By Paul Goat Allen
Continuing our mission to highlight some of the all-time best self-published and indie releases, the fourth part of our Unearthing Masterworks series focuses on a much-maligned segment of self-publishing: fantasy!
As someone who has bought self-published releases for a national retailer, and reviewed literally thousands of self-published novels over the last three decades, I can say with certainty that I’ve read more truly terrible self-pubbed and indie fantasy releases than all other categories combined. Cardboard characters, uninspired world-building (yep, another Middle-earth rip-off), formulaic storylines (farm boy who doesn’t know he is the Chosen One), blatant racism and misogyny… you name it, I’ve read it.
But that’s what makes reading an exceptional fantasy novel so…joyous. There are countless noteworthy self-published fantasy novels, and fantasy series, available—but there are very few that have blown me away. Those of you looking for the best of the best self-published and indie fantasy novels should make it a point to seek out and read the titles listed below. You want insanely innovative and imaginative fantasy masterworks? Look no further!
The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French (2015)
The first installment in French’s Lot Lands trilogy, this self-published novel was met with universal acclaim and the series was eventually picked up by Crown. Kirkus gave it a starred review and described it thusly:
“French’s adrenaline-fueled adventure fantasy, which features badass gangs of half-orcs on the backs of giant war hogs thundering across a lawless wasteland, is an unapologetically brutal thrill ride—like Mad Max set in Tolkien’s Middle-earth.”
Believe me when I say that this novel, and trilogy, will be one of the best fantasy stories you will ever read—utterly unforgettable!
The 19th Bladesman by S. J. Hartland (2018)
Australian author S.J. Hartland’s debut novel—and first installment of her Shadow Sword saga—is powered by wildly original world-building and a cast of impressively unconventional characters.
Set in a sprawling, magic-saturated realm inhabited by humans, immortals, and a variety of supernatural monstrosities, Hartland’s narrative is impressively grand-scale. Although it features an ensemble cast of adeptly developed central characters, a richly described world with an intriguing history and mythology, and an intricately plotted storyline, this shelf-bending novel (600+ pages) reads like a much shorter work.
The BlueInk review describes it fittingly as “nothing short of an epic fantasy masterwork.”
The Glass Frog by J. Brandon Lowry (2023)
I loved Lowry’s debut novel when I first read it last year—and haven’t stopped raving about it yet! Suitable for all ages, the story is set on an island and follows the struggles of orphaned siblings who embark on a quest to find their destiny and understand their deceased parents’ dark past. To say that the starred BlueInk review is glowing is an understatement!
“[The Glass Frog] is nothing short of a towering masterwork of imagination—sure to satisfy even the most discerning reader, from middle grade to adult. It offers gloriously deep character development; forceful themes (finding one’s place in the world, etc.); nonstop action and adventure, and rich world-building. But it’s the author’s mesmerizing narrative voice, powered by a sense of whimsy and wonder that makes the book truly memorable. Blending the timeless tone of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy with the action and adventure of William Goldman’s The Princess Bride, this is a story to be cherished.”
While nothing in life is guaranteed, I [all but] guarantee that readers will absolutely love this novel.
The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang (2019)
So much more than Japanese-inspired military fantasy, The Sword of Kaigen is tonally reminiscent of Lian Hearn’s bestselling Tales of the Otori saga and is a standalone fantasy chronicling a small community’s struggle to survive a conflict that ravages their mountain home and threatens to destroy their traditional, albeit antiquated, way of life.
The BlueInk review concludes: “The Sword of Kaigen is an utterly readable novel and the perfect starting point for Wang’s Theonite saga. Fantasy and martial arts aficionados alike should enjoy this emotionally supercharged novel about love and loss, which pierces readers’ hearts with the precision of a samurai’s razor-sharp blade.”
Paul Goat Allen has been reviewing books for almost three decades. In addition to BlueInk Review, his work has appeared with BarnesandNoble.com, The Chicago Tribune, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and more. He also teaches in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction graduate writing program.