Gay love lost in time, trans demigods fighting for their lives, and a queer gang on a magical heist — gay fantasy books truly have it all.
This one’s for our gay fantasy fiction readers or newbies wanting a sprinkle of fantasy to their lives. Here are our six favourite fantasy novels with queer characters to add to your reading or audiobook list.
1. The Sunbearer Trials, Aiden Thomas
Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson in this fabulous queer young-adult fantasy. Set in the utopian Reino de Sol, The Sunbearer Trials are an event every 10 years whereby the best semidioses (the children of gods) compete for fame and glory and to protect their world from the Obsidian gods. The representation of intersecting queer, trans and LatinX identities is nuanced and fantastic. The characters live in a post-gender society, where gender diversity is normalised and celebrated. We see this through our protagonist Teo who is both trans and queer, and the primary sun god Sol who is non-binary. Thomas intertwines aspects of the trans experience within the fictionalised setting, such as the dysphoria Teo experiences from his wings. All the characters represent diverse LatinX cultures through rich descriptions of rituals, family dynamics, language and food. Ending on a captivating cliffhanger, you will be running to the nearest queer bookstore to grab the sequel, Celestial Monsters.
Goodreads rating: 4.4/5 stars
2. The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, Shehan Karunatilaka
Winner of the Booker Prize in 2022, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida is a complex and fascinating fantasy set in early 1990s Colombo against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war. The novel is divided into the seven moons (or days) of the afterlife. Our deceased protagonist, the war photographer Maali Almeida, must expose the atrocities of war and bring his murderers to justice before he enters ‘the Light’. Karunatilaka’s worldbuilding is unmatched; a creative take on the afterlife, complete with ghosts, ghouls, and demons. Despite Maali’s closeted label, he is unapologetic about his sexuality and non-monogamous relations (and is an important reminder of the benefits of relationship agreements). Its actionable pace is unpredictable and captivating, while the stunning descriptiveness brings meaning to every plot twist. While it is one of the more difficult reads on this list, it’s well worth a crack!
Goodreads rating: 3.9/5 stars
3. Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
This novel is a great entry into the Grishaverse, a realm filled with magical beings (called Grisha), medieval gangs, and one impossible heist. The novel follows The Dregs—a gang from the seedy town of Ketterdam—as they break into the impenetrable Ice Court to recover a secret drug that could wreak havoc throughout the Grishaverse. It features a slew of queer main characters, including a budding romance between Grisha sharpshooter Jesper and foundling turned demolition expert Wylan. The way Bargudo writes action is gripping. Endless twists, turns, reveals, and a final cliffhanger punctuate the underlying political and romantic tension. You will not want to put this book down and not question watching the characters come to life in the Netflix adaptation ‘Shadow & Bone’ immediately afterwards.
Goodreads rating: 4.5/5 stars
4. The Black Tides of Heaven, Neon Yang
Written by non-binary Singaporean writer Neon Yang, this novella constructs an intriguing gender system. In this world (called the Tensorate), people are genderless as children before they must “confirm” as either a man or a woman at 17 using magic. The twins at the centre of this story, Mokoya and Akeha, navigate this strict system in vastly different ways. Mokoya develops a prophetic gift and conforms to society’s ways. Akeha, on the other hand, refuses to be placed in a box and leaves the Tensorate, falling in with a rebel group attempting to bring the system down. Yang constructs a nuanced fantasy world in this beautifully digestible novella (short book). The Black Tides of Heaven is a must-read for cis and trans guys and, of course, those in between and beyond.
Goodreads rating: 3.7/5 stars
5. One Last Stop, Casey McQuiston
This sapphic sci-fi romance is a fantastic exploration of young love, friendship and moving out. It navigates 23-year-old August as she moves to New York, finds a job at a shitty diner and moves into an eccentric queer and trans share house. She develops a crush on vintage Levi’s-wearing rocker girl Jane during her commute to uni. But Jane’s look isn’t so vintage after all; she is, in fact, displaced in time from the 1970s. As their relationship grows, August confronts her fierce independence and hatches a plan to save Jane from her time prison. From the writer of Red, White and Royal Blue, One Last Stop is a superb queer romance, with an unconventional sci-fi edge. Perfect for those wanting to dip their toe into the world of queer fantasy.
Goodreads rating: 3.9/5 stars
6. This is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Set in a dystopian near-end world, two agents from rival factions, Red and Blue, start a secret correspondence. What begins as a taunt, blossoms into a forbidden romance. It is a sci-fi reimagining of a classic Romeo and Juliet (or, more aptly, Romeo and Julio) love story that turns both heartwarming and devastating. Each chapter divulges a new setting, a new time, and a new conflict. A fascinating exploration of a future world where time is malleable, but love is timeless. This is How You Lose the Time War is another queer fantasy novel to add to your list!
Goodreads rating: 3.9/5 stars
If you don’t know where to find your next queer fantasy — check out a queer bookstore near you such as Hares and Hyenas (Melbourne), the Bookshop Darlinghurst (Sydney), Swoon Bookstore (Newcastle) or Shelf Lovers (Brisbane).