The Best Fantasy and Sci-Fi Books of 2024
The Best Fantasy and Sci-Fi Books of 2024
Every year, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association nominates and votes for the best speculative fiction published. Sylvia Bishop introduces the books shortlisted for the 2024 Nebula Award for Best New Novel, highlighting the "astonishing" debut that won. Discover our top science fiction, fantasy, and best novels of 2024 recommendations.
The Best Fantasy and Sci-Fi Books of 2024
1. The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
"The Terraformers" envisions a hopeful future where the Anthropocene has ended. This era concluded with "The Farm Revolutions," leading to "The Great Bargain," a pivotal agreement fostering harmony between diverse life forms. In this future, democracy is participatory, and various life forms are recognized as persons with rights. Despite this progress, capitalism remains a dominant and conflicting force.
Set on the privately-owned, terraformed planet Sask-E, the story unfolds through the eyes of three different protagonists, each separated by centuries. Beginning with a ranger from the Environmental Rescue Team (ERT), the novel is structured in three parts, each reflecting the political decisions of the previous era. This format highlights the ongoing need for political renegotiation and slow-burn change. The narrative explores environmental use and ownership conflicts, while the intricacies of personal relationships add emotional depth.
2. Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman
Frank Nichols may have made it through WWI, but the Great Depression brings new challenges. He inherits his family's estate in a quiet Georgian town, where his grandfather once committed terrible acts. Despite his aunt's warnings, Frank moves in and soon discovers there's something sinister lurking across the river. If you like werewolf novels, then you'll find many more worthy works at this link. This is a unique genre and we sincerely love it too.
3. How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
The concept of being stuck in a time loop has been explored in nearly every genre— from comedy and action to horror and even video games. Often, stories start with the protagonist discovering they're caught in a loop, but in Django Wexler's dark fantasy How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, we skip the setup and jump straight into the chaos.
Meet Davi, a reluctant hero thrust into a magical world where she's doomed to fail and die repeatedly. After countless agonizing deaths, she's had enough. Deciding "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," she switches sides. Now, using her time-loop resets, Davi aims to conquer the world by gathering allies and minions essential for any true dark overlord.
4. Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
From the moment I opened Marie-Helene Bertino’s Beautyland, I was hooked. Following her 2020 novel Parakeet, Bertino presents a landmark work of literary science fiction. Set against the simultaneous backdrop of two significant events—the departure of Voyager 1 and the arrival of young Adina Giorno—the story captivates from the start. While Voyager 1 heads towards the unknown reaches of space, Adina begins her life on Earth, equally unfamiliar. Sent by her extraterrestrial family to observe and report her findings via fax machine, Adina navigates earthly challenges with unique insights.
5. Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase
In Tlotlo Tsamaase’s futuristic Botswana, consciousness is transferable between bodies, enabling Nelah's existence. Her body once belonged to a criminal, so the government microchipped her, allowing her husband to control her and her every move to be monitored. Nelah awaits her child, growing in an artificial womb, but before its arrival, she and her lover (who is not her husband) commit a perilous crime. The consequences haunt Nelah, both figuratively and literally, in this sci-fi horror novel that boldly critiques misogyny.
6. The Mercy of Gods by Daniel Abraham
For their first book since wrapping up The Expanse—arguably one of the best space operas of the 21st Century—James S. A. Corey returns to the cosmos with The Mercy of Gods. Unlike the solitary exploration of The Expanse, this new saga promises a universe teeming with alien life. Expect multiple perspectives, challenging ethical dilemmas, witty dialogue, and the foundation for another epic space opera series. If you loved the intricate world-building and gripping narrative of The Expanse, The Mercy of Gods will be your next must-read.
7. Woodworm by Layla Martínez
With 149 spare, furious pages, Layla Martínez creates a haunted house. Inside, an old woman and her granddaughter live on the edge of town, sharing their home with shadows and rage. When a boy disappears, suspicion drives the locals to reconsider the women they’ve long ignored, prompting them to knock on the door. The shadows and saints haunting the dark halls come out to play, bringing generations of injustice and class warfare into the present.
Chilling and beguiling, Woodworm is a tale of ghostly wrath. It explores women who remember, men who forget, and how wealth allows the real monsters to thrive in plain sight.
8. Kinning by Nisi Shawl
Nisi Shawl returns with Kinning, the second installment in her anti-colonial alternative history series after Everfair. This afrofuturist sequel excels in world-building, offering a narrative as intricate and politically charged as Game of Thrones. Kinning follows the aftermath of Everfair’s Great War, where citizens aim to spread peace using a unique fungus that induces empathy. Despite their victory over European forces, Everfair faces new threats from both within and outside its borders. Shawl delivers a complex and challenging yet undeniably impressive story.
Conclusion
The books listed are the perfect island for our fantasies to fly. What we all love about fantasy and Sci-Fi books is that there are too many possible developments for us to predict anything. It is this unpredictability that makes us read binges. We hope you have experienced this wonderful feeling with the books listed here.
