Fantasy and a Little Romance
Categories: Romance , Rediscoveries , Science Fiction & Fantasy , Staff Picks , Fiction
Okay, I know it’s Halloween, but how about some romantic fantasy that’s a little less creature-of-the-night than the current crop of vampire romances?
The authors of these books would describe themselves as fantasy writers rather than romance writers, but I think their books have plenty of appeal for readers of both genres. Whether your heart lies with high fantasy or with grand romance, you’ll find yourself swept away.
I wrote last year about War for the Oaks, Emma Bull’s fantasy about a rocker chick who gets caught up in a faerie war. Here are just a few more suggestions of fantasies with strong romantic elements—lots more where they came from! Teen readers might enjoy these, too.
Robin McKinley’s The Blue Sword is set in a vaguely familiar alternate world—think Victorian India. Harry (Angharad) Crewe finds herself as much of a misfit in colonial Daria as she did back in the Homeland. She is more interested in the local culture, even in its mysterious hints of old magic, than in the parties and sedate pony rides that occupy the young ladies at her brother’s military border post in the hills. When a diplomatic crisis brings the Darian hill king, Corlath, to the station, Harry finds herself intrigued by him. What she doesn’t know (since it’s not proper for such things to be discussed) is that her family history makes her a valuable pawn in the coming war—and perhaps much more. It’s a sweepingly romantic tale. The prequel to this title is The Hero and the Crown, but definitely start here.
Another grand work of historical fantasy is Lois McMaster Bujold’s The Spirit Ring. This one is set in a magical Renaissance Italy. Fiametta is apprentice to her father, who is a master goldsmith and mage. When their duke is betrayed and their city is conquered, Fiametta has to call on all of her fiery talents, magical and metallurgical, to rescue her family and her city. Fortunately she has allies, including a handsome Swiss soldier and his metal-working brother.
For an even more epic fantasy of Renaissance Italy, try the Damiano trilogy by R. A. MacAvoy, which begins with Damiano. Damiano is a young apprentice witch and lute player (his lute teacher is the angel Raphael) who, like Fiametta, is turned out of his home when conquerors invade his little Piedmont town. It’s the beginning of a long journey to learn to master his powers and restore peace to his homeland. Like the best of high fantasy, it’s a coming of age story and a tale of heartbreaking sacrifice. It’s also a charmingly unconventional love story, as Damiano’s encounter with a Lapplander witch, Saara, changes both of their journeys. (The sequels are Damiano’s Lute and Raphael.)
I can’t resist one more romantic fantasy that’s even more unconventional than any of these, another work by R. A. MacAvoy, Tea with the Black Dragon. It’s set in 1980s California, which, with its just-barely-beginning computer culture, will seem as quaintly unfamiliar to today’s readers as Renaissance Italy does. Middle-aged Celtic musician Martha Macnamara has come to the West Coast in response to a call for help from her daughter, Liz. Liz is a computer programmer who is mixed up in trouble of some kind. At her hotel, Martha meets Mayland Long, a Chinese gentleman of unusual talents. More unusual than Martha at first guesses—as the title suggests. His assistance proves valuable in rescuing Liz, but that’s just the beginning of his involvement in Martha’s life.
Phoukas and dragons and sorcerer-kings and lute-playing witches—Happy Halloween to all of you vampire fans.
