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R. Nassor may spend more time with books, tea, and ceramic mugs than recommended by professionals but it hasn’t failed her so far. Nassor has a MA in English Literature from Georgetown University, where she looked at the way medieval and early modern literature reappear in fantasy books today. She’s been writing about romance, fantasy, science fiction, and pop culture for quite a while, starting at Book Riot in 2020. She’s also written for Tor.com. You can follow her on Tiktok and contact her through her website.
R. Nassor may spend m…
This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
R. Nassor may spend more time with books, tea, and ceramic mugs than recommended by professionals but it hasn’t failed her so far. Nassor has a MA in English Literature from Georgetown University, where she looked at the way medieval and early modern literature reappear in fantasy books today. She’s been writing about romance, fantasy, science fiction, and pop culture for quite a while, starting at Book Riot in 2020. She’s also written for Tor.com. You can follow her on Tiktok and contact her through her website.
R. Nassor may spend more time with books, tea, and ceramic mugs than recommended by professionals but it hasn’t failed her so far. Nassor has a MA in English Literature from Georgetown University, where she looked at the way medieval and early modern literature reappear in fantasy books today. She’s been writing about romance, fantasy, science fiction, and pop culture for quite a while, starting at Book Riot in 2020. She’s also written for Tor.com. You can follow her on Tiktok and contact her through her website.
Protagonists are righting grievous wrongs in these fantasy books about revenge. When their lives fall apart and they are the last ones left standing, it is up to them to demand restitution. Ultimately, they must determine what they are willing to sacrifice for revenge.
Revenge stories have long captured the literary imagination. Looking at medieval literature, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a prime example of a foiled revenge plot played for laughs. Morgana, looking to get revenge, sends the Green Knight to murder King Arthur to upset Gwenevere. Of course, the oblivious Gawain interferes, interrupting a potentially bloody end to their great feast. Gawain ends up just fine, if a bit embarrassed when the larger plot is revealed in the end. Nevertheless, the primary driver of the story is a foiled revenge plot between two powerful women, Gwenevere and Morgana.
Moving forward in time, revenge tragedies were all the rage on the stage in early modern England. One of the most famous plays of all time is William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which enacts the tragedy that occurs when revenge is pursued. Part of the appeal for audiences was watching Hamlet and others enact revenge to its fullest extent, even when it harmed them and everyone around them. Many died, and entire kingdoms were upended, but those were the expected costs of pursuing vengeance.
These days, revenge plotlines are a popular driver for fantasy novels. In these fantastical worlds, characters have tragic backstories driving their impossible feats of bravery or villainy. Sometimes, revenge motivates everything and—like a ship careening over a waterfall—nothing can stop its devastating descent. Sometimes, characters decide to abandon their revenge so they can create a new life for themselves, but they are the rare few. The difficult choice may haunt them, but in these fantasy books about revenge, they always have a chance to choose differently.
All Access members, read on for recommendations of ten fantasy books about revenge.
Get ’em: Fantasy Books About Revenge
Traitors of the Black Crown by Cate Pearce
After the Queen’s guard murdered her family, Raena Schinen has lived in hiding as the male Knight Sir Rowan, waiting for her chance to get revenge and kill the Queen. Just before she can, she is exiled and told to serve Duchess Aven Colby. In a foreign land, the two unveil a plot to invade their home country. Soon, Raena and Aven are busy forming potentially lifesaving political allegiances amidst their unexpected romance. Revenge for the dead might have to fall to the wayside in favor of saving the living in this epic sapphic fantasy duology.
A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry
During the French Revolution, a mortal servant stolen by the fairies as a child has his chance for revenge against the changeling who stole his life. Sydney Carton has spent years learning how to hone his guile into a weapon; now he has a chance to use it against the fae. The changeling, Charles Darnay, could never imagine what was coming for him. If A Tale of Two Cities were a tragic portal fantasy novel, you would get Parry’s thoughtful, devastating standalone.
When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-yi Lee
Adeline Siow, in a fantastical postcolonial Singapore, thought her ability to summon flames was unique. But in the aftermath of a house fire that killed her mother, she finds a girl with a butterfly tattoo and Ang Tian, a member of the Red Butterfly gang—a group that seeks vengeance from abusive men sworn to the fire goddess. Adeline soon uncovers her mother’s patronage of the lethal girl gang. Someone killed her mother because of it, but she must follow attractive Tian and her gang if Adeline wants to find out the truth as dark magic descends in the red light district—threatening everyone who walks the streets.
Our Vicious Oaths by N.E. Davenport
When Apollyon Court King Malachi and his rival Aether Dominion warrior-princess Kadeesha’s vengeance aligns, they have a chance to reshape the fae world in their image. Malachi wounded the High King, killed Kadeesha’s father, and took her hostage at her wedding to the loathsome old King. Kadeesha may not agree with Malachi’s deception, but she agrees that the High King has to die. In an enemy kingdom, Kadeesha will secure the Aether people’s safety through this tenuous partnership, but she risks her heart in the process. Davenport’s written a thrilling, romantic, captivating Black romantasy novel where characters will stop at nothing to get their revenge.
Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana
When the emperor’s killed along with his clan, his surviving daughter, Khamilla Zahr-zad, is left to pick up the pieces. Her best chance at survival is to go into hiding and use her magical abilities to enter the enemy’s army school. Only through intense study will Khamilla be able to win the school’s dangerous contests, allowing her to gain enough power to get revenge for her people. But the more she learns about her enemy’s history and culture, the more she begins to rethink everything she thought she was fighting for, forcing her to choose between mercy and revenge in this Central-Asian inspired fantasy novel.
Katabasis by R. F. Kuang
Graduate students Alice Law and Peter Murdoch may be academic rivals, but they have one thing in common: they need to get Professor Jacob Grimes out of Hell. At Cambridge, a recommendation letter from the greatest magician in the world has a chance to change your life, and neither student is willing to lose that asset this late in the game…or so they say. Whatever vengeance really motivates their descent into Hell, they will both have to overcome the impossible, risking their souls to secure their future in the process.
The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee (January 13, 2026)
Summerlee’s revenge-fueled paranormal fantasy is an even more sapphic Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As an undercover vampire hunter at university, Rebecca spends her time searching for the book that could unlock the secrets to killing the vampires that murdered her parents. Her revenge plot gets diverted by her beautiful vampire roommate, Aliz… And that was before she rescues Rebecca from a vampire attack and accidentally makes Rebecca her familiar in the process. Now they have to get closer to break their new bond without falling in love in the process. Revenge may be more complicated than Rebecca ever considered.
Get ’em Again: Fantasy Sequels About Revenge (Minor Spoilers Ahead)
Children of Fallen Gods by Carissa Broadbent (December 9, 2025)
Book two in The War of Lost Hearts trilogy is a masterpiece in revenge plots. Tisaanah may have escaped enslavement, but she will not rest until she can use her considerable magical powers to free every other enslaved person in the realm. As dark forces mount among her allies and enemies, she will have to decide what she is willing to bargain away to avenge everyone who was wronged under this oppressive system. Tisaanah is not the only one who has to pay the price, as her closest friend and confidant, Max, will go to any length to protect her—even if it means confronting his bloody past. Tisaanah and her noble causes are worth it.
A Heart of Crimson Flames by A. K. Mulford
This sapphic shadow mommy/damsel romance concludes Mulford Golden Court queer epic romantasy trilogy. Princess Briar finds herself once again trapped in enemy territory. Even as a lone wolf shifter, there is not much she can do against metal bars and a dangerous pack. Her fated mate, Maez, has fallen to dark magic, twisting her sense of morality. Although Maez may be hungry for bloody revenge, she still rescues Briar. Now the princess will have to fight to pull her mate back from the edge if she wants to save their relationship. Home in the Golden Court, Queen Calla is preparing for a devastating war with the help of Sadie and Navin’s plan to control a monster army for their cause. As the battle mounts, all members of the court will risk their lives with the hope of building a better future.
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You’ve now met the bloody conclusion of this book list. If you like the sound of these fantasy books about revenge, you should also check out these Brain-On Science Fiction and Fantasy Books, these Cozy Fantasy Mystery Books, and these Regicides in Fantasy Books.