Basically fantastical adult stories that draw from place-centric real-life myths and histories. (I wasn’t sure whether to flair this as fantasy or historical fiction. For those who haven’t read them, *Warlord Chronicles* draws from Arthurian legend whereas *Song of Ice and Fire* draws from the Hundred Years’ War and the Wars of the Roses, but both series are quite fantastical.)
I’ve never really come across these kinds of books from elsewhere in the world. I’d love recommendations for any region that isn’t Western Europe – especially Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Any island regions would be great too. (But even North/South/East Europe would be fine.)
No recommendations from Western Europe please. However much I love many of them, my reading history has been saturated with fantastical tales from that region and I really want to branch out elsewhere.
Also please no books aimed at children or teenagers. I want the layered themes and complexity of adult storytelling.
Finally I’ll note that I’ve tried reading *Black Leopard, Red Wolf,* which is (quite bizarrely) pitched as an “African *Game of Thrones*”, and had to drop it halfway through. While I enjoyed the prose and the setting well enough, I was feeling increasingly angry and sick from the absurd amount of casual, pointlessly sexualized descriptions of small children and their genitalia. It felt like every other page someone was talking about a 5-year-old’s “whistle” or whatever language that book used. So, none of that shit either please.
Looking forward to your suggestions!
by hmmwhatsoverhere