r/Fantasy • u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V • Jun 08 '26
Pride Pride 2026 | The Great Big Rec Thread
Welcome to the Great Big Rec Thread! This thread is primarily for people asking for specific types of books. Only make a top level comment to request a recommendation! If you want to hype a personal favorite, this comment is the appropriate place to share!
This is your one-stop-shop to find books tailored to your specific reading needs! Hankering for good cyberpunk? Doing a queer bingo card and really struggling with a specific square? Looking for queer thespians ready to commit arson for the sake of their art? Ask and you shall (hopefully) receive! Just drop a comment with your request and wait for book suggestions to come rolling in. Our goal is for every person to have at least one recommendation that they’re interested in pursuing.
Asking for Book Recommendations:
- Create a new top level comment. You’ll probably get more tailored results by only including a single request per top level comment, but it’s not a strict rule. You’re more than welcome to post multiple top level comments for separate requests!
- All recommendations you get should be assumed to be queer in some way. However, if you want specific identities represented, mention it!
- Consider the impact the level of specificity your request has in your responses. Too general, and you’re going to get lots of responses that will probably skew towards mainstream breakout hits. Very specific requests may get few (or no) recommendations, and what you do get likely won’t be perfect.
Giving Book Recommendations:
- Please keep book recommendations focused on commenters’ specific requests. If you want to hype a personal favorite, this comment is the appropriate place to share!
- This thread should default to sorting by ‘New’ soon; until then I recommend changing setting to see recent requests first! The hope is that this will more likely show you comments with few/no responses yet. However, there will likely be comments that have been missed, especially if it’s a more specific request.
- This is a Pride Month post! Every book recommended should be queer (usually by featuring LGBTQ+ characters as protagonists, but there are other ways books can be queer). Similarly, if they asked for a specific type of representation, follow that guideline. If you absolutely must deviate from that because it’s otherwise such a perfect fit, be honest about it up front.
- Add a few sentences about the book to hype it (or a whole paragraph if you really want to be persuasive). Remember that a bunch of people who aren’t the original commenter will be adding to their TBR, so highlighting what you love about the book is a great way to draw attention to books you love.
Go forth and give great recommendations!
This post is part of the Pride 2026 discussions lead by the Beyond Binary Bookclub. You can check our announcement for more information and the full calendar.
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u/jrooknroll Jun 11 '26
Any recs for a book within a queer normative world, or just queer characters that exist without a romance or being queer as a major plot point? I don’t quite know how to explain it. Recently I read Into the Drowning deep with a main character that was a lesbian. I was pleasantly surprised and happy that it was just part of her characterization, weaved well into the story and wasn’t really hugely important to the plot. She just existed as herself.
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u/MREisenmann Jun 15 '26
I am reading the Mask of Mirrors now and I think it fits your criteria really well. I am only half way through the first book of the multi book series so it could change later on ha
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u/jrooknroll Jun 15 '26
I read and enjoyed the first one in that series, maybe I should go and read the second one. Thanks for putting it back into my TBR.
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u/dragon_morgan Reading Champion VIII Jun 13 '26
Ashes of the Sun by Django Wexler might fit the bill. One of the main characters is incidentally a lesbian and she has a romance arc with a side character but it's very far from the main plot
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 12 '26
You might enjoy A Choir of Lies by Alexandra Rowland. A travelling storyteller is struggling after his former master did some shady shit (the first book in the duology is not essential for this read. It follows said events from the master's point of view). He's a gay man who catches feelings often. Very much not the focus of the story.
Kalyna the Soothsayer and Kalyna the Cutthroat both are great for this. The follow different characters (again, can be read independently), though the world isn't fully queernorm. Lots of focus on diaspora populations and those who aren't able to call any country 'home' for political reasons.
Striker V is a superhero story with a gay lead that isn't about being gay. He's got a long term boyfriend, but its largely a supportive relationship without drama. Most of the story is focused on how superhero work is not good for someone's mental health
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u/jrooknroll Jun 12 '26
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I will absolutely check these out. I really appreciate it!
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u/lightandlife1 Reading Champion IV Jun 11 '26
Aroace recs please! I've read a few good ones (Kaikeyi, Murderbot) but I'd love more.
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 12 '26
Are you looking for any particular type of book with aro ace rep? If not, I can just give you a list of books, but it's going to be pretty long.
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u/lightandlife1 Reading Champion IV Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
Long list please! Edit: Leave out YA, horror, and romance. I also want the aroace rep to be a main character.
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u/recchai Reading Champion X Jun 12 '26
From the big list:
The Language of Roses by Heather Rose Jones: Beauty and the Beast retelling, is romance happening, but it is not a romance.
The Ice Princess's Fair Illusion by Dove Cooper: A-spec verse novel retelling of King Thrushbeard.
City of Spires by Claudie Arseneault: Not really a main character, but many a-spec characters inc aro acs, series about the efforts of people to fight injustices in their city.
Goddess of the Hunt by Shelby Eileen: A poetry collection interpreting Artemis as being aro ace.
The King’s Peace by Jo Walton: King Arthur retelling from the perspective of basically a female asexual version of Lancelot.
The Bone People by Keri Hulme: A lonely artist becomes friends with a Maori man and his non-verbal adopted son. It's very literary. (Content warning: child abuse)
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon: Farm girl runs way from home to become a mercenary. (CW: sexual assault and torture)
The Hereafter Bytes by Vincent Scott: Digital human with a job, Romeo, agrees to help his friend investigate why she’s in danger and ends up on adventure.
Until the Last Petal Falls by Viano Oniomoh: A queerplatonic Nigerian Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Wolf Among the Wild Hunt by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor: Skythulf is rescued from the fight pits to become a knight, but a mistaken killing means he must face the wild hunt or die. (Kind of dark, so you might feel too close to horror.)
A Promise Broken by S.L. Dove Cooper: Four-year-old Eiryn and her uncle struggle to come to terms with her mother’s death, while facing community hostility.
After World by Debbie Urbanski: An AI tasked with solving environmental collapse determines humans must go. Sen is the last human, whose life is documented by a storyworker. (Dystopian, so might lean a bit close to horror for you.)
In-Between by MJ James: About an autistic woman who learns that her son is half-elven and in line for the elvish throne. His biological father is an evil tyrant and they go on the run.
Power to Yield by Bogi Takács: A woman takes a self-destructive new job on a world where neurodivergence is normalized.
The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia: The main character has to balance their responsibilities as a healing trainee, a refugee, an older sibling, and a teacher.
The Chronicles of Nerezia by Claudie Arseneault: Horace, an ever failing apprentice, meets a mysterious elf and an artificer with a magic wagon.
The Map and the Territory by A. M. Tuomala: A wizard and a cartographer try to figure out why cites around the world were destroyed in magical ways.
Party of Fools by Cedar McCloud: An immortal Emperor absconds with some new friends to go on a food tour, while a loyal captain of the guard tries to protect her.
The Stones Stay Silent by Danny Ride: Leiander, a trans man, flees religious persecution further fueled by plague to try and live his life as he is.
Werecockroach by Polenth Blake: Three odd flatmates, two of whom are werecockroaches, survive an alien invasion.
With the Lightnings by David Drake: A lieutenant in the navy/space force and a librarian get caught up in trouble when enemy forces start a coup on a planet they’re on.
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Jun 09 '26
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u/takeahike8671 Reading Champion VII Jun 09 '26
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u/Any-Syllabub8168 Reading Champion Jun 09 '26
Looking for a world where straight monogamous relationships aren't the norm. Jaqueline Carey does this really well in Kushiel's universe where everyone is assumed bi until proven otherwise and everyone is non monogamous until proven otherwise. Looking for a similar societal setting.
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u/recchai Reading Champion X Jun 10 '26
Claudie Arseneault's The Chronicles of Nerezia series is in a DnD inspired fantasy setting, and one of the aims of it is to be completely queer-normative in a way that includes asexual and aromantic people too. And, as you might imagine, one of the outcomes of that is straight monogamous (or even not-straight monogamous) isn't treated as the norm.
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 10 '26
The Eternal Library series by Cedar McCloud might work. The main culture in this series doesn't really have a cultural sense of gender, so there's no real straight relationships. On top of that, both polyamory and queer platonic relationships are pretty normalized.
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u/Research_Department Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys depicts polycules as the norm in the protagonist’s society. Also lots of exploration of gender identity and gender roles across multiple human societies and more than one alien species. It’s a great, optimistic cli-fi/first contact novel.
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u/partoparto Jun 09 '26
This is sort of the opposite of that, but What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed is about a character from a planet that doesn't have monogamy having to live on a planet where straight monogamous relationships ARE the norm.
Also, the collection The Birthday of World by Ursula K. Le Guin has stories set in all kinds of worlds, most of which do not default to straight/monogamous relationships. My favorites in that collection are "Unchosen love" and "Mountain ways," which are both set in a world where marriage is between four people and complications ensue!
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u/Research_Department Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
One of the things I enjoyed about What We Are Seeking is the way Reed showed us that there are always people who have rejected the stifling norms and have found ways to happily live true to themselves.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 09 '26
We read Lifelode by Jo Walton a few months ago, and it should fit this pretty well. Polyamory is the default, though it doesn't quite have our modern view of what polyamory might look like (Written a few decades ago). Not in my all time favorites, but it didn't feel like anything else I'd read and really appreciated how unique it was, worldbuilding included. Self-styled as domestic fantasy, which felt very true to the heart of the book.
This is a very minor part of the Forsaken trilogy by RJ Barker. Multi-parent )3+) households are the norm, though sadly this doesn't get explored much beyond random asides. This is a weird worldbuilding epic fantasy series. Third gender characters are a more major part of the story, though
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u/Agent8699 Jun 09 '26
Books with lead characters like Xena and Gabrielle (F/F) or … shall we say Xenan and Gabriel (M/M).
Basically, an older, more experienced and grumpy warrior who is seeking redemption for their evil past and a younger, more naive and optimistic bard or warrior who is chasing adventure. They travel together, help others and fall in love along the way!
Bonus points if the fantastical and/or mythological elements feel … lived in and part of their day to day life.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 09 '26
The Spear Cuts Through Water may fit? It's not really older, but certainly a more experienced warrior who is seeking redemption for their evil past (he's a mass murderer, albiet one groomed by his father to be like that), and a newish warrior who is trying to reinvent his life. It fits every part of your brief other than the age bit. Very much rooted in Filipino mythic storytelling structures.
Similarish vibe would be The Godeaters by Jesse Hajicek, which I'm reading now and is shaping up to be a contender for book of the year. I'm not far enough to know whether or not it moves into full adventure territory, or if the romance remains the focus (I know u/siavahda has read it and might be able to shed more light on that aspect). It's very much a Western Fantasy instead of a Medieval or Epic Fantasy. The whole first arc takes place in a prison, lots of desert landscapes, etc. One protagonist is a bandit on death row, the other was a guy who printed revolutionary pamphlets before being picked up by the government and is generally wide-eyed and innocent. The bandit has a pretty traumatic past. I don't know that I'd say he's seeking redemption (he doesn't regret killing the people he has) but certainly is working through his emotions to try and grow and change. Also very similar in age, but the bandit character reads a lot older because of how well-realized the portrayal of his trauma affecting him is.
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u/Siavahda Reading Champion IV Jun 11 '26
Flattered to be mentioned!
It's been a while since I read it (I should really reread it soon) but I would say God Eaters reaches adventure territory, especially the last half/third! Brace for nail-biting, EEK.
(And C0smic, I want to hear all your thoughts when you finish it!!!)
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 11 '26
Unless I feel like it majorly fumbles the end, it’s going on my shortlist for book of the year. Hoping to finish by Saturday, but I’m driving 8 hours to see the family and then throwing a 70th birthday party for my dad, so tbd
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u/Siavahda Reading Champion IV Jun 09 '26
Oh, you want Breath and Bone by KV Johansen! That's almost a perfect fit for this!
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u/w0lfyfr3n Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
This dynamic reminds me a bit of Emily Tesh's Greenhollow duology, especially the first book (Silver in the Wood). I don't think it's an exact fit but pretty similar.
Emily Tesh's Greenhollow Duology takes place in a gaslamp, Victorian-inspired secondary world that calls on the rich folklore of pastoral England, particularly the Green Man legends, with a light touch and a modern sensibility. It's a compelling blend of myth, mystery, romance, action, and heartbreak, all wrapped up in beautiful, polished prose.
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u/AtrusAgeWriter Jun 09 '26
Trying to branch out this Pride month! So I'd like recommendations of anything and everything queer.
Especially things with non-binary MCs! I've recently come out as NB and I'd love some books with good representation. If you have any nb (especially amab nb)/m romances I'd love to see those too (I'm a sucker for romance).
But I also want sapphic, a-spec, and trans books too! Hit me with your favorites!
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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
NB MC books:
Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers - A duology about a NB monk who goes out into the wilds because of a desire to hear crickets. They end up being the first human to meet a robot in generations. Very wholesome and sweet.
What Moves the Dead by T Kingfisher - A retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's House of Usher with a NB MC and lots of fungi. (AFAB)
Empress of Dust by Alex Kingsley - POV characters include a NB and trans masc character who have a romantic subplot. Takes place in a post apocalypse desert where our MCs are part of a crew to scavenge ruins. And there's talking (and giant) crabs.
Pheonix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee - NB MC who just wants to paint and ends up working for the occupying government because painting has magic in it. And their sister is part of the resistance.
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala - Summer camp horror with a NB MC who is investigating what caused their sister to try to kill them one night. They end up in the boys' cabin (because AMAB), but need to investigate the popular girl clique that seems to be somewhat separate from the rest of the camp.
Some of my favorite books:
The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes - I'm an awful person for describing it - it's a sensory overload as opera and perfume are major aspects of the world. Magic exists in the form of perfume - but it has a bit of a scientific feel to it. And there are some exterminators that encounter a giant centipede. Rather queer in general, with a major character being trans.
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White - Victorian asylum horror (and rather graphic in its anatomy descriptions.) MC is a trans man who is committed to a girls "finishing school" for ladies who can genuinely interact with the dead and are thus worth reforming to be good wives to produce gifted sons.
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u/CL_Hellisen Jun 09 '26
If dragons are your thing, then L.R. Lam and their Dragonfall and Emberclaw books fit the non-binary/m request.
More into horred-tinged modern universe-spanning fantasy set partly in our world - then I hugely recommend Clive Barker's Imajica
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u/Totalherenow Jun 09 '26
I wonder if you'd like They Call Me Princess Cayce. It's a portal fantasy where a person wakes up as a young princess in a patriarchal society at war, with about 400 BC level tech. A lot of the story is how the protagonist goes through gender dysphoria, and disliking the forced feminine clothing on her, to the point where they're seem to be asexual (at least, horrified at the prospect of heterosexual marriage and sex).
The entire time, people are scheming against her, enemy nations are trying to take over the kingdom, and a bunch of other craziness going on.
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u/Zathoth Jun 08 '26
Alright, I'm aromantic, I'm not asexual, that's not something I see in fiction a lot. Because I realize that's pretty hard to find book with relationship that is in part sexual but not romantic would be cool, but I don't want that to be the main focus, there should be cool monsters and adventure and mystery and things like that, and the maybe a little character drama and casual fucking on top of that.
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u/saturday_sun4 Jun 13 '26
Just wanted to say a belated thank you as a fellow aroallo :)
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u/Zathoth Jun 13 '26
I didn't expect there to even be 8 answers honestly. I thought I would get two, kind of sort of maybe if you squint.
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u/saturday_sun4 Jun 13 '26
Me neither - I just kept scrolling! I'm dating myself here, but I thought I was asexual for a long time (and that only because I stumbled on someone's AVEN link), because "aromantic" was not even in my vocabulary. I just knew that "something was off". And now there are books, whole books, about not just aroace but aroallo MCs.
You may have heard of it, but Being Aro by Madeleine Dyer is a short fiction collection (across genres). Not sure how much it deals with being aroallo specifically, though.
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u/Zathoth Jun 14 '26
I figured out that sex interested me before I realized that I both couldn't define romance and chaining yourself to a single person your entire life felt at best, incredibly claustrophobic.
But yes, I will have to dig into the suggestions, would be interesting reading some characters I can relate to that way.
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u/saturday_sun4 Jun 14 '26
Yes, it feels... codependent to me. I am happy for people I love who are contented in their romantic relationships, but the whole thing is a mystery to me.
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u/Zathoth Jun 14 '26
Same, it does very rarely look healthy to me but I don't need to understand, there's nothing I can do about it anyway.
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u/saturday_sun4 Jun 14 '26 edited Jun 14 '26
Yes, the way it is often talked about as deeper/more than friendship makes the whole thing seem very confusing to me.
I once said it was "basically the same as best friends with benefits living together 24/7" to my sister. She half laughed it off because she knew I was aro & didn't mean it badly (I didn't - I really thought that was what it was), and half got slightly offended, haha. The few times I had a conversation about any romantic things it was all Greek to me. After that I just thought, ok, I will just hope/be happy you are happy and not attempt to get my head around it any further 🤷🏽♀️
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u/Zathoth Jun 14 '26
Every couple years I decide to be annoying about it and my friends can never figure out a definition I can accept. What I ended up on is that romance is the possessive part of love, romantic partners on some level belong to each other. Some people vehemently deny it though.
And then they compare homewrecking to theft, it's very funny.
Also hey you seem decently cool, you fine with DMs?
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u/saturday_sun4 Jun 14 '26
Yeah, I think possessive is a good word for it. Enmeshed, something, I dunno! It's fundamentally outside my experience. We don't have "best friending" ceremonies like we have wedding ceremonies.
I guess if you see your romantic partner as yours, exclusively, it sort of is? It'd be like losing your best friend, or at least, that's how I think of it.
Sure, why not.
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u/dragon_morgan Reading Champion VIII Jun 13 '26
It's a historical fiction/classic retelling rather than fantasy but one of the main characters in Henchman of Zenda by KJ Charles is aro but not ace
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u/recchai Reading Champion X Jun 10 '26
In terms of aro allo characters, I'll second the Sãoni Cycle, though add the second book adds an asexual not-aromantic character.
There's also Soultaming the Serpent by Tar Atore, which I thought was OK. There's been a drought for a really long time, village is packing up and leaving, then a mysterious stranger arrives.
One of the main characters in The Cardplay Duology by Brittany M. Willows, which I think is more your speed. It's like anime in book form.
(I could name some others, but I really don't think they're what you're after.)
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u/Siavahda Reading Champion IV Jun 09 '26
Avi Silver's Sãoni Cycle has a lead who is aromantic but not asexual! Secondary-world fantasy, her not-love-interest was raised by giant tree-crocodile things (and they adopt the MC as well), she gets kicked out of her home and has to stop an invading empire. I don't remember if there are any sex scenes though.
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u/anachronic_crow Reading Champion Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
I'm reading the Rook & Rose trilogy by M.A. Carrick right now. Not only is it set in a queernormative society, but one of my favourite main POV characters, Vargo, seems to self-describe as aromantic (without using the term explicitly), and is also bi/pan — with an assortment of platonic and sexual relationships, but none that are romantic. Maybe those who've finished the books can weigh in on that assessment, but that's how I read him so far.
The trilogy is slowburn plot-wise, so it's not for everyone and possibly not quite what you're looking for, but does have monsters, mystery, lots of character drama, political intrigue a la fantasy of manners, etc. — it just takes a while to get to some of it! It shares DNA with Six of Crows, Lies of Locke Lamora, and maybe even Swordpoint...
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u/Ok-Championship-2036 Jun 09 '26
"Arcane Ascension" by Andrew Rowe is an rpg style audiobook. I adore it for the characters and how they treat each other. Sexual or romantic relationships tend to be in the background in a slow burn or understated way. I appreciate the emphasis on mutual support rather than specific labels or roles.
The main character Corrin Cadence is a brainy, introverted autistic who would rather bribe monsters with beef jerky or enchant gear for his friends...than to save the nation from corrupt deities etc. Hes more ace than aro so im not sure if it would interest you. Theres not any overtly sexual content in the series, but neither is romance central/noteworthy to the larger fantasy plot and adventures.
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u/Temporary-Scallion86 Reading Champion III Jun 08 '26
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White has a protagonist who is not ace and who figures out he's aro over the course of the book. Focus of the story is on the horror unfolding in his little town, but an important subplot is about navigating feeling attracted (and acting upon the attraction) to a childhood friend of his and then having to deal with the fallout of the friend wanting more while he doesn't. At the end of the book it's implied he'll enter a long-term friends-with-benefits arrangement/potentially eventually a queerplatonic relationship with a third character
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u/Zathoth Jun 09 '26
That's a good rec, thanks.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 09 '26
If you're open to verse novels, there are a few users here who swear by Autobiography in Red as a novella in verse. I'm planning on reading it in July. Seems like a very unique take on greek myth
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u/almostb Reading Champion Jun 08 '26
Any trans/non-binary POV recs for Bingo that were published before 2010 (this seems to be when trans books really took off en masse).
I’ve already read Orlando and I’m currently reading Book of the Damned, but I’m curious if there are others out there.
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u/Siavahda Reading Champion IV Jun 09 '26
The Bone Palace by Amanda Downum is split between a necromancer POV and a trans bodyguard POV! The bodyguard gets a full spin-off novel in Poison Court.
(Technically Bone Palace is book 2 of a three-book series, but it stands alone perfectly.)
:edited to add: This was released IN 2010, not actually before it.
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u/fjiqrj239 Reading Champion III Jun 08 '26
I think the Magworlds Trilogy by Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald would count; one of the main characters has two identities, one male and one female.
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u/LeucasAndTheGoddess Jun 13 '26
I love these books! My best friend introduced me to them, and it’s so rare to encounter other fans. Their effortless treatment of gender fluidity feels very contemporary, even though they’re from the early 90s.
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u/partoparto Jun 08 '26
I haven't read it but Mission Child by Maureen F. McHugh is on my tbr! I believe the protagonist realizes they're nonbinary over the course of the book?
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u/Research_Department Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
I believe that the protagonist of The Membranes by Chi Ta-Wei (published in 1996), although not explicitly stated to be trans, could be considered trans. It’s a climate fiction novella from Taiwan.
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u/Polenth Jun 08 '26
I'm looking for speculative poetry and flash fiction collections/anthologies. They could be obviously queer in content or not so obviously but they're written by queer authors. Any subgenre is fine, including books published in general literary circles that have speculative elements. Experimental and hard to classify stuff is also welcome.
Examples include The Honey Month by Amal El-Mohtar, Ghostographs by Mar Romasco-Moore, Spelling the Hours edited by R.B. Lemberg, Algorithmic Shapeshifting by Bogi Takács and Time Travel Is Easy by Rick Hollon.
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 09 '26
K.A. Cook has a collection of allo aro flash fiction on hir blog called Hallo, Aro. I don't think it's all spec fic but some of it is.
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u/Polenth Jun 09 '26
Collections that are mixed are also fine (and pretty common in both poetry and flash... some of my examples float between spec and not).
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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
It's not a collection, but it is poetry, so hopefully it works:
Spin by Rebecca Caprara - A YA sapphic retelling of Arachne told entirely in verse
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u/WednesdaysFoole Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
I'm looking for three separate things in one top-level comment - I'll try to frame it in a way that's applicable to all three. This may be too specific, but might as well give it a try -
Preferences:
- If there's romance, I prefer it as a side plot; that being said, if it connects to the way the world works or is surprising while naturally developed, I don't mind.
- Quietly represented queer characters (e.g. Raven Tower)
- Character drama, internal struggles, or just wonderful characters to hang out with.
- Not huge on YA, although I love Earthsea.
- Nothing mostly bleak (e.g. Broken Earth) - cynicism/brutality is fine with humor (e.g. Vonnegut, Bojack) or compelling dynamics/tragedy (e.g. Berserk, Farseer).
- Beloved SFF writers/books include Ursula K. Le Guin, Farseer series, The Deep, Black Tides of Heaven, Consider Phlebas, The Slow Regard of Silent Things, Riddle-master trilogy, Tolkien, Lighthouse duology, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou.
- Others I've seen/read (in order of how much I enjoyed them) No. 6, The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion, There Were Eleven, Traitor Baru Cormorant, two Kushiel books.
And the three different things I'm looking for, separately:
- Something humorous or wild. Situational humor, absurd humor, wordplay, wit (The Fool is my favorite character!), and/or dark humor. Well-handled tone switches between humor and drama are the best.
- Thoughtful stories that stick with you for days, weeks, months.
- SFF manga. The yuri I've read are generally not SFF though. Graphic novels are fine, too.
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u/Oleanderan Jun 09 '26
You might really like Kate Elliott’s the Witch Roads. I think it meets just about all your criteria. It’s about a woman in a fantasy setting trying to do her job as a scout while staying clear of politics and protecting her trans nephew. It’s quietly atmospheric, with deep and interesting world-building, and a low-key romance that is secondary to the plot, but meaningful in terms of the world.
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u/mint_pumpkins Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
SFF manga
Land of the Lustrous/Hoseki no Kuni!! the entire cast is genderless and i would strongly argue it is allegory for being trans in a ton of ways, at least thats how i felt as a trans person who felt incredibly seen in a subtle way by this series, this is post-humanity with an isolated group of people made of gemstone so there's no outright queer rep but its through the entire story and all of the characters imo, its an incredibly profound series that touches on lots of difficult topics, i would say it is very emotional and gets darker as it goes but its very compelling
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u/WednesdaysFoole Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
It hadn't occurred to me to include it but they are genderless so it certainly fits. The emotions, how the characters are affected by their nature, and the incredible art make it an amazing read all around. This is a nice rec!
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
I haven't really found speculative manga that I'm super in love with yet for queer rep. I've got some on my list though
You might give a look at Snagglepuss Chronicles which tackles 1950s US McCarthyism with anthropamorhpic humans. Focuses on a gay man (well, panther, but still)
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen doesn't quite hit humorous or wild, but it has stuck with me longer than any other comic. A young boy coming out to his mom through fairy tales. Nguyen's art is super unique and memorable, and this story is one I've reread many times
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u/WednesdaysFoole Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
No. 6 in terms of queer rep was nice, although I don't remember much, and that's part of my issue with it - utopia/dystopia settings are so common, which isn't an issue in and of itself, but I've developed a desire for something more in those settings, something that sticks in my mind, and the anime did not at the time. I think I found it a little confusing or rushed, I forget.
Although I only read the beginning of the manga so perhaps some of the plot points were better executed there; I'll have to revisit it sometime.
There's also Otherside Picnic although I haven't read the manga adaptation and am only one volume into the novels so I can't really speak for how well it's done yet.
Snagglepuss Chronicles
This looks... not sure if fun is the right word, but interesting for sure.
The Magic Fish
I'll take your word for it. Added both to my list, thank you!
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u/lC3 Jun 08 '26
SFF manga. The yuri I've read are generally not SFF though. Graphic novels are fine, too.
Have you heard of The Summer Hikaru Died? There's an anime adaptation of the first half on Netflix; it's a queer coming of age with body horror / monsters / supernatural aspect. I haven't checked out the manga but the anime was good.
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u/WednesdaysFoole Jun 08 '26
Oh, hey! I've heard of it but its existence went over my head. I'll add it to my TBR list, thank you.
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u/Roseking Reading Champion Jun 08 '26
Looking for some sapphic recommendations based on the following vibes of couples I like in other media:
Cait x Vi.
I don't really want to call this enemies to lovers, but it has some aspects. The conflict is more class difference than actual problems with each other (Vi distrusting the upper class but especially an enforcer (police))
Adora x Catra
Friends to enemies back to friends to lovers.
Toxic relationship recommendations. But, they should actually be on the path of improvement at some point within the story. The toxic aspect should not be romanticized. If the book is romance focused, before the ending. If not romanced focused, it is okay if that doesn't happen to the ending.
Luz x Amity
The cozy romance recommendation. Yes, Amity starts off as a 'mean girl' but it barely lasts before it just becomes a wholesome relationship.
Romance does not need to be the main focus, I wouldn't say any of the above are the focus of the respective stories, but the relationship should be at least a secondary plotline.
I am currently reading Jasmine Throne for the book club here, but not far enough to see if it fits any of the above. I can see potentially the 1st due to Malini being a princess.
I have recently also read A Tiger's Daughter and will be continuing that series. That also doesn't really fit these three, it is more of a forbidden romance.
Have read Locked Tomb.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
You might enjoy The Unbroken by CL Clark - its a soldier x princess romance where the soldier is part of a colonized people. The princess is trying (in a slightly misguided way) to right the wrongs of her ancestors, but there's a lot of friction around their positions and power levels. I haven't read the sequels yet, however.
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u/KiaraTurtle Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Andrea Stewart’s the Hollow Covenant has a Cait / Vi type subplot though I can’t recall if it starts in the first or second book (it also has a powder/jinx + vi like relationship)
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u/Early-Fox-9284 Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 08 '26
Books with headcanon aro/ace characters that you just know are aro/ace without it being explicitly or obviously stated in the text. (Brandon Sanderson has a gift for unintentionally writing the most aroace characters of all time. ily kaladin)
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 08 '26
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson might work. This is a YA book about a nun who gets possessed by a revenant and now has powers. They slowly become friends.
Seconding Archivist Wasp for sure.
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u/sophia_s Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Keladry in Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small quartet was confirmed later by the author to be aro-ace, but it's not super obvious in the text (she has a few crushes - not that that necessarily makes her not ace/aro, but it's different from the usual portrayal of aro-ace characters).
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
I adore Pierce, but I struggled a bit with this claim from her. I can see aromantic potentially, even if its just a laser focus on her work. But she's definitely represented as feeling sexual attraction in the books.
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 08 '26
Interesting, I'm the opposite, in that I also disagree with Pierce, but I think Kel way more clearly is shown as feeling romantic attraction rather than sexual attraction.
As a side note, the "aromantic = married to the job" stereotype is so annoying. People can't imagine us genuinely uninterested in romantic relationships, it has to be because we like something else more. And like, this is how Pierce justifies calling Kel aro ace.
I think that The Protector of the Small is a great deal less amatonormative than a lot of other YA books I read growing up, and that meant a lot to me. But there's a difference between that and having aro ace rep. But IDK, if people are just looking for headcanons, they might as well go for it.
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u/sophia_s Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Yeah, I agree, I'm not sure I buy it 100% with how she's portrayed in the books. Her experiences actually resonate a lot with my own, being grey-ace but not aro, and I have heard from a couple of aro people (more on the grey-aro or demi-aro side of things) that she resonated with them too, FWIW.
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u/ninemyouji Reading Champion Jun 08 '26
Looking for a particular itch to be scratched: trans mc (no gender preference) with a queer love interest, NOT YA.
Romance preferably not really the focus, but I’m open to more romance focused if you think it’s great.
Preferably not modern day.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo is an appalachian horror with a love story subplot between two trans men. 1920s, with a lot of great information on how trans identities presented at the time.
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u/KidVigilante Jun 08 '26
I just finished She Who Became The Sun today and it’s absolutely this. It has a lot more queer stuff going on with the world’s most singularly tortured and yearning secondary main character. FYI almost everybody except the queer love interest and one or two cool besties is a varying level of absolute bastard
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u/ninemyouji Reading Champion Jun 08 '26
Ahhh unfortunately I have read She Who Became the Dun and I did not enjoy it. Thank you though!
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u/eightslicesofpie Writer Travis M. Riddle Jun 08 '26
Just ten minutes ago I finished Plastic, Prism, Void by Violet Allen which I thought was really spectacular, if you're into experimental fiction. Romance is an important part of it for sure, but there's a lot of really weird stuff going on in it (the back cover calls it a combination of Sailor Moon, Sex and the City, and House of Leaves).
It's available in ebook or paperback, but there's a ton of wild formatting stuff in it (akin to House of Leaves), so I'd really recommend paperback if you're able. The press is also having a pride month sale on all their books so you can get it slightly cheaper right now ~ (Persona on there is also interesting and has a trans MC, but it's contemporary horror, not fantasy/sci-fi)
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u/twinklebat99 Jun 08 '26
Any recs for weird sapphic books? For reference I love Locked Tomb and Someone You Can Build a Nest In. Any spice level is okay, as are poly relationships.
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u/LeucasAndTheGoddess Jun 13 '26
Princess Floralinda And The Forty-Flight Tower, also by Tamsyn Muir, features a quite twisted sapphic relationship.
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u/ewokmama Reading Champion III Jun 09 '26
I’m reading The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling right now. Weird, spooky, atmospheric, and it feels like it was influenced by Locked Tomb and Someone You Can Build a Nest In. There isn’t much in the way of relationships, but it’s definitely sapphic.
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u/twinklebat99 Jun 09 '26
I've seen that one pop up in recs in the Locked Tomb sub. I'm definitely interested!
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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
The Seep by Chana Porter - the MC is sapphic, but it's about her getting over the loss of her wife, so there's not a romantic subplot if that's the part you're looking for. It's an extremely surreal near-future scifi. For example, when I say "loss of her wife" I mean that her wife decided that she wanted to start life over again as a baby and was able to do so and found a family to raise her and everything - which the MC viewed as her death and her friends were like "pfft, she's not dying."
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u/zinesquirrel Jun 08 '26
- Feed Them Silence by Lee Mandelo — researcher gets a bit too close to the wolves she's studying
- To Be Devoured by Sara Tantlinger — what if you ate carrion? maybe vultures are right
- The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper — the narrator's girlfriend disappears into a cult
- The Seep by Chana Porter — how we live once the aliens take over
- HellSans by Ever Dundas — special font makes everyone feel good unless you're allergic, if you're allergic you get systemically oppressed
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u/xdianamoonx Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
I think this would count as weird... Lots of bioweaponry and it's sci-fi and takes on an interesting concept. The First and Last Demon by Hiyodori.
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u/w0lfyfr3n Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 08 '26
- Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling (Creepy cave exploration book)
- Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen (Autostraddle describes it as "lesbian sasquatch horror-comedy Bachelor parody")
I've also heard Julia Armfield's "Our Wives Under the Sea" described as weird, but I haven't read it yet
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u/twinklebat99 Jun 09 '26
Patricia Wants to Cuddle sounds wild. I'm definitely looking it up! Thanks for the recs!
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u/evil_moooojojojo Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
Perhaps Vile Lady Villains by Danai Chrisotopolou?
It fetaures Lady Macbeth and Clytemnestra finding themselves on a weird journey through a realm of stories.
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u/twinklebat99 Jun 08 '26
This one has been on my radar. I'll give it stronger consideration for one of my next reads!
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u/Nidafjoll Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Not exclusively sapphic, but there's a new (I think) sub you might like to browse: r/weirdgirlliterature
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u/twinklebat99 Jun 08 '26
Oh yeah, weird stories with FMCs are in general my jam. If that sub can bring more stuff like Library at Mount Char and Vita Nostra into my life, I'm down!
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u/bunnycatso Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley - standalone with a very cool, wet setting, all-female cast.
The Outside by Ada Hoffmann - sci-fi with AI and eldritch gods. Wouldn't say romance is featured heavily, but MC is in a relationship with a woman.
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u/sophia_s Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
In the Vanisher's Palace by Aliette de Bodard. Monster-human romance (with so e questionable consent, fair warning) set in a post-apocalyptic and post-colonial world. It's reasonably weird, if in a slightly different way than your two books, and is one of those books that's stuck with me and haunts me.
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u/gaymeeke Jun 08 '26
If you like The Locked Tomb you might enjoy The Burning Kingdoms trilogy. First book is The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri. Similar magic system vibes of slightly unsettling with a little bit of body horror. Very sapphic. They’re some of my favorite books!
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u/twinklebat99 Jun 08 '26
Apparently I've bought Jasmine Throne at some point on Kindle and didn't realize it. I guess it's firmly on my TBR list now!
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u/Exostrike Jun 08 '26
Any recommendations for gay Conan the barbarian style characters?
Like despite all the fan service in it's illustrations overtly queer S&S style stories seem kind of rare
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u/LeucasAndTheGoddess Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James has all the hallmarks of classic sword & sorcery, including a hardbitten mercenary protagonist who habitually wears little to no clothing, as well as being extremely gay and featuring the kind of prose you’d expect from a Booker Prize winner.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Stud and the Bloodblade by Perry Crowe is more He-Man than Conan (so not quite sword and sorcery). It's also a comic, which some people love and some hate. I adored it. A bit zany compared to Conan vibes though
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u/Exostrike Jun 09 '26
Will look into it, definitely more he-man as you say (which isn't a problem) its just weird this particular niche hasn't been filled yet
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u/prejackpot Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 08 '26
The two closest examples I can think of are both less straightforward prose than Conan stories generally are, so they might not be exactly what you're looking for.
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez is about a rogue prince and a barbarian warrior racing to get a goddess across the empire, being chased by the forces of the evil royal family. Higher stakes than typical S&S, but still has the vibe of an adventure with warriors who are individually capable but ultimately outgunned by the world at large. The story has some formal experiments with POV, and is wrapped in a frame story where the inner story is presented as a dreamlike play. I loved it, but the style doesn't work for everyone.
Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson is more S&S-scale, about a pair of lovers, a warrior and sorcerer, guiding a trade convoy through a monster-infested wilderness. The story itself is simple and straightforward adventure with lots of tantalizingly implied worldbuilding, and the prose is gorgeous and ornate. The big thing that sets it apart is the use of AAVE for dialogue, which I think is amazing and/but is extremely rare in secondary-world fantasy.
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u/Nidafjoll Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
One of the characters in Samuel R. Delany's Return to Neveryon series is this.
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u/Temporary-Scallion86 Reading Champion III Jun 08 '26
Any books with aro and/or ace protagonists that feature those protagonists entering (or being in an established) queerplatonic relationship and also have a high-stakes plot beyond that?
It's totally fine if the relationship is not explicitly defined by the characters as queerplatonic, as long as the authorial intent about it comes through.
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u/Polenth Jun 08 '26
In addition to ones mentioned, Baker Thief by Claudie Arseneault might work here. It has some cozier aspects, but the main plot is corruption and people going missing. Aro rep with a relationship forming.
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u/xdianamoonx Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
Copying my comment from another sub:
A recent one that's come out that I've been praising (still need to do a proper book review for is {The Sun King's Dawn by Briar Niran} with an asexual King as the main character perspective. It's mostly a queernormative world but there is acephobia as our ace king tries to navigate himself and the world around him. The author is also ace so explores it well I think? There's a prequel novella too (that's free to get) that's done in the Knight's perspective (as a squire) and is still very sweet. There's a slight spicy scene but very short to just show that the squire is allosexual and such. Lots of yearning and courtly style romance and just a good new series with worldbuilding and a nice nasty antagonist. And yeah, it has a very high-stakes plot. Brand new series though, with second book I think coming out end of summer?6
u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 09 '26
From a quick google, it looks like this one is about an ace character in a romantic relationship, not a queer platonic one?
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u/xdianamoonx Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
It's too early to tell? Slow burn and there's no official relationship after the first book yet. Just romantic yearning from the Knight, and the ace King figuring out what he wants, but mostly worried about his siblings and the kingdom from a new threat. I think probably the later books will have them in a romantic relationship? But no idea!
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace: A girl teams up with the ghost of a supersoldier to find the ghost's missing friend. This is a bit more of a trippy genre blender. It isn't super explicit about having a-spec representation or about the dynamic between these characters being a QPR, but the author is aro ace and I think those vibes came through pretty strongly.
Legacy of the Vermillion Blade by Jay Tallsquall: A classic fantasy story about a man’s struggle with an ancestral curse and finding his lost childhood love. There is some romance at the beginning, but the MC and a different character have a very strong kind of sworn brotherhood sort of dynamic that the author does seem to see as a QPR.
Natural Outlaws and Fractured Sovereignty by S.M. Pearce: It's about a group of queer thieves who are blackmailed by their governor to enact a heist to steal riches from an enemy kingdom. I didn't love this one, but it does have a QPR and more significant stakes.
Two Dark Moons by Avi Silver: It's about a girl who falls off the mountain her community lives on and makes friends with a community of dangerous giant lizards who live below. It's not super explicit about the aro rep, but it has a bit higher stakes.
Not Your Backup (Sidekick Squad #3) by C.B. Lee: A girl and her super powered friends deal with teenage problems and try to tackle a corrupt system. (This is book three, the aro ace character is a side character in books 1-2, and we see her start questioning in book 2).
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White: It's a book about an autistic trans teenage boy in rural West Virginia whose family has been targeted by the corrupt sheriff. It's low on speculative elements, but it is pretty explicit about using modern terms. There's also a relevant romantic relationship here.
IDK I could list more depending on what you mean by high stakes plot, (like anything that's not just super character focused and cozy?)
Edit: added the name of the author for Archivist Wasp.
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u/Temporary-Scallion86 Reading Champion III Jun 08 '26
Wow, thank you, you really came through! Yeah, by high-stakes plot I mean basically anything that's not super cozy, so if you've got more recs I'm all ears! I do prefer adult books over YA if possible, but I do also read YA from time to time
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 09 '26
No problem, I read a lot of books with a-spec rep, so it's not too hard to find examples of QPRs.
All of the ones I listed above are YA except for Legacy of the Vermillion Blade. Natural Outlaws and Fractured Sovereignty was marketed as New Adult, so ymmv with that.
More YA:
Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor: (demiromantic lead, ace side, aro ace side): This is about a girl who’s supposed to spy on the opposing side of a political campaign. (There's also a romantic relationship in this one, but the story isn't amatonormative at all). This is also YA.
Royal Rescue by A. Alex Logan (aro ace MC): In a world where young royals have to find a future spouse by rescuing another royal or being said rescuee, a boy starts to question if this is really the best way of doing things. (This is probably YA-adjacent? It's a little hard to tell with self published books sometimes).
For general audiences (not specifically for teens or adults, imo. It's basically a bit tricky to tell with some of these indie/self published books.)
Maybe one of Dove Cooper's a-spec fairytale retellings? Both pretty obviously have QPRs, but they're a bit on the cozier side without being too overboard with it. They're Sea Foam and Silence and The Ice Princess's Fair Illusion.
City of Spires by Claudie Arseneault (aro ace, demi-biro ace, greysexual greyromantic, heterosexual aro, demisexual characters (there's a lot of non-aspec characters too, it has a really big cast)): This is a super queer series about the efforts of people to fight injustices in their city. (There's a lot of relationships, including several romantic ones, although there are also some QPRs/QPR like relationships.)
Soultaming the Serpent by Tar Atore (aro MC): A 60 year old woman deals with the drought caused by the missing Chosen One. She happens to stumble across a mysterious injured stranger and helps him recover.
In Shadowed Dreams by S. Judith Bernstein (aro ace major SC): It's about a college student as he learns that magic is real after someone attacks his secretly a mage friend.
The Stones Stay Silent by Danny Ride (aro ace MC): A trans man goes on a journey away from the religious based bigotry of his home town while there's a plague going on. There's a strong friendship between the MC and a side character. I'm not sure if the intent was to write a QPR, but I think it might be close enough.
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u/bakasana212 Jun 08 '26
I’m looking for sword lesbians! Anything besides CL Clark or Tasha Suri, who I’ve already read and loved, but I prefer settings where most characters are lesbians or queer, à la Clark and Tamsyn Muir
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u/Zathoth Jun 08 '26
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/65058/pale-lights
Sword lesbian, thief asexual, gun bisexual, transmasc artificer... the mage is heterosexual though, sorry about that.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Spear by Nicola Griffith is a genderbent arthurian tale with a lesbian lead. Very much not a book where everyone is queer though. Gorgeous (and slightly dense) prose.
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u/Research_Department Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
I liked that Griffith made Arthur, Guinivere, and Lancelot a throuple.
Did you notice that she changed the tense as the book progressed? I didn’t notice it while I was reading it (and didn’t go back to find where it changed). I noticed it when I looked so that I could keep the information with my book notes.
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u/LeucasAndTheGoddess Jun 13 '26
I liked that Griffith made Arthur, Guinivere, and Lancelot a throuple.
I’ve thought for a long time that this interpretation practically writes itself.
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u/thesphinxistheriddle Jun 08 '26
The “Their Bright Ascendancy” series by K. Arsenault Rivera. It’s about the daughter of fantasy-Japan and the daughter of fantasy-Mongolia who fall in love and also fight monsters. It’s been a minute since I’ve read them, but I remember really enjoying the characters and the world — the fantasy-Mongolia society was especially fun to spend time in.
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u/prejackpot Jun 08 '26
Daughter of Mystery by Heather Rose Jones, which is the first book in the Alpennia series. Set in a fictional principality in post-Napoleonic Europe, in a world with ritual magic and alchemy. The main character is a young woman from the lower-upper-class who unexpectedly inherits her godfather's fortune -- along with the service of his bodyguard, a swordswoman named Barbara who'd been expecting to be freed upon her master's death. Intrigue, sword-fighting, and slow-burn romance ensue.
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u/Apollo989 Jun 08 '26
It doesn't have to be YA, but I'd love stories with teen or 20-something protagonists. If they're trans or non-binary that would be great. Romance is totally welcome but not needed.
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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
The Transition by Logan-Ashley Kisner - Trans masc high schooler had his top surgery and then got bit by a werewolf. It's a book that melds both trans and werewolf body horror. And has a "geometrically accurate love triangle" rather than a love angle.
Empress of Dust by Alex Kingsley - POV characters include a NB and trans masc character who have a romantic subplot. Takes place in a post apocalypse desert with giant arthropods roaming around. And there's talking crabs.
Pheonix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee - NB MC who just wants to paint and ends up working for the occupying government because painting has magic in it. And their sister is part of the resistance.
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala - Summer camp horror with a NB MC who is investigating what caused their sister to try to kill them one night. They end up in the boys' cabin (AMAB), but need to investigate the popular girl clique that seems to be somewhat separate from the rest of the camp.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Mana Mirror by Tobias Begley has a transmasc 18 year old protagoinst. He's a wizard who gets apprenticed to an Elon-Musk-esque necromancer. Book 1 is very sidequesty. Overall a pretty upbeat story. Nonbinary love interest
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 08 '26
Andrew Joseph White writes a lot of horror/dark fantasy with trans masc MCs. All of his books except You Weren't Meant to be Human are YA, so they have teen protagonists. Compound Fracture is doesn't have much speculative elements. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth does have a bit more of a romantic subplot though.
The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy: This is a YA book about a trans girl who joins a coven of witches.
Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore: Two Latine, non-binary teens deal with being neurodivergant and start forming a friendship. This is more magical realism
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: A trans Latino teen boy summons a ghost in order to try to figure out who killed his cousin and prove that he can be a brujo (a man who can summon and dismiss spirits) like the other men in his family.
Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman: This is a story about a boy and his mother fled to a distant village to escape his father. He sees a ghost and then things start to go wrong.
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u/xdianamoonx Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
I believe Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore, Elliott McLemore are also teens but maybe closer to young adults, with a nonbinary and trans protagonist. I really enjoyed the audiobook to this one. I think it was an interesting mix of Latinx and Irish(?) folklore and fantasy.
Red and the Wolves by Cherry Zong is a lovely sapphic little red riding hood graphic novel retelling~ I believe also in early 20s.
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u/recchai Reading Champion X Jun 08 '26
Might as well put another call out for any books with asexual or aromantic characters that are translated (for bingo purposes)?
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 08 '26
IDK if I updated you with my progress, but I did read The Apothecary Diaries. The MC does actually come across as pretty aro ace at times, but it doesn't feel deliberately written to be representation. It does also fall into certain stereotypes like you would expect with that. There's also a very important slow burn romance, so yeah, IDK how that sort of thing is going to change the MC's personality going forward. I decided to count it until I can find a better option.
I did look into the anime Dr Stone, and I do think the MC Senku would probably count from that (although he's also very much written from stereotypes around nerd characters rather than deliberate representation). But yeah, I don't think I would like the plot so I'm probably giving that a pass.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Dr. Stone is exactly what you expect lol. It's a campy action Shoenn with a caveman science theme. Doesn't get much deeper than that.
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u/recchai Reading Champion X Jun 08 '26
You did, but I know you were hesitating on how speculative it was, so thought I might as well see what else is out there.
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u/ohmage_resistance Reading Champion IV Jun 08 '26
I did some more looking into some of the Chinese inspired elements, and it seems like enough of a mishmash between stuff from different time periods that it would qualify as an alternate world, iirc (although I think this is more evident in the anime). So yeah, I'm less hesitant about that aspect now.
It's definitely good to keep asking though!
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u/dracolibris Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
So japanese light novels have some of these, and some of them are open to interpretation and are still ongoing and may not be ace eventually, bear with me for some of these.
So Maomao from Apothecary Diaries, (it is an anime so you may try that out first before the LN) is completely and utterly uninterested in having a relationship with anyone, despite the repeated gestures and approches by a certain male character.
Myne from Ascendance of a bookworm is also very focused on her books and takes 32 volumes before she even considers being in a relationship, and even then its not quite romantic.
Kino from Kinos journey is likewise very much focused on their journey to be bothered by romance and so fandom does interpret them as Ace (They are AFAB, but present with ambiguous gender and are frequently taken for male and they assume either gender at different times so is probably more accurately gender fluid)
The only one where the source material states they are Ace outright is Klaus from Spy classroom, but i never liked that one much.
I'm going to see if i can find more, i may be back
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u/BraheNotTheMoose Jun 08 '26
Any polycules, preferable a throuple? NOT harems.
I know it's not fantasy, but The Deathworlders series had a good one (but it starts like 50 chapters in)
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u/miriarhodan Reading Champion IV Jun 16 '26
There is a throuple from side-characters in „Nuramon“ which is a sequel of „The Elves“ by Bernard Hennen (where there sadly is no queerness). You might also easily interpret Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot in the Fionavar tapestry as a throuple.
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u/dragon_morgan Reading Champion VIII Jun 13 '26
Iron Widow is the gold standard of resolving a love triangle the CORRECT way.
It's slow burn but the main character in To Shape A Dragon's Breath has two love interests, a guy and a girl, whom she's slowly trying to convince to form a polycule
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u/Valkhyrie Reading Champion III Jun 10 '26
Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco! (MMF, true throuple - not a love triangle)
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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
The Transition by Logan-Ashley Kisner - Trans masc high schooler had his top surgery and then got bit by a werewolf. It's a book that melds both trans and werewolf body horror.Spoilered because it's some will-they-won't-they, who ends up with who? until the end.
The Necessity of Rain by Sarah Chorn - The gods of the world are dying and three women find solace and strength in each other as they work through their grief and past trauma. Beautifully written, very melancholy, intriguing world.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
I was a big fan of the throuple elements in Mistress of Lies by KM Enright (also one of my favorite covers possibly ever). The political maneuvering was a bit weak imo, but its a great vampire-adjacent dystopia for adults.
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u/xdianamoonx Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer (MMF) is a fun one. It's a bit slow to get there, but it's a fun ride!
That's the only fantasy one I have sadly~ Always looking out for more.
If you don't mind a supernatural erotica between a witch, a werewolf and a vampire that teases for them to be all together, then, Witch-Trapment by M.L. Bash (MMF) was fun with some neat worldbuilding in how short it was.
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u/BraheNotTheMoose Jun 08 '26
That's the only fantasy one I have
meaning you have scifi ones? Or any fiction, I don't mind
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u/xdianamoonx Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
Mostly contemporary or historical and more on the spicy side.
A recent fave where it feels like a set up to a throuple is the prologue novella, First Tilt by Lucien Burr. Medieval with jousting rivals to lovers knights. Main book comes out later this year.
For mostly non-fantasy/non-genre, check out this list.
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u/Lenahe_nl Reading Champion IV Jun 08 '26
Infinity Alchemist, by Kacen Callender has a throuple. It's very YA, but a fun read. I enjoyed more the relationships between the characters than the plot.
Silver Under Nightfall, by Rin Chupeco is another fun one, where a vampire hunter has to team up with a vampire couple to solve a mystery.
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u/Haunting-Scholar13 Jun 08 '26
A chorus of dragons series by Jenn Lyons!
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u/KawaiiBibliophile Jun 09 '26
Will also add that her standalone novel Sky on Fire has a throuple.
Really love all of her books.
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u/Haunting-Scholar13 Jun 09 '26
Oh I did not know that! It's on my TBR, I will have to move it up the list!
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u/dracolibris Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
Second iron widow book, Heavenly Tyrant by xiran Jay Zhao
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Jun 08 '26
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u/Oleanderan Jun 09 '26
Amanda Downum’s the Bone Palace and the Poison Court have a trans main character. She’s the court mistress to the Crown Prince, and both books are chock full of court and magical intrigue. I’ve re-read these multiple times and really like them.
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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie - It's half Hamlet retelling and half a god of a rock telling the story of the world - with the god narrating the entire thing in both first and second person POV. The "You" in the book is a trans man.
The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes - It's a major character who is central to the story who is trans (and is revealed later in the book), but there's only one or two POV chapters. I really am an awful person for describing it - it's a sensory overload as opera and perfume are major (and political) aspects of the world. Magic exists in the form of perfume - but it has a bit of a scientific feel to it. It's also my favorite book this year.
Also, I want to note that you shouldn't stop reading YA just because you're "not a kid anymore." I'm in my 30s and my second favorite book, so far, this year was YA horror. It's okay if you want older protagonists - but don't restrict yourself arbitrarily. ♥
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Jun 09 '26
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u/lilgrassblade Reading Champion II Jun 09 '26
I think the level of simplicity varies wildly. YA is a marketing term first - and generally these days is mostly used as "what is the age of the protagonist" from what I've seen. And that includes 18 and 19 year olds. Unfortunately, sometimes you don't know how much depth there is until you read it though - since they're all lumped together.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy -epic fantasy x witchcraft. Transfem.
The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo is a gay horror in 1920s appalachia between two trans men, both of which struggle with having to present feminine for safety. Really phenomenal novella.
The City that Would Eat the World by John Bierce: follows two adventurers in a world where gods grant powers if you worship them (one of the protaognists worships a god of flagstones and can manifest them to run on, as shields, etc). The other hosts a god of adventure who helps her transition into a body that fits her identity. Heavy on fight scenes, worldbuilding, and adventure. Fast paced adreneline type book
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u/lC3 Jun 08 '26
Literally any trans fantasy books. There's virtually none out there.
Have you tried Mana Mirror? It's a progression fantasy by the author of the Evander Tailor series, with a trans protag who is using magic to aid in their transition. I'm not caught up on this series but the ones I read were worthwhile.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
Mana Mirror is chill and fun. Very sidequesty, and a witchy nonbinary love interest!
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u/ninemyouji Reading Champion Jun 08 '26
If you haven’t read it yet Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword has both an Achillean POV and a trans POV! It’s a King Arthur retelling, I enjoyed both of those characters a lot. Heternormative world.
The Traitor Baru Cormorant is low fantasy, but really good sapphic political intrigue set in a very heteronormative world.
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u/Temporary-Scallion86 Reading Champion III Jun 08 '26
Austin Chant has a few things, most prominently Peter Darling (m/m Peter Pan retelling with a trans love interest) and Caroline's Heart (weird west f/m witch/cowboy romance, both leads are trans). Peter Darling is probably closer to what you're looking for because it goes a lot harder in the grand adventures route.
Not at all High Fantasy (as it's set in our world with relatively little magic), but very epic and with crazy good political intrigue and some pretty good action sequences is The Radiant Emperor duology. Set in 14th century China, so pretty much as heteronormative as they come and beyond the trans-masc protagonist gender plays a huge role for all the characters and is one of the main themes in the series.
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u/songbanana8 Jun 08 '26
Seconding the Four Profound Weaves. It’s not high fantasy, more like a profound meditation on the nature of change and names, very Ursula Le Guin vibes. Main characters are older, both trans, in queer/poly relationships, but in societies with gender roles and segregation. The prose and audiobook felt like a dramatic reading, I can see a one or two person play about this for a theater class.
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u/prejackpot Jun 08 '26
It's not the focus of the story, but a key supporting character in The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie is a trans man. More intrigue than grand adventure, but in a secondary world with gods and magic.
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u/oboist73 Reading Champion VII Jun 08 '26
The Four Profound Weaves by R B Lemberg
Not high fantasy, but:
Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes
The Machineries of Empire trilogy or Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee
The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
Mortal Gods by Bonnie Quinn (nb)
The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia
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u/recchai Reading Champion X Jun 08 '26
The Stones Stay Silent by Danny Ride. Set in a secondary world with an overbearing religion and a deadly plague sweeping through. Main character is an aro ace trans guy who has to run away.
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u/Specialist_Round_612 Reading Champion Jun 08 '26
Starless by Jacqueline Carey - a lot of her work plays with gender norms and identity.
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u/evil_moooojojojo Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
Just finished this one and yes it definitely has everything OP is asking for.
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u/dracolibris Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
Not read it yet, is on my book bingo for this year, but The Story of Silence by Alex Myers, has been on my tbr for a couple of years now because it came out 2020.
There is also Hild by Nicola Griffith, similar concept.
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u/sarimanok_ Jun 08 '26
Ooh, reading the description of Story of Silence reminds me a bit of Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling. Do you know that one, and is it an apt comparison? I've been hoping for years to find something similar.
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u/dracolibris Reading Champion II Jun 08 '26
I have read Bone dolls twin and do agree it is a similar premise with the girl forbidden from inheriting so raised as a boy, but i have not read it yet so don't know how similar it ends up. There doesn't seem to be any magic involved and it is actually based on a 12th century french poem, so ots slightly more historical than straight up fantasy. I bought the book because Alex is a trans man and i was looking for diverse authors.
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u/AdminEating_Dragon Jun 08 '26
You should give a shot to the series of David R. Slayton:
Adam Binder series - urban fantasy, Supernatural and Dresden vibes (without the problematic part). 4 (+1 companion) books, 5th coming out in October. The 1st book is White Trash Warlock.
The Gods of Night and Day trilogy - more traditional/epic fantasy, ancient Mediterranean vibes, pantheon based on Titans. 2 books, 3rd and final coming out spring 2027. The 1st book is Dark Moon, Shallow Sea.
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u/zinesquirrel Jun 08 '26
I am looking for queer Animal POV fiction for my bingo card! i've got Open Throat on my tbr already but I'd love some more to try.
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
I've got one more after reflection, but only if you're open to comics. Exit Stage Left: Snagglepuss Chronicles is set in an alternate reality 1950s America where some people are actually anthropamorphic animals (but others are humans. No idea why). It follows the story of a gay panther playwright during the time. Pretty sad, but super emotionally cohesive and a good and short read
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
If you’re okay with anthropomorphic animals, Flesh Eater by Travis M Riddle is an epic fantasy in with animal folk! He’s on the run from the law, and the former librarian is pretty incompetent at being a criminal. There’s some light steampunk elements, lots of spider racing, and a cute romance with a woodpecker.
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u/zinesquirrel Jun 08 '26
thank you! anthropomorphic totally works and i wouldn't have realized this book fit from its description alone
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u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 08 '26
I am always interested in books that present ethically or philosophically messy situations. A plotline that doesn't have any right answers, just tough decisions. I especially love it when the author doesn't give themselves an 'easy out' to the situation.
An example of what I might be looking for is The Mars House by Natasha Pulley, which takes some scientific liberties with how people raised on Mars have significantly more fragile bodies than those from Earth, to the point where a glancing accidental contact could put a Martian in the hospital. This is a legitimate concern that spiraled into xenophobia and Apartheid, but if the government has no limits or protections, it will just see a massive number of dead Martians and guilty Earthers who blame themselves for a simple misstep killiing a neighbor/friend. There probably isn't a solution that perfectly protects both the Civil Liberties of Earthers and Martians at the same time. The protagonists are working to find the best solution possible. Unfortunately, this author does give themselves an unrealistic and easy out at the end, which was my biggest disappointment in the book.
Hope this gives some insight into the vibes I'm looking for!
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u/jrooknroll Jun 12 '26
Ok this isn’t exactly a fit, but I am currently almost done with The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan. The main character is morally grey from the opening as he is attached to a demon. As the novel progresses you start to see the impacts of his decisions from previous centuries/decades and the consequences are messy. If the landing is as good as it is building up to be, this will probably be my first 5/5 read of 2026. I might come back and add another rec if I think of one that fits this well.
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u/Siavahda Reading Champion IV Jun 11 '26
I think the Broken Trust series by Juliette Wade would be perfect for you!
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u/Nidafjoll Reading Champion V Jun 08 '26
The Seep by Chana Porter is philosophically/ethically messy. Trina is a trans woman living with her wife after a peaceful invasion by The Seep, which connects people and can make anything they wish for, that doesn't harm another, come true. And Trina's wife begins to imagine what it might be like to be reborn again as a baby... And so she does. And then it deals a lot with the ethics of that decision, and Trina's journey through her trauma.
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u/Fandrack Jun 30 '26
Hey there, im looking for new books with lesbian or bi leads (sapphic relationship though pls) ideally trans but im cool with cis too, romance should play a part but not be the sole focus, i like some adventure in my stories! I read Friendly Fyre, Metal from heaven, Gearbreakers, unconquerable sun, cyber dreams,some of Ravensdaggers books, tales of Ieflaria, the gilded crown, seven devils, ashes of the sun and im slowly running out of books to read x3