international thriller but make it... ALTERNATE
November 4, 2021 8:13 PM Subscribe
I like a few book series with similar elements, can you recommend any others that fit these requirements? (Already read series under the cut).
* Alternate earth or earth history
* Shenanigans are international
* Female protag who prevails based on knowledge, learning, or cunning
* Some politicking
* FUN
So far, I've read:
The Memoirs of Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
Kushiel's Dart / Chosen / Avatar by Jacqueline Carey (not interested in later Kushiel books)
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman also mostly fits the bill, albeit for a younger audience.
A big part of the fun for me is finding out what in the alternate universe correlates with our Earth (different country names, etc) and getting to splash around in different environments.
So far, I've read:
The Memoirs of Lady Trent by Marie Brennan
Kushiel's Dart / Chosen / Avatar by Jacqueline Carey (not interested in later Kushiel books)
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman also mostly fits the bill, albeit for a younger audience.
A big part of the fun for me is finding out what in the alternate universe correlates with our Earth (different country names, etc) and getting to splash around in different environments.
You might like the Grishaverse books by Leigh Bardugo. Alternate Eurasia, politicking and heisting, several strong women to choose from.
posted by the primroses were over at 8:56 PM on November 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by the primroses were over at 8:56 PM on November 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
I thought for sure N. K Jemisin's Broken Earth Series would already have been recommended. Great series. Hugo Awards. Fits the bill.
posted by pynchonesque at 10:21 PM on November 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by pynchonesque at 10:21 PM on November 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
Tremontaine (the prequel to Ellen Kushner's Swordspoint series) takes place entirely in one city but it has a fun and detailed alternate relationship between the Europe-equivalent and the South/Central America-equivalent, cunning female protagonists, and heaps of politicking.
Kate Elliott's "Spiritwalker Trilogy" (beginning with Cold Magic) fits the bill quite well - alt. Industrial Revolution with magic, international travel throughout the series, some politicking, and a female protagonist.
The Sulien Series by Jo Walton stays within alt-Arthurian England and Ireland, but there's enough detail and nuance that it felt like a whole world to me. It has politicking and smart, skillful female protagonists. Also, I think it's about as close to a "thriller" as Walton gets, with the possible exception of the (also alt-history, but more recent) Small Change series.
Martha Wells is best known these days for the Murderbot Diaries, but her Ile-Rien books feature three parallel alternate universes that are somewhat Earth-like and draw on various cultures from different points in Earth's history. Political intrigue is present. The protagonist of the three Fall of Ile-Rien books is female. She doesn't usually go for cunning so much as a slightly Murderbot-esque attitude of "ugh, since I'm stuck in the middle of this mess I guess I have no choice but to figure out how to fix it."
I don't remember much of Everfair by Nisi Shawl, but I think it might also be a good fit. (Steampunk anticolonialists in Africa, I think?)
A few bonuses that don't fit the request quite as well, but might scratch the same itch:
- Rosemary Kirstein's Steerswoman Series isn't alt-Earth, but has a very similar sense of discovery and a clever female protagonist who is all about learning things.
- S.M. Stirling's Change series is "most modern tech stops working and people rebuild society from half-remembered scraps of various older cultures," which yields some fun cultural and political mix-and-match scenarios plus a few cunning matriarchs.
- Laurie J. Marks's Elemental Logic series is fantasy, but the heavy cultural mix-and-match that feels like it's almost alt-earth, with a beautiful found-family of protagonists (male and female) and some remarkably wholesome political maneuvering.
posted by sibilatorix at 1:52 AM on November 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
Kate Elliott's "Spiritwalker Trilogy" (beginning with Cold Magic) fits the bill quite well - alt. Industrial Revolution with magic, international travel throughout the series, some politicking, and a female protagonist.
The Sulien Series by Jo Walton stays within alt-Arthurian England and Ireland, but there's enough detail and nuance that it felt like a whole world to me. It has politicking and smart, skillful female protagonists. Also, I think it's about as close to a "thriller" as Walton gets, with the possible exception of the (also alt-history, but more recent) Small Change series.
Martha Wells is best known these days for the Murderbot Diaries, but her Ile-Rien books feature three parallel alternate universes that are somewhat Earth-like and draw on various cultures from different points in Earth's history. Political intrigue is present. The protagonist of the three Fall of Ile-Rien books is female. She doesn't usually go for cunning so much as a slightly Murderbot-esque attitude of "ugh, since I'm stuck in the middle of this mess I guess I have no choice but to figure out how to fix it."
I don't remember much of Everfair by Nisi Shawl, but I think it might also be a good fit. (Steampunk anticolonialists in Africa, I think?)
A few bonuses that don't fit the request quite as well, but might scratch the same itch:
- Rosemary Kirstein's Steerswoman Series isn't alt-Earth, but has a very similar sense of discovery and a clever female protagonist who is all about learning things.
- S.M. Stirling's Change series is "most modern tech stops working and people rebuild society from half-remembered scraps of various older cultures," which yields some fun cultural and political mix-and-match scenarios plus a few cunning matriarchs.
- Laurie J. Marks's Elemental Logic series is fantasy, but the heavy cultural mix-and-match that feels like it's almost alt-earth, with a beautiful found-family of protagonists (male and female) and some remarkably wholesome political maneuvering.
posted by sibilatorix at 1:52 AM on November 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
You absolutely want Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books, set in the Discworld. Start with The Wee Free Men and keep going.
Ignore the "children's fiction" classifier. These books are Pratchett in top form.
posted by flabdablet at 6:34 AM on November 5, 2021 [6 favorites]
Ignore the "children's fiction" classifier. These books are Pratchett in top form.
posted by flabdablet at 6:34 AM on November 5, 2021 [6 favorites]
If you stretch the definition of international just a bit, then Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik fills the bill.
posted by Tabitha Someday at 6:50 AM on November 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Tabitha Someday at 6:50 AM on November 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
"The Restoration Game" by Ken MacLeod! Smart female protagonist, highly international, sort-of '90s-esque post-Soviet-republic issues, and a cunning twist at the end that entirely knocked my socks off.
posted by heatherlogan at 7:27 AM on November 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by heatherlogan at 7:27 AM on November 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
Came in to say the Ile-Rien books by Martha Wells, but sibilatorix beat me to it.
posted by emmling at 7:38 AM on November 5, 2021
posted by emmling at 7:38 AM on November 5, 2021
A Memory Called Empire definitely fits the bill for "international shenanigans," "female protag who prevails based on knowledge, learning, or cunning" and "politicking." It may not fit your definition of "alternate earth" (the setting is a far-future Byzantine-esque space empire) and "fun" (there's plenty of action and moments of humor, but it's not a light 'n' fluffy romp).
posted by fifthpocket at 8:27 AM on November 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by fifthpocket at 8:27 AM on November 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
The Chequy Files (currently two books with a third on the way). Think James Bond with magic and an amnesiac heroine.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:50 AM on November 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 8:50 AM on November 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
Can I suggest the Divine Cities trilogy, starting with the City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett. It's not totally alternate-earth, but has elements that can be associated with earth-like cultures (except... MAGIC). The most prominent protagonist is a female diplomat and there are many great women characters with a plot full of intrigue. Not sure why this isn't often recommended, but fantastic world building, in my opinion.
posted by apcmwh at 12:20 PM on November 5, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by apcmwh at 12:20 PM on November 5, 2021 [4 favorites]
You might enjoy Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis, set in the distant past of 2007. It has a realistic female protagonist who is neither super-humanly intelligent nor massively stupid. Not really alternate history as such, unless you count the aliens and corresponding government conspiracy.
I also second City of Stairs mentioned above.
posted by AndrewStephens at 1:30 PM on November 5, 2021
I also second City of Stairs mentioned above.
posted by AndrewStephens at 1:30 PM on November 5, 2021
Malka Older's Centenal Cycle fits your brief and is complete: Infomocracy, Null States, and State Tectonics. Near-future Earth where microdemocratic units of 100,000 voters -- often crossing the now-obsolete nation-state geographic lines -- decide policy. The principal viewpoint characters are trying to prevent misinformation (so kinda modding the world!). Malka Older has copious RL experience in policy NGOs and her Earth has bureaucratic stumbling blocks as well as single passenger super-sonic jets to transport her diplomats/spies around the globe.
First six chapters at Tor.com
posted by Jesse the K at 2:15 PM on November 5, 2021
First six chapters at Tor.com
posted by Jesse the K at 2:15 PM on November 5, 2021
P. Djeli Clark’s Dead Djinn Series is a “alternate Earth scifi fantasy police procedural” set in Cairo in 1912. A portal to the spirit world has allowed Egypt to drive out the British at the end of the 19th century. Now Cairo is a city of skyscrapers, automatic trams, and airships to rival New York. The main character in most of the stories, Fatma el-Sha’arawi, is the first woman to be a field agent at the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. Social change is a constant theme.
posted by chrisulonic at 3:03 PM on November 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by chrisulonic at 3:03 PM on November 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you stretch the definition of international just a bit, then Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik fills the bill.
The Wiki page might make this clear, but Spinning Silver is (A) just an awesome book (B) maybe or maybe not what you're asking for. It seeks a sense of intense realism regarding the constraints the characters live under, and it set in a vaguely fictional medieval eastern Europe. Politics are involved but a lot more fairytale elements are involved.
In a somewhat similar vein, maybe a little bit closer to what I think you're asking for, N.K. Jemison's The Killing Moon and The Shadowed Sun (also superlatively good books) are set in a fantasy world that is very liberally based on ancient Egypt. There's lots of fantasy magic, but also lots of very interesting political intrigue and contrast/conflict between different cultures.
And as long as we're talkin' fantasy, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is set in Regency England, is written in a style that evokes Dickens & Austen, and has a lot of sport with the cultural attitudes of that period. It involves real historical characters & settings, but also rewrites some of history to include the idea that northern England was once ruled by a shadowy magician who commanded an army of fairies.
posted by polecat at 5:55 PM on November 5, 2021
The Wiki page might make this clear, but Spinning Silver is (A) just an awesome book (B) maybe or maybe not what you're asking for. It seeks a sense of intense realism regarding the constraints the characters live under, and it set in a vaguely fictional medieval eastern Europe. Politics are involved but a lot more fairytale elements are involved.
In a somewhat similar vein, maybe a little bit closer to what I think you're asking for, N.K. Jemison's The Killing Moon and The Shadowed Sun (also superlatively good books) are set in a fantasy world that is very liberally based on ancient Egypt. There's lots of fantasy magic, but also lots of very interesting political intrigue and contrast/conflict between different cultures.
And as long as we're talkin' fantasy, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is set in Regency England, is written in a style that evokes Dickens & Austen, and has a lot of sport with the cultural attitudes of that period. It involves real historical characters & settings, but also rewrites some of history to include the idea that northern England was once ruled by a shadowy magician who commanded an army of fairies.
posted by polecat at 5:55 PM on November 5, 2021
Response by poster: so many great recs! please keep them coming!
Already read: Grishaverse, Spinning Silver
Authors I'm familiar with and now have another path into: P. Djeli Clark, Robert Jackson Bennett, N.K. Jemisin
A solid maybe: I have a long history of bouncing off Pratchett, but I don't think I've tried Tiffany Aching yet.
No, absolutely not, sorry: Mr. Norrell is recommended to me about once a year and it's fine until the narrative cheerfully admits that all of the men at the table don't know shit and expect me to continue to be invested in it.
Everybody else is on the table. Thanks for helping me beef up my checkout list y'all!
posted by snerson at 9:52 PM on November 5, 2021
Already read: Grishaverse, Spinning Silver
Authors I'm familiar with and now have another path into: P. Djeli Clark, Robert Jackson Bennett, N.K. Jemisin
A solid maybe: I have a long history of bouncing off Pratchett, but I don't think I've tried Tiffany Aching yet.
No, absolutely not, sorry: Mr. Norrell is recommended to me about once a year and it's fine until the narrative cheerfully admits that all of the men at the table don't know shit and expect me to continue to be invested in it.
Everybody else is on the table. Thanks for helping me beef up my checkout list y'all!
posted by snerson at 9:52 PM on November 5, 2021
Anno Dracula by Kim Newman.
Dracula survived Van Helsing and the others, and escaped to London, where he marries the long-widowed Queen Victoria after turning her into a vampire. Now vampirism is all the fashion in Draco-Victorian England, and the aristocracy seek to be turned by “the right sort” of vampire. Not any peasant with fangs will do. Geneviève Dieudonné is a much older French vampire who gets involved in solving the ripper murders.
There is a sequel, Bloody Red Baron, where World War 1 is fought buy humans (“the warm”) during the day, and by vampires at night.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 11:52 AM on November 6, 2021
Dracula survived Van Helsing and the others, and escaped to London, where he marries the long-widowed Queen Victoria after turning her into a vampire. Now vampirism is all the fashion in Draco-Victorian England, and the aristocracy seek to be turned by “the right sort” of vampire. Not any peasant with fangs will do. Geneviève Dieudonné is a much older French vampire who gets involved in solving the ripper murders.
There is a sequel, Bloody Red Baron, where World War 1 is fought buy humans (“the warm”) during the day, and by vampires at night.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 11:52 AM on November 6, 2021
The Lady Astronaut series checks off nearly every one of your bullet points! It's an alternate history where a meteorite strikes Washington, DC in the early 1950s and the resultant explosion threatens to kill all life on the planet. Getting to outer space becomes a prerogative for survival. Lots of politics, lots of fun changes to the timeline, not as much international intrigue, but that does pick up in the later books a bit.
posted by rouftop at 6:08 PM on November 6, 2021
posted by rouftop at 6:08 PM on November 6, 2021
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posted by seasparrow at 8:46 PM on November 4, 2021 [5 favorites]