Weekly Book Recs 47/2025: Fantasy Novels to Take You Far, Far Away
- Apollo Imperium
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
7 BOOK SUGGESTIONS EVERY FRIDAY –– A MIX OF INDIE AND TRADITIONAL PUBLISHED BOOKS
What's better than some time alone with a good fantasy book? This week, we've gathered a selection of fantasy novel recs that all have that magical vibe to them––some historical fantasy, some contemporary, but all great reads for the cold months. Especially Rebel of the Sands, which plays out in a desert. What better way to escape the dreary fall weather? And The Courtesan's Eye, by an author duo we've interviewed before, has finally made an appearance in one of our weekly recs editions.
"Rebel of the Sands" by Alwyn Hamilton
Goodreads Rating: ⭐️ 3.95
Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic. For humans, it’s an unforgiving place, especially if you’re poor, orphaned, or female. Amani Al’Hiza is all three. She’s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead.
Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she’s spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she’d gallop away on mythical horse—or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.
Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes—in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power.
"The Courtesan's Eye" by Kate Hyers and J.C. Smith
Goodreads Rating: ⭐️ 4.41
Cordè is a courtesan-spy who trades in sex and secrets. But when a high-profile murder pulls her into a bloody political conspiracy, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with the last person she’d ever choose: a cursed priest from an order of holy warriors. As tensions rise and enemies close in, the two must learn to trust each other—or watch their city burn.
"The Book of Doors" by Gareth Brown
Goodreads Rating: ⭐️ 4.03
If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?
In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer. It's a book—an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door. What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want.
But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in the world. There are other books that can do wondrous and dreadful things when wielded by dangerous and ruthless individuals—individuals who crave what Cassie now possesses. Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is, it seems, Drummond Fox. He is a man fleeing his own demons—a man with his own secret library of magical books that he has hidden away in the shadows for safekeeping. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all...
Because some doors should never be opened.
"The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands" by Sarah Brooks
Goodreads Rating: ⭐️ 3.60
For fans of Piranesi and The Midnight Library, a stunning historical fantasy novel set on a grand express train, about a group of passengers on a dangerous journey across a magical landscape
It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.
There is only one way to travel across the Wastelands: on the Trans-Siberian Express, a train as famous for its luxury as for its danger. The train is never short of passengers, eager to catch sight of Wastelands creatures more miraculous and terrifying than anything they could imagine. But on the train's last journey, something went horribly wrong, though no one seems to remember what exactly happened. Not even Zhang Weiwei, who has spent her life onboard and thought she knew all of the train’s secrets.
Now, the train is about to embark again, with a new set of passengers. Among them are Marya Petrovna, a grieving woman with a borrowed name; Henry Grey, a disgraced naturalist looking for redemption; and Elena, a beguiling stowaway with a powerful connection to the Wastelands itself. Weiwei knows she should report Elena, but she can’t help but be drawn to her. As the girls begin a forbidden friendship, there are warning signs that the rules of the Wastelands are changing and the train might once again be imperiled. Can the passengers trust each other, as the wildness outside threatens to consume them all?
"Shadow's Fate" by E.L. Louder
Goodreads Rating: ⭐️ 4.83
Aurelia is the only child of the head of the noble House Marszalek, and has spent most of her eighteen years locked in her bedroom from sundown to sunup, hiding a beastly secret to protect her father’s reputation. Kasper dutifully leads the band of thieves known as Shadow’s Bastion–alleged to be the most vicious criminals in the city of Skala, thanks to a collection of rumors and half-truths spread by the Shadows themselves to keep people looking in the wrong direction.
A jewel heist gone awry puts Kasper and his team at the mercy of the young head of House Zuraw, Tytus, who coerces him into participating in a staged kidnapping scheme to help him win Aurelia’s hand in marriage. Auri, however, sees this as a perfect opportunity to escape her father’s clutches and live life on her own terms, leaving Kasper stuck striking ill-advised bargains with a lonely dragon, a mob boss’s son, and Aurelia herself to fulfill his end of the deal with Tytus and get the rest of his crew back unharmed.
In a realm haunted by incomprehensible gods and monsters, with Auri’s previously well-kept secret complicating matters, the thief and the noble have to learn to trust each other–and fast–if either of them are going to get what they want.
The hard part is figuring out exactly what that is.
"Blueprint Of Eternity: Book 1: The Architect's Deception" by Stanley Livingstone
Goodreads Rating: ⭐️ 4.25
The first book in the gripping new Blueprint of Eternity series, The Architect's Deception Is a revolutionary blend of fantasy and science fiction, where destiny is written in an ancient blueprint— one woman dares to erase it.
Perfect for fans of: The Broken Earth Trilogy, The Stormlight Archive, The Book of the New Sun & Altered Carbon
In a world bound by an ancient blueprint, where every structure and every life follows a predetermined design, Elira, a gifted young architect, who has spent her life mastering the intricate designs that shape her world, is tasked with an impossible mission: To destroy the blueprint that governs reality itself. But to defy it is to risk more than death—to risk being erased entirely.
As she navigates a world of fractured cities and untamed wilderness, she is joined by Aidan, a steadfast warrior whose strength is matched only by his unwavering loyalty. Together, they face the enigmatic Architect, a shadowy figure who wields ultimate control over their world’s destiny.
Pursued by dark forces determined to uphold the blueprint’s rule, Elira must confront an impossible choice: Will she sacrifice herself for the freedom of others, or will she succumb to the grand design that has governed existence for centuries?
The Architect’s Deception is an audacious tale of grand design and peril—a story of freedom, sacrifice, and the cost of rewriting fate.
"The Magician of Tiger Castle" by Louis Sachar
Goodreads Rating: ⭐️ 3.57
Long ago and far away (and somewhere south of France) lies the kingdom of Esquaveta. There, Princess Tullia is in nearly as much peril as her struggling kingdom. Esquaveta desperately needs to forge an alliance, and to that end, Tullia's father has arranged a marriage between her and an odious prince. However, one month before the "wedding of the century," Tullia falls in love with a lowly apprentice scribe.
The king turns to Anatole, his much-maligned magician. Seventeen years earlier, when Anatole first came to the castle, he was regarded as something of a prodigy. But after a long series of failures—the latest being an attempt to transform sand into gold—he has become the object of contempt and ridicule. The only one who still believes in him is the princess.
When the king orders Anatole to brew a potion that will ensure Tullia agrees to the wedding, Anatole is faced with an impossible choice. With one chance to save the marriage, the kingdom, and, of most importance to him, his reputation, will he betray the princess—or risk ruin?
We're giving classics and new releases a home. First and foremost an online book- and art store. Committed to cataloguing real, human stories & art in the age of the artificial, and to leave our ecological footprint as small as possible. All of our products are created or printed only when an order is placed, so no item ends up in a landfill.
Our collection spans across multiple mediums, including novels, art works (and prints), poetry collections, bookish items like stickers & clothing, photography works, home decor, meditation, zines and more.
Work with us
Interested in working with us? Our artist and author submissions are always open. Click the links below to find more information. If you want to pitch a zine or partnership, please reach out through an email.
Contact Us
For inquiries, collaboration opportunities, or any assistance, please don't hesitate to get in touch:
Email: info@apolloimperium.com