SPECULATIVE FICTION BY TOPIC
This concentrates on fantasy but includes some science-fiction.  Please feel free to check back as this list evolves. The titles listed here are all books that I've read and personally recommend.  So if a category looks incomplete or you're wondering why your favorite vampire book isn't listed here, chances are that I haven't read it yet. Or I've read it and didn't like it.

Alternate History Fantasy: See Fantasy Glossary

• Card, Orson Scott - The Alvin Maker series.  Start with  Seventh Son.
• Dick, Philip K. –  The Man in the High Castle.
• Irvine, Alexander C. - The Narrows
• Novik, Naomi – The Temeraire series.  Start with  His Majesty's Dragon.

Anglo-Saxon:

• Abbey, Lynn -  Unicorn and Dragon
• Beecroft, Alex – The Witch's Boy See my review of The Witch's Boy.

Asian:

• Hughart, Barry M. -  Bridge of Birds. China
• Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. Tomoe Gozen. Japan

Dark Fantasy:  See Fantasy Glossary

• Barker, Clive –  Imajica
• Beecroft, Alex – The Witch's Boy See my review of The Witch's Boy.
• Love, Penelope - Castle of Eyes

Demons:

• Hale, Ginn - Wicked Gentlemen. 
• Harrison, Kim – Rachel Morgan series.  Start with  Dead Witch Walking
• Love, Penelope - Castle of Eyes

Dragons:

• Le Guin, Ursula - Earthsea series.  Start with  A Wizard of Earthsea
• Novik, Naomi - Temeraire series.  Start with  His Majesty's Dragon
• Walton, Jo. Tooth and Claw

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender:

• Anthony, Mark – Last Rune series, books 1-3. Start with Beyond the Pale.  Gay
• Carey, Jacqueline - Kushiel series.  Start with  Kushiel's Dart Gay, Lesbian
• Day, R. W. A Strong and Sudden Thaw Gay
• Hajicek, Jesse – The God Eaters. Gay
• Hale, Ginn - Wicked Gentlemen. Gay
• Mieville, China –  Iron Council Gay
• Pinto, Ricardo - The Chosen. Gay
• Pollack, Rachel. Godmother Night. Lesbian

High Fantasy: See Fantasy Glossary

• Le Guin, Ursula - Earthsea series.  Start with  A Wizard of Earthsea
• Tolkien, J.R.R.  - Lord of the Rings series.  Start with The Fellowship of the Ring

Historical Fantasy: See Fantasy Glossary

• Carey, Jacqueline - Kushiel series.  Start with  Kushiel's Dart
• Martin, George R. R. - A Song of Ice and Fire series.  Start with  A Game of Thrones
• Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. Tomoe Gozen.
• Cherryh, C. J. - Rusalka  

Jewish:

• Rydill, Jessica  Children of the Shaman
• Rydill, Jessica  The Glass Mountain

Parallel World Fantasy: See Fantasy Glossary

• Anthony, Mark – Last Rune series, books 1-3. Start with Beyond the Pale.
• Lewis, C. S. – Narnia series.  Start with  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Paranormal Romance:

• Andrews, Ilona - Kate Daniels series.  Start with  Magic Bites   See my review of Magic Bites.
• Hamilton, Laurell K. – Anita Blake series set in St. Louis. Start with Guilty Pleasures
• Harrison, Kim – Rachel Morgan series set in Cincinnati.  Start with  Dead Witch Walking
• McKinley, Robin -  Sunshine

Russia:

• Cherryh, C. J. - Rusalka  
• Lukyanenko, Sergei -   Night Watch   See my review of Night Watch.
• Sedia, Ekaterina - The Secret History of Moscow   See my review of The Secret History of Moscow
• Williams, Liz -  Nine Layers of Sky   See my review of Nine Layers of Sky

Steampunk Fantasy:   See Fantasy Glossary

• Bishop, K. J. -  The Etched City
• Hajicek, Jesse – The God Eaters
• Hale, Ginn - Wicked Gentlemen
• Jones,Jaida and Danielle Bennett - Havemercy
• Mieville, China –  Iron Council
• Mieville, China -  Perdido Street Station
• Rydill, Jessica  Children of the Shaman
• Rydill, Jessica  The Glass Mountain
• Swanwick, Michael -  The Iron Dragon's Daughter

Sword & Sorcery Fantasy: See Fantasy Glossary

• Abbey, Lynn  Daughter of the Bright Moon
• Berg, Carol -  Transformation
• Moore, C. L. - Jirel of Joiry

Techno-Fantasy: See Fantasy Glossary.  With the exception of my own novel, these other books mentioned could be more accurately described as steampunk.

• My own first fantasy novel.
• Hajicek, Jesse – The God Eaters
• Mieville, China –  Iron Council
• Rydill, Jessica  Children of the Shaman
• Rydill, Jessica  The Glass Mountain

Urban Fantasy: See Fantasy Glossary.

• Bull, Emma - War for the Oaks set in Minneapolis
• Butcher, Jim – Dresden Files series set in Chicago. Start with Storm Front
• Caine, Rachel – Weather Wardens series.  Start with  Ill Wind
• Hamilton, Laurell K. – Anita Blake series set in St. Louis. Start with Guilty Pleasures
• Harrison, Kim – Rachel Morgan series set in Cincinnati.  Start with  Dead Witch Walking
• Lukyanenko, Sergei -   Night Watch set in Moscow. See my review of Night Watch.
• Sedia, Ekaterina - The Secret History of Moscow   See my review of The Secret History of Moscow

Weather:

• Caine, Rachel – Weather Wardens series.  Start with  Ill Wind
• Sterling, Bruce - Heavy Weather . Cyberpunk science-fiction set in a future of environmental catastrophe.

Wizards:

• Butcher, Jim – Dresden Files series.  Start with  Storm Front
• Le Guin, Ursula - Earthsea series.  Start with  A Wizard of Earthsea

Vampires:

• Charnas, Suzy McKee - The Vampire Tapestry
• Hamilton, Laurell K. – Anita Blake series, books 1-10. Start with Guilty Pleasures
• Harrison, Kim – Rachel Morgan series set in Cincinnati.  Start with  Dead Witch Walking
• McKinley, Robin -  Sunshine
• Pierce, Meredith Ann - Dark Angel series. Start with The Dark Angel
• Rice, Anne - Interview with the Vampire

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