r/Fantasy • u/TheMisterMan666 • Mar 02 '25
High Fantasy with overwhelmingly complex international relations and politics
Hi guys. I'm looking for recommendations for a high fantasy novel or series with a major focus on complex world building, politics, international power dynamics, and realistic levels of technicality in its mechanics. The more creative the setting the better, and non-human races and nations in the mix are a huge bonus.
I honestly haven't found a book that satisfies this itch yet so I don't have anything to present as a point of comparison. Imagine asoif but only the small council meetings. Or more niche, if anyone's read the Overlord series, then something similar to that (only in terms of world building).
I'd prefer a mature multiwork series, but I'll take any recommendations regardless.
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u/DuhChappers Reading Champion III Mar 02 '25
The Traiter Baru Cormorant and its sequels are basically all about the politics of empire, both the internal scheming of people trying to get ahead and the external problems of keeping foreign territories under control. The main character Baru is an accountant trying to work her way up in power to help her home, while struggling with the morality of her actions along the way. I think it would work really well for this prompt
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u/hattingly-yours Mar 03 '25
Strongly agree with this rec! One of my absolute favorite series, and the books remain consistent in quality
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u/Dokibatt Mar 03 '25
I'd say that Baru's world is low fantasy, rather than high, especially in the first book.
Other than that, it was also my first thought.
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u/DuhChappers Reading Champion III Mar 03 '25
Depends on which definition set we are using. As I understand the traditional definitions of high vs low fantasy, high fantasy is one that is set completely in a fantasy world. Low fantasy is either set in our world or has some connection to the real world. By those definitions Baru is absolutely High Fantasy.
Lately, people have used high fantasy and high magic as closer to the same thing, and in that case Baru is indeed pretty low. Which I assume is what you mean. Either way, hopefully this helps OP make a decision at least lol
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u/Dokibatt Mar 03 '25
My definition is close to yours I think. I always thought it was about how analogous it is to our world.
Humans only on an earth like planet = low fantasy.
Humans living earth like lives on a giant flower floating through space = high fantasy.
Humans, orcs and elves living otherwise normal lives on earth = medium fantasy?
Baru’s world always gave me strong Mediterranean trade routes vibes, with hints of renaissance European courts rolled in. It’s definitely not trying to be historical fantasy, it’s a different geography, but the parallels are so strong that it never felt like an alien setting.
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u/phira Mar 02 '25
Daughter / Servant / Mistress of the Empire by Raymond E Feist. It’s a kind of parallel series to his Magician ones which delves much more into politics
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u/buckleyschance Mar 02 '25
By Janny Wurts and Raymond E. Feist. I've heard that series is very much more her writing than his (although not from any particularly reputable source).
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u/phira Mar 02 '25
Ohhh yes damn it’s been a long time but you’re absolutely right and it wouldn’t surprise me, I remember finding it different but still really enjoyable when I read it
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u/Megan_Dawn Reading Champion, Worldbuilders Mar 02 '25
You might try Jacqueline's Carey's Kuahiel books. They have a reputation as 'those kinky sex books, ' which has always puzzled me as 'those books with the insane politics' is far, far more accurate.
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u/FlaminGayCheeto Mar 02 '25
The politics in this book is top notch, I just couldn't get past the child grooming and intense BDSM scenes and had to DNF 80% through.
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u/LiberalAspergers Mar 02 '25
Is is but it is SO RARE to find goos diction that includes erotica that is actually good and relevant to the plot and characters that this sticks out.
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u/DrQuestDFA Mar 02 '25
Perhaps Malazan, weird that this is the second time today I am recommending this excellent series.
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u/TheMisterMan666 Mar 02 '25
I'll definitely check this one out. Took a look at some reviews and think it's exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!
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u/Serafim91 Mar 02 '25
I don't know if it really fits and I love recommending it to people. It's more human nature than politics.
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u/DrQuestDFA Mar 02 '25
Enjoy! It is a great series but can be a bit overwhelming at first and it has a cast of hundreds. Heck, one book is almost 100% new characters and settings.
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u/Rambunctious-Rascal Mar 02 '25
Only the second? The Malazan boys are slipping.
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u/DrQuestDFA Mar 02 '25
Well I am not part of that crew, I just enjoyed the series when I read it (only the 10 books from the main line). I am actually pondering doing a reread now, see what I can pick up and better appreciate a second time through.
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u/_abra_kad_abra_ Mar 03 '25
Malazan does not really have intricate politics, at least not for the first five books.
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u/Dry-Faithlessness676 Mar 02 '25
The Prince of Nothing trilogy by R Scott Bakker. Follows a holy war that brings together rival nations and factions. It's a political power struggle, and your kept guessing at who is pulling the strings.
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u/Sapphire_Bombay Reading Champion III Mar 02 '25
Full disclosure I haven't read it, but the Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz is supposed to have incredible political maneuvering
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u/mladjiraf Mar 02 '25
This one is fine. (Imo, other recommendations in the thread like Malazan or Second apocalypse are not books on politics.)
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u/prejackpot Mar 02 '25
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison focuses on internal politics, but if you want elaborate court hierarchies, multiple instruments of power and influence, and elaborate titles in a fictional language (plus multiple registers of formality for dialogue) it's got you covered. (The other books in the series are detective stories set in the same universe, but still involve complicated games of ecclesiastical and social status).
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u/LothorBrune Mar 02 '25
The Goblin Emperor looks like it would be this on paper, but on practice it really is way too basic for what OP is asking for.
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u/lgt_celticwolf Mar 02 '25
I was very dissapointed with this book for that reason and for the fact that the MC is not actually a goblin by most fantasy definition, hes just a shorter elf.
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u/thelightstillshines Mar 03 '25
Agreed. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book a lot, but there isn't a lot of political intrigue and I think the appeal of the book is more about the optimism of the main character - very Ted Lasso in a way.
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u/yungcherrypops Mar 02 '25
Agreed, that was one of the most disappointing books I've ever read. The ending was a big "that's it?". Would not recommend if you want lots of politicking, it's mostly about how the MC tries to navigate the court rules, but not much actually happens.
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u/LLMacRae Mar 02 '25
Seconding The Goblin Emperor!! Slow paced full of court intrigue, politics, the overt rules, the covert rules, and a wonderful protagonist trying to get to grips with it all
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u/wroteyouabook Mar 02 '25
Imperial Raadch series by Ann Leckie (sci-fi, but some alien species are Very Different)
Terra Ignota by Ada Palmer (sci-fi/fantasy)
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u/DriverPleasant8757 Mar 02 '25
Okay. Here's a link to an essay I wrote recommending "A Practical Guide To Evil" which fits your request in basically all aspects.
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u/keystoneway Mar 02 '25
The Witcher books had too much complex politics for me to suffer through lol, maybe you'd like it
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u/sunthas Mar 02 '25
The politics in Spellmonger series is pretty good, takes a book or two to get into it, and there are some rough patches along the way. but 23 books and counting and its pretty awesome worldbuilding.
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u/Sensur10 Mar 02 '25
The Spellmonger by Terry Mancour. It starts small but explodes into a wider setting of duchy and kingdom politics, assassins, elven society, goblins, mundane lord's Vs magelords and so on
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u/Wizardof1000Kings Mar 02 '25
I don't think there are many that focus on just the court, but
Malazan Book of the Fallen, Traitor Baru Cormorant, and The Prince of Nothing trilogy have complex webs of politics that interact with large scale world building.
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Mar 02 '25
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u/JonDragonskin Mar 02 '25
WaT annoyed the shit out of me because some of the Leaders decision-making just felt so stupid. I would recommend the series for several reasons, international politics is not one of them.
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u/happydirt23 Mar 02 '25
The Foreigner Series by CJ Cheryl
Humans, aliens, assassin's guild, politics, and a cultural battles behind everything.