14 Fantasy Books Set In Southeast Asia-inspired Worlds
Where Magic Wears Batik, Spirits Haunt Rice Fields, and Empires Rise from Monsoon Mist
Southeast Asia is a region teeming with lush rainforests, gilded temples, ancient legends, and a kaleidoscope of cultures that span thousands of islands and centuries of myth. And when fantasy stories bloom from these roots, the result is nothing short of breathtaking.
These aren’t your typical medieval castles and snowy mountain quests. These are tales where naga swim through sacred rivers, where enchanted daggers whisper in the dark, and where magic hums beneath the weight of ancestral duty and revolution. From Filipino folklore to Indonesian shadow puppetry, from Vietnamese ghost stories to Thai spirit lore—these books offer rich, vibrant worlds that feel both new and timeless.
If you’re yearning for fantasy that simmers with humidity, complexity, and soul, dive into these 14 spellbinding novels that reimagine Southeast Asia through the lens of magic, myth, and fierce imagination.
1. The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
A crumbling empire. Magic carved from bone. A revolution on the rise.
Inspired by a blend of East and Southeast Asian cultures, this epic features a vivid archipelago ruled by constructs powered by bone shard magic. With multiple POVs—including a rebellious heir, a smuggler with a secret, and a strange, talking beast—it’s sweeping and smart.
Why you’ll love it: A fresh take on empire and rebellion with deep emotional resonance and unforgettable creatures.
2. Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
Filipino folklore meets fairy tale multiverse chaos in this sharp and sassy YA fantasy.
Alex is the crown prince of a magical kingdom frozen in time. Hiding in Arizona with a fire-wielding Filipina girl named Tala, he must rally misfits and myths to reclaim his homeland. Think Ice Queens, firebird familiars, and lots of Tagalog snark.
Why you’ll love it: Fast-paced, clever, and proudly Filipino in its mythos and spirit.
3. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
A destiny stolen. A girl who refuses to be nothing. A war that reshapes history.
Set in an alternate version of 14th-century China with strong Southeast Asian influences, this queer, gender-bending epic tells the story of a peasant girl who takes on her dead brother’s fate to rise as a feared rebel leader.
Why you’ll love it: It’s poetic, brutal, and boldly reimagines power, gender, and legacy.
4. Black Water Sister by Zen Cho
A ghostly grandmother. A vengeful spirit. A reluctant medium in modern Malaysia.
When Jess returns to Penang, she hears the voice of her dead Ah Ma—who happens to be a former medium of a local deity. Caught between gods, gangsters, and family secrets, Jess must navigate more than just her culture—she must survive it.
Why you’ll love it: Hilarious and haunting, full of Malaysian culture, queer identity, and rich supernatural lore.
5. The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco
Twin goddesses. A broken world. A prophecy written in ash and fire.
Set in a world torn asunder and steeped in elemental magic, this high-octane duology draws on Filipino mythological elements in a tale of sacrifice, sisterhood, and balance.
Why you’ll love it: It’s cinematic, sapphic, and filled with glowing beasts and earth-shaking emotions.
6. The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf
A lonely girl. A ghostly companion. A dark legacy from Malaysian folklore.
Suraya inherits a pelesit—an inherited spirit from her witch grandmother. At first, it’s a source of strength and comfort. But as her bond with the ghost deepens, so does the danger.
Why you’ll love it: This MG gem is tender and chilling, rooted in kampung life and rich Malaysian traditions.
7. Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
Royal secrets. Prophecies. A court steeped in intrigue and quiet rebellion.
Though Chinese-inspired, the book’s Southeast Asian inflections shine in its setting, tone, and narrative choices—especially the attention to dynastic power and spiritual law. Princess Hesina becomes queen when her father is murdered, and nothing—not magic, not family—is what it seems.
Why you’ll love it: Elegant and slow-burning, perfect for fans of morally complex choices and palace drama.
8. The Silence of Bones by June Hur
A girl without a voice. A country under occupation. A crime that whispers old secrets.
Set in Joseon-era Korea, but drawing thematic parallels to Southeast Asian colonial histories, this atmospheric mystery is both a murder investigation and a meditation on loyalty, identity, and oppression.
Why you’ll love it: Mysterious, quietly fierce, and rich in historical texture.
9. The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso
A queen without allies. A realm in ruins. A journey through a brutal land.
Talyien, the Bitch Queen of Oren-yaro, must navigate assassins, political chaos, and a love she never wanted. Inspired in part by the Philippines, Villoso’s world is raw, vast, and laced with rice paddies, tribal honor, and imperial decay.
Why you’ll love it: Fierce female lead, intense politics, and a Southeast Asian soul steeped in steel and sorrow.
10. A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee
A curse. A girl who grows horns. A journey through realms where spirits rule.
Miuko is a quiet innkeeper’s daughter until she’s cursed and thrown into a world of demons, gods, and mischievous spirits inspired by Japanese and broader East/Southeast Asian lore.
Why you’ll love it: It’s whimsical, gorgeously strange, and woven through with questions about agency, gender, and power.
11. Amok by Barry Jonsberg
A sword of destiny. A warrior’s blood. A kingdom in need of a savior.
This Filipino epic fantasy (not widely available but beloved among fans) takes inspiration from pre-colonial Filipino mythology and martial traditions. It centers on battle, honor, and prophecy.
Why you’ll love it: It’s rare, gritty, and speaks to the heart of homegrown Philippine fantasy.
12. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso
The empire calls. The queen returns. But peace is a lie.
The final installment in the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, this climactic tale brings Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy to a thunderous crescendo—filled with betrayal, bloodlines, and hard-won hope.
Why you’ll love it: It’s the grand finale your epic fantasy heart craves—satisfyingly complex and emotionally shattering.
13. The Taming of the Demon Duology by Zen Cho
A scholar. A tiger spirit. A bargain with more than teeth.
Set in an alternate version of 1800s Malaysia, this romantic fantasy follows a young woman scholar and a powerful demon. The world is rich with court rituals, colonial pressure, and folklore charm.
Why you’ll love it: It’s sly, spellbinding, and filled with tigers, treaties, and flirtation that could topple empires.
14. Tablay by Katya Adarna and Mervin Malonzo
Pinoy mecha. Ancient power. Resistance, wrapped in iron and myth.
In a future Manila powered by electric gods and tech infused with spiritual energy, Filipino youth rise against injustice using ancestral magic—and giant robots. Need we say more?
Why you’ll love it: It’s fast, furious, and gloriously Filipino, with art that sings and a story that stings.
Final Word:
These stories aren’t just set in Southeast Asia—they breathe it. They bring its folklore, food, languages, and landscapes to vivid life. Whether you’re from the region and seeking recognition or exploring new horizons, these books invite you into jungles of jade, markets of whispers, and kingdoms built on myth.
Which one will you step into first?
