I've been reading a lot of adult/older-YA high fantasy lately and need some recommendations because I'm burning through my list. Not a big fan of romance, so I prefer books where romance is kept to a minimum or at least relegated solidly into subplot territory. Here are some books I've enjoyed recently that fit the sort of thing I'm looking for right now:
– The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang
– The Will of the Many by James Islington
– The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
– The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
– Jade City by Fonda Lee
– The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
What are some other books I might like?
by miniandabee
6 Comments
The Tainted Cup, by Robert Jackson Bennet, has almost zero romance.
The Devils, Joe Abercrombie’s new book, has… *unconventional* romance. It’s funny, and nothing Hallmark Channel about it.
For a quick, easy reading series, check out Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga, starting with The Warrior’s Apprentice. The earlier (in the timeline) books about Miles’s parents have romance as a significant plot, but it’s more cute than steamy.
Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series
Marie Brennan’s Lady Trent Memoirs
*The Hands of the Emperor* and the related books by Victoria Goddard
*The Cemeteries of Amalo* series by Katherine Addison
The Singing Hills books by Nghi Vo
*Phoenix Extravagant* by Yoon-Ha Lee
*Penric and Desdemona* series by Lois McMaster Bujold
*Deed of Paksennerion* by Elizabeth Moon
– The Tide Child trilogy by RJ Barker
– The Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett
– Shadow of the Leviathan by Robert Jackson Bennett
– Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
– The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks
– The Memoirs of Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
– Babel by R. F. Kuang
– The Wings Upon Her Back by Samantha Mills
– The Forsaken by RJ Barker
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
Jade Legacy
Vengeance and Honour by Ben Dixon
The Lies of Locke Lamora is always a solid pitch for this, not high high fantasy, it’s human centric but still deals with mages and the like. No romance at all in the first book. Which is a fantasy heist book, which you might like if you enjoyed The Will of the Many and the vibe of “pretend to be something you definitely are not, if you get caught you die”
The vast majority of Brandon Sanderson books have little to no romance, and when it is included its subplot PG-13 kinda stuff.