There’s never a bad time to queue up a superb queer fantasy book. But with an abundance of choices out there, it can be tricky to choose just where to begin. If you need help whittling down the selections to suit your tastes and mood, look no further. Our collection of the best fantasy books with LGBTQIA+ characters is as diverse as it is outstanding—there’s truly something for everyone on this list. Here, you'll find epic fantasies with dragons and dangerous quests, swoon-worthy romantasies, works of historical and urban fantasy alike, and everything in between. Yet as varied as the witches and warriors housed within them are, these audiobooks all share a common theme, centering identity-affirming stories about queer family, love, and friendship.
This epic fantasy blends romance, adventure, and magic in a breathtaking saga about the downfall of an empire. Narrator Shiromi Arserio brings Tasha Suri's richly imagined world to life with an array of impassioned character voices. The Jasmine Throne centers on a princess desperate for revenge on the family that wronged her and a servant with a secret, powerful past. Together, the two women embark on a journey that will dramatically change not only their lives but also the fate of the world.
Powerhouse narrator Natalie Naudus gives a brilliant performance of Shelley Parker Chan's history fantasy, a reimagining of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and its complex heroine. Born into the harsh world of 14th-century China, Zhu was raised to believe her life wouldn't amount to anything. But when her brother dies, she slips easily into his identity, claiming his destiny of greatness for herself. Zhu soon becomes one of the most powerful figures in the land—but not without paying a price.
In this quietly profound, acclaimed YA novel, Akwaeke Emezi explores big ideas about community, accountability, silence, and justice. Jam lives in the city of Lucille. She grows up believing that her home is beautiful and free from danger—though it was plagued by monsters a long time ago, they've all been destroyed. That is, until she meets Pet, a creature who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and forces Jam to reconsider everything she's been taught. Christopher Myers narrates with the perfect blend of passion and tenderness.
Fans of romantasy will no doubt love this slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance about a prince who falls for his new bodyguard. The lushly imagined kingdom, with its intricate history and mythology, serves as the perfect background for a character-driven love story about two men slowly learning to open up to both themselves and each other. Casey Jones's deep voice casts an enchanting spell for the entirety of this fantastic listen.
This queer fantasy novella was inspired by a song by the group Clipping. Fittingly, one of the band's members, Daveed Diggs, narrates the audiobook. His performance elevates The Deep to new heights—Diggs captures the rhythms of River Solomon's prose and the depths of the world they conjure. Yetu lives in an underwater community built by the descendants of pregnant African women thrown overboard from slave ships, where she is tasked with holding the collective memory of her people. But when the trauma becomes too much to bear, she goes to the surface in search of a new way of honoring the past.
Jebi is an artist not a fighter and just wants to live their life in peace. But with bills to pay, they take a job painting for the Ministry of Armor. Soon, Jebi learns just how evil and corrupt their government truly is. That leads to the only logical course of action—steal a giant dragon automaton and fight back. Emily Woo Zeller expertly channels the exuberance of this fast-paced fantasy, crafting a stellar audio experience.
In this YA fantasy, a trans boy accidentally summons a ghost who won't leave him alone. Yadriel loves his big Latinx family, but they struggle to accept his gender. Thinking they'll finally get it if he can prove he's a real brujo, he attempts to do a ritual on his own—and ends up stuck with the ghost of his school's resident troublemaker. What follows is a heartfelt and often hilarious journey of love and self-discovery. Avi Roque captures the full range of Yadriel's emotions and brings the whole community to life with a rich variety of voices and accents.
In this charming tale of spirits, ghosts, and monsters, Elatsoe, an asexual Lipan Apache girl, solves the murder of her cousin with the help of her best pal, a ghost dog named Kirby. Kinsale Hueston's narration is overflowing with humor and warmth, just like the story itself. The cleverness, depth, and imagination of Elatsoe will stay with you long after the last word.
The Unbroken has everything that makes epic fantasy so irresistible—political intrigue, epic battles, betrayal, rebellion, and a sizzling romance. And it's all brilliantly performed by narrator Rasha Zamamiri. Touraine is a soldier sent to quell an uprising in her homeland; Luca is looking for someone brave enough to risk it all for a bigger purpose. Even when they clash, they're drawn to each other—but their evolving relationship has consequences for the whole world.
Looking for a contemporary queer witchy fantasy? Her Majesty's Royal Coven follows four childhood best friends who also happen to be witches, part of a long-standing coven hidden in plain sight as a government department. But as the women grow up and pursue different lives, their ideas about how to use their power and what role the coven should play in the world come into conflict. Smart, funny, and full of sharp social commentary, this is a must-listen for urban and contemporary fantasy fans. Aoife McMahon's narration is remarkably engaging, and she deftly navigates the many intersecting storylines.
At 26 hours, this is one of the longest queer fantasy books on this list, but Liyah Summers makes listening to every hour a true pleasure. Set in a world full of dragons, ancient magic, and political unrest, The Priory of the Orange Tree follows the intertwined lives of three complex women—a queen, a secret mage, and a dragonrider. This is epic fantasy at its best, approached from a fresh perspective.
This Arthurian retelling is a queer fantasy book lover's dream. Peretur grows up in a cave in Wales with her single mother. As a young woman, determined to explore the world and find glory, she makes her way to King Arthur's court, where she encounters magic, adventure, danger, and a belonging she didn't know existed. Spear is a beautiful coming-of-age story about queer family, and Nicola Griffith narrates it with quiet precision.
If you read Peter Pan as a kid and wished it were a little more overtly queer, you're in luck. In this retelling, Austin Chant reimagines Peter as trans. As a child, Peter was forced to live as someone he wasn't (Wendy Darling), so he escaped to Neverland and then grew up to be a young man. After a disastrous attempt to reconcile with his family, Peter returns to Neverland. But nothing there is as simple as he remembers, especially his growing attraction to his old enemy, Hook. Mark B. Knight narrates this captivating romance with both vulnerability and heat.
Two all-star narrators, Nicole Lewis and Dominic Hoffman, team up to bring the first book in this African-inspired fantasy trilogy to life. Three women from very different backgrounds join together to take down an unjust empire—and get into a lot of trouble along the way. Saara El-Arifi creates the kind of fantasy world that's easy to sink into, with lots of cultural and visual details, from the gods to the look and feel of the cities.
Nghi Vo is one of today's most prolific queer fantasy authors, and her books range from fairy-tale-like novellas to epic retellings of classic American lit. In Siren Queen, narrated beautifully by Natalie Naudus, Vo imagines an alternate 1930s Hollywood controlled by the fae. These shadowy, powerful beings make bargains with film studios that are nothing but dangerous for young actresses. Gorgeous and talented, Luli Wei is determined to be a star—but in the world she inhabits, being a star means dealing with monsters.
