There are two tropes in fantasy lit that feel inescapable at times, and I am looking for suggestions that avoid them.
1. No child/YA protagonists or central characters.
It would be nice to find a fantasy story that isn’t primarily focused on 15-25yo characters. I’m middle aged. I would like to see more relatable characters. And yes multiple POV stories like A Song of Ice and Fire do have older characters. However, the Stark kids and Dany are really the most central characters. I’d like something a little older.
2. No remnants, or traces of an ancient lost civilization that was far more advanced/powerful than the current setting. It’s just tired, and it’s in EVERY high fantasy story. Even better to see a story that takes place *during* the height of magic, and maybe we see the fall of that civilization.
And just to cover it, I’ve read plenty of Sanderson. I know some of his stories check one box or the other. I’m good. No need to suggest his work. I’ve either already read it, will eventually, or I’m not interested.
Anyway, thanks in advance. I look forward to some great suggestions.
by TetraLoach
5 Comments
I can’t remember how old she is but the Faefever series is great! There’s like 3 books in the series that focus on a child (she’s like 15 or something) but you don’t have to read those to read and understand the series. I’ve never read them and still LOVE the series.
It’s got fantasy, horror and gore, humor, thrills, and a bit of spice.
Have you ever read the Leveling Up series by KF Breene? It’s not focused on younger characters, and it does not have a lost civilization. I wouldn’t know if I would call it true fantasy, but it definitely has fantasy elements. It’s also romance and has some comedic elements.
I’d highly recommend The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty.
It’s not high fantasy per se, but the main character is a woman in her 40s and I really loved her portrayal. It involves seafaring adventures and has fantastical elements, and she and her crew come back together to go on one final adventure. Her crew are also not young adults.
I haven’t read this book but I think it might fit the bill:
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames.
Also about a group of people coming back together for a quest.
Following this. I have no issues with young protagonists. I am going to say American Gods and Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. They are not high fantasy but they have older leads.
The [Discworld](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40650-discworld) series by Terry Pratchett, if you’re in the mood for something funny. The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic are the first in [order of publication](https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DW-Reading-List-V5-Publication-Order.pdf), and I still think they’re the funniest.
But even Terry Pratchett got kind of embarrassed when people started there; he didn’t think the first couple were as good as his later works. The first two were more of a parody of fantasy books than true high fantasy.
You can [take a quiz for your recommended starting point.](https://www.discworldemporium.com/reading-order/) Just avoid the Tiffany Aching series to begin with, since that has a young protagonist. If you’re a fan of Detective Fiction, I’d recommend starting with the [City Watch](https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DW-Reading-List-V5-Theme_Characters.pdf) series, beginning with Guards! Guards!, but they have a bit more of an urban fantasy feel.