Non Euro-Centric Fantasy Books We Can’t Stop Thinking About

In a repressive Middle Eastern state, Alif—a skilled Arab-Indian hacker—defends dissidents, rebels, and the overlooked from government surveillance, working from the shadows to keep his clients safe. But Alif’s world shatters when his aristocratic lover leaves him for a powerful prince, who turns out to be none other than the feared “Hand of God,” head of state security. After a catastrophic data breach exposes Alif to state forces, he’s forced underground, hunted by a regime that won’t relent. Just when all seems lost, Alif uncovers The Thousand and One Days, a fabled book of the jinn holding secrets that could reshape technology—and his entire future. Can Alif unlock its power and outwit those who would control him, or will he lose everything he’s fought for?

The Omehi people have been trapped in an unwinnable war for two hundred years. Only the gifted few hold true power, while the rest are destined to fight and die. Tau is one of the powerless. His plan? Get injured, leave the battlefield early, and live a peaceful life. But when his loved ones are brutally murdered, Tau’s dreams of escape are replaced by a burning desire for revenge. Now, he’s set on a path no one thought possible. To avenge those he’s lost, Tau will become the greatest swordsman to ever live, willing to die a hundred thousand times if that’s what it takes. Can one man defy the fate set before him—or will he be consumed by the fire of his vengeance?

n the Crescent Moon Kingdoms, tension is at an all-time high. The iron-willed Khalif controls the throne, but whispers of rebellion rise from the shadowy Falcon Prince, a master thief with a growing following. Dr. Adoulla Makhslood, a weary ghul hunter, longs for retirement, yet when a string of brutal, supernatural murders strikes Dhamsawaat, he’s pulled back into the fight. These murders, he soon realizes, are only the beginning—a dark plot threatens to turn the Kingdoms’ capital, and perhaps the world, into a blood-soaked battlefield. With allies as unconventional as they are powerful, Adoulla must face ancient evils and treacherous foes. But will his strength hold out long enough to stop the impending destruction? Can he save the city he loves, or will darkness consume it all?

Amina al-Sirafi thought she’d left her pirate days behind. After a scandalous career ruling the Indian Ocean, she’s settled into a quiet life of family and piety. But when the wealthy mother of a former crewmate offers her a fortune to retrieve a kidnapped girl, Amina faces an irresistible temptation: one last adventure that could secure her family’s future. However, Amina soon realizes the mission is far from simple. Dark forces lurk behind the girl’s disappearance, and every step pulls her deeper into a web of secrets, magic, and danger. With everything to gain but her very soul on the line, Amina must decide if becoming a legend is worth the price—or if this adventure may be her last.

In a famine-stricken village under Mongol rule, two children are given two fates: greatness for the boy, nothingness for the girl. When tragedy strikes, it is the girl who survives, assuming her brother’s identity to escape her doomed fate. As Zhu Chongba, she enters a monastery, determined to defy the destiny of nothingness. But when the monastery is destroyed for aiding rebels, Zhu seizes an even greater opportunity—to claim her brother’s foretold greatness. Driven by relentless ambition, Zhu will stop at nothing to secure the Mandate of Heaven, even as her true identity and ruthless choices threaten to unravel everything. Will Zhu rise to power or be consumed by the fate she defied?

Tracker is famed for his hunting skills—“he has a nose,” people say. When he’s hired to find a boy who vanished three years ago, he reluctantly joins a motley crew of unusual allies, including a shape-shifting man called Leopard, each hiding secrets of their own. As they follow the boy’s trail through ancient cities, dense forests, and treacherous rivers, they face deadly creatures and forces bent on stopping them. Tracker begins to suspect that the boy’s disappearance hides something far darker—and that powerful people will do anything to keep him from uncovering the truth. But as secrets unravel, Tracker wonders: who can he really trust, and what deadly secrets is he truly tracking?

A god will return when the earth and sky converge under the black sun. In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice marks a time of celebration—except this year, it coincides with a solar eclipse, a celestial event feared to disrupt the world’s balance. On a ship bound for Tova, Captain Xiala, a Teek with the power to calm seas and minds, carries a mysterious passenger. Serapio, a blind and scarred young man, seems harmless enough. But Xiala knows that those who appear harmless often hide the darkest secrets. As their journey draws them closer to Tova and the eclipse, Xiala realizes Serapio may be more than he seems. When the sun darkens, will he be the city’s salvation—or its destruction?

Beneath the Dreaming Moon, the city of Gujaareh thrives under one law: peace. Keeping that peace are the Gatherers, priests of the dream-goddess who harvest magic from the sleeping to heal—and to eliminate those deemed corrupt. Ehiru, the most revered Gatherer, faces his greatest test when a dark conspiracy emerges within the temple. Someone, or something, is killing innocents in the goddess’s name, haunting both the shadowed streets of Gujaareh and the realm of dreams. As Ehiru unravels this deadly plot, he must protect a woman he was meant to kill and confront forbidden magic that threatens to destroy the city. Will Ehiru uphold his sacred duty—or let Gujaareh fall to the nightmares it fears most?

On the frigid edge of the Kaigenese Empire, the warriors of Kusanagi Peninsula defend their homeland with powers that rival the sea itself. For fourteen-year-old Mamoru, mastering these legendary skills isn’t just family duty—it’s the key to protecting his home. But when a mysterious outsider shatters Kaigen’s carefully spun illusions of peace, Mamoru realizes he may be racing against time to become the warrior he’s supposed to be. Meanwhile, his mother Misaki has buried her past as a fighter, focusing instead on being the ideal wife and mother. But with war looming and her son asking questions, her forgotten skills are hard to ignore. As danger closes in, will the Matsuda family unite to face their true enemy, or destroy each other first?

Xishi’s beauty could be her greatest weapon—or her downfall. In the kingdom of Yue, Xishi’s beauty is celebrated as her path to securing a prosperous marriage. But when military advisor Fanli offers her a dangerous opportunity, she seizes it: infiltrate the enemy kingdom of Wu, seduce their king, and bring down the very empire that killed her sister. Trained by Fanli to master the art of deception, Xishi becomes a lethal weapon, but her growing feelings for Fanli complicate the mission. Once inside the enemy’s palace, she realizes the king may not be the monster she expected—but danger lurks everywhere. With her true identity at risk, one wrong move could destroy both kingdoms—and her heart. Will Xishi succeed, or will her mission unravel everything?

War looms across the Three Kingdoms, but Meilin’s father won’t answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry, a fate she knows will trap her forever in a life of violence and submission. Desperate, Meilin takes a bold risk: she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place. In the army, Meilin finds surprising allies, including Sky, a prince-turned-training partner who kindles her hope for a different life. But when she begins to have visions of a powerful sea dragon spirit promising freedom at a price, Meilin faces a dangerous choice. With kingdoms on the brink, can Meilin unlock her true power without destroying everything—and everyone—she loves?

The Moon Throne has ruled for centuries, casting a shadow of terror over the land. The emperor and his three monstrous sons crush all beneath their grip, wielding god-like power inherited from a deity imprisoned beneath their palace. But that god is about to break free. Joined by Jun, a guilt-ridden guard, and Keema, an outcast seeking redemption, the god escapes her bonds. Now, with her relentless children in pursuit, they embark on a perilous five-day journey that could end the Moon Throne’s reign forever. Every step brings new dangers, and the cost of failure grows heavier with each passing moment. Can they overthrow the tyrants before it’s too late—or will the horrors of the past reclaim them? The Moon Throne’s days may be numbered… but will they be enough?