Cinda Williams Chima creates fantasy novels that many readers find captivating. Her books often feature worlds built with care, magic systems that are fun to learn about, and characters that feel like real people.
If you want to find authors who write stories with a similar mix of elements, here are some you might like.
Books by Brandon Sanderson are a great match for readers who enjoy Cinda Williams Chima’s stories of magic, political intrigue, and strong characters. Sanderson’s novels have detailed magic systems, complex characters, and worlds that pull you in.
For example, in “Mistborn: The Final Empire,” we meet Vin, a young woman gifted with rare magical talents. Alongside a group of daring rebels, she challenges the oppressive ruler known as the Lord Ruler. Their plan includes magical heists, clever alliances, and exciting twists.
If you appreciate how Chima builds her worlds and characters, Brandon Sanderson’s “Mistborn” trilogy offers a thrilling journey and vivid storytelling to match that experience.
If you enjoy Cinda Williams Chima’s fantasy worlds filled with adventure, magic, and strong young heroes, you might want to explore the books written by Tamora Pierce.
Her novel “Alanna: The First Adventure” introduces readers to Alanna of Trebond, a girl determined to become a knight. She disguises herself as a boy named Alan to train at the King’s palace.
Alanna faces tough training, new alliances, rivalries, and the complexities of hiding her true identity. Pierce builds a medieval-style kingdom alive with swordplay, sorcery, and palace intrigue. This is a story about courage, friendship, and discovering one’s own strengths.
Fans of Chima’s powerful characters and captivating adventures might find a new favorite in Pierce’s world of Tortall.
Books by Kristin Cashore often appeal to readers who enjoy the adventures and magical worlds created by Cinda Williams Chima. In “Graceling,” Cashore introduces us to Katsa, a strong-willed fighter born with a special talent—called a Grace—for killing.
Forced by her king into roles she despises, Katsa struggles to reclaim control over her own life. Her journey takes a turn when she meets Prince Po, a mysterious noble gifted with his own unusual Grace.
Together, they navigate danger, powerful adversaries, and surprising revelations about their abilities. Cashore builds characters readers can root for in a vivid fantasy world filled with both peril and wonder.
Books by Sarah J. Maas offer action-filled adventures, magical worlds, and vivid characters, appealing to readers who enjoy Cinda Williams Chima. One great place to begin is “Throne of Glass.”
The story introduces Celaena Sardothien, a talented young assassin offered a chance to escape imprisonment by competing in a deadly tournament to become the king’s personal champion.
As Celaena navigates royal intrigue and brutal competitions, she confronts dark magic and secrets hidden within the kingdom. Readers can expect a fast-paced story filled with mystery, danger, romance, and political schemes.
Books by Leigh Bardugo offer exactly the kind of rich fantasy and vivid characters Cinda Williams Chima readers would enjoy. Bardugo’s storytelling style creates immersive worlds that pull readers in completely. One perfect place to begin is her book “Shadow and Bone.”
It introduces Alina Starkov, a young woman who discovers she has an extraordinary power. Her world is divided by a dark, monster-filled rift called the Shadow Fold.
After her powers reveal themselves, Alina is taken by an elite magical group called the Grisha to train and potentially save their war-torn kingdom. The story has magic, power struggles, complex relationships, and characters who feel real and relatable.
If you liked Chima’s detailed settings and strong, memorable characters, Bardugo is definitely an author worth exploring.
Readers who enjoy Cinda Williams Chima’s blend of magic, strong characters, and immersive worlds will find Laini Taylor a wonderful author to explore next. Taylor crafts vivid stories filled with richly imagined places and complex heroes and heroines.
Her novel “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” introduces Karou, a blue-haired art student in Prague whose life is split between the ordinary human world and a mysterious realm inhabited by monsters and magic.
Karou is drawn into an ancient conflict involving angels, a lost love, and secrets hidden deep in her past. Taylor beautifully weaves romance, magic, and adventure into a story both imaginative and emotionally powerful.
Morgan Rhodes is an author known for magical, adventure-filled fantasy worlds. Readers who enjoy Cinda Williams Chima’s style of storytelling may appreciate Rhodes’s book “Falling Kingdoms.”
This novel follows four characters—a rebellious princess, a frustrated prince, a sorceress discovering her gifts, and a young rebel seeking justice—whose lives intertwine as war erupts among neighboring kingdoms.
Rhodes creates a vivid landscape filled with magic, political intrigue, and relatable heroes whose loyalties are tested at every turn.
Fans of action-packed fantasy plots, fierce struggles for power, and richly developed characters may find “Falling Kingdoms” engaging and hard to put down.
Julie Kagawa is an author you might enjoy if you loved Cinda Williams Chima’s fantasy worlds filled with adventure and magic. Her book “The Iron King” offers a fresh twist on traditional fairy lore.
Megan Chase thought she was an ordinary teenager until her younger brother is mysteriously taken, pulling her deep into the realm of faeries.
Once there she learns of her surprising heritage, faces captivating creatures, and embarks on a dangerous journey through a treacherous landscape.
If you appreciate Chima’s blend of strong characters, vivid worlds, and cinematic adventure scenes, Kagawa’s storytelling style could resonate with you.
Readers who enjoy Cinda Williams Chima’s fantasy worlds filled with magic and distinct characters will appreciate Trudi Canavan. Canavan is an Australian fantasy author known for crafting vibrant magical societies and characters who challenge their destinies.
In her book “The Magicians’ Guild,” we follow Sonea, a young girl from the slums who accidentally discovers she has powerful magical abilities. This revelation makes her a target for the prestigious magician community that fears uncontrolled magic.
The story explores her struggle between trust and power, class divisions within the city, and secrets hidden beneath the surface of the magical guild itself.
Canavan’s clear storytelling and relatable protagonist create a captivating world that blends adventure and thoughtful insights about society and identity.
Readers who enjoy author Cinda Williams Chima’s blend of adventure, courage, and richly developed characters will find much to appreciate in Jennifer A. Nielsen’s novels.
Nielsen creates brave young protagonists who face kingdoms in turmoil, dangerous betrayals, and secrets hidden in plain sight. Her book “The False Prince” introduces readers to Sage, a quick-witted orphan recruited alongside other boys by a nobleman named Conner.
The mission: to impersonate a royal heir presumed dead. Sage navigates through tests, traps, and rivalries as the stakes for success—and survival—rise ever higher.
Nielsen’s vivid storytelling engages readers in Sage’s clever plans and unexpected twists, making “The False Prince” an enjoyable read for those drawn to thrilling tales of fantasy and intrigue.
Victoria Aveyard is an author known for vivid characters and exciting fantasy worlds, perfect for fans of Cinda Williams Chima. Her novel “Red Queen” explores a society divided by blood color: ordinary people bleed red, but an elite ruling class bleeds silver.
Mare Barrow, a red-blooded girl living in poverty, discovers she unexpectedly possesses a rare and dangerous power. This discovery thrusts her into the royal palace, where disguises, betrayals, and intrigue challenge everything she believes about her world.
Readers who enjoy Chima’s strong protagonists and immersive storytelling will find plenty to appreciate in Aveyard’s work.
Sabaa Tahir is an author known for crafting rich and immersive fantasy worlds filled with engaging characters and intense storytelling. If you’ve enjoyed Cinda Williams Chima’s books, Tahir’s “An Ember in the Ashes” might be a great next read for you.
Set in a brutal empire inspired by ancient Rome, the story follows Laia, a young woman forced undercover as a spy to rescue her imprisoned brother, and Elias, a soldier desperate for freedom from the empire’s ruthless regime.
Their paths cross in surprising and thrilling ways, as rebellion, betrayal, and forbidden connections weave through a narrative packed with suspense and emotional depth.
Sabaa Tahir tells a complicated story of courage and sacrifice through these characters who find themselves caught between duty and desire in a harsh world where survival is uncertain.
If you enjoy Cinda Williams Chima’s blend of adventure, magic, and vivid characters, you might also appreciate Rae Carson. Her book “The Girl of Fire and Thorns” revolves around Princess Elisa. Elisa is chosen for greatness but struggles with doubt and uncertainty.
On her sixteenth birthday, she secretly marries a king whose country faces danger at every turn. Soon after, Elisa finds herself thrust unexpectedly into a perilous journey through deserts and enemy territories.
She must grow quickly from an unsure princess into a leader capable of saving kingdoms. Carson crafts a heroine who is refreshingly flawed yet deeply relatable, and whose strength emerges in unexpected ways.
Marie Rutkoski is an author whose books blend intricate political drama, fascinating characters, and fantasy elements seamlessly—qualities readers of Cinda Williams Chima will instantly appreciate.
Her series opener, “The Winner’s Curse,” explores the tense dynamic between conqueror and conquered through the eyes of Kestrel, a general’s daughter, raised in privilege and strategy.
When she impulsively buys Arin, a defiant slave with unsettling secrets, their complicated relationship sets off a thrilling chain of alliances, betrayals, and simmering rebellion.
The novel is thoughtful and emotionally powerful, layering romance against an intriguing backdrop of political shifts and war. Fans intrigued by Chima’s nuanced characters and complex power struggles will find Rutkoski’s storytelling irresistibly engaging.
Readers who enjoy Cinda Williams Chima’s mix of magic, adventure, and complex characters should give Holly Black a try. Black has a talent for weaving enchanting yet dark fairy worlds that feel vivid and raw.
Her book, “The Cruel Prince,” transports readers into the dangerous land of Faerie, where mortal Jude Duarte must navigate treacherous court politics to survive. Jude tries to outsmart and outmaneuver Prince Cardan, a ruthless faerie prince determined to make her life miserable.
Full of tension, court intrigue, and morally complex choices, “The Cruel Prince” delivers a compelling story that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.