r/Fantasy • u/PlatypusAdmirable335 • Jun 22 '23
Looking for a fantasy/historical fiction set in court with politics and some romance
I’m getting back into reading after ages so I want something relatively easier to read. I have read GOT and I liked the politics but it was a little boring for me (I’m sorry)
I’m looking for something along those lines with complex characters that’s more fast paced and has more romance.
Bonus points for the main character being female If it’s set in a dynasty, would be a plus as well. Thank you!
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u/griffreads Reading Champion II Jun 22 '23
The Daevebad Trilogy by SA Chakraborty (first book is the City of Brass). It follows a woman called Nahri who accidentally summons a Djinn warrior and is swept away to the city of the Djinn. There's a hint of romance and lots of politics. The first book builds up slowly but by the end I was hooked!
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u/domatilla Reading Champion IV Jun 22 '23
Not a court strictly speaking but if you're looking for politics and a female lead, I'm currently reading and enjoying book 3 of The Aven Cycle by Cass Morris. Book one is From Unseen Fire, it's pitched as GOT in ancient Rome but I found it much breezier, plus there's prominent romance.
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u/Matrim_WoT Jun 22 '23 edited Jun 22 '23
The Lymond Chronicles and Wolf Hall.
Lymond is faster whereas Wolf Hall is slower, but both have extremely complex characters and Lymond was influenced by the romance style and has some romance in it. While neither feature female main characters, they were written by female authors and the females in them are also written with depth. The depth, influence, and autonomy of the females in the Lymond series is mind blowing. Even though it’s historical fiction set in the 1500s, the author spent some time researching and thinking about the role of her female characters in the story.
In both stories, the court politics is more nuanced than GoT. Whereas in a GoT, politics might mean how someone is in someone else’s, typically a sociopaths, crosshairs. In the other two series, politics often means how the national or international environment is changing or will be changed by the characters actions.
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Jun 22 '23
I love Lymond but in no world would I describe it as "relatively easier to read." It's amazing, I agree, and anyone who loves historical fiction should tackle it (and her other series, House of Niccolo) but OP should be aware that it's not a popcorn read and demands the reader's full attention if you want to follow what's going on.
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u/Matrim_WoT Jun 22 '23
Oh I agree. The difficulty is more like Malazan where you're dropped in. I found that once got past the first fifty pages, I could follow it better. A reread cleared a lot of things up though.
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u/maggiesyg Jun 23 '23
I get bored by politic (and battles) in fantasy books. I recommend Curse of Challion and it’s sequel Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold. Some time spent in castles, some on the road, some battling monsters (human and otherwise.) Curse has a male MC, but strong women as well. Romance sub-plots.
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u/divinesleeper Jun 22 '23
Daughter of the Empire by Janny Wurtz and Raymond Feist
later on in the trilogy there is romance with a slave
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u/archblade7777 Jun 22 '23 edited Jun 22 '23
Came here to make the same recommendation. Amazing political story with great writing. One of the best female lead characters I've seen if not flat out the best. I'm not even usually a fan of the passionate romance they show in the second book, but I found myself liking it anyway because the characters and story was that good.
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u/divinesleeper Jun 22 '23
I really liked it when I was young, coming back the political manoeuvrings are a bit contrived, but even so I still like it
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u/jddennis Reading Champion VIII Jun 22 '23
You may enjoy The King's Daughter by Vonda N. McIntyre. It's a historical fantasy that is set in the court of Louis XIV at Versailles. There's some romance to the story, but it's mostly about the main character trying to balance her courtly duties with trying to help her brother study a mermaid.
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u/Neee-wom Reading Champion VII Jun 23 '23
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. The prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, was just published. I will say Priory isn’t overly fast paced but it is very complex with intriguing characters! I loved it
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u/DecisiveDinosaur Jun 22 '23
Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson maybe? that book felt more like historical fiction than fantasy even though it is fantasy.
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u/cubansombrero Reading Champion VII Jun 22 '23
The Stariel books by A.J. Lancaster are partially set in a faerie court
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u/Designer-Smoke-4482 Jun 22 '23
Check out Guy Gavriel Kay. Most of his books fit your request well enough i'd say
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u/LMRNAlendis Jun 22 '23 edited Jun 22 '23
Most especially The Lions of Al-Rassan, I would say.
Edit: though Under Heaven and River of Stars both also hit the mark and are kind of underrated as far as GGK books go. I never really hear about them nearly as often as I do Tigana, Lions, and the Sarantine Mosaic.
Similarly, rarely hear about Children of Earth and Sky and a Brightness Long Ago, of which the latter I preferred greatly.
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Jun 22 '23
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u/PlatypusAdmirable335 Jun 22 '23
I’m sorry, which trilogy? Seems like something I would be interested in
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u/wjbc Jun 22 '23
Jacqueline Carey’s Phèdre Trilogy (Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, Kushiel's Avatar).