Are there any fantasy stories where humans are better?

[SailusGebel]

No it isn't.

Yes it is.

No, seriously, what's with all the double standards when it comes to fantasy humans?

I don't even know how many times I've seen a story that has humans claim to be superior to 'race' while 'race' claims to be superior to humans, but the author makes the humans say it in an over-the-top rude way (that doesn't sound like the way any human would ever talk), while 'race' tries to be...

forum.scribblehub.com

Above is the thread where you discuss stuff.

 

[Tsuru]

I think that I need to cleanse my palate from all the fantasy novels where humans suck... so is there any novel that's the opposite of that? Some people pointed me to the "hfy" subreddit, but everything there seems to be science fiction.

So, is there a fantasy novel in which humans are both 'the good guys' and naturally 'stronger' than most of the other fantasy races? And I don't mean the usual 'humans have the power of being expendable' crap, I mean individually stronger.

Novels that have every non-human be a superior race like that are a dime a dozen, but I don't think that a fantasy novel with humans on that role exists...

In short, what you ask, it's as hard to find as trying to find a series where dwarf isn't a race liking digging and blacksmithing.

Yes it is.

No, seriously, what's with all the double standards when it comes to fantasy humans?

I don't even know how many times I've seen a story that has humans claim to be superior to 'race' while 'race' claims to be superior to humans, but the author makes the humans say it in an over-the-top rude way (that doesn't sound like the way any human would ever talk), while 'race' tries to be...

forum.scribblehub.com

Above is the thread where you discuss stuff.

Sigh.....

I know the thread is about OP "please give me novels".
It's just that i try to wake him up by being like saying "dude, santa is not real".
I don't care of debating/going to the debate thread. I am like a war veteran telling a newbie "Please don't crave for it, you will only get hurt". Hoping the OP stop getting false hope of finding a series he want of this theme.

 

[Tumbmar]

I think that I need to cleanse my palate from all the fantasy novels where humans suck... so is there any novel that's the opposite of that? Some people pointed me to the "hfy" subreddit, but everything there seems to be science fiction.

So, is there a fantasy novel in which humans are both 'the good guys' and naturally 'stronger' than most of the other fantasy races? And I don't mean the usual 'humans have the power of being expendable' crap, I mean individually stronger.

Novels that have every non-human be a superior race like that are a dime a dozen, but I don't think that a fantasy novel with humans on that role exists...

You could try giving my second story "He who Conquered Death" a shot in that regard. It takes place in a time period in the world where humans are basically at their peak. They're not necessarily "superior" to other races per say, but they're the defacto progenitors of the other races and have greater capacity at least in this time period in terms of raw ability, excluding Gods and Demons.

I haven't introduced too many of the other fantasy races by this point, but I think in general, what you're asking for could really only be found in stories that would supposedly take place in the golden age of human mythology. Basically right at the beginning right when they spawned, because from that point onward it's just downhill.

 

[SailusGebel]

I know the thread is about OP "please give me novels".
It's just that i try to wake him up by being like saying "dude, santa is not real".

 

[miyoga]

I think that there's another thing here that we've all forgotten as being sound advice. You're posting to a forum full of readers and authors who've all given and been given this gem: Write the story you want to read. I know that this traditionally applies to something that you are writing, but I believe it can be true here too. If you can't find the story that you like to read, then make it. And, because you'd be writing the type of story you're looking for, then who gives a rat's ass what anyone else would have to say about it? If they don't like how you're writing your story, then they can take their happy-camper ass and go write their own novel the way they want!

I remember the last time you had brought this exact topic up in a novel's comments section, Forli. And your own novel had the MC as a dark elf, if I'm not mistaken, so why not go and write a book where humans are the strongest and the MC is also human?

*EDIT* Not intending this as rude or demanding, just genuinely curious why you haven't written something like what you're trying to find.

 

[forli]

I know the thread is about OP "please give me novels".
It's just that i try to wake him up by being like saying "dude, santa is not real".
I don't care of debating/going to the debate thread. I am like a war veteran telling a newbie "Please don't crave for it, you will only get hurt". Hoping the OP stop getting false hope of finding a series he want of this theme.

I wrote the title as a question about if a novel like this even exists, and at the end of the OP I say that I don't think they do. Why are you talking as if it wasn't obvious that I'm well aware that something like this is not easy to find?

And just to be clear, I don't want to read a novel with better humans because I think that it would be good, I'm just hoping that it will counterbalance all the novels where humans are a bunch of evil clowns that have made me so frustrated.

*EDIT* Not intending this as rude or demanding, just genuinely curious why you haven't written something like what you're trying to find.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I don't think this type of novel would be good.

Making humans the superior ones would have all the same problems as when nonhumans are superior, and I'm not going to write something I don't think is good. I only want to read a novel like this as a way to 'heal' my frustrations, so to speak.

I personally prefer when good/evil or weak/strong is up to individuals and not races. So that's what I would look for if I wanted something actually good.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

Hmmmm. Make it so all the other races are smol. Kobolds, goblins and the like. Then humans seem big and strong at the least.

 

[Jemini]

I think that I need to cleanse my palate from all the fantasy novels where humans suck... so is there any novel that's the opposite of that? Some people pointed me to the "hfy" subreddit, but everything there seems to be science fiction.

So, is there a fantasy novel in which humans are both 'the good guys' and naturally 'stronger' than most of the other fantasy races? And I don't mean the usual 'humans have the power of being expendable' crap, I mean individually stronger.

Novels that have every non-human be a superior race like that are a dime a dozen, but I don't think that a fantasy novel with humans on that role exists...

This is the only one I'm aware of that even comes close to fitting what you're asking for.

The Reincarnation of Alysara

After being reincarnated as a busty fox-like race in a fantasy world filled with magic and mysteries Alysara finds herself blinded after getting a cursed skill. Now she must train her ability to sense the mana around her and discover what mana and magic really is to see. There is...

www.scribblehub.com

In most cases, having the powerful race of the balance be the good guys, regardless of what the powerful race actually is (be it human, elf, or dragon for all I care), it saps the conflict from the story and thus makes it significantly less interesting.

But, this one manages to balance that out by making humans the only semi-good race out of the 3 races tied for 2nd most powerful in the world. (the 1st most powerful are dragons, and their attitude is essentially "leave me out of it" in regards to all the squabbling the humanoid races get up to and are neither good nor evil.)

By semi-good, I mean the emperor of the humans is pretty much playing the same role the British empire did in IRL 1700s where it came to outlawing slavery world-wide. And I really do mean it parallels the British approach very closely. Essentially, it's a good thing they're outlawing slavery, but there are several other things you can complain about. It's not perfect in any way. But, you can see the world will be significantly improved from it's current state if the human emperor has his way, and then he will be vilified throughout history once his rule is over and the improvements he brought to society continue to advance on momentum.

 

[Twin]

I am beginning to think that almost all cultivation novels satisfy your conditions.

So, is there a fantasy novel

Unless its urban cultivation, it will always be a fantasy world.

in which humans are both 'the good guys'

Humans cultivators can belong to either righteous path or demonic path depending on their dao.

and naturally 'stronger' than most of the other fantasy races?

Most races would be weaker than humans, yes. Since most races would take a lot of time to gain sentience unlike humans who can cultivate from birth.

And I don't mean the usual 'humans have the power of being expendable' crap, I mean individually stronger.

It's literally cultivation, no scope for crap.

 

[forli]

@Jemini Really? I remember that I began reading that novel, and when a chapter showed the humans they were doing the usual ' we are so superior' routine, so I dropped it.

 

[georgelee5786]

I admit that I know next to nothing about warhammer, but I was under the impression that the elves and lizard men were stronger than humans.

They are, but the Imperium has a fuck-ton of firepower and manpower along with super-humans, so they manage

 

[Zirrboy]

Just about any story featuring goblins from a human perspective?

 

[Jemini]

@Jemini Really? I remember that I began reading that novel, and when a chapter showed the humans they were doing the usual ' we are so superior' routine, so I dropped it.

Lol, well, it's written in such a way that it is sensitive to reader bias. So, I guess we know where your head is if you interpreted it that way.

It's part of the way the world is structured. In that world, the term "lesser races" means races that are not born at the same tier as one's own race. Humans are born at Exalted tier, which is ranked 6 in the higherarchy (and it's impossible for any race to be born at a higher tier, you can only raise to legendary (7th rank) and higher through your own efforts). Ranks lower than that mean that the other races would just be objectively weaker when they're born. However, all races have the ability to pull themselves up to higher rankings either independently or as an entire race. (Pulling up the entire race requires ridiculous levels of accomplishment though.)

In terms of the humans in that series, you don't want to get stuck up on their use of the term "lesser race." It's not a derogatory term, it's a statement of fact. Yes, they could probably use a nicer sounding term like "adept rank races," and "heroic rank races," specifying the actual rank of the race, but that would be clunky and difficult, so it makes sense they would just use terms that state the lesser ranked races relative position to one's own.

Rather than that, you want to look at their actions, not the words. Humans are trying to stop slavery, and they fight against the dwarves who use "lesser races" as fuel for their soul-fired machinery and the elves who consider all non-plant life to be food. (Elves in this series are half plant, and love eating fleshy beings regardless of relative rank.)

But, yeah, it's written where despite their good intentions, they have to deal with the necessary evils spurred on by the fact that their policy of ending slavery and racial discrimination is not a very popular way of doing things, and sometimes face rebellion from within the human empire and other difficult situations. This makes them a little morally grey, but still having ultimately good intentions.

I would encourage you to give the series another chance.

 

[Tsuru]

I wrote the title as a question about if a novel like this even exists, and at the end of the OP I say that I don't think they do. Why are you talking as if it wasn't obvious that I'm well aware that something like this is not easy to find?

And just to be clear, I don't want to read a novel with better humans because I think that it would be good, I'm just hoping that it will counterbalance all the novels where humans are a bunch of evil clowns that have made me so frustrated.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I don't think this type of novel would be good.

Making humans the superior ones would have all the same problems as when nonhumans are superior, and I'm not going to write something I don't think is good. I only want to read a novel like this as a way to 'heal' my frustrations, so to speak.

I personally prefer when good/evil or weak/strong is up to individuals and not races. So that's what I would look for if I wanted something actually good.

Sorry for the false impression that i gave where i imply you don't know it's hard to find one. Wasn't my intentions.
I KNOW that you are awake it's rare, it's just that Sailus kinda annoyed me (as Sailus goes "tldr" as he replied to my long post too fast which is something THAT IRK ME A TON with nowadays zoomers AND how Sailus goes "wrong thread, go there" that kinda deny the time and thinking i used to create the previous long post) + bad mood recently + near sleep time + and i got a habit to use exagerated analogies so others understand more easily, so my words were like that.

Your craving / hope for counter balance is reasonable as indeed far too many series with humans being evil. I am also tired of it.
Its similar with how lot of readers are tired of how ALL recent series got elves portrayed hating humans. Compared to years ago where elf is a friendly and kind race, it's quite frustating indeed and repetitive with having a MC always needing to change the prejudices of nowadays elves so he can get their help.
But as anti-routines is recently popular, with for example having orcs being good people and elves being the sexual predators (baal_buddy is a famous english-jp artist among them), i guess its just "waiting game" and maybe a novel with humans being superior will appear.
----------------------------------------
Also it's true that craving =/= creating themselves.
Its a big difference between reading a work done by another and creating a novel themselves.
And true that its too easy to again fall again in the pit of the same problems.

*Small flashbacks* ..............While writing this, i feel like long ago i seen 1 series where humans where superior because they could have access to powers and not other races but i can't remember. And they werent bad guys. Really cant remember though.
Beside this one, there is a less fitting (not so good) manhua i vaguely remember, where there is a global system, where the people could get stronger by being lazy or something. In a small scene it explains humans are basically stronger compared to other races, as humans are better at being lazy hence strengthened by the global system, compared to harpies / elves etc that always crave to do something productive. MC as a transmigrator is even better as a human that like watching short videos like nowadays.

Last thing, half good news, it's possible to get what you wish for.
It's just that you need to open your wallet.
Pixiv website got a "request" function where you can pay people to create images OR oneshots/novel chapters.
So yes, technically, you could hire a author there to write a novel where humans are superior and good.

 

[Jemini]

Your craving / hope for counter balance is reasonable as indeed far too many series with humans being evil. I am also tired of it.
Its similar with how lot of readers are tired of how ALL recent series got elves portrayed hating humans. Compared to years ago where elf is a friendly and kind race, it's quite frustating indeed and repetitive with having a MC always needing to change the prejudices of nowadays elves so he can get their help.

Yeah, elves have a complicated history with humans in the classical lore. In the oldest lore out there, elves are portrayed as kidnapping humans. Later, in the 1900s, they are portrayed as always friendly toward humans. Now, in the 2000s, they are portrayed as fighting with humans like certain countries out of the Middle East that are constantly at each other's throats for messy historical wrongs.

In my own series, I've gone to the effort of bringing it full circle. I'm trying to base my elves on the original classic lore in which they lure in humans to kidnap, often using sweet honeyed words and promises of treating them well. I tried to think of a reason for this behavior, and essentially my elves literally keep humans as pets. They do treat their pets rather well though.

Yeah, pretty much, my elves are racist AF, but in a beneficent racism sort of way. They don't see humans as amounting to much, so they infantilize them and treat them like children. They would get very upset at someone harming humans in about the same way we would get upset at people harming animals. I.E., it's not as important an issue as if someone was harming elves, but it's still something they would get very mad about and take efforts to put a stop to it. But, if a human ever tried to talk business or politics to an elf, they'd basically go "well ain't that cute, how about you leave the reasoning to your betters and go play now."

 

[Tsuru]

Yeah, elves have a complicated history with humans in the classical lore. In the oldest lore out there, elves are portrayed as kidnapping humans. Later, in the 1900s, they are portrayed as always friendly toward humans. Now, in the 2000s, they are portrayed as fighting with humans like certain countries out of the Middle East that are constantly at each other's throats for messy historical wrongs.

In my own series, I've gone to the effort of bringing it full circle. I'm trying to base my elves on the original classic lore in which they lure in humans to kidnap, often using sweet honeyed words and promises of treating them well. I tried to think of a reason for this behavior, and essentially my elves literally keep humans as pets. They do treat their pets rather well though.

Yeah, pretty much, my elves are racist AF, but in a beneficent racism sort of way. They don't see humans as amounting to much, so they infantilize them and treat them like children. They would get very upset at someone harming humans in about the same way we would get upset at people harming animals. I.E., it's not as important an issue as if someone was harming elves, but it's still something they would get very mad about and take efforts to put a stop to it. But, if a human ever tried to talk business or politics to an elf, they'd basically go "well ain't that cute, how about you leave the reasoning to your betters and go play now."

Oh ! I indeed seem to remember there were early works with elves being evil and kidnapping/enticing. Dang ! forgot how long ago i saw that.

 

[LordJoyde]

I feel like this isn't as rare as people seem to claim it to be but at the same time, I'm one of those authors who genuinely hates humanity so any novel of the sort that I've encountered would just be one too many already.

 

[Cipiteca396]

I feel like this isn't as rare as people seem to claim it to be

Pretty much any christianized mythology or folklore is this way. Since god created man in his image, and god is the best thing ever; anything that isn't god or man is automatically portrayed as inferior.

Since a lot of children's stories are based on those fairytales, they tend to inherit the idea. Additionally, and in the nicest interpretation possible, it's common for authors to try to get kids to recognize how amazing the things they might be taking for granted are. Like imagination, creativity or intelligence.

To me, seeing humans write about humans being the best thing ever just makes me roll my eyes.

I'd normally assume I skipped all of the web novels that do it, but maybe other writers are as tired of the cliché as I am.

 

[SailusGebel]

Sorry for the false impression that i gave where i imply you don't know it's hard to find one. Wasn't my intentions.
I KNOW that you are awake it's rare, it's just that Sailus kinda annoyed me (as Sailus goes "tldr" as he replied to my long post too fast which is something THAT IRK ME A TON with nowadays zoomers AND how Sailus goes "wrong thread, go there" that kinda deny the time and thinking i used to create the previous long post) + bad mood recently + near sleep time + and i got a habit to use exagerated analogies so others understand more easily, so my words were like that.

 

[Zirrboy]

To me, seeing humans write about humans being the best thing ever just makes me roll my eyes.


I'd normally assume I skipped all of the web novels that do it, but maybe other writers are as tired of the cliché as I am.

And what has taken its place is self gratification projected onto other species or "uhg, humanity (not me tho ofc)".
Human supremacy isn't gone of course, and whether you think of personal superiority fantasies and critical takes towards your own to be as bad as the other way is probably up for debate, but I do agree with the OP in that the subversion of said supremacy has become a trope of its own.