Both of us have always loved stories about games. They’ve played big roles in our childhoods, whether it was Pokémon or Mario Kart tournaments with our siblings (Amanda) or reading The Westing Game approximately twenty-five times (Christine) or being overly competitive at family game nights (…both of us).
So when we set out to write about a death tournament filled with dark, twisted magic, no one was particularly surprised. But while we’ve had a blast crafting our own duology, we also have a deep-seated love for other books that feature magical contests, tournaments, and puzzles.
Here are just a few highlights–some old favorites, some new favorites, and some upcoming releases we’re excited to read.
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
When compiling a list of favorite fantastical games, V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy immediately came to mind. All three books are compelling, wonderful reads, but the second installment, A Gathering of Shadows, contains a series highlight: the Element Games, where champions travel to Red London to compete in a friendly tournament intended to strengthen ties between countries.
The tournament is the perfect anchor for the plot, and serves to expand the series world building, bring in new characters and test familiar ones in unexpected and rewarding ways. Some characters use the tournament as an outlet for power they don’t understand; others are more concerned with the people who’ve arrived as part of it, resurfacing past wounds and unfinished business. And, of course, the tournament is also the perfect distraction for nefarious forces closing in on Red London…
Often, the second book in a trilogy can suffer from “bridge book” syndrome, where plotting, pacing, and character development slow. But A Gathering of Shadows adeptly side-steps such pitfalls, instead emerging as both a crucial part of a series and a shining achievement in its own right.
Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
A death tournament that functions as the ultimate family drama abounds in this twisty, unputdownable YA fantasy series. Every generation, triplets are born on the isle of Fennbirn–raised together as children, then separated once their powers arrive, so that they can be trained as rival would-be queens. And when they come of age, the ultimate contest begins: two of them must fall, so a third can reign victorious.
Not only is this premise one of the most compelling tournament pitches we’ve ever heard, the plot delivers, crafting the tales of three very different sisters who have been raised to do the unthinkable. It’s tough to know who to root for, and tougher still to predict what will happen next. Over the course of this quartet, these three sisters will grow and change in fascinating ways, and their complex relationships to each other and their magic will forever change the future of Fennbirn.
A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
A Far Wilder Magic features protagonists Margaret Welty and Wes Winters, unlikely allies in a hunt for the last living mythical creature. The Halfmoon Hunt is Margaret’s best chance at bringing her distant mother home–and Wes’s only chance to prove himself as an alchemist.
This novel is one of our all-time favorite reads in recent years. It’s gorgeously written, with a cast of characters that feel like real people, especially the two leads. It balances a virtually perfect romance, layered world-building and lore, and thoughtful commentary on the challenges faced by ethnic minorities and immigrants. The Halfmoon Hunt ties all of these disparate elements together by locking the two leads in a contest that forces them to confront their internal and external struggles–all while finding solace, and eventually love, in each other.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
At the beginning of our friendship, around six years ago, one of the very first books the two of us bonded over was The Night Circus. So of course, when discussing our favorite magical contests and games, we had to include this modern fantasy classic!
For those unfamiliar with the text, the central conceit of The Night Circus is that the titular circus is a front for a contest between Celia and Marco, two magician’s apprentices who’ve been pushed into an ongoing battle of magic that begun in childhood and will continue until only one is left standing. In other words, a lifelong duel with light death-tournament vibes. But when Celia and Marco fall irrevocably in love, the machinations of their magician mentors and the circus they’ve created will be forever changed.
This story is a bittersweet and beautifully written love letter to the circus–a place of endless games, wonder, and entertainment–as well as a firm reminder to believe in magic, wherever you can find it.
Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah
In Berwah’s debut novel, sixteen-year-old Koral lives in an oceanic world brimming with dangerous beasts. Her family are indentured by the upper-class Landers to capture maristags, creatures used as part of the Glory Race–a chariot tournament for elites. Winning brings riches and status, but losing could easily end in a contestant’s gruesome demise.
Yet after Koral’s family finds themselves in dire straits, she makes a dangerous choice: cheat her way into the Glory Race to save her little sister’s life. This magical competition sounds like both a commentary on privilege and class and a high-octane plot element that’ll make the book hard to put down. Plus, one of the other contestants in the chariot race is Koral’s ex-boyfriend…adding a whole new element of drama and complication to the story.
Monsters Born and Made releases on September 6. We’ve heard so many amazing things about this book, and can’t wait to dive in once it’s out in the world!
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All of Our Demise
Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. She is a New York Times and indie bestselling author of YA and children’s fantasy novels, including the All of Us Villains duology, the Wilderlore series, The Shadow Game series, and more. You can find her on Instagram or at amandafoody.com.
Christine Lynn Herman is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of novels about magic, monsters, and growing up, including the All of Us Villains duology, The Devouring Gray duology, and The Drowning Summer. Writing updates (and cat pictures) can be found on Instagram or at christinelynnherman.com.
Two magical tournaments to the death immediately popped to mind.
The first is the Midnight Games in the third instalment of the Kate Daniels series, “Magic Strikes”. Kate and some of her friends take part in illegal gladiator games to save one of their own. Each team has a seven members who represent certain fighter types (Stone for the big and strong, Swordmaster, Shield for the defensive fighter, Spell for a magic user, etc.), and needless to say, after every contest, only one team leaves alive.
The other is the Agon Games in Amanda Bouchet’s “Breath of Fire”, book two of the Kingmaker trilogy. The games that started out as healhty competition of poetry, music, dance, and sports had evolved into a deadly tournament with teams of six where the fights were more often to the death than not, still taking place like the Olympic Games in every four years.
i remember an old Sheri Tepper series “Land of the True Game”- about sorcerers declaring “true game” on each other. The main character was called Jinian Footseer (wonderful name). Highly inventive world and story.
Julian May’s Pleistocene Saga presents as SF — but claiming stfnal roots for Celtic fantasy. The second book, The Golden Torc, ends with contests of skills at various magic-like manipulations, in which the winners become (or stay) part of the monarchy’s inner circle and the losers are sacrificed.
@2: I would have said that Peter (last name forgotten) and Mavin Manyshaped are at least as featured as Jinian.
@3: Pliocene. The fourth book also ends in a Grand Tourney, although under different management and expected only to be open to the element of danger, rather than intentionally lethal.
@@.-@: that’s what I get for posting without being conscious (or conscientious). Thanks for the correction.
I got an ARC of Monsters Born and Made and loved the chariot race tournament depicted. It was brutal and bloody. Highly recommend it!
Make sure to check out Stephanie Gerber’s Caraval! “Remember, it’s only a game” it’s the headline of this magic and mysterious festival/game, but it was so easy to fall for Caraval’s world that I had to continue to remind myself it was no real. Or was it?
Plus, I’ve never read someone describe magic like Stephanie Gerber, I felt like a was immersing myself into a gold, warm and dangerous bathtub full of fantasy. It made it so beautifully hard to distinguish what was real, and what maybe wasn’t.
This made me think of a couple of classic children’s SF books involving games that affect reality: William Sleator’s “Interstellar Pig” and and Diana Wynne Jones’ “The Game.”
Thanks for this list! I’m a sucker for games in fantasy and sci-fi (and real life, I suppose). +1 For Sheri Tepper’s Land of the True Game and the Night Circus and Caraval, all mentioned above.
The game in Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses had a clever, unexpected solution.
Iain M. Banks’ Player of Games included plenty of fascinating games, but with more of a sci-fi bent.
Novak’s Last Graduate gave good game vibes with all the kids’ practice runs through horrific demon-infested obstacle courses in preparation for deadly graduation.
Then there’s always the dystopian YA game genre… Hunger Games, Battle Royale, Maze Runner, Succession (does that count as a game?).
I seem to recall a Tri-Wizard Tournament that turned out to be a Quad-Wizard Tournament…