Charlotte Holmes Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I've been looking for some good adult fiction, but sex scenes in so many adult fiction books kill the enjoyment I have. I love fantasy, mystery, classics, historical fiction, dystopian, and science fiction, and I love literature from all over the world. What do you recommend? Link to post Share on other sites
sarahcasm Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I just got done reading Seraphina and Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman in my fantasy class and really loved them. It's a young adult duology about dragons and half-dragons and explores various identities (none of the characters claim to be asexual, but I have a few headcanons about some side characters). There is a love triangle (that is actually really adorable and I usually hate those things), but nothing sexual ever happens, there's only one instance in the second book that even comes close to sex. Also, Seraphina has an element of mystery to it as well because they have to find out who a traitorous dragon is (dragons can shape-shift into people). Link to post Share on other sites
argar Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 There are a lot of Young Adult novels without the nasty. Stuff from Rick Riordan, Joseph Delaney, and John Flanagan is virtually free of it. Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 21 minutes ago, sarahcasm said: I just got done reading Seraphina and Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman in my fantasy class and really loved them. Those are totes awesome YA/Tween books. My novel in my siggy has no nasty. Link to post Share on other sites
Mermaidy Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I thought the OP was looking for adult fiction, not YA Link to post Share on other sites
sarahcasm Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 @Mermaidy They are, but they also mentioned mystery and fantasy, which made me think of Seraphina. And YA lit can be just as interesting to older adults as it is to its target audience. Link to post Share on other sites
Moonchaser Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I find that a lot of older fiction appeals to me more than modern stuff. For instance I like classic romantic fiction, Jane Austen, or for more recent material, Mary Stewart (most of her novels had settings ranging from 1950s to 1970s). Her touch with the romantic element was light and didn't usually go even to the point of thinking about sex, just a little kissing. The one I can think of that does go that far, Touch Not the Cat, was not graphic at all, just kind of delicately skirted around that bit. I especially love her stories that involve kids or animals. She could be quite edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. I've been rereading all hers the past few weeks. For fantasy, I love Anne McCaffrey, especially her Dragonriders of Pern series. I also like what I've read of Terry Pratchett, and of course J. R. R. Tolkien. I enjoy Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction, though some people find it a bit dry. I especially liked the Odyssey series (beginning with 2001: A Space Odyssey). I also liked his book, A Fall of Moondust. Some of the better mysteries I read recently are, In Farley Field by Rhys Bowen, set in WWII, also a series by Elizabeth Edmondson called A Very English Mystery Series, only 2 so far but she has a 3rd coming out this month. Actually that series is post-WWII. I've liked most of her books that I've read. I did not however like her title A Voyage of Innocence. I also liked the few Detective Lavender mysteries I've read, by Karen Charlton, and I love Agatha Christie. A WWII book called Star Sand by Roger Pulvers about a girl stranded on an island near Japan during the war, helping a Japanese soldier and an American who are hiding in a cave on the island. That was pretty good, I thought. I like some romance, I just detest sex scenes, so my tastes likely vary from others'. I know a lot of people don't like any romance at all. Link to post Share on other sites
fuzzipueo Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Follow the link in my signature to the Ace Books! thread. It's full of books you might like. Please feel free to add too! May I suggest The Amelia Peabody Mysteries by Elizabeth Peters? Historical mysteries centered on Egyptology, no sex, though Amelia does wax poetic on Emerson's attributes (nothing nasty though, just really cute). The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers. Space opera with a lot of interesting characters. The Flaw in All Magic by Ben S. Dobson - fun fantasy with a hint of streampunk and a mystery. Finding Your Feet by Cass Lennox - romance between a trans male and an ace woman in Toronto. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor - science fiction with a character who comes from Namibia. The Supervillainy Saga by C.T. Phipps - follow the exploits of Gary Kakofsky aka Merciless "The Villain Without Mercy" as he tries to become the most powerful villain ever. Problem is, he keeps taking out the bad guys ... Link to post Share on other sites
Juno_L Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I may have already suggested this on another thread on AVEN, but I will never not suggest A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. It is one of my favorite fantasy books. It is the start of a trilogy. There is a bit of kissing in the first two books, but not much and it is not the focus. I haven't read the third book yet, so I can't confirm if that has 'the nasty' or not. Update: I am half way through the third book. I does have 'the nasty', but it does not go into detail, so I am personally ok with it. Link to post Share on other sites
Amathy Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 There are many more young adult fiction books that are clean. As for adult, Sharon Shinn has two fantasy series that are relatively clean (mentions stuff happens but no details): The twelfth houses and the elemental blessings. I'm sad to realize that despite reading a lot, these are the only series I can think about without explicit sex scenes. I think there are some mysteries I've read where the first book in the series are clean but as the characters get to know each other better the books become more explicit in the details. Link to post Share on other sites
Correner Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Some of Asimov's books are safe. Some are not. Link to post Share on other sites
EmotionalAndroid Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I am a huuuuge fan of Damon Runyon and I always recommend his books. I've read most of his work, and there is nothing objectionable in it of the "nasty" nature. His stories are comedies about Broadway life in the 20's and 30's. Most of the stories are about gangsters, bookies, horseplayers, and general n'er-do-well types and do make light of of themes like gang violence, murder, robbery, etc, so that might not be your cup of tea. But if it is, I cannot recommend them enough. You can read most of his work for free online, since they are in public domain: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks11/1100651h.html Agatha Christie writes fantastic mystery novels, and they are pretty clean. Link to post Share on other sites
sarahcasm Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 11 minutes ago, EmotionalAndroid said: Agatha Christie writes fantastic mystery novels, and they are pretty clean. I love Agatha Christie! She's the first author I ever truly loved and her novels are what sparked my interest in reading and writing. So I second this! My personal favorite is And Then There Were None, but I also love the Poirot novels. I have yet to read any Miss Marple books (I want to read all of Poirot first), but I'm sure those are great too! Link to post Share on other sites
EmotionalAndroid Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Just now, sarahcasm said: I love Agatha Christie! She's the first author I ever truly loved and her novels are what sparked my interest in reading and writing. So I second this! My personal favorite is And Then There Were None, but I also love the Poirot novels. I have yet to read any Miss Marple books (I want to read all of Poirot first), but I'm sure those are great too! Oooh, And Then There Were None was the first one of her novels that I ever read and what got me hooked on her writing! Also, it's funny because I am the opposite in terms of the novels I have read -- I have read most of the Miss Marple books, and few of the Poirot ones. xD I don't care for the character of Poirot very much, but I enjoy the focus on the police detectives (and there ineptitude) in the Miss Marple storylines. Link to post Share on other sites
sarahcasm Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 4 minutes ago, EmotionalAndroid said: Oooh, And Then There Were None was the first one of her novels that I ever read and what got me hooked on her writing! Also, it's funny because I am the opposite in terms of the novels I have read -- I have read most of the Miss Marple books, and few of the Poirot ones. xD I don't care for the character of Poirot very much, but I enjoy the focus on the police detectives (and there ineptitude) in the Miss Marple storylines. It was my first Christie novel too and I also found a weird Wii game based off it, haha. I know a lot of people don't like Poirot because he's "a boring knock-off of Sherlock Holmes" but I love him and his silly mustache anyway. The main reason I've not read much of Miss Marple is because my high school library had much more Poirot novels. Link to post Share on other sites
mistfallen Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 I'm pretty sure I've already recommended these books on 4 different threads but they are so amazing!!! The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite stories of all time. They're fantasy and magic- based, although the magic system is super unique and cool. Sanderson's other books are fantastic as well, I love the Steelheart series. I have yet to read Elantris (probably his most popular book) but I believe it was written for young adults so it should be clean. I just looked it up to be sure, and people say that Warbreaker is the farthest any of his books get with the sex (a little bit of foreplay) but that's about it! Happy reading (: Link to post Share on other sites
Luftschlosseule Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Discworld. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, We Have Always Lived in A Castle and The Haunting of Hill House by Sherly Jackson. I've had luck with magical realism so far, especially with short story anthologies. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I am currently reading the Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry, halfway through, no nasties and I don't think there will be some, because it's set in victorian England and the characters are what's considered respecatble. The protagonist, recently widowed, went from London to Essex to get her mind free, also she's enjoying being able to decide what to do by herself. She's interested in natural history, and a recent earthquake is told to have released the Essex Serpent, which might be a mystical creature, a living dinosaur, or a hoax. Edit: Okay, please forget that I mentioned the Essex Serpent. Link to post Share on other sites
Fen Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 The Android's Dream, Lock In, and Human Division, all by John Scalzi. All sci fi, Lock in has one character that references looking for hook ups but not in detail and the other two have a mild attraction thread in the background. Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest by A. Lee Martinez, A nearly demigod boy and a minotaur girl get sent on a quest by a lost god in contemporary alternate America. A good bit of attraction angst but no naughty. Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 8 hours ago, EmotionalAndroid said: Agatha Christie writes fantastic mystery novels, and they are pretty clean. Indeed! And she has sold more books than JK Rowling. 1 hour ago, Luftschlosseule said: Discworld. And that. Link to post Share on other sites
darkwinterbird Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Has anyone mentioned Ursula K. LeGuin? There's gender stuff in her novels, but as far as I recall nothing nasty. Link to post Share on other sites
Zectarash Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Anathem by Neal Stephenson. His other books include nasty every now and then, but I made a mental note when I realized this one didn't. Link to post Share on other sites
Euna Posted October 21, 2017 Share Posted October 21, 2017 If you like classic romance (-only!), I always recommend Eugene Onegin, by the great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. It's a story, told in poetry, about a bookish country girl who falls for an moody Byronic guy. Much drama ensues, and the ending is incredible. My favorite translation so far is the James Falen one. For classic historical fiction, Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson is really underrated. It follows the strong yet complicated friendship between a swashbuckling Scottish rebel and a young orphan. I've read it several times, and I don't reread books often. Link to post Share on other sites
Telperion Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 Anything by Tamora Pierce is good. It is referenced but it's not a centre point of the story, kinda just mentioned in passing and then moved on from (usually because a character asked what another was up to the night before and then they move on). She writes more YA than adult, and it might even still be found in the children's section, but her books are all really good. Link to post Share on other sites
kel naismith Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 None of these have asexual character (except maybe some in Ancillary Justice trilogy, but that's open to interpretation ) but as best I can recall, there are no sex scenes (although some do have characters getting into relationships and off-screen consummating that relationship) Science Fiction: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie: Waypoint Kangroo by Curtis Chen The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers Lock In by John Scalzi Oxford Time Travel series by Connie Willis. (Also very historical) Fantasy: Mistborn Triology by Brandon Sanderon Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb Anything by Terry Pratchett ( I really like his Discword Night Watch books - first one is Guards, Guards). Link to post Share on other sites
drjohnhwatson Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Raffles is good. Sherlock Holmes. Jeeves and Wooster series. Just about any classic lit books aren't gonna have sex in it, or if they do, it'll be alluded to but not explicit. Link to post Share on other sites
Correner Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Most of the Johannes Cabal books as far as I remember. Link to post Share on other sites
imnotafreakofnature! Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 Tolkein, of course, as well as Jane Austen and Agatha Christie. Also Mary Roberts Rinehart - often called the American Agatha Christie, although she started writing quite a few years before Christie did. (There's a remake of a Christie movie coming out soon here in the States. Even though I know the ending, I'll probably go see it just because there aren't too many Christie movies being made anymore, and it'll be nice to see a new take on an old classic.) Also, anything by P.G. Wodehouse! I don't know how I lived before I discovered his books! Link to post Share on other sites
The Gnat (Natalie) Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 You should try out Alex & Eliza by Melissa De La Cruz. It's historical fiction about Alexander and Eliza Hamilton, and I really enjoyed it. I don't recall anything more intense than a kiss or two, and it was a really fun, light read Link to post Share on other sites
The Gnat (Natalie) Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 Sorry to double post, but I also thought I should mention Gregory Maguire, who is the king of revisionist fantasy, as far as I'm concerned. (Have I called him the Queer Shakespeare before? Maybe.) Anyway, I feel pretty confident giving the stamp of approval to After Alice, but it has been a while since I read it. Link to post Share on other sites
TeddyMiller Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 The Eli Monpress fantasy series, by Rachel Aaron, has little or no sexuality in it. The first book is The Spirit Thief. Link to post Share on other sites
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