A list of Non-European Fantasy Setting Books by Women

[Glaiza]

The Book Smugglers linked this list of non-european fantasy setting books by women:

http://www.booktionary.blogspot.co.uk...

I've only read nine of the authors listed so far: N.K. Jemisin, Ursula Le Guin, Lian Hearn, Shannon Hale, Alison Goodman, Kate Elliot, Catherynne Valente, Cindy Pon and Octavia Butler (for sci-fi).

I'd recommend Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn and Eon by Alison Goodman for good Japanese inspired fantasy (the alternative worlds are unique).

A few of the others mentioned are already on my TBR list. Feel free to add any more to the list!

[Kris]

Good list thanks for sharing...

[Fresno Bob]

God's War by karmeron Hurley

[Seamus]

Just read Who fears death? by Nnedi Okorafor and God's war, definitely recommend them.

[kvon]

I've read about twenty of the authors listed. My favorites would be Wild Seed and Godstalk; if you like doorstopper fantasy, check out Michelle West's series.

The one I don't see there is Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, which like Akata Witch is a contemporary fantasy set in Africa.

[Ryan]

Thanks for the link. I just read Zoo City and loved it. I'll be adding a few of these to my To-Read list.

[Charles]

Kvon: Arguably Zoo City is Science Fiction :)

I'm personally recommending Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord. Standalone too (for now). :)

[Random]

Charles wrote: "I'm personally recommending Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord. Standalone too (for now). :)"

I'd recommend the audiobook for Redemption in Indigo. Robin Miles does an excellent job and the story works well with audio.

[Sean]

Erwin wrote: "I've always been interested in finding non-Western SF and fantasy but it isn't as abundant, especially the former."

There are several publishers that focus on Japanese SF:

Haikasoru
Yen (mostly manga, but you can search the page for "novel" to find the four series they're doing)
Kurodahan
Vertical (they only list two titles under fantasy, but most of their horror titles qualify as science fiction)

And if you're willing to put up with dodgy translations of dubious legality, there are fan-translations at Baka Tsuki.

[Sadie]

Glaiza wrote: "The Book Smugglers linked this list of non-european fantasy books by women:

http://www.booktionary.blogspot.co.uk...

I've only read nine of the ..."

Well that went right into my bookmarked list.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I concur with Lauren Beukes needing to be on this list. Also Karen Lord, with her Redemption in Indigo (she was also nominated for a Hugo this year).

I loved Nnedi Okorafor.

[kvon]

Erwin wrote: "Good list, I'll check a few out. Only downside: non-European in this case means mostly US (many of which I've read) with a few others.

Just to clarify, it's not that the writers are non-European, it's the settings that are non-EU. (Not that I'm disagreeing that authors from other cultures should be sought out and promoted.)

[Glaiza]

kvon wrote: "Erwin wrote: "Good list, I'll check a few out. Only downside: non-European in this case means mostly US (many of which I've read) with a few others.

Just to clarify, it's not that the writers are ..."

Thanks for the clarification update - I've adjusted the title of the topic.

I also agree with Erwin about Non-western sf and fantasy literature (although the genres themselves are popular and perhaps more available to audiences in the translated forms of film, television and graphic novels.)

I find the world sff blog is a good source for the literature. They also have interesting discussions about post-colonial sci-fi and fantasy and the genre itself. http://worldsf.wordpress.com/

I've also started reading genre stories from the Philippines: http://www.philippinegenrestories.com/

There's a sci-fi book called The Stories of Ibis by Hiroshi Yamamoto which is on my to-read list too.

[Glaiza]

Charles wrote: "Kvon: Arguably Zoo City is Science Fiction :)

I'm personally recommending Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord. Standalone too (for now). :)"

Thanks for the recommendations! Those two are high on my list to read soon.

[Charles]

Random wrote: I'd recommend the audiobook for Redemption in Indigo. Robin Miles does an excellent job and the story works well with audio.

That would make sense since the prose follows an oral tradition-style narrative :)

[Charles]

Glaiza wrote: I find the world sff blog is a good source for the literature. They also have interesting discussions about post-colonial sci-fi and fantasy and the genre itself. http://worldsf.wordpress.com/

I've also started reading genre stories from the Philippines: http://www.philippinegenrestories.com/

There's a sci-fi book called The Stories of Ibis by Hiroshi Yamamoto which is on my to-read list too.

Thanks for the shout-out :)

The Stories of Ibis is like a mosaic novel as it's comprised of unrelated but interlinked short stories within a framework (think Arabian Nights). Haikasoru also publishes several Japanese-translated novels.

And it's buried a bit in Author promo but day job also released various volumes of Philippine Speculative Fiction as eBooks, if you're into anthologies.