Last week, I wrote a bit about how epic fantasy series written by women are often overlooked. Some friends and I came up with a list of our favorite series. There were too many to list in one post, so here is the second part of that list. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the epic fantasy series or novels written by women– Kate Elliot alone has several series to her name– but it gives you a place to start if you’re looking for something new-to-you to try.
The Winnowing Flame by Jen Williams
The Eban empire is on the brink of collapse, but Tormalin the Oathless doesn’t care. He is more interested in living it up as long as he can. When Lady Vincenza de Grazon, an eccentric explorer, offers him a job, he takes it, seeing it as an easy way out of his problems in the city. He’s not even bothered when they take up with a witch with a propensity for setting things on fire. Before long, though, they are pulled into a web of conspiracy and magic, for some do not want to let the empire fall, and an ancient enemy is rising once more.
The Fortress series by C.J. Cherryh
In a ruined castle, an ancient wizard casts a spell to bring a young man to life out of thin air. Thus begins a story that sets father against son and shines on a light on a battle that has raged outside of time that will soon affect the destiny of all.
Their Bright Ascendancy by K. Arsenault Rivera
The Hokkaran Empire rules all, but they have failed to see the rot growing from within. Now their borders are failing as demons swam in from out of the forests. On the steppes, the nomadic Qorin retreat to protect themselves. They have made a bargain with the empire and have helped raise the imperial heir, O-Shizuka, igniting a bond of love between her and Barsalaaya Shefali, the daughter of one of the Qorin’s greatest leaders. To defeat the darkness threatening their world, Shefali and O-Shizuka must learn to become rulers in their own right and unite their people against the growing darkness.
The Books of the Raksura by Martha Wells
All his life, Moon has had to hide his shape-changing abilities for he knows no one else who can do what he does: transform into a winged being capable of flight. If he is exposed, he risks being cast out of his home again. One day, he meets someone who knows all about Moon and promises him a place in his own community. What the stranger does not say is that Moon’s presence will alter the balance of power in his society because of the hidden lineage that Moon is heir to. Moon does not know it yet, but he could prove to be the salvation of his new home, or its destruction.
A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons
Kihrin is an orphan who was raised on storybook tales of heroes, long-lost royalty, and grand quests. When he is claimed as the long-lost son of a treacherous prince, Kihrin finds that those old stories are nothing like reality. He is all but a prisoner in the family that has claimed him thanks to their schemes and ambitions. But there is no way out for Kihrin, for there are prophecies that seem to be about him, and they say that he will cause the destruction of an empire.
Inda series by Sherwood Smith
Indevan was a mere second son in his family, destined to remain at home and defend their castle from external threats. When war begins to threaten the land, though, he is sent to the Royal Academy to learn the arts of war. While there, he learns that the most dangerous enemies aren’t always strangers. Sometimes, they’re the ones you see every day.
The Five Penalties by Marina Lostetter
In a daring heist, thieves have stolen the death mask of Louis Charbon, an artifact imbued with a monstrous spirit from the past. Now the spirit has been released and people across the city are being murdered. It is up to Krona Hirvath and her fellow Regulators to find the mastermind who freed the spirit, find a way to end the killings, and deal with the secrets revealed by the murders before the city tears itself apart.
Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn
Rohan, the new ruler of the Desert, took the throne with two main goals: to bring peace to the land and to protect the remaining dragons that may hold the key to saving his people. Meanwhile, Sioned is a Sunrunner witch intended to be Rohan’s bride. She is caught between a trio of powers whose machinations could save the kingdom, or destroy it.
The Serpent Gates by A.K. Larkwood
Csorwe was always meant to go to the mountains, climb to the Shrine of the Unspoken, and offer herself as a sacrifice for her people. On the day she is supposed to die, however, a powerful mage offers her another path. He wants to reclaim the seat of power in the land he was exiled from, and he needs a servant to aid him. Csorwe takes the opportunity and steals, spies, and fights for him. But the gods are slow to forget, and soon Csorwe and the mage will learn that even they must pay their debts.
If you have suggestions for epic fantasy series or standalone novels written by women, feel free to share them in the comments.
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