“Death isn’t frightening when weighed against an insignificant existence.”
The term ‘sword and sorcery’ is used to describe a particular subgenre of the fantasy world. Tracing its roots back to the 1960s, it is similar to heroic fantasy and often focused on heroic warriors swashbuckling their way through violent and enthralling adventures. Sword and sorcery stories tend to include elements of romance, intrigue, mythology and even the supernatural though, unlike epic fantasy books, focus more on a character’s own personal battles, rather than world-threatening premises. Join us here at What We Reading for some of our favourite sword and sorcery books!
The Last Dragon King (Kings Of Avalier #1) – Leia Stone
The debut entry in the Kings of Avalier series from Leia Stone, The Last Dragon King opens with the premise of the powerful Dragon King looking for a wife. The local village has been thrown into hysteria by the news, with the king promising to round up those with enough magic to give him an heir.
Arwen is a seemingly unremarkable candidate, however, when the magic sniffers take a strange interest in her, her mother reveals a deadly secret about her past that may result in her death. The Last Dragon King is a paranormal fantasy romance book that is perfect for those looking for a strong female lead character.
The Serpent And The Wings Of Night (Crowns Of Nyaxia #1) – Carissa Broadbent
A deliciously dark tale into a world of vampires, Carissa Broadbent’s Crowns of Nyaxia series kicks off with The Serpent and the Wings of Night. Filled with heart-wrenching romance, dark magic and bloodthirsty intrigue, readers follow the story of Oraya, the adopted daughter of the Nightborn vampire king.
In a world that is hellbent on killing her, Oraya’s only chance of making a name for herself is by entering the dreaded Kejari, a deadly tournament organised by the goddess of Death. There, she must face off against the most vicious warriors from the three vampiric houses. In doing so, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with the mysteriously alluring Raihn.
But, as the stakes and danger rise around her, Oraya soon discovers that there is no place for compassion in the Kejari.
The Sword Defiant (Lands Of The Firstborn #1) – Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan
Gareth Hanrahan’s The Sword Defiant is a stellar example of expansive worldbuilding in full effect. Akin to the works of Tolkien and Eddings, the book whisks readers off to a dark world with religious and political intrigue, complex characters, living weapons and shocking twists behind every chapter.
The story follows Sir Aelfric who, along with his nine companions, saved the world from the Dark Lord, serving as protectors for his dark weapons after his defeat. However, as an altogether threat, much more sinister than before, Aelfric’s hopes of reuniting his band once again lead to him discovering that some of them may have morphed into their own monsters in the years since.
Check Out The Best Epic Fantasy Books Like Game Of Thrones
A Trial Of Sorcerers (A Trial Of Sorcerers #1) – Elise Kova
USA Today bestselling author Elise Kova kicks off her A Trial of Sorcerers series with the debut entry of the same name. In it, readers follow eighteen-year-old Waterrunner Eira Landan, an outcast apprentice at the fabled Tower of Sorcerers.
She has constantly lived her life in the shadow of others but decides to compete for a place in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. In this young adult tale of competition elemental magic and mystical lands, Elise squares off against the best sorcerers in the Empire, unlocking her true dark potential in the process.
A King’s Bargain (Legend Of Tal #1) – J.D.L. Rosell
J.D.L Rosell’s A King’s Bargain follows the story of the legendary warrior Tal Harrenfel. After three decades of battling warlocks, killing mythical beasts and claiming lost treasures, however, he’s content with retiring to his sleepy home village and seeing out his days.
But, after meeting a young boy named Garin with dreams of seeing the world, a strange visitor in the village will lead them on a journey across the length of the country that will take them from the mercy of a renowned sorcerer to the frontlines of an ancient conflict. A classic journey of companionship and coming of age, A King’s Bargain is the first entry in the Legend of Tal series.
Rise Of The Mages (The Age of Ire #1) – Scott Drakeford
The epic debut book from Scott Drakeford, Rise of the Mages is the first entry in The Age of Ire trilogy. In it, readers are introduced to Emrael Ire, an exiled mage who becomes embroiled in political intrigue and bloody insurrections against a backdrop of powerful magic wielders.
With a polished storyline, expansive worldbuilding and an impressively created magic system, Rise of the Mages is a story that has a decade’s worth of planning behind it and stands as one of the best sword and sorcery books from 2022.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Witcher
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
