Recommendations based on "The Gauntlet (Born to the Blade Season 1 Episode 4)"

Peace comes at the price of bloodshed--five battles will buy you peace, four to win and one to lose. At the temple of Terayama, the words of the blind sage's prophecy continue to haunt Takeo as he readies his armies for battle. Determined to avenge Shigeru's death and claim his rightful inheritance, Takeo and Kaede, together with Takeo's forces, fight their way to the domain of Maruyama. But then they must separate. Takeo makes plans for a battle by the sea, and Kaede returns to her family's home at Shirakawa. Will they see each other again?'Blood-splashed combat alternates with contemplative stillness, and the writing is extraordinary. Hearn's trilogy ends as it began, virtually pitchperfect' - Francis Spufford, " Evening Standard"

Dragons scheme and alliances shift in book 3 of the groundbreaking modern fantasy series from Julie Kagawa, New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Fey novels.Your obedience…or your life.Forced to choose between becoming an assassin for the dragon organization Talon and being hunted forever as an outcast, Ember Hill now stands with Riley and his band of rogue dragons. She’s lost contact with her twin brother, Dante, a Talon devotee, as well as Garret, the former enemy soldier who challenged her belief that dragons cannot love.As Ember and Riley regroup to fight another day, Garret journeys alone to the birthplace of the ancient and secret Order of St. George, to spy on his former brothers and uncover deadly and shocking secrets—secrets that will shake the foundations of dragons and dragonslayers alike and place them all in imminent danger. Garret’s next move may be his last, but he’ll walk through fire to save the young dragon he loves against all odds.Books in the Talon Saga:Talon Rogue Soldier Legion Inferno

The sun is setting on humanity. The night now belongs to voracious demons that arise as the sun sets, preying upon a dwindling population forced to cower behind ancient and half-forgotten symbols of power. These wards alone can keep the demons at bay, but legends tell of a Deliverer: a general—some would say prophet—who once bound all mankind into a single force that defeated the demons. Those times, if they ever existed, are long past. The demons are back, and the return of the Deliverer is just another myth . . . or is it?Out of the desert rides Ahmann Jardir, who has forged the warlike desert tribes of Krasia into a demon-killing army. He has proclaimed himself Shar’Dama Ka, the Deliverer, and he carries ancient weapons—a spear and a crown—that give credence to his claim. Sworn to follow the path of the first Deliverer, he has come north to bring the scattered city-states of the green lands together in a war against demonkind—whether they like it or not.But the northerners claim their own Deliverer. His name was Arlen, but all know him now as the Warded Man: a dark, forbidding figure whose skin is tattooed with wards so powerful they make him a match for any demon. The Warded Man denies that he is the Deliverer, but his actions speak louder than words, for he teaches men and women to face their fears and stand fast against the creatures that have tormented them for centuries.Once the Shar’Dama Ka and the Warded Man were friends, brothers in arms. Now they are fierce adversaries. Caught between them are Renna, a young woman pushed to the edge of human endurance; Leesha, a proud and beautiful healer whose skill in warding surpasses that of the Warded Man himself; and Rojer, a traveling fiddler whose uncanny music can soothe the demons—or stir them into such frenzy that they attack one another.Yet as old allegiances are tested and fresh alliances forged, all are blissfully unaware of the appearance of a new breed of demon, more intelligent—and deadly—than any that have come before.

An outcast mage caught between two warring empires must either save the world or destroy everything she loves in the second novel of "an unforgettable epic fantasy" trilogy (Publishers Weekly).Sal the Cacophony -- outlaw, outcast, outnumbered -- destroys all that she loves. Her lover lost and cities burned in her wake, all she has left is her magical gun and her all-consuming quest for revenge against those who stole her power and took the sky from her.When the roguish agent of a mysterious patron offers her the chance to participate in a heist to steal an incredible power from the famed airship fleet, the Ten Arrows, she finds a new purpose. But a plot to save the world by bringing down empires swiftly escalates into a conspiracy of magic and vengeance that threatens to burn everything to ash, including herself.For more from Sam Sykes, check out:The Grave of Empires:Seven Blades in BlackTen Arrows of IronBring Down Heaven:The City Stained RedThe Mortal TallyGod's Last BreathThe Affinity for Steel Trilogy:Tome of the UndergatesBlack HaloThe Skybound Sea

In the grand tradition of George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan, Sunday Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett continues his critically acclaimed Demon Cycle with the next dramatic instalment: THE SKULL THRONE. The Skull Throne of Krasia is a seat of powerful magic that unites the tribes and keeps the corelings at bay. From it, Ahmann Jardir was meant to conquer the known world and end the demon war once and for all. But Arlen Bales, the Painted Man, opposed Jardir's invasion and challenged him to a duel to the death, opening a struggle for succession that now threatens to tear both nations apart. Renna Bales, who may hold the key to peace, has disappeared. And as Jardir's sons move to claim the throne, risking a civil war among their people, Leesha and Rojer struggle to unite the Greenland Duchies against the Krasian advance. All the while, the corelings have grown stronger and without Arlen and Jardir, none may be able to stop them.

With mythic sweep and epic scope, David Gemmell’s bestselling novels of magic and adventure feature brooding heroes who fight to preserve all that is good and honorable in themselves and in the worlds through which they stride like lonely giants. In times of terror and despair, theirs are the swords that carve a shining path, inspiring others to follow. Even after their deaths, their names live on. . . .A thousand years after they fell in battle, two heroes—Druss and Skilgannon—are revered throughout the war-torn lands of the Drenai. Yet men and women live in abject fear of the Joinings, abominable meldings of man and beast, and of their mistress, the dark sorceress known as the Eternal. None can stave off these ruthless foes.But what if the soul of one such hero could be called back from the void, his bones housed again in flesh? An ancient prophecy foretold that Skilgannon would return in his people’s darkest hour. To most, this is a foolish hope. But not so to Landis Kan. For years, as the power of the Eternal grew, Kan searched for the tomb of Skilgannon the Damned. And at last, he found it, gathering up the bones and performing the mystic ritual.But the reborn hero is an enigma: a young man whose warrior skills are blunted and whose memories are fragmented. This Skilgannon is a man out of time, marooned in a world as strange to him as a dream, remote from all he knew and loved.Or nearly all. Before bringing Skilgannon back, Landis Kan experimented upon other bone fragments found in the hero’s tomb. That ritual resulted in a surly giant who possessed astounding strength, but no memories. To Kan, he was a dangerous failure. But to Skilgannon, this giant represented their last hope. For as the ageless evil of the Eternal threatens to drown the Drenai lands in blood, two legendary heroes will once again lead the way to freedom.

From the New York Times bestselling author and co-author of The Expanse comes an "atmospheric and fascinating" novel that unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year (Joe Abercrombie, author of A Little Hatred). Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories endure. This is Garreth's. Garreth Left is heir to one of Kithamar's most prominent merchant families. The path of his life was paved long before he was born. Learn the family trade, marry to secure wealthy in-laws, and inherit the business when the time is right. But to Garreth, a life chosen for him is no life at all. In one night, a chance meeting with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. He falls in love with a woman whose name he doesn't even know, and he will do anything to find her again. His search leads him down corridors and alleys that are best left unexplored, where ancient gods hide in the shadows, and every deal made has a dangerous edge. The path that Garreth chooses will change the course of not only those he loves, but the entire future of Kithamar's citizens. In Kithamar, every story matters -- and the fate of the city is woven from them all.

Explore the origins of Blaine McFadden and his allies in this short story prequel to the epic Ascendant Kingdoms Saga from Gail Z. Martin. Condemned to exile in an arctic prison colony for murdering his sister's attacker, Blaine McFadden has lost everything — his title, his family and his fiancéé. Velant Prison holds the worst of the kingdom's convicts, overseen by brutal guards who are exiles themselves. When a sadistic guard takes things too far, Blaine's insubordination makes him a target of the prison's notorious commander. To survive, Blaine needs to rely on his wits and his fists — and a few good friends to watch his back.   Praise for the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga "Epic fantasy as it was meant to be read: gripping, action packed, and larger than life. A delight for any fan of the genre!" —Rachel Aaron   “Epic fantasy at its best." —Aaron Rosenberg   "A vivid, engrossing tapestry woven from epic heroism, post apocalypse struggles, perilous magic and darkest fantasy. A distinct and distinctive achievement." —Juliet McKenna   "A book that will take over readers' thoughts until long after the final page." —RT Book Reviews     The Ascendant Kingdoms Saga Ice Forged Reign of Ash War of Shadows Shadow and Flame   No Reprieve

From New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore comes the follow-up to Starlight Enclave and thrilling second novel in his newest trilogy, The Way of the Drow, expanding the Forgotten Realms through the adventures of Drizzt, Catti-brie, Jarlaxle, Artemis Entreri, and Zaknefein...and a society of drow unlike one any elf from Menzoberranzan could possibly imagine. There's a lot that Jarlaxle doesn't know: is he the lone survivor of the raid on the slaad fortress, can he even find a way to get out, and beyond his immediate predicament, could he possibly escape the ice caverns and get help for his friends However, what Jarlaxle does know is that if he plans to come back--if Catti-brie, Entreri, and Zaknafein are to have any hope of surviving--he's going to have to bring back far more firepower. An army of aevendrow seems unlikely, so he must go home and pull together a team with great skill and unimaginable power. But how will he get home Will such a collection of warriors and mages come to his aid And even if he manages all that, will it be enough For Jarlaxle has seen the slaadi's power and their god in a most personal and terrifying way. Trapped in the ice while the world is on fire, Jarlaxle is in a race against time--and burdened with a magical secret--to save a peaceful city and his companions. And he's running out of tricks in his bag of holding...

The vampiric sorcerer Uctebri has at last got his hands on the Shadow Box and can finally begin his dark ritual - a ritual that the Wasp-kinden Emperor believes will grant him immortality - but Uctebri has his own plans both for the Emperor and the Empire. The massed Wasp armies are on the march, and the spymaster Stenwold must see which of his allies will stand now that the war has finally arrived. This time the Empire will not stop until a black and gold flag waves over Stenwold's own home city of Collegium. Tisamon the Weaponsmaster is faced with a terrible choice: a path that could lead him to abandon his friends and his daughter, to face degradation and loss, but that might possibly bring him before the Wasp Emperor with a blade in his hand - but is he being driven by Mantis-kinden honour, or manipulated by something more sinister?