Hi everyone!
If you've been following me on my blog for even a little while, you would know that I love reading fantasy. No matter if it's adult or YA or sometimes even middle-grade- if it's fantasy, then you can count me interested.
But because it's been around so long, we seem to have some kinds of worlds, settings, or magic systems that come up again and again in fantasy novels even now. The genre has somewhat of an over-saturation of stories either inspired by or set in the medical European era, with swords and knights and kings; or we have books inspired by colonial Rome.
Essentially a lot of books are set in very familiar settings and periods and as fun and amazing as they may be, I personally crave something different and unique from time to time.
In the last few years, we have been getting pretty incredible stories that experiment with different time periods and locations, that break the mold and place their reader in a world where they have so much to explore.
Here I share some of the best of what I've read or have been recommended to me.
1. Jade City by Fonda Lee-
Jade City is an urban fantasy set in a sort-of our world setting. The time period is somewhere around after World War II, and the location is Kekon, reminiscent of 70s Hong Kong.
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2. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
One of my personal favorites from this list, These Violent Delights has made a solid place as one of my all-time favorites in my heart.
Set in 1926 Shanghai, amid chaos between gangs, communists, and countries, is the story of Roma and Juliette.
3. Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
Now we finally come to the book that inspired me to write this book in the first place. Fireborne is partly inspired by the French Revolution, partly by an Anastasia-like story- BUT with dragons.
There's nothing like that I've read. It combines political machinations, consequences of a revolution and feudal system, as well themes of mental trauma and loyalty- all in one impossible package.
The era it is set in makes for some very interesting moral dilemmas, and it is such an underrated gem.
4. Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
You know a book that you see around so much everywhere that you are convinced that it must be overhyped, but when you read it for yourself, you feel that it is not overhyped AT ALL.
Poppy War was that book for me.
Set in "mid-20th-century China, with the conflict in the novel based on the Second Sino-Japanese War, and an atmosphere inspired by the Song dynasty". I couldn't resist including this book in this list.
5. Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh-
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea doesn't have a concrete time and place, since 90% of it is underwater. BUT that itself was the most vividly imagined and stunning world I've ever read about.
I haven't been able to pinpoint the era, but it is very old. Like when there was zero technology, maybe/probably/unsurely 17th century.
6. Dark of the West by Joanne Hathaway-
If you like your fantasy with a military/war element to it but are tired of the regular armors, swords, and horses, then you can bet on this book to give you warplanes, guns, cars, and an enemies-to-lovers romance to keep you hooked to every page.
It feels like a World War II setting in the 1940s, and it is a lot of fun to be in.
7. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley-Parker Chan
Apart from the (very) gorgeous cover (because I'm not a materialistic, cover buyer at all), She Who Became the Sun is devastating.
It's inspired by Chinese history, more specifically a re-imagining of the rise to power of the Hongwu Emperor in the 14th century. These last few months, I've read so many books set in Asia, and the things I had no idea about despite living here never cease to amaze me.
8. This is How You Lose the Time War-
This Is How You Lose the Time War is a book I haven't read yet, but I have seen highly praised by my favorite authors and bloggers alike. It's a book I'm definitely hoping to read this year.
It's a story of two time-travelers and how they fall in love with each other by writing letters. Aside from the beautiful writing, it jumps between a bunch of different time periods, most often around works was and conflicts. I do not doubt that along with the characters, it would be endlessly fascinating.
9. Bear and the Nightingale by Kathryn Arden
I found out about this book while browsing and only had to read this to convince me to pick it up immediately-
"Set in 14th-century Rus, a land of boyars (aristocrats) where Moscow is still made of wood and under the thumb of the Golden Horde, “The Bear and the Nightingale" combines Russian myths and medieval history to tell the story of a brave girl caught between old magic and the Russian Orthodox Church."
10. Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft-
Senlin Ascends is the story of a man named Senlin, whose wife gets lost in the Tower of Babel and he has to go through each level/story to find her. It's very bizarre, strange, and very unique. It's set in a sort of an alternate reality in the steampunk era. But the way it combines a lot of elements from different genres makes it very interesting.
Time to Chat!
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked this post and I if love to know if you plan to read any of these or if you have read any of them! Let me know your thoughts on the comments.
Until the next post,
Bye!
