I’m sorry for the title of my post, because I don’t want a gay character, I want a character who happens to be gay. Suggesting characters who their sexuality also affects them psychologically or socially is really good too. I think most important is that they are complex and can make mistakes, who don’t get on a trope like on media and some books.
by Ok_Focus5022
22 Comments
I really like The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and it’s sequel The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Pulley. It’s set in victorian London, about adult main characters and just a sprinkle of magic. The romance is a subplot, but pretty rewarding when it does show up.
KJ Charles’ Will Darling Adventures. They are 1920s post-war spy thrillers, complicated by the two male leads being gay.
Chain Gang All-Stars has lots of LBGT representation and the story has some focus on their sexuality but overall the main story doesn’t relate. Was a NYT top 10 book of 2023.
>I want a character who happens to be gay.
When you say gay, do you mean only gay men? Or would lesbians also count? Here are some with men who happen to be gay, but if you wish I can also provide some more recommendations with women who happen to be lesbians.
* A Country of Ghosts by Margaret Killjoy
* [We Are the Cloud](https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/cloud/) by Sam J. Miller. Short story available free at the link.
Song of Achilles
Priory of the Orange Tree has four narrators, one of them is a gay man, another is a sapphic woman and i think the other two are (according to the author) demisexual and aroace. In the grand scheme of things their sexuality matters little, but does have an impact on their lives in certain aspects. All these characters are flawed individuals.
If you enjoy high fantasy and are willing to read a “doorstopper” as the author called it, this is a great book.
The Kushiel’s Legacy series and then some of the others in that world. Start with Kushiel’s Dart. By Jacqueline Carey. It is fantasy fiction and they don’t have the word gay in this universe but same sex love affairs are just common and accepted occurrence within a delightful and complex story.
The Guncle Steven Rowley
Day Michael Cunningham
And this is a memoir that I absolutely loved that I think everyone should read for the sheer power of it: Better Living Through Birding by one Christian Cooper. Highly recommend the audio because he reads it and it also has bird sounds on it!
The traitor baru cormorant is a great example of this in my opinion!
The darkness outside us, please please please read this, it’s amazing
{{Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot}}
the shards – bret easton ellis
Val McDermid has a lot of books with characters who happen to be gay. I like the Karen Pirie series–IIRC, Karen herself is not gay but there are a lot of other gay characters. I think she may have other series where the leads are gay as well.
I just finished a really cute romance about a nurse who is scared of flying who meets a pilot. It’s called Fly With Me by Andie Burke. There’s a lot more to it than that but I don’t want to spoil anything.
Great Circle. The protagonist struggles with her sexuality and ends up divorcing her husband for a woman. It’s a really nuanced and three dimensional portrayal.
Cyteen and Regenesis by CJ Cherryh
Swimming in the Dark!
Gideon the Ninth
The Greenbone Saga by Fonda Lee.
Anden Emery is a great character.
I really enjoyed Less by Andrew Sean Greer. It’s about a writer who finds out his ex is about to get married, so rather than attend the wedding he accepts all the invitations that he normally wouldn’t consider. So he travels all over the world thinking about his past and trying to figure out who he really is.
If you are ok with fantasy, I really enjoyed Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree and its prequel bookshops and bonedust. It’s about an orc who leaves the world of mercenary for hire and tries to open a coffee shop
Elly Griffiths series with Harbinder Kaur…..a female detective of Indian background that works her way through complicated cases. She’s working in England where her family lives.
* Confidence by Rafael Frumkin
* Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead
* The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
The Paradox Hotel