If you’ve only been looking for fantasy novels on the shelves of your nearest chain bookstore, you might be forgiven for assuming that men write big epic fantasies while women confine their stories to the realm of romantasy. This is partly the fault of publishing, which likes to pigeonhole female authors into trendy categories before oversaturating the market and failing to properly market non-romantasy titles written by women.
Bookstores, too, can take some of the blame. They are trying to turn a profit and will carry only what they think will sell best. Backlist titles and midlist authors are affected by this the most. Marketing likes new things, and so does social media. It’s the rare older book that gets its time in the sun when it goes viral. Everyone is so focused on what’s new that it’s easy to forget about a book from twenty or more years ago, and the female-authored books that get the most marketing are the romantasies with their swirling designs and fancy sprayed edges.
This does not mean that women haven’t been writing epic fantasies. They have been doing so all this time, they just don’t get the attention, marketing, and TV deals to bring them to a wider audience.
I wanted to shine a light on some of the epic fantasy series women have written over the years– stories set on fantastical worlds with strange magic, history-changing events, and characters you’ll want to follow across hundreds or thousands of pages. I wrote down several series I have tried and enjoyed, then asked some of my friends what they would recommend. In fairly short order, we came up with enough series that this post will have two parts. There are enough books here to keep you reading for a long time.
The Sun Sword saga by Michelle West
The Dominion used to be in a state of perpetual war thanks to the strife between the Five Clans. Years ago, an uneasy peace was declared and now there is a state of relative calm. But treachery has shaken the foundations of The Dominion, and two who were never meant to rule– a general and a gifted sorcerer– seek the crown, and they were willing to slaughter everyone in the ruling Leonne clan to get what they want.
The Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman
Centuries ago, humanity colonized the world of Erna, not realizing that strange spirits already inhabited the world and would force the colonists to radically change their way of life. Now, as a dark force is rising to threaten what humanity has managed to build, four unlikely companions venture into the wilderness to face the demon behind the destruction.
The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
In the wake of a global catastrophe, a woman with magic she must hide from everyone goes in search of her daughter, who has been taken by her husband, a man who has already murdered their young son. The deeper she travels into the broken wilderness, the more she learns about the history that shattered her world in the first place and reveals to her how she might begin to heal the world.
With The Broken Earth trilogy, N.K. Jemisin became the first person ever to win three straight Hugo Awards for Best Novel.
The Burning Kingdoms trilogy by Tasha Suri
Malini has been imprisoned by her tyrant brother for refusing his demands to sacrifice herself. She lives in isolation in the ruins of an ancient temple, tended to by a handful of servants including Priya. Priya is content to be ignored, for her true nature is a threat to the tyrant’s throne. When Malini sees Priya’s secret, it sets them on the path to deposing a tyrant and changing the empire forever.
Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb
Fitzchivalry Farseer is the illegitimate son of an exiled prince. He grows up in the shadow of the royal court, destined to be used as a tool of the king’s will. Forbidden magic is in Fitz’s blood, though, and with it he will shape the destiny of the kingdom. Meanwhile, in the Rain River Wilds, traders sail the treacherous waters in the sentient ships made with a miraculous wood and bound to generations of the families. The conflicts between those families drive them to extremes that will shape the fortunes of everyone in the Rain River Wilds.
Wars of Light and Shadow by Jenny Wurts
The world of Athera is covered in an endless fog, a creation of the malevolent Mistwraith. To challenge the wraith’s grip on Athera, two half-brothers– Arithon, Master of Shadow, and Lysaer, Lord of Light– must combine their powers. As they begin to mount their challenge to the Mistwraith, they discover that far greater things are at stake than this single battle.
Between Earth and Sky by Rebecca Roanhorse
The winter solstice is usually a time of celebration in the holy city of TOva, but this year the solstice coincides with a rare solar eclipse, an event prophesied to disrupt the order of the world. As the solstice approaches, a ship departs from across the sea. It carries among the crew Xiala, a Teek whose song can calm the water and warp men’s minds, and the sole passenger, Serapio. He is a young blind mind who everyone says is harmless, but if Xiala knows anything, it’s that the appearance of innocence can mask the darkest minds.
The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott
Elen is the deputy courier assigned to guide a prince’s entourage on a diplomatic mission through a dangerous stretch of wilderness. Though her cheerful disposition makes her a charismatic guide, her low social class causes the prince to disrespect her and ignore her warnings to stay out of the haunted Spires. He goes in anyway, and the man who leaves is not the man who went in. Now, the group’s fate rests on her shoulders as she guides them through the perilous territory, stranger and all, to complete their mission.
Part two of two will be out next week. Feel free to suggest other epic fantasy series written by women in the comments.
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