@Joey Angotti has been going a great job with the weekly updates on the Top Ten for the
Geek & Sundry FantasticInk contest, but I thought we could do with a bit of a spotlight on the current runners up, the ones just beyond the top ten. And so, may I present to you, the
Top Eleven Through Twenty-Five! All of these are great books, and you may have missed them! I encourage you to click through, read up, and follow these fantasy books. They’re unique and interesting takes on the fantasy genre, and some just need a little push and they’ll be on the leaderboard too.
11. The Last Faoii by @Tahani Nelson 84 readers / 100 orders
After her monastery is attacked and her sisters slaughtered, Kaiya-faoii is left alone to fight a war at the heart of a broken empire-- or watch everything left of her nation and heritage fall to darkness. You’ve all seen Tahani Nelson’s updates, leading her followers fearlessly into the battle for a top three placing in the Geek & Sundry contest.
The Last Faoii was picked as the July 2016 selection for the Teen Read Syndicate.12. Kingdom of Dreams by Kevin O’Coffey67 readers / 119 orders
A troubled twelve-year-old boy must ally with his daydream to prevent his recurring nightmare from conquering the Kingdom of Dreams. Jimmy Reve just wants the bullies in his life to go away—for good. So imagine his surprise, when one by one, they mysteriously go missing from his school. That’s a cool development… but Jimmy senses his messed up home life might be the least of his problems. His suspicions are confirmed when he meets Burks, Jimmy’s snarky recurring daydream who suffers from ADD, and one of the two narrators of the story. Burks has a mission for Jimmy: find his way into the Kingdom of Dreams and fix the damage he’s caused. If he doesn’t, he’ll be the next to disappear along with everyone else that dreams. Permanently.
An illustrated fantasy novel, recommended for ages eight and up. Click through and check out O’Coffey’s illustrations, you won’t be disappointed!
13. Witherfist by @J. Graham-Jones 55 readers / 57 orders
The true name of a demon is inked into her flesh. To return to her daughter and home, the warrior Irusai must break the binding the ink has created. In doing so, she will ally with a princess in exile and together bring justice to the Last Empire. What’s in a name?
In the the Last Empire, a name is the most powerful weapon you can possess. If you can write the true-name of a person, you can bind it to your will. In the great vault of the First City, the Book of Names lists the true-names of every loyal Imperial subject, binding each of them to their place in society and in servitude to the Empress Lian. There are some names, however, that even the Empress will not write...
Hated and feared - spoken of in hushed whispers throughout the Empire and beyond - the notorious warrior known as Witherfist was once a territorial lord, overseeing the lands and subjects of the Last Emperor. On the wrong side of a political power-play by the Empress Lian, she and her fellow lords made a terrible bargain: inking the names of ancient demons into their skin in a contract that will grant them supernatural powers. Though she is unmatched in combat, her blackened and withered sword-hand is rumoured to drain the soul of whoever she touches. Now, she is banished by the Empress Lian from the lands she once swore to protect and now must find a way to return not only to her home and her family but also her humanity...
When a coup deposed Arren Kalendra’s father from the throne of the Last Empire, the young princess was branded a fugitive and stranded outside of the land’s she was once destined to rule. To restore just and rightful rulership to her homelands, Arren must seek out new allies and gather force capable of challenging not only the might of the Imperial Army but also the political cunning of her mother, the Empress Lian. She will delve deep into forbidden magics and threaten to plunge the world into all-out war, as she dares to speak the true-names of a dead tyrant and his centuries-frozen army...
14. Her Latent Charm: Book 1 in the Bridge Series by @Dana Brentson 51 readers / 61 orders
The world thinks magic is a myth, and Brigid is a young woman discovering she has an innate, if wild, talent for it. Her strength begins to reawaken the magic of the world around her, preparing her for the battles to come. Brentson says about her book: I have been playing with this particular story for about six years, with two other books in this series I am crafting in production, both of which were madly concocted in the furious race to finish NanoWriMo.
While this is the story of one woman and her personal struggle with magic and enemies from her past, the series will ultimately take her on a much larger journey that could shape her world.
First and foremost, I write for the love of it. But I hope to find some small modicum of success with this novel, so that I can explore the rest of Brigid’s story as it unfolds.
15. Earthshard by @Eli Vaughn Plaskett51 readers / 54 orders
In a world recovering from war, men strive to bind the forces of nature in shards of crystal. As a new power threatens to unbalance the tenuous peace, three strangers realize they have no idea how they got into this mess. I blame Steven. In Vai, magic flows through all things. For millennia, it was beyond the reach of man, but as time crawled by, the Craftsmen emerged. Braving furious storms and terrible flames, these men and women harnessed the magical forces of nature into crystals called aethers. With aethers, magic gave birth to machines both wondrous and terrible, and Vai changed forever.
Earthshard is the story of three people who never wanted to meet. Aaron is an apprentice Craftsman learning to harness the magical forces that flow through the world of Vai and desperately trying not to die in the process. Laurel is a mechanist intent on seeing the world aboard an airship, but trouble keeps her tied to the ground. Ricand is a veteran doing his best to simply drift through life, but he cannot ignore the drums of war.
Unfortunately for them, a woman working in secret has created something new, an impossible aether that will shatter the balance of power in Vai, and a dangerous fanatic will do anything to take it.
16. Dragonford - The Long Highway by @Brendan Thompson 46 readers / 60 orders
A company of veterans must cross a continent to found a settlement in a hostile wilderness. Facing cultists, monsters, and assassins, the greatest peril they face will be their own secrets and legacies of betrayal. Thompson says about his book: Hello, readers! Dragonford is a series of novels I have been working on for a few years. This project is the planned first installment. In tone, it is quite dark, with a heavy emphasis on characterization, intrigue, and betrayal. While there is still plenty of swashbuckling and adventure, the core concept is a diverse group who have to cooperate and learn about each other in order to survive their mission. In genre terms, this is a gunpowder fantasy that reads a lot like a Western.
I am a veteran of the US Air Force who is currently living in South Korea, where I teach English as a Second Language. I have a life long passion for books and storytelling. I have always enjoyed fiction that takes me to other worlds, where we can explore what it might mean to be a person living under very different circumstances.
17. Glassbreaker by @Julia Perroni46 readers / 57 orders
A girl finds herself dragged unwillingly into a journey meant to save the world from a dark curse, and must leave behind her home, her best friend, and a life that was at its beginning. Whether she lives or dies is out of the hands of fate. Glassbreaker is a young adult high fantasy novel starring my daring female protagonist, Miri Marshall. The book follows her as she’s dragged off on a quest to save the world and into a lot of danger, very much against her own will. Along the way she faces off against kings and monsters, plus has to deal with hostility even from within her own travelling party. She’s not the kind of person you’d imagine as the hero of this kind of story - she’s not much of a hero at all, even by her own admission - but she’s tough and she’s dedicated, and she has a life and a best friend just waiting for her to return from her harrowing journey.
Perroni says of her book: The world of Glassbreaker is an undeniably fantastical one, populated by winged people, elves, and merfolk, alongside humans of several differing cultures; there is magic woven into the fabric of Trinna, and though Miri’s no mage, magical forces definitely play a part in her journey. Including the sinister Darkness, a curse which has been causing ever-increasing death, to the point where it has become clear that it cannot be ignored and will not be easily defeated. What can be done to stop it, however, is a mystery that has yet to be discovered; finding that solution and enacting it is Miri’s task, and no one, especially her, is quite sure she’ll be able to do it. At the very least, it’ll take a journey to the four corners of the Trinnan map, far from the bounds of Miri’s isolated home village and beyond anything she’s ever experienced.
18. Exile, Magus by @Thomas J. Arnold42 readers / 47 orders
A young dwarven magus must enter a world he grew up only hearing of. As he strives to find his place and faces numerous dangers (and at least one too many gnomes) his naivete in life and love may bring more danger than any enemy ever could. Pentaz Muix, a young man native to a reclusive nation of dwarves, feels he has no choice but to flee his homeland in order to escape punishment after revealing his study of magic in order to save his people.
As he takes his first clumsy steps out from the isolation of his island home into the wide and varied world of the mainland, he searches for a family to replace the one he has lost. Along the way he meets a wandering warrior named Buscidia and falls in love with her, but his own fear of losing her may well spell their undoing.
While he explores the mainland and its many perils, he is unaware that his homeland has not let go of him as easily as he believes. Unbeknownst to him, he is pursued by the last surviving member of his family, his brother Palkaz. Their reunion follows closely on the heels of Pentaz’ biggest mistake and tragedy, and they find themselves facing off against one another amidst a danger neither of them had imagined. Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive?
Exile, Magus was backed in August 2016 by the Epic Fantasy Syndicate.19. The Soul Decision by @Michael J. Palumbo41 readers / 57 orders
A collection of disillusioned criminals, rebellious outsiders, and fallen heroes can unite the lands. But before they convince kings to trust one another, they must learn to trust each other, face their own demons, and be the heroes the world needs. The story involves a core group of main characters, each with their own issues to overcome. Each has removed themselves from society in some way, and yet as they come closer to saving society, they become more invested in it. Given the nature of the criminal world and its opposition to civil society, there are a variety of personal conflicts that arise. The heroes are forced to make hard decisions about what’s important to them, and sometimes they surprise themselves. They both save the world and rejoin it, saving themselves in the process.
20. Raven and Bone by @Allison C Waechter40 readers / 45 orders
Ava Aurildis is a witch with anxiety, a lot of anger and a past so dark it’s kept her running for centuries. To save her family she’ll have to confront her demons before time, or something worse, catches up with her. Ava Aurildis has been running and hiding for a very long time, but at least she has her friends. Lex and Viv have been at her side for decades-- they’re more than friends, they’re her heart’s family.
When Viv is brutally murdered, and Lex is rendered incapable of helping, Ava must unravel the mystery that’s haunted them on her own. If she wants any chance of putting her family back together she’ll have to confront her past before time, or something worse, catches up with her.
21. Man’s Damnnation - Lore of the Aos Si by @Christopher Lee 37 readers / 39 orders
It is 3002BCE. Mankind is subject to Fae law. Four young souls will rise as the ancient forces of the world continue their age-old feud. As MidSummer’s Eve approaches, the first and greatest world war will erupt once more between Man and the Fae. Our ancestors once lived in harmony with the creator. It was a Golden Age, where man lived in the fabled Garden of Eden where none suffered and all needs were fulfilled. The Primordial Goddess was their mother and her first child was Adam.
Adam, the first man, and father of mankind was charged with the protection of her sacred creation. The power bestowed upon him proved too great for Adam thus was born the folly of man. The Goddess rested for the act of creation had drained her of her power. Adam was filled with hubris and named himself God among men.
His pride corrupted the creation of the Goddess and perverted mankind. War between Adam and the Goddess raged in the heavens. The Fae, the siblings of mankind, waged war on their rebellious brothers and sisters. The Goddess claimed victory over Adam and mankind was banished from Eden and stripped of their ability to wield the gift of magic.
It is the year 3002 B.C.E. in the Silver Age. The Fae King Dagda rules over the four houses of the Seeley Court of Tír na nÓg. Mankind is scattered across the realms of Tír na nÓg and Tír nam Beo. Tensions between the Fae and Man are reaching a breaking point. As the Silver Age draws to a close the world will be thrown into chaos by the return of the Usurper Adam. Four young souls will rise as the ancient forces of the world continue their age-old feud. As MidSummer’s Eve approaches, the first and greatest world war will erupt once more between Man and the Fae.
22. The City Will Fall by @Kim Whale 34 readers / 37 orders
Anna was just a Blank, one of the powerless few in a City of powerful people. She dreamed of being something more. She dreamed of saving the world. Now she is the most hated terrorist of all time. The question is, what happened to Anna? Anna is trying to start a better life. Tired of her menial job and bleak future, she dreams of one day finding a magical talent, born from her soul. She dreams of being just like everyone else, more than just a talentless Blank; however, this is all but impossible for those like her. Blanks are the invisible minority that talented society both pities and fears, and there is no hope for them.
Cassandra, a talented Architect born to wealth and privelege, is disturbed by the surge of hatred and intolerance toward Blanks. With the police turning a blind eye as Blanks begin to disappear, she turns to a legend for hope. In Anna, she sees a soul capable of doing great things, given the proper guidance.
Everything will change. A prophecy has been written. The City Will Fall, and Anna will be it’s destroyer. It will take two dedicated reporters and a jaded cop to find out why.
23. Seven Days a Servant by @Trick Dempsey34 readers /36 orders
In the palaces of Brilliance, the fear of death is a distant memory. When a young heir discovers the rotten truths behind her ideal nation, she must choose between justice and order. Dempsey says: Seven Days a Servant is in a universe called "Iron Immortals". This setting is shared across three projects right now: this novel, a video game in development at The Crooked Thimble, and the Iron Immortals podcast.
Iron Immortals is the result of a six-year collaboration with my wife, Briana Dempsey, which began by asking simple, foundational questions about a fantasy world that we would soon call "Promise." The first question revolved around the role of death in this magical universe, and soon spun into huge revelations about the cultures and economies that could be defined by their relationship with this foundational question.
"What is death?"
24. Erin and the Deadly Tattooist by @Amanda Claassen33 readers / 34 orders
Erin’s kicked into a wild adventure to save her parents from The Tattooist, he’ll stop at nothing to find The Great Guitar. She’ll solve mysteries and travel across the world in a flying ship to South Africa and uncover magical places and creatures! Claassen says about her book: I’m very nervous and excited to submit my idea to you. I’m from South Africa and now live in the UK. I can’t remember a time where I haven’t preferred to lose myself in silly made up places and create adventure within my imagination.
My idea started as a way to write a story about the beautiful places I grew up in, but I wanted to tell it by creating new mythology around some old South African folk tales. My heroine Erin is 8 years old, she’s pushed into a wild magical adventure with her best teddy Flumpy to save her parents from the deadly Tattooist. They take a flying ship to South Africa, where they travel to the magical city of Sakharvia that’s hidden within a cave, they go to the depths of a diamond mine and even try to find an invisible castle on top of Table Mountain.
This is written for a younger audience, but if you fancy a Harry Potter style adventure mixed with some new ideas on South African folk stories, then I think you’ll be in for a treat.
25. Fae Child by @Jane-Holly Meissner32 readers / 38 orders
A child slips through a portal into the land of the Fae and traverses the Otherworld with the help of a young elf, while her parents are left to deal with the changeling that was left in her place. Abbie must negotiate the land of the Fae, the Otherworld, when she is unexpectedly transported there. Desperate to find her way back home, she and her dog quickly find allies to help her - but how much can she really trust these strangers? Back at home her changeling double is ingratiating itself to Abbie’s mother, while her father views the ’girl’ with suspicion. What secret is he hiding? He can, and will, do anything to get the real Abbie back - even make a deal with the mysterious Cat.
Fae Child was backed in Sept 2016 by the Rite of Passage Syndicate.I hope you stuck through the list to the end, and enjoyed reading a little about each book. I wish you all the best of luck in your campaigns!
edit:
all done editing in the links!
