Between Halloween’s focus on magic, LGBT History Month, and National Coming Out Day, October is the perfect time to read queer fantasy books! As a genre, fantasy is a safe space for many queer people. With its roots in imagination, how could it not? So of course, publishing has no shortage of queer fantasy!
Below is a list of five fantasy novel recommendations that star queer protagonists and casts, many of them also discussing queer themes or showcasing fantasy through a uniquely queer lens. All the books came from major publishers, and as such can be found in most bookstores and libraries.
The “Between Earth and Sky” trilogy by Rebecca Roanhorse
A sprawling series set in a world inspired by Indigenous cultures from the Americas, it followed a proxy war between gods. It starred three protagonists, Serapio, who has been crafted by a cult to be the avatar of their crow god; Xiala, a rugged sailor with a magical power; and Naranpa, a Sun Priest seeking answers.
Xiala was bisexual and multiple characters used xe/xir neopronouns. The series was perfect for those looking for something twisty and bingeable with a lovable cast and vibrant world building.
The trilogy began with “Black Sun.” The trilogy was completed earlier this year.
“Light From Uncommon Stars” by Ryka Aoki
A touching, bizarre story, “Light From Uncommon Stars” followed an unlikely found family. Shizuka, a violin teacher who convinced students to trade their souls for success; Katrina, a transgender runaway who made violin covers of video games; and Lan, mother and donut shop owner who was also an alien space captain. While taking on Katrina as a new prodigy, Shizuka and Lan fell in love.
A masterpiece about what it means to belong and find love. Its emphasis on building one's own support systems and defying their past was extremely queer. It was delightfully weird, combining violin with the supernatural and alien.
The “Wayward Children” series by Seanan McGuire
An anthology novella series about the multiverse, it followed the misadventures of those at Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. The home was dedicated to helping teens who went to magical worlds and came back, teaching them to cope or helping them find their doorways back.
Multiple of the characters were queer. For example, the first book’s protagonist was asexual and the second book’s was a lesbian. The series had a fascinating, darkly quirky multiverse, many of the books exploring specific worlds. Plus, the short lengths made them breezy reads.
The series began with “Every Heart a Doorway.” There have been nine novellas and the series has yet to be completed.
“Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas
A young adult fantasy with romance, ghosts, and romance with a ghost. “Cemetery Boys” followed Yadriel, a transgender teenager trying to prove he was a brujo, a male practitioner of magic. But a spell went haywire and he accidentally summoned the ghost of his school’s bad boy, Julian. Together, they investigated Julian’s death and fell in love.
This was a perfect read for both Halloween with its focus on ghostly magic. It was a subversive rivals-to-lovers romance that questioned what acceptance looks like, both through Yadriel’s transition and Julian’s reputation.
The “The Locked Tomb” series by Tamsyn Muir
Another great read for Halloween, “The Locked Tomb” was set in a solar system ruled by necromancers. The first novel followed Gideon, a swordswoman who protected the necromancer (and her perpetual annoyance) Harrow, uncovering strange mysteries along the way.
By default, all the characters were lesbians unless stated otherwise. The series had a unique tone, combining internet memes and necromantic horror. It may come off as confusing, but that’s because of how brilliantly the books were plotted.
The series began with “Gideon the Ninth.” There have been three books so far with a fourth on the way.
Conclusion
This was a difficult list to curate given how many great queer fantasy novels there are today. Some honorable mentions include the lesbian dragon epic “Priory of the Orange Tree” by Samantha Shannon, the sapphic enemies-to-lovers revolution story “The Jasmine Throne” by Tasha Suri, and the genderqueer Mulan reimagining “She Who Became the Sun” by Shelley Parker-Chan.
Fantasy has unique opportunities in regards to queer storytelling as it allows writers to imagine worlds where homophobia and transphobia don’t exist or can be challenged with magic. This provides not just escapism, but also inspiration for how the world could be. Though dragons may never be real, a future where all are free to live as themselves could be, and it’s worth fighting for!
