Fantasy by Women Who Broke Away from Europe

A List Complied by Martha Wells

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This is a sampler list of fantasy novels and short story collections with non-European settings, or secondary fantasy worlds drawn from non-European influences, all by women writers.Non-European fantasy can be hard to find, so this is meant to be a resource for readers and a way to focus on older or less well-known books by women writers. Hopefully at some point it can be expanded and annotated.This list was compiled in a couple of days from my bookshelves and from recommendations, so I know there are many more authors and books that should be included. If you know of any fantasy novels that should be added, especially books published in languages other than English, please leave them in the comments. (Remember, the list is focusing on fantasy by women writers; there were some great books suggested but they were left off the list because they were categorized as science fiction.)The main two things I was trying to avoid (at least for now) were 1) fantasies where European-type characters traveled to non-European settings (for example, Naomi Novik's Temeraire books) and 2) books primarily set in the US, even if they use a fantasy element from another source (like Tananarive Due's books). I did include a book by Judith Berman set in North America, but it has all Native American characters, is set before Europeans arrived, and a book by Sharon Shinn which is set mostly in an alt universe where China colonized North America.Thanks to Kate Elliott, N.K. Jemisin, Kari Sperring, and Judith Tarr for suggestions and encouragement, and thanks to all the people who made suggestions on Twitter. Thanks to Marie Brennan for many additions from her similar list here . And thanks to the Mad Hatter Review.At the moment, there arewriters on the list.Daughter of the Bright MoonSecrets of Jin-Shei, Embers of HeavenRange of GhostsTransformationRevelationRestorationBear Daughter Fox and PhoenixThe Jaguar PrincessFarsala TrilogyServant of the Underworld, Harbinger of the Storm, Master of the House of DartsThe Silver WolfThe Horses of HeavenWarrior, WitchWild SeedWings of PowerThe Girl of Fire and Thorns White Tiger, Red Phoenix, Blue DragonRed Moon, Black MountainThe Grey Mane of MorningRusalka, Chernevog, YvgenieThe PaladinThe Fairy of Ku-SheWinged Assassin TrilogyThe Web of Wizardry, The Death God's CitadelThe Jaguar and the WolfPaper MageThe Caves of BudaGoa, Biajipur, BhagavatiLittle SisterThe Heavenward PathThe NightingaleGenpeiEuryaleThe Brotherhood of the Conch seriesThe Palace of IllusionsThreshholdThe Drowning City, The Bone PalaceGate of IvoryCrossroads TrilogySpiritwalkerCold FireLion of Senet, Eye of the Labyrinth, Lord of the ShadowsThe Ear, the Eye, and the ArmThe House of the ScorpionThe Oracle BetrayedThe Sphere of SecretsThe ScarabAlphabet of DreamsReturning My Sister's Face and Other Far Eastern Tales of Whimsy and Malice (short story collection)Nobody's Princess, Nobody's PrizeWishing SeasonSphinx's Princess, Sphinx's QueenChild of the EagleThe Serpent, Atlan, The City, Some Summer LandsThe Scroll of SaqqaraTeot's WarBloodstormThe Red MagicianEon: Dragoneye RebornKalpa ImperialHalf WorldBlack ShipsThe Hand of IsisThe Phoenix BellsThe Black Pearl RoadThe Willow GardenCassandraElectraMedeaBook of a Thousand DaysSisters of the Raven, Circle of the MoonInventing MemoryAcross the Nightingale Floor, Grass for His Pillow, Brilliance of the Moon, The Harsh Cry of the Heron, and Heaven's Net is WideGodstalkThe Salt RoadsThe New Moon's ArmsSkin Folk (short story collection)The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, The Broken Kingdoms, The Kingdom of the GodsThe Killing Moon, The Shadowed SunBlackdogRacing the Dark, The Burning CityThe Fox Woman, FudokiAmberlightThe Leopard's DaughterLost in the LabyrinthFreedom's Gate, Freedom's Apprentice, Freedom's SistersWatergivers trilogyThe Mirage Makers trilogyThe Isles of Glory trilogyEarthsea BooksLaviniaTamastara (short story collection)CyrionNight's MasterDeath's MasterDelirium's MistressNight's SorceriesA Heroine of the WorldWhere the Mountain Meets the MoonHuntressRedemption in IndigoThe Princes of the Golden Cage, The King's DaughtersShadows on the MoonThe Seekers of Shar-NuhnHow the Gods Wove in KyrannonWind FollowerAldebreshin Compass seriesTiger MoonGodspeaker TrilogyLadylordThe Book of HeroesIco: Castle in the SkyBoundBeastWraiths of TimeShadow HawkDragon MagicEmpire of the Eagle (co-written with Susan Shwartz)Imperial Lady: A Fantasy of Han China (co-written with Susan Shwartz)Dragon Sword and Wind ChildZahrah the WindseekerAkata WitchWho Fears DeathThe Twelve KingdomsThe Engine's ChildSilver Phoenix, Fury of the PhoenixTomoe Gozen, Thousand Shrine Warrior, The Golden NaginataStar DancerSky KnifeSerpent and StormThe Whitefire CrossingHeirs to Byzantium TrilogyThe Grail Of HeartsSilk Roads and ShadowsArabesques I and II, editorEmpire of the Eagle (co-written with Andre Norton)Imperial Lady: A Fantasy of Han China (co-written with Andre Norton)Demon Drums, Storm Caller, Sorcerous SeaFilter House (story collection)The Horse of FlameThe Shining FalconGatewayGeneral Winston's DaughterThe Grass King's ConcubineThe White Hart, The Silver Sun, The Sable MoonShiva's FireAlamut, The Dagger and the CrossA Wind in CairoThe Hall of the Mountain King, The Lady of Han-Gilen, A Fall of PrincesArrows of the Sun, Spear of Heaven, Tides of DarknessLord of the Two LandsPillar of FireKing and GoddessThrone of IsisThe Shepherd KingsWhite Mare's Daughter, Lady of Horses, Daughter of LirThe Golden Horn, editorDark Matter: Reading the Bones, Speculative Fiction from the African DiasporaToads & DiamondsMoribito: Guardian of the Spirit, Moribito II: Guardian of the DarkThe Grass-Cutting SwordTymon's FlightCity of BonesWheel of the InfiniteThe Cloud Roads, The Serpent SeaA Coalition of LionsThe SunbirdThe Lion HunterThe Empty KingdomThe Sun Sword seriesSecrets of the SandsDragon KeeperA Princess of Chameln, Yorath the Wolf, The Summer KingSnake Agent, The Demon and the City, Precious Dragon, The Shadow Pavillion, The Iron KhanSword of the DeceiverMany thanks to Martha Wells for compiling this huge list. Again please chime in the comments with any other recommendations that fit with this list.You Might Also Like: