The Fantasy 101 › Books Like

Books Like The Demon Cycle

Brett, 2008 · #85 on the Epic Fantasy 101 Booklist · 70/120

Demons rise from the ground each night and only magic wards stand between them and humanity. A boy determined to fight back becomes a legend.

Mood6Theme6Structure6Further reading3Creative details7Real-world blend1Divine influence7Climax and fights8Epicness8Genre standard4Originality5

Its strongest scores: climax and fights and epicness. The five books below have the closest scores across all eleven criteria.

If you liked The Demon Cycle, read:

  1. Raven's Shadow

    Ryan, 2011 · #92 on the list · 66/120

    Vaelin al Sorna, given to a warrior order as a boy, rises through its brutal training into war, faith and a hidden gift.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  2. The Bound and the Broken

    Cahill, 2019 · #90 on the list · 68/120

    A wandering bard and a trapped noble woman face the gods' meddling in a world on the verge of war.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  3. Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne

    Staveley, 2014 · #80 on the list · 71/120

    After their emperor father is murdered, his three heirs must face assassins, ancient beings and the secret hidden behind their faith.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  4. Lightbringer

    Weeks, 2010 · #63 on the list · 76/120

    The Prism, who wields every color of light, hides a secret, while his newly discovered son must learn the magic and survive the war.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

  5. The Faithful and the Fallen

    Gwynne, 2012 · #72 on the list · 73/120

    In a world where an ancient war between Elyon and Asroth is about to be fought again through mortals, a young man trains to be a warrior.

    Close on mood, theme, structure, further reading.

Featured pick

Acenes of Sparta: The Dragon Slayer

Manolis Tsongas, 2026 · #5 on the list · 101/120 · for adults and mature teens

A dragon is the real reason King Leonidas and his three hundred died at Thermopylae. Sixty-two years later the gods send a Spartan boy of the agoge to kill it. The book takes lessons from tragedy and the cost of sacrifice, as is the Greek way.

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How the scores work: each book is rated 1 to 10 on eleven criteria; real-world blend and climax and fights count double, for a maximum of 120. See the full Fantasy 101.