10 best fantasy books by Black authors, ranked
As long as there have been fantasy authors, there have been Black fantasy authors.
Yet, there is a depressingly large subset of so-called fans of the genre who seem okay with the ideas of orcs and elves and magic, but balk at Black and brown people being involved in these intricate yet fictional worlds. Much of the fantasy canon is heavily inspired by European folk stories and mythology, yes, but many of the very best books and collections in this genre are by people of colour, based on traditions and myths from all over the world.
If you’re a long-term fan of classics like Lord of the Rings, the Discworld series, and Game of Thrones, and want to check out some tales to rival those but written by Black authors, or if you’re just interested in some of the best fantasy stories of all time, then you’re in the right place. Read on to see what we think are the 10 best fantasy books by Black authors, ranked!
10. Lakiriboto – Ayodele Olofintuade
A modern standalone novel that combines elements of fantasy and the thriller genre, Lakiriboto is a truly unique tale that also leans heavily on Yoruba folklore and history. Unabashedly queer (like its talented author, Ayodele Olofintuade) and with a pinball plot that transports you throughout Nigeria, this is the sort of story you devour.
Lakiriboto follows a wide cast of characters, prime among them the young Moremi, who soon falls into an alliance with her queer aunt Morieba as she attempts to get back her independence from their shady family patriarch. Magic and mayhem follows, as well as an obsessive tale of intrigue and family secrets. Not a traditional fantasy book, but one that uses elements of the genre in a fascinating and compulsive way.
Buy Lakiriboto on Amazon.
9. Return to Nevèrÿon – Samuel R Delany
Samuel R Delany’s views vary from inspiringly progressive to ideologically dangerous, his famous one-time comments on the age of consent falling far into the latter territory, but there’s no doubting his Return to Nevèrÿon series is not just a staggering work of fantasy, but also a literary phenomenon.
Delany has walked back hins controversial comments so we feel his work, so vital for the development of ideas around Black and queer liberation for many important thinkers, deserves to be included in this list. And, as this series about a dominant dark-skinned culture and their light-skinned slaves is by far his most sweeping and iconic work, it should be where you make your first forray into the brilliant fantasy writing of Delany.
Buy Return to Nevèrÿon on Amazon.
8. Black Leopard, Red Wolf (The Dark Star trilogy) – Marlon James
There’s no doubt that Marlon James is among the foremost modern Black fantasy authors, and the first book in his Dark Star trilogy cemented that fact when it was released in 2019. Using direct inspiration from African history and mythology, the talented Jamaican writer crafts a compelling epic about the battle between the North Kingdom and South Kingdom, as well as the lives of those who inhabit these behemouths powers.
Our main protagonist Tracker tells the tale in flashbacks, which occur in non-chronological order, adding to the mystery and intrigue. The world building is second-to-none, with James pointing a vivid portrait of this incredible universe he has devised. Most importantly, though, the plot is bullet proof and addictive, with the story delving into some heavy themes, like the importance of truth, the insidious way power can worm its way into even the purest of hearts, and the way that hubris can be anyone’s downfall.
Buy Black Leopard, Red Wolf on Amazon.
7. Skin of the Sea – Natasha Bowen
It’s rare that a debut gets as much praise as Skin of the Sea, but reading Natasha Bowen’s explosive first novel it’s hard not to think that, if anything, the Nigerian-Welsh author’s work is still underrated.
The narrative follows a Mami Wata, or water spirit, named Simi, who longs to once again be a human. In this world it’s the job of Mami Watas to help those thrown from slave ships to the afterlife, but when Simi finds the body of a young boy floating in the ocean she goes against her purpose and rescues him. This sets her off on an epic journey across land and sea as she seeks the Supreme Creator, risking not only her own existence, but the existence of her entire people.
Drawing heavily from Yoruba culture and tackling huge themes like the nature of freedom and free will, what we do for love, and the importance of sacrifice, this young adult fantasy novel will stay with you, no matter your age or favorite genre.
Buy Skin of the Sea on Amazon.
6. The Famished Road – Ben Okri
The celebrated Ben Okri won the Booker Prize for this 1991 novel, and it’s safe to say that it remains just as powerful and exciting a read today. Blending fantasy and reality in a way that’s reminiscent of the magical realism of Kafka and Marquez, The Famished Road also leans heavily on Yoruba mythology and storytelling.
The book (the first in a trilogy) tells the story of Azaro, an akibu or spirit child who can straddle the real and spirit world, as he takes in the strange and often unfair world around him. An allegory for the ills of post-colonial Africa, as well as a love letter to traditional Yoruba storytelling and a truly modern piece of fiction, this lyrical novel will leave you spellbound.
Buy The Famished Road on Amazon.
5. The Changeling – Victor LaValle
Fantasy isn’t all epic battles won by the good guys. If you prefer the darker side of this genre then there really are few better books than Victor LaValle’s The Changeling.
The plot follows Apollo, a young man whose father mysteriously disappeared when he was a child. As he grows older and creates a family of his own, he finds himself at the centre of a dark, historic conspiracy with links to some of the very first American settlers, and is soon surrounded by magic and evil beings. As everything he knows begins to fall apart, he winds up on a quest to find his wife, and hopefully rescue his son from the nightmare his world has become.
4. The Water Dancer – Ta-Nehisi Coates
The pre-civil war south is a rich period of history for Black writers of fantasy to explore, and few tackle this horrific time with as much aplomb as Coates. The author first made his name as a writer for The Atlantic, and it’s easy to see how his knowledge of politics and history combined with his excellent knack for storytelling to create this wonderful best seller.
The Water Dancer follows Hiram, a mixed race child who has a photographic memory but cannot remember his mother. As the novel develops, we find that Hiram has a power known as “conduction,” which is triggered by memory and allows the protagonist to transport people across vast distances. Soon, Hiram becomes a member of the Underground Railroad and uses his power to help others to freedom.
Buy The Water Dancer on Amazon.
3. Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi
YA fantasy doesn’t get much better than Children of Blood and Bone. This coming of age tale follows Zélie Adebola, who lives in a country named Orïsha that has striking similarities to pre-colonial West Africa, specifically Nigeria. The reader watches Zélie fight against the ruling classes, who have ruthlessly and brutally imposed a ban on magic. Along the way, the protagonist gets in touch with her own magical abilities, and leads a revolution that could change the very course of the world as she knows it.
Subject to a lot of hype and a pre-publishing movie rights deal, Children of Blood and Bone is one of those rare novels that really lives up to the noise. Touching on all sorts of important themes, like opression, class, race, and the end of childhood, it’s an exceptional novel that has to be read to be appreciated.
Buy Children of Blood and Bone on Amazon.
2. Kindred – Octavia E Butler
Octavia E Butler is talented and influential enough to be mentioned in the same breath as authors like Asimov, and Kindred is among her best works. The novel is told from the perspective of Dana, a Black woman in ’70s Los Angeles who finds herself mysteriously transported back to the antebellum South for random periods of time. She realizes that she is getting a glimpse into her own family lineage, and soon her stints in the past become longer, more frequent and dangerous.
It’s hard to do justice to how phenomenal this work of fiction is. Butler was unflinching in describing the realities of slavery, while also cleverly critiquing the way that modern Americans rewrite and whitewash their savage past in order to maintain the myth that the country is build on freedom. It’s also one of the best insights into historical trauma ever written. An exceptional work by an exceptional writer.
1. The Inheritance Trilogy – N. K. Jemisin
Technically our number one spot is made up of three books: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, The Broken Kingdoms, and The Kingdom of Gods, but it’s impossible to choose which one of these novels by iconic author N. K. Jemisin should be top of the list, so you’ll just have to read all of them.
The trilogy follows a sprawling cast of characters who live in a fantasy world that’s made up of unique societies, including the mountain city of Sky and the matriarchal region of Darre. Although there are many characters, the story begins with Yeine, a young woman whose mother has just been murdered. She is called to Sky and named as the heir to her family kingdom, but the resulting power struggle means she has to learn to harness her powers while also dealing with vengeful gods.
(featured image: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for BFI)
Buy The Inheritance Trilogy on Amazon.
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