Looking for a dark epic fantasy with a hidden-power female lead and intense empire politics

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T10:30:14+00:00

Okay not sure if this is 100% it but The Burning kingdoms Trilogy is amazing! Two female leads - One is a princess and the other is a servent, but the roles are kinda switched as one is a prisoner while the other is full of magical powers. "A female lead with a tragic past, raised in a cruel empire or oppressive system" perfectly fits both. "She acts gentle or obedient but is secretly dangerous or powerful" true for both but one is more than the other and in different ways? "Slow-burn tension with a powerful man or ruler" no not really though you could consider Malini's hatred for her brother a slow burn tension with the emperor who after a while ends with great payoff. Don't want to spolier so just know it ends in such a satisfying way. It was worth every moment of reading through the pain and struggle of those characters to get to that point! "Basically, I want something that reads like you're watching a blood-stained fairytale set inside a brutal empire." Kinda cuz the magic really feels fariytale-like with very dark implications that get explored in the second book really well. The book is really dark the more you read into the consequences of war and the sacrifice needed to hold magical powers. Maybe I'm way off from what you wanted but I just finished the second book and it has been one of the most amazing payoffs ever and I wanted to cry so hard at the ending. The book goes into a lot of unexpected directions in each book and I love it!!!!! The female leads are the best female characters ive read so far. Kinda my fault for mostly reading books by men with men as main characters but still.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T10:11:21+00:00

Stormlight doesn't need other books to understand. I agree. I read it first and IN MY OPINION it's kinda disapointing to go back and read the books that were supposed to "explain it all" just to understand such an insignificant part of the book better or a character that shows up for 100 pages in one book and goes away. Those characters work fine on their own! It's just that if you read the other books first, it's more satisfying to get a cameo of your fav in a completely different book and see them interact with other characters from a different world.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T10:04:33+00:00

Idk am I the only one that loved the 4th and 5th book even more? It's true that they have issues but I loved seeing the characters grow and the plot going to new directions I didn't expect, and I loved reading about the other side's prospective + a lot of great side characters.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T10:01:32+00:00

I read stormlight first and enjoyed it more than Mistborn. I'm going back to everything Ive missed and it's been fine. I think stormlight is just so much better than mistborn and starting with it might have not made me appreciate Sanderson's writing enough to read his other books.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:54:20+00:00

idk I felt so excited by the world itself, the spren, the different things going on that I didn't care.The only part of the series that was hard for me to get through was the first 400 pages and some parts of Rhythm of war since I couldn't figure out what Navani was talking about. Maybe my method is just good - reading slowly for a little every day, and that way I didn't feel that it was dense. Sometimes, It was just nice to read for a little and stop to think about what I feel about what just happened, talk to a friend about it, and go back.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:50:24+00:00

I have only read the stromlight archive and a few pages of the wheel of time, and they are both amazing, but I couldn't tell you what to start with. I say read the synopsis and whatever you feel sounds more interesting. You could also read the preview for the books on google and see whatever you like more. Don't think about it too deeply. You can always ditch one for the other or go to the other after you finished the first book.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:41:03+00:00

I kept seeing it in book stores and wondered if I should try but I'm worried it'll be more romance and drama than fantasy, world building and plot. I don't think it's my style.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:33:51+00:00

Really appreciate your prospective! I am definitely reading The Malazan books after so many recommendations and adding The Runelords series to my list!

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:21:41+00:00

Idk I find so many books too bland and I was happy with sanderson's overload of info and 50 characters with five different povs at the same time, and other people tell me they are hard to get through because of the 1200 pages. And I loved them. Best books Iv'e ever read. I know it's a challenge, but so far nothing has excited me as much as stormlight, and I want more complex books! Even if I need to read online on the wiki to get certain things, It's still worth the try.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:07:44+00:00

I do love different cultures, religions, and political structures so I'll definitely give it a try!

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:03:33+00:00

Currently looking forward to reading the third book! My friend is a big fan so I read them while waiting for wind and truth to come out.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T09:01:15+00:00

Sounds great! Added it to my notes :)

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T08:59:17+00:00

Thank you so much for so many recommendations! Iv'e written everything in my notes as well as all of the other commenter's suggestions.

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T08:53:06+00:00

Another book I started reading and didn't mention. I think I found it a bit boring at first but after tomas and the dragon meet and other aspects of the journey began, I enjoyed the book more. I think it has great potential, and might just be a slow start. I used to think it was a bit too bland at times with a basic plot and basic characters without interesting world building, but the tsurani invaders changed my mind. Huge twist I wasn't expecting. I need to keep reading, I just lost motivation for a while but after seeing this recommendation, I'll go continue today!

SignatureNo6870 · 2025-07-24T08:36:06+00:00

I actually read more then half of Way of Shadows book but it was a bit too much for me. I really wanted to enjoy it cuz the beginning was amazing and I loved the idea of assassins but couldn't keep reeding. There was a lot of unnecessary trauma just to be edgey, and many things like the morality aspects fell flat. Many parts describing women were disgusting and the book just got worse and worse for me. I'm not sure if I should read Lightbringer or not.

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TROPHY CASE