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As I step into my late 20s, I’ve noticed that several beloved fanfics I spent all night reading as a teenager have now resurfaced as popular novels at nearby bookstores.
Of course, the characters’ names have been changed and the plotlines somewhat altered to avoid copyright issues, along with additional worldbuilding and an enticing cover. Yet, plenty of these books manage to stand on their own.
In fact, I’ve noticed that a lot of enemies-to-lovers romance novels available today actually had their roots in the Star Wars fandom—a fact I discovered after reading them, struck by certain familiar details.
It’s certainly an interesting development because the fanfic-to-published-author pipeline has become unbelievably real. If you manage to write a fanfic that goes viral, you may get a lucrative publishing deal.
But on the other hand, fanfiction has always been free, for the fans and by the fans, while the publishing industry appears to prioritize profit without worrying too much about literary infringement.
Either way, as more polished fanfics hit the shelves repackaged as fiction, we bring you a selection of some of the best books that began their life cycle as AO3 fics.
Alchemised
Spanning over a thousand pages, Alchemised by SenLinYou is quite the foreboding and hefty tome. But to a fanfic reader, a thousand pages is nothing (there are ongoing fanfics with over a hundred chapters), and I remember devouring “Manacled” (the Draco Malfoy x Hermione Granger fic it draws inspiration from) in a matter of a few days.
Deliciously gritty and expertly plotted, this dark fantasy romance novel doesn’t shy away from delving into heavy topics like sexual assault and graphic violence, and yet manages to carve an achingly tender slow-burn love story at its heart.
Set in a magical world reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale, and carefully woven with the magic of alchemy and necromancy, this darkly vivid novel is a story of survival and resistance, no matter the cost.
The Love Hypothesis
Like so many others, I watched The Last Jedi in the theaters and was instantly converted to the “Reylo” fandom, struck by the chemistry between Rey and Kylo Ren in the movie.
Soon, I was rifling through AO3, reading “fake dating” and “AU” fics where the characters from Star Wars are transported to a non-magical universe and navigate dating complications. And that’s exactly what The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazlewood is all about.
Even the cover art bears some physical similarities to the characters, while the book explores a heated academic rivalry between two scientists who can’t stand each other—till they fall in love.
City of Bones
Back when I was in school, The Mortal Instruments series was all the rage, and there was so much to like about it—an urban fantasy series set in our world, where non-magical and magical folk somehow coexist, filled with vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures.
And of course, plenty of teen angst and sexual tension.
Thus, it was no surprise to learn that before Clare started publishing original fiction, she was a prolific fanfiction author, writing for both Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings fandoms—copies of which still lurk in the interwebs if you know where to look.
If you don’t, you can still have a gala time binge-reading The Mortal Instruments books.
My Roommate Is a Vampire
The Twilight craze in the early 2000s, as well as the popularity of paranormal romance novels, has proved time and time again that readers love the allure of dating a dangerous, immortal creature without being bitten to death by their fangs.
Jenna Levine’s My Roommate is a Vampire delivers marvelously on that count—a hilarious rom-com about falling in love with your mysterious and extremely aloof roommate who just happens to be an undead who can rip out your throat in one bite but chooses not to.
Adorable, spicy, and very entertaining, My Roommate is a Vampire is the perfect light read to cleanse your reading palate.
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Carry On
Finally, this book is rather unique because chapters of Carry On first appeared in another Rainbow Rowell book, Fangirl, which, as you guessed from the title, explores the life of a college student who balances her secret life as a popular fic writer with coursework and real-life crushes.
Within the main narrative of Fangirl are excerpts of the epic fanfic she’s writing—except now, one can experience the full story with the Simon Snow trilogy.
Supremely hilarious, the books parody several fantasy tropes, such as “The Chosen One,” and manage to be deliciously queer—an overall gorgeous feast of the imagination.
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Featured image: Canva
