Books Like How To Save An Undead Life
The concept of necromancers, people with magical powers who are able to communicate and even resurrect the dead, has been around since antiquity. It is a fearsome power that is typically in the domain of those who are up to no good. Of course, this has meant that necromancy and necromancers have been a favorite topic amongst authors, especially those writing in the fantasy genre. Plenty of books have featured heroic heroes on a quest to stop an evil necromancer. However, there have also been a few novels that turned the tables and portrayed the necromancer as a sympathetic character. For example, How To Save An Undead Life by Hailey Edwards is the first book in her The Beginners Guide to Necromancy series starring an ex-necromancer hiding among humans. Whether as heroes or villains, here are a few books like How To Save An Undead Life, where necromancers take center stage.
Johannes Cabal the Necromancer
by Jonathan L. Howard
Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard sees the titular character end up in a bit of trouble after making a deal with the devil. Johannes had the noble intention of raising the dead as the same people they were when they were alive instead of monstrosities. Unfortunately, Johannes ended up sacrificing his soul in the process, only to learn that he really needed it. However, to get it back from the festering bureaucracy of Hell, Johannes ends up making a wager with the devil, which sees him having to gather one hundred other souls in just a single year. To help him in this endeavor, he is placed in control of a diabolical carnival and armed with a very large handgun, but his intelligence and total absence of whimsy might be his best weapons.
Gideon the Ninth
by Tamsyn Muir
Gideon the Ninth is the first book in The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir. The series mixes science-fiction and fantasy with a setting featuring necromancers in space. It takes place in the star system Dominicus where each of the nine planets is home to a great House practicing necromancy. Gideon Nav is a member of the Ninth House but has no desire to be a necromancer and instead wants to run away and join the army. However, her plans are thwarted when the Emperor invites the heirs of each House to a deadly trial where immortality is the prize. Gideon is called upon to assist Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House, who also happens to be her childhood nemesis.
Saint Death’s Daughter
by C. S. E. Cooney
Saint Death’s Daughter by C. S. E. Cooney is the story of Lanie Stones, the daughter of the Royal Assassin and Chief Execution of Liriat. Despite being born with a gift for necromancy, Lanie has a literal allergy to violence and was raised in isolation by her oldest friend, the ancient revenant Goody Graves. Unfortunately, Lanie and her cheerfully psychotic sister Nita stand to lose their ancestral home when their parents are murdered, and extensive debts must be settled. Sadly, for Lanie, this would also mean losing Goody, which she cannot bear. However, while the goddess of Death is on her side, Lanie will still have to deal with Liriat’s enemies, her family’s creditors, and even the ghost of her great-grandfather.
The Enterprise of Death
by Jesse Bullington
The Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington sees a young enslaved African named Awa captured by a devious necromancer and turned into an unwilling apprentice. After learning his skills, Awa manages to escape, only to find that the necromancer cursed her. Her only hope of salvation is to find the necromancer’s book of secrets, or her soul will be destroyed in ten years. Since the book could be anywhere in the world, Awa has a seemingly impossible task ahead of her. However, with the aid of three strangers, the artist Niklaus Manuel Deutsch, the alchemist Dr. Paracelsus and a gun-slinging Dutch mercenary, she might have a chance to save herself.
The Summoner
by Gail Z. Martin
The Summoner is an epic fantasy action/adventure novel by Gail Z. Martin and the first book in the Chronicles of the Necromancer series. The protagonist, Martris Drayke, is the second son of King Bricen of Margolan but never coveted the crown. Unfortunately, he has to flee when his older half-brother and a dark mage kill the king and the rest of the royal family to seize the throne. Martris goes on the run with his three friends, the captain of the guard, a member of the royal guard, and the court’s master bard. Their goal is to seek sanctuary and the chance to plot the overthrow of the usurper. It won’t be easy, but Tris has a secret that could turn the tables. He is the mage heir to the power of Vava K’aa, his grandmother who was once the greatest sorcerer of her age. With that magic, Tris can act as an arbiter between the living and the dead, which is invaluable in a world where spirits walk openly and influence the affairs of the living.
Dead Things
by Stephen Blackmoore
Dead Things is the first novel in the Eric Carter series by Stephen Blackmoore. Eric is a necromancer with the ability to see ghosts and talk to the dead, which has provided him with a lucrative career getting them to move on or move out. Unfortunately, it’s not a very safe profession as some restless spirits and other, even worse entities take a lot of convincing. However, when his little sister is brutally killed by something nightmarish, Eric has to return to L.A to try and find the killer. It has been fifteen years since he left after angering many people and paranormal entities. And while they all have long, unforgiving memories, Eric will not let anyone or anything stop him from finding his sister’s killer.
