11 Must-Read High Fantasy Novels by Black Authors

Black authors have been proudly present in the fantasy genre for quite a while now. From the mysterious and unique realm of high fantasy to the not-so-unfamiliar city of urban fantasy, they are contributing with their outstanding talents. In this post, however, we are focusing on the realm of high/epic fantasy.

Have you ever sailed on an ocean that sings with the voice of a forgotten goddess, as in N.K Jemisin’s The Fifth Season? Or perhaps you’ve journeyed with Zélie Adebola in Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone to bring magic back to her people?

Ah, the thrill of high fantasy, a genre that transports us into worlds untamed by our everyday laws and limitations, places where magic is as natural as breath itself.

But you know what’s even more magical?

The sound of new voices echoed through the grand halls of high fantasy. Yes, I’m talking about the vibrant and diverse narratives spun by Black authors that are breathing a new kind of magic into the genre.

As a South Asian-born residing in America, diversity is not just a word to me – it’s a lifeline, connecting me to an assortment of perspectives that reflect the world’s vibrant mosaic. Reading stories from a single viewpoint is like being a bird with only one wing – we can hop around but never truly fly.

And we want to soar, don’t we?

That’s exactly why we need voices like Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, and Tomi Adeyemi, amongst others. They’re our other wing, the voices that launch us into the sky, making our flight through the realms of fantasy more enriching and inclusive.

Black authors are weaving tales of high fantasy that are more than just magical – they’re personal, political, and profoundly transformative. They’re not just breaking the boundaries; they’re reshaping the landscape of the genre with their unique narratives and experiences, imbuing it with their identities, histories, and rich cultural tapestries.

So why don’t we embark on an unforgettable journey together?

Let’s traverse the breathtaking landscapes brought to life by the vibrant imaginations of Black authors. Their stories will enchant you, challenge you, and inspire you. They will open your eyes to new ways of seeing high fantasy – and the real world around you.

The historical ground of black authors in fantasy

We’re about to embark on a journey back in time, exploring the origins of diversity in the high fantasy genre. We’re going to meet the early Black authors who dared to explore realms untouched and weave narratives untold, adding a new dimension to fantasy literature.

Let’s rewind to the mid-20th century, a period when fantasy was largely monochromatic. Among a sea of similar narratives, a few writers dared to chart a new course. Visionaries like Samuel R. Delany and Octavia Butler paved the way for Black authors in the genre.

Delany’s works, particularly his Return to Nevèrÿon’series, introduced readers to a fantastic blend of captivating narratives and complex characters that were as intriguing as they were diverse. Octavia Butler, with her Patternist series, created a world of her own, filling it with telepathic beings and cosmic conflicts. Their stories were innovative and compelling and made the reader question the limitations of the genre.

However, these pioneering authors didn’t have it easy. Their works were born out of perseverance and a deep love for the genre. They faced the challenge of venturing into a literary territory that hadn’t seen much diversity before. It was a tough journey, but their resilience and the compelling nature of their narratives gradually earned them recognition in the literary world.

Thanks to these trailblazers, high fantasy started to open up. Their success in the genre allowed for more varied and inclusive narratives to take root. These early triumphs opened the doors to new generations of Black authors, who today are bringing an incredible depth of imagination and unique perspectives to the high fantasy genre.

From N.K. Jemisin’s awe-inspiring magic systems in The Broken Earth series to Tomi Adeyemi’s rich exploration of African mythology in Children of Blood and Bone, the legacy of these pioneers lives on, reminding us of the boundless possibilities of high fantasy.

As we turn the pages of our favorite high fantasy books today, let’s take a moment to appreciate these early Black authors. Their daring and creativity have helped to shape the genre we all adore, proving that high fantasy truly is a realm where all imaginations can roam free.

11 amazing high/Epic fantasy novels written by black authors

1. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Prepare yourself for a thrilling journey with Children of Blood and Bone, the first book in the Legacy of Orïsha series by Tomi Adeyemi. This riveting tale immerses you in the world of Orïsha, once brimming with magic, now under the oppressive rule of a ruthless king.

The main protagonist of this unique tale, Zélie Adebola, mourns not just the loss of her mother but the loss of magic that once pulsed through their land. Her memories of a time when the very soil of Orïsha hummed with magical energy fuel her desire for change.

Suddenly, Zélie is given a rare opportunity: to bring back magic and restore hope to her people. Along with a rogue princess, she must outmaneuver a crown prince determined to erase magic forever. Their path is fraught with dangers, both physical and emotional.

Despite the looming threats, the most significant battle might be within Zélie herself. As she grapples with burgeoning powers and conflicting emotions for an enemy, readers will be riveted by her struggle and growth.

This high fantasy tale, rooted in African culture, has received numerous accolades, including the Goodreads Choice award for best debut author in 2018. Dive into a world of magic, adventure, and turmoil, and you may find yourself rooting for Zélie in her daring quest for justice and redemption.

2. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

Step into a world of divine politics and deadly power struggles in N.K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. This is the first book in The Inheritance Trilogy, and it invites us to journey with Yeine Darr, an outsider from the barbarian north.

When Yeine’s mother dies under baffling circumstances, she is unexpectedly summoned to the grand city of Sky and named an heiress to the king. As you might expect, the path to the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is fraught with perils.

In her unexpected new position, Yeine becomes entangled in a savage power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. All the while, she’s piecing together the enigma of her mother’s death and her family’s bloody past.

Jemisin crafts an intricate world where the threads of love and hate, gods and mortals, are inseparably interwoven. And with the fate of the entire world delicately poised, Yeine’s discoveries could have far-reaching implications.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is a high fantasy novel that leaves readers engrossed in its complex, divine politics and the fate of its compelling heroine. As you delve into Yeine’s tale, you’ll understand why N.K. Jemisin is heralded as a true luminary in the genre.

3. Given by Nandi Taylor

Take an enchanting trip into the realm of magic and dragon-shifters with Nandi Taylor’s Given. This captivating tale stars Yenni, a dutiful princess of the Yirba tribe, who embarks on a quest to save her ailing father. Her journey takes her to the empire of Cresh, to the prestigious Prevan Academy for Battle and Magical Arts.

Upon her arrival, Yenni crosses paths with the prideful dragon-shifter, Weysh, who is not only headstrong but also shockingly declares Yenni his Given or fated mate. The tension between Yenni and Weysh is palpable, adding an exciting layer to the narrative.

One of the things that struck me about Taylor’s writing is her skill in crafting a bewitching narrative with an amazing fictional world and creating characters that are both intriguing and genuine. Weysh’s character development, for instance, from a mere annoyance to a reliable companion and potential love interest, is a testament to her skillful storytelling.

Given by Nandi Taylor is an entertaining read that masterfully blends high fantasy, romance, and the main character’s personal growth journey. As a reader, you can’t help but appreciate the fine artistry of Nandi Taylor’s writing style as she weaves together these elements to create a riveting tale.

4. The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

Evan Winter’s The Rage of Dragons is a fascinating high fantasy novel that takes you into the heart of the Omehi people’s relentless, centuries-long war. In this boisterous world, some are blessed with unusual capabilities. A rare few women can summon dragons, while one in every hundred men can magically enhance their strength and speed to an inhuman level when they need it in battles.

However, the main character of this epic tale, Tau, doesn’t have any extraordinary power. His life is nothing but a succession of battles and anticipation of a painful, helpless death – a cruel fate that he plans to escape from. He intends to fake an injury to step away from the everlasting war and settle into a peaceful life.

However, as it happens in a great saga, a devastating personal tragedy shatters his plans, filling Tau with seething rage and a thirst for vengeance. He no longer wants peace – he wants power.

Determined to avenge the ones he lost, Tau commits himself to an unimaginable path – to become the greatest swordsman ever known, ready to face death countless times for a shot at slaying those who did him wrong.

The Rage of Dragons is a breathtaking high fantasy saga that skillfully melds themes of vengeance, sacrifice, and personal growth. Winter’s writing pulls no punches as he delivers a tale that is as heart-wrenching as it is exhilarating with a perfect hero’s journey.

From the visceral battle scenes to Tau’s indomitable spirit, this book will keep you hooked from the first page to the last.

5. The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

In a realm where beauty reigns supreme and is a coveted commodity, Dhonielle Clayton’s The Belles introduces us to a unique and intriguing world. Our guide is Camellia Beauregard, a Belle, one of the revered individuals capable of transforming the natural gray and damned citizens of Orléans into visions of beauty.

Yet Camellia aspires for more than just being a Belle. She dreams of becoming the favorite, the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to serve the royal family and court, recognized as the most skilled in the land. However, her arrival at the court reveals that this coveted position isn’t quite the dream she imagined.

Behind the palace’s gilded walls hide chilling secrets, and Camellia realizes that the basis of her very existence, her powers, might be more substantial and perilous than she ever comprehended. When tasked by the queen to use her Belle powers in potentially deadly ways to save the ailing princess, Camellia is thrust into an impossible dilemma.

Will she preserve herself and the Belles’ way of life or risk everything to rescue the princess and transform her world forever?

The Belles is a fascinating fantasy novel that offers you a bewitching exploration of the value and authority of beauty, as well as the moral dilemmas that come with wielding such power, and you will enjoy every bit of it.

6. Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray

Let’s journey to the broken city of Lkossa, where magic is a faded memory and 16-year-old Koffi, a girl of grit and spirit, is our guide. Ayana Gray’s compelling tale, Beasts of Prey, places us in a world where Koffi, indentured to the infamous Night Zoo, tends to its myriad magical and formidable creatures. This perilous service secures the future safety and eventual freedom of her family.

But the night the Zoo’s ruthless master threatens her family’s safety, Koffi unleashes a mysterious power, setting off a chain of events with dire consequences. Parallelly, Ekon, the second son of a celebrated hero, finds his destiny upended when a fire disrupts his crucial rite of passage to become a Son of the Six – an elite warrior.

In the fire’s chaos, Ekon confronts not only the Shetani – a malicious monster tormenting the city and his nightmares for almost a century – but also Koffi, a peculiar girl who seems to hold the power to repel the beast. Her power saves Ekon, but his decision to let her escape ruins his dreams of becoming a warrior.

Desperate to regain his honor, Ekon swears to destroy the Shetani. On the other hand, Koffi sees the potential profit in capturing the Shetani as a solution to her problems. Thus, they form a reluctant alliance and venture into the wild magic and unseen perils of the Greater Jungle to hunt the monster down.

But as their hunt commences, it’s unclear whether they are the hunters or the hunted. Beasts of Prey, the riveting start of a highly anticipated series, weaves a tale of fate intertwining two Black teenagers in a precarious alliance that holds more surprises than they could ever anticipate.

7. Daughters Of Nri by Reni K. Amayo

As a fan of both high fantasy and science fiction, I particularly enjoyed reading this amazing book. Reni K. Amayo’s Daughters of Nri is a compelling blend of science fiction and fantasy that invites us into a world of old gods, magical twins, and ruthless rulers.

At the core of this enchanting narrative are two twins, Naala and Sinai, separated at birth but sharing an indestructible bond, the same blood, the same face, and an unspoken magic believed to have disappeared with the lost gods.

Their individual journeys of self-discovery are fascinating. Naala, spirited and adventurous, grows up in a tranquil village, while Sinai, more reticent, experiences life in the icy political palace of Nri. Despite the geographical distance, they share an indestructible bond and a mystical power that gradually awakens within them.

The novel ingeniously merges elements of fantasy – embodied in the lost gods and mystical powers – with a science fiction undertone that adds layers of complexity to the narrative. Their separation at birth, a sacrifice made to save them from Eze Ochichiri, the ruler of Nri Kingdom, lays the groundwork for a narrative that plays with concepts of identity, destiny, and the potential power of unity.

As their paths converge back towards Eze, they are faced with the daunting task of defeating a man so powerful that he brings the gods to their knees. Will they harness their newly discovered powers to confront their destinies? In Daughters of Nri, Amayo crafts a world of wonder, merging fantasy and science fiction to weave a tale of sisterhood, self-discovery, and suppressed magic coming to light.

8. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

In the realm of high fantasy novels, Roseanne A. Brown’s A Song of Wraiths and Ruin stands out, merging elements of science fiction and traditional mythology with an atmospheric darkness that seeps into every page. This fascinating tale, inspired by West African folklore, places two intriguing characters on a collision course – Malik, a refugee desperate to save his sister, and Karina, a grief-stricken crown princess seeking to resurrect her mother.

The book opens with Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, being kidnapped by a vengeful spirit as payment for entry into the thriving desert city of Ziran. In his desperation to rescue her, Malik agrees to a deadly pact – assassinate Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran, in exchange for his sister’s freedom.

Simultaneously, Karina is wrestling with her own ghosts. Following the assassination of her mother, the Sultana, her court is teetering on the brink of mutiny, and the looming Solstasia festival threatens her stability. Determined to bring her mother back, she decides to utilize ancient magic, which requires a king’s beating heart – a goal she aims to achieve by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

As Malik cunningly infiltrates the competition, a twisted game ensues that could culminate in their mutual destruction. However, amidst the turmoil, an unexpected attraction sparks, and the stirring of ancient evils threatens their tasks to death. Will they complete their deadly missions or succumb to their growing attraction?

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin combines the depth of high fantasy with speculative science fiction elements, offering a unique landscape for exploring complex characters and themes. Its narrative brims with dark undertones, challenging our protagonists to navigate their ominous destinies amid a backdrop of warfare, political unrest, and potent magic.

This novel, while steeped in sorrow and sacrifice, is also a tale of resilience and the enduring power of connection.

9. Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron

Kingdom of Souls is an exhilarating dive into a world of magic, mystery, and complex familial relationships, expertly crafted by Rena Barron. Our protagonist is Arrah, a girl who carries the legacy of two lines of potent witch doctors, yet ironically, is devoid of magic herself.

This lack of power not only disappoints Arrah but also subjects her to the disapproval of her mother, the Kingdom’s most influential priestess and seer.

Despite her unsuccessful attempts at bone magic and reaching out to her ancestors, Arrah’s yearning for magic persists. However, this desire for power turns into desperation when the Kingdom’s children start vanishing. Driven by urgency, Arrah resorts to a perilous, forbidden ritual: trading years of her life for a temporary taste of magic.

The power she borrows leads her to a horrifying betrayal, swiftly followed by a surge of darkness threatening to engulf her and everything she holds dear. Consequently, Arrah finds herself thrust into a deadly scheme, a twisted web of deceit that she must untangle before the cost of fighting becomes unbearable.

Rena Barron’s Kingdom of Souls masterfully intertwines themes of power, sacrifice, and familial ties into a richly woven narrative tapestry. With a fascinating main character and a lively fictional world immersed in magic and mythos, Kingdom of Souls is a captivating start to what promises to be an exciting fantasy series.

10. Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender

Queen of the Conquered is an engrossing tale by Kacen Callender set in a world reminiscent of the Caribbean, fraught with the throes of colonial oppression. At the heart of this narrative stands Sigourney Rose, a resilient, intelligent, and relentless young woman who is the only survivor of a noble lineage on the islands of Hans Lollik.

In the wake of a tragedy that claimed her family’s lives at the hands of the islands’ colonizers, Sigourney is brimming with a desire for vengeance. Empowered with the extraordinary ability to read and control minds, she is a force to be reckoned with, and her aim is singular: retribution for her slaughtered kin.

When the king, childless and on the brink of choosing his successor from among the eligible noble families, makes his announcement, Sigourney sees an opportunity and seizes it. She expertly manipulates her way onto the royal island and infiltrates the ranks of the oppressive colonizers. However, her arrival on the royal island plunges her into a perilous situation, with mysterious magic posing a significant threat.

In a dark turn of events, members of the ruling families begin to die mysteriously, clearing a path to the throne but casting suspicion on Sigourney. With danger lurking and accusations rising, she must swiftly identify allies among her enemies and unmask the murderer within her ranks, lest she becomes the next victim.

Kacen Callender’s Queen of the Conquered presents a compelling exploration of power and privilege layered within a lush, captivating fantasy setting. Sigourney Rose emerges as a dynamic, complex female lead, an underdog struggling against immense odds.

Rooting for her will become your second nature, as she embodies the spirit of defiance and determination against a backdrop of brutality and injustice. If you’re a fan of narratives with powerful, smart female leads and enjoy a nuanced exploration of power dynamics, this book is undoubtedly worth a read.

11. A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy

A River of Royal Blood unfolds a spellbinding tale entrenched in a fantasy realm reminiscent of North Africa, where royal sisters are pitted against each other in a fight to the death for the coveted crown.

The central character of this intriguing narrative is Eva, a 16-year-old princess endowed with an unusual magick – the magick of marrow and blood. This dark, potent magick, unseen for several generations, was last wielded by Queen Raina. Queen Raina usurped the native Khimaer monarchy and carried out a mass slaughter that included her sister eight generations ago, setting a precedent for the brutal Rival Heir tradition.

Under the long, menacing shadow of Queen Raina’s legacy, Eva faces a grim future: she must duel her older sister Isa in a fatal encounter if she aspires to the Ivory Throne. The Queendom of Myre values only the strong, the fierce, and the pitiless.

However, when an attempt on Eva’s life takes place mere weeks before her scheduled battle with Isa, she uncovers a deeper conspiracy. Her assassin is not only linked to her sister. As tension mounts, Eva seeks guidance from a mythically grand fey mentor and a mysterious, charming Khimaer prince. She needs to nurture her magick into a force to be reckoned with, for the choices before her are stark: she must decide between killing Isa or dying herself.

In A River of Royal Blood, Amanda Joy crafts a complex universe steeped in magic and enigma, with a dramatic, high-stakes sibling rivalry at its core. If you relish a story with a rich blend of fantasy, intrigue, and complex relationships, this book would be a worthy addition to your reading list.

Final Thoughts

And there we have it, dear readers! We’ve journeyed together through a selection of spellbinding high fantasy novels written by black authors. From Evan Winter’s intricate battles in The Rage of Dragons to Reni K. Amayo’s fascinating fusion of fantasy and mythology in Daughters Of Nri, we’ve witnessed various facets of the fantastical.

Each author brings unique worlds to life with their words – a testament to their incredible talent. I’ve traversed some of these worlds entirely while others I’m still exploring (meaning I’ve read some of the books completely, and some are still in progress, and I hope to finish them soon). However, I can say this much each one of them is worth reading if you are a fan of high fantasy and looking for something new.

In these high fantasy books written by black authors, magic is tangible, adventure is inevitable, and unforgettable journeys await us. Let’s meet on the pages. Until then, happy reading!