I like fantasy but a barrier for me is that it’s so often focused on sex or romance more than focusing on the story and worldbuilding. I’m enjoying Fourth Wing, it’s the only non-YA fantasy book I’ve read. I love the dragon bonding aspect. But the focus on the lust is annoying me and I want more details about the world. I don’t like YA very much, so I want it to be more mature writing. I don’t know if there’s something out there that matches my request?
by Practical_Prompt_341
3 Comments
What kind of fantasy have you been reading? Lust and romance? That sounds like the description of those erotic books disguised as real literature.
If you want an adult fantasy without too much of that lewdness, try A Song of Ice and Fire, which are classic books at this point in the game. Or maybe real classics, like Tolkien, who I don’t think is childish.
Well, anyway, I think it’s hard for anything to be worse than all that literary porno that exists in abundance out there.
Sounds like youve been reading romantasy rather than fantasy, and lust/romance is a heavier part of romantasy (fourth wing i would consider romantasy rather than fantasy).
Try the Mistborn trilogy (interesting magic system, set in a world where the dark lord has won), his majesty’s dragon (alternate history neopolonic era with dragons), his dark materials trilogy, Arrows of the Queen (world where people get bonded to magic white horses, ok this sounds ridiculous but I enjoyed it). Most of these have romantic subplots but romance is not the focus.
I’ve heard good things about The Green Rider series but haven’t read it.
If you like dragons, you may enjoy The Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffery. There are some romantic story lines, but they’re not the main focus.