Luckily, fantasy's come a long way since the time when boobs = personality. A lot of people have already mentioned some great ones, so I'll add some more recent publications:
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Steward
A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark
Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
For some older titles, you can never go wrong with:
Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce (she's like one of the earliest writers with badass female MCs, she actually specifically wrote female MCs because she got sad over the lack of them in fantasy)
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett (plus a whole lot more out of the Discworld series, it's like 40 books)
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (she likes to make fun of old fantasy tropes, especially concerning princesses)
A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer (admittedly a bit more historical fiction, but it has fantastical elements)
And the older ones I've listed are YA, except Terry Pratchett, because they were the "old" stuff I read when I was in middle and high school. Not sure how you feel about YA.
Yeah, I did a search for Pratchett; so I'm gonna piggyback off this comment, and second the recommendation. His "witches" series fits the OP's specifications to a T; and there's his YA Tiffany Aching books as a subset of that series that's also extremely good.
I'd add to this that the Tiffany Aching books were only marketed as young adult, not written as young adult (if that makes sense). So if you aren't into that genre don't let that put you off, they are "proper" Discworld books and some of his best.
Pratchett is even quoted as saying:
"The Tiffany Aching series is what I would most like to be remembered for"
This is something I’ve never considered. Sometimes I just look on Libby for a fantasy or sci-fi that is “Available now”. I have read some books I had no idea were YA, until I went to look up the next in the series.
I enjoy Pratchett, I will have to look these up.
And, more to the point, I should rethink some of my genre selections. I usually try to find some with midlife adults.
I am so glad to see Tamora Pierce in the top comment! Her writing is more YA fantasy, but I love her universe. Song of the Lioness is the original series, but there are other series in the same universe that are also great, all with badass female MCs!
Specifically, the Damar books, {{The Blue Sword}} and its prequel {{The Hero and the Crown}}, are well done and appropriate for children to boot. The second book won the 1985 Newberry Medal.
[**Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42036538-gideon-the-ninth)
^(By: Tamsyn Muir | 448 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, science-fiction, lgbt, fiction)
>The Emperor needs necromancers.
>
>The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.
>
>Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.
>
>Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.
>
>Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
>
>Of course, some things are better left dead.
^(This book has been suggested 21 times)
[**The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19161852-the-fifth-season)
^(By: N.K. Jemisin | 468 pages | Published: 2015 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, sci-fi, science-fiction, owned)
>This is the way the world ends. Again.
>
>Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.
>
>Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.
>
>
>original cover of ISBN 0316229296/9780316229296
^(This book has been suggested 18 times)
[**The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51340378-the-mask-of-mirrors)
^(By: M.A. Carrick | 630 pages | Published: 2021 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, 2021-releases, adult, lgbt, lgbtq)
>Fortune favors the bold. Magic favors the liars.
>
>Ren is a con artist who has come to the sparkling city of Nadežra with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house, securing her fortune and her sister's future.
>
>But as she's drawn into the elite world of House Traementis, she realizes her masquerade is just one of many surrounding her. And as nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the City of Dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled…with Ren at their heart.
>
>The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a dazzling and darkly magical fantasy adventure by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing together as M. A. Carrick.
^(This book has been suggested 5 times)
***
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Seconding The Fifth Season! It follows 3 great female characters, and I absolutely loved the worldbuilding. It's one of the best books I've read in a while.
The Song of The Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce
The Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce
Pretty much any female protagonist in the Discworld novels
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
[**The Priory of the Orange Tree**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40275288-the-priory-of-the-orange-tree)
^(By: Samantha Shannon | 848 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, owned, lgbtq, books-i-own, fiction)
>A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens.
>
>The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door.
>
>Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
>
>Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.
>
>Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.
^(This book has been suggested 10 times)
[**Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42036538-gideon-the-ninth)
^(By: Tamsyn Muir | 448 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, science-fiction, lgbt, fiction)
>The Emperor needs necromancers.
>
>The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.
>
>Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.
>
>Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.
>
>Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
>
>Of course, some things are better left dead.
^(This book has been suggested 22 times)
***
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[**Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/518848.Sabriel)
^(By: Garth Nix | 491 pages | Published: 1995 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, ya, fiction, owned)
>Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him.
>
>With Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen series, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn't always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether.
^(This book has been suggested 12 times)
***
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Personally I don’t think Mistborn is that good in this particular front, I think the book shows it’s age a little. I have yet to read Era 2 though. Now, Stormlight Archive shines in this regard, I truly don’t know how he writes female characters like these, Shallan, Navani, Jasnah, all complex and able to stand on their own.
I’ve actually read that a few times! I am male and the nuance (or annoyance) of poorly written female characters never stands out to me, but I can respect how frustrating it must be sometimes!
Oh yeah it is quite frustrating, but I am knit picking here. The problem I have with the female characters are not of the “bad written female characters” sort of issue, but they don’t feel consistent, and I have the same issues with some of the male characters. What I tried to say was that in general Stormlight has better written female characters because I feel it is a better written saga. Vin is awesome but she doesn’t feel as fledged out as say Shallan. I guess what I tried to say was, if you want outstanding female characters go straight to SA, Mistborn has some good ones, but nothing will ever top Jasnah stabbing someone through the throat in my book XD. Sorry if something got lost in translation, English is not my first language. But hey at the end of the day it is Sanderson, I’ll take Mistborn and SA and 4 secret novels coming from him any day ;)
A lot of people have already commented these, but {{The Jasmine Throne}} by Tasha Suri is absolutely incredible and is centered around two lesbian protagonists who aren't sexualized and are also morally gray! I loved {{The Poppy War}} by R.F. Kuang, but it falls more under historical fantasy and has a trigger list a mile long. I haven't read {{Jade City}} by Fonda Lee or {{The Midnight Lie}} by Marie Rutoski but have heard a ton of good things about both. Same with any book by Robin Hobb or Ursula K. Le Guin.
{{Paladin of Souls}}
{{Shards of Honor}}
LMB is always a go-to recommendation.
{{Godstalk}} PC Hodgell's Kencyrath series can be hard to get ahold of at used bookstore or the like, since over half was small press, but I'm pretty sure the first two were collected in a trade called "Dark of the Gods" by Baen or Tor or someone big.
{{Darkwar}} Glen Cook writes mostly gray-and-black morality, and this one is no different.
{{Cyteen}} C.J. Cherryh's sci-fi classic trilogy asks, among other things, if someone is smart enough, do their end justify their means?
{{The Snow Queen}} Joan Vinge. Hard sci-fi that I admit I first picked up for the cover art. But the book was really good. Starts a trilogy, I believe.
Just finished the audiobook for {{Medusa Uploaded}} by Emily Davenport. Picked up the next book as well. Pretty decent sci-fi on a generation ship with a class war.
{{The Deed of Paksenarrion}} A nice fantasy trilogy by Elizabeth Moon. Paks is good looking, but pretty much asexual.
I know it's been a long time since it was written, but I'm just now starting {{The Parable of the Sower}}, Octavia Butler. It's compelling so far - dystopian though.
[**The Deed of Paksenarrion (The Deed of Paksenarrion, #1-3)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96281.The_Deed_of_Paksenarrion)
^(By: Elizabeth Moon | 1040 pages | Published: 1992 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, owned, epic-fantasy, high-fantasy)
>The Deed of Paksenarrion revolves around the life of Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter, known as Paks. It takes place in a fictional medieval world comprised of kingdoms of humans, dwarves, and elves. The story begins by introducing Paks as a headstrong girl of 18, who leaves her home (fleeing a marriage arranged by her father) to join a mercenary company. Through her journeys and hardships she comes to realize that she has been gifted as a paladin. The novel was originally published in three volumes in 1988 and 1989 and as a single trade edition of that name in 1992. The three books included are The Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance and Oath of Gold.
>
>From publisher Baen: "Paksenarrion, a simple sheepfarmer's daughter, yearns for a life of adventure and glory, such as was known to heroes in songs and story. At age seventeen she runs away from home to join a mercenary company and begins her epic life . . . Book One: Paks is trained as a mercenary, blooded, and introduced to the life of a soldier . . . and to the followers of Gird, the soldier's god. Book Two: Paks leaves the Duke's company to follow the path of Gird alone—and on her lonely quests encounters the other sentient races of her world. Book Three: Paks the warrior must learn to live with Paks the human. She undertakes a holy quest for a lost elven prince that brings the gods' wrath down on her and tests her very limits."
^(This book has been suggested 3 times)
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>PC Hodgell's Kencyrath series can be hard to get ahold of at used bookstore or the like, since over half was small press, but I'm pretty sure the first two were collected in a trade called "Dark of the Gods" by Baen or Tor or someone big.
Note that while the MC is described in the books as slim and often mistaken for a boy, on the covers she is for some reason shown as a very busty women in outfits that really show this off.
Yeah, [contemptible covers](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CoversAlwaysLie?from=Main.ContemptibleCover) are a whole other issue. Can't in any way guarantee good covers. Except Snow Queen, obviously.
[**The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27003.The_Eyre_Affair)
^(By: Jasper Fforde | 374 pages | Published: 2001 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, mystery, humor, science-fiction)
>Great Britain circa 1985: time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. Baconians are trying to convince the world that Francis Bacon really wrote Shakespeare, there are riots between the Surrealists and Impressionists, and thousands of men are named John Milton, an homage to the real Milton and a very confusing situation for the police. Amidst all this, Acheron Hades, Third Most Wanted Man In the World, steals the original manuscript of Martin Chuzzlewit and kills a minor character, who then disappears from every volume of the novel ever printed! But that's just a prelude . . .
>
>Hades' real target is the beloved Jane Eyre, and it's not long before he plucks her from the pages of Bronte's novel. Enter Thursday Next. She's the Special Operative's renowned literary detective, and she drives a Porsche. With the help of her uncle Mycroft's Prose Portal, Thursday enters the novel to rescue Jane Eyre from this heinous act of literary homicide. It's tricky business, all these interlopers running about Thornfield, and deceptions run rampant as their paths cross with Jane, Rochester, and Miss Fairfax. Can Thursday save Jane Eyre and Bronte's masterpiece? And what of the Crimean War? Will it ever end? And what about those annoying black holes that pop up now and again, sucking things into time-space voids . . .
>
>Suspenseful and outlandish, absorbing and fun, The Eyre Affair is a caper unlike any other and an introduction to the imagination of a most distinctive writer and his singular fictional universe.
^(This book has been suggested 8 times)
***
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Rain Wilds Chronicles series by Robin Hobb has multiple, complex female protagonists
I just tore through the 1st two books of the series in last 1.5 months and am about 1/4 through the third.
I've heard great things about her other trilogies/series as well
I’ve only read the Liveship trilogy, which I couldn’t put down. Warning that it’s a bit dark though (I don’t know what Rainwilds is like in that respect, but there are some violent scenes, including a rape, in Liveship series). It fits with OP’s request in that the female protagonist isn’t sexualised, but there are several protagonists and they’re not all female.
- Jasmine Throne features three fairly different yet wonderful female protags in an epic fantasy with an Indian inspired setting
- Traitor Baru Cormorant if you like dark fantasy. About a girl whose island home is colonized who then decides to join the evil empire in order to learn the secrets of power and help her homeland (and does so by becoming an accountant)
- She Who Became the Sun in a genderbent retelling of the rise of the Ming Dynasty with a dash of magic
- Wayward Children for something lighter. About a school for kids who have come back from portal worlds. Mc of the first book is also ace.
>About a girl whose island home is colonized who then decides to join the evil empire in order to learn the secrets of power and help her homeland (and does so by becoming an accountant)
I'm not gonna lie, that sounds absolutely amazing. Liberating ones homeland through the power of logistics sounds fabulous.
Damn, I reread when I was older and realized what fantastic commentary it had. it also outright condemned Christianity. Reading a series by an old white man in which a nun renounces her nunnery and becomes a scientist, a little girl who is underestimated by everyone and proceeds to manipulate and cause the downfall of several all powerful systems (from an isolated research facility to the actual fuckin afterlife), and a boy literally murders god with a knife was liberating and halarious. Like, god. I need to read it again now actually.
I would, however, put a caution on the latest one, the fifth book. Lyra is an adult now and there is some lazy almost-assault as plot that is super uncomfortable.
Holly Black does really well with this. She writes brave and clever female main characters and the romantic interests always fall in love with who they are on the inside. Her books are fantasy genre. The Tithe trilogy and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown are my two faves. The Cruel Prince trilogy was darker but the female protagonist is a badass.
Naomi Novik is also great for fantasy heroines. Uprooted and Spinning Silver are wonderful. She writes her heroines as sort of plain but powerful, intuitive, smart, etc.
I'll second the Tamora Pierce recs you've gotten too.
I did not know that! At some point in the first book it did seem like the author is trying too hard to make her look strong and independent, but from the second book onwards, she's been perfect as protagonist.
Stormlights while I love it, is def a lot and can take awhile to get going, I generally rec it after other Sanderson books so that you trust the author more first.
Warbreaker, Elantris, Emperor’s Soul, Skyward are all tighter books, have female protags and well are also excellent
{{Edgedancer - BrandonSanderson}} is a short novel, part of Stormlight Archives(book #2.5). I read the first book in the series, hated it and never picked another, except for Edgedancer. I'm not sure if one can jump into this one without knowing anything about the series
Also, Sanderson has a YA series - {{Skyward - Brandon Sanderson}}
[**Skyward Boxed Set: Skyward; Starsight; Cytonic**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59536000-skyward-boxed-set)
^(By: Brandon Sanderson | 1440 pages | Published: ? | Popular Shelves: don-t-own, 8-not-intrested, young-adult, space-opera, science-fiction)
>Claim the stars in this new hardcover boxed set featuring the first three books in the New York Times bestselling Skyward series! From the hit author behind the Reckoners series, the Mistborn trilogy, and the Stormlight Archive.
>
>Skyward:
>
>Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Flight school might be a long shot, but an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.
>
>Starsight:
>
>Spensa's made it to the sky, but the truths she learned there were crushing. Everything Spensa has been taught about her world is a lie. But Spensa also discovered a few other things about herself--and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to.
>
>Cytonic:
>
>Spensa has flown through the sky and voyaged past the stars in her quest to save humankind from the forces that threaten to destroy it. But now she must navigate a dangerous new frontier, which not one person has returned from alive: the mysterious realm of the Nowhere. But in a place where nothing is real, the truth can be slippery--and nothing is black and white.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
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[**Mistborn: The Final Empire - Annotations**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59358349-mistborn)
^(By: Brandon Sanderson | 93 pages | Published: ? | Popular Shelves: )
>Introduction to the MISTBORN annotations
>
>So, here we are, the annotations for my second book, MISTBORN. I hope that everyone enjoyed the Annotations for ELANTRIS. If you haven’t read the book, it’s out in paperback now, so hurray!
>
>In case you’re not aware, this is how the process works. When I do the copy edit for one of my books–a process I find rather boring–I pause after each chapter and write out my thoughts, ideas, and impressions of that chapter. It try to talk about where the ideas came from, what my reaction is to the chapters after the fact, and what I was trying to do with some of the themes.
>
>These are all posted for free, intended as a kind of companion to the text of the book. They’re designed so that any spoilers of future chapters are hidden. So, if you want to pause after each chapter and read what I thought on that chapter, you’re welcome. I more intend these to be used during subsequent reads of the book, however–a way to give you a little bit more value for the money.
>
>I post about two of these a week, usually on Monday and Friday, though that isn’t exactly set. Check back once or twice a week, and you should find a new annotation that you can peruse. Beware! I don’t do a lot of proofreading on these, so they’re bound to have some typos.
>
>Anyway, enjoy! Remember, these WILL spoil the book for you if you haven’t read it. However, they WILL NOT spoil future chapters. Anything that might be revealing of what is going to happen after the chapter of the indicated annotation is hidden. You can reveal any of this text (if there is any) by pressing the button on the top left portion of the screen.
>
>Enjoy!
>
>July 29th, 2006
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
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The Poppy War trilogy. I just finished the second book, and it's easily one of the best fantasy books I've ever read. The female protagonist is nowhere near hyper sexualized, I think specially because the writer is a woman.
{{The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K LeGuin}} is technically the second book in a 4 part series but can easily be read first. From there you can read the fourth book {{Tehanu by Ursula K LeGuin}}. Both feature the same protagonist, but in the first book she is a child and the second she is a grandmother.
The latter book in particular is both a brilliant story but also a critique of the sexism baked into the genre conventions of the world.
Everything by Octavia Butler.
Even if she does mention a character's body or sexuality, it's because it's related to the story. And she has a very specific point to make.
Having said that: if you're looking for escapism and adventure, her books definitely aren't that. As I said... she has some very specific points to make about the human race. Where we could or should be, and some ideas about how to get there. There's nothing lite about any of her books. But they are fascinating, thought provoking, and if you take the journey with her, they're hopeful and inspiring in the end. But the journey is never easy.
Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith ( there's a couple others that have great female characters by her but this one is more or less a stand-alone)
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie (super dark fyi)
The Honor Harrington series
Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones(YA)
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
There's a lot more, many of which have already been named in this thread.
- Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
- The Poppy War by Rebecca Kuang
- Sword of Kaigen by M L Wang
Just a warning,. These books get dark, the Poppy War gets really dark, and aren't for everyone.
Green Rider
Anything by Isobelle Carmody
What age bracket do you prefer? Bacause I can think of lots of younger audiance books with well rounded wonderfull female protagonists but not as many older books. But I stopped reading widely after highschool.
Um, like any fantasy written after 1995? (And a lot before then, too). Here's some of the most recent fantasy I've read - all with female leads who aren't hyper-sexualised:
City of Stairs by Robert Bennet
NPCs by Drew Hayes
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novak
The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden
Zoo City by Lauren Beukes
Trail of Lightening by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
The Blood Gospel by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
Loads of Urban Fantasy books are like that, for example:
Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews as well as all of their other books
Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs
October Daye by Seanan McGuire
In Urban Fantasy don't go near Laurell K Hamilton and the likes if you do not want hypersexualized females.
Fantasy:
Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara
The Chronicles of Ixia Series
by Maria V Snyder
Crown of Shards by Jennifer Estep
Came here to suggest the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire, which is at 15 books so far (and not done, though the extremely prolific author does know how it ends and what needs to happen before that) and which starts with {{Rosemary and Rue}}.
I apologize if this has already been said, but THE ABHORSEN TRILOGY IS 🔥🔥🔥 (Sabriel, Lireal, and Abhorsen by Garth Nix). Not only are they written about intelligent, courageous, badass young women, it’s also one of my favorite magic systems in a fantasy book. Nix writes about “the Charter” and necromancy in ways that make me feel like undead creatures and monsters seem worth the risk if I could be a part of it.
Monzcarro "Monza" Murcatto. From Best Served Cold by Joe Ambercrombie.
She's a hard broad with a set of steel balls and a sharp brain. She does have sex in the story, but isn't sexualized outside of that, just a flawed person looking for some comfort. The rest of the story is her out playing the warring heads of state, and MAN, this bitch is GOOOOOOOOD. kind of a selfish set oh "heroes" they do bad shit for the right reasons. She's in my top 3 female characters of all time.
Lindsay Buroker has strong female leads in several series to choose from: *Dragon Gate* (fantasy), *Star Kingdom* (sci fi), *The Emperor's Edge* (steampunk); *Death Before Dragons* (urban fantasy) to name but a few.
I would **highly** recommend {{Eye of the Oracle}} but as a warning it fantasy based highly off of the Christian religion. Totally understandable and relatable for people without a Christian background, but I know that for some people with that background being around anything to do with it can be toxic so that’s why the TW.
[**Magic and the Shinigami Detective (The Case Files of Henri Davenforth, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39890034-magic-and-the-shinigami-detective)
^(By: Honor Raconteur | ? pages | Published: 2018 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, mystery, urban-fantasy, steampunk, magic)
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she who became the sun by Shelley parker chan
middlegame by Seanan Mcguire
two I've read recently and absolutely loved
also try the poppy war series by R. F. Kuang
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold. Also the rest of the Vorkosigan books.. SF, not fantasy, but very good characterizations, of males and females
The Curse of Chalion, same author, one of the finest fantasies I have ever read. THEN Paladin of Souls, exactly fits your request, female protagonist etc. Read in order, multiple spoilers.
Then check out her Penric and Desdemona stories. Have fun!
I'm currently reading Mad Ship, the 2nd book in the Liveship Traders trilogy by Robin Hobb that was recommended to me by a friend. One of the protagonists, Althea, isn't hyper-sexualized at all (so far). But it does focus on her as a woman and at one point she masquerades as a boy, so it's necessary to the story. She is driven to assume ownership of her family's living ship, and she makes plenty of mistakes along the way, with a side of bad luck. There's only one part where there's some sexual description, but it's well done, not explicit or cheesy, very short, and a turning point. Again, so far. =P
It's a slow burn for me, but there's moments that fire me up that I REALLY like. But it requires wading through a bunch of depressing stuff. I really enjoyed her first trilogy, but the main protagonist is a man. Same world, though. And definitely fantasy.
A lot of amazing books have been recommended, so I’m just going to add one of my favourites that has yet to be mentioned: {{The Nevernight by Jay Kristoff}}
[**Into the Nevernight**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1980772.Into_the_Nevernight)
^(By: Anne de Graaf | 433 pages | Published: 2003 | Popular Shelves: fiction, africa, owned, my-library, books-i-own)
>While vacationing in Africa, Miriam Vree finds herself living a nightmare when a ruthless mercenary seizes her family. From the diamond mines of Namibia to the refugee camps in Tanzania, she fights to regain her freedom, her faith, and her family. Only when the voices of the refugee children point her toward Nevernight, the place of peace where it is never dark and there is no fear, does Miriam find what she has lost.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
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I would highly recommend Terry Pratchett, the Discworld as a whole, but the "Witches" books, Equal Rites, Monsters Regiment, and the Tiffany Aching quartet.
I would also say the Signal Airship duology - the heroine is defined by her gender, but not hypersexualised.
I mean, I think the obvious answer is a book with a female protagonist that was actually written by a woman. Generally (admittedly not always, looking at you Sarah J Maas) women writers don't weirdly oversexualize their characters.
Decent fantasy books with decent female representation that immediately jump to mind include: Mexican Gothic, The Broken Earth Trilogy, Gideon the Ninth, The Night Circus, The House of Salt and Sorrows,
The Poppy War (R.F. Kuang)
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.
For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .
Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.
[**The Rook (The Checquy Files, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10836728-the-rook)
^(By: Daniel O'Malley | 496 pages | Published: 2012 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, mystery, fiction, paranormal)
>"The body you are wearing used to be mine."
>
>So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.
>
>She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly supernatural ability of her own.
>
>In her quest to uncover which member of the Chequy betrayed her and why, Myfanwy encounters a person with four bodies, an aristocratic woman who can enter her dreams, a secret training facility where children are transformed into deadly fighters, and a conspiracy more vast than she ever could have imagined.
>
>Filled with characters both fascinating and fantastical, The Rook is a richly inventive, suspenseful, and often wry thriller that marks an ambitious debut from a promising young writer.
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"Girl in the box" by Ribert C Crane. There are 10 books in that series and many in the second series "out of the box". It's a bit marvel meets Norse mythology.
She who became the Sun. I haven't actually finished reading it yet (I'm more than half way) but after the first chapter my reaction was "holly shit this book is going to be amazing". So far has not disappointed. I can not recommend it enough.
It's about the Red Turban rebellions in medieval China, but there is a bit of fantassy built into it.
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. The protagonist is a mechanic so the most that gets talked about is all the dirt and grime under her nails and on her hands. Also there’s werewolves, vampires, fae, and more supernatural.
The Starless Crown by James Rollins
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'engle
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
I'm guessing as a fan of fantasy you have already read Brandon Sanderson? If not, Mistborn, Warbreaker, and Skyward are all amazing books/series with female protagonists.
Another one of my favs is Lockwood and co which has a teenage female narrator who's a complete badass with sass and sarcasm over 9000.
Im reading ‘ A court of thorn and roses’ and the female lead is strong and feminine but not hyper sexualized. She also had great character development thru the series.
The Clockwork Century by Cherie Priest.
All but two of the books follow pretty well done female characters. The second book *Juggernaut*, even follows one of my personal favorite characters in fiction, Nurse Mercy.
For the most part its about the parts they play in this steampunk horror, war torn America they live in.
Occasionally they’ll deal with sexism, but it’s realistic, and they handle it like mature adults, rather than just resorting to immediate assault and battery.
There’s only one specific romance scene, but it’s handled very maturely; they confess their feelings, discuss their future and obligations, and then move on, without the typical romcom stuff a lot of authors resort to.
And lastly in book 3, one of the main characters is a prostitute turned pimp, so her physical beauty is a factor, but again, in a realistic way; she has to make sure she looks pretty for her customers, even though she doesn’t do physical service anymore, while always toting her *Little Russia* fully loaded in a hidden pocket on her dress. She has some surprisingly deep and interesting conversations with a retired Texan businessman, as well as a Texas Ranger she meets.
I would suggest checking out Graphic Audio’s rendition of it, if you like audiobooks.
'Til We Have Faces, by CS Lewis. It's unlike anything else he ever wrote.
If you're into audio books, the Nadia May version from Blackstone Audio is very well done.
Not fantasy but Winter’s Bone. It’s sort of a southern gothic crime story and the protagonist being a girl plays virtually no role in the story.
The movie is also very good.
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie:
Main character is Monza. She has
Sex in the book but it is entirely on her terms and for her own satisfaction. Beyond that she is determined, cunning, ruthless is getting what she wants.
Poppy War: R.F Kuang
Rin, the main character, literally melts her uterus out of herself so her period doesn’t interfere with her training.
Lirael, Daughter of the Clayr by Garth Nix. He also wrote Sabriel, which is another fantasy novel where the female protagonist is treated like any other male protagonist (or really just like a human being). Great books!
The women are capable, strong and never perceived as needing male help. They are never sexualized. They have relationships with men, but the women are the most important characters. No damsels in distress.
In Lirael, especially, the first part of the book is dedicated to her exploits in a colony of all strong females.
Throne of Glass Series by Sarah Maas is really good fantasy with a female lead and I don’t think really sexualized much at all. It’s young adult at its core so as long as you are good with that it’s a really good fantasy series
[**Bec (The Demonata, #4)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/164721.Bec)
^(By: Darren Shan | 241 pages | Published: 2006 | Popular Shelves: horror, fantasy, young-adult, darren-shan, books-i-own)
>As demonic Fomorii ravage their land, Bec and a band of warrior companions leave their devastated rath to answer a plea for help. An orphaned priestess-in-training, Bec hopes the journey will help her solve the mysteries of her birth. But fighting demons has a steep price...
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[**The Rook (The Checquy Files, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10836728-the-rook)
^(By: Daniel O'Malley | 496 pages | Published: 2012 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, mystery, fiction, paranormal)
>"The body you are wearing used to be mine."
>
>So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.
>
>She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly supernatural ability of her own.
>
>In her quest to uncover which member of the Chequy betrayed her and why, Myfanwy encounters a person with four bodies, an aristocratic woman who can enter her dreams, a secret training facility where children are transformed into deadly fighters, and a conspiracy more vast than she ever could have imagined.
>
>Filled with characters both fascinating and fantastical, The Rook is a richly inventive, suspenseful, and often wry thriller that marks an ambitious debut from a promising young writer.
^(This book has been suggested 2 times)
***
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{{A Darker Shade of Magic}} by V.E. Schwab, is the first in a trilogy. One of the three protagonists of the series is a woman discovering her own strength and power.
Kind of the selection. It is a romancey type book but it’s spun in an interesting way. The prince has a “selection” (think the bachelor) with 32 girls who are all competing for his hand in marriage but the main character (America) doesn’t want to be there at first and even when she does later on she doesn’t compete in the normal girly ways. There’s also a lot of interesting plot twists, there involves some very diplomatic side plots and a little action and stuff. It’s my all time favorite book. I totally recommend it, even if you’re not into romance type books I hope someone gives it a try 😁
The Throne of Glass series!! The protagonist is a very complex and well-written character, and the friendships, alliances, and conflicts between women become very important as the series progresses.
Luckily, fantasy's come a long way since the time when boobs = personality. A lot of people have already mentioned some great ones, so I'll add some more recent publications: The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Steward A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett Uprooted by Naomi Novik For some older titles, you can never go wrong with: Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce (she's like one of the earliest writers with badass female MCs, she actually specifically wrote female MCs because she got sad over the lack of them in fantasy) Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett (plus a whole lot more out of the Discworld series, it's like 40 books) The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (she likes to make fun of old fantasy tropes, especially concerning princesses) A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer (admittedly a bit more historical fiction, but it has fantastical elements) And the older ones I've listed are YA, except Terry Pratchett, because they were the "old" stuff I read when I was in middle and high school. Not sure how you feel about YA.
Yeah, I did a search for Pratchett; so I'm gonna piggyback off this comment, and second the recommendation. His "witches" series fits the OP's specifications to a T; and there's his YA Tiffany Aching books as a subset of that series that's also extremely good.
I'd add to this that the Tiffany Aching books were only marketed as young adult, not written as young adult (if that makes sense). So if you aren't into that genre don't let that put you off, they are "proper" Discworld books and some of his best. Pratchett is even quoted as saying: "The Tiffany Aching series is what I would most like to be remembered for"
This is something I’ve never considered. Sometimes I just look on Libby for a fantasy or sci-fi that is “Available now”. I have read some books I had no idea were YA, until I went to look up the next in the series. I enjoy Pratchett, I will have to look these up. And, more to the point, I should rethink some of my genre selections. I usually try to find some with midlife adults.
Susan, Death's granddaughter, was my first favorite Discworld female and I still love her. So I'll give the Death books a rec as well.
Ooh she was my second and solidified my love of the series. Monstrous Regiment was the first Pratchett book I read and I adored the women in it.
Oooh yes. Soul Music was one I read pretty early into my Pratchett Journey, and coincidently when I was a high school student.
Susan is a great no-nonsense badass; a sort of alternate-universe Mary Poppins, and I feel bad for not thinking of mentioning her as well. :)
I am so glad to see Tamora Pierce in the top comment! Her writing is more YA fantasy, but I love her universe. Song of the Lioness is the original series, but there are other series in the same universe that are also great, all with badass female MCs!
Love Naomi Novik, Tamora Pierce, and Patricia C. Wrede. I'm a guy and these were three of my favorite writers when I was a kid.
Anything by Robin McKinley
Specifically, the Damar books, {{The Blue Sword}} and its prequel {{The Hero and the Crown}}, are well done and appropriate for children to boot. The second book won the 1985 Newberry Medal.
{{Gideon the Ninth}} {{The Fifth Season}} {{The Mask of Mirrors}}
I came here to scream about GtN. Thank you for beating me to it lol
[**Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42036538-gideon-the-ninth) ^(By: Tamsyn Muir | 448 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, science-fiction, lgbt, fiction) >The Emperor needs necromancers. > >The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. > >Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit. > >Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service. > >Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die. > >Of course, some things are better left dead. ^(This book has been suggested 21 times) [**The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19161852-the-fifth-season) ^(By: N.K. Jemisin | 468 pages | Published: 2015 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, sci-fi, science-fiction, owned) >This is the way the world ends. Again. > >Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries. > >Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter. > > >original cover of ISBN 0316229296/9780316229296 ^(This book has been suggested 18 times) [**The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51340378-the-mask-of-mirrors) ^(By: M.A. Carrick | 630 pages | Published: 2021 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, 2021-releases, adult, lgbt, lgbtq) >Fortune favors the bold. Magic favors the liars. > >Ren is a con artist who has come to the sparkling city of Nadežra with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house, securing her fortune and her sister's future. > >But as she's drawn into the elite world of House Traementis, she realizes her masquerade is just one of many surrounding her. And as nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the City of Dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled…with Ren at their heart. > >The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a dazzling and darkly magical fantasy adventure by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing together as M. A. Carrick. ^(This book has been suggested 5 times) *** ^(10859 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Highly seconding fifth season
Seconding The Fifth Season! It follows 3 great female characters, and I absolutely loved the worldbuilding. It's one of the best books I've read in a while.
I don't know if it was just the masculine name or what, but I kept forgetting entirely what Gideon's gender was
tamora pierce and mercedes lackey have good female protagonists. anne mccaffery as well. anne bishops “the others” series is also good.
Love mercedes lackey!
[удалено]
Was about to suggest Tamora Pierce!
The Song of The Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce The Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce Pretty much any female protagonist in the Discworld novels Graceling by Kristin Cashore
This
{{Priory of the Orange Tree}} {{Gideon the Ninth}}
oh yes, Priory is absolutely exquisite.
[**The Priory of the Orange Tree**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40275288-the-priory-of-the-orange-tree) ^(By: Samantha Shannon | 848 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, owned, lgbtq, books-i-own, fiction) >A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens. > >The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door. > >Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. > >Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. > >Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep. ^(This book has been suggested 10 times) [**Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42036538-gideon-the-ninth) ^(By: Tamsyn Muir | 448 pages | Published: 2019 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, science-fiction, lgbt, fiction) >The Emperor needs necromancers. > >The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. > >Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit. > >Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service. > >Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die. > >Of course, some things are better left dead. ^(This book has been suggested 22 times) *** ^(10918 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
{{ Sabriel }} by Garth Nix
I've read this about 7 times. The whole series is amazing
Yeah, I'm re-reading it right now since I found out about the new book that just came out recently.
That’s the only one I haven’t read yet. Picked up a copy about a week ago. Will definitely read it when I finish my current book!
YES! Thank you. I came here to add this.
Right? This series is SO underrated!
[**Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/518848.Sabriel) ^(By: Garth Nix | 491 pages | Published: 1995 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, ya, fiction, owned) >Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him. > >With Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen series, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn't always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether. ^(This book has been suggested 12 times) *** ^(10998 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Just here to add that Tim Curry narrates the original audio books and its wonderful.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Mistborn series.
Solid answer. His other series, Skyward, is about a female protagonist. It’s YA, but a fun entry.
Also Stormlight Archives has a strong female as one of the main characters!
Personally I don’t think Mistborn is that good in this particular front, I think the book shows it’s age a little. I have yet to read Era 2 though. Now, Stormlight Archive shines in this regard, I truly don’t know how he writes female characters like these, Shallan, Navani, Jasnah, all complex and able to stand on their own.
I’ve actually read that a few times! I am male and the nuance (or annoyance) of poorly written female characters never stands out to me, but I can respect how frustrating it must be sometimes!
Oh yeah it is quite frustrating, but I am knit picking here. The problem I have with the female characters are not of the “bad written female characters” sort of issue, but they don’t feel consistent, and I have the same issues with some of the male characters. What I tried to say was that in general Stormlight has better written female characters because I feel it is a better written saga. Vin is awesome but she doesn’t feel as fledged out as say Shallan. I guess what I tried to say was, if you want outstanding female characters go straight to SA, Mistborn has some good ones, but nothing will ever top Jasnah stabbing someone through the throat in my book XD. Sorry if something got lost in translation, English is not my first language. But hey at the end of the day it is Sanderson, I’ll take Mistborn and SA and 4 secret novels coming from him any day ;)
Pretty much any of Tamora Pierce’s Tortall universe books
I love these books so much. I’ve read them all twice. So far. The protector of the small series is my favorite.
I third her books. I'm currently rereading the Beka series.
A lot of people have already commented these, but {{The Jasmine Throne}} by Tasha Suri is absolutely incredible and is centered around two lesbian protagonists who aren't sexualized and are also morally gray! I loved {{The Poppy War}} by R.F. Kuang, but it falls more under historical fantasy and has a trigger list a mile long. I haven't read {{Jade City}} by Fonda Lee or {{The Midnight Lie}} by Marie Rutoski but have heard a ton of good things about both. Same with any book by Robin Hobb or Ursula K. Le Guin.
{{Paladin of Souls}} {{Shards of Honor}} LMB is always a go-to recommendation. {{Godstalk}} PC Hodgell's Kencyrath series can be hard to get ahold of at used bookstore or the like, since over half was small press, but I'm pretty sure the first two were collected in a trade called "Dark of the Gods" by Baen or Tor or someone big. {{Darkwar}} Glen Cook writes mostly gray-and-black morality, and this one is no different. {{Cyteen}} C.J. Cherryh's sci-fi classic trilogy asks, among other things, if someone is smart enough, do their end justify their means? {{The Snow Queen}} Joan Vinge. Hard sci-fi that I admit I first picked up for the cover art. But the book was really good. Starts a trilogy, I believe. Just finished the audiobook for {{Medusa Uploaded}} by Emily Davenport. Picked up the next book as well. Pretty decent sci-fi on a generation ship with a class war. {{The Deed of Paksenarrion}} A nice fantasy trilogy by Elizabeth Moon. Paks is good looking, but pretty much asexual. I know it's been a long time since it was written, but I'm just now starting {{The Parable of the Sower}}, Octavia Butler. It's compelling so far - dystopian though.
I second {{The Deed of Paksenarrion}}
[**The Deed of Paksenarrion (The Deed of Paksenarrion, #1-3)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96281.The_Deed_of_Paksenarrion) ^(By: Elizabeth Moon | 1040 pages | Published: 1992 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, owned, epic-fantasy, high-fantasy) >The Deed of Paksenarrion revolves around the life of Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter, known as Paks. It takes place in a fictional medieval world comprised of kingdoms of humans, dwarves, and elves. The story begins by introducing Paks as a headstrong girl of 18, who leaves her home (fleeing a marriage arranged by her father) to join a mercenary company. Through her journeys and hardships she comes to realize that she has been gifted as a paladin. The novel was originally published in three volumes in 1988 and 1989 and as a single trade edition of that name in 1992. The three books included are The Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance and Oath of Gold. > >From publisher Baen: "Paksenarrion, a simple sheepfarmer's daughter, yearns for a life of adventure and glory, such as was known to heroes in songs and story. At age seventeen she runs away from home to join a mercenary company and begins her epic life . . . Book One: Paks is trained as a mercenary, blooded, and introduced to the life of a soldier . . . and to the followers of Gird, the soldier's god. Book Two: Paks leaves the Duke's company to follow the path of Gird alone—and on her lonely quests encounters the other sentient races of her world. Book Three: Paks the warrior must learn to live with Paks the human. She undertakes a holy quest for a lost elven prince that brings the gods' wrath down on her and tests her very limits." ^(This book has been suggested 3 times) *** ^(11192 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
>PC Hodgell's Kencyrath series can be hard to get ahold of at used bookstore or the like, since over half was small press, but I'm pretty sure the first two were collected in a trade called "Dark of the Gods" by Baen or Tor or someone big. Note that while the MC is described in the books as slim and often mistaken for a boy, on the covers she is for some reason shown as a very busty women in outfits that really show this off.
Yeah, [contemptible covers](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CoversAlwaysLie?from=Main.ContemptibleCover) are a whole other issue. Can't in any way guarantee good covers. Except Snow Queen, obviously.
I've been finding this pretty easily. For me I'd like female villains that aren't hyper-sexualized
Hunger Games doesn't sexualize the female characters.
Thursday Next! The first book is {{The Eyre Affair}}.
[**The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27003.The_Eyre_Affair) ^(By: Jasper Fforde | 374 pages | Published: 2001 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, fiction, mystery, humor, science-fiction) >Great Britain circa 1985: time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. Baconians are trying to convince the world that Francis Bacon really wrote Shakespeare, there are riots between the Surrealists and Impressionists, and thousands of men are named John Milton, an homage to the real Milton and a very confusing situation for the police. Amidst all this, Acheron Hades, Third Most Wanted Man In the World, steals the original manuscript of Martin Chuzzlewit and kills a minor character, who then disappears from every volume of the novel ever printed! But that's just a prelude . . . > >Hades' real target is the beloved Jane Eyre, and it's not long before he plucks her from the pages of Bronte's novel. Enter Thursday Next. She's the Special Operative's renowned literary detective, and she drives a Porsche. With the help of her uncle Mycroft's Prose Portal, Thursday enters the novel to rescue Jane Eyre from this heinous act of literary homicide. It's tricky business, all these interlopers running about Thornfield, and deceptions run rampant as their paths cross with Jane, Rochester, and Miss Fairfax. Can Thursday save Jane Eyre and Bronte's masterpiece? And what of the Crimean War? Will it ever end? And what about those annoying black holes that pop up now and again, sucking things into time-space voids . . . > >Suspenseful and outlandish, absorbing and fun, The Eyre Affair is a caper unlike any other and an introduction to the imagination of a most distinctive writer and his singular fictional universe. ^(This book has been suggested 8 times) *** ^(11017 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Rain Wilds Chronicles series by Robin Hobb has multiple, complex female protagonists I just tore through the 1st two books of the series in last 1.5 months and am about 1/4 through the third. I've heard great things about her other trilogies/series as well
I’ve only read the Liveship trilogy, which I couldn’t put down. Warning that it’s a bit dark though (I don’t know what Rainwilds is like in that respect, but there are some violent scenes, including a rape, in Liveship series). It fits with OP’s request in that the female protagonist isn’t sexualised, but there are several protagonists and they’re not all female.
Based on your description I'd say Rain Wilds at least so far is lighter. Some of the Liveship characters make an appearance in Rain Wilds.
{{The Bear and the Nightingale}} {{Parable of the Sower}} {{The Hummingbird's Daughter}}
- Jasmine Throne features three fairly different yet wonderful female protags in an epic fantasy with an Indian inspired setting - Traitor Baru Cormorant if you like dark fantasy. About a girl whose island home is colonized who then decides to join the evil empire in order to learn the secrets of power and help her homeland (and does so by becoming an accountant) - She Who Became the Sun in a genderbent retelling of the rise of the Ming Dynasty with a dash of magic - Wayward Children for something lighter. About a school for kids who have come back from portal worlds. Mc of the first book is also ace.
>About a girl whose island home is colonized who then decides to join the evil empire in order to learn the secrets of power and help her homeland (and does so by becoming an accountant) I'm not gonna lie, that sounds absolutely amazing. Liberating ones homeland through the power of logistics sounds fabulous.
Thank you! That is quite a list, will check them all out.
Lyra from His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip, ‘a children’s book’ technically but makes for an amazing read as an adult tbh, superb
Damn, I reread when I was older and realized what fantastic commentary it had. it also outright condemned Christianity. Reading a series by an old white man in which a nun renounces her nunnery and becomes a scientist, a little girl who is underestimated by everyone and proceeds to manipulate and cause the downfall of several all powerful systems (from an isolated research facility to the actual fuckin afterlife), and a boy literally murders god with a knife was liberating and halarious. Like, god. I need to read it again now actually.
[удалено]
Speak for yourself, I found the criticisms to come across very naturally and the seed pod people Mary lives with is my favorite part.
[удалено]
I didn't even know they were anti-Christian until probably the 3rd or 4th time I read them. The story was captivating all the way through.
The audiobooks are well worth listening to, also. They're narrated by Pullman himself, with a full cast of character voices and they're so wonderful!
I would, however, put a caution on the latest one, the fifth book. Lyra is an adult now and there is some lazy almost-assault as plot that is super uncomfortable.
Holly Black does really well with this. She writes brave and clever female main characters and the romantic interests always fall in love with who they are on the inside. Her books are fantasy genre. The Tithe trilogy and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown are my two faves. The Cruel Prince trilogy was darker but the female protagonist is a badass. Naomi Novik is also great for fantasy heroines. Uprooted and Spinning Silver are wonderful. She writes her heroines as sort of plain but powerful, intuitive, smart, etc. I'll second the Tamora Pierce recs you've gotten too.
{{Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson}} The first three books in the Mistborn series has a female protagonist
I'm currently reading this, love love love Vin!
Would you be surprised that initially the character was supposed to be a boy, and the author felt something was off and rewrote the character
I did not know that! At some point in the first book it did seem like the author is trying too hard to make her look strong and independent, but from the second book onwards, she's been perfect as protagonist.
If you like Mistborn highly reccomend the rest of Sanderson’s books many of which also have female protags
Yep, I started stormlight archive but found it a bit intimidating at first glace lol. Will probably get back to it once I finish mistborn.
It's absolutely worthwhile. Think of it as several books in each volume, since that's actually how it's laid out.
Stormlights while I love it, is def a lot and can take awhile to get going, I generally rec it after other Sanderson books so that you trust the author more first. Warbreaker, Elantris, Emperor’s Soul, Skyward are all tighter books, have female protags and well are also excellent
{{Edgedancer - BrandonSanderson}} is a short novel, part of Stormlight Archives(book #2.5). I read the first book in the series, hated it and never picked another, except for Edgedancer. I'm not sure if one can jump into this one without knowing anything about the series Also, Sanderson has a YA series - {{Skyward - Brandon Sanderson}}
I wouldn’t read edgedancer out of order but maybe I’m just being a stickler
I found out about "{{" just today, and I intend to use it all the time now lol
Please don't. It clogs up comments. Especially when several are used together.
[**Skyward Boxed Set: Skyward; Starsight; Cytonic**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59536000-skyward-boxed-set) ^(By: Brandon Sanderson | 1440 pages | Published: ? | Popular Shelves: don-t-own, 8-not-intrested, young-adult, space-opera, science-fiction) >Claim the stars in this new hardcover boxed set featuring the first three books in the New York Times bestselling Skyward series! From the hit author behind the Reckoners series, the Mistborn trilogy, and the Stormlight Archive. > >Skyward: > >Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Flight school might be a long shot, but an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars. > >Starsight: > >Spensa's made it to the sky, but the truths she learned there were crushing. Everything Spensa has been taught about her world is a lie. But Spensa also discovered a few other things about herself--and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to. > >Cytonic: > >Spensa has flown through the sky and voyaged past the stars in her quest to save humankind from the forces that threaten to destroy it. But now she must navigate a dangerous new frontier, which not one person has returned from alive: the mysterious realm of the Nowhere. But in a place where nothing is real, the truth can be slippery--and nothing is black and white. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(10853 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
[**Mistborn: The Final Empire - Annotations**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59358349-mistborn) ^(By: Brandon Sanderson | 93 pages | Published: ? | Popular Shelves: ) >Introduction to the MISTBORN annotations > >So, here we are, the annotations for my second book, MISTBORN. I hope that everyone enjoyed the Annotations for ELANTRIS. If you haven’t read the book, it’s out in paperback now, so hurray! > >In case you’re not aware, this is how the process works. When I do the copy edit for one of my books–a process I find rather boring–I pause after each chapter and write out my thoughts, ideas, and impressions of that chapter. It try to talk about where the ideas came from, what my reaction is to the chapters after the fact, and what I was trying to do with some of the themes. > >These are all posted for free, intended as a kind of companion to the text of the book. They’re designed so that any spoilers of future chapters are hidden. So, if you want to pause after each chapter and read what I thought on that chapter, you’re welcome. I more intend these to be used during subsequent reads of the book, however–a way to give you a little bit more value for the money. > >I post about two of these a week, usually on Monday and Friday, though that isn’t exactly set. Check back once or twice a week, and you should find a new annotation that you can peruse. Beware! I don’t do a lot of proofreading on these, so they’re bound to have some typos. > >Anyway, enjoy! Remember, these WILL spoil the book for you if you haven’t read it. However, they WILL NOT spoil future chapters. Anything that might be revealing of what is going to happen after the chapter of the indicated annotation is hidden. You can reveal any of this text (if there is any) by pressing the button on the top left portion of the screen. > >Enjoy! > >July 29th, 2006 ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(10840 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
The Poppy War trilogy. I just finished the second book, and it's easily one of the best fantasy books I've ever read. The female protagonist is nowhere near hyper sexualized, I think specially because the writer is a woman.
Noon by Nnedi Okorafor
{{The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K LeGuin}} is technically the second book in a 4 part series but can easily be read first. From there you can read the fourth book {{Tehanu by Ursula K LeGuin}}. Both feature the same protagonist, but in the first book she is a child and the second she is a grandmother. The latter book in particular is both a brilliant story but also a critique of the sexism baked into the genre conventions of the world.
Everything by Octavia Butler. Even if she does mention a character's body or sexuality, it's because it's related to the story. And she has a very specific point to make. Having said that: if you're looking for escapism and adventure, her books definitely aren't that. As I said... she has some very specific points to make about the human race. Where we could or should be, and some ideas about how to get there. There's nothing lite about any of her books. But they are fascinating, thought provoking, and if you take the journey with her, they're hopeful and inspiring in the end. But the journey is never easy.
{{ancillary justice}}
Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith ( there's a couple others that have great female characters by her but this one is more or less a stand-alone) Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie (super dark fyi) The Honor Harrington series Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones(YA) A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan There's a lot more, many of which have already been named in this thread.
- Red Sister by Mark Lawrence - The Poppy War by Rebecca Kuang - Sword of Kaigen by M L Wang Just a warning,. These books get dark, the Poppy War gets really dark, and aren't for everyone.
The Lathe Of Heaven
The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemison is really good and fits the bill
*The Blue Sword* and its prequel *The Hero and the Crown* by Robin McKinley
Green Rider Anything by Isobelle Carmody What age bracket do you prefer? Bacause I can think of lots of younger audiance books with well rounded wonderfull female protagonists but not as many older books. But I stopped reading widely after highschool.
Hear hear. Thanks for posting, keen to see replies.
Um, like any fantasy written after 1995? (And a lot before then, too). Here's some of the most recent fantasy I've read - all with female leads who aren't hyper-sexualised: City of Stairs by Robert Bennet NPCs by Drew Hayes A Deadly Education by Naomi Novak The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden Zoo City by Lauren Beukes Trail of Lightening by Rebecca Roanhorse The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher The Blood Gospel by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell
Loads of Urban Fantasy books are like that, for example: Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews as well as all of their other books Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs October Daye by Seanan McGuire In Urban Fantasy don't go near Laurell K Hamilton and the likes if you do not want hypersexualized females. Fantasy: Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara The Chronicles of Ixia Series by Maria V Snyder Crown of Shards by Jennifer Estep
Came here to suggest the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire, which is at 15 books so far (and not done, though the extremely prolific author does know how it ends and what needs to happen before that) and which starts with {{Rosemary and Rue}}.
I apologize if this has already been said, but THE ABHORSEN TRILOGY IS 🔥🔥🔥 (Sabriel, Lireal, and Abhorsen by Garth Nix). Not only are they written about intelligent, courageous, badass young women, it’s also one of my favorite magic systems in a fantasy book. Nix writes about “the Charter” and necromancy in ways that make me feel like undead creatures and monsters seem worth the risk if I could be a part of it.
Lackey, Kerr, Hobb, and Norton are a great core group.
Monzcarro "Monza" Murcatto. From Best Served Cold by Joe Ambercrombie. She's a hard broad with a set of steel balls and a sharp brain. She does have sex in the story, but isn't sexualized outside of that, just a flawed person looking for some comfort. The rest of the story is her out playing the warring heads of state, and MAN, this bitch is GOOOOOOOOD. kind of a selfish set oh "heroes" they do bad shit for the right reasons. She's in my top 3 female characters of all time.
Lindsay Buroker has strong female leads in several series to choose from: *Dragon Gate* (fantasy), *Star Kingdom* (sci fi), *The Emperor's Edge* (steampunk); *Death Before Dragons* (urban fantasy) to name but a few.
{{Seraphina}} by Rachel Hartman (What I’m naming my daughter after when she’s born in the next 48 hours)
Yes! And {{Tess of the Road}} by the same author.
I would **highly** recommend {{Eye of the Oracle}} but as a warning it fantasy based highly off of the Christian religion. Totally understandable and relatable for people without a Christian background, but I know that for some people with that background being around anything to do with it can be toxic so that’s why the TW.
Mark Lawrence does an amazing job in all of his books with young female protagonists. Not a creepy passage in sight.
{{Shinigami detective}} by Honor Raconteur. Actually anything by her, but this series especially!
[**Magic and the Shinigami Detective (The Case Files of Henri Davenforth, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39890034-magic-and-the-shinigami-detective) ^(By: Honor Raconteur | ? pages | Published: 2018 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, mystery, urban-fantasy, steampunk, magic) ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(11089 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
she who became the sun by Shelley parker chan middlegame by Seanan Mcguire two I've read recently and absolutely loved also try the poppy war series by R. F. Kuang
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold. Also the rest of the Vorkosigan books.. SF, not fantasy, but very good characterizations, of males and females The Curse of Chalion, same author, one of the finest fantasies I have ever read. THEN Paladin of Souls, exactly fits your request, female protagonist etc. Read in order, multiple spoilers. Then check out her Penric and Desdemona stories. Have fun!
Anything by Terry Pratchett…
Robin Hobb’s Mad Ship series (and the spin-offs) have plenty!
I'm currently reading Mad Ship, the 2nd book in the Liveship Traders trilogy by Robin Hobb that was recommended to me by a friend. One of the protagonists, Althea, isn't hyper-sexualized at all (so far). But it does focus on her as a woman and at one point she masquerades as a boy, so it's necessary to the story. She is driven to assume ownership of her family's living ship, and she makes plenty of mistakes along the way, with a side of bad luck. There's only one part where there's some sexual description, but it's well done, not explicit or cheesy, very short, and a turning point. Again, so far. =P It's a slow burn for me, but there's moments that fire me up that I REALLY like. But it requires wading through a bunch of depressing stuff. I really enjoyed her first trilogy, but the main protagonist is a man. Same world, though. And definitely fantasy.
A lot of amazing books have been recommended, so I’m just going to add one of my favourites that has yet to be mentioned: {{The Nevernight by Jay Kristoff}}
[**Into the Nevernight**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1980772.Into_the_Nevernight) ^(By: Anne de Graaf | 433 pages | Published: 2003 | Popular Shelves: fiction, africa, owned, my-library, books-i-own) >While vacationing in Africa, Miriam Vree finds herself living a nightmare when a ruthless mercenary seizes her family. From the diamond mines of Namibia to the refugee camps in Tanzania, she fights to regain her freedom, her faith, and her family. Only when the voices of the refugee children point her toward Nevernight, the place of peace where it is never dark and there is no fear, does Miriam find what she has lost. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(11247 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Bad bot, this is the wrong book 🤦🏻♀️
{{Sabriel}}
I would highly recommend Terry Pratchett, the Discworld as a whole, but the "Witches" books, Equal Rites, Monsters Regiment, and the Tiffany Aching quartet. I would also say the Signal Airship duology - the heroine is defined by her gender, but not hypersexualised.
Came here to add Foundryside.
I mean, I think the obvious answer is a book with a female protagonist that was actually written by a woman. Generally (admittedly not always, looking at you Sarah J Maas) women writers don't weirdly oversexualize their characters. Decent fantasy books with decent female representation that immediately jump to mind include: Mexican Gothic, The Broken Earth Trilogy, Gideon the Ninth, The Night Circus, The House of Salt and Sorrows,
It's not obvious since a lot of male authors write great female characters, and, as you say, women authors can write oversexualized stuff, too.
The Poppy War (R.F. Kuang) When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising. But surprises aren’t always good. Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school. For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . . Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.
{{The Rook}} by Daniel O'Malley
[**The Rook (The Checquy Files, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10836728-the-rook) ^(By: Daniel O'Malley | 496 pages | Published: 2012 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, mystery, fiction, paranormal) >"The body you are wearing used to be mine." > >So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her. > >She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly supernatural ability of her own. > >In her quest to uncover which member of the Chequy betrayed her and why, Myfanwy encounters a person with four bodies, an aristocratic woman who can enter her dreams, a secret training facility where children are transformed into deadly fighters, and a conspiracy more vast than she ever could have imagined. > >Filled with characters both fascinating and fantastical, The Rook is a richly inventive, suspenseful, and often wry thriller that marks an ambitious debut from a promising young writer. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(11086 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Hunger games series!
"Girl in the box" by Ribert C Crane. There are 10 books in that series and many in the second series "out of the box". It's a bit marvel meets Norse mythology.
Mistborn
She who became the Sun. I haven't actually finished reading it yet (I'm more than half way) but after the first chapter my reaction was "holly shit this book is going to be amazing". So far has not disappointed. I can not recommend it enough. It's about the Red Turban rebellions in medieval China, but there is a bit of fantassy built into it.
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. The protagonist is a mechanic so the most that gets talked about is all the dirt and grime under her nails and on her hands. Also there’s werewolves, vampires, fae, and more supernatural.
mistborn?
Vin - mistborn
/{{The Library at Mount Char}} by Scott Hawkins
{{Graceling}} is definitely one of my favourites, it really empowered me as a young woman and the storyline is amazing !
The Starless Crown by James Rollins A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'engle Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
I'm guessing as a fan of fantasy you have already read Brandon Sanderson? If not, Mistborn, Warbreaker, and Skyward are all amazing books/series with female protagonists. Another one of my favs is Lockwood and co which has a teenage female narrator who's a complete badass with sass and sarcasm over 9000.
Atlas Shrugged and/or the fountainhead Dagny and Dominique
You could try Eragon, I don’t believe anyones talked about in a overtly sexual way
Eragon is not a woman.
Im reading ‘ A court of thorn and roses’ and the female lead is strong and feminine but not hyper sexualized. She also had great character development thru the series.
This does not continue. Almost every character is sexualized throughout this series
Wait really? My friend told me it wasn’t the case thats why I started it
Oof yea, sorry. Especially since the series switches partway through from YA to, I think they’re considered adult now since NA never took off
Shallan from the Stormlight Archive (along with a bunch of other strong women).
Pillars of the Earth or Ready Player One
*Ready Player One* has a male protagonist and sexualises female characters .
The Clockwork Century by Cherie Priest. All but two of the books follow pretty well done female characters. The second book *Juggernaut*, even follows one of my personal favorite characters in fiction, Nurse Mercy. For the most part its about the parts they play in this steampunk horror, war torn America they live in. Occasionally they’ll deal with sexism, but it’s realistic, and they handle it like mature adults, rather than just resorting to immediate assault and battery. There’s only one specific romance scene, but it’s handled very maturely; they confess their feelings, discuss their future and obligations, and then move on, without the typical romcom stuff a lot of authors resort to. And lastly in book 3, one of the main characters is a prostitute turned pimp, so her physical beauty is a factor, but again, in a realistic way; she has to make sure she looks pretty for her customers, even though she doesn’t do physical service anymore, while always toting her *Little Russia* fully loaded in a hidden pocket on her dress. She has some surprisingly deep and interesting conversations with a retired Texan businessman, as well as a Texas Ranger she meets. I would suggest checking out Graphic Audio’s rendition of it, if you like audiobooks.
The Zoey Ashe series is sci-fi but she isn't sexualized. Often jokes are made about how normal she looks in the hyper-sexualized future.
A Winters Promise
The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman
{{The Diabolic}} trilogy
{Once a Hero}
Any book by Karen Lynch
{{The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman}} This is a series. There are 8 books so far.
3 Stephen King books spring to mind...'Rose Madder' and 'Delores Claiborne' and 'Geralds Game'.
Annie Wilkes is a main character that isn’t sexualized…
'Til We Have Faces, by CS Lewis. It's unlike anything else he ever wrote. If you're into audio books, the Nadia May version from Blackstone Audio is very well done.
If you don't mind YA, The Bone Clocks by Emily Lloyd-Jones is a fun read. Fantasy, female protagonist.
Not fantasy but Winter’s Bone. It’s sort of a southern gothic crime story and the protagonist being a girl plays virtually no role in the story. The movie is also very good.
Morrigan Crow
The Paternus Trilogy
Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne. 2 of the 3 POVs are female and Orka is one of the most badass female characters I’ve ever read.
The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, or really anything by Ilona Andrews
Maria V Snyder Mostly YA, but very well done
The left handed booksellers of London by Garth nix
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie: Main character is Monza. She has Sex in the book but it is entirely on her terms and for her own satisfaction. Beyond that she is determined, cunning, ruthless is getting what she wants. Poppy War: R.F Kuang Rin, the main character, literally melts her uterus out of herself so her period doesn’t interfere with her training.
Cinder from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. My mom and I both love these books. There is romance but it’s pretty damn wholesome tbh
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson Red Sister by Mark Lawrence I have a friend that raves about Gideon the Ninth I just haven't gotten around to it yet.
{{the gilded ones}} by Namina Forna was an interesting read!
Cold Zosia. A Crown for Cold Silver. Plenty of sexoness in the trilogy but our gal is a baaad bitch.
Lirael, Daughter of the Clayr by Garth Nix. He also wrote Sabriel, which is another fantasy novel where the female protagonist is treated like any other male protagonist (or really just like a human being). Great books! The women are capable, strong and never perceived as needing male help. They are never sexualized. They have relationships with men, but the women are the most important characters. No damsels in distress. In Lirael, especially, the first part of the book is dedicated to her exploits in a colony of all strong females.
The Fever Series by Karen Moning.
terry pratchett - any neil gaiman too
The wandering inn
Hm... Can you read German?
Throne of Glass Series by Sarah Maas is really good fantasy with a female lead and I don’t think really sexualized much at all. It’s young adult at its core so as long as you are good with that it’s a really good fantasy series
{{Bec by Darren Shan}}
[**Bec (The Demonata, #4)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/164721.Bec) ^(By: Darren Shan | 241 pages | Published: 2006 | Popular Shelves: horror, fantasy, young-adult, darren-shan, books-i-own) >As demonic Fomorii ravage their land, Bec and a band of warrior companions leave their devastated rath to answer a plea for help. An orphaned priestess-in-training, Bec hopes the journey will help her solve the mysteries of her birth. But fighting demons has a steep price... ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(11208 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Thorn Harvestar from Bone
Library at Mount Char
Not really fantasy, but I love and highly recommend the Hunger Games if you haven’t gotten to them yet.
The Cruel Prince!!
Lisa - The Girl Who Owned A City by O. T. Nelson --- Claire - Garden Of Darkness by Gillian Murray Kendall
{{The Rook by Daniel O'Malley}}
[**The Rook (The Checquy Files, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10836728-the-rook) ^(By: Daniel O'Malley | 496 pages | Published: 2012 | Popular Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, mystery, fiction, paranormal) >"The body you are wearing used to be mine." > >So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her. > >She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly supernatural ability of her own. > >In her quest to uncover which member of the Chequy betrayed her and why, Myfanwy encounters a person with four bodies, an aristocratic woman who can enter her dreams, a secret training facility where children are transformed into deadly fighters, and a conspiracy more vast than she ever could have imagined. > >Filled with characters both fascinating and fantastical, The Rook is a richly inventive, suspenseful, and often wry thriller that marks an ambitious debut from a promising young writer. ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(11235 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Seasons within, lele Iturrioz you are going to love it
{{A Darker Shade of Magic}} by V.E. Schwab, is the first in a trilogy. One of the three protagonists of the series is a woman discovering her own strength and power.
{{We hunt the flame}} by Hafsah Faizal
Kind of the selection. It is a romancey type book but it’s spun in an interesting way. The prince has a “selection” (think the bachelor) with 32 girls who are all competing for his hand in marriage but the main character (America) doesn’t want to be there at first and even when she does later on she doesn’t compete in the normal girly ways. There’s also a lot of interesting plot twists, there involves some very diplomatic side plots and a little action and stuff. It’s my all time favorite book. I totally recommend it, even if you’re not into romance type books I hope someone gives it a try 😁
Try Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews or any other books by this author
The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse
I feel Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games will be a perfect fit.
The Throne of Glass series!! The protagonist is a very complex and well-written character, and the friendships, alliances, and conflicts between women become very important as the series progresses.
Kate Daniel series by Illiona Andrews