As an avid reader, you’re likely already aware that there’s a great deal of gay and bisexual on the market these days.
And this includes within the fantasy genre. So why not take your predilection for otherworldly fantasy novels and merge it with your desire for gay and bisexual romance and/or erotica tropes?
In this article, I’ll be giving you my overview of what I see as some of the best gay and bisexual fantasy books that are available now.
And without further ado, let’s get down to it!
(The following books aren’t listed in any particular order.)
House In The Cerulean Sea
This award-winning book gets a 5-star rating from me!
I would describe it as having a similar vibe to the works of Terry Prachet and Neil Gaiman, with its humor and imaginative storyline, characters and setting.
It follows the story of Linus Baker, a caseworker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth. He is assigned to oversee the well-being of some rather unusual, and dangerous orphan children on a magical island with long-held secrets.
The children include a sprite, a were-Pomeranian, a wyvern, an unidentified green blob, a gnome, and the Antichrist!
Tasked with assessing whether these orphans will bring about the end of days, Linus becomes close with the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who is charged with keeping the children safe.
Gradually, the island’s secrets become exposed, and Linus is faced with choosing whether to destroy a home or watch the world burn.
It is heralded for addressing the loneliness often felt by some in the LGBT community, and there’s much prejudice, bigotry, compassion, and character growth throughout the story.
It’s a slow burn, but it’s absolutely captivating and enchanting. It’s also incredibly sweet and will pull at your heart strings.
Never Trust A Guy With Fangs
This is an M/M paranormal romance set in New England, where witches and vampires are sworn enemies.
Witch Leo was always told to never trust a vampire. Yet the book begins with him waking up naked and bruised, in bed with the enemy, with no memory as to how he got there. And not just any vampire, but the head vampire no less, the stunningly sexy, stubborn, powerful and edgy Augustus Rainer.
But more trouble is on its way – a deadly common enemy makes itself felt, and the sworn enemies, the witch and the vampire coven, have to consider joining forces to defeat this enemy, despite the mistrust that runs deep between them.
The story draws you in from the very first page. It’s lustful and romantic, with insanely spicy scenes, and it could possibly reduce you to tears.
It’s great to read such flawed and complex characters and enjoy the chemistry and dynamics between them and their frequent dry sarcastic wit and teasing. Not to mention the emotional battle brought on by their feelings for one another.
And the plot is really great too. The reader has to wonder if they will run out of time before evil prevails over all?
This is the first book in the series Covens of Eaton Falls, which is made up of 6 books in total. In book one, the war is just beginning, and they have yet to learn what they’re actually up against.
And if you decide to read this first one, you’re sure to find yourself hooked and want to start ravishing all 5 of the remaining books in the series.
A Master Of Djinn
This remarkable story takes place in a fantasy alternate Cairo in 1912. It follows the story of Fatma el-Sha’arawi, a young woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. No rookie, however, she was once responsible for preventing the destruction of the universe.
Fatma is tasked with looking into the murder of a secret brotherhood dedicated to the famous al-Jahiz, who once opened the veil between the mundane and magical realms before disappearing from both.
The murderer claims to be al-Jahiz himself, intent on condemning the modern age and its social oppression, and he instigates unrest in the streets of Cairo.
Fatma must unravel the truth by this dangerous, magical man, whether he is an imposter, or whether he really is the famous al-Jahiz.
This multi-award-winning book is a radical reimagining of real history, an Arab, magical, steampunk world with high stakes. And it’s got everything from magic-powered trams, through to chain-smoking crocodile gods.
And as such it’s quite unlike any whodunnit you’ve ever read before, with plenty going on and to wonder about to keep you turning those pages.
It’s nice to read a book with a leading gay Muslim character, while Fatma’s sexuality is kinda normalized.
The author also has another book set in the same universe, but it’s neither a prequel nor a sequel, since both books can be read as a standalone. And there are novellas set in this world as well.
The Fever King
This is an excellent example of a sci-fi and fantasy novel for the 21st century. It has been described as a mash-up of Hunger Games meets Walking Dead.
Main character Noam is the sole survivor of a kind of viral magic that saw the rest of his family killed. He becomes what is known as a technopath and develops an ability to control technology, which draws the attention of the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia and of the minister for defense.
Determined to fight for the refugees fleeing viral magical outbreaks, Noam begins learning the science behind his magic so that, secretly, he can use it against the government.
But on meeting the son of the minister, who is nothing short of beautiful, but also at the same time very cruel and dangerous. And all of a sudden the path forward doesn’t seem so clear.
Noam is torn, and has to decide whether to follow his original purpose or to follow his heart, and discover just how far he is willing to go for the greater good.
Despite its dystopian fantasy setting, it’s a book that has a lot of relevance for certain issues of today, such as the rights of refugees.
The romance is compelling, the world building immersive, and the writing style will keep you on the edge of your seat.
It is the first book in a duology titled Feverwake, and the second book is called The Electric Heir, which types up a few loose ends from the first one.
This isn’t a book for everyone however because there are frank discussions about racism, and sexual and mental abuse.
The Atlas Six
The first book in a captivating trilogy, has become a viral sensation on TikTok. And I can certainly see why! It’s kinda a mash-up between Umbrella Academy and The Secret History.
It’s a dark academia fantasy novel, where 6 uniquely talented recruits have accepted an invitation to earn membership of the Alexandrian Society, secure the kind of power and prestige they could not even imagine, and gain access to the Library Of Alexandria.
Pitted against one another, the fierce ambition and determination of the characters to attain this seemingly impossible goal, there are alliances, betrayals, and more.
All against the backdrop of a mystery to get to the bottom of and puzzles to solve along the way. It’s a Darwinian battle of wits and passion.
It’s very much a character driven story, and it has a contemporary magic system that’s more science based than supernatural.
I love that the story is told from multiple character POVs, which has the effect of providing a more rounded picture of the story. Especially since there are morally gray characters.
Six Of Crows
Six Of Crows is the first in a duology of books that takes place after the famous Shadow and Bone trilogy. But despite being in the same universe, also known as the Grishaverse, you do not have to read the Shadow of Bone Trilogy to read this, because it features different characters.
It’s a Young Adult series set in the crime-filled slums of Ketterdam, where teenage criminal prodigy Kaz and his motley crew of 5 other dangerous outcasts work together to perform a seemingly impossible deadly heist, that is sure to make them rich beyond their wildest dreams.
These fellow outcasts include a vengeful convict, a sharpshooter who can’t resist a wager, a privileged runaway, a spy, an escapist, and a mage.
It’s action-packed and brimming with drama, with all sorts of twists and turns along the way.
There’s much friction between the characters, due to their many barely reconcilable differences, not to mention a tense “who will she choose” love triangle.
It’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and completely engrossing, complete with captivating world building and heady romance.
Wrap Up
And that’s a wrap for now, hope you’ve enjoyed reading my article, and that you’ve been able to pick out a book that you like the sound of. Indulge yourself and be seduced by a new gay fantasy novel.