Books like Steelheart

If you liked Steelheart, read Scythe, Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults), or Long Way Down — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson (Science Fiction · grades 7–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of power, revenge, and heroism. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 7–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Steelheart

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Why each is a match

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Scythegrades 7–12
Shares themes of power, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)1130L
Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon →
Long Way Down720L
Shares themes of revenge and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25grades 6–9
Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Sal and Gabi Break the Universegrades 4–7
Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
The False Princegrades 5–9
Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon →
The Girl with the Ghost Machinegrades 3–8
Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
The Lost Herogrades 5–9
Shares themes of heroism and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon →
A Corner of the Universegrades 5–8
Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
A Fate So Coldgrades 7–12
Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →

Books like Steelheart for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

  • The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown · grades 3–6 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and the same era (2010s).
  • A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz · grades 4–7 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).
  • Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville · grades 3–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 5–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce · 500L — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Steelheart for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

  • The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown · grades 3–6 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and the same era (2010s).
  • A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz · grades 4–7 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).
  • Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville · grades 3–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 5–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • Anthem by Ayn Rand · 880L — Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (8–12).

Books like Steelheart for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

  • Anthem by Ayn Rand · 880L — Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (8–12).
  • Hamlet by William Shakespeare · grades 11–12 — Shares themes of revenge and overlapping grades (11–12).
  • Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison · 950L — Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (11–12).
  • Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare · grades 9–11 — Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (9–11).
  • King Lear by William Shakespeare · grades 11–12 — Shares themes of power and overlapping grades (11–12).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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