October 2025
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    I'm a fantasy n00b but have noticed that a heap of them have feudal societies with Queens/Kings etc.

    Are there fantasy books that have different societal setups? And maybe a story where the hero doesn't discover that they're secretly some highborn noble all along?

    Only fantasy I've read is LoTR and am currently 75% through The Eye ofthe World from the Wheel of Time series so apologies if I'm making assumptions.

    by not_a_floozy

    3 Comments

    1. That is a fair assumption, since a lot of fantasy takes inspiration from Tolkien, but there are also lots of great fantasy books with different societal structures. Two I’ve read recently are:

      **City of Last Chances** (Adrian Tchaikovsky) is set in an industrial city-state that has been conquered by a totalitarian fascist regime.

      **Jade City** (Fonda Lee) is an urban action fantasy set in a city ruled by magical gangs and inspired by post-WW2 East Asia.

    2. FloridaFlamingoGirl on

      You might enjoy Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, it’s set in a bustling urban city and is about a criminal who cons his way up to becoming a beloved politician.

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