The most recommended worldbuilding books

This book really adds a different dimension to the Orc race, starting with their blood. The race of half-orcs have a sort of hierarchy based on whether their mother or father was an orc, and they have different attributes both physically and culturally. The story follows a platoon, or hoof, of hog riding calvary that are basically a motorbike gang as they patrol the lawless lands. The language is foul and the characters crude and rough, but the writing is brilliant and I loved how the author brought the outlaw type to the orc race. 

“We fight so the rest shall not have to!”

A brilliant science-fantasy story. In a world where international conflict is resolved through the proxy of individual prize fighters, a young street brawler is schooled by an old warrior (with something to prove) through the underground and up into the big leagues.

Come for the zero-to-hero character arc and the good ole' fashioned fights, stay for the surprising (and subtle) depth of worldbuilding.

When I was in high school, I didn’t like to read that much because I was a slow reader.

My best friend was an avid reader and he loved fantasy in particular. One day he handed me this book and said I needed to read it. He said the characters were amazing and the book was not one of the big thick fantasy tomes I refused to read.

I decided to try it and I read it cover to cover in about two days. I continued on and read the entire five book series, and then went on to read more from the author. This book turned a non-reader into a reader, then an English major, and finally into a teacher and an author. I still read slower than I would like, but this book and series set me on the path I still follow today. 

The Far Pavilions is one of the most beautiful, culturally aware, historically accurate, and vivid books I’ve ever read, and I re-read it every few years.

I’ve loaned this book and not gotten it back so many times that I’m sure it’s still in print because of the number of copies I’ve had to buy to replace it. Based on the history of British direct rule in India, it tells the story of a young British boy raised as Indian by the nanny who saves his life during the Sepoy uprisings.

He struggles with having a foot in two worlds and not really belonging to either, and the author does a fantastic job of illustrating this. India truly comes alive.

I’m a sucker for a good coming-of-age story, especially when set in the world of an epic fantasy. And let’s face it. Badass dragons? Sexy, leather-clad dragon riders? Sold. Just shut up and take my money. But for me, the most irresistible thing about this story is that it always zigs when you think it is going to zag. It’s charming, funny, feels good, and keeps you guessing until the end. 

Speaking of the end, I guarantee your face will resemble the “mind blown” emoji as you read the last page, and you’ll be hitting the pre-order button for the next book in the series.

I’ve been aware of the Elric books for many years, but it has taken me a long time to get around to reading about the eternal champion. It was worth the wait.

It is fascinating to see how these stories have had such far-reaching influence, from roleplaying games to video games to fantasy authors. Elric is a great anti-hero, and though you always root for him, you often feel like you shouldn’t!

The central theme running through the book’s post-apocalyptic landscape is a series of clues that must be solved, in true mystery fashion. Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow follow the signs left behind by the original builders of the underground City of Ember to escape to the outside world. Along the way, the reader is pulled further and further into the story, trying to understand this strange world and decipher the meaning of the clues alongside our intrepid heroes. Also thrown in is some old-fashioned political corruption to add to the mystery feel.

Discount Armageddon is the first of the InCryptid novels.

The Price family comes from a long line of monster hunters, but a few generations back, they decided they didn’t agree with the prevailing definition of “monster.” Now they’re dedicated to protecting the cryptid community—as long as it’s not chowing down on the neighbors.

I love this universe because there’s such a wide variety of characters that are each convinced that their way is the right way. Sometimes you never quite know whose side someone will come down on. Discount Armageddon introduces us to Verity Price.

Verity is tough, resourceful, and yeah—kinda selfish at times. She’s no goody-two-shoes, but she does a lot of good, just the same.

I picked this one up because I became friends with the author, but I finished it because it was really good solid fantasy with a decent mystery – and I say that as someone who struggles to find books I enjoy.

The characters were familiar archetypes without being too tropey, and the world building had some very cool substance to it. I enjoyed it enough that I will be reading the sequels and prodding the author to produce more.

Like my saga, the Agents of Kalanon books switch protagonist focus each book while staying with the same crew of characters – which is something I love. I’m big into character-driven story and enjoy when enticing side characters end up becoming main characters.

This book is one of the best at capturing the impact of myth on history, culture, and politics. Thompson starts long before the Easter 1916 Rising, the book’s central event, and examines how Celticity became a focal point of reclaiming an Irish identity separate from the British. Just as Jack Zipes’ Grimm Legacies demonstrates how the collection of folklore developed a unified German cultural identity, Thompson illustrates how collecting (and in many cases updating) the myths of the land gave Ireland not only a new identity but also a new history. The heroes of those mythic stories would be used for the next three centuries as allegories for both Ireland and the Irish in art, literature, theatre, and political rhetoric. It is the blueprint of all my worldbuilding.

Blindsight is a suspenseful read for a number of reasons.

It’s hard science fiction, so there is a heavy amount of science poured into the pages, but that science goes deep into the realms of philosophy. It delves into the mysteries of the human mind, its limits, and the idea of what is consciousness.

The tension here was very existential for me because I often find myself in these same debates with myself and this novel took me deeper into that debate—deeper into the depths of the human mind than I ever wanted to be.

No best of urban fantasy list would be complete without a shout-out to the Dresden Files. Although Harry Dresden can be a tad chauvinistic, he’s got a fantastic sense of humor and a solid moral code that leans toward self-sacrificing. Turn Coat is my favorite book in the series because it really showcases Harry’s “chaotic good” personality, which I’m all about. When the “lawful good” watchdog of the white council who’s always riding Harry’s back is framed for murder, of course, Harry puts himself on the line for the jerk. It’s a snarky, action-packed roller coaster ride, which is what I’m always looking for in a book escape. 

This Savage Song is a dark urban fantasy set in a world where violence creates monsters. Not human monsters (though there are plenty of those in the tale), but real, shadowy creatures that roam the cityscape in the wake of murders, assaults, and other dark deeds.

The story is told from dual points of view, with chapters from the viewpoint of a rebellious daughter of the city’s overlord and the point of view of one of the monsters living in the city. Schwab is best known for the Shades of Magic series, but I personally think This Savage Song and its sequel, Our Dark Duet are her best work. 

I’ve only said this once about a book: this is the sort of indie work that traditional publishers should be salivating over but would never have the courage to publish. There is such a wealth of emotion and reality in Heretic’s Guide. It’s a quiet, deliberate but fraught story of a human who doesn’t realize how much he needs the help of the godly being he befriends, or that the godly being needs him just as much. Fair warning that it’s a hefty story that’s more cerebral than action-packed, but the mystery, compelling dialogue and wondrous worldbuilding makes this one of my favorite books of all time. (Also the sequel to this duology is even better. Just saying.)

For my bookworm girlies who long for a historical adventure. This was one of the first historical fantasy/romance books I ever read and I loved it. I remember really loving the main character because not only was she bookish and unintentionally funny, she was smart, awkward, and relatable. The story gives the reader a chance to dive into a culture you may not be completely familiar with and that accounts for half the intrigue right there! I love the lore, the supernatural elements, the history, the action. It’s a story that ticks all the boxes for fun reads and I’d encourage anyone who enjoys those things to give it a shot.  

Melissa Scott takes worldbuilding to fascinating extremes in her 1995 novel, Shadow Man. Due to changes in human biology, there are five recognised sexes in Scott’s far-flung society, with man and woman joined by fem, herm, and mem – yet despite the variety in body types, the isolated and backward planet of Hara forces its residents to choose between a simple binary. With its bold depictions of gender discrimination and violence, Shadow Man is relevant to our own social battles while also indulging in a fast-paced plot and thought-provoking speculation, all while being just different enough from our own world that it scratches that escapist itch.

Madeline Hunter is the pseudonym of an art historian who teaches at the university level, and that expert knowledge translates well in her books.

The little bits and pieces of art detail she adds to her story worlds really bring them to life. There’s also an element of mystery that deepens the plot. The Seducer is the first book in The Seducer series, and while it’s not the first of her books that I’ve read, the story of Diane Albret and Daniel St. John is the one that made me a fan.

The heroine is a recent boarding school graduate, and the hero is her far more experienced guardian. In the modern-day world, this premise is all kinds of creepy. The power dynamics between this couple were so far off, I wasn’t sure how Hunter could make this a romance.

But based on the historical details built into the world,… show more.

This is the first book in a series that goes on and on, following the life of a couple of characters as the world changes around them. Spanning two different worlds, this first book builds up a number of characters you want to keep reading about. As the series continues through time, new threats to the two worlds introduce new characters. What I like most about this series is it keeps moving the worlds forward instead of stagnating.

Another split realm recommendation! I loved every second of this spicy, enemies-to-lovers, magical book! The worldbuilding is next level, and I was transported to the world with vicious faeries. Lark is one of three sisters that have crossed the borders into the faerie world. Lark is sent to the mountain to the fae who rules over the sky. The journey up the mountain and Lark’s personality made me laugh and cheer her on. Lark is hilarious, witty, free-spirited, and doesn’t let her fear get the best of her. She’s inventive, always finding a way out of tough situations. I love the dynamic between Lark and her two other sisters, and who doesn’t love a found family? Ultimately, Lark’s story is captivating, compelling, and I highly recommend!

I was quite taken by the Silo TV series this past year and decided to further explore this universe by reading the independently published novels the show is based on.

In Wool, Howey describes a cylindrical bunker city containing 144 levels accessible via a spiral staircase that takes several days to climb. Each level is dedicated to a particular occupation, the miners and mechanics living in the “down deep” and the bureaucrats living “up top” with limited contact between them.

When Juliette Nichols, the newly appointed sheriff from Mechanical, climbs up to mingle with the bureaucrats, the order in the Silo is disrupted, and its origin’s mysteries are revealed.

The notion of bunker cities isn’t new in science fiction, but Howey explores the subject with grit, depth, and great detail — an intriguing read.