20 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books with LGBTQ Representation
We're a big fan of lists, science fiction / fantasy books, and queer representation, so we have combined all three in this blog post. We have divided it into young adult and adult sections, so there’s something for everyone no matter what genre (and gender) you prefer.
Young Adult / YA Books
“Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honour they could hope for...and the most demeaning. This year, there's a ninth. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.”
“A young pilot risks everything to save his best friend--the man he trusts most and might even love--only to learn that his friend is secretly the heir to a brutal galactic empire.”
“Science fiction and East Asian myth combine in this dazzling retelling of the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history.”
“Set in the world of the Winner's Trilogy, The Midnight Lie is an epic LGBTQ+ fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us - and the lies we tell ourselves.”
“To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind.”
“In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box. But when the three Eastwood sisters join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement.”
“A distractingly handsome Fae prince. A too-honorable Queensguard deserter. A scrappy daughter of a disgraced noble family. A deceptively sweet-natured prince. A bona fide member of the Resistance. And him. Rags. They may all be captives in the sorcerer’s terrible scheme, but that won’t stop them from fighting back.”
“Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story – but far, far more monsters.”
“Sixteen-year-old Nate is a Gem--a Genetically Engineered Medical Surrogate--created by Gathos City scientists as a cure for the elite from the fatal lung rot ravaging the population.”
“Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him. When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.”
New Adult/Adult Books
“Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers.”
“When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past. But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer.”
“The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction - but assassins are getting closer to her door.”
“Set in an alternative Edwardian England, this is a comedy of manners, manor houses and hedge mazes: including a magic-infused murder mystery and a delightful queer romance.”
“Two boys, alone in space. Sworn enemies sent on the same rescue mission.”
“Rune Saint John, the last child of the fallen Sun Court, is hired to search for Lady Judgment's missing son, Addam, on New Atlantis, the island city where the Atlanteans moved after ordinary humans destroyed their original home.
“Seven years ago the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a tragedy. Now a new crew has been assembled. But this time they're not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life's work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart, this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.”
“Kenna, an aspirational teen guru, wanders destitute across the stars as he tries to achieve his parents' ambition to advise the celestial elite. Everything changes when Kenna wins a free dinner at The Sol Majestic, the galaxy's most renowned restaurant, giving him access to the cosmos's one-percent. His dream is jeopardized, however, when he learns his highly-publicized free meal risks putting The Sol Majestic into financial ruin.”
“One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess searching for her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.”
“An absorbing historical fantasy, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan reimagines the rise to power of the Ming Dynasty’s founding emperor.”
Discover more diverse reads:
- 2022 Sci. Fi & Fantasy Releases By Authors of Colour (Part 1)
- 20 Fantasy Books with Fierce Female Characters
- 40 Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Books of 2022
- 20 Sci. Fi & Fantasy Books with LGBTQ Representation
- 29 Must-Read Fiction Books by Black & Minority Authors
This blog post was written by Lauren S. You can follow her reviews on Instagram @hobbitsbooksandbeyond