the warrior Hadrian and assassin Royce, their adventures together and how they came to meet.
Over the course of the six book series, Hadrian and Royce become one of the most iconic pairs in fantasy, with a depth and growth rarely seen in any genre. Together, the two infiltrate fortresses, carry out assassinations, and flee with an entire kingdom at their back. It's an astounding series made even better by its humble roots in self-publishing. David Gemmell's Drenai Saga burst onto the heroic fantasy scene in and bears no relation to the Draenei from World of Warcraft. His lasting impact on the fantasy world led to the post-humorous creation of the David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, with awards going to some of the authors on this list.
It's no surprise then, that Gemmell's' legacy includes some of the best assassin fantasy around. Eleven years after the Drenai Saga's first book, the author wrote Waylander , marking the third in the series but first chronologically. Like Gemmell's previous books, Waylander is an exploration of what makes a hero and if there can be true redemption. As you can imagine, there's plenty of evil to go around, and plenty of gray areas too. The title of the book is synonymous with its main character, a famous assassin who is betrayed after a particularly notorious contract. Waylander is in many ways an anti-hero, but that doesn't stop him from feeling real.
Gemmell's characterization carries the story, both through the protagonist and the rich supporting cast. It's a grimdark novel once more, but one that pioneered the genre rather than emulating it. It's filled with fast pacing, concise writing, and vivid imagery. Though they hinge on existing series, the Waylander books are accessible and brilliant enough to enjoy standalone. It succeeded almost unheard of hype, with trailers, apps, and 'best-seller' labels right off the bat.
Admittedly, the quality tails off by the end of the series, but it's easy to see why it garnered so much interest. Hoffman writes a fourteen-year-old character who grows up in order of monks that worship pain. Understandably, this can warp a boy, and Cale is cold, vicious, and complex. Despite this, he still has a sense of justice, and it's this that leads to the assassination of the Lord Redeemer Picarbo and a subsequent escape from the twisted monastery. Despite some strange contradictions along the way, the characterization and pacing of the novels make it just good enough to deserve a place on the list.
It's a page turner, toeing the line between fantasy and horror, with many diverse characters. Some readers will hate it, and others will love it, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air.
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Robin LaFever's Grave Mercy drags you into the trilogy with a great hook and only gets better from there. It's set in an alternate 14th century Brittany, where fourteen-year-old Ismae escapes an abusive arranged marriage to a convent, where her unique abilities make her the perfect assassin protg. Though she takes to the profession as a better alternative, there's still plenty of conflict here. Part of the story is Ishmae's coming of age, from delicate child to a questioner of the convent's morals.
There's a lot of depth to be found in the character, but the rest of the series presents the viewpoint of refreshing new characters. It's in these latter books that LaFevers really begins to find her strength. The second book details the story of Sybella, who trained at the same convent as Ishmae. However, where Ishmae is hesitant and inexperienced, Sybella is trained and deadly. LaFevers manages to create a harrowing, emotional story whilst still developing the other characters in the story. The third book follows in a similar vein, with the viewpoint of another previously introduced character.
In all, LaFever's series is a great combination of history, subverted fantasy tropes, and YA It has romance, vengeance, and strong female characters. The changing perspectives mean that even if one protagonist isn't to your fancy, there's another to try out. On top of that, the author manages to encourage real attachment to the characters and great entertainment without constant action scenes.
Best of all, the series isn't yet over. After a four-year hiatus, LaFever will return to the series next year, with a second book following in Pratchett's huge volume of work makes adding him to the list feel like cheating, but at the same time, it wouldn't be complete without him. For the uninitiated, Pratchett's world consists of a large disc that rests on the backs on four large elephants, which in turn stand on a turtle as it swims through space.
It's a bizarre concept, matching the strange yet hilarious tone of Sir Terry's work. In some ways, his world echoes earth, and you can guess which period Pyramids is influenced by. Teppic is the prince of that small realm and is in training at the Assassins Guild. His time there is cut short when his father dies, and Teppic must return home to build his Pyramid and take on the politics of the throne.
The premise is simple, but Pyramids brings something rare to the sub-genre: Pratchett has a hilarious variety of characters, from the High Priest Dios to a camel literally named 'You Bastard'. At pages, it's a short yet incredibly amusing read, with nothing too complex in terms of plot. Despite this, Pratchett's brilliant writing and metaphors bring it to life. Sci-fi fans may know Kage Baker for her popular series, The Company. It's a blend of fictional world and humor, and her debut fantasy series is no different.
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The Anvil of the World describes the assassin Smith as he tries to leave his old life behind and become a simple caravan master. Of course, things are never that easy, and Smith is set upon by a myriad of demons, magic, and other kinds of trouble. Like Pratchett, Baker uses humor to provide a great critique of society and its flaws. However, her unique blend of humor surpasses even him at points with subtle jokes and great dialogue. Simultaneously, Baker manages to use that dialogue to grow her characters. Lord Ermenwyris one of the most unique personalities in fantasy, and not just because he's half demon.
He somehow manages to be a coward yet strong, selfish yet loyal and annoying but oddly likable. Through all these contradictions Baker somehow makes him feel real, alongside the rest of the odd cast. However, the book is more like a series of novellas than a full novel. It's split into three distinct parts, the first being quite slow, the second housing incredible description and dialogue, and the third ending on a more serious note.
In its entirety, it covers assassination, magic, friendship, and the environment. It takes all of the annoying fantasy tropes and subverts them, leaving the reader grinning and refreshed. If you're a YA fan, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better assassin fantasy book than Throne of Glass. As the novel opens, Celaena is given a chance to end her servitude in the mines of Endovier and her life as a slave behind. About Publish Join Sign In. Readers Benefits of registering Where are my ebooks?
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Mystery, Murder, and Magic | Peter Tarkulich
Angel in the Shadows Series: Life has gotten complicated for magic-using detective, Rick Walker. Hiding from it all behind bottles of Scotch, he emerges to take on a case for an old acquaintance, which may turn out to be his deadliest yet. With the help of an assortment of companions, Rick confronts his demons, both figurative and real.
With danger around every corner, Rick might need more than his charm to stay alive. The fantastical added to a realistic story has never been my favorite; because, logically it is impossible. My imagination may be out there with Stan Lee's but you begin his stories knowing it is make-believe and things not possible will happen. That is where the light-bulb went on.
Knowing this I can take the ending and add a star to the rating. And I've learned not to be so quick to criticize a book because I didn't get what genre it belonged to. Oct 19, Laura rated it really liked it Shelves: This was an exciting murder mystery with an original twist. I enjoyed this character and her backstory. The storyline was extremely interesting and kept me glued to it.
While there was a satisfactory ending to this story, there was just enough of a cliffhanger to keep me going. Magician skills are used to find a very creative killer. Oct 30, Rach added it. Jan 28, Sue Em rated it it was amazing. Coming from a family of magicians, Jessica Blackwood brings special skills to the FBI that become critical in the search for Warlock. Well written page turner! Jessica Blackwood was five when she first started learning magic from her grandfather.
She came from a family of magicians but decided to leave the glamour and her past behind after a performance almost got her killed when she was twenty. It was also the same time she decided to leave her family and be on her own. At present, she volunteered to teach magic tricks as a form of therapy at a children's hospital since college and continued all the way through her career in the FBI. She was in forensi Jessica Blackwood was five when she first started learning magic from her grandfather.
She was in forensic accounting, not really an adventurous job but she took pride in her work and had managed to crack a few cases through her persistence and observations. However her careful constructed world was turned upside down when the FBI wanted her expertise when someone called himself 'Warlock' had hacked into their network and left them a code, which led them to a body. Jessica wasn't into homicide, but the FBI thought maybe she could help unravel the mystery, given her name as a magician years ago.
Now the mysterious part is the victim, Chloe McDonald's body is only hours old in the spot where they found it, but the fact is she was already dead for two years. What made it so horrific is Chloe face was filled with horror and her body was still half buried in the ground; it appeared she was trying to crawl her way free of the earth where she was buried. Her coffin was empty. While Jessica managed to make an explanation about what happened is a clever and elaborate combination of illusions, the team is wondering if it's the same killer who murdered the real Chloe, since the other Chloe appeared to have the same wounds at the exact location.
While they were speculating, another bigger and unexplainable case dropped onto their lap, this time round is an airplane which was claimed to be an original Avenger bomber which was believed to be lost in the Bermuda Triangle in Would it be the Warlock's work, again? After all, the pilot who was perished in the missing plane was found too. As the FBI struggled to piece things together, Jessica feared that more victims would die under the Warlock's hands if they didn't find and stop him in time.
But the Warlock seems to be a step ahead of them, and this made Jessica more determined to catch this man who thought himself a god through the "miracles" he conjured. I really enjoyed reading Angel Killer. Aside it's an action thriller, I liked it that it's also packed with a magic theme and this made my reading experience a different one from the rest as I felt myself like an eager audience, watching those magic unfold in front of my eyes, except that it's on paper instead of in a theatre.
Written from Jessica's perspective, I found the writing style to be appropriate and convincing as Mr.
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Mayne takes his readers into her magical world and see how her mind works as she tried to "see through" his tricks and lead them to the clues he left behind. I liked Jessica as a character, but what really intrigued me is another character whom I felt is another great mystery to this story. Damian is Jessica's ex-boyfriend and he is charming and appears to be very devoted to her. But she broke up with him after knowing that he had deceived her with his multiple identities.
Or does he has something to hide? Jessica never knew, but she knew he's always there for her whenever she's in danger. Damian even left a few clues to her regarding the Warlock's works, and this made him a suspect. Like Jessica, I don't know if I trust Damian but yet an instinct told me that he might not be a bad guy, even though he could be dangerous. I hope my instinct is correct. Although the identity of the Warlock is revealed, the ending gave the readers the hope of a sequel.
I definitely want to read more of Jessica, and Damian as well. Jul 26, Debbie Oxier rated it it was amazing.
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I came across this book by accident and boy am I glad I did. Once I started it I didn't want to put it down! I felt compelled to find out what was going on and who was behind it all. Jessica Blackwood has quite a history. Given the stage name of Jessica Blackstar by her grandfather, she performed with him and her father for years while growing up. She knew every magic trick in the book and became a master at illusion.
But when a magic trick went wrong and she almost died she walked away from it I came across this book by accident and boy am I glad I did. But when a magic trick went wrong and she almost died she walked away from it all and hasn't spoken to her family since. Knowing in her heart what she really wanted to do was help people and make a difference in their lives she first becomes a cop then moves on to the FBI. While she's nothing more at the moment than a paper pusher, she still feels she's contributing with what she's doing. And she's out of the limelight which is what she wants.
When a dead body is found in a cemetery and it appears the girl crawled out of her grave, authorities are mystified. Jessica is called in to consult given the circumstances. Without disturbing the scene, they are able to determine that the coffin below her is indeed empty and the lid is partially open. The problem is, the grave, and the dead body, belong to a young woman who was killed a couple of years earlier.
Jess calls on her former skills as a magician to attempt to figure it out. When they start to remove the body, she recalls something from her past leading her to believe it could be sabotaged. Sure enough, as soon as she orders everyone back, the body spontaneously combusts. Now I was well and truly hooked on both Jess and the plot. As the story progresses we get insights into her past and what it was like being a part of her family.
Her grandfather was impossible to please no matter how hard she tried and her father was nothing more than his puppet. A weak man who felt like a failure because of Jess' s grandfather, he pretty much let the man rule the roost as well as Jessica. There is also a former lover of Jessica's, a mysterious man that Jess doesn't trust given the fact he's seldom the same person twice.
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She questions his sanity at times, as well as her own, when he keeps popping in on her and she does nothing about it. Now he seems to know more about her case than she does and she can't help but wonder if he's involved. This was a riveting read for me from start to finish. The elaborate illusions were fascinating and seemingly impossible but there was an explanation behind them that kept Jessica seeking for answers.
To get them, she had to crawl inside the guy's head and think like he did. Think like a magician. Then she had to try and stay one step ahead in order to stop any more killing of innocent people in his sick game. While the ending was nothing like I expected, I have to say I was a little disappointed in it. I figured he'd come after Jess at some point but I was looking for something spectacular in his manner of doing so. What happened didn't quite meet my expectations. I thought the ending would at least feature a showdown between Jess and the bad guy and while it comes, it wasn't as powerful as it could have been considering all that occurred during the story.
However, let me be quick to add that it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. In fact, it looks like there will be some possible carry over into the next book. Can't wait to read it and see how the author puts Jess' s skills to work next time. Magic with an interesting twist Interesting book. New concept , using magic as the theme, for me at least. Good development of the characters. Oct 10, Breakaway Reviewers rated it it was amazing.
Of course Jessica is beautiful and therefore tends not to be taken seriously by her FBI colleagues and bosses — why are these characters never ugly old boots? The placing and staging of his first victim is intended to, and does, shock and distress those unlucky enough to see his exhibit. The unfortunate Chloe McDonald was murdered and buried two years previously, and yet she now appears to have literally clawed her way out of her grave. She is still warm and has been killed recently. The sight is terrifying with her upper torso clear of the earth and the rest of her still buried; her expression is one of sheer terror.
Her coffin remains buried and imaging shows that it is empty! So begins the race to both stop the Warlock, and also to understand who this victim is. Whilst the Warlock has created the illusion of Chloe rising from her grave, the FBI understand that this is just not possible. What I can say though is that I really enjoyed it and got through it in no time even though that meant reading until the early hours!
Buy the book or download it, but make sure you read it! Pashtpaws Best Selling Crime Thrillers received a copy of this book to review. So much so, that I started off reading the elibrary book and purchased the 3-book series. Despite their chauvin Despite their chauvinistic ideas, Jessica proved to her family that she was talented enough and deserving enough to have her own show - her own spotlight.
But something drastic happened during one of her tricks, and Jessica gave up her family and magic to become law enforcement - now FBI. On a Saturday, she gets an unusual summons back to Quantico.