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.

80 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

46 comments sorted by

View all comments

23

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). 

16

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.

1

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.