The final part of my impromptu adult fantasy rec list series is upon us! This one was, compared to the rest, pretty difficult to put together, if only because I hamstrung myself by doing almost this same rec list earlier in the year, and didn’t want to copy too many from that to here (that post was gender in SFF). You can see where I succeeded and failed in that, but I still hope I’ve given you enough different recs here that you’ll find something new and exciting.
And hey, a lot of those titles are available on Scribd, so if you want to check out that service but don’t have an account yet, use my invite code to get 2 months for free! (This also gives me one free month.)
And if you want to check out the other posts in this series, you can find them below:
Lesbian | Gay | Bi/Pan
The Raven Tower
Ann Leckie
Goodreads
Rep: bi trans mc
Why Should I Read It?
How does one describe Ann Leckie’s The Raven Tower? High fantasy, epic high fantasy, but in such a way that it feels a wholly new genre. It’s told from the point of view of a stone, after all (a godly kind of stone, but a stone nevertheless). It’s a story of many different threads, all of which tie together as the story progresses, in ways that you both do and don’t expect.
Sistersong
Lucy Holland
Goodreads
Rep: trans mc, genderfluid side character
CWs: misgendering, transphobia, violence
Why Should I Read It?
The first of two on this list which are balanced between historical and fantasy, Sistersong is a retelling of an Old English ballad. The book itself sends you to Dark Ages Britain, brilliantly evoking the landscape and way of life, and tangles you up in the relationship between the three siblings. You’ll want to at once savour this book and devour it. But good news! When you’re done, there’s nothing stopping you going right back to the start to reread!
The Black Coast
Mike Brooks
Goodreads
Rep: nonbinary mc, gay characters, lesbian character, nonbinary side characters
CWs: gore, violence, amputation
Why Should I Read It?
In Mike Brooks’ The Black Coast, we meet a whole society that has an entirely different pronoun system to our own, and different ways of considering gender. Alright, so this might be a little bit of a cheat, to say it’s nonbinary rep (although, if you think about the literal definition of the term, it is), but it’s one I had to rec. A sprawling fantasy opener, focusing mainly (for now) on two societies, previously enemies, having to integrate as a greater threat approaches from across the sea. One not to be missed.
She Who Became the Sun
Shelley Parker Chan
Goodreads
Rep: Chinese & Mongolian cast, nonbinary lesbian mc, lesbian mc, gay mc, bi mc
Why Should I Read It?
What can I say about this book that I haven’t already? Almost a year after reading this one, it still lives with me. On some level, I am always thinking about this book. If, for whatever unimaginable reason, you haven’t yet got to this book, this is a sign. You really really need to.
Viscera
Gabrielle Squailia
Goodreads
Rep: trans mc
Why Should I Read It?
If you like your fantasy to be darker, perhaps edging into horror, then I would recommend Viscera. Almost dystopian in its plot—it’s about survivors in a war-torn land—it’s also quite hard to categorise. It’s one of those ones that you just have to read it to find out. In fact, that’s a hint. On the off chance you didn’t recognise it.
Knights-Errant
Jennifer Doyle
Goodreads
Rep: trans mc
Why Should I Read It?
Knights-Errant is more properly a graphic novel, sure, but as it’s set in a fantasy world, I figured I could include it here. And also, sometimes you just want stories of vengeance and blood and getting what’s owed to you. This one certainly comes through on that front. To top it off, it also has the most gorgeous art.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Nghi Vo
Goodreads
Rep: nonbinary mc, sapphic characters
Why Should I Read It?
You knew it was coming, surely. This series, of which there are two novellas currently out and an upcoming three more, has produced some of the best works I’ve ever read. With gorgeous and lush writing, full of romance, and characters you won’t want to let go of when you reach the end, this is a series you do not want to miss. And, seriously, if you haven’t already read it, what on earth have you been reading?
The Four Profound Weaves
R. B. Lemberg
Goodreads
Rep: trans mcs, nonbinary side character, past polyamory
CWs: deadnaming, misgendering, transphobia
Why Should I Read It?
If you’re looking for stories with older trans characters, these next two recs fit that description. The Four Profound Weaves is an examination of gender, through the lenses of two trans mcs, in a fantasy world. It’s also a world where transitioning is possible (suck on that, Mercedes Lackey), although there is still transphobia in it. But all of that is considered with a whole lot of kindness, which makes it the best sort of book.
Burning Roses
S. L. Huang
Goodreads
Rep: Chinese sapphic trans mc, sapphic mc
CWs: death, past abusive relationship
Why Should I Read It?
Have you ever wanted a retelling of Red Riding Hood and Chang’e and Hou Yi, both at once? Have you ever wanted that retelling to be sapphic? Burning Roses is the book for you, if so! (And even if not, now I’ve mentioned it, it’s something you definitely want, right?) It’s a story of reflection, regrets and atonement. It’s a story of forgiveness. And it’s all contained within this short novella.
Phoenix Extravagant
Yoon Ha Lee
Goodreads
Rep: Korean-coded nonbinary mc, bi li, side polyamory
Why Should I Read It?
While some people might find a (fantasy) revolution exciting, might want to get onto the front lines of it, others would much rather stay at home and paint, which is how our protagonist feels in Phoenix Extravagant. And, frankly, that reluctance makes them pretty relatable. On top of this too, you have a sentient automaton dragon. Really, what’s not to love?
What would you rec?
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