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Sci-fi & Fantasy Book Reviews

Game of thrones, the cosmere, the wheel of time, fantasy articles, science fiction articles, recent articles from the fantasy review.

“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.” — William Faulkner

Someone You Can Build a Nest In: Can a monster and a monster hunter find love?

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

Relationships are hard. They may be even harder when one person’s definition of love is implanting their eggs in the beloved, so that the hatchlings eat their way out of their parent. For Shesheshen, the protagonist of John Wiswell’s Someone You Can Build a Nest In (2024), this is how her species defines it. Now that she’s fallen in love with Homily, a human woman, the egg-implantation issue isn’t the only obstacle on their road to happiness.

Shesheshen is a protoplasmic creature,

The Flying Eyes: Congeal, heal and repeal

The Flying Eyes by J. Hunter Holly

It sports one of the most famous covers in sci-fi paperback history; a piece of art so iconic that I have seen it reproduced in the form of refrigerator magnets! I am referring here to the first edition of J. Hunter Holly ’s The Flying Eyes , the cover of which depicts a man and a woman fleeing in abject terror from the onslaught of several dozen – you guessed it – self-propelled, levitating eyeballs!

WWWednesday: April 17, 2024

The Tolkien Awards were announced on Saturday, April 13.

The Writers Guild announced their awards as well, and there are some genre-related winners here.

Here’s a fun article on an amateur, non-profit Doctor Who film being filmed in Wales (because where else?) (Thanks to File770 .)

Molly Templeton asks the question; “ Can a Book Really Be for Everyone ?” and proceeds to answer it. I’m not sure I completely agree, but it’s a great essay.

I’m not disappointed in this article,

April 17th, 2024. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | no comments |

City of Bones: A revised edition of Wells’s first novel

City of Bones by Martha Wells

Tordotcom Books has reissued Martha Wells ’s 1995 fantasy novel City of Bones, updated and expanded. In an interview, Wells explained that she took a few opportunities to make the writing better but didn’t change the book substantially for this edition.

I knew who Martha Wells was, but until the MURDERBOT series I hadn’t read anything by her. This is the second fantasy novel of hers I have read. City of Bones is a pleasing read,

Empty Smiles: The fourth and final game begins

Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden

What is it that makes funfairs and carnivals so scary? Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari both take place in carnivals, as do a few significant chapters of Stephen King ’s It and several third season episodes of Stranger Things . I even recall that the third book of L.J. Smith ’s The Forbidden Game ended in an abandoned funfair.

WWWednesday: April 10, 2024

Oliver K. Langmead shares six books with Nerds of a Feather, including a collaboration between China Mieville and… Keanu Reeves, an adaptation of Reeves’s comic . Interesting.

Haruki Murakami has a new book coming out in November , The City and its Uncertain Walls .

Angry Robot has opened its submission window and is utilizing an AI sorting program. They have providing an FAQ page and are trying to get ahead of any concerns writers might have. (Thanks to File770 .)

Reactor announced that Tor will be publishing a new “Gatsby” themed novella from Nghi Vo .

April 10th, 2024. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 2 comments |

The Morningside: A mostly successful mix of genres

The Morningside by Téa Obreht

The Morningside by Téa Obreht is set in a post-climate change near-future in a partial drowned city called Island City (maybe Manhattan?) that is accepting refugees to repopulate the city with promises of newly constructed/renovated homes for those who come to work. The novel is a mostly successful mix of genres, a sort of magical realist/cli-fi Harriet the Spy if Harriet were also a refugee.

Our main character is eleven-year-old Sylvia, who has arrived with her mother in the titular rundown high-rise where Sylvia’s Aunt Ena works as the super (there is a frame and the tale is told as a flashback from adult Sylvia’s perspective,

The Magic Order (Book 3): More magic and mystery

The Magic Order (Book 3) by Mark Millar (writer), Gigi Cavenago (artist), Valentina Napolitano (colorist), Clem Robins (letterer)

Book Three of The Magic Order by Mark Millar features wonderful art by Gigi Cavenago and takes us further along on the journey started in the first two books: The focus is still on the Moonstone family, particularly on Cordelia Moonstone, who is the leader of the Magic Order. This book ends on a cliffhanger, so Book Four will be important to read to get a full conclusion to the story.

Giveaway! What’s the best book you read last month?

It’s the first Thursday of the month. Time to report!

What’s the best book you read in March 2024 and why did you love it?

It doesn’t have to be a newly published book, or even SFF, or even fiction. We just want to share some great reading material.

Feel free to post a full review of the book here, or a link to the review on your blog, or just write a few sentences about why you thought it was awesome.

And don’t forget that we always have plenty more reading recommendations on our 5-Star SFF page .

April 4th, 2024. FanLit | Giveaway! , Thoughtful Thursday | 15 comments |

WWWednesday: April 3, 2024

The Hugo finalist list is out . Any surprises? I’m pleased to see that fans of Chinese SFF didn’t let last year’s mess discourage them.

Not too surprisingly, several people declined nominations and a few of them gave statements. Here’s Camestos Felapton’s . Natasha Bardon, nominated for Best Editor, Long Form, declined . Bardon edited Babel , an award-winning book that was deemed ineligible for the Hugos last year for no discernible reason. Martha Wells declined a nomination for Best Novella for System Collapse .

April 3rd, 2024. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | no comments |

Neither Beg Nor Yield: Stories With S & S Attitude

Neither Beg Nor Yield: Stories With S&S Attitude by Jason M. Waltz (editor) & M.D. Jackson (illustrator)

I don’t know how aware SFF fandom is, but sword & sorcery has had a resurgence of late. Jason M. Waltz and most of the authors featured in Neither Beg Nor Yield have been champions of this subgenre, some for the past quarter century. Mr. Waltz first published sword & sorcery and other great heroic and weird fiction with Flashing Swords Press and later under his own micro-press, Rogue Blades Entertainment.

The Haunted Stars: Fairlie awesome

The Haunted Stars by Edmond Hamilton

At the tail end of my review of Edmond Hamilton ’s The Star of Life (1947), I mentioned that this was the finest novel that I’d read by the Ohio-born author so far, and added that I now looked forward to reading Hamilton’s The Haunted Stars , which seems to enjoy an even greater reputation. Take, for example, these two sources that I have always trusted: The Science Fiction Encyclopedia ,

WWWednesday: March 27, 2024

A single-topic column today.

Fifteen years after Johannes Cabal the Necromancer came out , to acclaim, I finally read it, along with Johannes Cabal the Detective , the second book in Jonathan L. Howard ’s series. While I’m not quite sure how I missed them the first time around, I thoroughly enjoyed these first two and the astringent wit with which they are written. I was completely entertained by Johannes Cabal, scientist, necromancer, intelligent and cold-blooded anti-hero who is just human enough to make really big,

March 27th, 2024. Marion Deeds | Jonathan L. Howard | SFF Reviews , World Wide Wednesday | no comments |

System Collapse: Just as entertaining as all the rest of the series

Reposting to include Marion’s new review.

System Collapse by Martha Wells

The first thing to know about Martha Wells’ System Collapse is that if you can’t dredge up memories of its (chronological) predecessor, Network Effect , you’re going to want to refresh yourself either by a reread (fun enough) or skimming a few reviews, as System Collapse picks up directly afterward and really feels like it could have just been part of Network Effect (you know,

March 26th, 2024. Bill Capossere and Marion Deeds ´s rating: 5 | Martha Wells | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |

The Asgardians 1: Odin

THE ASGARDIANS 1 : Odin by George O’Connor

What do you do when you finish a 12-title series of graphic novels ( THE OLYMPIANS ) covering a huge chunk of Greek mythology, one that should be a required purchase for all parents, libraries, and schools? Well, if you’re George O’Connor, apparently you look around and go, “Who’s next?” The answer, it turns out, is THE ASGARDIANS . And thank the Norse gods for that.

O’Connor opens up his new series with Odin ,

March 25th, 2024. Bill Capossere ´s rating: 5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |

The Star of Life: Flash-frozen for extra freshness

The Star of Life by Edmond Hamilton

Anyone who has delved into the writings of Radium Age/Golden Age sci-fi author Edmond Hamilton will be able to tell you that there is a huge difference in both tone and quality between his earliest work and his efforts of some 20 years later. Those early stories and novels were, generally speaking, crudely written fare that yet won the reader over by dint of their great sweep, gusto, imagination, color, and epic scale. But a funny thing happened to the quality of Hamilton’s writing starting in the mid-1940s,

WWWednesday: March 20, 2024

March 17 is best known in the modern USA as St. Patrick’s Day. It is also the feast day of St. Getrude of Nivelles , an aristocratic woman who became a nun and an abbess, and might be the patron saint of cats. This older article is interesting, even though there is no formal documentation of a Patron Saint of Cats.

Short story writer and award winner John Wiswell shares six books with Nerds of a Feather .

Best five? Best six? Stubby the Robot says, “Hah!” to such paltry lists and gives us 13 selkie stories on Reactor.

March 20th, 2024. Marion Deeds | Giveaway! , World Wide Wednesday | 7 comments |

Dark Waters: “Until next time” is now

Dark Waters by Katherine Arden

The third (but clearly not final, given its cliffhanger ending) book in the SMALL SPACES QUARTET sees our three eleven-year-old protagonists once more go up against “the Smiling Man,” an immortal fey creature who loves to make deals and play games with unsuspecting mortals. As I anticipated after Small Spaces and Dead Voices , it’s Brian’s turn to be front-and-center while Ollie and Coco take on supporting roles.

Having received a cryptic note that promises yet another round of the terrifying feud they’ve been dragged into,

The Magic Order (Book 2): An evil family makes moves against the magic order

The Magic Order (Book 2) by Mark Millar (writer), Stuart Immonen (artist), Sunny Gho (colorist), David Curiel (colorist), and Clem Robins (letterer)

The second book of The Magic Order continues the story of the Moonstone family that was started in book one. It is equally good even with a new artist taking over the series. At the beginning of the comic Cordelia Moonstone is the head of the Moonstone family and the magic order itself. But there are members of the magical community who do not like her leadership and are plotting against her,

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles: Come for the mystery, stay for the great characters

Reposting to include Bill’s new review.

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older

On Jupiter, known as Giant, Mossa, an Investigator, and Pleiti, scholar and instructor, are on a new case, involving the disappearance of a student. As Mossa explores, she finds not one, but seventeen university students, faculty and staff have gone missing. What the two sleuths will uncover in 2024’s The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles , by Malka Older , will destabilize Pleiti’s already-shaky faith in the university system,

March 14th, 2024. Marion Deeds and Bill Capossere ´s rating: 3.5 , 5 | Malka Older | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

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The latest posts from the Fantasy Hive’s book review team! Scroll down to browse the most recent fantasy, science fiction, horror and other speculative fiction reviews, or visit our archives to more easily navigate ALL THE REVIEWS!

GATES OF SORROW by J E Hannaford (GUEST BOOK REVIEW BY ANNA SMITH SPARK)

Parsec issue #2 ed. ian whates (magazine review).

LONG LIVE EVIL by Sarah Rees Brennan (BOOK REVIEW)

SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN by John Wiswell (BOOK REVIEW)

THE SECRET SERVICE OF TEA AND TREASON by India Holton (BOOK REVIEW)

THIEF LIAR LADY by D. L. Soria (BOOK REVIEW)

THE HUNGRY DARK by Jen Williams (BOOK REVIEW)

THE MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley (BOOK REVIEW)

SONG OF THE HUNTRESS by Lucy Holland (BOOK REVIEW)

COURT OF THE WANDERERS by Rin Chupeco (BOOK REVIEW)

Top 100 Fantasy Books

The 100 fantasy books that we - and other readers - simply cannot recommend highly enough; books that we've all loved reading. Click on a book title to read the full review.

1. A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire)

A Song of Ice and Fire is the history lesson you wish you’d had in school. An immense, incredible work of epic fantasy written by a hugely talented author who has created an effortless, enchanting read that is rich, rewarding and completely enthralling.

Published: 1996 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2012 (A Dance With Dragons), 1997 (A Game of Thrones) | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2012 (A Dance With Dragons), 2006 (A Feast for Crows)

Buy on Amazon

2. The Colour Of Magic by Terry Pratchett (The Discworld Series)

Carnegie Medal Winner: 2002 (The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents)

In his Discworld Series, Terry Pratchett, one of Britain’s best and funniest authors created a true delight of modern fiction. Satirical, clever and hilarious the forty-one books that make up the series are a pure and fantastic joy.

Published: 1983

3. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

International Fantasy Award Winner: 1957

The Lord of the Rings is unquestionably one of the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century. J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic, written using a beautifully descriptive narrative, tells an enchanting tale of friendship, love and heroism. Steeped in magic and otherworldliness, this sweeping fantasy is beautiful, perfect and also timeless. A must read for every fantasy fan.

Published: 1954

4. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a genuinely original story, beautifully told. The Telegraph succinctly says it all with 'an elegant and witty historical fantasy which deserves to be judged on its own (considerable) merit'. It is unquestionably one of the finest historical fantasy books ever written.

Published: 2004 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2005 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2005

5. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle)

David Gemmell Award for Fantasy Winner: 2012 (The Wise Man’s Fear)

The Name of the Wind and Wise Man’s Fear are the very finest examples of first-person storytelling. It’s comparable to sitting across from someone, in a comfy chair, before a log fire, listening to them recount one of the most intricate and fascinating stories you’ve ever heard. To quote Ursula Le Guin: “It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing... with true music in the words”.

Published: 2007

6. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (The Gentleman Bastard Sequence)

Scott Lynch’s trilogy features wonderful characters, plot and camaraderie, all set within a setting beautifully inspired by ancient Venice. It is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, often shocking but ultimately – and frequently - heart-warming. If you are looking for fantasy novels with relatable thieves and rogues then the Gentlemen Bastards are perfect for you.

Published: 2006 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2007 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2007

7. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods manages to broach several genre barriers all the while making it look as if Gaiman was creating his own genre. The end result is very much like creating a new species of rose; you take those qualities from other roses that you want, and then splice them all together. The outcome is beautiful.

Published: 2001 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2002 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2002

8. The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin (The Broken Earth)

Reading the Broken Earth trilogy can be a brutal, painful experience. There is much tragedy, despair and the characters’ futures often look nothing but bleak. But these ambitious, heartbreaking books mark a new stage in the evolution of the fantasy genre and their complexity, world-building and themes break new ground.

Published: 2015 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2017 (The Obelisk Gate), 2016 (The Fifth Season)

9. The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin (Earthsea Saga)

The Earthsea books can be read by children and enjoyed simply for the magic, wizards, adventure and beautifully imagined world. They can also be read by adults and enjoyed for the thought-provoking ideas and themes that the books conjure. They are truly timeless, exploring human behaviour without being preaching or judgmental, encouraging readers to think deeply and form their own opinions. To quote a reader review: “The wisdom and the quiet ancient beauty of these books grow every time I reread them.”

Published: 1993 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2002 (The Other Wind)

10. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (The Farseer Trilogy)

The Realm of the Elderlings is a glorious, classic fantasy combining the magic of Le Guin's The Wizard of Earthsea with the epic mastery of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is a master class of characterisation, imbued with the richest of narratives, all combining to produce one of the very finest fantasy series ever written.

Published: 1995 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 1997

11. Gardens Of The Moon by Steven Erikson (A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen)

The ten novels that make up A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen are works of great skill, imagination, ambition, depth and beauty. But not for the faint-of-heart, Erikson throws you in at the deep end and encourages you to swim. This series is one of the greatest fantasy literature achievements of the past one hundred years.

Published: 1999 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2000 (Gardens of the Moon)

12. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials)

Carnegie Medal Winner: 1995 (Northern Lights)

Imagine a world that is as alike as it is dissimilar to our own. Where huge zeppelins litter the skyline and a person’s soul is a living breathing animal companion, or 'daemon'. This is the wonderfully engrossing world of Lyra Belacqua. Although written for children it is equally as absorbing for any adult reader, enthralling from its very first page.

Published: 1995 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2001 (The Amber Spyglass)

13. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville (New Crobuzon)

Perdido Street Station is a work of art. At times horrific, beautiful, tragic, comic and even uplifting, with a plot which takes unexpected turns and twists and revelations, one of the most unique settings imaginable and above all a style of dark poetry that is truly exceptional.

Published: 2000 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2005 (The Iron Council), 2003 (The Scar), 2001 (Perdido Street Station) | British Fantasy Award Winner: 2003 (The Scar), 2000 (Perdido Street Station)

14. Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever)

Thomas Covenant is arguably one of the most famous characters in fantasy, but not all who know it love it. Whether it is due to the Covenant character himself, or simply as a response to the series as a whole, readers find themselves divided in their opinions: Some love it, some hate it. But few dismiss it. The Chronicles are a very complex piece of work but at heart a good old-fashioned tale of epic fantasy deserving of being labeled classic.

Published: 1977 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2005 (The Runes of the Earth), The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (1978) | British Fantasy Award Winner: 1979 (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever) | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 1981 (The Wounded Land)

15. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (Harry Potter)

Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Winner: 1999 (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), 1998 (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), 1997 (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone)

The seven Harry Potter books are very well-written and laugh-out-loud funny, and it makes for an intoxicating combination. The Philosopher’s Stone is where, for young Harry Potter, it all begins. The Potter books are infused with charm and wit and adored by readers of all ages, the wizarding world a wonderful place for any reader, of any age, to escape to.

Published: 1997

16. The Gunslinger by Stephen King (The Dark Tower series)

Many who have read and enjoyed the Dark Tower series have found a companion for life. The journey for many has been one of years, if not decades. And many will have found within the series parallels to their own lives: It’s not always gone the way they would have liked, many parts were better than others (though upon re-read these conceptions can change). This is King’s magnum opus, he poured everything into its writing and it is a towering achievement.

Published: 1982 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2005 (The Dark Tower)

17. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (The Stormlight Archive)

With The Stormlight Archive, Brandon Sanderson clearly stamps his authority as the master of the "Hollywood" style of epic fantasy. It is hard to comprehend just how much stuff is going on and how this book impacts the wider Cosmere (the universe that ties all of Sanderson's books together). Big action set pieces of extraordinary people doing extraordinary things is exactly what many want from their epic fantasy.

Published: 2010

18. The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe by CS Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)

Carnegie Medal Winner: 1956 (The Last Battle)

With the Chronicles of Narnia cemented himself as a master story teller and perfected writing novels that would survive the test of time and still entertain and educate children and adults everywhere to this day. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is arguably one of the finest stories in English literature from the 20th century.

Published: 1950

19. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (The First Law)

The First Law trilogy was a real game changer for the fantasy genre. It worked in shades of grey. It makes the reader like characters they should possibly, really dislike. And dislike characters they should possibly, really like. The dialogue is witty and often the cause of out-loud laughter. It’s a captivating read and has everything a fantasy fan could wish for. Any books that can add humour to torture scenes has something special going on.

Published: 2006

20. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time)

The Wheel of Time is one of the most popular and influential fantasy epics ever written. It puts the epic in epic fantasy, a hugely ambitious undertaking that redefined a genre. This skillfully written fourteen book series is filled with unforgettable characters and set in a world steeped in rich history and legend.

Published: 1990

21. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett

Good Omens is one of the funniest works of fiction ever. Pratchett and Gaiman have managed to create a story that weaves together large doses of satire, cynicism, slapstick and wacky unconventional humour into a cohesive yet surprisingly accurate observation of human life all over the world. The characters, one of the biggest strengths in this book, bring a lot of charm and humour to the book. This collaboration between two fine fantasy authors is nothing short of brilliant.

Published: 1990 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1991

22. The Once And Future King by TH White

Once upon a time, a young boy called “Wart” was tutored by a magician named Merlyn in preparation for a future he couldn’t possibly imagine. A future in which he would ally himself with the greatest knights, love a legendary queen and unite a country dedicated to chivalrous values... The Once and Future King is a serious work, delightful and witty, yet very sombre overall. The volume published as The Once and Future King is actually four works separately composed over about 20 years.

Published: 1958

23. Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay

Under Heaven, inspired by the Tang Dynasty of Ancient China, is as beautiful and enriching a novel as you could possibly wish for. Kay is an expert storyteller, his writing style strong and fluid, his exposition always necessary and worked seamlessly into the narrative. He has successfully re-imagined Ancient China in the same accessible and absorbing way that he previously achieved with medieval France, Ottoman Spain and Renaissance Italy.

Published: 2010 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011

24. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin (The Inheritance Trilogy)

N.K. Jemisin has won the Hugo Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award for Best Novel, Audie Award for Science Fiction and the Crawford Award. Enough said. You want more? Okay, every now and again books comes out that deserves all the hype they get. N.K. Jemisin writes books that are at times smart, at times funny, and at times downright heartbreaking, all wrapped up in the the most original stories. This is a must for your bookshelf. This book is flat out 10 out of 10.

Published: 2010 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011 (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms)

25. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn)

In his Mistborn series Brandon Sanderson has written one of the seminal fantasy stories of his generation. Compelling and flawlessly executed with exquisite skill, the enormous magnitude of the story being told showcases the breathtaking imagination at work here. Themes like religion and death are dealt with, power and helplessness, corruption and goodness. Weaved together like a master basket maker, this story lets you grow attached too, love, and lose, characters that you never thought would be lost.

26. The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolf (Book of the New Sun)

The Book of the New Sun is a science fantasy classic that improves with every read. Too often overlooked, possibly due to being dense in allegory and symbolism, the joy of coming to understand Wolfe’s craft is part of the joy of reading it. The lead character Severan, is an unreliable narrator, and this adds another layer of complexity. If you’re a fan of both science fiction and fantasy, it is a must-read.

Published: 1980 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1983 (The Sword of the Lictor), 1982 (The Claw of the Conciliator), 1981 (The Shadow of the Torturer) | British Fantasy Award Winner: 1983 (The Sword of the Lictor)

27. Jade City by Fonda Lee (The Green Bone Saga)

Emotionally shocking moments, intricate and otherworldly fight scenes, and lots of loyalty, honour and tradition. Jade City is an epic, unique and often unforgiving gangster fantasy narrative intertwined with glimpses of hope and goodness. The haunting nature of the world is also mixed with betrayals and a huge death toll. Recommended.

Published: 2017 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2018 (Jade City)

28. Magician by Raymond E Feist (Riftwar Saga)

Feist's Magician is one of the best known and well read fantasy books; it is a powerful and memorable book that any reader who derives pleasure from reading epic fantasy should read being classic fantasy imbued with many elements of originality. The character development is excellent and the reading experience effortless. In 2003 Magician was voted the 89th most popular book of all time in the BBC's Big Read Top 100. I found the first read of this book to be one of those special moments when you are reading a book that has shaped the fantasy fantasy landscape as it now appears.

Published: 1982

29. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

I once read an interview with Guy Gavriel Kay where he explained his approach to writing. He said that he wrote what he needed to write and then went over it a second time, adding layers and textures, making improvements, rather like a painter. And then he repeated the process for a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and then eighth time. And this is why his writing is so good, it's not just natural talent, which he has in abundance, but attention to detail and hard, painstaking work. It pays off and in Tigana he wrote a book that influenced me as much as The Lord of the Rings when I was a youngster. It is a book I hold very dear. But Kay is the second Canadian on this list and although they may appear the nicest, politest people on the planet I secretely fear plans for world domination, so I'll keep on eye of the Empire of Canadia's ratio.

30. The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle

The Last Unicorn is one of the greatest fantasy novels of all time. Its lyrical writing, it’s memorable and very human characters, and its exploration of mortality, immortality, and the meeting of the two never fail to move. The novel deals in a very deep and profound way with love, and loss, and the value of love; which in the case of the unicorn becomes important enough to surrender immortality to possess. There are also recurring themes of loss and grief, and the contemplation of the meaning and purpose of life (and death).

Published: 1968

31. Watership Down by Richard Adams

Watership Down is a book which will always hold a special place in my heart. It has captivated and moved me for over three decades and I do not believe this will change for what I hope will be a further three. It has the elements that I enjoy in a story: a quest, the journey, plus the bravery, belief and inability to accept defeat. The rabbit characters are glorious: the nerviously intelligent Fiver and his kind, loyal brother Hazel. The no-nonsense Bigwig, the controlling Woundwort and the ingenious Blackberry - all are rich and wonderful to spend time with. Is it fantasy? Google lists it as Fairy tale, Fantasy Fiction, Adventure fiction. Good enough for me. How many talking rabbits have you met?

Published: 1972

32. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (The Magicians series)

The fantasy genre always needs an author to come along a show it in a different light and this is exactly what has Grossman has done with The Magicians. He has injected sexual tension and questionable morals into a school for wizards and the result is a rousing, perceptive and multifaceted coming of age story that is both bright and beguiling. The Magicians is a perfect fantasy book for older teens that will find that the author understands them, and their feelings, possibly better than they do themselves.

Published: 2009

33. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Alice in Wonderland was Lewis Carroll’s first novel and its fantasy plot, humorous rhymes and brilliant use of nonsense was revolutionary. Nineteenth-century children’s writing usually served moral or educational purpose, but Alice was written firmly and purely for the amusement of children. Critical response was lukewarm, but the book was still a great success, and remains a hugely influential classic of children’s literature.

Published: 1965

34. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

"One of the most laconic, tightly-plotted tales of mythical morality you'll ever read, an anti-establishment satire disguised as a love story, more of a scary tale than a fairy tale" Uncut

"There's nothing fluffy about The Princess Bride. The rocket-powered narrative tricks you without being merely tricksy, and is both modern and timeless" Neon

"A funny thriller for readers who are about ten years of age or wish they were ... Readers of a nervous disposition should be prepared to skim rapidly over the Zoo of Death episode or stick to fiction meant for grown-ups" Spectator

Published: 1973

35. Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Legacy)

Within Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy books we find a complex, refined work of fantasy. This skillfully written trilogy stars an unforgettable heroine who finds herself mixed up in a dangerous world of politics, magic and romance. The trilogy begins with Kushiel’s Dart, a tale that will enthrall readers of fantasy fiction.

Published: 2001

36. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

You have to ask yourself… Wouldn’t it be great to believe in magic? I found this book extraordinary, with so much thought put into the story which unfolds like a carefully constructed maze.

Published: 2011

37. Dune by Frank Herbert

Hugo Award Winner: 1966

Nebula Award Winner: 1966

One of the most layered works of fiction produced during the twentieth century. If you are a fan of epic fantasy or large-scale science fiction (and are not afraid to examine weighty issues such as religion and politics) Dune cannot be strongly recommend enough. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of this genre must read it at some point in their lives.

38. Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay (The Sarantine Mosaic)

The Sarantine Mosaic and Lord of Emperors, inspired by ancient Byzantium, tell a magnificent, sweeping story of empire, conspiracies and journeys, both physical and spiritual. One of the very best examples of alternate history merged with fantasy.

Published: 2000 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2001 (Lord of Emperors), (1999) Sailing to Sarantium

39. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett (The Divine Cities)

The Divine Cities trilogy is quite unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It treats its audience with the same respect and consideration as it shares with its cast. It is a rich, lovingly-crafted world that is both thematically complex and wonderfully entertaining. Shara, Mulaghesh and Sigrud have all been ensconced in my personal Fictional Character Hall of Fame, and I will miss them dearly. If you’re looking to discover something new, something original, and something memorable, then this is the series you’re looking for.

Published: 2014 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2015 (City of Stairs)

40. The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker

Helene Wecker writes elegantly and fluently, her characters are constantly fascinating and exploring their histories is a joy. The main setting and the narrative evoke wonderful images of nineteenth century New York and we, as the fortunate reader, get to experience Jewish and Arabic folklore fundamental to the book’s being. Many authors have written about a golem, many have written about a djinni, but few have brought them both together in a story so seamlessly. The Golem and the Djinni is first rate historical fantasy fiction that consistently delights; a charming love story with pleasing emotional depth.

Published: 2013 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2014

41. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (The Dragon Rider's Saga)

If you want to see how the Pern saga began, and indeed see how a young writer converted two Hugo winning novellas to form her first steps into a historical world of alien dragons, Dragonflight is for you. Wonderfully descriptive narrative, impressive world building and above all a great story.

42. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

One drowsy summer's day in 1984, teenage runaway Holly Sykes encounters a strange woman who offers a small kindness in exchange for 'asylum'. Decades will pass before Holly understands exactly what sort of asylum the woman was seeking....

Published: 2014 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2015

43. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

One of the best known and best loved fantasy books, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit introduced the reading world to the unforgettable hobbit Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the wizard, and Smaug the dragon. A book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike it is a tale full of adventure, heroism, song and laughter. Many who read this magical tale will find their inner-hobbit.

Published: 1937

44. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams (Memory Sorrow and Thorn)

Epic, traditional fantasy of a high standard. At nearly 800 pages it is excellently paced and brings together all the elements that are found in many a fantasy book and re-produces them in a beautiful and endearing way.

Published: 1988

45. The Black Company by Glen Cook (Chronicles of the Black Company)

The Black Company by Glen Cook is the first book of the nine that make up The Black Company series. First published in 1984 this book was responsible for taking the fantasy genre and turning it on its head with his introduction of realistic characters and its complete disregard for fantasy stereotypes and the age-old battle of good versus evil.

Published: 1984

46. The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien

If you've not read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings this may not be for you. But I honestly don't know, it's such a brilliant book, a book about creation really, that maybe it will work for you regardless. But if you have read Tolkien's masterpieces this is a must-read. If you are as captivated by them as most of the reading world is – the Silmarillion will give you the extra information you crave and answer the questions that the two prior books threw up – Who exactly are Gandalf and Sauron? How did the Orcs come into being? Why are the Elves leaving Middle-earth and where are they going?

Published: 1977

47. Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake (The Gormenghast Trilogy)

Deliciously dark, Titus Groan is the first book of the Gormenghast trilogy. The book is written in the third person, which allows the characters and events unfold simultaneously. The land of Gormenghast is described in enough detail for you to realise that this is a land unlike any other.

Published: 1946

48. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks (The Shannara Trilogy)

Long ago, the world of the Four Lands was torn apart by the wars of ancient Evil. But in the Vale, the half-human, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford now lives in peace - until the mysterious, forbidding figure of the druid Allanon appears, to reveal that the supposedly long dead Warlock Lord lives again. Shea must embark upon the elemental quest to find the only weapon powerful enough to keep the creatures of darkness at bay: the fabled Sword of Shannara.

"And while I will agree that Brooks draws inspiration from Tolkien, he doesn't copy him. The reason I linger on this is to hopefully, impress upon you an open mind to reading this book. Do not cross this book off your “to read” list because you've heard people knock it. Similarly, do not go into reading this book attempting to cross reference everything back to some other work. This is a book that deserves being critiqued on its own merit."

Published: 0000

49. Circe by Madeline Miller

A 10/10 book. Sean: ‘This is a beautiful book; it is flawless and intelligent. I do not have a single criticism for this fantastic piece of writing. I loved it! I could not recommend it more highly. I really liked The Song of Achilles though this surpassed it in every way. I really hope to see more from this author in the future’.

Published: 2018

50. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks (The Night Angel Trilogy)

Another reader favourite, The Way of Shadows is one of the most entertaining fantasy books available, a rich, engrossing and creative novel. The action sequences are awesome and the plot and characterisation also. If you're looking for all of the above within the framework of a great story, look no further.

51. Storm Front by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files)

Take your standard noir detective with a sarcastic frame of mind and a weakness for helping damsels in distress, add in wizardry, vampires, werewolves, talking skulls, pizza loving fairies and all things paranormal and this is what you get. A quirky, fast paced and thrilling ride through a Chicago you never thought possible. Great characters, a mystery that twists and turns like a corkscrew and above all, Harry, a wizard with a world weary sense of humour, who takes life on the chin.

Published: 2000

52. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London series)

There is something eminently satisfying about coming across a new author and finding that he is utterly brilliant. That is exactly what happened when I received Ben Aaronovitch’s book ‘Rivers of London’. You have to read this book. Whether you like good writing, good fantasy or urban fantasy, good characters, or simply a breath-taking story set in a breath-taking world, this book is for you. Because it is all of those things, and much much more. Aaronovitch has written a book that will surely become a favourite on many shelves the moment they’ve finished it at 3 in the morning.

53. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement: 1983

When Dahl made up James and the Giant Peach as a bedtime story for his daughters Olivia and Tessa, little could he have know that half a century later millions of parents would have read exactly the same story to their own children; a book that fully deserves the accolade of children’s classic.

Published: 1961

54. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (Broken Empire)

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence was a book steeped in controversy - a book that seemed to have divided the Science Fiction and Fantasy community with regards to what is acceptable for people to like and enjoy. A confronting story, deliberately so, that follows a 13 year old boy named Jorg who leads a gang of marauders as they pillage their way across the countryside. Jorg is a sociopath, a willing participant, and readers get to experience the world through his damaged viewpoint. Readers get to see, through Jorg's eyes, the cold apathy with which he dispatches his enemies. It is discomforting. But Prince of Thorns is a fantastic tale of one boy’s fight for control in a world threatening to engulf him.

55. Swan Song by Robert McCammon

I would give it a 12 out of 10 if I could. If you could only read one book about the apocalypse this should be it. I have read every post apocalypse book I could get my hands on, old ones, new ones, Kindle only ones. Nothing compares to Swan Song. The hardest part of reading Swan Song was the knowledge that there was no book to follow. But it didn't need one. Thank you Robert, it is the best book I ever read, and about every 5 years I pick it up ad read it again... (Reader review by Lisa from Canada)

Published: 1987 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1988

56. The Stand by Stephen King

If you call yourself any kind of reader of speculative fiction and can appreciate a truly rich and complex book, The Stand is a must read. Even if you’ve never read Stephen King before, even if neither horror nor post-apocalyptic are your usual genre choice, you won’t be disappointed. The writing is excellent, the imagery horrifying and the atmosphere hypnotic. After the first few pages you will either find yourself hooked or repelled… it’s that kind of book. But if you want to read one of the greatest examples of dystopian fiction with a healthy dose of fantasy thrown in then look no further.

Published: 1978 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1979

57. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Ryan: An intimate trip down memory lane to a time when things were much more fantastical than what they are now. This a story that is simple on the surface, but with a depth of immersion that depends entirely on how much you connect with the story. My guess is that the further you are away from your childhood, be it through age or experience, the more you will connect with this story and the more you will fall in love with it.

58. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

All the Birds in the Sky is an intense emotional roller-coaster that flits between genres, using both sci-fi and fantasy to get its message across and although it does pit them against each other, the novel never says one is better than the other, each has its place in this story and it is by both of these working together that the best outcome will be found. All the Birds in the Sky is also a very human story focusing on the confusion and mistrust that can come from not understanding the unknown.

Published: 2016

59. It by Stephen King

It is the children who see - and feel - what makes the town so horribly different. In the storm drains and sewers "It" lurks, taking the shape of every nightmare, each one's deepest dread. As the children grow up and move away, the horror of "It" is buried deep - until they are called back.

"As an exploration of childhood, growing up, friendship and facing both real and supernatural fears I still hold It up as a great book. But the ending, and the book’s length in general, will be unpalatable to many readers."

One of the greatest storytellers of our time - The Guardian

A writer of excellence... King is one of the most fertile storytellers of the modern novel - The Sunday Times

Published: 1986 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1987

60. The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy)

Jen Williams “The Ninth Rain” is unlike anything I have ever read. For a fantasy lover, it’s one of those rare books that pulls at your heartstrings but also at the knowledge that it’s okay to be imperfect, inquisitive and slightly mad.

Published: 2017

61. The Poppy War by R F Kuang (The Poppy War)

Simply put, R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War is a towering achievement of modern fantasy. Kuang writes in a descriptive and narrative style that presents many sides of an issue without trying to persuade the reader into thinking which path is the “correct” one, if one such exists. As the book descends into its bleak final act, the connection we’ve built with Rin and her companions is put to the test. It is a testament to Kuang’s skill as a writer to establish such a strong connection with her protagonists that the impact of the events in third act hit as hard as they do.

Published: 2018 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2019

62. A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay

Guy Gavriel Kay’s A Brightness Long Ago is a masterpiece; perhaps the finest work of one of the world’s greatest living storytellers. This story is shocking, devastating, and beautiful. Kay’s language is elegant in its simplicity, yet painstakingly profound as it cuts to the core of what makes us think, and act, and remember.

Published: 2019

63. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The “feminist successor to The Lord of the Rings” - Laura Eve. The Priory of the Orange Tree is a story told with grace and infused with rich history and lore in its gloriously huge scope: it is magnificent in every regard. It’s all about the girl power here! I recommend this to readers who enjoy female driven fantasy that is also carefully paced like the works of Robin Hobb, Tad Williams and Chris Wooding.

64. The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie

Another 10/10 book and the most recently published book to appear on this list, published as it was in 2019. Ann Leckie first came to our attention with her highly-regarded science fiction books. When she turned her hand to fantasy she produced, in the words of the book's reviewer, Joshua: A magisterial tour de force of subverted narrative expectations that wrestles with what it means to find identity as a human, and as a god. Unlike anything being written, Ann Leckie will likely be remembered as a literary pioneer, and not as similar to someone else. A masterpiece of storytelling that leaves a willing reader humbled, The Raven Tower is quite simply the best book of the year – mighty, subtle, captivating, unputdownable.

Published: 2019 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2020

65. The 10,000 Doors of January by Alix E Harrow

It is a rare thing to relate to a book’s character in such a way that similar situations evoke empathy across your lives. Enough parallels can be drawn to feel almost as if the book is catered specifically toward you in some existential way. I have not read much portal fantasy, but I have always felt a feeling of smothered repression through my youth that has tamped down my will to explore. Instead, my portals to elsewhere revealed themselves in books and stories at an early age, and they’ve been with me ever since. Alix Harrow captures this feeling of finding oneself through the stories we share in her stunning and unforgettable debut novel The 10,000 Doors of January. It is a beautifully written and lovingly crafted adventure about the strength of love, the importance of stories, and the timeless power of words.

66. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

I can’t remember the last time I wanted to step into a book so much, be part of a world so desperately. Even with all the danger, with the pain and darkness and death, it’s a place that feels like possibility…

67. Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce

Twenty years ago , sixteen year old Tara Martin took a walk into the mysterious Outwoods in the Charnwood Forest and never came back. Extensive searches and police investigations find no trace and her family is forced to accept the unthinkable. Then on Christmas day Tara arrives at her parents' door, dishevelled, unapologetic and not looking a day older than when she left. It seems like a miracle and Tara's parents are delighted, but something about her story doesn't add up. When she claims that she was abducted by the fairies, her brother Peter starts to think she might have lost her sanity. But as Tara's tale unfolds, those who loved and missed her begin to wonder whether there is some truth to her account of the last two decades.

Published: 2012 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2013

68. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (The Locked Tomb Trilogy)

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense.

Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.

Published: 2019 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2020 (Gideon the Ninth)

69. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Although The Book Thief is set in such dark times, when almost unimaginable atrocities were being commited, it manages, by its end, to be an uplifting, life-affirming book due to the kindness, love and bravery of its many characters.

Published: 2005

70. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip

The characterisation is excellent, creating well-formed, sympathetic and most importantly, realistic characters. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is reminiscent of Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea masterpiece, the writing of this generation contains a magic that few modern authors have managed to successfully retain. This is a beautiful, thought-provoking book that will stay with the reader forever.

Published: 1974

71. Duncton Wood by William Horwood (The Duncton Chronicles)

Some authors write beautifuly and can induce an almost meditive state in the reader. Tolkien, Hobb, Le Guin, Martin can achieve this, and so can William Horwood. There are two books on the site that generate an effusive outpouring of love from readers, two books which will be well know to some but perhaps not as widely known as many books on this list, they are Swan Song by Robert McCammon and Duncton Wood. It is the moving love story of Bracken and Rebecca and the trials they must face and overcome to be as one. It is unfortunate that this work must be compared to Watership Down but that is the only book with which I can really compare it to in terms of story-line and excellence. Read my review and the reader reviews below it if you want to get a real sense of how highly this book is regarded.

Published: 1980

72. Legend by David Gemmell (The Drenai Novels)

David Gemmell is unquestionably one of my favourite fantasy authors. For the past 30 years his books have been read and re-read and I am still not weary of them, and I hope that will always be the case. I personally do not think that this is Gemmell's finest but it surely has to be his most important, as without it nothing may have followed. Legend is a great place to start if you have not read any of his work before and a great blend of sword, sorcery and heroism. A MUST read for any heroic fantasy fans.

73. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind (The Sword of Truth Series)

Terry Goodkind has created a consice, intelligent book that is believable from the start. This is fantasy that is definately aimed at the adult. It is evident that Terry Goodkind has strong political and social views that he is keen to get across in his books. Rather than finding this spoilt the narrative, I found it healthy reading a book that makes you think about what the author is trying to say. I found that Ursula Le Guin's works had the same effect on me.

Published: 1994

74. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

If you are a fan of trains, history, or London, then this book is definitely for you. Gaiman once again, just like he did in American Gods, shows an uncanny research ability, matched with his inimitable writing style. We are soon introduced to a mass of underground railway stations, and a group of people that, unbeknownst to London Above, are living rather content lives beneath their feet. A bit of mythology, a bit of fantasy, a bit of urban drama and a whole lot of London makes this book a definite must read.

Published: 1996

75. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book won the Carnegie medal for children’s fiction, and it deserved to win. The writing style, though easy enough for children, is very descriptive and distinctive.

"If asked to put The Graveyard Book into a genre, I'd have to say: this is a Neil Gaiman book. It's in the Genre of Excellence" Fortean Times

Published: 2008 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2009

76. The City and the City by China Mieville

This is a great story. Mieville has delivered and lived up to the hype generated by his early work, in particular the Bas-Lag series. While this is a vastly different book to that epic series, there is no change in quality.

Published: 2009 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2010

77. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Liga raises her two daughters in the safe haven of an alternative reality, a personal heaven granted by magic as a refuge from her earthly suffering. But the real world cannot be denied forever and when the barrier between the two worlds begins to break down, Liga’s fiery daughter, Urdda, steps across it…

"Tender Morsels never once tries to show that life has a happily ever after ending. It shows that life is full of hardship; you will experience hurt, you will watch loved ones die and you will often be afraid. It also shows that live can be full of love, caring and kindness and that it is better to experience something, be it good or bad, than to experience nothing at all." Fantasy Book Review

78. Palimpsest by Catherynne M Valente

Sei, November, Ludov, and Oleg -- four people unknown to each other but united by grief and their obsession with the city of Palimpsest. Located beyond the human realm, Palimpsest is accessible only by those who sleep after generating the energy which comes from sex. Once anyone arrives in the city, they indulge in sense pleasures and are able to obtain their innermost desires -- two things which ensure that Palimpsest visitors return.

"Like other Cathryn Valente books (Orphan's Tales, In the Garden of Coin and Spice), this poignant poetic work is a feast for the mind. Palimpsest is the gift of a fairy tale wrapped in an allegory and tied with a mystical ribbon. A gift that readers can enjoy again and again." Fantasy Book Review

79. The Shadow Year by Jeffrey Ford

Jeffrey Ford throws genuine easy gas with this little semi-autobiographical gem. The book pulls you in, keeps pulling you, yanking you, in fact, but you never feel anything but a slight trace of a tug. So familiar is he with his world - the south shore of western Suffolk County (NY) in the late sixties - and so skilled is he at drawing you into it, that you scarcely notice the creepy, dark water leaking in under your mental door.

Published: 2008 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2009

80. Boy's Life by Robert McCammon

Published: 1991 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 1992

81. The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

The leading man, one Meyer Landsman, is a festival of flaws and possibilities. The characters are alive, dynamically three-dimensional, and refreshingly complicated. Chabon’s world and its collapsing-star reality you completely buy. The analogs of human behaviour are poetic, tenderly ironic and brilliantly designed. Chess is key, but not in such a fashion that it bans the non-chess playing reader. And there is a seemingly self-perpetuating sense of devilish humour that had me choking every other page.

82. The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N McIntyre

A winner of the 1997 Nebula award for best novel, Vonda N McIntyre’s The Moon and the Sun is a sumptuous work of alternate history. Set in 17th century France, at the court of the Sun King, the book’s attention to detail and flowing narrative help create an absorbing tale of fantasy, romance, science and history.

83. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (The Vampire Chronicles)

In a darkened room a young man sits telling the macabre and eerie story of his life - the story of a vampire, gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood. Anne Rice's compulsively readable novel is arguably the most celebrated work of vampire fiction since Bram Stoker's Dracula was published in 1897. As the Washington Post said on its first publication, it is a 'thrilling, strikingly original work of the imagination ...sometimes horrible, sometimes beautiful, always unforgettable'.

Published: 1976 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1986 (The Vampire Lestat)

84. Anno Dracula by Kim Newman (Anno Dracula series)

It is 1888 and Queen Victoria has remarried, taking as her new consort Vlad Tepes, the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. Peppered with familiar characters from Victorian history and fiction, the novel tells the story of vampire Geneviève Dieudonné and Charles Beauregard of the Diogenes Club as they strive to solve the mystery of the Ripper murders. Anno Dracula is a rich and panoramic tale, combining horror, politics, mystery and romance to create a unique and compelling alternate history. Acclaimed novelist Kim Newman explores the darkest depths of a reinvented Victorian London. This brand-new edition of the bestselling novel contains unique bonus material, including a new afterword from Kim Newman, annotations, articles and alternate endings to the original novel.

"Kim Newman's Anno Dracula is back in print, and we must celebrate. It was the first mash-up of literature, history and vampires, and now, in a world in which vampires are everywhere, it's still the best, and its bite is just as sharp. Compulsory reading, commentary, and mindgame: glorious." Neil Gaiman

"The book succeeds not just as horror but also as a thriller and detective novel combining politics, romance and history. Newman has produced an excellently crafted, well-plotted, fast-paced, sure-footed, incident-packed and macabre thrill fest." Fantasy Book Review

Published: 0000 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 1993

85. The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

A brilliant story which from the first chapter is hard hitting and the bleakness of the story brings the action to the fore. Graham Joyce has created in the first chapters a sense of uncertainty that makes it a real page turner. A very good read; a mix of fantasy and love story. It flows well and is well worth reading at least twice.

Published: 2010 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 2011

86. 11.22.63 by Stephen King

WHAT IF you could go back in time and change the course of history? WHAT IF the watershed moment you could change was the JFK assassination? 11/22/63, the date that Kennedy was shot - unless... King takes his protagonist Jake Epping, a high school English teacher from Lisbon Falls, Maine, 2011, on a fascinating journey back to 1958 - from a world of mobile phones and iPods to a new world of Elvis and JFK, of Plymouth Fury cars and Lindy Hopping, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake's life - a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

"11.22.63 finds Stephen King on top form. A compelling tale of alternate history and time travel showcasing King’s skill as a storyteller as he effortlessly weaves together fact and fiction, highlighting the benefits of meticulous research." Floresiensis, Fantasy Book Review

Published: 2011 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2012

87. The Killing Moon by NK Jemisin (Dreamblood duology)

In the first of her Dreamblood duology, N K Jemisin presents a vivid world of dreams and reality, sanity and insanity, and the stories of the people caught up within it. It’s a compelling tale of corruption and justice and the lengths people will go to in pursuit of both.

88. Alif the Unseen by G Willow Wilson

He calls himself Alif - few people know his real name - a young man born in a Middle Eastern city that straddles the ancient and modern worlds. When Alif meets the aristocratic Intisar, he believes he has found love. But their relationship has no future - Intisar is promised to another man and her family's honour must be satisfied. As a remembrance, Intisar sends the heartbroken Alif a mysterious book. Entitled The Thousand and One Days, Alif discovers that this parting gift is a door to another world - a world from a very different time, when old magic was in the ascendant and the djinn walked amongst us. With the book in his hands, Alif finds himself drawing attention - far too much attention - from both men and djinn. Thus begins an adventure that takes him through the crumbling streets of a once-beautiful city, to uncover the long-forgotten mysteries of the Unseen. Alif is about to become a fugitive in both the corporeal and incorporeal worlds. And he is about to unleash a destructive power that will change everything and everyone - starting with Alif himself.

"I would highly recommend this book to anybody who like a ripping yarn, whether they are into fantasy or not because this is more of a thriller with echoes of the computer acrobatics seen in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, which I find really interesting, but set against an exotic landscape that really comes to life. You can feel and smell the duststorm as it sweeps over the houses, seeping its way in through the cracks, the panic as The Hand, an unbending, alien force, closes in, and the awkwardness of a young American scholar who tries to help Alif but is so clearly out of place. Overall, a sumptuous, colourful and many-layered novel." Fantasy Book Review

Published: 2012 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2013

89. Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

This is a book written about the cusp of the 20th century, where so many things were promised and hoped for and so many changes happened. This story focuses on two people, bound together because of a newspaper story: Jack Walser, the journalist sent to write a story on Sophie Fevvers the “aerialiste extraordinaire”, to find out whether she is fact or fiction, as instead of being a typical trapeze artist she has wings that allow her to fly through the air. Angela Carter has written a fantastical microcosm of life.

Published: 1984 | British Fantasy Award Nominee: 1985

90. Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

An intriguing “what if?” urban fantasy story that gives a twist to the contemporary world we live in. This story involves animals and magic, that fits into the world of Zoo City. As well as inviting questions as to why people who are different from the norm are treated in different circumstances.

91. The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper

Susan Cooper is a natural storyteller, and all five The Dark is Rising novels grip the reader tightly, helped in this with copious amounts of mythology and spectacular prose. The prose of the second book in the series, The Dark is Rising, is some of the best in its genre. The sequence is an absolute classic, and should be required reading for children between the ages of seven and fifteen. Those who are older who haven't read them yet are really missing out on something wonderful. Highly recommended.

92. Weaveworld by Clive Barker

Weaveworld is a true epic of a story – a whirlwind of base instincts and heights of imagination that brings together fantasy and horror, whilst grounding the fantastical in a recognisable, mundane, suburban England.

93. A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab (A Darker Shade of Magic)

Most people only know one London; but what if there were several? Kell is one of the last Travelers - magicians with a rare ability to travel between parallel Londons. There’s Grey London, dirty and crowded and without magic, home to the mad king George III. There’s Red London, where life and magic are revered. Then, White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. But once upon a time, there was Black London...

"Like the best books I have read, V. E. Schwab has left me wanting to read more about these characters that have come alive in my mind."

94. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

From the quietly sad story of a lonely young man out of his depth, to the equally quietly triumphant story of a hero who has accepted himself, learned to cope and promises to do a great deal of good for others, this is a story with magic, airships and elves set around a very ritualistic royal court. In some ways The Goblin Emperor is one of the most grittily hopeful books I’ve read for quite a significant while, and one I’d definitely agree deserves its accolade.

Published: 2014 | World Fantasy Award Nominee: 2015

95. The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North

The Sudden Appearance of Hope is an excellent novel, one that looks at complex themes with much more depth before providing a biased social commentary. There is barely any escapism to be found here. This book will engage you with the prevalent social issues of today (mid-2016), making you pause and think about our pursuit of perfection as defined by Hollywood and the mainstream media.

Published: 2016 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2017

96. Blackwing by Ed McDonald (The Raven’s Mark)

This is quite a dark story full of gritty and macabre deaths aplenty with a good, but not an overwhelming amount of adrenaline fueling action. Certain sections are superbly intense though and this book is highly unpredictable. It features twists, betrayal, political disputes and half the time when I thought I had analysed where the story was going, I was then blindsided or completely shocked by a revelation. The publisher stated that this as being "gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence and Scott Lynch" and I cannot disagree.

97. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett (Founders)

It’s rare that a story catches me off guard with so many inventive and thrilling ideas, yet still only scratches the surface of the directions it could take. The potential here is so vast; I see these ideas as prime material to turn into its own RPG world, or spinoff novels, or fill-in-the-blank. Great writing, characters of substance, and thoughtful exploration of original ideas elevates Foundryside into rare territory.

98. The Chimes by Anna Smaill

The Chimes is one of the most difficult, and yet most rewarding books I’ve read for quite some time. Breaking so many rules of writing to explore its central premise, yet blending together dark poetry, a truly unique post-apocalyptic world, love, music and memory into one great symphonic whole that is far greater than the sum of its parts, and an experience which you won’t easily forget.

Published: 2015 | World Fantasy Award Winner: 2016

99. The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter (The Burning)

The Rage of Dragons explodes at a breakneck pace. Complex characters, dragons, revenge, ALL THE STABBY-STABBY-STAB-STAB. I adored everything about this book! The cover, the chapter titles, the maps, the wee dragon on the spine, the notes from Winter at the back.,. it was just phenomenal. Truly. What a brilliant debut!

100. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

Alternate timelines, manifestations, Hands of Glory, alchemy, Doctrine of Ethos and immortality and and and GODDAMN. McGuire provides a clinic in storytelling with Middlegame. This is her magnum opus (so far!) It’s magical... truly magical. I could not love it more!!!

Top 100 Fantasy Books Of All Time

Looking for great fantasy books? Take a look at the 100 pages we rate highest

Fantasy Series We Recommend

There's nothing better than finding a fantasy series you can lose yourself in

Fantasy Books Of The Year

Our fantasy books of the year, from 2006 to 2021

The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

With a panel of leading fantasy authors—N.K. Jemisin, Neil Gaiman, Sabaa Tahir, Tomi Adeyemi, Diana Gabaldon, George R.R. Martin, Cassandra Clare and Marlon James—TIME presents the most engaging, inventive and influential works of fantasy fiction, in chronological order beginning in the 9th century

N.K. Jemisin on the Timeless Power of Fantasy

The Arabian Nights

Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

A Hero Born by Jin Yong

The Once & Future King by T.H. White

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

The Wandering Unicorn by Manuel Mujica Lainez

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart

The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

The BFG by Roald Dahl

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Redwall by Brian Jacques

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Angelfall by Susan Ee

A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Get in Trouble by Kelly Link

The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi

The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

The Changeling by Victor LaValle

Jade City by Fonda Lee

The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Circe by Madeline Miller

Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

Witchmark by C.L. Polk

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

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“Pale Fire” (Tavi’s Version): Notes on Taylor Swift and the Literature of Obsessive Fandom

Leigh stein considers tavi gevinson’s new zine, “fan fiction”, how much is enough on the writerly balance between money and time, for novelist ryan chapman, “there are wants, and there are needs.”, writing as labor: doing more with less, together, david hill on the myth of the middle class writer, the money diaries: real writers, real budgets, what writers spend in a week of their lives, in service: writers on making ends meet in the service industry, “it’s easy to remain clueless about how the world works for most people.”, what christiane amanpour—and the rest of us—can learn from palestinian journalists in gaza, steven w. thrasher on the myth of the “independent journalist”, contemporary literary novels are haunted by the absence of money, naomi kanakia wonders why nobody talks about the thing we all need, premonition in the west bank: ben ehrenreich on life in the village of burin, “sometimes you hear an echo of a sound that has not yet been voiced, of a shot that has not yet been fired.”, 50 ways to end a poem, emily skaja has some recommendations for making a strong exit, a woman out of time: rebecca solnit on mary shelley’s dystopian sci-fi novel the last man, in praise of a truly innovative writer, dispatches from the land of erasure during a genocide, “poetry’s belatedness hauntingly echoes international law’s belatedness when it comes to defining genocide.”, lost in translation: unpacking the shohei ohtani scandal, emily nemens on the all-but-invisible role of interpreters, in literature and in baseball, death and the maiden: what rewatching the oc can teach us now, kelly marie coyne on society’s lethal obsession with the white starlet, how do we celebrate arab american heritage month during a genocide, “palestinian lives are simply not valued, and, by inheritance, neither are palestinian americans.”, 10 great new children’s books out in april, caroline carlsonrecommends maple lam, felicita sala, laurie morrison and more, 100 tips that may (or may not) improve your next novel, ryan chapman on the craft and practice of writing fiction (and drinking gin), vampires, selkies, familiars, and more april’s best sci-fi and fantasy books, career retrospectives and historical fantasies from cixin liu, ann leckie, leigh bardugo, and others, a brief literary history of the murder ballad, in honor of beyoncé’s cowboy carter, brittany allen on the long, rich tradition of extremely violent popular song, march’s best reviewed nonfiction, featuring new titles by marilynne robinson, tessa hulls, kristine s. ervin, and more, the literary film & tv you need to stream in april, april showers bring opportunities to binge watch, for book recommendations, people are always better than algorithms, maris kreizman reveals some tricks of the trade for the semi-professional book recommender, the sickness of life: on the problems with anti-natalism, ben ware considers the emptiness of opting out, the writer next door: my life as joyce carol oates’ neighbor, “i wanted to believe that oates knew we existed. while her cat clearly knew who we were, she never did.”, rebecca solnit: how to comment on social media, “the entire measure of someone's commitment is how much they post about their commitment.”, here’s your 2024 literary film & tv preview, 53 shows and movies to stream and see this year, lit hub’s most anticipated books of 2024, 230 books we’re looking forward to reading this year, 24 sci-fi and fantasy books to look forward to in 2024, exciting new series’ and standalones from kelly link, lev grossman, sofia samatar, james s.a. corey, and more, we need your help: support lit hub, become a member, you get editors’ personalized book recs, an ad-free reading experience, and the joan didion tote bag, 40 books to understand palestine, from ghassan kanafani's "men in the sun" to adania shibli's "minor detail", paul yamazaki on the important, joyous work of running an independent bookstore.

“At a great store you can look at twelve well-selected, serendipitous linear inches and find a universe.”

The Byronic Revolution of Che Guevara

Ed Simon on the Lives and Legacies of Two Icons of Romanticism and Rebellion

What Should You Read Next? Here Are the Best Reviewed Books of the Week

Featuring New Titles by Salman Rushdie, Caoilinn Hughes, Caleb Carr, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and More

Julia Alvarez on Falling in Love with Writing Again

“Resets are necessary throughout a writing life.”

How Lydia Ernestine Becker Was Once Central to—Then Excluded from—the Study of Botany

Erin Zimmerman on How Botany Helped to Complicate Our Views of Gender

An Oasis in the Desert: Why Libraries Are the Best Places to Write

Rahul Mehta Considers the Virtues of Public Space as Writing Space

April 15 – 19, 2024

Marcello Di Cintio remembers Saleem al-Naffar, the beloved poet who was killed in Gaza in December
Kate Dwyer interviews Anne Carson
An interview with the editors of the New York War Crimes

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Why the elderly make the best customers: on bookselling in an aging town.

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The Magazine of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Field

Ken MacLeod: So Many Shocks

Spotlight on Sara Felix

Nalo Hopkinson: What the Magic Is

Spotlight on Richard A. Kirk

Moses Ose Utomi: Unreal Element

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SF/Fantasy/Horror News View All

2024 sir julius vogel awards finalists.

Finalists for the 2024 Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been announced by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ).

Turncoat , Tīhema Baker (Lawrence & Gibson)
A New Eden Menilik , Henry Dyer (Podium)
A Wolf in the Garden , Allegra Hall (self-published)
Decimus and the Wary Widow , Emily Larkin (self-published)
Ghosts of the Catacombs , Janna Ruth (self-published)

Best Youth Novel

New Dawning

2024 Jhalak Prize Shortlist

2024 Tolkien Society Awards

2024 CrimeFest Awards Nominees

2024 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire Shortlist

2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize Shortlist

Sf/fantasy/horror reviews view all.

Gary K. Wolfe Reviews <b>The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain</b> by Sofia Samatar

Gary K. Wolfe Reviews The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar

The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain , Sofia Samatar (Tordotcom 978-1-2508-8180-9, $18.99, 128pp, tp) April 2024.

Generation starship stories tend to come in a few distinct flavors, with distinct character types. There are the refugees, trying to keep humanity alive while escaping a dying or overpopulated Earth (the sort of wishful fantasy that Kim Stanley Robinson set out to demolish in Aurora a few years ago). There are the ...Read More

Charles Payseur Reviews Short Fiction: <i>Worlds of Possibility, Zooscape, Beneath Ceaseless Skies,</i> and <i>Kaleidotrope</i>

Charles Payseur Reviews Short Fiction: Worlds of Possibility, Zooscape, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and Kaleidotrope

Worlds of Possibility 12/23 Zooscape 12/23 Beneath Ceaseless Skies 12/28/23, 1/11/24, 1/25/24 Kaleidotrope 1/24

Worlds of Possibility ended 2023 with an issue including Keyan Bowes ’s “ A Refugee from Fairyland ”, which imagines a sudden eviction of a number of children from the “care” of the fairies. The narrator, Latasha, works with an organization seeking to either reunite these lost children with their families or provide long-term housing for ...Read More

A.C. Wise Reviews Short Fiction from <i>Clarkesworld</i>

A.C. Wise Reviews Short Fiction from Clarkesworld

Clarkesworld 1/24

January’s Clarkesworld opens on a high note with “ Nothing of Value ” by Aimee Ogden. Skip technology allows people to travel long distances by allowing all the information about themselves to be downloaded into a new body at their destination while the old version is destroyed. The unnamed protagonist travels to Mars to meet up with a former friend/lover in hopes of rekindling their relationship. One of ...Read More

Russell Letson Reviews <b>Doorway to the Stars</b> by Jack McDevitt

Russell Letson Reviews Doorway to the Stars by Jack McDevitt

Doorway to the Stars , Jack McDevitt (Subterranean 978-1-64524-188-1, $40.00, 107 pp, hc) February 2024. Cover by Edward Miller.

In two novels nearly 20 years apart, Jack McDevitt offered a platter full of puzzles and oddities. Ancient Shores (1996) and Thunderbird (2015) begin with the discovery of certain artifacts and buildings on what, 12,000 years earlier, had been the shore of the inland sea of Lake Agassiz in North Dakota: ...Read More

Paula Guran Reviews <i>The Sunday Morning Transport, Uncanny,</i> and <i>The Dark</i>

Paula Guran Reviews The Sunday Morning Transport, Uncanny, and The Dark

The Sunday Morning Transport 12/17/23, 12/3/23, 11/19/23, 11/12/23, 11/5/23 Uncanny 11-12/23 The Dark 11/23

By the time you read this, the new year of 2024 will no longer be so new, but there’s still some short fiction from the end of 2023 to catch up on.

A laundry that washes stars? Nikki Brazie takes the unique premise of cleaning luminous celestial bodies and weaves it into a touching tale about ...Read More

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Locus Bestsellers, April

New Books, 16 April 2024

Weekly Bestsellers, 15 April 2024

New Books: 9 April 2024

Roundtable & more view all.

A. Y. Chao Guest Post–“Sparking Joy”

Ness Brown Guest Post

Vanessa Len Guest Post–“Goosebumps and Paradigm Shifts”

Pim Wangtechawat Guest Post–“Time Travel”

Beyond the mag: vlogs & more view all.

New Books Video for March 26 is up!

Come spend a few minutes with Amelia finding out about all the great books coming out this week! Science fiction, fantasy, horror, young adult, you name it!

2024 Young Lions Fiction Award Finalists

The New York Public Library announced its five Young Lions Fiction Award finalists for 2024, including House of Cotton by Monica Brashears (Flatiron Books), Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Pantheon), and Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang (Riverhead Books).

The $10,000 prize is awarded “each spring to a writer age 35 or younger for a novel or a collection of short stories” by a panel of ...Read More

2024 Prometheus Novel Award Finalists

The Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS) has released the finalists for the Prometheus Award in the Best Novel category, honoring pro-freedom works published in 2023.

Theft of Fire , Devon Eriksen (self-published)
Swim Among The People , Karl K. Gallagher (Kelt Haven)
God’s Girlfriend , Dr. Insensitive Jerk (self-published)
Lord of a Shattered Land , Howard Andrew Jones (Baen)
Critical Mass , Daniel Suarez (Dutton)

All members of the Libertarian Futurist ...Read More

2024 Kurd Laßwitz Preis Shortlist

The shortlist has been announced for the 2024 Kurd Laßwitz Preis. The prize is awarded to German-language SF works published in the previous year.

Best German SF Novel

[empfindungsfæhig], Reda El Arbi (Lector)
Niemandes Schlaf , Sven Haupt (Eridanus)
Adam und Ada , Christian Kellermann (Hirnkost)
Neurobiest , Aiki Mira (Eridanus)
Skábma – Das Nanobot-Experiment , Jacqueline Montemurri (Roter Drache)
Tachyon – Die Waffe , Brandon Q. Morris (Fischer Tor)

Publishers Join Iowa Book Ban Lawsuit

Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks have joined a previously reported lawsuit opposing Iowa’s SF 496, a law that seeks to ban books depicting sex or involving gender identity or sexual orientation. They join existing plaintiffs Penguin Random House; the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA); authors Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Malinda Lo, and Jodi Picoult; three teachers; and a high school student.

“We as publishers are uniting ...Read More

2024 Gotham Book Prize Finalists

The finalists have been announced for the 2024 Gotham Book Prize, given for best New York City-based novel, including We Are a Haunting by Tyriek White (Astra) and Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday). The winner will be named at the Queens Public Library’s annual gala on June 5, 2024.

The $50,000 prize was created in July 2020 by Bradley Tusk and Howard Wolfson to “support New York City and ...Read More

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THE SLAIN DIVINE by David Dalglish (Vagrant Gods #3)

THE MARS HOUSE by Natasha Pulley

DRAGON MAGE by M.L. Spencer (Rivenworld #1)

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SFFWorld Review of the Year – 2023 (part 4)

SFFWorld Review of the Year – 2023 (part 3)

Best Fantasy Books

These books are absolutely the best Fantasy books we’ve ever read. You might notice that nowhere in that statement did we qualify this list as being “the best fantasy books of all time”. That would just be silly. We’re not trying to elucidate any differences between The Lord of the Rings and The Worm Ourboros, or how one might apply to them a comparison of books in A Song of Ice and Fire or The Wheel of Time. Suffice it to say, there are some books out there with History (capital H), but we’re just going to talk about those that have EBR history (lowercase h), because those are the ones we really care about. Yeah? So here they are. It should probably be said that this list will likely change as we read more books or decide that we just like something else better. We’re finicky like that, and we’re entitled to it. So don’t get too caught up on how these are all ranked. People seem to like numbered lists. So that’s how we’ve slapped them together here. Generally those at the top of the list are better, in our opinion, than those at the bottom, but any other comparisons are really going to be played fast and loose.

You’ll also notice that not all of these books are the first of a series. Or last books. That’s by design, as these are the best “books” that we’ve ever read. So we don’t necessarily want to you go getting all excited about this list and read all of these books right this minute. Read them all — yes — but don’t ruin the experience by reading a book out of series order. That would just make us sad for you. And you wouldn’t want that, would you?

If you have suggestions for our list, feel free to comment, and we’ll see if we agree with you, or if we have happened to overlook something (yes, it’s possible), or whatever.

Regardless, this list is for all of you. So, happy reading.

#1 – Skin Game

If you know Urban Fantasy, then you know Dresden Files. And if you don’t… seriously, you don’t know how awesome Urban Fantasy can be. Dresden Files is easily one of the top, if not THE top, Urban Fantasy series that has ever been written. Butcher does story so freaking well, and this book was one of the craziest, awesomest, most brilliant examples of how this series has just killed it every time it’s stepped up to bat. Honestly, there are a lot of great examples of awesome books in this series, but when thinking about this series, this book stands out to us. Once you get to it, it’ll stand out for you too.

#2 – The Hod King

Josiah Bancroft kind of blew us away the first time we read his stuff in the SPFBO put up by Mark Lawrence. How in the ever-loving world had this guy not been published by someone? Seriously. By the time that this book rolled around, we were so totally ready to get into the beauty and brilliance of the story built around the friends of Tom Senlin, as he does everything in his power to find his wife amidst the mercies and mysteries of the Tower of Babel. Such good reading and brilliantly-well told fantasy that deserves a position on everyone’s shelves.

#3 – Half the World

Joe Abercrombie is going to be near the top, if not at the top, of every kind of list for which his books may apply. We just love the way this dude writes. And his dive into the Young Adult genre both frightened and titillated us. This is the second book in the series, and is quite simply one of the most engaging and entertaining reads we’ve ever had the pleasure of taking. There are a lot of great books out there, but Joe just does that thing for us. Gives us that whammy that we love to feel.

#4 – The Price of Spring

This is the final book in Daniel Abraham’s Long Price Quartet ( EBR Archive ), and is the culmination of all the story told in the three previous novels. It’s a book set in a world that has hints of Asian culture, and is built on the magic of the andat, power made carnate, that are controlled by the poets of the Khaiem. It is beautiful and powerful and unexpected in ways that are inevitable that make this one of the best stories to be told in the realm of fantasy fiction. This is the series that made us fans of his for life, and he’s still gone on to write even more impressive stories along the way.

#5 – Memories of Ice

This is the series ( EBR Archive ) that absolutely destroyed our concept of what the “Epic” in Epic Fantasy means, and this is the book where that misconception was lost. After finishing most of this series, Erikson stated that he’d likely have chosen to start the series in a different spot, given what he knew by that point. Memories of Ice was also the tipping point in turning this amazing series from a world of difficult learning curves to a wide vista of absolute brilliance. Can’t say enough good about this series, and this book in particular.

#6 – The Lies of Locke Lamora

Scott Lynch is perhaps one of the strongest examples of writers that know their craft. He has a power over words that allows him to evoke strength and subtlety and wonder and mystery into nearly everything he writes. This book was his debut novel, which is an incredibly impressive feat indeed. He introduces the city of Camorr, the characters of Locke and Jean, and a history of them both that is solid and varied.

#7 – Emperor of Thorns

At times I think it’d be hard to not have all of these books be series-enders, but we can’t help it with this one. Steve picked this out as one of his favorite series ever. It’s a brilliant book in a brilliant series about the ruthless character Jorg, as he makes the decisions that he has to make to reach his goals. Such a great book. Dark fantasy to the max, yes, but that’s kind of the direction that most of our reviewers have leaned here at EBR.

#8 – The Liberation

This is another of those “last” books in the series that was so absolutely brilliant. Tregillis has presented an amazing alternate history, built upon the backs of the slaved clakkers (autonomous robots) that were invented by the Dutch. It’s a story of slavery and resistance, told from the perspectives of Jax the clakker, the Dutch, and their enemies the French alike, and weaves a narrative that is funny and endearing and powerful. Even though such a tale might sound science fictional, what with artificial intelligences and such, it’s very much a fantasy at heart. And it’s one that we absolutely loved reading.

#9 – A Game of Thrones

We’re kind of on the fence about this series, but it’s hard to deny that this first book was a great setup for the rest of everything that cam afterward. The focus on the Stark family and the political “games” that the nobility of the varied realms play that end in so much destruction for those from the north country is pretty impressive. It’s sad and enlightening and inspiring and revolting in turns. There are characters to love and characters to hate. And it’s all so incredibly well-written from this master of prose.

#10 – The Darkness That Comes Before

Easily one of the most impressive fantasy books to be published in recent years. The scope and size of the wordlbuilding is reminiscent of Malazan, and brings into the fray science fiction concepts as well. The writing is far-superior to the large majority of fantasy, and the author brings in concepts of philosophy and self-introspection that bring intelligence and study to a genre that so often gets lost in sword fights and magical dragons. Not that swords and dragons are bad, or that this world lacks those aspects (as it doesn’t), but that there is just more to this story that raises the bar for others in the field.

#11 – The Eye of the World

In a genre that was mostly founded on The Lord of the Rings, there were many many copycats influenced by J.R.R. Tolkein’s seminal work. But The Wheel of Time ( EBR Archive ) took those basic elements and made them brand new. THE EYE OF THE WOLRD was first published in 1990 and in the thirty years since there’s been an explosion in Fantasy — sideways into unexplored territory. While Jordan didn’t influence writers quite so much as Tolkein, he did change how Fantasy stories were told. THE EYE OF THE WORLD takes the chosen one theme and twists it into a ginormous epic with corrupted magic, glorified witches, an impressive cast of enemies and friends, and cultures galore. A vast vision indeed.

#12 – The Black Prism

This series one book isn’t necessarily better than the other, they’re best viewed as a whole because Brent Weeks does a fantastic job at building the characters, magic, and setting as he progresses across the series. The magic is unusual (drafters turn light into a physical luxin), the characters are tortured, the plotting is twisty, and while the setting starts out so-so, Weeks doesn’t squander a reader’s time. Each novel has great movement, mind-blowing events, and plenty of the weird and strange. His first series was rough, if full of potential; but The Lightbringer series is on a whole other level: big, bold, a little quirky, and definitely flashy.

Parent page: Best-of Lists

Have you overlooked anyone? I dunno, maybe a woman or any POC of color. Guess none of them have been good enough in the 30 year span of the books listed.

I don’t know. Have we? Make a suggestion, if you think other books deserve to be on this list of ours. If we think they belong there, then we’ll add em in.

What we’re not going to do is list books here that include “a woman or any POC of color” just because they include “a woman or any POC of color”, just like we won’t list books here that include “a man or someone that’s white” just because they include “a man or someone that’s white”.

We’re looking for awesome story and well-drawn characters. Source doesn’t matter. Inclusion doesn’t matter. Just goodness.

This list is missing “The Goblin Emperor”. Sigh.

Alas. Not all books make the cut.

I would recommend “Waylander” to represent David Gemmell. I feel like he should be in there somewhere, an award was named for him for a reason.

Deal. There’s a part of me that’s a little ashamed to admit I’ve never read any Gemmell. Have heard TONS of good stuff about him, but have just never gotten to his stuff. Will put that one on our TBR list for sure.

Although, that doesn’t help us much with regard to the earlier comment about a decided lack of authors on our list that are women and/or POC. 🙂

Thanks for the suggestion, Cliff. Appreciate it.

Going to publish my review of Legend tomorrow. Such a good read. I’m sort of on the fence about including it on this list (mostly due to the quality of more recent books), but Gemmell is absolutely going to make our list of Best Fantasy Authors, a page that will eventually be added to the site.

Thanks bundles for the suggestion, Cliff. Appreciate it.

Agree with most of your list. Haven’t read Ian tregillis and Josiah Bancroft books, looking forward to reading these series. One series- author that can be their on your list could be Robin Hobbs Farseer Trilogy

Ritika! Been a while. 🙂 Glad to see you back around.

Thanks for the new suggestion. I think we’re going to have to work something into the site to track all suggestions for these lists.

If your talking fantasy, Terry Brooks needs to be in the list. Something from the word and the void, or Shannara book 4-7 come to mind. I’m gonna check some of the books out from this list, thank you

Reminding me yet again that I need to get some sort of “reader-suggested books” list on these pages.

Man, it’s been a long time since I read the Shannara books. I definitely remember enjoying the second series even more than the first, which was still some solid-good story telling.

Thanks for the comment, Troy. Hope you can find some goodness in the other entries on our list here.

Hello! It looks like our lists overlap a little bit!

George R.R. Martin is a phenomenal writer. He has an almost academic way of writing that appeals to readers of all skill levels. He has also mastered the art of vivid imagery that will entertain even the most twisted of minds.

**I read your comment about females and POC, BUTTTT if you would like an excellent female suggestion, Robin McKinley’s “Deerskin” is a must-read.**

I did read Deerskin and while it was great (as are most of McKinely’s stuff) I’m not sure it has the epic quality Dan was looking for. It definitely would make a list for great myth/fairytale re-tellings.

Some of my favorite fantasy novels: Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover Nightfall by Mickey Zucker Reichert The Chosen and the Changeling (The Waterborn, Blackgod) by J Gregory Keyes Declare by Tim Powers Spiderlight by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Well reasoned and put-together list. Mr. Correia or his co-host on the Cast made me find my way here and what I´ve seen so far it looks like a great site.

Thanks, Dane! Hope to see you around.

The Chronicles of the Black Company – Glenn Cook.

Gah! You are, of course, correct there. Will have to remedy that. Have a copy of this book in my library, but it’s been an age since I read it. Will throw it onto the top of the TBR pile and put together an entry for it when I’m done. Thanks for the course-correction there, Robert.

You can see a nice list over here: https://www.thefantasybooks.com/top-25-best-fantasy-books

There are some good entries there as well. Although, I will never be convinced that The Night Circus is anything other than a complete waste of time. Hated that book. Ugh.

Thanks, Dan. Based on the suggestions in this page I picked up the Senlin series…WOW !! Josiah Bancroft knows his craft !! Loved all 4 books of the Senlin series (although I thought the ending was left a bit too ‘open’).

From there, went on to read all 3 books of broken empire trilogy considering that it was Mark Lawrence who brought the brilliance of Josiah to the world. Am a sucker for dark fantasies and absolutely loved the books . Honorous Jorg Ancrath is a brilliant character!!

What do you think about including some of Leigh Bardugo’s work from the Girshverse here in this list ? How about Six of Crows ? Loved that duology and I would rate Kaz Brekker as powerful a character as Jorg of Ancrath !!

Cool. Glad we could help steer you in a direction that paid dividends. Vanessa actually did a review for Six of Crows a few years ago ( EBR Review ) and she seemed to like it quite a bit.

Agreed with this list entirely! Have you read Quantum by Roy Magara? It’s a fantasy novel that was published this year. Awesome start to a trilogy and worth a read if you are into new and upcoming authors.

Haven’t read that one, but we’ve cut waaaaaay back on what we’re getting through these days. Will have to check that one out though. Thanks. 🙂

I would recommend the Chronicles of an Urban Druid series and Casefiles of an urban Druid series by Auburn Tempest and Michael Anderle out of all the series that I’ve read lately it was nice to read a fantasy that had some humour.

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The 13 Best Book Review Sites and Book Rating Sites

Knowing where to buy books can be challenging. So, here are the best book review sites to help you avoid buying books that you'll regret reading.

Nobody likes to spend money on a new book only to face that overwhelming feeling of disappointment when it doesn't live up to your expectations. The solution is to check out a few book review sites before you hit the shops. The greater the diversity of opinions you can gather, the more confidence you can have that you'll enjoy the title.

Which book review and book rating sites are worth considering? Here are the best ones.

1. Goodreads

Goodreads is arguably the leading online community for book lovers. If you want some inspiration for which novel or biography to read next, this is the book review site to visit.

There's an endless number of user-generated reading lists to explore, and Goodreads itself publishes dozens of "best of" lists across a number of categories. You can do a book search by plot or subject , or join book discussions and reading groups with thousands of members.

You can participate in the community by adding your own rankings to books you've read and leaving reviews for other people to check out. Occasionally, there are even bonus events like question and answer sessions with authors.

2. LibraryThing

LibraryThing is the self-proclaimed largest book club in the world. It has more than 2.3 million members and is one of the best social networking platforms for book lovers .

With a free account, you can add up to 200 books to your library and share them with other users. But it's in the other areas where LibraryThing can claim to be one of the best book review sites.

Naturally, there are ratings, user reviews, and tags. But be sure to click on the Zeitgeist tab at the top of the page. It contains masses of information, including the top books by rating, by the number of reviews, by authors, and loads more.

3. Book Riot

Book Riot is a blog. It publishes listicles on dozens of different topics, many of which review the best books in a certain genre. To give you an idea, some recent articles include Keeping Hoping Alive: 11 Thrilling YA Survival Stories and The Best Historical Fiction Books You’ve Never Heard Of .

Of course, there's also plenty of non-reading list content. If you have a general affinity for literature, Book Riot is definitely worth adding to the list of websites you browse every day.

Bookish is a site that all members of book clubs should know about. It helps you prep for your next meeting with discussion guides, book quizzes, and book games. There are even food and drink suggestions, as well as playlist recommendations.

But the site is more than just book club meetings. It also offers lots of editorial content. That comes in the form of author interviews, opinion essays, book reviews and recommendations, reading challenges, and giveaways.

Be sure to look at the Must-Reads section of the site regularly to get the latest book reviews. Also, it goes without saying that the people behind Bookish are book lovers, too. To get a glimpse of what they’re reading, check out their Staff Reads articles.

5. Booklist

Booklist is a print magazine that also offers an online portal. Trusted experts from the American Library Association write all the book reviews.

You can see snippets of reviews for different books. However, to read them in full, you will need to subscribe. An annual plan for this book review site costs $184.95 per year.

6. Fantasy Book Review

Fantasy Book Review should be high on the list for anyone who is a fan of fantasy works. The book review site publishes reviews for both children's books and adults' books.

It has a section on the top fantasy books of all time and a continually updated list of must-read books for each year. You can also search through the recommended books by sub-genres such as Sword and Sorcery, Parallel Worlds, and Epic Fantasy.

7. LoveReading

LoveReading is one of the most popular book review sites in the UK, but American audiences will find it to be equally useful.

The site is divided into fiction and non-fiction works. In each area, it publishes weekly staff picks, books of the month, debuts of the month, ebooks of the month, audiobooks of the month, and the nationwide bestsellers. Each book on every list has a full review that you can read for free.

Make sure you also check out their Highlights tab to get book reviews for selected titles of the month. In Collections , you'll also find themed reading lists such as World War One Literature and Green Reads .

Kirkus has been involved in producing book reviews since the 1930s. This book review site looks at the week's bestselling books, and provides lengthy critiques for each one.

As you'd expect, you'll also find dozens of "best of" lists and individual book reviews across many categories and genres.

And while you're on the site, make sure you click on the Kirkus Prize section. You can look at all the past winners and finalists, complete with the accompanying reviews of their books.

Although Reddit is a social media site, you can use it to get book reviews of famous books, or almost any other book for that matter! Reddit has a Subreddit, r/books, that is dedicated to book reviews and reading lists.

The subreddit has weekly scheduled threads about a particular topic or genre. Anyone can then chip in with their opinions about which books are recommendable. Several new threads are published every day, with people discussing their latest discovery with an accompanying book rating or review.

You'll also discover a weekly recommendation thread. Recent threads have included subjects such as Favorite Books About Climate Science , Literature of Indigenous Peoples , and Books Set in the Desert . There’s also a weekly What are you Reading? discussion and frequent AMAs.

For more social media-like platforms, check out these must-have apps for book lovers .

10. YouTube

YouTube is not the type of place that immediately springs to mind when you think of the best book review sites online.

Nonetheless, there are several engaging YouTube channels that frequently offer opinions on books they've read. You’ll easily find book reviews of famous books here.

Some of the most notable book review YouTube channels include Better Than Food: Book Reviews , Little Book Owl , PolandBananasBooks , and Rincey Reads .

Amazon is probably one of your go-to site when you want to buy something. If you don’t mind used copies, it’s also one of the best websites to buy second-hand books .

Now, to get book reviews, just search and click on a title, then scroll down to see the ratings and what others who have bought the book are saying. It’s a quick way to have an overview of the book’s rating. If you spot the words Look Inside above the book cover, it means you get to preview the first few pages of the book, too!

Regardless of the praises or criticisms you have heard from other book review sites, reading a sample is the most direct way to help you gauge the content’s potential and see whether the author’s writing style suits your tastes.

12. StoryGraph

StoryGraph is another good book review site that's worth checking out. The book rating is determined by the site's large community of readers. Key in the title of a book you're interested in and click on it in StoryGraph's search results to have an overall view of its rating.

Each book review provides information on the moods and pacing of the story. It also indicates whether the tale is plot or character-driven, what readers feel about the extent of character development, how lovable the characters generally are, and the diversity of the cast.

13. London Review of Books

The London Review of Books is a magazine that covers a range of subjects such as culture, literature, and philosophy. Part of its content includes amazingly detailed book reviews. If you feel that most modern book reviews are too brief for your liking, the London Review of Books should suit you best.

You'll gain insight into the flow and themes of the story, as well as a more thorough picture of the events taking place in the book.

Read Book Reviews Before You Buy

The book review sites we've discussed will appeal to different types of readers. Some people will be more comfortable with the easy-to-interpret book rating systems; others will prefer extensive reviews written by experienced professionals.

Although it’s easy to be tempted by a gorgeous book cover, it’s always best to have a quick look at the book reviews before actually buying a copy. This way, you can save your money and spend it on the books that you’ll be proud to display on your shelves for a long time. And check out recommendations, as well, to help you find what's worth reading.

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80 Best Fantasy Book Blogs and Websites

Fantasy Faction
Pat's Fantasy Hotlist Blog
The Fantasy Hive
Fantasy Book Critic Blog
Hodderscape
Fantasy Literature
NewInBooks » Fantasy
Perpetual Page-Turner Blog » Fantasy
Den of Geek » Fantasy Books
Lindsay Buroker
Culturess » Fantasy Book
Fantasy Cafe
Dragonmount.com » Fantasy Reviews
SciFiChick.com
Jo Fletcher Books
C.A. King Blog
Alma Alexander
Aconite Cafe
Charlotte's Library Blog
D.B. Jackson Blog
Fanna for Books
FanFiAddict » Fantasy
My World...in words and pages
FantasyBookNerd
Sci-Fi Fan Letter Blog
SFBook » Fantasy Book Reviews
The Fantasy Inn
Fantasy and Sci-fi Focus
Justincalcala Blog
Mighty Mama Bear's Book Blog » Fantasy
Fantasy Author's Handbook
Stars Uncounted - Ian's Fantasy Bookshelf
Sarah Ash Blog
Fantasy Book Place
She Reads Romance Books » Fantasy Romance
A Phuulish Fellow
G. Scott Huggins
Morgan G Farris
Thinklings Books Blog
Making Believe
Grasspeople
The Fantasy Nook Blog
Katie Rodante Blog
Chelle's Book Rambling » Fantasy
Land of Oyr
Revolutionary Readers
A Maze Of Words
Risingshadow
The Fiction Factory Blog
The Emerald City Book Review by Lory
Always Trust In Books » Fantasy Books
Aderyn Wood Blog
Books: A True Story » Fantasy
Christopher Patterson Blog
Thoughts on Fantasy
The Middle Shelf
Fluff about Fantasy
Nicholas Kotar Blog
Dark of Winter Blog
Fantasy Muse
Attilio Guardo Blog
Jennifer Zamboni Blog
H.A. Byrd Blog
Wilbur Arron Blog
Sefiros Eishi Chased by Flame
The Second World

Fantasy Book Bloggers

Fantasy Book Newsletter

Fantasy Book Blogs

Here are 80 Best Fantasy Book Blogs you should follow in 2024

1. Fantasy Faction

2. SFFWorld

3. Pat's Fantasy Hotlist Blog

4. The Fantasy Hive

5. Fantasy Book Critic Blog

6. Hodderscape

7. Fantasy Literature

8. NewInBooks » Fantasy

9. Perpetual Page-Turner Blog » Fantasy

10. Den of Geek » Fantasy Books

11. Lindsay Buroker

12. Culturess » Fantasy Book

13. Tim Lebbon

14. Fantasy Cafe

15. Dragonmount.com » Fantasy Reviews

16. SciFiChick.com

17. Fonda Lee

18. Jo Fletcher Books

19. C.A. King Blog

20. Alma Alexander

21. Aconite Cafe

22. Charlotte's Library Blog

23. D.B. Jackson Blog

24. Fanna for Books

25. FanFiAddict » Fantasy

26. My World...in words and pages

27. FantasyBookNerd

28. Sci-Fi Fan Letter Blog

29. SFBook » Fantasy Book Reviews

30. The Fantasy Inn

31. Fantasy and Sci-fi Focus

32. Justincalcala Blog

33. Mighty Mama Bear's Book Blog » Fantasy

34. Fantasy Author's Handbook

35. Stars Uncounted - Ian's Fantasy Bookshelf

36. Sarah Ash Blog

37. Fantasy Book Place

38. She Reads Romance Books » Fantasy Romance

39. A Phuulish Fellow

40. Fine Print

41. G. Scott Huggins

42. Morgan G Farris

43. Thinklings Books Blog

44. Egretia

45. Making Believe

46. Grasspeople

47. The Fantasy Nook Blog

48. Katie Rodante Blog

49. Chelle's Book Rambling » Fantasy

50. Land of Oyr

51. Revolutionary Readers

52. A Maze Of Words

53. Risingshadow

54. The Fiction Factory Blog

55. The Emerald City Book Review by Lory

56. Always Trust In Books » Fantasy Books

57. Aderyn Wood Blog

58. Books: A True Story » Fantasy

59. Christopher Patterson Blog

60. Thoughts on Fantasy

61. The Middle Shelf

62. Fluff about Fantasy

63. Nicholas Kotar Blog

64. Dark of Winter Blog

65. Fantasy Muse

66. Attilio Guardo Blog

67. Jennifer Zamboni Blog

68. Iris Marsh

69. H.A. Byrd Blog

70. Wilbur Arron Blog

71. Sefiros Eishi Chased by Flame

72. The Second World

Media Contact Database

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Best Book Review Blogs in 2024

Showing 240 blogs that match your search.

Books In Her Head

http://booksinherhead.com/

I generally review YA books with the occasional literary fiction (adult) or middle grade review. The books I choose to read are a combination of my interests/recommendations and ARCs that have come into my possession. All finished copies/ARCs received from publishers are reviewed with the same integrityÛÒthe sourcing of my copy does not affect how truthful my review will be.

Blogger : Mary

Genres : YA and Contemporary Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 12

👀 Average monthly visits: 3,000 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Email

⭐️ Accepts indie books? No

Reader Views Book Reviews

https://readerviewsarchives.wordpress.com/

Reader Views started in 2005 as a book review service. We quickly identified a need for indie author representation in the literary world and expanded into offering a variety of services to help capture the attention of potential readers.

Blogger : Reader Views Team

Genres : Children's, Contemporary Fiction, Erotica, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, New Adult, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, and YA

🌐 Domain authority: 40

👀 Average monthly visits: 100 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Website contact form

⭐️ Accepts indie books? Yes

The Lesbrary

http://lesbrary.com/

The Lesbrary is a book blog all about les/bi/etc books. Yes, this often means lesbian books (hence the name), but includes anything in the broad ÛÏdoesn't identify as a man and is at least some of the time attracted romantically and/or sexually to others who do not identify as a manÛ category. Lesbrary books don't have to be written by a queer author, though it helps.

Blogger : The Lesbrarians

Genres : Contemporary Fiction and LGBT

🌐 Domain authority: 37

👀 Average monthly visits: 7,000 p/mo

The Perpetual Page-Turner

http://perpetualpageturner.com/

Simply put, The Perpetual Page-Turner is a book blog that has no boundaries. I read and review young adult literature of all genres, adult fiction (of most genres) and non-fiction (mostly travelogues and memoirs). Think of it as sitting down with a friend (with some margaritas and chips & guac) and just talking back and forth about the latest book you just read or want to read.

Blogger : Jamie

Genres : YA, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, and Non-Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 45

👀 Average monthly visits: 9,200 p/mo

Stacked Books

http://www.stackedbooks.org/

STACKED welcomes your input and accepts material for review. We are honest and critical in our reviews, but acknowledge the five laws of Ranganathan. We believe that nearly all materials have an audience, and it is our goal to help identify that audience.

Blogger : Kelly & Kimberly

Genres : YA, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction, and Non-Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 50

👀 Average monthly visits: 15,000 p/mo

Shelly's Book Corner

https://shellysbookcorner.com/

The blog consists of Shelly (me) and my two reviewers, Beth and Lourdes. We accept review requests based on our schedules. Our calendars fill up pretty quickly, so if you are looking for a review we need at least 8 to 12 weeks prior notice before its released or 8 to 12 weeks to read and review after release.

Blogger : Shelly, Beth & Lourdes

Genres : YA, Romance, Mystery/Thriller, and Erotica

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Two Ends Of The Pen

https://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com/

If you would like to request a review, please send me an email with a brief description of your book and the buy links. Please DO NOT attach any files to your request for review. I will let you know if I'm interested in reviewing your book. I cannot review every book submitted to me because of the overwhelming number of submissions. Please, no horror, true crime, memoirs, or children's books.

Blogger : Debra & David

Genres : Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, and Science Fiction

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The Book Club Girl

https://www.bookclubgirl.com/

Book Club Girl is a promotional service of HarperCollins Publishers offering reviews and resources for book clubs. I review fiction and nonfiction that is appropriate for book clubs. This includes literary and some women's commercial fiction as well as memoir and narrative nonfiction. I do not review self-help, thrillers, mysteries, horror, or fantasy.

Blogger : HarperCollins

Genres : YA, Contemporary Fiction, and Non-Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 82

Books Can Save A Life

https://bookscansavealife.com/

I emphasize nonfiction and especially love to feature nature and environmental writing, gardening, and books about social justice, sustainability, and our future. I write about books that can save lives on a personal level and collectively.

Blogger : Valorie Hanninan

Genres : Non-Fiction

🌐 Domain authority: 23

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Books, Coffee & Passion

https://bookscoffeeandpassion.wordpress.com/

My name is Andie, I'm 32 and live in a beautiful small town. I have a lot of passions but books are my #1 crush. After spending years following other book blogs, I needed to create my own to gush about books with fellow book lovers. Feel free to contact me. Happy reading!

Blogger : Andie

Genres : Romance

🌐 Domain authority: 30

👀 Average monthly visits: 500 p/mo

Redeemed Reader

http://www.redeemedreader.com/

We love the classics, but we also review lots of new books. In fact, most of our reviews are of books published within the last two or three years. This is partly because these books will be more readily available at your local library, but we also believe that reading newer books helps us define our salt-and-light mission.

Blogger : The Redeemed Reader Team

Genres : Children's and Christian

👀 Average monthly visits: 10,000 p/mo

Readaraptor

http://www.readaraptor.co.uk/

Hi there! I'm Raimy and I would love any opportunity to review books from authors or publishers. I am happy to post my review both on my blog and at Amazon and/or Goodreads. However, I can only promise posts at the separate sites if requested.

Blogger : Raimy

Genres : YA, Romance, and Mystery/Thriller

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http://bookpage.com/

BookPage reviews almost every category of new books, including literary and popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, audiobooks and gift books. We rarely review poetry or scholarly books, and we do not give review consideration to self-published books, print-on-demand titles or books from presses that lack major distribution.

Blogger : Book Page Contributors

Genres : YA, Crime, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction, Paranormal, New Adult, Children's, LGBT, Humor, Horror, and Urban Fantasy

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Aestas Book Blog

http://www.aestasbookblog.com/

I will read any book as long as I like the sound of it & I'm equally open to indie books and traditionally published ones. The only thing that matters to me is whether the story is one that intrigues me.

Blogger : Aestas

Genres : Romance and Paranormal

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http://bookbinge.com/

We review independent authors and presses, as well as traditionally published works. Please be advised, however, that we'll be honest, and just because you submitted it does not mean you'll get a glowing review. If your book sucks big donkey balls, we're going to tell the world. Just kidding. Well, not really. Also, please be aware that submitting a book does not guarantee a review.

Blogger : Book Binge Team

Genres : YA, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, New Adult, and Erotica

So you want to find a book blog?

If you’re a voracious reader, you might think of a book blog as an oasis in the middle of the desert: a place on the Internet that brims with talk about books, books, and more books.

Well, good news — we built this directory of the 200 of the best book blogs to satiate your thirst. Take a walk around, use the filters to narrow down your search to blogs in your preferred genre, and feel free to bookmark this page and come back, as we do update it regularly with more of the best book blogs out there.

If you’re an aspiring author, you might see a book blog more as a book review blog: a place where you can get your yet-to-be published book reviewed. In that case, you’ll be glad to know that most of the book blogs in our directory are open to review requests and accept indie books! We expressly designed this page (and our book marketing platform, Reedsy Discovery ) to be useful to indie book authors who need book reviews. If you’re wondering how to approach a book blog for a review request, please read on.

You’ve found a book blog. Now what?

Let’s say that you’re an author, and you’ve found a couple of book blogs that would be perfect fits to review your book. What now? Here are some tips as you go about getting your book reviews:

Be sure to read the review policy. First, check that the book blog you’re querying is open to review requests. If that’s the fortunate case, carefully read the blog’s review policy and make sure that you follow the directions to a T.
Individualize your pitches. Book bloggers will be able to immediately tell apart the bulk pitches, which simply come across as thoughtless and indifferent. If you didn’t take the time to craft a good pitch, why should the blogger take the time to read your book? Personalize each pitch to up your chances of getting a response.
Format your book in a professional manner before sending it out. Ensure that your manuscript isn’t presented sloppily. If the book blogger asks for a digital ARC, you might want to check out apps such as Instafreebie or Bookfunnel.
Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. Wading through so many book blogs can be troublesome — not to mention trying to remember which ones you’ve already contacted. To save yourself the time and trouble, use a simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of your progress (and results).

Looking to learn even more about the process? Awesome 👍 For a detailed guide, check out this post that’s all about getting book reviews .

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Composite image of Chloe Gong and Sara J Maas in front of an array of book covers from famous romantacy books

What is romantasy? Our experts explain the bestselling book trend

Senior Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, Deakin University

PhD, Paratexts in Genre Fiction, The University of Queensland

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In 2015, Sarah J. Maas published A Court of Thorns and Roses , in which teen heroine Feyre is swept away from her human life into a world of magical fairy court intrigue and romance. The novel, which was marketed as young adult, was very popular. It hit, among others, the New York Times bestseller list .

However, the short-term success of the book pales in comparison to the longer-term success of the (five-book) series it belongs to. Maas has now sold 40 million copies of her books worldwide (as of February 2024).

A Court of Thorns and Roses (referred to by fans as ACOTAR) was already popular on bookish social media, but it hit truly extraordinary heights with the emergence of BookTok – the reader-generated, bookish arm of the social media platform TikTok. Almost as soon as BookTok became a phenomenon – in around 2020 – so too did A Court of Thorns and Roses.

As with the works of fellow BookTok sensation Colleen Hoover, A Court of Thorns and Roses’ popularity drove not just book sales, but conversations. Around this book and others like it, a new term crystallised: romantasy.

Romantasy is currently experiencing extraordinary visibility both on digital platforms and in local bookstores .

While concrete data are scarce, there is little doubt it is selling in remarkable numbers, both in Australia and internationally.

Read more: What is BookTok, and how is it influencing what Australian teenagers read?

The marriage of romance and fantasy

To be clear: romance and fantasy are not new bedfellows – they have had a long and healthy relationship. The two genres have been in conversation since Guinevere first saw Lancelot.

a woman with a flowing dress on a horse with a knight in armour

Many authors have made successful careers by exploring romantic tropes in fantasy fiction, or fantastical elements in romance fiction. In the 1970s, Anne Rice famously did the former with her Vampire Chronicles , starting with Interview with the Vampire , adapted into a film in 1994 and a TV series in 2022.

Even earlier than this, Anne McCaffrey infused romance into her fantasy series Dragonriders of Pern , where humans and dragons form lifelong bonds. The first book in this series, Dragonflight, came out in 1967, and featured a strong romantic plot between two dragonriders.

The latter half of the 20th century also gave rise to a boom in two frequently overlapping subgenres: paranormal romance and urban fantasy, where fantastical characters and/or concepts are placed in a real-world setting.

Authors such as Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the series Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter , and Charlaine Harris, whose Sookie Stackhouse series was filmed as the TV series True Blood , achieved enormous success.

This was mirrored in Australia by Keri Arthur , whose Riley Jenson Guardian series with its half-vampire, half-werewolf heroine achieved international success; and in New Zealand, by Nalini Singh , best known for her Psy/Changeling series .

Similarly, timeslip romance – where magical means see characters travel to the past – became very popular in the 1990s, with books such as Jude Deveraux’s A Knight in Shining Armour (1989) and Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander (1991).

Different terms have historically been used to distinguish different versions of the romance–fantasy cocktail. “Romantic fantasy” relied more heavily on fantasy genre conventions, but included strong romantic subplots, such as in Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart (2001) and its sequels, about a courtesan spy in a quasi-medieval Europe.

“Fantasy romance”, on the other hand, was more wedded to the structure of the romance novel, often including the romantic happy ending, but it included fantastical elements and/or settings. Examples of this include The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook (2010), a Victorian London steampunk adventure involving pirates, zombies and nanotechnology.

Like other subgenres of both romance and fantasy, romantic fantasy and fantasy romance have ebbed and flowed in terms of popularity. In young adult fiction, though, their marriage has remained stable.

Perhaps the most famous 21st-century title is Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (from 2005), the first in a paranormal romance series featuring vampires and werewolves. But there are many others: Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series (from 2007) and Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series (from 2007), both about students and teachers at magical boarding schools.

One of the most beloved fantasy fiction tropes – as with much literature written for young adults – is coming-of-age, where protagonists find their own identity while also undertaking various quests. This means protagonists can be quite young, and the line between what is published and marketed as young adult versus adult fantasy is often blurred.

The birth of romantasy

“Romantasy”, therefore, is not new – but the term is.

New life is being breathed into older titles, as BookTokers read them through this romantastical lens. For instance, Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince (2018), about a mortal girl caught up in a web of faerie intrigue, and Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me (2011), about a heroine whose touch can kill. There are 82,700 posts on TikTok tagged #hollyblack , and 55,800 tagged #taherehmafi .

The next generation of authors are taking advantage of romantasy’s popularity, using the term (and related tropes) as hooks. Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and Iron Flame , both released in 2023, are the most visible. Both sit well within the top-selling titles in Australia for 2023 and Fourth Wing won Dymocks Book of the Year ). Its heroine, Violet, learns to survive (and ride dragons) while falling in love with her sworn enemy, Xaden, at a magical military academy.

Authors like Rebecca Ross with her enemies-to-lovers young adult fantasy Divine Rivals (2023) and its sequel Ruthless Vows (2023) are also enjoying great success.

Authors whose slightly older books have been rebranded as romantasy have likewise benefited from increased visibility, like Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights (2020), a reimagination of Romeo and Juliet set in a magic-laden 1920s Shanghai.

Authors from other genres are entering this space too, like romantic comedy author Ali Hazelwood (best known for The Love Hypothesis ), whose usual niche is women in science finding love. Her latest novel is a vampire-werewolf romance, Bride (2024).

Like all publishing trends, the romantasy skyrocket is bound to fall to earth eventually. However, the long history of the marriage between romance and fantasy suggests this union will likely continue to bear fruit for a long time – in one form or another.

Romance fiction

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The best recent crime and thrillers – review roundup

The Spy by Ajay Chowdhury; A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking and Entering by Andrew Hunter Murray; The Kitchen by Simone Buchholz; The Innocents by Bridget Walsh; The Grand Illusion by Syd Moore

The Spy by Ajay Chowdhury ( Harvill Secker , £18.99 ) The fourth novel in Chowdhury’s series sees the former Kolkata policeman turned Met officer Kamil Rahman recruited by MI5 to foil a terrorist plot that’s being hatched in an east London mosque. His attempts to win the trust of the plotters take him to the heart of the Kashmir conflict, an appalling hell-brew of nationalism, personal greed, brutality and suffering. Meanwhile, Brick Lane restaurateur Anjoli, his old friend and sometime employer, also finds herself in danger when she helps family friends investigate the kidnap of their teenage son, who manages to convey clues to his whereabouts by messages referencing the Harry Potter books (readers may realise this rather sooner than Anjoli does, but there’s plenty of exciting distraction while waiting for her to cop on). The plot races to a splendidly dramatic ending; Chowdhury’s writing is compelling and compassionate, especially on the themes of displacement, and divided loyalties personal and political.

A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking & Entering – Andrew Hunter Murray

A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking and Entering by Andrew Hunter Murray ( Hutchinson Heinemann, £18.99 ) Al has found his own solution to the high cost of renting. It’s an unofficial form of house-sitting: breaking, entering and squatting luxury properties while their rich owners are away. Al calls himself an “interloper”, and prides himself on his skill and methodology. However, he is writing his story on a prison computer, so we know, from the off, that things haven’t gone exactly to plan. A series of unexpected developments results in his reluctantly teaming up with three other interlopers, then turning detective when the group become suspects in the murder of one of the house-owners. The hit-and-miss observational comedy could do with a trim, but a propulsive plot, an ingenious narrator and lashings of intrigue make this a genuine and thoroughly enjoyable page-turner.

The Kitchen by Simone Buchholz , translated by Rachel Ward ( Orenda, £9.99 ) The seventh book in award-winning German author Buchholz’s excellent Hamburg-based Chastity Riley series has the public prosecutor investigating a series of neatly parcelled male body parts discovered in the River Elbe. The murdered men, all of whom are known abusers of women, can’t be said to be a great loss to the world, but nevertheless, Chastity must do her job. Meanwhile, her best friend Carla has been raped by two men in the basement of the cafe she owns, and the police are showing very little enthusiasm for tracking down the perpetrators. At what point does one decide that enough is enough and take matters into one’s own hands? Beautifully concise, with commendably sparse prose, dark humour and an appealing protagonist, this in an uncompromising, provocative and righteously fierce examination of the ways in which law and society repeatedly fail 50% of the population.

The Innocents by Bridget Walsh ( Gallic , £12.99 ) Like its predecessor, The Tumbling Girl , which introduced writer-turned-investigator Minnie Ward and her partner in crime-solving, former policeman Albert Easterbrook, Walsh’s second novel is set in late 19th-century London theatreland. Albert continues to solve crime, while Minnie has turned her attention to saving the financially beleaguered Variety Palace music hall. But then the proprietor’s pet monkey goes missing, and a series of apparently unconnected deaths turn out to be linked to a tragedy 14 years earlier, when an audience stampede during a pantomime resulted in the suffocation of 183 children. Walsh, who clearly knows her Victorians, writes with gusto. Whether she’s detailing the sweat, greasepaint and trickery behind theatrical illusion, the bloody savagery of the dog-fighting pit, or the creepily anthropomorphic world of the taxidermy diorama, time past is so vividly evoked that one can almost smell it. Highly recommended.

The Grand Illusion by Syd Moore (Magpie, £16.99) There’s more sleight of hand and derring-do on show in Syd Moore’s latest, which is set in the summer of 1940, when Britain was preparing to repel the Nazi invading force. It’s based, at least in part, on real events. Magician’s assistant Daphne Devine and her boss Jonty Trevelyan, AKA the Grand Mystique, are co-opted by MI5 to work with a group drawn from the worlds of theatre, fashion, zoology and the circus. Their brief is to exploit the German High Command’s belief in the occult by creating a plausible and spectacular magic ritual, which will be reported back to Hitler as proof that Britain is able to harness supernatural forces. Although the wandering point of view is slightly disconcerting, this is a well-researched, vivid and thoroughly entertaining Girl’s Own adventure, with a brave and resourceful heroine who acquits herself well against both the enemy and the endless macro-aggressions from entitled men on her own side. More, please.

Crime fiction
Crime and thrillers roundup

‘The Stone Home’ peers into dark corners and dares readers to look

Crystal hana kim’s historical novel is inspired by horrifying conditions at state-sanctioned reformatory centers in south korea during the 1980s.

If history is made of culture’s collective memory, novelists have an important role in enlarging and complicating that memory — especially when it comes to the lesser-known chapters, even the ones that seem best forgotten. Crystal Hana Kim does exactly that in her courageous new novel, “ The Stone Home ,” which peers into the darkest corners and dares the reader to look.

In the years leading up to the 1988 Seoul Olympics, South Korea ran a number of institutional “reformatories” ostensibly designed to “rehabilitate” vagrants and other marginalized people. That history serves as the foundation for Kim’s novel, which begins in 1980 with 15-year-old Eunju and her mother, who are living a hardscrabble, hand-to-mouth existence when they are abruptly seized by police and locked in an internment camp called the Stone Home. They are given no explanation, no recourse and no information about this place, but they quickly learn they are being held in a state-sponsored hellscape that will take them all their daring and resilience to survive.

The story of Eunju interweaves with that of Sangchul and his older brother, Youngchul. The teenage boys also were captured. Unlike Eunju, they have a home and a family they believe will rescue them; instead, they become prisoners, given no access to the outside world, and no details about where they are or how long they are to remain. Sangchul and Eunju share similarities — they are wily, intelligent, filled with grit and a fierce resolve to escape. They work together in one of the reformatory sweatshops; each has a kind of grudging admiration for the other, but in many ways they’re too alike to become friends.

Intersecting these stories is another narrative line. In 2011, a strange woman appears at Eunju’s doorstep holding a knife. The woman says that the knife belonged to her father, who recently died, and that she has come in search of information. Stunned, Eunju recognizes the knife, an artifact of her past; at the same time, the identity of this visitor begins to dawn on her. Raised in the States, this young Korean American woman named Narae has almost no information about her biological family, but her father has indicated that Eunju holds the answers.

“The Stone Home” is, at its heart, an excavation of family secrets and a claiming of the truth, as Eunju suddenly finds herself unearthing repressed memories. In retelling these traumatic events to Narae, Eunju relives all of them.

The stories are horrific. The inmates of the Stone Home endure inhuman conditions at the hands of deranged individuals, such as Warden and Teacher. The prisoners are starved and beaten, the children are made to work long hours, laboring to meet impossible quotas, churning out fish hooks and sneakers that will be exported and sold overseas. Alliances between the inmates shift; friendships are made and betrayed. Eunju and Sangchul are both bolstered and frustrated by their incarcerated family members. Sangchul chafes against his older brother’s gentler nature, insisting that it’s only through brute strength that one can survive. Eunju frets endlessly over her mother, who will do anything to protect her daughter. More than 30 years later, Eunju despairs of ever being able to adequately convey these experiences to young Narae:

“Her American impatience, her want to find a neat answer she can hold upright in her palm.

“ I’m telling you what he wanted you to know. I point to the deepening sky, as if the answers are written.”

Eunju wishes she could soften these memories for Narae but believes she owes the young woman the unvarnished truth. “The Stone Home” is relentless in its account of brutality: Sometimes the writing is so emotionally overwrought and fragmented that it’s difficult to follow the chain of events. Still, the beauty of Kim’s prose creates a lyrical counterpoint to the atrocities she depicts, heightening the sense of poignancy, intimacy and horror.

Some fiction is both story and testimonial — a bearing witness to lessons that must not be forgotten. Haunting and elegiac, “The Stone Home” is fearless in its clear-eyed recounting. It asks readers to consider our own secret histories, to allow hard truths to be heard and, in so doing, to never let such barbarity happen again.

Diana Abu-Jaber is the author of “Birds of Paradise,” “Origin” and the culinary memoir “Life Without a Recipe.” Her most recent book is “Fencing With the King.”

The Stone Home

By Crystal Hana Kim

William Morrow. 352 pp. $30

More from Book World

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Best books of 2023: See our picks for the 10 best books of 2023 or dive into the staff picks that Book World writers and editors treasured in 2023. Check out the complete lists of 50 notable works for fiction and the top 50 nonfiction books of last year.

Find your favorite genre: Three new memoirs tell stories of struggle and resilience, while five recent historical novels offer a window into other times. Audiobooks more your thing? We’ve got you covered there, too . If you’re looking for what’s new, we have a list of our most anticipated books of 2024 . And here are 10 noteworthy new titles that you might want to consider picking up this April.

Still need more reading inspiration? Super readers share their tips on how to finish more books . Or let poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib explain why he stays in Ohio . You can also check out reviews of the latest in fiction and nonfiction .

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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A Sugary Bonbon of a Novel From a Legendary Foodie

In “The Paris Novel,” Ruth Reichl is a glutton for wish fulfillment.

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The image portrays a range of macarons in a rainbow of colors.

By Mattie Kahn

Mattie Kahn is the author of “Young and Restless: The Girls Who Sparked America’s Revolutions.”

THE PARIS NOVEL, by Ruth Reichl

Stella St. Vincent’s estranged mother dies and leaves her with an unusual bequest: She is to take her modest inheritance and go to Paris.

It’s not an obvious recipe for success, but it does make for an enticing narrative prompt. The heroine of Ruth Reichl’s “The Paris Novel” is not one for impulsive jaunts; her existence is rigidly ordered, a response to the tumult of a traumatic childhood — including episodes of sexual abuse that Reichl narrates in unexpected detail early in the novel. Still, Stella remains a dutiful daughter. Her boss at a small press encourages her to take the trip. She goes.

Stella arrives in 1980s France friendless and with almost no experience of gratification beyond that of a well-placed comma. No romance, no indulgence; she subsists on coffee, toast and boiled eggs in New York and cheap protein in Paris. “Pleasure,” Reichl writes, “was not part of her program.”

After a few weeks of old habits and dismal meals, Stella stumbles into a vintage store where she slips into a Dior dress. Like Cinderella, she cuts a deal: The imperious shopkeeper gets to dictate where Stella should go and what she should eat when she gets there. In exchange, Stella can be someone else for a night and return the dress at no cost the next morning.

Ever the rule-follower, she heads to the iconic Les Deux Magots as instructed, where an old art collector zeros in on her — and the dress. From there, the plot unfurls like a marathon tasting menu.

A former restaurant critic and magazine editor whose debut memoir, “Tender at the Bone,” remains one of the most piquant and delectable of the genre, Reichl peoples her new novel with giants of the Parisian food scene, including Richard Olney and Alain Passard. Their appearances provide a welcome hit of spice, balancing out a sequence of events so rich that I sometimes wondered whether I wanted to gobble the rest of the book down or push it aside, stuffed.

There are wish fulfillment fantasies, and then there’s “The Paris Novel,” in which a woman with no plans and no prospects escapes to Paris and finds not just a mentor turned patron, but a scatterbrained Virgil (in the form of a renowned bookseller, George Whitman), a father figure or two and a convenient romantic partner. Stella embarks on an art caper and develops an appetite for the earthiest delicacies. And magical couturiers aside, it’s the author who waves a magic wand: Despite Stella’s avowed abstemiousness, it turns out she has a phenomenal palate and considerable charm. What greater gifts could a Reichl heroine desire?

So Stella devours all in her path: foie gras, poems, lectures, ortolan, the intricacies of French bureaucracy, cheese and several mysteries of provenance. Antagonists are vanquished. The narrative is sweet, but reminded me less of Ladurée’s towers of pastel macarons than of New York’s old Krispy Kreme locations, where a cutout window let customers watch the doughnuts be fried and dunked. I read Reichl’s latest with a mental picture of her behind the glass, shellacking on the sugar glaze.

Still, Reichl has retained an enthusiastic and undeniable knack for describing food and its attendant thrills. Implausible twists and turns go down easier because Reichl keeps the wine — and mouthwatering prose — flowing.

You could quibble with the likelihood of Stella’s adventure or even wonder what kind of visa she used to enter France, but who can care about odds or immigration status when total transformation is on the menu? Treats don’t need logic, and “The Paris Novel” doesn’t, either. When a waiter drops an extra dessert on the table, better not send it back to the kitchen.

THE PARIS NOVEL | By Ruth Reichl | Random House | 278 pp. | $29

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Home to science fiction, horror, and fantasy book reviews, author interviews, and more. We also talk a lot about movies and TV showes. We hope you enjoy your stay at The Fantasy Review! Sci-fi & Fantasy Book Reviews. 23/03/2024 Book Review: Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan.
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Amber Chen is a Singaporean-Chinese author of SFF and contemporary fiction. She holds a BA and MSci from the University of Cambridge and also has a diploma in screenwriting. Amber spends much of her free time living within Chinese fantasy novels and dramas, and also drinks one too many cups of bubble tea.
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At Fantasy Book Review we are dedicated to reading and reviewing the very best fantasy books for both children and adults (both young and old). Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. The 100 fantasy books that we love most of all. Fantasy Series We Recommend.
Science Fiction Fantasy Book Reviews
Science fiction, fantasy & horror book reviews. SFBook.com is one of the oldest book review sites on the internet, founded back in 1999 in an age before phones became smart and when the leading figure of the free world was respected and even occasionally admired. A non profit site primarily aimed at the Science fiction, fantasy and horror genres (although we do have a growing list of general ...
Fantasy Literature
Fantasy and Science Fiction book, audiobook, and comics reviews. 2211 Fantasy & Science Fiction Authors: A : Aaron, Rachel: Aguirre, Ann: Alpert, Mark: Archer, K.C. Ashwood, Sharon ... Feel free to post a full review of the book here, or a link to the review on your blog, or just write a few sentences about why you thought it was awesome. ...
Book Reviews
Welcome to The Fantasy Hive. We're a collaborative review site run by volunteers who love Fantasy, Sci-fi, Horror, and everything in-between. On our site, you can find not only book reviews but author interviews, cover reveals, excerpts from books, acquisition announcements, guest posts by your favourite authors, and so much more.
Top 100 Fantasy Books
Top 100 Fantasy Books. The 100 fantasy books that we - and other readers - simply cannot recommend highly enough; books that we've all loved reading. Click on a book title to read the full review. 1. A Game Of Thrones by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire) A Song of Ice and Fire is the history lesson you wish you'd had in school.
Best Fantasy 2022
Open Preview. WINNER 105,718 votes. House of Sky and Breath. by. Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author) Fantasy queen Sarah J. Maas takes home her seventh Goodreads Choice Award and her third in a row in the category with House of Sky and Breath the latest in her popular Crescent City series. Angels!
The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2021
The Absolute Book. By Elizabeth Knox (Viking, 640 pp., $28) There's so much vast, sprawling, protean wonder between its covers that "The Absolute Book" could be a fantasy object in and of ...
Best Fantasy 2021
WINNER 111,498 votes. A Court of Silver Flames. by. Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author) Prolific author Sarah J. Maas notches her sixth GCA prize with this fourth installment in the insanely popular series A Court of Thorns and Roses. Maas' imaginative world-building is something to behold—a kind of fractal blossoming of fantasy, romance, and ...
The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time
The 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. With a panel of leading fantasy authors—N.K. Jemisin, Neil Gaiman, Sabaa Tahir, Tomi Adeyemi, Diana Gabaldon, George R.R. Martin, Cassandra Clare and ...
Best Fantasy Book Review Blogs in 2024
Flora's Musings is a blog dedicated to adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy and paranormal cozy mysteries. It's run by Flora: a menopausal fifty-something from South-West England. Blogger : Flora Gatehouse. Genres : Fantasy. 🌐 Domain authority: 19. 👀 Average monthly visits: 1,000 p/mo.
Fantasy books + Reviews
The Book of Love by Kelly Link review - a magical debut of life after life. Published: 24 Feb 2024 . ... About 278 results for Fantasy books + Reviews.
Literary Hub
24 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books to Look Forward to in 2024 Exciting New Series' and Standalones From Kelly Link, Lev Grossman, Sofia Samatar, James S.A. Corey, and More. January 2, 2024. Read Full Story. ... 5 Book Reviews You Need to Read This Week. By Book Marks April 18, 2024
Locus Online
If you enjoy our book reviews, news, recommendations, and resources… if you value keeping up on new books and staying in touch with the field… Support our work via Locus Patreon and show the love, so we can keep doing the magazine, the website, and the Locus Awards! Books, short fiction, art, conventions, publishing industry news ...
SFFWorld
Here's our now traditional Review of the Year, pointing out what we liked most. In Part 3, its: Science Fiction Books (Part 1… Read the rest of this entry
The Best Book Review Sites
It's a site for every kind of reader, with abundant ways to comment and interact. 2. LibraryThing. Review styles: star rating, recommendation, community reviews. This is the OG of all online book catalogues and discussion boards — take a look and you'll see that it's an oldie but a goodie.
Best Fantasy Books
Dresden Files is easily one of the top, if not THE top, Urban Fantasy series that has ever been written. Butcher does story so freaking well, and this book was one of the craziest, awesomest, most brilliant examples of how this series has just killed it every time it's stepped up to bat. Honestly, there are a lot of great examples of awesome ...
The 13 Best Book Review Sites and Book Rating Sites
Book Riot is a blog. It publishes listicles on dozens of different topics, many of which review the best books in a certain genre. To give you an idea, some recent articles include Keeping Hoping Alive: 11 Thrilling YA Survival Stories and The Best Historical Fiction Books You've Never Heard Of.. Of course, there's also plenty of non-reading list content.
SF REVIEWS.NET
Welcome to SF REVIEWS.NET, where discriminating readers of SF and fantasy will find in-depth reviews of hundreds of books both new and old. Thanks for visiting and I hope you find the site a helpful resource for years to come! Set a bookmark or subscribe to the RSS feed. — Thomas M. Wagner (If you're a first-time visitor, check the Greeting ...
80 Best Fantasy Book Blogs and Websites To Follow in 2024
Here are 80 Best Fantasy Book Blogs you should follow in 2024. 1. Fantasy Faction. Fantasy Faction is the World's leading Fantasy Book community with News, Reviews, Writing Articles & Author Interviews. 2. SFFWorld. A source to find the best in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.
Kirkus Reviews
Book reviews, recommendations, and the latest literary news from the most trusted voice in book discovery, Kirkus Reviews . This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. ... Featuring 346 industry-first reviews of fiction, nonfiction, children's and YA books; also in this special ...
Best Book Review Blogs in 2024
Book Club Girl is a promotional service of HarperCollins Publishers offering reviews and resources for book clubs. I review fiction and nonfiction that is appropriate for book clubs. This includes literary and some women's commercial fiction as well as memoir and narrative nonfiction. I do not review self-help, thrillers, mysteries, horror, or ...
9 New Books We Recommend This Week
From Megan O'Grady's review. Mariner | $37.50. OUT OF THE DARKNESS: The Germans, 1942-2022. Frank Trentmann. Over the past eight decades, the public debates about guilt and suffering in the ...
Book Review: 'My Beloved Monster' by Caleb Carr
To put it mildly, "My Beloved Monster" is no Fancy Feast commercial. All of the cats in it, city and country — Carr has lived in both, though the action is centered at his house on a ...
All That Glitters by Orlando Whitfield, review: how to get ahead in
All That Glitters, Orlando Whitfield's memoir of his time as a dealer, shows that to get ahead you need guts, charm - and criminal instinct. Only in a work of satirical fiction, surely, could ...
What is romantasy? Our experts explain the bestselling book trend
Published: April 17, 2024 8:38pm EDT. In 2015, Sarah J. Maas published A Court of Thorns and Roses, in which teen heroine Feyre is swept away from her human life into a world of magical fairy ...
The best recent crime and thrillers
A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering by Andrew Hunter Murray (Hutchinson Heinemann, £18.99) Al has found his own solution to the high cost of renting. It's an unofficial form of house ...
'The Stone Home' historical fiction review
Crystal Hana Kim's historical novel is inspired by horrifying conditions at state-sanctioned reformatory centers in South Korea during the 1980s. Review by Diana Abu-Jaber. April 15, 2024 at 9: ...
Book Review: 'The Paris Novel,' by Ruth Reichl
THE PARIS NOVEL, by Ruth Reichl. Stella St. Vincent's estranged mother dies and leaves her with an unusual bequest: She is to take her modest inheritance and go to Paris. It's not an obvious ...