5 Must-Read Fantasy Series by POC Authors
The fantasy genre has often been dominated by the usual contenders: George R. R. Martin, J. R. R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, but it is now expanding rapidly. The last few years have brought about an era of rapidly growing diverse fantasy, highlighting a vivid array of authors from around the globe who write about fantasy worlds inspired by the corners of their own. It’s about time we build a new list of fantasy greats. So, here’s a list of 5 must-read fantasy series to check out, all by POC authors.
The Lies of the Ajungo – Moses Ose Utomi
Set in an African inspired fantasy world, The Lies of the Ajungo is the first instalment in a trilogy of novellas called the Forever Desert. In the City of Lies, every citizen is forced to cut out their tongue at the age of 13 by the Ajungo Empire, in exchange for enough water to just barely survive. Tutu is 12 years old, and is watching his mother die of thirst. He sets out to find water for his people, hoping to return a hero. On Tutu’s quest for salvation, he finds more than what he bargained for: the truth.
Jade City – Fonda Lee
The City of Kekon is the only one in the world that produces a rare magical jade, which allows its wearer superhuman abilities based on heritage and training. The Kaul family are the spearheads of the No Peak Clan, and one of the two families that run Kekon’s criminal underworld. This first instalment in The Greenbone Saga follows the Kauls as they grapple with the realities that come with the blood feuds and politics within the city they have partial ownership of — a city that seems determined to swallow them whole.
The Fifth Season – N.K. Jemisin
In this post-apocalyptic fantasy world, we follow Essun, a mother who comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered her son and kidnapped her daughter. At the same time, the mighty Empire of Sanze, once the bedrock of civilisation, has fallen — at the whims of a madman. Across the continent, a great rift known as the Stillness has torn apart the earth, plunging its inhabitants into unending darkness. With the odds stacked against her, Essun must manoeuvre this deadly land, not caring if the world falls apart around her. Nothing will stand in the way of her saving her daughter.
The Poppy War – R. F. Kuang
Inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese war, The Poppy War thrusts you into a world where Rin, a dark-skinned peasant girl, works painfully hard in order to gain a step through the door of opportunities but finds herself helplessly behind the powerful individuals who are already granted a seat at the table. Constantly targeted for her background and lack of familial status, Rin discovers that she possesses a lethal power, stemmed in the mythical art of shamanism. With the third Poppy War on the rise, Rin must prepare for the consequences of her God-given powers and decide whether she is capable of turning the tides of a war that has already taken so much from her.
The Hurricane Wars
– Thea Guanzon
For those of you looking for a romantic twist to your fantasy reads, look no further than this South-East Asian inspired fantasy series following Talasyn and Alaric, two diametrically opposed individuals who are on opposite sides of the Hurricane Wars. When Talaysn’s hidden powers as a Lightweaver is exposed to Alaric in the height of battle, his Shadowforged abilities collide with her Lightweaving, bringing forth a sort of barrier-like power that has never been conjured before. With a greater threat on the way, Alaric and Talasyn are forced to form an uneasy alliance in order to protect themselves and their people against a much deadlier opponent.
By Saberin C.