I love Kaikeyi so much. Let us see more asexual heroines in the fantasy genre! Good to see the books with female leads on this list. So often, when the protagonist of a fantasy novel is female, we EXPECT her to fall in love at some point, thanks to centuries of social conditioning; the publisher's advice to Jo March on how to write a female lead in the most recent "Little Women" adaptation -- "make sure she's married by the end" -- was so prevalent for so long that when a heroine-centric book does not include some sort of romance, people will often complain something is "missing." I say it's high time that expectation went the way of the dinosaur. I love a good romantic plot/subplot, but it shouldn't be a key ingredient in every female character's story. It's heartening to see that some writers understand this.
Yes! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I love fantasy, particularly dark fantasy, but it is incredibly frustrating that it’s nearly indistinguishable from fantasy romance. Thank you for this 😁
Love these recommendations! Could you maybe do a part 2 of this? I already read a lot of these, but yes, it's incredible frustrating that romance is almost everywhere, so I always look for books without it
These types of specific recommendation videos are always really helpful! Would you have any more ideas for adult fantasy books where the villains are a primary character/you follow their perspectives? This is something I always enjoy but struggle to find!
A few others to consider: Roger Zelazny - Chronicles of Amber Andrew Rowe - Arcane Ascension Randall Garrett - Lord Darcy Steven Brust - Jhereg (there is a romance in later volumes - I won't say more for spoiler reasons - but not in the first book, which is straight fantasy heist fiction, and remarkably good.)
Love these recommendations! It would also be great, to get a list of fantasy books inspired by different cultures, that is not commonly explored. I’d love to have some recommendations from you
I really appreciate recommendations like this. Lack of romance is not an easy quality to filter for, and being asexual, I sometimes crave an escape from the way romance plots loom over many stories.
The last book makes me curious. Is it a YA? Also the Art of Prophecy: I like the idea a woman beeing a mentor to a boy and not the usual other way around. Nice list.
Vicious is one of my absolute favorites, I love that there was never a romance tossed in there because it would have felt really weird. I am waiting on my copy of Art of Prophecy to come in so I can jump in because it sounds SO up my alley!
@@ryanmacharika3946 If so I definitely didn't pick up on that, jealousy yes but not in a romantic way, more in the way that some friends only want you to have them as a friend and no one else, possessive but not romantic
Shadow of the Gods/Hunger of the Gods are 2 of my favorite reads from this year. I had such a blast with these and they're some of the few books that I would love doing re-reads of.
"The Cleansing of Eskemar," by Alec Patton. High fantasy where old friends who used to adventure together years ago have to reunite when they discover that they have a foe in common. All about how people are better off working together toward a common goal and how we can't ignore problems in our communities.
I would like to recommend The Justice of Kings! There is a teeny tiny bit of romance but it's very much not the driving force of this book but serves more to character growth I would say.
Agreed! I just started book 2. I loved that we follow not the "typical" person in a fantasy story. The main character(s) aren't a thief or merc or some chosen one (I'm secretly a prince) or something. It a young girl who a clerk for a judge (i.e justice) and her story as well as the justice in the chaos of an empire.
Thanks for the recommendations, I already have Kaikeyi but have not read it yet, will definitely have to read it and I have added Vicious to my TBR list as that one sounded very interesting.
Thanks for this. BTW, if you haven't read "Blood Over Bright Haven" by M.L. Wang, I highly recommend it. I know you loved "The Sword of Kaigen" so check this one out.
As a lesbian, it is nearly impossibe to find a good fantasy book without a damn hetero romance or with a main male character...That's why i started to write my own book.
I’ve noticed that my favorite way to go with romance in fantasy are the ones that give me pain and make me go “I just want them to get to be happy together!”. Haha. But overall I think I’ve gotten tired recently of most fantasy romance dynamics
To clarify, I don’t mean like enemies to lovers(tho if that’s done a specific way then I do enjoy that sometimes). But I mean like when they love each other and the plot makes it feel like that might not be enough for them to get their HEA
Thank you for making this video - been wanting to get into more fantasy books but going through a bad heartbreak at the moment so romantic plots are just making me sad 😅 I've had The Shadow of the Gods on my wishlist for a while (the author's sons also have a great book channel where I've got a lot of historical fiction recommendations) so this might be a good time to get hold of a copy!
Would it be possible to put a space in between each book you list in the description as right now it’s one long thing of text that’s kind of hard to see where one book and it’s links end and another begins
I went to the library and went to the Y.A section. I was the only grown adult in that section. I quickly got discouraged. When are you old enough to stop reading YA?
Read whatever you want. I'm 46 and recently re-read a book series I read in elementary school. I was having a lot of anxiety issues and it was a welcome escape that made me smile and made me ridiculously happy. Also, I've been listening to The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner and those are YA political fantasy with a detailed world and lots of plot twists. My point is age group doesn't matter.
Having watched your videos over a year now, I really want to recommend you a Japanese manga series, D. Gray man, which may never end due to the author's health issue. To me, this series are on par with Naruto, HunterxHunter, etc. Not sure if there is English translation out there, but since it's heavily influenced by Christianity, I suppose westerners would find it more relatable comparing to Naruto. Highly highly recommend!
Another five stars ⭐️ video love it and love your amazing channel prayers and blessings for you and your husband and your beautiful puppy 🐶 love your number one Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤need to have your husband back on please if he chooses you your October tbr please
"adult fantasy with great friendship" would be another video idea :))
Omg yes!! I love the Gentlemen Bastards series for this exact reason
I love that idea!
Yes yes huge agree!
Read Michael j Sullivan rayra revelations
Yes…… thank you I don’t mind romance, but I don’t need it. I also don’t mind a little romance but don’t want or need the smut
Exactly this!
I love Kaikeyi so much. Let us see more asexual heroines in the fantasy genre!
Good to see the books with female leads on this list. So often, when the protagonist of a fantasy novel is female, we EXPECT her to fall in love at some point, thanks to centuries of social conditioning; the publisher's advice to Jo March on how to write a female lead in the most recent "Little Women" adaptation -- "make sure she's married by the end" -- was so prevalent for so long that when a heroine-centric book does not include some sort of romance, people will often complain something is "missing." I say it's high time that expectation went the way of the dinosaur. I love a good romantic plot/subplot, but it shouldn't be a key ingredient in every female character's story. It's heartening to see that some writers understand this.
This AroAce fantasy fan thanks you 😭
Yes! Same here lol 😭
Adult fantasy with found family. Those are my absolute favorites ❤
I was looking for exactly this two weeks ago thank you SO MUCH lol
Oh thank you 😂 i don't MIND romance but sometimes its just a bit much
Yes! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I love fantasy, particularly dark fantasy, but it is incredibly frustrating that it’s nearly indistinguishable from fantasy romance. Thank you for this 😁
Oh yes please. I really want to read more stories that are just about the stories. :)
Love these recommendations! Could you maybe do a part 2 of this? I already read a lot of these, but yes, it's incredible frustrating that romance is almost everywhere, so I always look for books without it
These types of specific recommendation videos are always really helpful! Would you have any more ideas for adult fantasy books where the villains are a primary character/you follow their perspectives? This is something I always enjoy but struggle to find!
A few others to consider:
Roger Zelazny - Chronicles of Amber
Andrew Rowe - Arcane Ascension
Randall Garrett - Lord Darcy
Steven Brust - Jhereg (there is a romance in later volumes - I won't say more for spoiler reasons - but not in the first book, which is straight fantasy heist fiction, and remarkably good.)
Love these recommendations!
It would also be great, to get a list of fantasy books inspired by different cultures, that is not commonly explored. I’d love to have some recommendations from you
I really appreciate recommendations like this. Lack of romance is not an easy quality to filter for, and being asexual, I sometimes crave an escape from the way romance plots loom over many stories.
The last book makes me curious. Is it a YA? Also the Art of Prophecy: I like the idea a woman beeing a mentor to a boy and not the usual other way around.
Nice list.
My book The Beauty of Dawn has no romance and has an emphasis on platonic friendships, plus a really moving & heartbreaking mentorship!
Thank you for making this list! I don’t mind some romance, but smut seems to be the thing right now.
I have the Combat Codes here and intend to start it this month. Art of Prophecy is on my list, too. Sounds fun!
Vicious is one of my absolute favorites, I love that there was never a romance tossed in there because it would have felt really weird.
I am waiting on my copy of Art of Prophecy to come in so I can jump in because it sounds SO up my alley!
@@ryanmacharika3946 If so I definitely didn't pick up on that, jealousy yes but not in a romantic way, more in the way that some friends only want you to have them as a friend and no one else, possessive but not romantic
Shadow of the Gods/Hunger of the Gods are 2 of my favorite reads from this year. I had such a blast with these and they're some of the few books that I would love doing re-reads of.
This book is making waves "Stars Aligned (Chronicles of the Celestial Kingdoms Book 1)" by Olivia Whitestone
YES. This is the list I’ve been waiting for.
"The Cleansing of Eskemar," by Alec Patton. High fantasy where old friends who used to adventure together years ago have to reunite when they discover that they have a foe in common. All about how people are better off working together toward a common goal and how we can't ignore problems in our communities.
Sounds like a great premise
I would like to recommend The Justice of Kings! There is a teeny tiny bit of romance but it's very much not the driving force of this book but serves more to character growth I would say.
Agreed! I just started book 2. I loved that we follow not the "typical" person in a fantasy story. The main character(s) aren't a thief or merc or some chosen one (I'm secretly a prince) or something. It a young girl who a clerk for a judge (i.e justice) and her story as well as the justice in the chaos of an empire.
Agreed, I just finished reading this book.
Thanks for the recommendations, I already have Kaikeyi but have not read it yet, will definitely have to read it and I have added Vicious to my TBR list as that one sounded very interesting.
I am so happy to get these recc.
Babel would be a good pick too!
Thanks for this. BTW, if you haven't read "Blood Over Bright Haven" by M.L. Wang, I highly recommend it. I know you loved "The Sword of Kaigen" so check this one out.
I’m waiting for this recommendation!! ❤❤❤ I’m so sick of romance already 😂😂
Thank you so so so much for this, ive been tearing my hair out
As a lesbian, it is nearly impossibe to find a good fantasy book without a damn hetero romance or with a main male character...That's why i started to write my own book.
i adored the art of prophecy, it was so fun and refrfeshing!
omg a great video topic would be specifically sapphic romantasy/fantasy romance
I’ve noticed that my favorite way to go with romance in fantasy are the ones that give me pain and make me go “I just want them to get to be happy together!”. Haha. But overall I think I’ve gotten tired recently of most fantasy romance dynamics
To clarify, I don’t mean like enemies to lovers(tho if that’s done a specific way then I do enjoy that sometimes). But I mean like when they love each other and the plot makes it feel like that might not be enough for them to get their HEA
great video idea and nice recommendations! Thanks :)
You're truly helpful. I wish I could find your channel earlier.😊❤
Thank you for making this video - been wanting to get into more fantasy books but going through a bad heartbreak at the moment so romantic plots are just making me sad 😅 I've had The Shadow of the Gods on my wishlist for a while (the author's sons also have a great book channel where I've got a lot of historical fiction recommendations) so this might be a good time to get hold of a copy!
I like romance if it is wholesome and realistic. But not as the main plot. I am more of a political fantasy reader.
Combat codes sounds really interesting!
Market of Monsters trilogy by Rebecca Schaeffer has no romance, just an awesome friendship.
Would it be possible to put a space in between each book you list in the description as right now it’s one long thing of text that’s kind of hard to see where one book and it’s links end and another begins
Great Video!
Please read the traitor baru cormorant I beg of you if you have not already
How bout top adult fantasy action
I went to the library and went to the Y.A section. I was the only grown adult in that section. I quickly got discouraged. When are you old enough to stop reading YA?
Never. Read whatever you want.
I know plenty of adults who read YA or even middle grade as well as adult. Variety is the spice of life and all that.
@@epicwalrus7183 Thank you.
Read whatever you want. I'm 46 and recently re-read a book series I read in elementary school. I was having a lot of anxiety issues and it was a welcome escape that made me smile and made me ridiculously happy. Also, I've been listening to The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner and those are YA political fantasy with a detailed world and lots of plot twists. My point is age group doesn't matter.
Whomst is that in the thumbnail?
Yessss love!
😂 let us start with a book of two trying to kill each other and that would be viscous. Then me ow 😂and that where we start shipping them so hard 😂😂😂
Having watched your videos over a year now, I really want to recommend you a Japanese manga series, D. Gray man, which may never end due to the author's health issue. To me, this series are on par with Naruto, HunterxHunter, etc. Not sure if there is English translation out there, but since it's heavily influenced by Christianity, I suppose westerners would find it more relatable comparing to Naruto. Highly highly recommend!
Another five stars ⭐️ video love it and love your amazing channel prayers and blessings for you and your husband and your beautiful puppy 🐶 love your number one Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤need to have your husband back on please if he chooses you your October tbr please
I love John Gwynne! All I could think when I was reading Fourth Wing, was if he had written it!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Man Fantasies without romance is like Brownies without vanilla ice cream. :(
Fantasies without romance is like fantasies.
❤️📚❤️
Why ?
But….who would want that?
Because not everyone likes reading smut