Recommendations based on "The Shadow Returns: A Branches Book (the Last Firehawk #12)"

A failed mage learns that just because he's not the chosen one it doesn't mean he can't be a hero in the fifth book of an adventure fantasy series from Sebastien de Castell. Kellen Argos is an outlaw spellslinger with a bad reputation, a long list of enemies, and zero luck. When he accidently smears blood on the Daroman flag, he's dragged before the queen to be executed for his act of treason. Face-to-face with the young monarch, Kellen is offered a chance to save himself. If he can defeat the queen at a game of cards, he'll walk free. . .if not, his life is forfeit. But what begins as a game reveals a conspiracy against the queen's life. And now, Kellen is not only playing for his own freedom, but also for the future of an empire. Spellslinger SeriesSpellslingerShadowblackCharmcasterSoulbinderQueenslayer For more from Sebastien de Castell, check out: The Greatcoats QuartetTraitor's BladeSaint's BloodKnight's ShadowTyrant's Throne span

The New York Times bestselling Raven’s Shadow Trilogy was a perfect read for “fans of broadscale epic fantasy along the lines of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series and George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire novels.”* Now, Anthony Ryan begins a new saga, The Draconis Memoria...Throughout the vast lands controlled by the Ironship Syndicate, nothing is more prized than the blood of drakes. Harvested from the veins of captive or hunted Reds, Green, Blues and Blacks, it can be distilled into elixirs that give fearsome powers to the rare men and women who have the ability harness them—known as the blood-blessed.But not many know the truth: that the lines of drakes are weakening. If they fail, war with the neighboring Corvantine Empire will follow swiftly. The Syndicate's last hope resides in whispers of the existence of another breed of drake, far more powerful than the rest, and the few who have been chosen by fate to seek it.Claydon Torcreek is a petty thief and an unregistered blood-blessed, who finds himself pressed into service by the protectorate and sent to wild, uncharted territories in search of a creature he believes is little more than legend. Lizanne Lethridge is a formidable spy and assassin, facing gravest danger on an espionage mission deep into the heart of enemy territory. And Corrick Hilemore is the second lieutenant of an ironship, whose pursuit of ruthless brigands leads him to a far greater threat at the edge of the world.As lives and empires clash and intertwine, as the unknown and the known collide, all three must fight to turn the tide of a coming war, or drown in its wake.*Library Journal

New York Times bestselling author Kazu Kibuishi says of Lightfall: “Beautifully drawn. Tim Probert has created a world readers will want to visit.”For fans of Amulet and middle grade readers who love sweeping worlds like Star Wars, the first book of the Lightfall series introduces Bea and Cad, two unlikely friends who get swept up in an epic quest to save their world from falling into eternal darkness.Deep in the heart of the planet Irpa stands the Salty Pig’s House of Tonics & Tinctures, home of the wise Pig Wizard and his adopted granddaughter, Bea. As keepers of the Endless Flame, they live a quiet and peaceful life, crafting medicines and potions for the people of their once-prosperous world.All that changes one day when, while walking through the woods, Bea meets Cad, a member of the Galdurians, an ancient race thought to be long-extinct. Cad believes that if anyone can help him find his missing people, it’s the Pig Wizard.But when the two arrive home, the Pig Wizard is nowhere to be found—all that’s left is the Jar of Endless Flame and a mysterious note. Fearing for the Pig Wizard’s safety, Bea and Cad set out across Irpa to find him, while danger fights its way out of the shadows and into the light.Will these two unexpected friends find the beloved Pig Wizard and prevent eternal darkness from blanketing their world? Or has Irpa truly seen its last sunrise?Praise for LightfallKirkus Best Books of 2020Fall 2020 Indie Next ListJunior Library Guild Selection2021 Texas Library Association’s Little Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List SelectionNominated for the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award

From the author of The Iron Druid Chronicles, a thrilling novel that kicks off a fantasy series with an entirely new mythology—complete with shape-shifting bards, fire-wielding giants, and children who can speak to astonishing beasts “A spectacular work of epic fantasy . . . an absolute delight.”—Shelf Awareness MOTHER AND WARRIOR Tallynd is a soldier who has already survived her toughest battle: losing her husband. But now she finds herself on the front lines of an invasion of giants, intent on wiping out the entire kingdom, including Tallynd’s two sons—all that she has left. The stakes have never been higher. If Tallynd fails, her boys may never become men. SCHOLAR AND SPY Dervan is an historian who longs for a simple, quiet life. But he’s drawn into intrigue when he’s hired to record the tales of a mysterious bard who may be a spy or even an assassin for a rival kingdom. As the bard shares his fantastical stories, Dervan makes a shocking discovery: He may have a connection to the tales, one that will bring his own secrets to light.   REBEL AND HERO Abhi’s family have always been hunters, but Abhi wants to choose a different life for himself. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, Abhi soon learns that his destiny is far greater than he imagined: a powerful new magic thrust upon him may hold the key to defeating the giants once and for all—if it doesn’t destroy him first. Set in a magical world of terror and wonder, this novel is a deeply felt epic of courage and war, in which the fates of these characters intertwine—and where ordinary people become heroes, and their lives become legend. Don’t miss any of Kevin Hearne’s action-packed Seven Kennings series A PLAGUE OF GIANTS • A BLIGHT OF BLACKWINGS • A CURSE OF KRAKENS (Coming Later!)

An out-of-practice wizard and an outcast soldier are thrust into the heart of a mystery that threatens to unravel their kingdom's fragile peace in this gripping epic fantasy from a standout new voice. ★ "A wonderful tale set within a well-drawn fantastical world. I loved it." — John Gwynne, New York Times bestselling author★ "A page-turning mix of mystery and epic fantasy.” — Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author★ "This book crawled out of the deepest, darkest woods with violence in its heart." — Jackson Ford, author of The Bone Raiders War between once-peaceful nations is on the horizon, and the child of a powerful ally is missing. Now Holt Hawley, an outcast soldier, has been sent to find a myth: a Vigilant, one of the last survivors of an ancient and powerful order whose magic could be key to finding the child. But the Vigilants disappeared long ago. No one truly expects him to succeed. Then, in a fabled forest, he stumbles upon a woman who claims to be the last Vigilant. Enelda Drake is wizened and out of practice, and she seems a far cry from the heroes of legend. But they will need her powers, and each other, to survive. For nothing in their kingdom is as it seems. Corrupt soldiers and calculating politicians thwart their efforts at every turn. And there are dark whispers on the wind, threatening the arrival of a primordial and powerful enemy. The Vigilant is not the only myth returning from the dead.The Last Vigilant begins an epic fantasy trilogy where legends are forged and reforged, where the line between ally and enemy is razor thin, and where the only people holding the darkness of monsters and men at bay are the few who choose to stand fast.

The third and final book in The Nightfall Saga, the thrilling and action-packed epic fantasy series set in the world of The Demon Cycle, from Sunday Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett "Heart-wrenching, smart, and modern ... The Desert Prince has set a new standard for fantasy."–Wesley Chu, author of The War Arts Saga

The King of Vordan is dying, and his daughter, Raesinia, is destined to become the first Queen in centuries. But politics knows no loyalties, especially for Duke Orlanko, Minister of Information and spymaster of the empire. The most feared man in the Vordan will bow his knee to no Queen, unless she is firmly under his influence. Freshly returned from their recent victories in the colonies, Colonel Janus, Marcus and Winter must play a new and far deadlier game than the open warfare of the front, using all their talents, earthly or supernatural.

Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has one chance- a desperate gamble, and one that could destroy his kingdom. In the north, a new godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him. Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends- and perhaps his enemies- he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.

Kylar has rejected the assassin's life. In the wake of the Godking's violent coup, both his master and his closest friend are dead. His friend was Logan Gyre, heir to Cenaria's throne, but few of the ruling class survive to mourn his loss. So Kylar is starting over: new city, new companions, and new profession. But when he learns that Logan might be alive, trapped and in hiding, Kylar faces an impossible choice. He could give up the way of shadows forever, and find peace with his young family. Or Kylar could succumb to his flair for destruction, the years of training, to save his friend and his country - and lose all he holds precious.

He will face the ultimate battle of dark against light. . . . The flame of hope is flickering throughout the Four Lands. But thanks to Brona, the evil Warlock Lord, a cloud of dark magic is sweeping south, spreading fear and death. Already Brona’s savage armies have crushed the forces of the Elves and their king. Now nothing stands between them and the fair city of Tyrsis. And if Tyrsis falls, the whole Southland will follow, plunged into an endless night of slavery and worse. The Druid Allanon has dispatched Menion, the Prince of Leah, to aid in the defense of Tyrsis while he himself continues to search for Shea Ohmsford, the young half-elf who bears the awesome burden of wielding the only weapon capable of destroying Brona: the mysterious Sword of Shannara. Yet magic of the fabled weapon makes it as dangerous to Shea as it is to the Warlock Lord. Now, in the very heart of the Dark Lord’s domain, Shea is about to unlock the deadly secret of the Sword–and come face to face with his destiny. . . . The Sword of Shannara Part 3: The Secret of the Sword is the newest addition to the Del Rey Imagine program, which offers the best in classic fantasy and science fiction for readers 12 and up.