Despite 2020 being a wild rollercoaster ride, it brought us good things as well. And by good things, I mean queer science fiction and fantasy books! Throughout 2020, we saw glorious queer rep in SFF books, both in YA and Adult. Now the year is over after blessing us with great queer SFF books, but 2021 also has tons of surprises for us. Here are 15 queer SFF books to look out for in 2021!
Want even more 2021 releases? Check out our list of Most Anticipated releases, Fantasy and Sci-Fi releases, Young Adult releases, Romance releases, and Queer releases.
In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland
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Not only does this book look absolutely stunning, the synopsis is also enough to stop you in your tracks. Here’s the first line of the synopsis: A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead. Sprinkle in dark magic, more queer representation, and a polyamorous relationship, and you get In the Ravenous Dark!
Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders
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If you like a) LGBTQ+ heroes who get to save the world and b) the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope, then this YA debut is for you! Victories Greater Than Death is a thrilling adventure set against an intergalactic war, from internationally bestselling author Charlie Jane Anders.
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
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Okay, here’s the vision: mechas, cyberpunk weaponry, sapphics, enemies-to-lovers, and sword fights. Gearbreakers already sounds fantastic! In this queer SFF book, two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they’re fighting for a common purpose, all the while growing closer and falling for each other.
Persephone Station by Stina Leicht
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Get ready for a queer space opera with high-stakes adventure from Hugo award–nominated author Stina Leicht. Persephone Station features a cast that is mostly made up of women of colour, heists, a touch of Northern Irish Crime, and a feminist take on The Mandalorian.
Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
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TJ Klune is back with another fantasy creation told with his signature warmth and humour! Under the Whispering Door is about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with. And if this has the same vibes as The House in the Cerulean Sea does, we all better get our tissues ready.
The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
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The Witch King sounds downright delightful with its trans witch main character, royal faes, impending gay marriage, and a fae kingdom in need of saving. In this debut YA fantasy, Wyatt Croft needs to face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind, and decide between his people or his freedom.
Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
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Winter’s Orbit is described as a mashup between Ancillary Justice and Red, White & Royal Blue and, yes, it sounds exciting! Expect romantic space opera, interplanetary wars, arranged marriage for political advantages, and more from this debut.
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
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After crafting two novellas for his popular alternate Cairo universe, Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark is now making his fantasy novel debut with A Master of Djinn. It features a steampunk alternate version of Cairo, Egypt, supernatural forces, strong female cast, queer romance, and a murder to solve.
Girls at the Edge of the World by Laura Brooke Robson
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With dangers of an epic apocryphal flood, teen girl romance, and a “healthy mix of bad puns and classic lit references”, this romantic fantasy debut is something to look forward to! Girls at the Edge of the World features an aerial silk performer hell-bent on survival and another who thirsts for revenge.
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
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A Dark and Hollow Star sounds captivating all throughout. With four different queer point of views, a sapphic romance, court intrigue, faes, a magical underworld in Toronto, a serial killer, and a brewing war, this thrilling fantasy novel is mashup of The Cruel Prince and City of Bones.
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer
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Two boys lost in space in a sentient spaceship. Doesn’t that already sound riveting? The Darkness Outside Us is a queer science fiction novel about two teen boys from warring countries who needs to embark on a rescue mission to save an astronaut, and also face their spaceship who might be their enemy.
The Unbroken by C.L. Clark
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A political fantasy like no other in a queernorm world, The Unbroken sounds like a fantastic debut novel from author C.L. Clark. This North-Africa inspired fantasy debut features rebellion, espionage, assassinations, and a sapphic romance between a soldier and a princess.
Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora
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In the dystopian world featured in Fragile Remedy, Nate is a cure for the elite from the fatal lung rot ravaging the population, but also has a genetic failsafe himself. Now, has to choose between working for a shadowy terrorist organization that has the means to keep him alive, or stay (and die) with the boy he loves.
These Feathered Flames by Alexandra Overy
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These Feathered Flames is a queer #ownvoices retelling of the Russian folktale “The Firebird”. You can expect sapphic romance, enemies-to-lovers trope, court intrigue, and a sisterhood reminiscent of Game of Thrones’ Sansa and Arya Stark.
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
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Here’s a wonderful vision for A Marvellous Light: Edwardian England, conspiracies, murder mystery, hidden magical society, and queer romance! This book features a civil service liaison to a hidden magical society who discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.
I’m already reeling from this round of queer SFF books, and I know there are more of these coming out in 2021!
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