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22 editor’s picks matching Dystopian
Blood Over Bright Haven follows the first woman admitted to an elite mage order as she and a displaced outsider uncover a truth that could upend magic itself.
Blood Over Bright Haven: A Novel
Dystopian · Fantasy · Sci-Fi
Our take
Blood Over Bright Haven follows the first woman admitted to an elite mage order as she and a displaced outsider uncover a truth that could upend magic itself. This dark, cerebral fantasy blends power, prejudice, and sacrifice, earning 4.5 stars on Amazon and more than 122,000 ratings on Goodreads and recognition as an Elle Best Book.
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The first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages unravels a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever, in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of The Sword of Kaigen.
“Powerful, thought-provoking. . . . Fans of R.F. Kuang’s Babel will find much to admire here, from the intricate magic system to the unflinching exploration of societal issues.”—Booklist
AN ELLE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry.
When Sciona finally passes the qualifying exam and becomes a highmage, she finds her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues are determined to make her feel unwelcome—and, instead of a qualified lab assistant, they give her a janitor.
What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was not always a janitor. Ten years ago, he was a nomadic hunter who lost his family on their perilous journey from the wild plains to the city. But now he sees the opportunity to understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the privileged in power.
At first, mage and outsider have a fractious relationship. But working together, they uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first.
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Best for readers who like epic fantasy shaped by apocalypse, oppression, revolution, and dangerous power.
The Fifth Season
Fantasy · Post-Apocalyptic
Our take
Winner of the 2016 Hugo Award and called “intricate and extraordinary” by The New York Times, in a world where earth's power is weaponized, a woman with a secret ability searches for her kidnapped daughter amid global catastrophe and betrayal in The Fifth Season, with a 4.5-star rating from more than 41,900 Amazon reviewers. Best for readers who like epic fantasy shaped by apocalypse, oppression, revolution, and dangerous power.
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About the book
At the end of the world, a woman must hide her secret power and find her kidnapped daughter in this "intricate and extraordinary" Hugo Award winning novel of power, oppression, and revolution. (The New York Times)
This is the way the world ends. . .for the last time.
It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester.
This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
Read the first book in the critically acclaimed, three-time Hugo award-winning trilogy by NYT bestselling author N. K. Jemisin.
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Volcanoes.
Devolution
Horror · Sci-Fi · Post-Apocalyptic
Our take
Volcanoes. Isolation. Bigfoot. Devolution by Max Brooks (World War Z) is the survival horror thriller you didn’t know you needed. Told through recovered journals and dark research, this 4.5-star bestseller explores the bloody truth behind a forgotten massacre in the Washington wilderness. Finalist for the Locus Award. Click now to discover why Bigfoot is not the cuddly cryptid you imagined.
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About the book
Mount Rainier erupted. Then something far worse came down from the mountains.
Devolution is Max Brooks’ gripping, genre-bending Bigfoot horror novel that blends survival thriller, investigative journalism, and blood-soaked suspense. Told through the recovered journal of Kate Holland and paired with chilling research, the story of Greenloop—a high-tech eco-community turned massacre site—unfolds in terrifying detail.
Trapped by volcanic devastation and cut off from civilization, the residents of Greenloop face something far more primal than isolation: a brutal tribe of Sasquatch with a taste for human flesh.
From the author of World War Z, Devolution delivers relentless tension, unforgettable characters, and a Bigfoot tale that feels horrifyingly possible.
Believe or don’t. But if Kate’s account is real… you’ll never hike the woods the same way again.
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Ideal for readers looking for rebellion, brutal competition, political intrigue, and large-scale science-fiction action.
Red Rising
Dystopian · Sci-Fi · Galactic Empire · Space Opera
Our take
A New York Times bestseller called “relentlessly entertaining,” this dystopian science-fiction novel follows Darrow, a laborer from Mars’s lowest caste who infiltrates the ruling Golds to destroy the society that enslaved his people, with a 4.6-star rating from more than 107,000 Amazon reviewers. Ideal for readers looking for rebellion, brutal competition, political intrigue, and large-scale science-fiction action.
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About the book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Pierce Brown’s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.
“Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field.”—USA Today
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, Shelf Awareness
“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”
“I live for you,” I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he toils willingly, trusting that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.
But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.
Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.
Praise for Red Rising
“[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown’s dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender’s Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow.”—Scott Sigler
“Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch
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A rigged Game.
Sunrise on the Reaping
Dystopian · Sci-Fi · Teen + Young Adult
Our take
A rigged Game. A doomed tribute. A rebellion waiting to ignite. Sunrise on the Reaping, the highly anticipated fifth book in The Hunger Games series, takes readers back to the 50th Quarter Quell—where Haymitch Abernathy must fight for survival against impossible odds. Fans of the series, don’t miss this epic return to Panem. Pre-order now!
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About the book
A rigged Game. A doomed tribute. A rebellion waiting to ignite.
For the fiftieth annual Hunger Games—this year’s Quarter Quell—twice as many tributes will be sent to fight to the death. In District 12, Haymitch Abernathy tries to ignore the looming threat, focusing only on the girl he loves. But when his name is called, his world shatters.
Thrown into the Capitol’s brutal arena alongside three other tributes from his district, Haymitch quickly realizes he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that refuses to back down. As alliances form and betrayals loom, he’ll have to fight not just for survival, but to send a message—one that could shake Panem to its core.
The highly anticipated fifth book in The Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping is a thrilling return to Suzanne Collins’ dystopian masterpiece.
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Betrayal reshapes rebellion when power demands more than courage.
Golden Son (Red Rising Book 2)
Dystopian · Sci-Fi
Our take
Betrayal reshapes rebellion when power demands more than courage. In Golden Son, Darrow moves within the brutal hierarchy of the Gold elite, forced to navigate shifting alliances, political treachery, and his own hunger for vengeance. As war looms, he must decide whether revolution will mirror the cruelty he seeks to destroy, in this high-stakes continuation of the Red Rising saga.
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About the book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR, BUZZFEED, AND BOOKLIST • “Gripping . . . On virtually every level, this is a sequel that hates sequels—a perfect fit for a hero who already defies the tropes. [Grade:] A”—Entertainment Weekly
As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.
A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.
He must live for more.
Praise for Golden Son
“Stirring . . . Comparisons to The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones series are inevitable, for this tale has elements of both.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Brown writes layered, flawed characters . . . but plot is his most breathtaking strength. . . . Every action seems to flow into the next.”—NPR
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Marooned after defeat, Darrow embarks on a perilous journey home to save Mars, reunite allies, and reignite the fight for the Republic’s future.
Light Bringer (Red Rising Series Book 6)
Dystopian · Sci-Fi
Our take
Marooned after defeat, Darrow embarks on a perilous journey home to save Mars, reunite allies, and reignite the fight for the Republic’s future.
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About the book
The Reaper, once the savior of worlds, now fights for his own.
Marooned far from Mars after a crushing defeat, Darrow yearns to return to his wife, Virginia, and defend their home from Lysander au Lune. Lysander, intent on restoring Gold supremacy, will stop at nothing to crush the Rising and claim the galaxy.
To protect the Republic, Darrow must reclaim more than his legendary title. With allies like Cassius, Sevro, and Virginia at his side, he embarks on a perilous voyage across the stars. Old friends will reunite, bitter enemies will clash, and the fight for freedom will reignite.
As the battle unfolds, Darrow’s greatest challenge isn’t just the war—it’s proving that after the dark age, a new age of hope can rise.
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Darrow’s revolution splinters as old enemies and new heroes clash across the galaxy, propelling the Republic toward war—and a looming Dark Age.
Dark Age (Red Rising Series Book 5)
Dystopian · Sci-Fi
Our take
Darrow’s revolution splinters as old enemies and new heroes clash across the galaxy, propelling the Republic toward war—and a looming Dark Age.
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He broke the chains, but his revolution broke the world.
A decade after leading the Rising, Darrow is no longer a hero—he’s an outlaw, waging a rogue war on Mercury against impossible odds. As the Republic crumbles under the weight of endless conflict, Darrow must ask himself: Is he still the savior he once was, or the monster he swore to destroy?
Across the galaxy, others shape the future. Lysander au Lune seeks to unite the Golds and topple the Republic. On Luna, Virginia au Augustus fights to preserve demokracy and save her exiled husband. Meanwhile, abducted heir Pax au Augustus must trust a Gray thief, and Lyria, a Red refugee, risks everything for freedom.
As alliances shift and power is won and lost, the worlds spiral toward a new Dark Age.
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A warlord, a refugee, an ex-soldier, and a fallen heir.
Iron Gold (Red Rising Series Book 4)
Dystopian · Sci-Fi
Our take
A warlord, a refugee, an ex-soldier, and a fallen heir. In a galaxy torn by revolution, their entwined fates will decide the future of all worlds.
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Ten years after leading a revolution to overthrow the Society, Darrow finds his dream of peace buried beneath endless war. Burdened by the cost of his choices, he embarks on a desperate mission, knowing it could save his people—or destroy everything he has built.
Across the galaxy, others are drawn into the tide of fate. A young Red girl flees tragedy and forges an unimaginable new future. A grief-stricken ex-soldier must risk everything to steal the galaxy’s greatest prize. And Lysander au Lune, the heir of the fallen Sovereign, dreams of rebuilding what Darrow has torn apart.
As their stories intertwine, destinies clash in a struggle for the soul of a shattered world. Can Darrow rise again, or has his revolution doomed them all?
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With 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon, Morning Star by Pierce Brown delivers the explosive finale to the Red Rising trilogy.
Morning Star (Red Rising Series Book 3)
Dystopian · Sci-Fi
Our take
With 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon, Morning Star by Pierce Brown delivers the explosive finale to the Red Rising trilogy. As Darrow’s rebellion reaches its breaking point, battles rage across the stars and betrayals cut deep. Fierce, operatic, and relentless, this sci-fi epic is a brutal fight for freedom where heroes bleed and empires burn.
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Darrow was built for peace but forged for war.
Betrayed by friends, hunted by enemies, and driven by the memory of a wife executed for defiance, he has clawed his way through the brutal Gold society that crushed his people. Now, after years of deception and sacrifice, the rebellion he sparked is ready to ignite the stars.
But victory will not come easy. The Golds wield power without mercy, and some of Darrow’s greatest threats come from those he once trusted. To break the chains of a cruel empire, Darrow must lead a final charge across blood-soaked battlefields and fragile alliances.
Morning Star is Pierce Brown’s breathtaking conclusion to the Red Rising trilogy, a story of revolution, sacrifice, and the cost of freedom among the stars.
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