What’s the hubbub?

I’m sick of going on every platform and seeing people recommend adult fantasy for beginners. Why? Because it’s always the same. “Read Mistborn by Sanderson!” “Read GRRM!” “Read Joe Abercrombie!” “Check out Wheel of Time!” Love those boys (okay, I haven’t read several of them yet) but they’re hardly beginner and they’re also all white dudes. Which is fine. I love a white dude. But that’s only one perspective on fantasy, and a limited one at that. There’s so much NEW and INCLUSIVE that gets forgotten.

What’s the solution?

Me! Me me me! I’m here to give you a high fantasy guide that’s inclusive and broad. That bends the meaning of high fantasy. So I guess we should talk about, what is high fantasy. High fantasy is magical, even if all the characters don’t wield magic. It’s swords. It’s sorcery. (But it’s not sword & sorcery) It’s also, most importantly, world-ending stakes. If the thief need to steal something to eat, that’s low fantasy. If the thief needs to steal something to save the world, that’s high fantasy.

Gimme the recs already!

Without further yammering, C.J.’s high fantasy playlist. This is just a primer, but it’ll get you started.

The Poppy War // R.F. Kuang

Everything high fantasy should be, but it bends the genre in interesting ways. When Rin gets into the coveted military institute, she doesn’t expect how brutal it will be. Or that it will awaken a magic within her that could be the key to ending a war. Inspired by the Sino-Japanese war. All-time favorite. Brutal af. Read the TWs.

Goodreads

Rage of Dragons // Evan Winter

In a land caught in endless war, some women have the power to call down dragons, and one swordsman will fight to avenge himself on the three people who betrayed him. Inspired by West Africa. Okay to be fair I haven’t read this one yet but it’s high on my TBR (and my freaking library holds).

Goodreads

The Bone Shard Daughter // Andrea Stewart

In an empire subjugated for centuries, one woman fights to keep her future throne in the midst of terrible secrets, locked doors, and magic drawn from the bones of humans. The most clever magic I’ve read in years, and a sweeping adventure.

Goodreads

Mask of Mirrors // MA Carrick

This one pushes high fantasy a little, but I had to include it. In a land ruled by strange magics, one poor con artist ingratiates herself with her so-called long-lost family in order to swindle them of their money. But she finds herself caught in a political intrigue far beyond her imaginings. Queernormative! One of my favorite books of this year. SO freaking underrated.

Goodreads

City of Brass // SA Chakraborty

An Egyptian orphan finds out that she’s actually a daeva, a djinn, when she comes across Dara, another daeva. He takes her to the mystical city of brass, where her identity quickly puts her into a political struggle that will take all her wits and magic to solve. One of my favorite series of all time. I just finished the third book and there were LITERAL TEARS IN MY EYES.

Goodreads

Black Sun // Rebecca Roanhorse

In this indigenous-inspired world, a woman takes a mysterious blind man on a journey to a temple city. But the man has secrets of his own that could have cataclysmic effects. This one was so lush and the audiobook was sensational!

Goodreads

Shadow of the Gods // John Gwynne

In a Nordic-inspired, lush world, three people—a mother-warrior, a mercenary, and another mercenary—struggle to stay alive beneath the shadow of ancient secrets. If you want a white dude, read John Gwynne. He writes women like they’re people. And he’s very accessible, no big infodumps.

Honorable Mentions (aka I haven’t read them yet)

The Final Strife // Saara El-Arifi

Empire of Sand // Tasha Suri

Priory of the Orange Tree // Samantha Shannon

The Jasmine Throne // Tasha Suri

The Unbroken // CL Clark

Daughter of the Moon Goddess // Sue Lynn Tan

She Who Became the Sun // Shelley Parker-Chan