Assassins Fantasy Books: Best Reads

Explore fantasy tales where assassins take center stage, navigating covert plots, dangerous contracts, and shifting loyalties in worlds ruled from the shadows.

Curated by Fabled Tome

6 Books in subgenre
Apr 13, 2026 Last updated
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1 The Burning Witch

The Burning Witch

By

Rated 4.41 out of 5 stars, based on 7,948 reviews.

The Burning Witch by Delemhach follows Katarina Ashowan, a fire-aligned “mutated” witch more at ease with weapons and horses than etiquette, as she is assigned to serve her best friend Alina, heir to the Troivackian throne. Traveling from Daxaria alongside Alina’s infuriating brother Eric, the crown prince, Kat finds their constant bickering shifting into a reluctant and complicated attraction. Once at court, she must adapt to rigid royal expectations while surviving covert assassination attempts and managing volatile magic that grows less stable by the day. Blending cozy fantasy elements with political intrigue, romance, and a strong young female protagonist, this series opener expands the world of the House Witch trilogy for a young adult audience.

Book 1 of The Burning Witch series

Fantasy Magic Romance Cozy Young Adult Witches Political Intrigue Assassins Female Protagonist Strong Female Lead
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2 Nevernight

Nevernight

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Rated 4.22 out of 5 stars, based on 117,032 reviews.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff follows Mia Corvere, the daughter of a condemned traitor, in a world where three suns rarely set and shadows are scarce. Hiding in a city built on the remains of a dead god and pursued by the authorities, she discovers an affinity with darkness that leads her to a retired assassin and, ultimately, to the Red Church, an infamous school for killers. As Mia trains alongside other would-be assassins in blades, poisons, and covert magic, she pursues revenge against those who destroyed her family. Within this violent, dark fantasy setting, internal rivalries, a murderer within the Church, and buried secrets force her to question whom she can trust before she ever earns the title she seeks.

Book 1 of The Nevernight Chronicle series

Fantasy Magic Adult Romance High Fantasy Young Adult Dark Fantasy Revenge Assassins Female Protagonist Violence New Adult
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3 Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass

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Rated 4.19 out of 5 stars, based on 2,488,507 reviews.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas follows Celaena Sardothien, a skilled assassin summoned from prison to compete for her freedom by serving as the King’s Champion. Set in a kingdom ruled by a ruthless king, the story unfolds within the castle walls where Celaena must face twenty-three other contenders, including murderers and warriors. As mysterious deaths begin to occur among the competitors, Celaena’s challenge shifts from winning a contest to uncovering a deadly threat lurking in the castle. The novel combines elements of political intrigue and suspense with a dark fantasy atmosphere.

Book 1 of Throne of Glass series

Adventure Magic Romance Epic Fantasy Monsters Young Adult War Fae Survival Enemies To Lovers Sword and Sorcery Ruling Class Political Intrigue Assassins Strong Protagonist Female Protagonist
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4 Red Sister

Red Sister

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Rated 4.16 out of 5 stars, based on 63,547 reviews.

Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor, #1) by Mark Lawrence introduces Nona Grey, a young girl taken from execution and raised in the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where girls are trained as lethal warriors. Over ten years, Nona develops formidable skills in combat and uncovers deeper mysteries under the guidance of Abbess Glass. Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and a declining empire, the story explores Nona’s struggle to control her violent past while navigating rivalries within the church and attracting imperial attention. The novel combines elements of fantasy and martial training with complex character dynamics.

Book 1 of Book of the Ancestor series

Fantasy Magic Adult Science Fiction Epic Fantasy High Fantasy Young Adult Martial Arts War Dark Fantasy Medieval Survival Enemies To Lovers Coming Of Age Political Intrigue Assassins Religious Conflict Strong Protagonist Zero to Hero Female Protagonist
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5 Sinister Magic

Sinister Magic

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Rated 4.15 out of 5 stars, based on 11,848 reviews.

Sinister Magic by Lindsay Buroker introduces Val Thorvald, a half-elven assassin who specializes in eliminating dangerous supernatural threats in a modern, magic-laced world. Armed with an enchanted sword and aided by a telepathic tiger, she has survived years of hostility from vampires, ogres, and other paranormal enemies. Her precarious balance shatters when her boss falls ill from an unknown magical cause, a persistent government agent begins tracking her activities, and a powerful dragon appears with plans to bend her will to his own purposes. Blending urban fantasy, action, and a thread of reluctant attraction amid dragons, fae, and shapeshifters, the novel follows a sharp-tongued, strong female protagonist forced to navigate new alliances or risk losing everything.

Book 1 of Death Before Dragons series

Fantasy Magic Romance Dragons Urban Fantasy Shapeshifters Vampires Fae Paranormal Zombies Assassins Strong Protagonist Female Protagonist Strong Female Lead
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6 The Emperor's Edge

The Emperor's Edge

By

Rated 4.08 out of 5 stars, based on 16,094 reviews.

The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker introduces Amaranthe Lokdon, an imperial law enforcer whose practical skills and stubborn sense of duty are tested when mutilated corpses appear along the waterfront and a suspicious fire masks evidence of ritual killings. As she traces the links between these crimes and a powerful commercial alliance plotting against the emperor, she is ordered to pursue Sicarius, the empire’s most feared assassin, who seems entangled in the same conspiracy. Forced to question her superiors’ motives and her own survival odds, Amaranthe navigates a steampunk-flavored imperial city where magic, political intrigue, and covert warfare intersect. The tone blends fast-paced adventure, mystery, and slow-building romantic tension within an adult fantasy setting.

Book 1 of The Emperor's Edge series

Fantasy Adventure Magic Adult Romance Science Fiction Urban Fantasy Mystery Political Intrigue Assassins Female Protagonist Steampunk Suspense Strong Female Lead
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