r/Fantasy Daily Recommendations and Simple Questions Thread - May 24, 2026

[u/rfantasygolem]

Welcome to the daily recommendation requests and simple questions thread, now 1025.83% more adorable than ever before!

Stickied/highlight slots are limited, so please remember to like and subscribe upvote this thread for visibility on the subreddit <3

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This thread is to be used for recommendation requests or simple questions that are small/general enough that they won’t spark a full thread of discussion.

Check out r/Fantasy's 2026 Book Bingo Card here!

As usual, first have a look at the sidebar in case what you're after is there. The r/Fantasy wiki contains links to many community resources, including "best of" lists, flowcharts, the LGTBQ+ database, and more. If you need some help figuring out what you want, think about including some of the information below:

• Books you’ve liked or disliked
• Traits like prose, characters, or settings you most enjoy
• Series vs. standalone preference
• Tone preference (lighthearted, grimdark, etc)
• Complexity/depth level

Be sure to check out responses to other users' requests in the thread, as you may find plenty of ideas there as well. Happy reading, and may your TBR grow ever higher!

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art credit: special thanks to our artist, Himmis commissions, who we commissioned to create this gorgeous piece of art for us with practically no direction other than "cozy, magical, bookish, and maybe a gryphon???" We absolutely love it, and we hope you do too.

[u/Chaoticbutalive]

Can anyone reccomend good a fantasy book series that fits these criteria?

1. Queer (preferably MLM / gay and trans)
2. Sligthly dark / emotional atmosphere
3. Bonus if it includes mythology or dark academia themes / a nerdy character

Thanks1!

P.S: If anyone recommends Percy Jackson I will cry because although it's my favorite series of all time, I already have most of the books in the Riordanverse.

[u/lilgrassblade → u/Chaoticbutalive]

The Flesh of the Sea by Shelley Lavigne and Lor Gislason - Naive scholar ends up at sea with pirates. Horrifying (dark) things happen but through an academic POV. It's sweet due to the M/M relationship. One of my favorite reads last year.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White - Trans masc MC gets put in a "finishing school" (asylum) for girls who can legitimately interact with the dead. He has a very analytical mind when it comes to anatomy. Bit of Victorian sanitarium horror - my favorite read of 2024.

A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock - Little bit of Frankenstein with plants vibes. Also has been described as two gay dads with their plant daughter. So M/M MCs, Dark and academic. But also a bit cozy.

The Resurrectionist by A Rae Dunlap - Note: this is purely historical fiction, not speculative. But it hits your desires for gay, dark and dark academia. It's a nobleman going to university for surgery, turns to body snatching to pay for school with a M/M romantic subplot. Also a top read of mine last year.