Looking for Sci Fi or Fantasy books where the main character isn’t 16-22 and gets thrust into responsibility and goes and saves the world. I feel like while there has been a explosion in the diversity of characters in these genres lately, everyone is still 18.
I’m in my early 30s and just need a break from the trope. I don’t care if the characters are male/female/gay/black/brown/alien I just want them to be adults
by LaytonsCat
15 Comments
Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
The lead is in his early thirties and acts older. He also doesn’t save the world so much as improve it somewhat
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. Pirates, magic and a cast of middle aged people (with great diversity therein)
Go for a classic – *War of the Worlds*. The main character isn’t a youth, he doesn’t get thrust into responsibility and no one is asking him to save the world.
There’s plenty, maybe a few suggestions: The First Law Trilogy by Abercrombie, maybe the Lies of Locke Lamora by Lynch (Oceans’s Eleven style heist in a fantasy setting, has some flashbacks of Locke’s upbringing, though) or the Engineer Trilogy by Parker, three tomes building up to delicious revenge ;).
**Gateway** by Frederick Pohl. Hard science fiction. Protagonist is a mature man reluctantly looking back on his life, in therapy. And he wasn’t a kid when the events he’s working through happened. No worlds are saved. (I know that sounds weird, but it’s a fantastic book. Avoiding spoilers!)
[Remnant Population, by Elizabeth Moon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QCQ99I/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title). Link takes you to the Amazon page, sorry.
I enjoyed the heck out of this book since the protagonist is neither young nor particularly sweet.
The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K Jemisin
Elenium/ Tamuli, Eddings {{The Diamond Throne, by Eddings}}
The Expanse series the main characters are all older
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi The main character is a retiree. He and other retirees join the Colonial Defense Force and given new, enhanced bodies to defend human colonies against aliens who want to colonize the same planets.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The protagonist, Arthur Dent, is a middle class bachelor in his late 20’s or early 30’s. He’s not suddenly thrust into responsibility or asked to save the world. His adventures begin the day the world ends, demolished to build a hyperspace bypass. He just wants a nice cup of tea.
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov – It’s a collection of short stories, connected by a framing device where the protagonist, Susan Calvin, relates stories about her time as robopsychologist to a reporter. She’s depicted at different ages but is never thrust into responsibility or tasked with saving the world, just solving problems with robots.
The Space Odyssey Series (2001, et al) by Arthur C. Clarke. The protagonists are professional scientists and astronauts.
Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin
Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells
Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz
Nettle & Bone by T Kingfisher
Kingston Cycle by CL Polk
Centenal Cycle by Malka Older
just off the top of my head
If you don’t mind romance, all of the T Kingfisher books set in the World of the White Rat. All romances been protagonists in their 30s or older
His Majesty’s Dragon and the sequels by Naomi Novak, a fully adult ship captain ends up with a dragon in this historical fantasy
Books of the Raskura by Martha Wells, the protagonist isn’t human so its hard to age him but I think he was in his 30s
Witch King by Martha Wells, the protagonists is a hundreds of years old demon who does NOT feel like a teenager
The Cemeteries of Amalo by Katherine Addison, I don’t know exactly how old the protagonist is but he’s definitely a full adult who honestly feels a bit like an old man
A lot of military scifi will have post-teen MCs. Look at books by David Weber, Evan Currie, Joel Shepherd….the list is long
*City of Stairs, City of Blades,* and *City of Miracles* by Robert Jackson Bennett.
All of T. Kingfisher’s World of the White Rat books–*Clockwork Boys, The Wonder Engine, Swordheart, Paladin’s Grace, Paladin’s Strength, Paladin’s Hope* and Paladin Shane’s book which will be coming out Real Soon Now.
*The Calculating Stars* by Mary Robinette Kowal.
*Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword* and *Ancillary Mercy* by Ann Leckie.
It’s fluffy and light but I enjoyed the trope-busting fun of The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher by E. M. Anderson. The chosen one MC is in her 80’s and ends up with a multigenerational team, including a teenager who thinks she was supposed to be the chosen one because that’s how it always goes.