Book Recs: Gay Adult Fantasy (II)

Moving swiftly onto the next of the adult fantasy rec lists (part two), we’re now onto G! Here you will find 10 adult fantasy recs featuring gay main characters. Keep an eye out for B and T in the next few months too, because they’re on their way, but for now, have a read of these recs.

And hey, a lot of these titles are available on the artist formerly known as 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.)

You can find the previous posts here, along with the part twos, as I post them:

Lesbian (I) | Gay (I) | Bi/Pan (I) | Trans (I)

Lesbian (II) | Bi/Pan (II) | Trans (II)

The Master of Samar

Melissa Scott
Goodreads
Rep: gay mcs, lesbian mcs, bi side character

Why Should I Read It?

You didn’t think you’d escape this rec list without a Melissa Scott book now, did you? This one isn’t quite her most recent release, but it only has a mere 217 ratings on Goodreads (unacceptable!). If you like your fantasy books to have creative magic systems, a little bit of mystery and intrigue, and a central romance to root for, look no further.

The Witness for the Dead

Katherine Addison
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc

Why Should I Read It?

Technically a sequel of sorts to The Goblin Emperor, this series follows a minor character from that book as he travels into something like exile, and finds himself required to become a detective. I promise this isn’t a purposeful sub-theme to this rec list… Anyway, if you like your fantasy books to unfold slowly, to suck you in from the very first page, well. Read this series!

The Faerie Hounds of York

Arden Powell
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc, Romani gay li

Why Should I Read It?

Novella fans, it’s time for one for you. Don’t have the time and/or brain power to absorb an entirely new fantasy world? The Faerie Hounds of York is Jonathan Strange-esque, set in a historical England where faerie exists, and are as dangerous as they ought to be. A perfect autumnal read.

Oracle Bone

Lydia Kwa
Goodreads
Rep: Chinese cast & setting, gay mc, Indian achillean side character
CWs: rape, suicide

Why Should I Read It?

Oracle Bone is a retelling of Wu Zetian’s rise to power, but through the points of view of various other characters in a quest for a so-called oracle bone which her lover assures her will grant her further power. Frankly, I think this one is wildly overlooked, so if there’s any book on this list I think you should read, here it is! See what you’ve been missing out on!

The Spear Cuts Through Water

Simon Jimenez
Goodreads
Rep: gay mcs
CWs: gore, violence, cannibalism

Why Should I Read It?

One of the best fantasy novels in recent years, The Spear Cuts Through Water is a sprawling fantasy, a journey for revenge and redemption. If you haven’t before now picked this one up, then let this be a sign for you. Don’t wait a moment longer!

The Devourers

Indra Das
Goodreads
Rep: Indian cast & setting, gay mcs, Muslim mc
CWs: gore, violence, rape

Why Should I Read It?

More urban fantasy now, with The Devourers, a book I am sure I’ve mentioned more than once before, but it can never hurt to again! A professor meets a mysterious stranger, and gets pulled into a world hidden away in the shadows, what more could you want?

The Pomegranate Gate

Ariel Kaplan
Goodreads
Rep: Sephardic Jewish mcs, gay mc, bi/pan li
CWs: antisemitism, gore

Why Should I Read It?

The Pomegranate Gate is set in a fantasy Iberia, which has just expelled all the Jewish people living within its borders. So, we follow two exiles, for a moment in the “real” world, until one of them enters a parallel world that is inextricably linked to their own. If you’re ever looking for books where the worldbuilding stands out, this will be right up your alley.

Thief Mage, Beggar Mage

Cat Hellisen
Goodreads
Rep: gay nonbinary mc, bi genderfluid intersex li, nonbinary side characters
CWs: torture, magic requiring self harm

Why Should I Read It?

Do you ever read a book and then desperately need everyone you know to read it too because then you might stand a chance of a sequel? That’s Thief Mage, Beggar Mage for me. Truly, this was one of my favourite reads of 2023, with its twisting and turning plot, incredible worldbuilding, and characters who’ll have you in the palm of their hands within pages.

The Armor of Light

Melissa Scott & Lisa A. Barnett
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc, gay side characters

Why Should I Read It?

Did you ever think, what if Kit Marlowe didn’t die and instead made a deal with a demon? Well it’s okay, because Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett did! Okay, so there’s more to it than that — an alternative reality where Marlowe is saved from death and becomes a spy, wizards and mages abound — but really, that was the hook for me.

Witch King

Martha Wells
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc, sapphic characters
CWs: gore

Why Should I Read It?

The opening to this book has to be one of my favourites: our main character wakes from where his consciousness had lain dormant after his murder, to discover someone attempting to harness his magic. But, the rub: Kai doesn’t remember why he’s in this position or how the world has changed. The story flips between the past and present to answer this question to make a highly compelling narrative. That alone should be enough to read it but also, read this one for Kai.

What would you rec?

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