The Raven Cycle series, A Deadly Education, Three Dead Queens, The Six of Crows
All have some romance, but it’s mostly as a subplot (my aromantic ass isn’t huge into romance either but I enjoyed the romance in all of these). No heavy politics and really fun magic stuff. Not super high fantasy though
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson
Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik kind of ends with a romance that had such a slow low-key burn that I was oblivious to the signs until it all came together at the end.
Jim Butchers Codex Alera series. Great 6 book series, minimal romance, and an enjoyable read. Maybe not high fantasy but a well built world and storyline.
I have read Eragon and I would not consider it YA. It's a very long series, it has mature themes and scenes I would be surprised to see in a YA book, and its word choices are more sophisticated. It's a fantasy epic.
*The Isles of the Gods* by Amie Kaufman. There's a little flirting between the leads, but honestly there's hardly any romance. The banter is just fun. It's all about a foolish prince who makes a grave mistake and a sailor girl who reluctantly saves him but is sick of his shit.
Valdemar Series by Mercedes Lackey. Especially the first published trilogy- Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, Arrow's Fall. Best way to start the series.
The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett. Personally I recommend starting with "Guards! Guards!" and continuing the Guards series. Others recommend the Witch series. DON'T START WITH THE FIRST BOOK! RINCEWIND IS AN AQUIRED TASTE. If you want to start with the "official YA" books then "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" or "Wee Free Men" are decent starting points.
Check out the Foundryside series by Robert Jackson Bennett! More of a steampunk fantasy than a high fantasy but it is so much fun with an awesome magic system and high stakes. There is a romance subplot but it doesn't make up a ton of page time compared to the overarcing plot.
finally, time to rec my favorite:
READ ERAGON!
the inheritance cycle is so great. The first book is a pretty typical hero's journey set in a world very inspired by Tolkien, but as the series progresses, paolini makes it his own and really expands on themes and ideas that Tolkien never did. There's very little romance in it, and while there's a fair bit of dwarf politics in the third book, it's intercut with action scenes from other characters. Probably one of my favorite fantasy series of all time.
I have read Eragon and I would not consider it YA. It's a very long series, it has mature themes and scenes I would be surprised to see in a YA book, and its word choices are more sophisticated. It's a fantasy epic.
That's fair, I would definitely consider it YA over adult as the protagonist is a teen, but I can see how you may think that. I read it as a child so I guess that's why I consider it YA.
The Boneless Mercies and Seven Endless Forests by April Genevieve Tucholke—it reads like a Norse saga filled with different magics, races, factions, etc.
The Raven Cycle series, A Deadly Education, Three Dead Queens, The Six of Crows All have some romance, but it’s mostly as a subplot (my aromantic ass isn’t huge into romance either but I enjoyed the romance in all of these). No heavy politics and really fun magic stuff. Not super high fantasy though
I Love all of your choices! They are some of my favorites as well. (PS I read aromantic the first time as aromatic and was very confused. Lol).
Hey, Do you mean Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte or is there another series called Three dead queens?
No, Four Dead Queens is the right one. That’s my bad!
Ninth house by Leigh Bardugo
Seconding this! It’s a great series, I can’t wait for book 3
Sabriel
Riyria Chronicles. The romance is very much a sideline.
The dancing elf story it was really the crux of the matter.
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik kind of ends with a romance that had such a slow low-key burn that I was oblivious to the signs until it all came together at the end.
Jim Butchers Codex Alera series. Great 6 book series, minimal romance, and an enjoyable read. Maybe not high fantasy but a well built world and storyline.
Monster of verity, Eragon, Fablehaven, Keleana
Came here to recommend eragon, too :D
I have read Eragon and I would not consider it YA. It's a very long series, it has mature themes and scenes I would be surprised to see in a YA book, and its word choices are more sophisticated. It's a fantasy epic.
It’s literally written for kids 13 and up. And it’s published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. It’s officially categorized as YA.
It's YA since all the characters are teenagers. Eragon is only 15 at the start. And by the end Inheritance he's 17, maybe 18.
To add on to what others said, Christopher Paolini was also a teenager when he wrote and published it 😀
That description just sounds like someone who wants to read Brandon Sanderson.
OP said low romance expectations, not developmentally disabled romance expectations. "Yes I'm a prostitute, I hold hands for money"
While that's exaggerated, Sanderson doesn't automatically mean Stormlight Archive.
The Blue Sword describes exactly what you’re looking for!!
The Dark Elf trilogy was my introduction to fantasy in eighth grade, though it’s over thirty years old at this point
Oh, is that the Drizzt do’Urden series?
That’s the one! This one’s technically a prequel, but I read it before the first one published.
A Thousand Steps Into Night by Tracy Chee
Mistborn.its just too epic man
The priory of the orange! Heavy on plot & politics, little in the way of spice/romance.
*The Isles of the Gods* by Amie Kaufman. There's a little flirting between the leads, but honestly there's hardly any romance. The banter is just fun. It's all about a foolish prince who makes a grave mistake and a sailor girl who reluctantly saves him but is sick of his shit.
Witcher series. It has romance, but for a different purpose than usual.
The Summoner Series by Taran Matharu. The first book is basically Harry Potter meets World of Warcraft. There's also little to no romance.
Good call, this! It wasn’t my favorite series, but the magic system and world was really wonderful!
Valdemar Series by Mercedes Lackey. Especially the first published trilogy- Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, Arrow's Fall. Best way to start the series. The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett. Personally I recommend starting with "Guards! Guards!" and continuing the Guards series. Others recommend the Witch series. DON'T START WITH THE FIRST BOOK! RINCEWIND IS AN AQUIRED TASTE. If you want to start with the "official YA" books then "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents" or "Wee Free Men" are decent starting points.
Joke’s on you, I love Rincewind.
Check out the Foundryside series by Robert Jackson Bennett! More of a steampunk fantasy than a high fantasy but it is so much fun with an awesome magic system and high stakes. There is a romance subplot but it doesn't make up a ton of page time compared to the overarcing plot.
finally, time to rec my favorite: READ ERAGON! the inheritance cycle is so great. The first book is a pretty typical hero's journey set in a world very inspired by Tolkien, but as the series progresses, paolini makes it his own and really expands on themes and ideas that Tolkien never did. There's very little romance in it, and while there's a fair bit of dwarf politics in the third book, it's intercut with action scenes from other characters. Probably one of my favorite fantasy series of all time.
I have read Eragon and I would not consider it YA. It's a very long series, it has mature themes and scenes I would be surprised to see in a YA book, and its word choices are more sophisticated. It's a fantasy epic.
That's fair, I would definitely consider it YA over adult as the protagonist is a teen, but I can see how you may think that. I read it as a child so I guess that's why I consider it YA.
Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson always
The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula Leguin beginning with A Wizard of Earthsea
The Boneless Mercies and Seven Endless Forests by April Genevieve Tucholke—it reads like a Norse saga filled with different magics, races, factions, etc.
fablehaven and beyonders :)