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The best science fiction and fantasy books of 2023
From debut authors like Hannah Kaner and Nick Fuller Googins, to seasoned fan favorites like Brandon Sanderson, science fiction and fantasy writers set the bar high this year.
Published on November 29, 2023
Fourth Wing
Rebecca YarrosViolet, the bookish daughter of a formidable mother, must put aside her fear to become a dragon rider. But first, she has to graduate (read: survive) Basgiath War College, where everyone and everything seems out to kill her. Yarros (“The Things We Leave Unfinished”) veers from her typical romance works to pen a dark academia fantasy about legacy and personal empowerment. “Fourth Wing” has been topping the New York Times bestseller list all year, and we fully expect its sequel, “Iron Flame,” to achieve the same level of hype.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi: A Novel
S. A. ChakrabortyAmina al-Sirafi, who left a daring life of piracy after becoming a mother, is pulled into a new adventure when a former crew member’s daughter is kidnapped. This trilogy-starter by Chakraborty (“The City of Brass”) is an action-packed historical fantasy with a multi-layered heroine we’ve all been waiting for.
The Deep Sky: A Novel
Yume KitaseiWith Earth on the brink of destruction, a crew of 80 departs into space to recolonize a new planet. Among them is Asuka, who struggles to feel worthy of her place aboard “The Phoenix.” When disaster strikes and everyone suspects Asuka, she must find the saboteur to protect herself and the very future of humanity. This sci-fi mystery about human nature and survival features a layered and relatable heroine.
The Water Outlaws
S. L. HuangFeminist energy permeates every page of Huang’s gender-swapped, queer retelling of the Chinese classic “Water Margin.” In this fantastic novel of resistance and social justice, nonstop action and breathtaking fight scenes bring an epic martial arts fantasy to life. It’s no wonder Vulture said “this novel reads like a movie in the best way,” since Huang herself has worked as a Hollywood stunts performer and armorer.
The Great Transition: A Novel
Nick Fuller GooginsHumanity has narrowly avoided total climate devastation — but at what cost? Emi only knows the world as it is post-Great Transition. She doesn’t know about the sacrifices made to achieve net zero carbon emissions. However, her parents — tireless climate activists — will never forget the bloodshed and destruction that ran rampant before the transition. A heady mix of family drama, mystery, and cli-fi, Googins’ visionary debut offers a glimpse of life after a near-total climate apocalypse that is somehow both terrifyingly realistic and inspiring.
Immortal Longings
Chloe GongYA author and BookTok sensation Gong (“Foul Lady Fortune,” “These Violent Delights”) makes her adult debut with a trilogy starter inspired by “Antony & Cleopatra” and likened to “The Hunger Games.” The kingdom of Talin hosts an annual winner-take-all, fight-to-the-death competition with unthinkable wealth on the line. Princess Calla enters in disguise and quickly allies with Anton, a royal exile. Their rivals-to-lovers relationship keeps the tension high, as do political intrigue and fantastical battle sequences.
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon
Wole TalabiInspired by Nigerian folklore, this is a fantasy heist unlike anything you’ve read before. Shidigi, a god of nightmares, and Nneoma, a succubus, are lovers and partners in the business of reaping souls. After the Orisha Spirit Company contracts them to retrieve a stolen African artifact from the British Museum, the duo must use all of their cunning and trickery to pull off the mission. If you enjoyed “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman, you’ll love Talabi’s spin on this in which Nigerian gods are forced to navigate bureaucratic red tape and corporate politics.
Godkiller
Hannah KanerKaner’s action-packed debut drew rave reviews from critics and fellow fantasy authors alike. Marked as a writer to watch by Publishers Weekly, the Northumbian writer delivers an explosive and grisly introduction to a world in which gods are outlawed and humans are paid to hunt them down. Fascinating worldbuilding and a motley crew of characters led by a godkiller with a heart of gold make for a promising start to a dark trilogy.
Bookshops & Bonedust
Travis BaldreeViv is a steadfast orc barbarian. So when she’s wounded and sent to recover in a small coastal town, she’s not happy about it. But as Viv gets familiar with the local proprietors and grows accustomed to their quiet ways, a new side of the warrior begins to emerge. Baldree’s prequel to “Legends and Lattes” is another cozy fantasy treasure filled with community and heart.
The Deluge
Stephen MarkleyWhen we use “epic” to describe Markley’s sophomore novel, we mean it. Clocking in at 900 pages, the “Ohio” author traces the seemingly disparate paths of seven individuals that stretch from 2013 to 2040 and cover ground from the West Coast to the Midwest to Washington, DC. Horrifying in its realism, the future of the world hangs in a precarious balance as profit margins and corporate greed take precedence over environmental collapse.
System Collapse
Martha WellsMurderbot is functioning below capacity. Why? It’s awkward because diagnostics can’t pinpoint what’s wrong. But the bot/human construct must find out so it can save a group of human colonists from a corporate plot to enslave them. The seventh installment in Wells’ Hugo Award-winning series is a novel-length follow-up to “Network Effect,” and it brings all the snark and sci-fi feels fans know and love, along with a new (perhaps more human?) side of the SecUnit.
Fractal Noise: A Fractalverse Novel
Christopher PaoliniPaolini expands the Fractalverse with a space opera prequel to “To Sleep in a Sea of Stars.” In what the “Eragon” author describes as a “stark, wind-whipped excursion into hostile lands,” a small crew teeters on the edge of a perfectly circular hole on a seemingly uninhabited planet. Personalities clash, conflicts arise, and tension creeps ever higher as the team searches for the cause behind this strange anomaly.
Tress of the Emerald Sea: Secret Projects, #1
Brandon SandersonSanderfans, unite! The “Mistborn” author kicked off 2023 by releasing the first of the long-awaited “Secret Project” series. Whether you’re a diehard fan who contributed to his wildly successful Kickstarter campaign or are just dipping your toes into the Cosmere, you’ll quickly fall in love with this “Princess Bride”-inspired fairy tale of a girl who sets out to brave an unknown ocean. Delightfully lighthearted and enchanting, Tress’ story is one full of magic, nautical adventures, and love on the high seas.
Starling House: A Reese's Book Club Pick
Alix E. HarrowOnce home to a prominent author who disappeared long ago, Starling House is now abandoned — and supposedly haunted. Opal’s main priority is escaping her poverty-stricken Kentucky town, but a job at Starling House entangles her in a web of old secrets that infect her dreams and may alter her future. Hugo Award-winning Harrow pulls readers into a dark, gripping exploration of trauma and suppressed societal evils.
Whalefall: A Novel
Daniel KrausThe story of Jonah and the whale gets a thrilling twist in the brilliant hands of Kraus, a bestselling author whose past work includes collaborations with Guillermo del Toro and George A. Romero. “Whalefall” weaves meticulous marine biology research into a beat-the-clock story of survival as Jay fights for his life deep in the belly of a sperm whale. As the young diver’s hour of oxygen steadily depletes, Kraus increasingly ratchets up the tension. Unresolved grief and a complicated father-son relationship lie at the heart of this story that is every diver’s worst nightmare.