Multicultural Fantasy
Blame it on the anthropologist in me. I've gotten tired of fantasy that recycles the same bland, watered-down quasi-Celtic-Norse-medieval settings, and am on an active search for books that draw on different cultures and time periods for their inspiration. This list is a work in progress, and I welcome suggestions for additional books (or corrections for the ones listed here). More detail on what I'm looking for may be found at the bottom of this page.
NOTE: This list is based on subject matter, not quality. I haven't read everything here; the presence of a book on this list is not a recommendation, and the absence of a book is not a condemnation.
- AEGEAN
- Patrick H. Adkins, Lord of the Crooked Paths
- Patrick H. Adkins, Master of the Fearful Depths
- Patrick H. Adkins, Sons of the Titans
- Lloyd Alexander, The Arkadians
- Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Fall of Atlantis
- Kara Dalkey, Euryale
- Avram Davidson, The Phoenix and the Mirror, Vergil Magus 1
- Avram Davidson, Virgil in Averno, Vergil Magus 2
- Richard Garfinkle, Celestial Matters
- David Gemmell, Lion of Macedon, Lion of Macedon 1
- David Gemmell, Dark Prince, Lion of Macedon 2
- Jo Graham, Black Ships
- Kerry Greenwood, Cassandra, Delphic Women 1
- Kerry Greenwood, Electra, Delphic Women 2
- Kerry Greenwood, Medea, Delphic Women 3
- Stephen R. Lawhead, Taliesin
- Ursula K. Le Guin, Lavinia
- Richard Purtill, The Golden Gryphon Feather, The Kaphtu Trilogy 1
- Richard Purtill, The Stolen Goddess, The Kaphtu Trilogy 2
- Richard Purtill, The Mirror of Helen, The Kaphtu Trilogy 3
- Thomas Burnett Swann, Day of the Minotaur, Minotaur Trilogy 1
- Thomas Burnett Swann, The Forest of Forever, Minotaur Trilogy 2
- Thomas Burnett Swann, Cry Silver Bells, Minotaur Trilogy 3
- Gene Wolfe, Soldier of the Mist (collected as Latro in the Mist)
- Gene Wolfe, Soldier of Arete (collected as Latro in the Mist)
- AFRICA
- Steven Barnes, Lion's Blood
- Steven Barnes, Zulu Heart
- Octavia Butler, Wild Seed
- H. Rider Haggard, King Solomon's Mines
- H. Rider Haggard, She
- Robert E. Howard, The Moon of Skulls, Solomon Kane 1
- Robert E. Howard, The Hand of Kane, Solomon Kane 2
- Robert E. Howard, Skulls in the Stars, Solomon Kane 3
- Robert E. Howard, The Hills of the Dead, Solomon Kane 4
- Robert E. Howard, Solomon Kane, Solomon Kane
- Robert E. Howard, The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, Solomon Kane
- Sarah Hoyt, Heart of Light, Magical British Empire 1
- Lee Killough, The Leopard's Daughter
- Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, Zahrah the Windseeker
- Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, The Shadow Speaker
- Charles Saunders, Imaro, Imaro 1
- Charles Saunders, The Quest for Cush, Imaro 2
- Charles Saunders, The Trail of Bohu, Imaro 3
- AMERICAN FRONTIER
- Orson Scott Card, Seventh Son, Tales of Alvin Maker 1
- Orson Scott Card, Red Prophet, Tales of Alvin Maker 2
- Orson Scott Card, Prentice Alvin, Tales of Alvin Maker 3
- Orson Scott Card, Alvin Journeyman, Tales of Alvin Maker 4
- Orson Scott Card, Heartfire, Tales of Alvin Maker 5
- Orson Scott Card, The Crystal City, Tales of Alvin Maker 6
- ASIA (GENERIC)
- Sasha Miller, Ladylord
- Sean Russell, The Initiate Brother, Asian Duology 1
- Sean Russell, Gatherer of Clouds, Asian Duology 2
- AUSTRALIA
- Alan Garner, Strandloper
- Patricia Wrightson, The Ice Is Coming, The Ice Is Coming 1
- Patricia Wrightson, The Dark Bright Water, The Ice Is Coming 2
- Patricia Wrightson, Journey Behind the Wind, The Ice Is Coming 3
- Patricia Wrightson, The Nargun and the Stars
- BYZANTIUM
- Guy Gavriel Kay, Sailing to Sarantium, Sarantine Mosaic 1
- Guy Gavriel Kay, Lord of Emperors, Sarantine Mosaic 2
- Stephen Lawhead, Byzantium
- Judith Tarr, The Eagle's Daughter
- Harry Turtledove, Agent of Byzantium
- Harry Turtledove, The Stolen Throne, The Time of Troubles 1
- Harry Turtledove, Hammer and Anvil, The Time of Troubles 2
- Harry Turtledove, The Thousand Cities, The Time of Troubles 3
- Harry Turtledove, Videssos Besieged, The Time of Troubles 4
- Harry Turtledove, Krispos Rising, The Tale of Krispos 1
- Harry Turtledove, Krispos of Videssos, The Tale of Krispos 2
- Harry Turtledove, Krispos the Emperor, The Tale of Krispos 3
- Harry Turtledove, The Misplaced Legion, Videssos Cycle 1
- Harry Turtledove, An Emperor for the Legion, Videssos Cycle 2
- Harry Turtledove, The Legion of Videssos, Videssos Cycle 3
- Harry Turtledove, Swords of the Legion, Videssos Cycle 4
- CARRIBEAN
- Tobias Buckell, Crystal Rain
- Avram Davidson, Limekiller!
- Nalo Hopkinson, The Salt Roads
- Nalo Hopkinson, Skin Folk
- Tim Powers, On Stranger Tides
- Thomas Burnett Swann, The Goat Without Horns
- CENTRAL ASIA
- Gillian Bradshaw, The Horses of Heaven
- CHINA
- Alma Alexander, The Secrets of Jin-shei
- Lloyd Alexander, The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen
- Ernest Bramah, The Wallet of Kai Lung
- Ernest Bramah, Kai Lung's Golden Hours
- Ernest Bramah, Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat
- M. Lucie Chin, The Fairy of Ku-She
- Leah Cutter, Paper Mage
- Daniel Fox, Dragon in Chains
- Sarah Hoyt, Heart and Soul, Magical British Empire 3
- Barry Hughart, Bridge of Birds
- Barry Hughart, The Story of the Stone
- Barry Hughart, Eight Skilled Gentlemen
- Ricardo Pinto, The Chosen, Stone Dance of the Chameleon 1
- Ricardo Pinto, The Standing Dead, Stone Dance of the Chameleon 2
- E. Hoffman Price, The Devil Wives of Li-Fong
- E. Hoffman Price, The Jade Enchantress
- Jenn Reese, Jade Tiger
- Liz Williams, Snake Agent, Detective Inspector Chen 1
- Liz Williams, The Demon and the City, Detective Inspector Chen 2
- Liz Williams, Precious Dragon, Detective Inspector Chen 3
- Liz Williams, The Shadow Pavilion, Detective Inspector Chen 4
- David Wingrove, The Middle Kingdom, Chung Kuo 1
- David Wingrove, The Broken Wheel, Chung Kuo 2
- David Wingrove, The White Mountan, Chung Kuo 3
- David Wingrove, The Stone Within, Chung Kuo 4
- David Wingrove, Beneath the Tree of Heaven, Chung Kuo 5
- David Wingrove, White Moon, Red Dragon, Chung Kuo 6
- David Wingrove, Days of Bitter Strength, Chung Kuo 7
- David Wingrove, The Marriage of the Living Dark, Chung Kuo 8
- CRUSADES/NEAR EAST/MIDDLE EAST
- Lloyd Alexander, The First Two Lives of Lukas-Kasha
- Carol Berg, Transformation, Rai-Kirah 1
- Carol Berg, Revelation, Rai-Kirah 2
- Carol Berg, Restoration, Rai-Kirah 3
- Steven Billias, The Quest for the 36
- Chaz Brenchley, Tower of the King's Daughter, Outremer 1
- Chaz Brenchley, Feast of the King's Shadow, Outremer 2
- Chaz Brenchley, Hand of the King's Evil, Outremer 3
- Chaz Brenchley, Bridge of Dreams, Selling Water by the River 1
- Chaz Brenchley, River of the World, Selling Water by the River 2
- F. Marion Crawford, Khaled
- M. Coleman Easton, Iskiir
- Stephen Goldin, Shrine of the Desert Mage, Parsina 1
- Stephen Goldin, The Storyteller and the Jann, Parsina 2
- Stephen Goldin, Crystals of Air and Water, Parsina 3
- Stephen Goldin, Treachery of the Demon King, Parsina 4
- Joyce Ballou Gregorian, The Broken Citadel, Tredana 1
- Joyce Ballou Gregorian, Castledown, Tredana 2
- Joyce Ballou Gregorian, The Great Wheel, Tredana 3
- Manuel Mujica Lainez, The Wandering Unicorn
- Madeline L'Engle, Many Waters
- Nathalie Mallet, The Princes of the Golden Cage
- Judith Marillier, Cybele's Secret
- Juliet McKenna, Southern Fire, Aldabreshin Compass 1
- Juliet McKenna, Northern Storm, Aldabreshin Compass 2
- Juliet McKenna, Western Shore, Aldabreshin Compass 3
- Juliet McKenna, Eastern Tide, Aldabreshin Compass 4
- Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories
- Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, The Harem of Aman Akbar
- Sharon Shinn, Archangel, Samaria 1
- Sharon Shinn, Jovah's Angel, Samaria 2
- Sharon Shinn, The Alleluia Files, Samaria 3
- Sharon Shinn, Angelica
- Sharon Shinn, Angel-Seeker
- Judith Tarr, Queen of Swords
- Judith Tarr, Devil's Bargain
- Judith Tarr, House of War
- Judith Tarr, Alamut
- Judith Tarr, The Dagger and the Cross
- Judith Tarr, A Wind in Cairo
- Harry Turtledove, Between the Rivers
- Martha Wells, City of Bones
- Joyce Ballou Gregorian, Castledown, Tredana 2
- EASTERN EUROPE
- Steven Brust, Brokedown Palace
- Steven Brust, The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars
- Leah Cutter, The Caves of Buda
- Avram Davidson, The Adventures of Doctor Eszterhazy, Doctor Eszterhazy 1
- Avram Davidson, The Enquiries of Doctor Eszterhazy, Doctor Eszterhazy 2
- Leo Frankowski, The Cross-Time Engineer, Adventures of Conrad Stargard 1
- Leo Frankowski, The High-Tech Knight, Adventures of Conrad Stargard 2
- Leo Frankowski, The Radiant Warrior, Adventures of Conrad Stargard 3
- Leo Frankowski, The Flying Warlord, Adventures of Conrad Stargard 4
- Leo Frankowski, The Lord Conrad's Lady, Adventures of Conrad Stargard 5
- Leo Frankowski, Conrad's Quest for Rubber, Adventures of Conrad Stargard 6
- Leo Frankowski, Conrad's Time Machine, Adventures of Conrad Stargard 7
- Judith Marillier, Wildwood Dancing
- Paul Park, A Princess of Roumania, Roumania 1
- Paul Park, The Tourmaline, Roumania 2
- Paul Park, The White Tyger, Roumania 3
- Paul Park, The Hidden World, Roumania 4
- EGYPT
- Lisa Goldstein, Dark Cities Underground
- Jo Graham, The Hand of Isis
- P.B. Kerr, The Akhenaten Adventure, Children of the Lamp 1
- P.B. Kerr, Blue Djinn of Babylon, Children of the Lamp 2
- Mercedes Lackey, Joust, Dragon Jousters 1
- Mercedes Lackey, Alta, Dragon Jousters 2
- Mercedes Lackey, Sanctuary, Dragon Jousters 3
- Mercedes Lackey, Aerie, Dragon Jousters 4
- Jane Lindskold, The Buried Pyramid
- Tim Powers, The Anubis Gates
- Judith Tarr, Pillar of Fire
- Judith Tarr, Lord of the Two Lands
- Judith Tarr, Throne of Isis
- Judith Tarr, King and Goddess
- Roger Zelazny, Creatures of Light and Darkness
- ENGLAND (TUDOR)
- Peter Ackroyd, Hawksmoor
- Peter Ackroyd, The House of Doctor Dee
- Elizabeth Bear, Ink and Steel, The Stratford Man 1
- Elizabeth Bear, Hell and Earth, The Stratford Man 2
- Marie Brennan, Midnight Never Come
- Jane Louise Curry, The Black Canary
- Lisa Goldstein, The Alchemist's Door
- Lisa Goldstein, Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon
- Sarah A. Hoyt, Ill Met by Moonlight
- Sarah A. Hoyt, All Night Awake
- Sarah A. Hoyt, Any Man so Daring
- Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, This Scepter'd Isle, Doubled Edge 1
- Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, Ill Met by Moonlight, Doubled Edge 2
- Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, By Slanderous Tongues, Doubled Edge 3
- Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, And Less Than Kind, Doubled Edge 4
- Michael Moorcock, Gloriana
- Elizabeth Marie Pope, The Perilous Gard
- Melissa Scott & Lisa Barnett, The Armor of Light
- Patricia C. Wrede, Snow White, Rose Red
- ENGLAND (POST-TUDOR)
- Joan Aiken, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
- Joan Aiken, Black Hearts in Battersea
- Joan Aiken, Nightbirds on Nantucket
- Joan Aiken, The Stolen Lake
- Joan Aiken, The Cuckoo Tree
- Joan Aiken, Dido and Pa
- Joan Aiken, Is Underground
- Joan Aiken, Cold Shoulder Road
- Joan Aiken, Dangerous Games (aka Limbo Lodge)
- Joan Aiken, Midwinter Nightingale
- Poul Anderson, A Midsummer Tempest
- Galen Beckett, The Magicians and Mrs. Quent
- Marie Brennan, In Ashes Lie
- Stephen Brust & Emma Bull, Freedom and Necessity
- Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
- Teresa Edgerton, Goblin Moon
- Teresa Edgerton, The Gnome's Engine
- Teresa Edgerton, The Queen's Necklace
- Mary Gentle, Rats and Gargoyles, Rat Lords (aka White Crow) 1
- Mary Gentle, The Architecture of Desire, Rat Lords (aka White Crow) 2
- Mary Gentle, 1610: A Sundial in a Grave
- Ellen Kushner, Swordspoint
- Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman, The Fall of the Kings
- Ellen Kushner, The Privilege of the Sword
- Hope Mirrlees, Lud-in-the-Mist
- Michael Scott Rohan, Maxie's Demon
- Patricia Wrede, Mairelon the Magician
- Patricia Wrede, The Magician's Ward
- Patrica C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, Sorcery and Cecelia
- Patrica C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, The Grand Tour
- ENGLAND (VICTORIAN)
- Esther Friesner, Druid's Blood
- Randall Garrett, Too Many Magicians, Lord Darcy 1
- Randall Garrett, Murder and Magic, Lord Darcy 2
- Randall Garrett, The Napoli Express, Lord Darcy 3
- Randall Garrett, Lord Darcy Investigates, Lord Darcy 4
- Ian R. McLeod, The Light Ages
- Ian R. McLeod, Mother of Storms
- Tim Powers, The Stress of Her Regard
- Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass, His Dark Materials 1
- Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife, His Dark Materials 2
- Philip Pullman, The Amber Spyglass, His Dark Materials 3
- Sean Russell, World Without End, Moontide & Magic Rise 1
- Sean Russell, Sea Without a Shore, Moontide & Magic Rise 2
- Sean Russell, Beneath the Vaulted Hills, Moontide & Magic Rise 3
- Sean Russell, Compass of the Soul, Moontide & Magic Rise 4
- Paula Volsky, The Grand Ellipse
- FRANCE
- Gillian Bradshaw, The Wolf Hunt
- James Branch Cabell, The High Place
- Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel's Dart
- Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel's Chosen
- Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel's Avatar
- L. Warren Douglas, The Sacred Pool, Veil of Years 1
- L. Warren Douglas, The Veil of Years, Veil of Years 2
- L. Warren Douglas, The Isle Beyond Time, Veil of Years 3
- Guy Gavriel Kay, A Song for Arbonne
- Manuel Mujica Lainez, The Wandering Unicorn
- Vonda McIntyre, The Moon and the Sun
- Delia Sherman, The Porcelain Dove
- Paula Volsky, Illusion
- Martha Wells, The Element of Fire
- Martha Wells, The Death of the Necromancer
- Martha Wells, The Wizard Hunters, The Fall of Ile-Rien 1
- Martha Wells, The Ships of the Air, The Fall of Ile-Rien 2
- Martha Wells, The Gate of Gods, The Fall of Ile-Rien 3
- GYPSY/ROMANY
- ElizaBeth Gilligan, Magic's Silken Snare, Silken Magic 1
- ElizaBeth Gilligan, The Silken Shroud, Silken Magic 2
- INDIA
- Lloyd Alexander, The Iron Ring
- Ashok K. Banker, Prince of Ayodhya, Ramayana Series 1
- Ashok K. Banker, Siege of Mithila, Ramayana Series 2
- Ashok K. Banker, Demons of Chitrakut, Ramayana Series 3
- Ashok K. Banker, Armies of Hanuman, Ramayana Series 4
- Kara Dalkey, Goa, Blood of the Goddess 1
- Kara Dalkey, Bhagavati, Blood of the Goddess 2
- Kara Dalkey, Bijapur, Blood of the Goddess 3
- Sarah Hoyt, Soul of Fire, Magical British Empire 2
- Juliet McKenna, Southern Fire, Aldabreshin Compass 1
- Juliet McKenna, Northern Storm, Aldabreshin Compass 2
- Juliet McKenna, Western Shore, Aldabreshin Compass 3
- Dan Simmons, The Song of Kali
- S. M. Stirling, The Peshawar Lancers
- Roger Zelazny, Lord of Light
- ITALY
- Lloyd Alexander, The Rope Trick
- Diana Wynne Jones, The Magicians of Caprona
- Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana
- Naomi Kritzer, Fires of the Faithful
- Naomi Kritzer, Turning the Storm
- R.A. MacAvoy, Damiano, Damiano Trilogy 1
- R.A. MacAvoy, Damiano's Lute, Damiano Trilogy 2
- R.A. MacAvoy, Raphael, Damiano Trilogy 3
- Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, and Kate Elliott, The Golden Key
- JAPAN
- C.J. Cherryh, The Paladin
- Kara Dalkey, The Nightingale
- Kara Dalkey, Genpei
- Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts, Daughter of the Empire
- Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts, Servant of the Empire
- Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts, Mistress of the Empire
- Thomas Harlan, Wasteland of Flint
- Thomas Harlan, House of Reeds
- Lian Hearn, Across the Nightingale Floor, Tales of the Otori 1
- Lian Hearn, Grass for His Pillow, Tales of the Otori 2
- Lian Hearn, Brilliance of the Moon, Tales of the Otori 3
- Kij Johnson, The Fox Woman
- Kij Johnson, Fudoki
- Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Tomoe Gozen, Tomoe Gozen 1
- Jessica Amanda Salmonson, The Golden Naginata, Tomoe Gozen 2
- Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Thousand Shrine Warrior, Tomoe Gozen 3
- MESOAMERICA
- Clare Bell, The Jaguar Princess
- Tobias Buckell, Crystal Rain
- Leah Cutter, The Jaguar and the Wolf
- Thomas Harlan, Wasteland of Flint
- Thomas Harlan, House of Reeds
- Ernest Hogan, Smoking Mirror Blues
- Alexander Irvine, A Scattering of Jades
- Mercedes Lackey, Burning Water
- Kenneth Morris, The Chalchiuhite Dragon
- Pat Murphy, The Falling Woman
- Warren Norwood, True Jaguar
- Ricardo Pinto, The Chosen, Stone Dance of the Chameleon 1
- Ricardo Pinto, The Standing Dead, Stone Dance of the Chameleon 2
- Marella Sands, Sky Knife
- Marella Sands, Serpent and Storm
- NATIVE NORTH AMERICA
- Charles de Lint, Svaha
- Mercedes Lackey, Sacred Ground
- Madeline L'Engle, A Swiftly Tilting Planet
- Madeline L'Engle, An Acceptable Time
- S.P. Somtow/Somtow Sucharitkul, Aquila in the New World, The Aquiliad 1
- S.P. Somtow/Somtow Sucharitkul, Aquila and the Iron Horse, The Aquiliad 2
- S.P. Somtow/Somtow Sucharitkul, Aquila and the Sphinx, The Aquiliad 3
- ROME
- Poul Anderson, Roma Mater, The King of Ys 1
- Poul Anderson, Gallicenae, The King of Ys 2
- Poul Anderson, Dahut, The King of Ys 3
- Poul Anderson, The Dog and the Wolf, The King of Ys 4
- Alice Borchardt, The Silver Wolf
- L. Sprague de Camp, Lest Darkness Fall
- Thomas Harlan, The Shadow of Ararat, Oath of Empire 1
- Thomas Harlan, The Gate of Fire, Oath of Empire 2
- Thomas Harlan, The Storm of Heaven, Oath of Empire 3
- Thomas Harlan, The Dark Lord, Oath of Empire 4
- Sean McMullen, The Centurion's Empire
- Robert Silverberg (ed.), Roma Eterna
- S.P. Somtow/Somtow Sucharitkul, Aquila in the New World, The Aquiliad 1
- S.P. Somtow/Somtow Sucharitkul, Aquila and the Iron Horse, The Aquiliad 2
- S.P. Somtow/Somtow Sucharitkul, Aquila and the Sphinx, The Aquiliad 3
- RUSSIA
- Sarah Ash, Lord of Snow and Shadows, Tears of Artamon 1
- Sarah Ash, Prisoner of the Iron Tower, Tears of Artamon 2
- Sarah Ash, Children of the Serpent Gate, Tears of Artamon 3
- Orson Scott Card, Enchantment
- C. J. Cherryh, Rusalka
- C. J. Cherryh, Chernevog
- C. J. Cherryh, Yvgenie
- Mercedes Lackey, The Firebird
- Peter Morwood, Prince Ivan, Prince Ivan 1
- Peter Morwood, Firebird, Prince Ivan 2
- Peter Morwood, The Golden Horde, Prince Ivan 3
- Ekatarina Sedia, The Secret History of Moscow
- Josepha Sherman, The Horse of Flame
- Josepha Sherman, The Shining Falcon
- SOUTHEAST ASIA
- Martha Wells, Wheel of the Infinite
- SPAIN/MOORISH
- Lois McMaster Bujold, The Curse of Chalion, Curse of Chalion 1
- Lois McMaster Bujold, Paladin of Souls, Curse of Chalion 2
- Lord Dunsany, The Charwoman's Shadow
- Lord Dunsany, Don Rodriguez
- Guy Gavriel Kay, The Lions of Al-Rassan
- SUMER
- Roberta Cray, The Sword and the Lion
- Anne Harris, Inventing Memory
- Harry Turtledove, Between the Rivers
- TROY
- Hilary Bailey, Cassandra: Princess of Troy
- Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Firebrand
- Sara Douglass, Hades' Daughter, The Troy Game 1
- Sara Douglass, Gods' Concubine, The Troy Game 2
- Sara Douglass, Darkwitch Rising, The Troy Game 3
- David Gemmell, Lord of the Silver Bow, Troy 1
- Richard Purtill, The Mirror of Helen, The Kaphtu Trilogy 3
- Dan Simmons, Ilium, Ilium 1
- Dan Simmons, Olympos, Ilium 2
- MIXED (being a category for those authors and works which draw coherently and
recognizably on material from enough different cultures that trying to decide where to place
them has given me a headache)
- K. A. Applegate, Everworld series
- Hal Duncan, Vellum
- Hal Duncan, Ink
- J. Gregory Keyes, Era of Unreason series
- China Miéville, assorted works
- Tamora Pierce, assorted works
- Kim Stanley Robinson, The Years of Rice and Salt
My criteria for building this list are admittedly fuzzy. I want books that draw substantially on a particular culture for their subject matter or setting; what I mean by "substantial" is highly subjective. I'm personally interested mostly in fantasy, but there's some SF in here, and I will certainly add more if anybody can point me in the right direction.
This list consists of novels and the very occasional single-author short story collection. My reason for not listing short stories individually is partly that my task would quickly become overwhelming; there's also the consideration that short stories are often much harder for a reader to track down than novels are.
The categories I'm leaving out are Celtic fantasy, Norse fantasy, and fantasy based on England prior to the Tudor period. Thanks to our good friend J. R. R. Tolkien, these are the three settings most commonly seen in the genre, but in a simplified, flavorless form brought on by too many writers copying other writers copying other writers copying Tolkien. I may someday go looking for fantasy with those settings where the author appears to have done some actual research, but that'll have to be a separate list, since I'll want to read everything I put on it and make judgement calls on how solid I think it is.
As for the categories I do have, there's a certain blurriness to them, too. I've lumped the entirety of North America together, for example, and the Aegean region (which includes Greece, Crete, and because I feel like it, Atlantis -- but not Troy, which got big enough to have its own category). I split England by time because there's a whole subset of Elizabethan fantasy, and likewise ended up splitting Rome from Italy. Spain's got the secondary header of Moorish because it's pretty tough to separate those two; same for Crusades, Near East, and Middle East (but Sumer's off on its own). Like Sumer, the Carribean gets its own category, even though it's obviously heavily linked to African material. If you think I've put something in the wrong category, feel free to let me know, but on the whole, I think this is enough to steer readers in appropriate directions.