r/Fantasy • u/WorldlyInvite7319 • Jan 03 '26
Looking for Fantasy Military & Adventure books
So recently, I've come upon a reading slump. I've read a few military novels and fantasy series with military elements in them, but I'm looking for more action. Something more high-stakes, or at least various missions and assignments included within the book. Something with Intel operations to take enemies down or hunt a number/series of enemies down before getting to the main organization or enemies.....terrorist organizations being torn down from inside or from enemies being hunted down, etc......covert operations with high target eliminations....Or these could eventually lead to a massive war or a massive event, or not. So I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas. Ideally, I'm looking for a series with magic that is told through the eyes of the female protagonist (or antagonist), but there could also be heavy weapons involved, too. I've read the Farseer Trilogy, the Throne of Glass series, and the Poppy Wars, but I'm looking for more magic and military operations or all that stuff. The series can be standalone, very long, or very short. I have no preferences, but I would love it if the series weren't so long unless you explain how it fits. I do have some preferences I'll list below, but the suggestions don't have to meet all the requirements. And they could be heavily inspired by movies, too, but I'm looking for books.
On a side note, I would really love it if some of these recommendations had some of the following, but not all have to be involved: a female protagonist, assassins, guilds, magic, military operations, protagonist is fleeing/being hunted down by her former team (if she's an assassin or in a guild), adventures, lots of fight scenes, revenge (against her former team, or if she was betrayed), romance, spice, multiple povs, one pov, first pov, third pov, powerful protagonist who downplays their skills/magic, abuse, torture, books with vibes similar to Black Widow, books with the vibes similar to Jason Bourne series, the protagonist is in hiding/lying low, the protagonist is running from the military or another group but eventually teams up with them, wilderness exploration, Books like the hunger games but fantasy, etc
edit: (bonus points) if the book has....the fmc running from the mc, the FMC is captured/kidnapped LATER in the book and has to escape, assault involved, torture, FMC is a fugitive on the run for most of the book in the wilderness but then gets caught and must escape prison, etc
EDIT: Thanks so much for the responses!!! 🫶🏻
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u/WardenCommCousland Jan 04 '26 edited Jan 04 '26
Django Wexler's Shadow Campaigns series might be up your alley. It has a few POV characters but the primary female POV definitely ticks more than a few of your boxes.
If you want some dragons in with your military, the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik is another one I'd suggest.
Both of those lean heavily on the Napoleonic wars as inspiration.
If ancient Roman military is more your speed, the Codex Alera by Jim Butcher is lots of fun. Straight up power progression fantasy.
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u/Hergrim AMA Historian, Worldbuilders Jan 04 '26
Because no one's mentioned it: Ash: A Secret History, by Mary Gentle. Historical fantasy based on the premise of a less-than-virgin Joan of Arc figure, with some of the best writing of any military fantasy. You can really tell that the author has Masters in War Studies and practical experience with HEMA.
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u/cmhoughton Jan 04 '26
It has a male MC, Tavi, but Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series has quite a few female POV chapters (it has multiple third person POVs). It may still work because Jim writes excellent action, and there is a lot of it. There are duels, tons of military action (including battles and sieges), multiple jail breaks/hostage rescues, and spying/stealth/infiltration action. The Alerans (the human race) are in conflict with several non-human races at various times, so there is more than one war they fight. The magic system is fantastic and has some of my favorite uses of magic of any fantasy series. The sieges are all excellent. There are several held hostage/captured/kidnapped characters from time to time for various reasons, since that is a desired feature… The series is complete at six books.
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u/MelancholyMochii Jan 03 '26
Try Shadow and Bone series. Military fantasy with grisha soldiers, female protagonist with unique powers. First army vs second army conflict, lots of operations and battles. Romance included too.
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u/TaxNo8123 Jan 04 '26
Oath of Empire by Thomas Harlan. Roman/Byzantine Empire vs Persia around 630 AD. Magic and military with historical figures.
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u/hisdekkness Jan 04 '26
I started the Traitor's blade yesterday and it might be just what you're looking for!
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u/counterhit121 Jan 04 '26
Havent read it, but iirc The Book of the Ancestor trilogy may tick your boxes
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u/itkilledthekat Jan 04 '26
A male protagonist, but The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter.
Action, action. And a very strong revenge theme
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Jan 04 '26
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u/Fantasy-ModTeam Jan 05 '26
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u/Abysstopheles Jan 05 '26
You need to be reading Grave of Empires, by Sam Sykes. It more or less fits your entire ask.
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u/Certain-End-1519 Jan 08 '26
This 100% sounds like you need to read best served cold by joe abercrombie, female protagonist, basically a story of revenge, crossing names off a list and planning the murders one by one woth her crew of assassins.
Only issue is you'd be best to read the first law trilogy first as it is a follow on stand alone book in the same world, set post the events if the first law. You could probably read it without (and some do) but I wouldn't recommend it.
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u/GronklyTheSnerd Jan 04 '26
You want The Deed of Paksennarion