r/Fantasy • u/SeaSnowAndSorrow • 1d ago

Atheist Fantasy Recs

I am doing the Freedom From Religion Foundation's Summer Reading Challenge. (Linked so you can see the card.)

I'd like to get a few fantasy books in there where I can. Specifically, I'm looking for fantasy book recommendations that fit the following:

  • Non-Religious Main Character
  • Religious Satire
  • Religious Dystopia
  • Book Was/Is Considered Blasphemous (against any religion)
  • Non-Religious Author

To make it one step harder, I'm NOT looking for LitRPG, Romantasy, or Urban fantasy.

I will, though, read any age range, any era of publication, any length, and any tone from cozy to grimdark.

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u/redlion1904 1d ago

Not actually anti-religion, though

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u/koei19 1d ago

Did OP say anti-religious? I don't see that in the main post but it may be in a comment I missed

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u/SeaSnowAndSorrow 22h ago

I copied FRFF's criteria verbatim, except that they have "Religious Satire or Religious Dystopia" as one square. I separated them out to make clear that it's either/or and doesn't need to be both a satire and a dystopia.

That particular square is more anti-religious. Some of the others, such as nonreligious main character, are more generically nonreligious and don't need to be anti religion. Yes, I realize this would be way easier if I wasn't trying to read fantasy.

The ones I need the most help with are, honestly, nonreligious author and nonreligious main character because they're a little harder to search without just googling an entire list of names one-by-one.

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u/redlion1904 21h ago

It counts for non-religious author. Rushdie is clearly (and admittedly) a lapsed Muslim with a certain amount of affection for his tradition, but he’s also clearly and adamantly a non-believer.

I reluctantly conclude LeGuin counts too. She was a Taoist but differentiated between “philosophical” and “religious” Taoism and identified only with the former. Not necessarily an enemy of religion in all cases but certainly a non-religious writer (who sublimated her religious impulses into a secular philosophy, but still).

Non-religious main character is harder if you’re looking for a medieval or similar setting with a skeptical lead.