5 Fantasy Series to Read That Don’t Feature Dragons

Cassandra Clare first started publishing her “Shadowhunter Chronicles” books in the early 2010s. Since then, she has written multiple series and dozens of books in the universe. “Infernal Devices” takes place in the late 1800s in Victorian England and follows a group of demon-slaying youths as they work together to protect London. Although “Infernal Devices” is not the first series Clare published (see: “Mortal Instruments”), it’s a great place to dive into the world as it takes place first in the timeline of the “Shadowhunter Chronicles.”

You may already be familiar with the “Shadow and Bone” series from the popular show on Netflix. Unfortunately, the show was canceled, but all three books are waiting for you to dive into! The first book in the series, “Shadow and Bone,” is set in the fictional country of Ravka, which is split in two by an ominous, dark “Fold” full of monsters. The main character, Alina, is thrust into a world of kings and monsters because of her incredible power, and she must determine who to trust in order to save Ravka.

“Queen of the Tearling” is not all it seems on the surface. On her 19th birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn — who was raised away from the kingdom — is taken to the castle to become the queen, as her birthright dictates. Kelsea wears the Tearling sapphire around her neck, which is full of magical power — and puts a target on her back. Surrounded by enemies at every turn, “Queen of the Tearling” tells Kelsea’s story as she becomes queen and unravels mysteries about her family and country.

If you enjoyed “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” you’ll love “Kingdom of the Wicked.” It’s juicy, daring and full of mystery. Emilia and Vittoria are streghe — witches who live secretly among humans. Unexpectedly, Emilia’s world is shattered when she finds her twin brutally murdered. As she searches for answers to her sister’s death, she becomes entangled with beings of the underworld and starts a dangerous journey to bring her sister justice.

Zélie Adebola was born with magic but lives in a kingdom where those with magic are persecuted. The story picks up with Zélie discovering an opportunity to restore magic in her country, Orïsha, but must embark on a dangerous journey in order to do so. This is Tomi Adeyemi’s debut novel, which received accolades from readers and critics alike. It won’t disappoint!