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Fantasy books trending on #BookTok
TikTok’s fantasy favorites, from magic and myth to retellings and romance.
Veröffentlicht am 9. April 2024
Red Rising
Pierce BrownA current BookTok sensation that’s equal parts sci-fi, dystopian lit, and epic war fantasy, “Red Rising” paints a bleak picture of a futuristic, color-coded caste society. Members of the Red caste are relegated to backbreaking underground work to make the surface of Mars inhabitable for other castes. With the announcement of its seventh and final installment, Brown’s hit series will probably stay one of the most hyped on TikTok throughout the year.
All Systems Red
Martha WellsPraised by BookTokers for its witty humor and unique premise, “All Systems Red” follows the journey of a security robot who hacks its own programming to become self-aware and just wants to be left alone. Of course, nothing goes smoothly from there. Winner of the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novella, this exploratory sci-fi piece mashes up Andy Weir’s (“ProjectHail Mary”) wise-cracking take on a life-and-death situation with the sensibilities of “Westworld” and “Ex Machina.”
Assistant to the Villain
Hannah Nicole MaehrerThis romantic fantasy made waves pre-publication thanks to the author’s viral TikTok series. Evie Sage has a unique job: She’s the assistant to a villain (the title doesn’t lie). He may be grumpy and evil, but he’s also strikingly handsome. When a saboteur threatens the villain’s dominion, it’s up to Evie to root him out. “Assistant to the Villain” is a funny, cozy read that’s filled with offbeat side characters.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Becky ChambersBookToker @abbysbookishcorner has carved out a reputation for herself as a candid book reviewer. It’s a good sign, then, that she gushes about this series starter that has won over almost anyone who’s read it. Looking to shake off her past, Rosemary Harper takes a road trip through the galaxy aboard the Wayfarer, a spaceship decidedly past its prime. Originally self-published, Chambers’ feel-good sci-fi piece won a Hugo Award.
Renegades
Marissa MeyerFrom BookTok’s darling author Marissa Meyer (“Cinder” and “Heartless”), this is an action-packed homage to comic book superheroes. The Renegades, a group of superhuman prodigies, defeated the Anarchists to restore order and justice to the world. But nothing is so black-and-white in Meyer’s novel as Adrian and Nova, a Renegade and an Anarchist, begin to question the morality of their chosen sides.
Binti
Nnedi OkoraforRecognized as a contemporary Black sci-fi classic within the BookTok community, “Binti” is a novella that tells the tale of a young woman who breaks tradition, leaving her home and family to go to an intergalactic university. On the way, her journey through the stars is interrupted as a nightmarish alien race attacks her ship — and she must find a way to survive.
The Left Hand of Darkness
Ursula K. Le GuinBookTok has a soft spot for Le Guin, one of the most brilliant writers of our time and the creator of the “Earthsea” universe. “The Left Hand of Darkness” won both the Hugo and Nebula awards; it’s set on a planet where gender is fluid and follows a human envoy navigating the cultural disparity between this alien world and his own. Le Guin’s masterful writing transcends categories and proves genre fiction can tell profound stories.
This Is How You Lose the Time War
Amal El-MohtarBookTok stars like @ezeekat rave about the lyrical prose and exploratory intensity of this Hugo Award-winning novella. Two women, named Red and Blue, fight for opposite factions in the ceaseless time war, flowing from the past to the future, from timeline to timeline. Through a series of letters sent via tea and lava and other delightful delivery systems, Red and Blue fall for each other, and combine for some of the best purple prose around.
This Woven Kingdom
Tahereh MafiMajor BookTok accounts like @aymansbooks, @epic_reads, and @maditasbibliotheca are all over stories by National Book Award-nominated author Mafi, first with “Shatter Me” and now “This Woven Kingdom.” This enemies-to-lovers tale has an emotional plot, beautiful prose, and major “Cinderella” vibes when the love interest, a lowly servant, becomes the heir to the Jinn kingdom. Devour this book before diving into the sequel, “These Infinite Threads.”
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. MaasAnother one of Maas’ wildly addictive novels also continues to enthrall fantasy BookTokers (and SpicyTokers, too) with its reimagining of themes from “Beauty and the Beast.” Feyre is a huntress, but when she kills the wrong wolf, she is taken from her family and into the fae realm to pay the price. Complete with curses, wicked rulers, dangerous bargains, and monsters, this story explores just how much one will sacrifice for love. The series is being adapted for Hulu by Ron Moore (“Outlander,” “Battlestar Galactica”).
Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of The Oxford Translators' Revolution
Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of The Oxford Translators' Revolution
R. F. KuangIn this historical fantasy, a British professor adopts Robin Swift, a young Cantonese orphan, who goes on to study translation at an elite (and magical) Oxford institute. But it soon becomes clear that the Royal Institute of Translation is hoarding knowledge to fuel their colonialist agenda, trapping Robin between worlds and forcing him to make hard choices. “Babel” is not the first Kuang book to make BookTok waves; her 2018 release, “The Poppy War,” is also a trending title.
Bloodmarked
Tracy DeonnDeonn returns with a propulsive sequel to her YA fantasy novel, “Legendborn.” As protagonist Bree reckons with her newfound powers, she and the rest of the Legendborn Order must embark on a dangerous mission to rescue one of their own. This fantasy adventure features themes of race, destiny, and bravery.
Juniper & Thorn: A Novel
Ava ReidReid (“The Wolf and the Woodsman”) delivers a loose retelling of Grimm’s gruesome fairytale, “The Juniper Tree.” It follows Marlinchen, one of the last witches in rapidly industrializing Oblya, and her quest for autonomy despite an oppressive father and a murderous presence in Oblya. “I’ve read more than 150 novels in 2022, and nothing comes close to ‘Juniper & Thorn’s’ rich and often vicious imagery,” says BookToker @laurens.little.library of this gothic and gory tale that skewers the patriarchy.
Book of Night
Holly BlackBlack (“The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “The Folk of the Air”) makes her adult fiction debut with this gritty, urban fantasy featuring shadowy magicians, secret societies, and a high stakes heist. Charlie, a bartender and a (supposedly) retired con artist, gets sucked into a mysterious scheme involving gloamists (magicians who manipulate shadows for nefarious purposes) that puts her and her loved ones at risk. “Book of Night” has received countless rave reviews on BookTok.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess: A Novel
Sue Lynn TanTan’s dazzling “Celestial Kingdom” duology whisks readers away to a beautiful world full of mythological creatures and magic. In “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” (the first book of the series), Xingyin attempts to free her imprisoned mother, the moon goddess, but is forced to choose between family and the fate of the world. A new imagining of Chinese folklore, Tan’s epic adventure and coming-of-age tale will leave fantasy lovers eager for more. Lucky for us, BookTok stans the sequel, “Heart of the Sun Warrior,” too.
A Dowry of Blood
S.T. Gibson“Dowry of Blood” is a loose reimagining of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” written from the perspective of his bride, Constanta. It has all the gothic and epistolary trappings of the original but also a new, queer twist. High-heat dark romance is only one side of the story — this tale also examines abuse, manipulation, and autonomy.
Gallant
V. E. SchwabOlivia Prior is a young, mute artist at the Merilance School for Independent Girls when she receives an invitation to move into her uncle Arthur’s manor, Gallant. Though Gallant’s inhabitants — both human and otherworldly — aren’t exactly welcoming, Olivia is determined to unravel the truth of her long-lost family. Award-winning Schwab (“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue,” “Shades of Magic,” “Villains”) unites horror and whimsy in this engaging story that’s won many a BookToker’s heart.
From Blood and Ash
Jennifer L. ArmentroutArmentrout describes the “Blood and Ash” fantasy series as “if ‘A Game of Thrones’ had vampires,” so naturally, there’s plenty of angst and dark romance. These elements and the forbidden love angle has dark fantasy fans and SpicyTokers going wild. Poppy, a Maiden who has to ignore her own desires for the sake of family and kingdom, falls for Hawke, a guard who makes his way past her defenses.
The House in the Cerulean Sea
TJ KluneWonderfully weird, quietly romantic, and full of magic and queerness, immerse yourself in the bliss of found family with Klune’s feel-good new classic. Caseworker Linus Baker doesn’t push boundaries; he meticulously reports about orphanages taking care of children with supernatural powers. But his worldview is taken for a spin when he is assigned to work at Marsyas Island Orphanage, where the children are particularly monstrous and the caretaker extremely mysterious. “This is the book that’s like sitting in the warm sun and being surrounded by friends,” says BookToker Anna Kimbro (@bananna_k). Or, as author V.E. Schwab perfectly sums it up, “It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket.”
Caraval
Stephanie GarberDescribed by many as “The Night Circus” meets “The Hunger Games,” this series starter has it all: a magical circus, lyrical prose, a deep sisterly bond, and a sensual romance. Scarlett wants nothing more than to go to Caraval with her sister, Tella; once there, she wants nothing more than to find her sister and save her from death. Utterly captivating.
Legends & Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes
Travis BaldreeViv, an orc barbarian, just wants to hang up her sword and open a coffee shop. But getting out of the warrior business isn’t as simple as giving two weeks notice. Can Viv brew up a way to keep her bloody past from crashing her second act? This cozy fantasy — and BookTok fan favorite — is for anyone dreaming of taking a shot at a fresh start.
A Touch of Darkness
Scarlett St. ClairIf you like your fantasy novels steamy, SpicyTok says “A Touch of Darkness” cranks up the heat. In this Greek mythology fanfiction, all the Greek gods live on Earth and are treated as lavish celebrities. Persephone hopes she can hide her failures as the Goddess of Spring by leading a normal life of a mortal, but instead gets sucked into a bet with Hades, the God of the Dead. She doubles down when they develop romantic feelings, but all bets are off on how it’ll turn out. (If you prefer vampires to Greek gods, but still like your fantasy scorching hot, St. Clair’s “King of Battle and Blood” is also making waves on BookTok.)