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. If a book has physical and other disabilities, feel free to mention it.
Disability: Head Injury
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Main character's mother has developmental difficulties after head injury leading to child like behaviour.
Disability: Epilepsy / Seizures
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Sophie has epilepsy.
Disability: Scars / Physical Differences
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Miles has skeletal deformations.
Disability: Mutism
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: Yes
Disability: Deafness / Hard of Hearing
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Disability: Giantism
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Fictional giantism. No cure so far, unknown if in future books.
Disability: SPOILER, SPOILER - Missing One Eye / Blindness in One Eye
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Matt has blindness in left eye.
Disability: Amputation / Missing Limb, Little Person, Paraplegia
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Little people (Tyrion), paraplegia (Bran), POSSIBLE SPOILER - amputation of hand (Jaime, later in series).
Disability: Amputation / Missing Limb, Missing One Eye / Blindness in One Eye
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Hester has a robotic/cybernetic prosthetics for her left arm, leg, eye, and ear.
Disability: SPOILER, SPOILER - Hemineglect, SPOILER - Missing One Eye / Blindness in One Eye
Is It Cured or Paranormal?: No
Notes: Baru has hemineglect/partial blindness, though one review states the book acknowledges it's not exactly the same as any real world disability.