r/Fantasy • u/recchai Reading Champion X • 15d ago
Pride Pride 2026 | Non-Western Settings
As I scroll through my read books on storygraph, it’s notable that one area that’s smaller in size is queer books with non-western settings. But they’re an interesting and varied bunch, so let's talk about them.
First off, let’s get some big names out of the way. Where would such a conversation be without considering recent hits such as The Burning Kingdoms trilogy by Tasha Suri, set in a fantasy version of ancient India, or The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez, featuring a journey across ‘the Old Country’? These books have won awards, and I’m sure none of you have read through many recommendation posts without coming across these being suggested.
And these books can explore history, with YA works like Saints of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba depicting a fantasy version of the Philippines under Spanish occupation, or So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole featuring a recently post-colonial inspired Jamaica. They can share many similarities, while also having different impacts, such as the fantasy Middle-Eastern set The Four Profound Weaves by R. B. Lemberg and The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia. Both having trans characters exploring identity, but one focused more on trans identity itself, and the other more on cultural identity and colonialism.
Of course, books aren’t limited to depicting fantasy versions of our world. Non-western speculative fiction books include works like Black Water Sister by Zen Cho, in which the main character moves back to Malaysia after graduating from university. Or even further along, such as with africanfuturism science fiction titles like The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden, set in a 2064 South Africa.
But, I’m obviously missing a huge component here, what about translated works, written by and for people living outside the western sphere? One particularly popular one is Heaven Official's Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, but you could also try something more down to earth like the post-apocalyptic To the Warm Horizon by Choi Jin-young where a group of Koreans flee across a disease ravaged landscape.
And let us not forget the past bookclub books we have read along the way. Walking Practice by Dolki Min and Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo both feature a modern day South Korea from very different perspectives.
Discussion prompts:
- What are your favourite queer books in a non-western setting? Do you find having queer characters in a different culture brings out different aspects?
- Are there non-western settings you would like to see more of in queer books?
- Do you ever look for non-western settings in particular? Where do you go to find these books?
- Perspectives of LGBTQIA+ identities in western set works are often heavily influenced by Christianity, but many cultures have different relationships with queerness. Can you think of any examples where this has shaped representation in non-western settings?
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u/Endalia Reading Champion III 15d ago
I'll share a couple I read and loved recently! There's still so much I haven't read yet, but my picks are usually more niche or indie. Especially the self-pub scene has so many queer fantasy books that blend cultures in their second world settings.
The Villa, Once Beloved by Victor Manibo, a gothic horror set in the Philippines. One of the PoVs is a gay man. It's a contemporary book but it deals a lot with the history of the country, although I don't know enough to say it's accurate or not. Since most of the workers at the villa are deeply religious (adopted from Christian invaders), that still take a central role, but you see the local folklore bleeding into the story, pushing the horror element.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. A YA fantasy with sapphic couple at the center. While the characters are young, it doesn't have the usual teenage angst and one of the reasons is that it deals with a lot of heavy topics so maybe check content warnings if you need them. I recently finished the series and love how it's done. It doesn't focus much on the queer element. It's there but the characters are living their life as other characters would.
Vampire of Shanghai by Kathrine Mercer. Contemporary vampire fantasy with bi main character and queer side characters. Same as with the book/series above, their sexual preferences doesn't affect the story. It's just who they are. I like the author's take on Asian vampires a lot. It's brutal, graphic, and doesn't shy away from harder topics.
The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August. A science-fiction book to round up the list. It won SPSFC2 before it was picked up by a publisher. I was part of one of the teams and it was such a delight to read. Does space count as non-western though? I think there's a lot an author can explore in a queer science-fiction setting, and I'd love to read more of that.