￩ Back to the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books With Disability Masterlist // Disability: Scars / Physical Differences
Representation of physical disabilities is hard to find, especially in sci-fi/fantasy, so my goal is to make a list containing as many sci-fi/fantasy books with physically disabled and chronically ill characters as possible.
List below can be filtered by genre, character, or disability. You can also check this list of all disability tags. If you’re looking for a specific book, it should come up if you use the blog search in the sidebar.
Since I have not read all of these books myself, I cannot guarantee that all the information is correct. I also cannot promise that these books have good representation of disability. If you find incorrect info, if I’ve used incorrect language, etc., feel free to email me to let me know!
If multiple books in a series are about the same character and the same disabilities (i.e. no changes), I only include one entry in the list.
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Submitting Books:
Because of my own disabilities, I can’t promise if/when I’ll get around to adding submitted books, but if you would like to let me know of a book, email metaphorsandmoonlight (at) gmail (dot) com. Include what info you can about 1) what disabilities*, 2) which characters (main, side, love interest), 3) if it’s a spoiler, and 4) if it’s cured or magically fixed. All should be sci-fi/fantasy, but let me know if it’s also YA, MG, children’s, LGBT+, graphic novel, or anthology.
*I’m only adding books with physical disabilities and illnesses. There was a time when I thought I might expand it, but I don’t think that will happen now.
Disability: Chronic Pain, Limp / Cane / Mobility, Mobility Issues, Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Main character has face scars. Supporting character Colton has a bad leg and chronic pain.
Disability: Amputation / Missing Limb, Arthritis (Rheumatoid / Osteo), Blindness, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Crohn's Disease, Dyspraxia, Huntington's Disease, Low Vision / Visual Impairment, Scars / Physical Differences, Scoliosis, Thyroid Condition
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: Unknown
Notes: various including: physical (one hand), prosopagnosia and autistic, Crohn's, physical (partial left hand), autistic, anxiety, autistic, blind, unnamed chronic condition may be Huntington's, scoliosis and neurodiversity, autistic, ADHD, visual impairment and hypothyroidism and cerebral palsy and arthritis, gross motor dyspraxia and chronic pain from injuries
Disability: Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Facial scars
Disability: Missing One Eye / Blindness in One Eye, Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: One eye, facial scarring.
Disability: Limp / Cane / Mobility, Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: physical/mobility - leg injury and scars
Disability: Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Facial scarring.
Disability: Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Miles has skeletal deformations.
Disability: Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Maeve has deformed hands after bad burns.
Disability: Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Olli has malformed arms and legs.
Disability: Aspergers, Autism, Limp / Cane / Mobility, Mutism, Scars / Physical Differences, Scleroderma
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No, Yes
Notes: Protagonist: Scars, Scleroderma that turns out to be paranormal in nature (skin turning to stone) but is not cured, limp. Supporting character 1: Aspergers. Supporting character 2: Selective mutism.