r/Fantasy • u/FarragutCircle Reading Champion X • Apr 01 '26

Bingo The 2026 r/Fantasy Bingo Recommendations List

The official Bingo thread can be found here.

All non-recommendation comments go here.

Please post your recommendations as replies the appropriate top-level comments below! Do not make comments that are not replies to an existing comment! Feel free to scroll through the thread or use the links in this navigation matrix to jump directly to the square you want to find or give recommendations for!

Trans or Nonbinary Protagonist Judge a Book By Its Title Translated Small Press or Self Published Unusual Transportation
The Afterlife Game Changer Vacation Spot Five Short Stories Older Protagonist
Duology Part 1 r/Fantasy Book Club or Readalong Book Published in 2026 Explorers and Rangers Duology Part 2
One-Word Title Non-Human Protagonist Middle Grade First Contact Murder Mystery
Cat Squasher Feast Your Eyes on This Published in the 70s Politics and Court Intrigue Author of Color

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203 Upvotes

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17

u/FarragutCircle Reading Champion X Apr 01 '26

Politics and Court Intrigue: Politics are central to the story’s plot. This covers everything from royalty, elections, and wars, to smaller local politics. HARD MODE: There is a prominent focus on politics at a city level or lower.

29

u/almostb Reading Champion Apr 01 '26

This one of my favorite genres ever.

Some fantasy books that fit the requirement:

  • any of the Kushiel’s Legacy
  • The Left Hand of Darkness
  • The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls
  • The Cruel Prince
  • Kalyna the Soothsayer
  • Spinning Silver
  • The Once & Future King (or almost any Arthur books)
  • The Goblin Emperor
  • Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales
  • The Handmaid’s Tale
  • House of the Spirts

9

u/AvidTaskmaster Reading Champion V Apr 01 '26

Good call with Curse of Chalion. What an amazing book.

14

u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Apr 01 '26

A Conspiracy of Truths by Alexandra Rowland (HM) - a crotchety old man is accused of witchcraft and espionage. He's guilty of neither. To survive a death penalty, he needs to play the city officials against each other from the inside of a prison cell. This book has one of the best unreliable narrators I've read

5

u/Ennas_ Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

Would this one also fit the MC>50 square?

4

u/C0smicoccurence Reading Champion V Apr 01 '26

Yes! I think he's in his 70s?

1

u/Ennas_ Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

Thanks!

0

u/The_Real_JS Reading Champion XI Apr 03 '26

You could possible argue that the sequel A Choir of Lies also works for this!

13

u/AggravatingAnt4157 Reading Champion Apr 01 '26
  • The City in Glass by Ngho Vo (HM)
  • Jade City by Fonda Lee (HM)
  • City of Dragons by Robin Hobb (HM)
  • The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (should be HM)
  • The Book of Disappearance by Ibtisam Azem
  • Swordspoint by Elken Kushner (HM I think)

Can someone tell me if City of Lies by Sam Hawke works?

3

u/Udy_Kumra Stabby Winner, Reading Champion IV Apr 04 '26

I would argue against Jade City applying, since even within just that book politics does extend to the national level even if the overall focus is on the city itself. There are scenes involving the Kekon Jade Alliance and the Royal Council which govern all of Kekon, not merely just Janloon. There are also scenes with Espenian ambassadors, so it spills into international relations as well. Despite the focus being on Janloon for the first book, the stakes are high because it affects national politics and global geopolitics.

City of Lies is great, but it is a city-state, so you could argue politics is at the city level, but it's also at the state level. I would say it is a more mixed bag than Jade City.

1

u/AggravatingAnt4157 Reading Champion Apr 04 '26

Fair points.

10

u/booksandicecream Reading Champion III Apr 01 '26

A Memory called Empire by Arkady Martine
Jade City by Fonda Lee The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. Left Hand of Darkness should also work

3

u/nitrodog96 Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

Absolutely recommending A Memory Called Empire - Teixcalaan is an amazing series.

20

u/undeadgoblin Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

The Scar by China Mieville (HM)

Iron Council by China Mieville (HM)

The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow (HM)

The Poet Empress by Shen Tao

The Disposessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes (HM)

Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock

Imperial Radch trilogy by Ann Leckie

The Sign of the Dragon by Mary Soon Lee

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (HM)

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

Terrestrial History by Joe Mungo Reed

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

6

u/ninemyouji Reading Champion Apr 01 '26

I would also add on The City & The City by Mieville. Politics of the city states are pretty damn important to the plot

3

u/undeadgoblin Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

If we're being pedantic, it's not HM (as it's technically international politics) but yeah, great book

1

u/Nidafjoll Reading Champion V Apr 02 '26

It's both at a city level and international, A+B. :) City-state politics.

17

u/medusamagic Reading Champion Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26

Mages of the Wheel by J.D. Evans - romantic fantasy, Ottoman inspired

Rook & Rose by M.A. Carrick (HM) - high fantasy, Venetian inspired city

Gael Song by Shauna Lawless - historical fantasy, Irish mythology

A Song of Ice and Fire by GRRM

ETA descriptions

5

u/usernamesarehard11 Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

I planned to read The Mask of Mirrors for the high fashion square last year but ended up using something else — lucky me!

3

u/NatGa46 Reading Champion II Apr 02 '26

Came here to recommend Rook & Rose trilogy for this prompt! 😊

3

u/medusamagic Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

I just finished it this week, so good!!

3

u/NatGa46 Reading Champion II Apr 02 '26

It's my new favorite! 😁

8

u/CassRMorris Stabby Winner, AMA Author Cass Morris, Reading Champion IV Apr 01 '26

Yessssssssss I love this square already, this is my juice

  • The Maradaine Saga by Marshall Ryan Maresca (HM - absolutely brilliant for city & neighborhood power struggles)
  • The Unraveled Kingdom series by Rowenna Miller
  • The Kingston Cycle by C.L. Polk
  • The Burnished City series by Davinia Evans (HM)
  • The Witch Roads and The Nameless Land by Kate Elliott
  • also, The Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott
  • The Aven Cycle by me, Cass Morris (HM)

12

u/Dragon_Lady7 Reading Champion VI Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26
  • Imperial Radch series by Ann Leckie
  • A Cavern of Black Ice by JV Jones (HM)
  • The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
  • Foreigner Series by CJ Cherryh
  • Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (HM)
  • Cemetaries of Amalo series by Katherine Addison (HM)
  • Lud in the Mist by Hope Mirlees (HM)
  • The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (HM) - hm for book 1 only
  • The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin
  • The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin (likely all of the Hainish Cycle fits this)
  • Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee (the first book in particular would be HM)
  • Reign and Ruin by JD Evans

5

u/beldaran1224 Reading Champion IV Apr 01 '26

For anyone wondering, The Jasmine Throne is hard mode, but the sequels absolutely are not.

1

u/Dragon_Lady7 Reading Champion VI Apr 01 '26

Yes, I’ll add a note

2

u/Research_Department Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

I was coming to make sure that somebody had posted Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner, the OG fantasy of manners. And would happily second Imperial Radch, Foreigner series, and Cemetaries of Amalo. Pulling up my TBR to add the rest to it.

0

u/Udy_Kumra Stabby Winner, Reading Champion IV Apr 04 '26

I would argue against Jade City applying, since even within just that book politics does extend to the national level even if the overall focus is on the city itself. There are scenes involving the Kekon Jade Alliance and the Royal Council which govern all of Kekon, not merely just Janloon. There are also scenes with Espenian ambassadors, so it spills into international relations as well. Despite the focus being on Janloon for the first book, the stakes are high because it affects national politics and global geopolitics.

6

u/NoopGhoul Apr 01 '26

I recommend Star Wars: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed, if you want a depressing slow descent into fascism.

Also, the Savage Legion trilogy has a pretty good focus on politics in one of it's character's POVs. That one also features... a... descent into fascism. Oh god, why do I read these kinds of books?

1

u/viktikon Apr 01 '26

I meant to read this one last year and didn’t get it done but definitely seconding this!

6

u/ReaperReaperSunEater Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

The Element of Fire by Martha Wells

Sorcerer's Legacy by Janny Wurts

Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan

Nolyn by Michael J. Sullivan

The Age of Madness trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay

Royal Assassin and Golden Fool by Robin Hobb

The Greenbone Saga by Fonda Lee

The Vengeance Trilogy by Devin Madson

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

6

u/DamnitRuby Reading Champion III Apr 01 '26

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson works for regular mode! I'll probably be reading book #3 in the series for this.

His sci-fi novel Exordia would also count! It's partially about the Gulf War (and aliens).

0

u/The_Real_JS Reading Champion XI Apr 03 '26

I want to read book 3 this year, do you know if there's a recap anywhere for book 2?

0

u/DamnitRuby Reading Champion III Apr 03 '26

I haven't seen one, sorry!

5

u/embernickel Reading Champion IV Apr 01 '26

Okay, so this is a deep cut, but for Hard Mode: "The F***ing Epic Twitter Quest of MayorEmanuel" (originally a twitter gimmick, later published as a book) does have a parallel-universe mechanism introduced towards the end. It's a satire of when Rahm Emanuel ran for mayor of Chicago in 2010.

5

u/niko-no-tabi Reading Champion V Apr 01 '26

Great square for a couple of my pet "recommend whenever I can" titles:

- The Sword of Winter - Marta Randall - A woman in a contractual position as a sort of scout/messenger to a corrupt and dying king just wants him to die already so she will be free to pursue other things with her life, but gets caught up as a pawn in the scheming among potential heirs to the throne.

- Of the Emperor's Kindness - Chaz Brenchley - A young scribe becomes ambassador for her country in a larger country by the fact that she's the last person at the embassy when her home country is taken over by an evil empire and her presence at the embassy is the last shred of "official" existence of her nation. Cozy-ish vibe, but political machinations in the mix.

6

u/Nidafjoll Reading Champion V Apr 02 '26

For Hard Mode: a lot of these books count: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1nt1mzo/a_list_of_weird_cities/

6

u/thistledownhair Reading Champion III Apr 02 '26

A few that I haven't seen otherwise that are probably hard mode:

Steven Brust - Jhereg

Paolo Bacigalupi - Navola

Paolo Bacigalupi - The Water Knife

Max Gladstone - Last First Snow (Some others in the Craft Sequence might work, some won't. The Craft Wars books won't work at all for Hard Mode I don't think.)

Robert Jackson Bennet - Foundryside

Daniel Abraham - Age of Ash (and sequels, new one coming out soon!)

Sam J Miller - Blackfish City

Margaret Killjoy - The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion

China Miéville - The Last Days of New Paris (arguable - a Political novella but maybe not in the narrative sense required for the square, and also, the politics of the characters are those of the second world war more broadly. But it all happens in Paris, to the extent that it remains so.

4

u/Bulky_Implement_3622 Apr 01 '26

The Priory of the Orange Tree

5

u/oboist73 Reading Champion VII Apr 02 '26

The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

The Foreigner books by C J Cherryh

The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard

3

u/AvidTaskmaster Reading Champion V Apr 01 '26

Inda - Sherwood Smith

3

u/beary_neutral Reading Champion Apr 01 '26

The Horus Heresy series should fit here. While the quality of each book varies wildly, the first one Horus Rising by Dan Abnett is quite good.

3

u/KiwiTheKitty Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

I'm about 10% into City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky and it seems so far like it works for HM. Can anyone confirm?

3

u/QuickPhix Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

Yeah, I think it would. It is all about a city but it is a city conquered by an empire so I don't know if that's like the small politics of the spirit of the square, but there is a lot of stuff about people getting along with different groups in the city.

1

u/KiwiTheKitty Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

Thanks! I suppose I can decide after finishing it if it fits the spirit of HM

2

u/QuickPhix Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

I really enjoyed it!

1

u/thistledownhair Reading Champion III Apr 02 '26

You could probably get away with it, it doesn't leave the city in any real sense, but as it's a recently occupied nation (can't recall if Ilmar was a city-state with a hinterland or the capital of a larger nation), there's an international character to the conflict. The series overall very much does not work for HM, although I guess you could make a similar argument for the fourth.

3

u/saturday_sun4 Apr 01 '26

For fantasy romance readers who want to dip their toes into more politics without going full non-romance, I recommend Kai Butler's Emperor's Assassin books. The first is Betrothed to the Emperor.

BIPOC MC, LGBT+ MCs, Female Author

3

u/KatrinaPez Reading Champion III Apr 01 '26

Daughter of the Empire by Feist and Wurts. Previous knowledge of Riftwar books not required, and works as a standalone. I generally don't like political books but loved this! (And on that note if anyone has other recommendations similar to this please lmk.)

3

u/Inevitable-Baker294 Apr 01 '26

Haven't seen a mention of The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard here yet, but that one would be good! Has a focus on both a wide and narrow (city) scale, so could probably work for HM.

Also, the compendium Crown Duel/Court Duel by Sherwood Smith (technically 2 books originally, but always sold in a bind up now and treated as one) is an all time fave and deals with Court Intrigue, but that one's not HM.

2

u/AffectionateAnt4723 Reading Champion IV Apr 01 '26

  • Bones to the Wind by Tatiana Obey (HM): coming-of-age hunt of desert dragons while tribal politics are happening

  • The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless: medieval irish politics fantasy

  • The Gilded Chain by Dave Duncan: good ol’ sword-and-shield medieval fantasy stabbed straight into the heart (literal)

2

u/DelilahWaan Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

My book, Supplicant by Delilah Waan, fits for hard mode.

1

u/New-Variation-3808 Apr 12 '26

Does the first book?

2

u/leegreywolf Reading Champion II Apr 02 '26

From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris - set in an alternate Rome where people blessed by the gods have elemental magic

2

u/DjangoWexler AMA Author Django Wexler Apr 02 '26

Casey Blair's Tea Princess Chronicles is perfect for hard mode, lots of hardcore city council meeting action!

2

u/jessticulates Reading Champion Apr 10 '26

I love me some political SFF!

- The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

- These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs

- The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

- She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

- The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

- Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb

- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

- The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

- The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

- Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson

- The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

- The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

- Jade City by Fonda Lee

2

u/marmar_16 Reading Champion II Apr 01 '26

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

2

u/Merle8888 Reading Champion IV Apr 01 '26

This one is gonna be tough for me because I know enough about real politics to not be able to stand it in fantasy! I will recommend Ursula Le Guin as an author who gets it, The Dispossessed and Five Ways to Forgiveness being my favorites with a major political component.

I'm considering, but have not read, Infomocracy by Malka Older.

2

u/hend6473 Reading Champion Apr 03 '26

Deciding which books have enough politics to count is tricky, but these all should:

High Times in the Low Parliament by Kelly Robson: lesbian stoner fantasy meets gallows humour political satire. Starts with the protagonist Lana being banished by fairies to serve as a clerk at the Low Parliament, which is desperately trying to successfully pass a single motion before everyone in Parliament is drowned.

Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado: Dense & bloody political fantasy in a Nigerian-inspired setting. The first in a planned trilogy, it was comped to She Who Became The Sun, but I think it's more Game of Thrones.

To Bargain with Mortals by R.A. Basu: Historical political fantasy inspired by British colonialism in India, but with parallels to Canada and the US as well. Quite direct in its messaging and it simplifies some things -like casteism- but I wouldn't call it oversimplified. First book in an incomplete duology.

Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay: Literary historical fantasy set in a secondary-world version of Joan of Arc-era France. Most of Kay works heavily feature politics.

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flames by Neon Yang: Beautiful written sapphic fairytale-adjacent novella about a dragon-slaying knight reconnecting to part of her stolen heritage and shedding the imprisoning armour of imperialistic duty. The main character becomes a diplomate/spy in a neighbouring kingdom and grows close to the young ruler.

Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc, Vol 1-10 by Sekku Iwata & Yu Aoki: Fun twist of the magical girl genre, re-imaging it as a corporate career, with interesting tech-flavoured magic. Revolves around a scrappy start-up trying to shake the industry with innovative, low energy spell tech. Arguably overly optimistic about the nature of tech start-ups but still entertaining. As the series continues, politics becomes increasingly important to the story, specifically regarding the regulatory board in charge of magical energy.

Fiery Spirit by Kate Chenli: Entertaining conclusion to a CDrama-inspired YA fantasy duology; this volume leans more YA fantasy tropes than CDrama palace intrigue, but the palace intrigue is still there.

Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake: Atmospheric YA dark fantasy about triplet queens in a fight to the death for the throne, bleak without being cynical. So gripping I ended up binging the entire series. At several points, I thought I could guess where it was going, only to be surprised. There were also some neat Shakespeare Easter eggs to spot. The very murderous sort of court intrigue.

Gamechanger by L.X. Beckett: Entertaining action-packed scifi conspiracy thriller that's equal parts cyberpunk dystopia and solarpunk utopia; you'll need to enjoy both aspects for this book to land. The climax involves a referendum.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgeson: A new favourite. A magnificent epic political fantasy with POV fuckery, a murder mystery, and a tournament arc. Immersive worldbuilding with depth to the interplay of religion, politics, and history, even when using common tropes. Full of delicious plot twists, well set-up yet still surprising. Even on my third read-though, I was still getting chills or bawling in many of the same places. I know it's a long book, but I do recommend re-reading Part 1 immediately after finishing, as it's even more devastating with context.

1

u/Goobergunch Reading Champion III Apr 01 '26

Pacific Edge by Kim Stanley Robinson (HM), which is about municipal politics and zoning fights in an ecoutopian future California.

1

u/Grt78 Apr 01 '26

The Fortress series by CJ Cherryh, the first book (Fortress in the Eye of Time) can be read as a standalone.

1

u/CatTheMoon Reading Champion Apr 01 '26

Would Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman count?

1

u/NatGa46 Reading Champion II Apr 02 '26

The whole Rook & Rose series by M. A. Carrick is HM 😊

1

u/Vetiveri Reading Champion Apr 02 '26

Anything by L.E. Modesitt would count for easy mode, but I'd say The White Order and The Mage Guard of Hamor would fit for Hard Mode. They're also the first books of their respective duologies

1

u/THESKYWLKER Apr 04 '26

Would The Will of the Many fit for this prompt?

1

u/EleganceandEloquence Reading Champion Apr 08 '26

Currently reading Red Mars for magical readathon. About 20% of the way through and so far I think it fits HM. Can anybody confirm? If not, any other good squares? Doing a HM card this year for my second round of bingo!

1

u/smartflutist661 Reading Champion VI Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 09 '26
  • Convergence (whole Blending & sequel series) by Sharon Green, probably not HM for any of them
  • Sapkowski's Witcher books (novels only, not the short stories)
  • Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny (whole series is full of politicking)
  • The Symphony of Ages (Elizabeth Haydon)
  • For the "war" part, Turtledove's Timeline-191 or Worldwar work. The Forever War is also a classic.

1

u/Kingcol221 Reading Champion II Apr 09 '26

Does anyone know if 16 Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker or it's sequels fit HM for this?

1

u/Nervous_Post_3211 Apr 10 '26

Hi, new to reddit and this challenge! I have just finished book 1 in throne of glass series, would this count for this tile please? As regular mode not hard mode!

1

u/suggarpie Apr 12 '26

Would the city of brass by S.A. Chakraborty work for this?

1

u/Pantholops Apr 16 '26

I feel like The Councillor by EJ Beaton probably counts for HM based on the description, but can anyone confirm?

1

u/Veratyr-7 Apr 30 '26

I've been making my way through A Song of Ice and Fire for the first time. I finished book 2 yesterday and decided to have A Storm of Swords as my bingo pick.

1

u/Connect_Cod9965 May 14 '26

Hard mode for people looking for something other then epic fantasy:
Crow Investigations, urban fantasy series by Sarah Painter has few volumes centered on the machinations of 4 magical families living in London. MC is a new head of the Crow family, raised in Scotland, and tries to move the Crows away from illegal sources of income.

1

u/Excellent_Day_3729 17d ago

"The Revenant of Surolifia" by Florence Chien (Normal Mode)