Note: this post uses trans the umbrella term and includes not only trans masc/fem authors but covers the whole spectrum of gender-queer identities.
Reading stories by and about trans/genderqueer voices is incredibly important to me and so I’ve already made multiple lists both here on the blog and over on Instagram to highlight books by trans authors but a newer, updated one is long overdue. On this year’s International Transgender Day of Visibility though I want to specifically highlight those who are… less visible. Books that aren’t seen as much on social media as others.
It’s great to see the amount of books by genderqueer authors increasing and some authors seem to have become well known names, but there are also many who are criminally underhyped. Most books are on this list simply because they have (a lot) less than 200 ratings on Goodreads and truly deserve to find more readers, and some others which might have some more, but still seem to often be missing from regular recommendation lists and just maybe I sneaked in a favorite or two I just want to push on everyone a little more.
Underhyped (adult) SFF Books by Trans Authors
Bang Bang Bodhisattva by Aubrey Wood
The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle by Steve Hugh Westenra
The Fealty of Monsters, Vol. 1 by Ladz
Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman
The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper by A.J. Fitzwater
Empire of Light by Alex Harrow
The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth
Hamlet, Prince of Robots by M. Darusha Wehm
The Trans Space Octopus Congregation: Stories by Bogi Takács
These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein
The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg
Jack of Thorns by A.K. Faulkner
The Southern Magicks by Ashton K. Rose
Queens of Noise by Leigh Harlen
Unwieldy Creatures by Addie Brook Tsai
The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée
From the Dark We Came by J. Emery
The Infinite Miles by Hannah Fergesen
Killing Gravity by Corey J. White
Everyone on the Moon Is Essential Personnel by Julian K. Jarboe
If Found, Return to Hell by Em X. Liu
Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine
Annihilation Aria by Michael R. Underwood
The Wingspan of Severed Hands by Joe Koch
A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper
The Child of Hameln by Max Turner
The Reanimator’s Heart by Kara Jorgensen
Junker Seven by Olive J. Kelley
The Stones Stay Silent by Danny Ride
Proud Pink Sky by Redfern Jon Barrett
Hunger Makes the Wolf by Alex Wells
I really hope everyone checks out a few if not all of these titles and finds something new to read by trans authors. And while this list already has a decent number of books, there’s lots more I would love to hype up and I’ll make sure to be back with more lists for this year’s Pride Month and highlight more underhyped books by genderqueer authors.
Paul Moss
Apr 1st, 2024Can I recommend Si Clarke’s Starship Teapot series of novels and shorts available direct from author here https://whitehartfiction.co.uk/collection/si-clarke
I thoroughly enjoyed this series and have bought their earlier books but not yet read them.
The Left Hand of Dog by Si Clarke https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59449715-the-left-hand-of-dog
Judgement Dave by Si Clarke https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59435171-judgement-dave
Consider Pegasus by Si Clarke https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62686174-consider-pegasus