It’s never easy to put one of these lists together, but I do feel that this year it was ESPECIALLY difficult! 2024 was a phenomenal year for SFF, and in the end, I ended up with even more Best of the Year books this year than I did for 2023!
May this be a trend that continues every year!
These are only the best of the 2024 releases – I have another list coming of the best backlist SFF I read this year, which will be up live in the next few days, probably tomorrow.
And now, may I present – in publication order, because I am not capable of ranking them in order of best-ness – THE TOTALLY DEFINITIVE BEST FANTASY AND SCI-FI BOOKS OF 2024!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Pansexual MC, queernorm world
Published on: 20th January 2024
Goodreads
A memory-stealing cult.
The ever-watchful City of Eyes.
Making small talk.
Join Droplet as she faces all these horrors and more…Vigilante shapeshifter Droplet has trained her entire life to take down those with more power than scruples, but she still makes mistakes. When a rescue mission goes wrong, a memory-stealing cult of blood mages escapes with kidnapped captives in tow. To save them, Droplet reluctantly teams up with the outgoing, tenacious Azera. Droplet knows better than to trust a human—she made that mistake once, and that person's betrayal scattered her community across the known world—and she can tell Azera is hiding secrets behind her sunny smile. But if they can’t learn to work together, even Droplet’s own memories could be lost.
Technically, Many Drops Make a Stream was first available at the very end of 2023 – but only to those who backed the crowdsourced campaign; the rest of us couldn’t buy it until January of this year. I thus insist it qualifies for the Best of 2024!
Harley has come up with the best take on shapeshifters I have ever seen, and surrounded them with worldbuilding that looks simple at first, but is actually perfect. This is a clever, heartfelt, hilarious fantasy adventure that SHINES, and I am absolutely frantic for more Droplet!
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Kurdish MCs, bisexual Black-Hispanic MC, sapphic Black-Filipino MC, magor Chinese sapphic character, pre-F/F
Published on: 23rd January 2024
Goodreads
“Anna, I came to Earth tracking a very old story, a story that goes back to the dawn of time. it’s very unlikely that you’ll die right now. It wouldn’t be narratively complete.”
Anna Sinjari―refugee, survivor of genocide, disaffected office worker―has a close encounter that reveals universe-threatening stakes. While humanity reels from disaster, she must join a small team of civilians, soldiers, and scientists to investigate a mysterious broadcast and unknowable horror. If they can manage to face their own demons, they just might save the world.
You know when, on tv, some character gets injected with adrenaline and goes COMPLETELY NUTS and superhuman? THIS BOOK IS LIKE THAT ADRENALINE SHOT. It’s a cocaine mind-fuck, with aliens but also souls as things-that-measurably-exist, and it you don’t ship Anna and Ssrin, you’re wrong!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy
Published on: 1st February 2024
Goodreads
Thrice-cursed bard and warrior-elf Tamsin wakes up in Elfland after what might or might not have been his death, healed and hale for the first time in millennia. Somewhat confused but not entirely unhappy with this turn of events, he sets off in the hopes of finding a way home ...
A standalone tale of friendship, family, and fair Elfland.
Bone Harp – a book that couldn’t be more different from the previous entry on this list! This one is so very soft and gentle, achingly so; a story of healing, the healing necessary after any Epic Fantasy. Middle-Earth fans will pick up on some fairly unsubtle nods to the Silmarillion and LotR, but Bone Harp is very much its own thing, still, packed full of what I can only call soft wonder. Very much a ‘what happens when the hero comes home?’ story.
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Gay MC with dysgraphia, major neurodiverse character
Published on: 6th February 2024
Goodreads
A Holmes and Watson-style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett
In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.
Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.
As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.
By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.
I think this might be my favourite Bennett novel yet – and if you’ve been keeping up with Bennett’s career, you know how high a bar that is! The worldbuilding is just – freaking WOW. I can’t believe how incredibly inventive Bennett is – the man’s imagination is just!!! *FLAILS* Anyway. A detective-y story that actually made me care about the investigation, which never happens, with a really bonkers, really fun set-up of setting and characters!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: F/F
Published on: 13th February 2024
Goodreads
S.E. Porter, critically-acclaimed YA author of Vassa in the Night , bursts onto the adult fantasy scene with her adult novel that is sure to appeal to fans of Jeff Vandemeer and China Mieville
Love may last a lifetime, but in this dark historical fantasy, the bitterness of rejection endures for centuries.
As a young woman seeks vengeance on the obsessed sorcerer who murdered her because he could not have her, her murderer sends projections of himself out into the world to seek out and seduce women who will return the love she denied―or suffer mortal consequence. A lush, gothic journey across worlds full of strange characters and even stranger magic.
Sarah Porter’s adult debut explores misogyny and the soul-corrupting power of unrequited love through an enchanted lens of violence and revenge.
I’ve loved Porter’s YA, so of course I pounced on her Adult debut! I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this; a chilling, beautiful, painful examination of narcissistic misogyny and the women who get hurt by it…kind of. It’s also a great fantasy, as narrated by a woman who despises magic, which is something I don’t see often! Gorgeous and strange, this one left me aching.
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy
Representation: Secondary F/F
Published on: 13th February 2024
Goodreads
Perfect for fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf, a dark and addictive tale of witches, ancient mysteries and sins that refuse to be buried from the award-winning author of All the Murmuring Bones.
To the outside world, Silverton appears not to matter much at all. It sits on a remote mountain pass, far from the great cathedral city of Lodellan. It’s run by witches who, in the usual scheme of things, would be burnt. Yet a dispensation keeps the Briars safe for one simple, dangerous they are the custodians of the threshold between the civilised world and the Darklands, where Leech Lords hold sway. Vampires are especially feared by the ecclesiastics, for leeches steal souls as well as bodies, and mortal souls are the Church’s most valuable currency.
However, things are changing in Silverton, with new forces coming into play and ancient mysteries and sins refusing to stay buried − and Anni Briar, the first non-witch born into the family for three hundred years, will find herself at the centre of the maelstrom.
I kind of drifted away from Slatter after Murmuring Bones – I was really disappointed by the ending, even though I loved the rest of it – so I wasn’t actively looking forward to Briar Book. I picked it up mostly on a whim. AND THEN DEVOURED IT IN WHAT FELT LIKE MINUTES! What would be a kind of predictable plot in someone else’s hands is elevated by Slatter’s prose and wild imagination. Love!
Representation: Butch lesbian nonbinary MC, major bisexual Asian-American character, major queer Black character, major sapphic femme character, NB/F, background M/M, assorted queer and BIPOC and QBIPOC minor characters
Published on: 26th March 2024
Goodreads
The Craft for Gen The Feast Makers , indie bestselling author H. A. Clarke crafts an action-packed conclusion to the Scapegracers trilogy, as our beloved teen coven tackle college acceptances, queer romance, and a witch trial to remember for the ages.
After restoring their powers, Sideways just wants to get on with senior year. But the covens have convened for the trial of Madeline Kline. When this stubborn, independent witch begs the Scapegracers to save her from a cruel and unusual punishment, Sideways knows they have to get involved. It’s the right thing to do, even if Madeline did steal their soul and wear it for a time. Right?
Making an example out of Madeline seems, strangely, just as important to the most powerful covens as divvying up the Scapegracers amongst themselves. Sideways, Jing, Daisy, and Yates are reluctant to abandon what they’ve built together, but as the college acceptances (and rejections) roll in, the offer of a magical family beyond Sycamore Gorge becomes increasingly tempting.
Unfortunately, choosing a new coven will have to witchfinders are gathering in town, and some of these visitors make the Chantrys seem tame in comparison. Every witch—Scapegracer or not—is about to be in grave danger.
And on top of all that , Sideways thinks they just might be in love.
In H. A. Clarke’s signature raw and explosive style, The Feast Makers brings the indie-bestselling Scapegracers trilogy to a dynamic end as Sideways, Jing, Daisy, Yates, and Shiloh tackle college acceptances, queer romance, and the meaning of justice in an ever-challenging world.
It was so sad to say goodbye to this trilogy, but this was the PERFECT ending to one of my favourite series! I had no idea how clarke could wrap everything up in any kind of satisfying way in just one more book, after everything that went down and was revealed in Scratch Daughters – but this was EPIC! Everything I didn’t know to want.
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Asexual sapphic MC, asexual sapphic love interest
Published on: 2nd April 2024
Goodreads
Discover this creepy, charming monster-slaying fantasy romance—from the perspective of the monster—by Nebula Award-winning debut author John Wiswell
Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she's fallen in love.
Shesheshen is a shapeshifter, who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by hunters intent on murdering her, she constructs a body from the remains of past meals: a metal chain for a backbone, borrowed bones for limbs, and a bear trap as an extra mouth.
However, the hunters chase Shesheshen out of her home and off a cliff. Badly hurt, she’s found and nursed back to health by Homily, a warm-hearted human, who has mistaken Shesheshen as a fellow human. Homily is kind and nurturing and would make an excellent co-parent: an ideal place to lay Shesheshen’s eggs so their young could devour Homily from the inside out. But as they grow close, she realizes humans don’t think about love that way.
Shesheshen hates keeping her identity secret from Homily, but just as she’s about to confess, Homily reveals why she’s in the area: she’s hunting a shapeshifting monster that supposedly cursed her family. Has Shesheshen seen it anywhere?
Eating her girlfriend isn’t an option. Shesheshen didn’t curse anyone, but to give herself and Homily a chance at happiness, she has to figure out why Homily’s twisted family thinks she did. As the hunt for the monster becomes increasingly deadly, Shesheshen must unearth the truth quickly, or soon both of their lives will be at risk.
And the bigger challenge remains: surviving her toxic in-laws long enough to learn to build a life with, rather than in, the love of her life.
This was delightful, hilarious, enormously validating, and surprisingly meaty and deep. Wiswell does an AMAZING job of creating a non-human creature that truly feels alien, balancing some darker, thornier topics with humour that had me crying with laughter. It’s a hug with claws, and I mean that as a compliment!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC, aromantic asexual POV character, background M/M
Published on: 30th April 2024
Goodreads
From a rising star in epic fantasy comes the captivating second novel in a trilogy featuring an unlikely team who must find a way to work together and solve an empire-spanning mystery to defend the last place they call home.
The conspiracy at the heart of the empire has been revealed. The Archivists played a key role in solving a brutal murder and uncovering one of the empire’s longest kept secrets. Now, what’s left in its wake are a series of unearthed artifacts, one shaken city, and the shocking truth not dared spoken aloud.
Just as the empire has begun to regain normalcy, another mystery unveils itself when a stolen ancient relic is found. Only no one knew that it was missing from its sacred vault in the first place. And now that the real one has been recovered, who replaced it with a fake?
With Quill and Amadea at the heart of another mystery, they will need to quickly follow the clues that all lead back to this new relic.
Because all the while, an old enemy is gathering strength beyond the Salt Wall and the Archivists might come to find there’s nowhere left for them to go but over.
"Detailed and mysterious, a place to explore and relish. Highly recommended!" ―R. A. Salvatore, author of "The Legends of Drizzt"
For more from Erin M. Evans, check
Empire of Exiles
I picked this up on a whim, and it devoured me! It’s a close call, but I ended up loving it even more than the first book (which I reread immediately after finishing this – yes, that is absolutely the wrong order to read them in, no it did not impair my enjoyment one bit) and it’s one of those that you want to reread again and again. GAH, how is the world sleeping on this series?! Relics of Ruin is even better than its predecessor, imo; more intricate, more history, and more of what lies beyond the Salt Wall!!! Book three is officially going on my most-anticipated list!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Disabled trans MC, queer love interest
Published on: 4th May 2024
Goodreads
Mateo Taurasi and his family fled their island home when their people turned to sorcery. Mateo’s own magic is tame but it’s still banned in the Vaeringan Empire...and his family still use it every day in their cosy teahouse. The last thing they need is an Imperial barging in to catch them at it.
Luckily, Jonas just wants to offer them a trade deal too good to resist. As hard as he tries, Mateo begins to find the cheerfully charming Jonas too good to resist, too.
But an unfairly attractive Imperial is not Mateo’s only problem. Rumours of sorcery loose in the city mean trouble for the Taurasi. With Jonas caught up in the mess, Mateo must investigate.
His family already lost their world once. Mateo can’t let them lose again. Not even if it costs him the man he really wishes he didn't have feelings for.
c/ explicit transm/m sex scenes
Palmer had me wrapped around her little finger with Domesticated Magic: incredibly vivid characters, beautiful prose, worldbuilding that looks simple but is so freaking clever (especially the magic!), and a romance I fell hard for! This made me feel All The Things and had me anxious as hells, on the edge of my seat panicking, even though logic should have insisted that this was a guaranteed happy ending. But Palmer made me completely forget that, which – massively impressive!
(So far all of Palmer’s books have been five-star reads for me, but this one was released this year!)
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Brown bi/pansexual MC, brown non-binary love interest with one eye, bi/pansexual love interest
Published on: 11th June 2024
Goodreads
Avra Helvaçi, former field agent of the Arashti Ministry of Intelligence, has accidentally stolen the single most expensive secret in the world – and the only place to flee with a secret that big is the open sea.
To find a buyer with deep enough pockets, Avra must ask for help from his on-again, off-again ex, the pirate Captain Teveri az-Haffar. They are far from happy to see him but, together, they hatch a take the information to the isolated pirate republic of the Isles of Lost Souls; fence it; profit. The only things in their way? A calculating new Arashti ambassador to the Isles of Lost Souls who’s got his eyes on Avra’s every move; Brother Julian, a beautiful, mysterious new member of the crew with secrets of his own and a frankly inconvenient vow of celibacy; and the fact that they’re sailing straight into sea serpent breeding season and almost certain doom.
But if they can find a way to survive and sell the secret on the black market, they’ll all be as wealthy as kings – and, more importantly, they’ll be legends .
I burst into giggles so many times while reading this – but as well as being hilarious, it’s also very, very clever, insightful, and has lots to say about human nature. The main character is a complete trash-goblin whom I adore utterly, there are snarky divination cards, and I love how well this book serves as a kind of foil to Rowland’s previous trad-pubbed novel, Taste of Gold and Iron. (Although you don’t need to have read it to enjoy this one!)
Plus, a plot-relevant cake competition! WHO ELSE COULD WRANGLE A CAKE COMPETITION INTO THEIR STORY AND MAKE IT PLOT-RELEVANT??? Only Rowland, that’s who!
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Science Fantasy
Representation: QBIPOC cast
Published on: 18th June 2024
Goodreads
Rakesfall is a groundbreaking, standalone science fiction epic about two souls bound together from here until the ends of time, from the author of The Saint of Bright Doors
Some stories take more than one lifetime to tell. There are wrongs that echo through the ages, friendships that outpace the claws of death, loves that leave their mark on civilization, and promises that nothing can break. This is one such story.Annelid and Leveret met after the war, but before the peace. They found each other in a torn-up nation, peering through propaganda to grasp a deeper truth. And in a demon-haunted wood, another act of violence linked them and propelled their souls on a journey throughout the ages. No world can hold them, no life can bind them, and they'll never leave each other behind. But their journey will not be easy. In every lifetime, oppressors narrow the walls of possibility, shaping reality to fit their own needs. And behind the walls of history, the witches of the red web swear that every throne will fall.
Tracing two souls through endless lifetimes, Rakesfall is a virtuosic exploration of what stories can be. As Annelid and Leveret reincarnate ever deeper into the future, they will chase the edge of human possibility, in a dark science fiction epic unlike anything you've read before.
Did I understand every bit of Rakesfall? Not even close, but what I did grasp blew my mind. Chandrasekera is playing on another level from the rest of us: this is a proper mindfuck, can fairly be described as experimental, and is absolutely phenomenal. One of those books all storytellers should read to expand their own skills!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Filipino-coded cast and setting, bisexual biracial MC, sapphic biracial love interest, Filipino-coded disabled love interest, secondary trans character
Published on: 25th June 2024
Goodreads
In this an enthralling Filipino-inspired epic fantasy, a nun concealing a goddess-given gift is unwillingly transformed into a lightning rod for her people's struggle against colonization. For fans of R.F. Kuang, Tasha Suri, and The Hurricane War.
Maria Lunurin has been living a double life for as long as she can remember. To the world, she is Sister Maria, dutiful nun and devoted servant of Aynila's Codician colonizers. But behind closed doors, she is a stormcaller, chosen daughter of the Aynilan goddess Anitun Tabu. In hiding not only from the Codicians and their witch hunts, but also from the vengeful eye of her slighted goddess, Lunurin does what she can to protect her fellow Aynilans and the small family she has created in the her lover Catalina, and Cat's younger sister Inez. Lunurin is determined to keep her head down - until one day she makes a devastating discovery, which threatens to tear her family apart.
In desperation, she turns for help to Alon Dakila, heir to Aynila's most powerful family and a gods-blessed healer who has been ardently in love with Lunurin for years. But this choice sets in motion a chain of events beyond her control, awakening Anitun Tabu's rage and putting everyone Lunurin loves in terrible danger. Torn between the call of Alon's magic and Catalina's jealousy, her duty to her family and to her people, Lunurin can no longer keep Anitun Tabu's fury at bay. For the goddess of storms demands vengeance. And she will sweep aside anyone who stands in her way.
Raw and untamed, this is another book that makes you feel, passionately. It’s also that rarest of beasts: a story every bit as awesome as its premise! A bi Fillipino nun who can summon storms by letting down her hair decides she has finally Had Enough of the colonials…my gods, this one gave me All the Feelings! I desperately wanted to hug some characters, and stab others; the worldbuilding is relatively simple, but every detail we got delighted me; and I’m pining for the sequel!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Sapphic MC, F/F
Published on: 25th June 2024
Goodreads
A standalone novel following young warrior Galva dom Braga on her journey from untested academy swordswoman to feared and bloodied veteran knight, set during the war-torn, goblin-infested years just before The Blacktongue Thief.
The goblins have killed all of our horses and most of our men. They have enslaved our cities, burned our fields, and inflicted a waking nightmare on the known world. Yet humanity persists, fighting back with all we have against the their bottomless hunger for human lands and human flesh.
Now it's up to the daughters of Manreach to save what's left of the human kingdoms. They'll fight every weapon at hand, with fearsome gods at their backs and brutal monsters at their sides.
Galva - Galvicha to her three brothers, also under arms against the foe - has defied her family's wishes and joined the army's untested new unit, the Raven Knights, to serve at the side of women who, like her, have chosen the battlefield over the marriage bed. She and her sisters in arms march toward a once-beautiful city now overrun by the goblin horde, accompanied by scores of giant war corvids. Made with the darkest magics, these fearsome black birds may hold the key to stopping the goblins in their war to make cattle of mankind.
The road to victory is bloody and the stakes are high; the goblins are clever and merciless in their prosecution of this third war against us. The Raven Knights can take nothing for granted - not the bonds of family, nor the wisdom of their leaders, nor their own safety against the dangerous war birds at their side.
But some hopes are worth any risk.
I adored Blacktongue Thief, and was delighted to get a prequel about my favourite secondary character! It’s pretty horrifying – I had to set the book down and walk away from it for a while several times – but it also has an incredible amount of heart. And the writing, as usual from Buehlman, is phenomenal!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC
Published on: 2nd July 2024
Goodreads
In an unparalleled blend of apocalyptic science fiction and epic fantasy akin to masterpieces like Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, N. K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy, and David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, debut author Benjamin Liar presents the first gripping installment of The Wanderlands trilogy. The vast machine-like expanse of the Wanderlands, crafted by long-lost gods, is teetering on the brink of eternal darkness. Amidst this decaying behemoth, a diverse group of heroes, driven by prophetic dreams, embark on a perilous journey. Their mission? To mend their crumbling world—or witness its irrevocable end.
Benjamin Liar masterfully weaves intricate tales across time and space. With unique world-building, this tale plunges readers into a mechanical planet-sized realm abandoned by its divine creators. It’s a tale of second chances and redemption, for these heroes have once tried—and failed—to salvage their home. Now, they’re presented with another shot at salvation or doom.
What sets The Failures apart is not just its genre-defying narrative but also its ingenious fusion of humor, charm, and profound depth. Liar’s debut, though dark and twisted, sparkles with witty prose, keeping readers riveted and eager for more. As you traverse The Wanderlands, you’ll uncover a multitude of interlinked stories, an intricate puzzle that begs to be pieced together. This is not just a book—it’s a captivating experience.
Benjamin Liar—writer, musician, filmmaker, and game designer—ventures into the literary world with The Failures as his first published novel. With accolades in music and short filmmaking, and a recent foray into virtual reality game design, Liar proves to be a multifaceted talent. Though his pseudonym might hint at deceit, one thing is certain: his storytelling prowess is undeniably genuine. Dive into this compelling epic, and lose yourself in the vastness of The Wanderlands.
Failures is a subversive Epic Fantasy with a good dose of the Weird – and I can’t believe how much work has gone into the wouldbuilding, especially the history! And yet, for all that, it’s incredibly readable, with very relatable characters and so many twisty surprises! Strongly recommended for readers looking for something Quite Different.
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy
Representation: Brown cast
Published on: 1st July 2024
Goodreads
Rihasi Gerogevet of Saraicana has a problem.
She knows just who can help her solve Lord Aras Eren Samaura, the king’s most powerful scepter-holder. But Lord Aras is in Gaur, a long journey from Saraicana, and getting there safely isn’t going to be easy. Especially as a lot of people are determined to make sure she doesn’t get there at all.
Kior Voeret has a secret.
The absolute last person he wants to face is Lord Aras Eren Samaura. But he can’t let a naïve, inexperienced young man get himself killed on the road. That’s all Kior doesn’t have to commit to going all the way to the scepter-holder’s doorstep. He can escort the young man to the border of Gaur, then walk away long before he gets close enough for Lord Aras to notice anything unfortunate.
It’ll be fine.
Really.
Probably the least fantastical book on this list, but also one of the most immersive! Rihasi is a standalone within the Tuyo series – you don’t need to have read any of the other books, although they’re great and I recommend them! – and I fell so hard for these characters and their cross-county story! I couldn’t put it down. Rihasi runs away from her family of crime lords, determined to not only get to a judge she can trust to act on all the evidence she’s gathered, but to dismantle her family’s operations as she goes. Both Rihasi and our other PoV character, Kior, are wonderfully hyper-competent, but in very different ways that complement each other beautifully. If you’re looking for a big serving of competence-porn, here it is!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Representation: Gender weirdness (really don't know how else to describe it)
Published on: 16th July 2024
Goodreads
A palace the size of a city, ruled by giant Ladies of unknowable, eldritch origin. A land left to slow decay, drowning in the debris of generations. All this and more awaits you within The West Passage, a delightfully mysterious and intriguingly weird medieval fantasy unlike anything you've read before.
When the Guardian of the West Passage died in her bed, the women of Grey Tower fed her to the crows and went back to their chores. No successor was named as Guardian, no one took up the fallen blade; the West Passage went unguarded.
Now, snow blankets Grey in the height of summer. Rats erupt from beneath the earth, fleeing that which comes. Crops fail. Hunger looms. And none stand ready to face the Beast, stirring beneath the poisoned soil.
The fate of all who live in the palace hangs on narrow shoulders. The too-young Mother of Grey House sets out to fix the seasons. The unnamed apprentice of the deceased Grey Guardian goes to warn Black Tower. Both their paths cross the West Passage, the ancient byway of the Beast. On their journeys they will meet schoolteachers and beekeepers, miracles and monsters, and very, very big Ladies. None can say if they'll reach their destinations, but one thing is for the world is about to change.
West Passage is one of those books which I’m convinced was written just for me! It’s baroque, deeply weird, with an intoxicating dream-logic to it. Nothing can prepare you for this book; no description is going to do it justice! It’s so sumptuous, so phantasmagorical, so completely idiosyncratic…! I described it in my review as Medieval marginalia meets Pliny’s Natural History with a dash of ‘biblically accurate’ angels, and I stand by that. That is honestly the best I can do, and it doesn’t come close. Mythic weirdness galore!
I love it so much that just thinking about it hurts a little. In a good way. The best way!
Genres: Adult, Sci Fi
Representation: Black MC, autistic-coded love interest, secondary nonbinary characters
Published on: 1st August 2024
Goodreads
Marca Nbaro had always dreamed of serving aboard the Greatships, with their vast cargo holds and a crew that could fill a city.They are the lifeblood of human-occupied space, transporting an unimaginable volume - and value - of goods from City, the greatest human orbital, all the way to Tradepoint at the other, to trade for xenoglas with an unknowable alien species.And now, out in the darkness of space, something is targeting them.
Nbaro and her friends are close to locating their enemy, in this gripping sequel to the award-nominated Artifact Space, but they are running out of time - and their allies are running out of patience . . .
Written by one of the most exciting new voices in SF, this space thriller will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
SO WORTH THE WAIT! Deep Black dives in right where the previous book, Artifact Space, ended, and I really didn’t think I could possibly enjoy a sequel more than the first book…but I think I did?! Deep Black levels up immensely from its predecessor (which, allow me to reiterate, I didn’t think was possible), massively expanding the reader’s view – and understanding – of the politics and conflicts of human space. The groundwork is laid for several big reveals, which nonetheless I completely failed to see coming, and I’m just. Swooning forever!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists, Science Fantasy
Representation: Bi/pansexual MC, sapphic MC, F/F, Māori-coded trans sapphic MC, trans MC, minor nonbinary characters
Published on: 6th August 2024
Goodreads
Sascha Stronach returns in this queer, Maori-inspired Endsong series about a police officer back from the dead who will stop at nothing to save her city from the evil that threatens to destroy it, perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and Black Sun.
The steel city of Radovan is consumed by fire, with survivors few and far between. Stranded in its harbor are Yat, Kiada, and Sen, whose Weaving powers are in a badly weakened state. Relying on only their wits, they must plot their way through the ruins of the capitol, which are patrolled by a hostile militia, and disable the technology that prevents them from escaping.
But to navigate the crew, Kiada will have to rely on her own history with Radovan—a place she first landed unwillingly, and one she only survived by falling in with Fort Tomorrow, a band of misfits and ne’er-do-wells led by Vanya, a charismatic pickpocket and a Weaver.
Vanya may hold the key not only to saving Radovan from complete annihilation, but an age-old fight between the gods that threatens their world.
Another sequel that was so worth waiting for! I thought book one, Dawnhounds, was weird: I had NO IDEA. To put it into some kind of perspective for you: if Dawnhounds can be fairly compared to Gideon the Ninth (and it can), then Sunforge is Harrow the Ninth; packed full of world-flipping revelations, queer as fuck, indescribably weird and not holding your hand about it. It’s the kind of book you’re going to need to read several times to catch everything, but brace yourself, because it will rip your heart out and set it on fire, and your mind will be blown multiple times.
Sunforge is 600 pages’-worth of Epic distilled down to an incredibly potent 300 pages. I honestly can’t believe Stronach pulled off everything she did with so few pages, and without making anything feel cramped or rushed! Clearly magic was involved. CLEARLY.
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC with anxiety, brown sapphic love interest, Black trans secondary character
Published on: 13th August 2024
Goodreads
A socially awkward but determined phoenix keeper must partner with her longtime rival to save her beloved exhibit from falling into obscurity in this charming, romantic fantasy debut.
Aila is a little obsessed with phoenixes. As head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures, her childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever. There’s just one glaring her zoo’s breeding program hasn’t functioned for a decade. When a tragic phoenix-nabbing cripples the flagship program at a neighbouring zoo, Aila must prove her derelict facilities are fit to take the reins. But saving a species takes more than stellar animal handling skills. Carnivorous water horses, tempestuous thunderhawks — Aila has no problem wrangling beasts. Inspiring zoo patrons? That’s another story. Finding the courage to ask for help from the hot dragon keeper at a neighbouring exhibit? Virtually impossible. And don’t get Aila started on her arch-rival from the glamorous leader of the zoo’s wildly popular griffin show, who’s convinced that Aila’s beloved phoenix would serve better as a performer than a conservation exhibit. Aided by both friends and enemies, Aila must conquer her social anxiety if she is to restore her breeding programme. With the world watching and the threat of poachers looming, Aila’s success isn’t only a matter of keeping her the future of a species depends on her.
This book is a JOY and a DELIGHT and it is PERFECT IN EVERY WAY! I have longed for a fantasy about magical zoos (or vets! Magical-creatures vets are also welcome!) for EONS, it feels like, and The Phoenix Keeper was everything I ever wanted! MacLean made the very cool decision to invent a bunch of magical creatures for her zoo, which I think was the absolutely Correct call, and I was charmed by every one of them. Aila’s passion for her birds beams from every page like summer sunlight, the zoo itself is enchanting, and all together this book made me want to spin in circles with pure EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Genres: Adult, Queer Protagonists, Sci Fi
Representation: Spoilers
Published on: 13th August 2024
Goodreads
A debut novel of remarkable beauty and invention, The Fortunate Fall is back in print for the first time in almost three decades as a Tor Essential, with a new introduction by Jo Walton
Tor Essentials presents new editions of science fiction and fantasy titles of proven merit and lasting value, each volume introduced by an appropriate literary figure.
On its first publication in 1996, The Fortunate Fall was hailed as an SF novel of a wired future on par with the debuts of William Gibson and Neal Stephenson. Now it returns to print, in advance of forthcoming new work by the same author. It is one of the great underground classics of the last several decades in SF.
Maya Andreyeva is a "camera," a reporter with virtual-reality-broadcasting equipment implanted in her brain. What she sees, millions see; what she feels, millions share.
And what Maya is seeing is the cover-up of a massacre. As she probes into the covert political power plays of a radically strange near-future Russia, she comes upon secrets that have been hidden from the world...and memories that AI-controlled thought police have forced her to hide from herself. Because in a world where no thought or desire is safe, the price of survival is betrayal - of your lover, your ideals, and yourself.
This new Tor Essentials edition of The Fortunate Fall includes a new introduction by Jo Walton, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards..
You might notice that there is not a lot of sci fi on this list; you might infer from that that my standards and requirements for sci fi are ridiculously high. If you did, you would be correct! But The Fortunate Fall more than meets them, it exceeds them. This is a book that actually digs into what it means to be human and (crucial for any sci fi that wants my attention) how that definition might change as technology and society evolve. Or de-evolve. Despite originally being published in the 90s, Reed introduces and plays with so many concepts I’ve never seen anywhere else, and does so with sharp, electric prose and complicated characters who leap off the page. Brain censorship! Feral AIs! Levelled-up streamers streaming their thoughts and memories and emotions alongside plain ol’ video! Hi, yes, prepare to be sucked in and then gutted; this is in no ways feel-good, but it’s so powerful and clever and all-around brilliant that I can’t imagine anyone regretting having read it!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Bisexual MC
Published on: 20th August 2024
Goodreads
"Eerie, lovely, and surreal."—Ann Leckie on The Border Keeper
We choose our own gods here.Karys Eska is a deathspeaker, locked into an irrevocable compact with Sabaster, a terrifying eldritch entity—three-faced, hundred-winged, unforgiving—who has granted her the ability to communicate with the newly departed. She pays the rent by using her abilities to investigate suspicious deaths around the troubled city she calls home. When a job goes sideways and connects her to a dying stranger with dangerous secrets, her entire world is upended.
Ferain is willing to pay a ludicrous sum of money for her help. To save him, Karys inadvertently binds him to her shadow, an act that may doom them both. If they want to survive, they will need to learn to trust one another. Together, they journey to the heart of a faded empire, all the while haunted by arcane horrors and the unquiet ghosts of their pasts.
And all too soon, Karys knows her debts will come due.
Every now and then, there is a book that reminds me WHY I love fantasy; that manages to capture, through the most perfect words, something that words can’t – the strange awe and wonder and magic that wakes your soul up. Asunder is one of those books, awful and awe-full, equal parts horrifying and bizarre and exquisite (the horror and the bizarrerie are, themselves, exquisite) and hi, I NEED THE SEQUEL IMMEDIATELY!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Portal Fantasy
Representation: Sapphic POV character, secondary bisexual brown/Black character, secondary F/F
Published on: 27th August 2024
Goodreads
A TALE FOR EVERYONE WHO’S EVER FALLEN FOR THE VILLAIN…
When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series.
She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He’s impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.
So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.
This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both 'brilliant' (Holly Black) and 'supremely satisfying' (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation.
This was just as much fun as you’d expect from one of Brennan’s books! Readers who know her book In Other Lands (YA, but strongly recommended for grown-up readers too!) will recognise the exploration and dissection of traditional genre tropes – but in Long Live Evil, dissection has become straight-up vivisection. The questions being asked and the commentary being made are much less gentle than they were in IOL, the process of lambasting the genre more ruthless, sharper.
Plus, this is the first time in YEARS a book made me passionately ship a(n?) M/F pairing! THAT IS A SERIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT! KUDOS, MS BRENNAN, KUDOS!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M, queernorm world
Published on: 17th September 2024
Goodreads
Tam Becket has hated Lord Lyford since they were boys. The fact that he’s also been sleeping with the man for the last ten years is irrelevant.
When they were both nine years old, Lyford smashed Tam’s entry into the village’s vegetable competition. Nearly twenty years later, Tam hasn’t forgiven him. No one understands how deeply he was hurt that day, how it set a pattern of disappointments and small misfortunes that would run through the rest of his life. Now Tam has reconciled himself to the fact that love and affection are for other people, that the gods don’t care and won’t answer any of his prayers (not even the one about afflicting Lyford with a case of flesh-eating spiders to chew off his privates), and that life is inherently mundane, joyless, and drab.
And then, the very last Tam discovers that Lyford (of all people!) bears the divine favor of Angarat, the goddess Tam feels most betrayed and abandoned by. In his hurt and anger, Tam packs up and prepares to leave the village for good.
This is cosy fantasy as it should be, ie low stakes that actually matter. (Rowland wrote an excellent mini-thing about this on their tumblr recently, and anyone interested in cosy fantasy should check it out. Galaxy-brain moment much?!)(Also if you’re not familiar with tumblr, ariaste is Rowland.) It is inescapably readable, an extremely funny story about realising that maybe you’re kind of awful, actually, and if that’s so, how do you become somebody…less awful? In Tam’s case, it involves a ginormous vegetable, a sheep-finding quest, and glaring at an infant. Which is as hilarious as it sounds! But also…deeply, wrenchingly poignant and ow and full of All The Feels.
Yield Under Great Persuasion waits till you’re laughing, slips through all your defenses, and mends parts of you you didn’t know were broken before you know what’s happening, like a sneaky, gold-hearted ninja. LET THE NINJA INNNNN!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Brown bisexual MC, MLM MC
Published on: 8th October 2024
Goodreads
Mattinesh Jay, dutiful heir to his struggling family business, needs to hire an experienced swordsman to serve as best man for his arranged marriage. Sword-challenge at the ceremony could destroy all hope of restoring his family's wealth, something that Matti has been trying—and failing—to do for the past ten years.
What he can afford, unfortunately, is part-time con artist and full-time charming menace Luca Piere.
Luca, for his part, is trying to reinvent himself in a new city. All he wants to do is make some easy money and try to forget the crime he committed in his hometown. He didn't plan on being blackmailed into giving sword lessons to a chronically responsible—and inconveniently handsome—wool merchant like Matti.
However, neither Matti's business troubles nor Luca himself are quite what they seem. As the days count down to Matti's wedding, the two of them become entangled in the intrigue and sabotage that have brought Matti's house to the brink of ruin. And when Luca's secrets threaten to drive a blade through their growing alliance, both Matti and Luca will have to answer the how many lies are you prepared to strip away, when the truth could mean losing everything you want?
So apparently I am not immune to romantasy, which I did not see coming. The emotions in Swordcrossed are so intense and poignant I don’t know how to talk about them; no other book has ever made me break down crying over a sex scene because Feels! And I’m not even the only one in my friends-group who cried then!!! So it’s not just me!!!
I was also really pleased with the worldbuilding, which is light and simple, but implies so much beyond what we see, and firmly grounds the story as Not In Our World. I really am in awe of how well Marske created that effect so economically; just one or two details were enough to make this feel like its own setting, not inspired from any bit of our world’s history. I haven’t seen enough reviews talking about that, and they should!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: M/M
Published on: 8th October 2024
Goodreads
Red, White & Royal Blue meets The Nightmare Before Christmas in a sexy, quirky romcom where the golden-hearted Prince of Christmas falls for the totally off-limits Prince of Halloween.
Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.
But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.
Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.
It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.
This brought me so much joy. SO MUCH! It is entirely ridiculous, but so immersive that I ended up fully accepting the bonkers worldbuilding and deeply invested in the characters anyway! It’s just. So incredibly lovely??? And made me laugh so much??? And I ship it SO HARD??? I was in my worst reading slump of the year before Kissmass knocked me FULLY out of it, and I talked about nothing else for DAYS after finishing it. Loved it, loved it, loved it!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Lesbian MC, multiple lesbian secondary characters
Published on: 22nd October 2024
Goodreads
For fans of The Princess Bride and Gideon the Ninth: a bloody lesbian revenge tale and political fantasy set in a glittering world transformed by industrial change – and simmering class warfare.
Ichorite is progress. More durable and malleable than steel, ichorite is the lifeblood of a dawning industrial revolution. Yann I. Chauncey owns the sole means of manufacturing this valuable metal, but his workers, who risk their health and safety daily, are on strike. They demand Chauncey research the hallucinatory illness befalling them, a condition they call “being lustertouched.” Marney Honeycutt, a lustertouched child worker, stands proud at the picket line with her best friend and family. That’s when Chauncey sends in the guns. Only Marney survives the massacre. She vows bloody vengeance. A decade later, Marney is the nation’s most notorious highwayman, and Chauncey’s daughter seeks an opportune marriage. Marney’s rage and the ghosts of her past will drive her to masquerade as an aristocrat, outmaneuver powerful suitors, and win the heart of his daughter, so Marney can finally corner Chauncey and satisfy her need for revenge. But war ferments in the north, and deeper grudges are surfacing. . .
H. A. Clarke’s adult fantasy debut, writing as August Clarke, Metal from Heaven is a punk-rock murder ballad tackling labor issues and radical empowerment against the relentless grind of capitalism.
I read this book four times this year – my arc three times, and the final version once! – and I would be happy to reread it another 100 times. Metal From Heaven sears and sizzles in your brain, lights up all your nerve-endings, is luscious and feral and utterly flawless. It’s eat-the-rich, labour politics, queer-as-in-fuck-you, with magic metal and highway robbery and decadence-as-defiance – all of it wrapped up in words like gemstones and pop rocks, pyrographic prose that leaves you branded. If you only read one book from this list – one book from all of 2024, even – let it be this one!
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary or Urban Fantasy, Secondary World Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Representation: Brown bi/pan sapphic MC, secondary brown trans character, minor brown nonbinary characters
Published on: 14th November 2024
Goodreads
Zaya Shearwater has found a dragon, a partner, and a cause.
Her dragon is Bandit’s Breath, stolen from her former employers in a moment of desperation, now her inseparable ally. Her partner in racing Bandit is her daughter, Vanako, as fierce and proud as ever but now committed to the family. And her cause is the legalization of yliaster, the substance that will protect her son — and tens of thousands of others like him, who are being slowly hunted by voracious entities that can’t be killed.
But the fight isn’t going well. Captains of industry want to see yliaster regulated for their own profit; everyday people are afraid of some of the things it can do. The police are dead set against it, and even Zaya’s political allies are inconstant. And as she’s throwing all her cash and time at a better world for the hunted tomorrow, every today could be her son’s last.
That’s where Zaya begins. But, as the election draws near, where will she go?
I plunged into the rabbit-hole of this series only this month, and I regret nothing; this is my personality now. At the time I picked up the first in this series, it had been a while since a new story devoured me utterly, but this one did; I fell so hard for Zaya and her ragtag family, for the incredible world Weber has created – and of course, for the wonderful, FEATHERED dragons! Heatstroke Heartbeat in particular had me – appropriately enough – by the heart-strings from the first page to the last; Weber played my feels like a fiddle. I felt SO MUCH during this book! And not all of it was nice, but all of it was unputdownable; I laughed so hard, I wailed, I gnashed my teeth…and that ending made me absolutely feral.
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Queer Protagonists
Published on: November 19th 2024
Goodreads
High fantasy born of myth and folklore, of the dark and the trees and the winter’s cold, the flint blade’s edge and the secrets that are spoken only in dreams…
Assassin, executioner, shapeshifter, and dutiful son of the undying Queen of the land called only the Forest, Mairran is haunted by the voice of an Immortal long lost, who runs with him as a wolf in his dreams. More used to being the instrument of death than an arbiter of justice, he is dispatched by his mother to find the killer of an earl whose life was offered in an unsanctioned sacrifice to the Forest.
In an earlier age, the outlaw Lannesk swears an oath to follow the Grey Hunter and the Wild King, ancient guardians of the Forest, in a war against the invading dragon-kin and their sorcerer-priests, who seek to wake the great dragon long ago bound in sleep beneath the Lake. Past and present tangle around troubled assassin and mute outlaw, as a conspiracy of fell magic threatens the land and its people.
Evocative of a darker, grimmer McKillip, The Wolf and the Wild King is a brooding, lyrical new work from a master of epic fantasy.
***
“K.V. Johansen’s THE WOLF AND THE WILD KING is a lyrically rendered tale of intrigue and war enriched by two compelling central characters in a world that is both mythic and fully realised. A darkly beautiful book crafted in some of the finest prose it’s been my pleasure to read. Can’t wait for the sequel.” ~ Anthony Ryan, author of The Traitor
“A wonderful and timeless epic fantasy -- a book with wisdom, beauty and claws.” ~ Tom Lloyd, author of Stranger of Tempest
“With beautiful prose reminiscent of Patricia McKillip, Johansen paints a bleak and devastating picture of a cold world where humans, fey, and near-fey struggle for control of an unforgiving land. The magical system is deep and well thought out, haunting and resonant. The dual plotlines of the main protagonists braid together into an intriguing narrative that leads to an explosive conclusion. The Wolf and the Wild King will fulfill your desires for epic dark fantasy that is original and fascinating. I can’t wait for the second book in the duology!” ~ Jo Graham, author of Black Ships and The Emperor’s Agent
I’ve been musing on how to describe this book for a while, and the only thing I’ve got is: mythic. The Wolf and the Wild King feels classical while centering disabled and queer voices, and the cadence of Johansen’s prose brings to mind epic poetry and ancient ballads, dancing and the pounding of hooves. There’s a rhythm to the prose that makes itself known immediately and carries you away like a riptide; it’s one of the best uses of first-person/third-person dual-PoV I’ve ever seen, manages to be both epic in scope and deeply intimate. I’m so impressed, and so eager for the sequel!
And that right there is my list! Did you read any of these? What were YOUR faves this year? I’d love to know!
Thank you!! I’m so happy you loved Many Drops Make a Stream! I’ve been following your Unmissable 2024 list and looking forward to the 2025 unmissables, so I’m honored to be included in such a strong Best Of list.
I love it SO MUCH! I read it back in January and it’s stayed with me all year :D And I had no idea you’d seen my Unmissable list, that delights me! Thank you for telling me!
(The 2025 Unmissables go live tomorrow…!)
Crossing my fingers AND my toes that we get more Droplet eventually <3
(Tomorrow!! Yay, can’t wait!)
Yes, I’m at work on the sequel :)
That’s so great to hear!!! I absolutely need more Droplet in my life :D
My 2024 favorites also include The Feast Makes and Metal From Heaven. What a year for August Clarke (and readers)! My other favorite releases from this year are some incredible graphic novels:
* Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story by Nicole Maines, Rye Hickman
* Lunar Boy by Cin Wibowo, Jes Wibowo
* The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag
* The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor
* Castle Swimmer, Vol 1 by Wendy Martin
The book highest on my TBR from your list is Many Drops Make a Stream!
I am utterly convinced clarke isn’t capable of NOT blowing us away! So excited for the rest of the books they signed with Erewhon for. (I think one should involve mechas?!)
I almost never get to graphic novels (I think we talked about this once?) but these all look wonderful!
Many Drops Make a Stream is, obviously, one I love, and I think you would too :D
THE WEST PASSAGE!! I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about that book! It wasn’t /quite/ a personal favourite for me but it definitely imade an impression. I’ll prob need to give it a reread in a year or two.
Have you seen all the art the author has made for it? Bc OF COURSE he’s an artist too!
I did notice he did the illustrations in the book – another reason to be impressed! I’ll have to look up his portfolio.
He did a bunch more art that didn’t make it into the book – very different style, but enchanting :D
I think most of it’s on his insta, if you go back a bit.Actually, I recommend checking out the West Passage tag on his tumblr; scroll past the links to reviews and there’s art of the different Ladies and Towers and things!Very cool, thanks for sharing! Have you seen his Reddit AMA? I came across it while searching yesterday – someone mentioned they were picking up The West Passage because of your 5 star rating 😁
…I’m sorry WHAT?! I must go check that out immediately! (And then shriek into a pillow, probably XD)