50 Fantasy Books With Queer Main Characters

Happy Pride Month Readers!
One of the biggest changes to my reading habits since I started blogging has been the addition of queer books to my reading palette. I’ve come across plenty of books with LGBTQ+ representation, but until recently I’d never read any that centered queer stories. So in celebration of Pride Month, I’ve compiled a list of 50 fantasy books with queer main characters.

A Few Notes About the List:

  • There is a key at the bottom of the post if you’re unsure what certain acronyms or terms mean.
  • Some of these books were listed as sci-fi and fantasy so I’ll put + next to the title of books that have major sci-fi elements
  • I’ve included the relevant labels for the main characters since this list is meant to highlight queer protagonists in fantasy
  • The list is split into 2 sections: books I’ve read and other books to check out
  • For the books I’ve read, I included whether the books contained romance or not since this is a detail I often consider when picking up books
  • For the books I haven’t read, I’ll include as many details as I can find.

Queer Fantasy Books That I’ve Read

These are all books I’ve read and recommend checking out!

Gideon the Ninth, Raven Tower, Unbroken, Cemetery Boys

1. Gideon the Ninth+ (The Locked Tomb Trilogy #1) by Tamsyn Muir

Lesbian MC
F/F Light romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

2. The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie

Transmasculine + Bi/Pan MC*
NB/F *very* Light romance
*The story is narrated by a god and the focus is on the trans character

Goodreads | StoryGraph

3. The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

Lesbian MC
F/F Light romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

4. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Trans + Gay MC
Queer Found Family
M/M Heavy romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Curse of Roses, Black Veins, Fireheart Tiger, Empress of Salt and Fortune

5. A Curse of Roses by Diana Pinguicha

Lesbian MC
F/F Heavy romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

6. The Black Veins (The Dead Magic Series #1) by Ashia Monet

Bisexual MC
Queer found family
🆇 No romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

**Read my review of The Black Veins**

7. Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard

Sapphic MC
F/F Heavy romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

8. The Empress of Salt and Fortune and When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain (The Singing Hills Cycle #1 and #2) by Nghi Vo

Non-Binary MC* in both books
Sapphic MCs**
F/F Heavy romance**
*The series is formatted as stories told to the non-binary MC
**Sapphic romance in the second book

Goodreads | StoryGraph

More Queer Fantasy Books to Check Out this Pride Month

Note: Since I haven’t read these books, it will be hard for me to confirm the correct labels. I’ll do my best to provide the details I’m sure of! I’ll use the terms “Sapphic” and “Achillean” when I’m unsure of the MCs exact sexuality. (See key at the bottom of this post for definitions of terms).

Silver in the Wood, She Who Became the Sun, Jasmine Throne, Cinderella is Dead

9. Silver in the Wood (The Greenhollow Duology #1) by Emily Tesh

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

10. She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor #1) by Shelley Parker-Chan

Genderqueer MCs*
Achillean + Sapphic MCs
*There are two storylines. Both follow genderqueer MCs

Goodreads | StoryGraph

11. The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms #1) by Tasha Suri

Lesbian MC
F/F Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

12. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Sapphic MC
F/F Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Black Sun, Witchmark, Amberlough, Priory of the Orange Tree

13. Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse

Bisexual MC
Multiple Trans + Non-Binary/Genderfluid Side Characters

Goodreads | StoryGraph

14. Witchmark (The Kingston Cycle #1) by C.L. Polk

Gay MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

15. Amberlough (The Amberlough Dossier #1) by Laura Elena Donnelly

Gay MC*
*The story follows 3 characters, one of them is gay

Goodreads | StoryGraph

16. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Lesbian MCs*
Gay MC
F/F Romance
*There are 4 POVs, two of them are lesbians

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Vampires Never Get Old, Chosen and the Beautiful, Lesson in Vengeance, Wicker King

17. Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite (Anthology)

Various Queer MCs*
*Bi/Pan MC, Achillean MC, Sapphic MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

18. The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

Sapphic MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

19. A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee

Sapphic MC
F/F Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

20. The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

Bisexual MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Of Honey and Wildfires, Of Dragons Feasts and Murders, Archivist Wasp, Dark and Hollow Star

21. Of Honey and Wildfires (Songs of Sepfate #1) by Sarah Chorn

Sapphic MCs
Trans MC
*Multi POV

Goodreads | StoryGraph

22. Of Dragons Feasts and Murders: A Dominion of the Fallen Story by Aliette de Bodard

Achillean MC
M/M Romance
*Technically this book is book 3.5 in a series but based on the reviews I’ve read it works great as a standalone.

Goodreads | StoryGraph

23. Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace

Asexual MC

StoryGraph | Goodreads

24: A Dark and Hollow Star (A Dark and Hollow Star #1) by Ashley Shuttleworth

Pansexual Rep
Lesbian Rep
Bisexual Rep
Gay Rep
Genderfluid Rep
*Multi POV story with lots of queer characters

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Sound of the Stars, Pheonix Extravagant, Black Water Sister, First Sister

25: The Sound of Stars+ by Alechia Dow

Bisexual + Demisexual MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

26: Pheonix Extravagant+ by Yoon Ha Lee

Non-Binary MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

27: Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

Lesbian MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

28: The First Sister+ by Linden A. Lewis

Sapphic + Non-Binary MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Infinite Noise, Monster of Elendhaven, Lava Red Feather Blue, Spellbound Elendhaven, Lava Red Feather Blue, Spellbound

29: The Infinite Noise (The Bright Sessions #1) by Lauren Shippen

Achillean MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

30: The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

Achillean MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

31: Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle

Achillean MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

32. Spellbound (Magic in Manhattan #1) by Allie Therin

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Wranglestone, Fell of Dark, City We Became, Peter Darling

33. Wranglestone (Wranglestone #1) by Darren Charlton

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

34. The Fell of Dark by Caleb Roehrig

Gay MC
Lesbian, Gay + Pansexual Side Characters

Goodreads | StoryGraph

35. The City We Became+ (Great Cities #1) by N.K. Jemisin

Gay MCs
*Multi POV story with several queer protagonists

Goodreads | StoryGraph

36. Peter Darling by Austin Chant

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Black Tides of Heaven, Ninth Rain, Obsidian Tower, Luck in the Shadows

37. The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate #1) by Neon Yang

Non Binary MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

38. The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy #1) by Jen Williams

Lesbian MC*
*Multiple MCs, one of them is a lesbian

Goodreads | StoryGraph

39. The Obsidian Tower (Rooks and Ruin #1) by Melissa Caruso

Bisexual MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

40. Luck in the Shadows (Nightrunner #1) by Lynn Flewelling

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Wolf at the Door, Sweet and Bitter Magic, Master of Djinn, Under the Whispering Door

41. Wolf at the Door (Big Bad Wolf #1) by Charlie Adhara

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

42. Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley

Sapphic MC
F/F Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

43. A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe #1) by P. Djèlí Clark

Sapphic MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

44. Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

*Expected publication September 2021

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Witness for the Dead, Breaking Legacies, Riwenne, Unspoken Name

45. The Witness for the Dead (The Goblin Emperor #2) by Katherine Addison

Gay MC

*Note: this book can be read as a standalone
**Expected publication June 2021

Goodreads | StoryGraph

46. Breaking Legacies by Zoe Reed

Lesbian MC
F/F Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

47. Riwenne & the Mechanical Beasts (Divine Warriors #1) by Kristen S. Walker

Sapphic MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

48. The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates #1) by A.K. Larkwood

Sapphic MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Kings Sun, Ruin of Kings

49. The King’s Sun (The Brass Machine #1) by Isaac Grisham

Achillean MC
M/M Romance

Goodreads | StoryGraph

50. The Ruin of Kings (A Chorus of Dragons #1) by Jenn Lyons

Bisexual MC

Goodreads | StoryGraph

Whew. That was a long list. Turns out I knew about more queer fantasy novels than I expected! What’s your favorite queer fantasy novel? Did you see any covers that caught your eye? Let me know in the comments below!

Clarification of Terms:

– Light romance: romance is present, but doesn’t dominate the story*
– Heavy romance: romance is the primary focus of the story*
– M/M: a relationship between two men
– F/F: a relationship between two women
– NB/NB: a relationship between nonbinary individuals (could also be NB/F or NB/M)
– Sapphic – a woman who is attracted to other women (used if I’m unsure whether a character is a lesbian or bisexual/pansexual)
– Achillean – a man who is attracted to other men (used if I’m unsure whether a character is gay or bisexual/pansexual)
– MC – main character
*Note: light vs. heavy romance is not meant to indicate whether the book contains sex scenes or not. Just the focus of the plot.

Signature: Peyton

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Author: Peyton
Creator of Word Wilderness.

7 thoughts on “50 Fantasy Books With Queer Main Characters

  1. This is a really impressive list, I’m sure it took you quite a while to put it together! Some of these I’ve read, some of them I already planned to read, but I’ve definitely added quite a few to my TBR now! One thing I will say is that Priory of the Orange Tree also has a gay MC, though there is no element of romance apart from in flashbacks 😊 thank you for putting this together!

    1. Thank you so much! It did take a while to put together, but it seemed like as soon as I started listing all the queer books I knew about I just kept remembering more. All in all, it ended up being one of my favorite posts, so I’ll probably make more like this.

      I tried to get all the details I could find, but I know I missed some things. Thanks for letting me know about the gay MC in Priory of the Orange Tree! I’ll have to add that.

  2. Going farther back, there’s the Last Herald-Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey, The Northern Girl by Elizabeth A. Lynn, and The Door Into Fire by Diane Duane.

      1. You may have to hit the used bookstores for the last 2, I’m not sure they’re still in print.
        In response to your list of titles, I found The Raven Tower an interesting experiment in structure and POV, but it didn’t grab me otherwise; I really enjoyed the 2 books by Nghi Vo and the Tensorate series by Neon Yang; I’m in the middle of A Master of Djinn and finding it great fun (I like everything I’ve read by Clark); I was frustrated by Fireheart Tiger, I wanted more story than the novella form allows, plus I think de Bodard is not an author whose works I enjoy in general.

        1. Yes, I liked the Raven tower, but the long introspective chapters about the rock made it hard to get through. I loved Nghi Vo’s stories and am looking forward to reading her Great Gatsby retelling! Also, I agree that Fireheart Tiger could have been better if it were longer. I really enjoyed the story otherwise.

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