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Books like The Spear Cuts Through Water
24 connected reads, with a reason for every recommendation.
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8 reading possibilities- 01
Like Jimenez’s novel, this formally adventurous fantasy uses myth, political upheaval, and an intimate personal journey to unsettle familiar genre expectations.
- 02
Its richly imagined empire, dangerous magic, and evolving romance make it a strong fit for readers seeking queer relationships within epic fantasy.
- 03
This character-driven fantasy centers a fraught queer bond amid war, colonial conflict, and competing loyalties.
- 04
An unexpected connectionThis contemplative Arthurian fantasy is a more subdued discovery for readers interested in myth, memory, and the emotional weight of a journey.
- 05
Readers drawn to sweeping fantasy and queer love will find dragons, court intrigue, and a world-spanning struggle in this standalone epic.
- 06
Its fractured narrative, imaginative worldbuilding, and emotionally intense exploration of power offer a compelling match for Jimenez’s ambitious storytelling.
- 07
Multiple perspectives, strange magic, and a politically fractured island empire create an intricate fantasy journey.
- 08
An unexpected connectionIts tender, self-aware fairy-tale quest offers a classic counterpoint to Jimenez’s modern, formally adventurous mythmaking.
Explore 16 more recommendations
- 09
This adventurous fantasy pairs queer romance with gods, dangerous missions, and a protagonist forging a life beyond an expected fate.
- 10
Its elegant, revisionist approach to familiar stories and its attention to queer identity make it a good fit for readers who enjoy literary fantasy.
- 11
A lyrical, self-aware fantasy about doors between worlds will appeal to readers who value story-shaped adventures and inventive form.
- 12
An unexpected connectionThis early, dreamlike fantasy connects through its folkloric world and its sense of magic as something both beautiful and perilous.
- 13
Its dreamlike structure and intricate celebration of stories and myth echo the novel’s interest in how tales shape a world.
- 14
This historically rooted fantasy combines sisterly bonds, dangerous magic, and a rebellion against oppressive power.
- 15
This first volume of a fantasy series offers an unfamiliar world, a searching protagonist, and a strong thread of belonging and connection.
- 16
An unexpected connectionA queer, surreal historical novel rather than an epic fantasy, it bridges through its lyrical voice and fluid treatment of reality.
- 17
McKillip’s lyrical, myth-shaped fantasy makes emotional choices and the power of love as central as its enchantment.
- 18
Its intricate world of gods and courts, along with a deeply personal struggle against fate, suits readers drawn to purposeful epic fantasy.
- 19
This atmospheric fantasy pairs a central romance with magical spectacle and a deliberately intricate narrative.
- 20
An unexpected connectionThis compact fantasy novella uses carefully gathered stories to reveal the political and personal meaning of a life.
- 21
A vividly imagined maritime world and a perilous voyage give this series opener the immersive, quest-driven momentum of a high fantasy.
- 22
This expansive, myth-influenced epic blends political change, friendship, and inventive worldbuilding on a grand scale.
- 23
Its imaginative speculative premise and emotionally grounded journey offer a strong bridge from fantasy into science fiction.
- 24
An unexpected connectionIts strange, enclosed world and mystery-driven narration offer a fresh route into the kind of formally distinctive speculative fiction Jimenez readers may enjoy.
About the book
Simon Jimenez’s 2022 fantasy follows a mythic, perilous journey shaped by queer love, high fantasy, and science-fictional elements.
About the author
Simon Jimenez is a Filipino American author of speculative fiction, known for blending expansive worldbuilding with experimental, emotionally focused storytelling.