Ten of the Best: 2024
It’s been a few years since I last posted one of my end-of-year lists, but this year I’ve done quite a bit more reading than in previous years, so I figured it was high time I put another one of these top tens together for my two or three regular readers.
This year has been another good year for genre fiction, with a lot of good books hitting the shelves, and a lot of promising new authors. Honestly, I wish I had more time to immerse myself in the new works that are coming out right now. But as I only managed to work my way through nineteen new releases this year, here’s my round up of the ones that stood out for me.
Redsight (Meredith Mooring)
This is one of those books that grabs you by the throat quite early on and then won’t let go until it’s told you all everything it has to say. It’s a dark sci-fi romance with some decidedly spicy goings-on and a story that goes everywhere except where you expect it to.
It pushes science fantasy in a bunch of new directions, with its mystical nuns that make the Bene Gesserit of Dune look like tame house cats and its subversion of so many recognisable tropes, that by the end of the book you’re left breathless and shaking from the emotional roller-coaster you’ve just been dragged through. This was definitely one of the big stand out successes of the year for me, and will almost certainly be turning up on any awards nominations I make in 2025.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sunbringer (Hannah Kaner)
The follow-on to 2023’s amazing Godkiller picks up pretty much where the first book left off, and barely gives you time to draw breath as it drops you right back into the action.
While there are a few moments where this one suffers from a touch of the old middle book syndrome, for the most part it keeps the story rolling and manages to hit you with more than a few surprises along the way. And that ending is just so annoyingly perfect, it almost hurts. I really cannot wait for the third book, Faithbreaker, to land in March.
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
To Cage a God (Elizabeth May)
This was a bit of a surprise one for me. Set in a world that’s kind of an analogue of the Russian Revolution, but with dragons who camp out inside your soul and a heady dose of queer- and disabled representation.
It’s a bit of a slow burn to begin with, but once it gets going it’s very hard to put this one down, and has an ending that definitely leaves the door open for more books to follow. As yet I’ve not seen any talk of a sequel, but you can be sure that if one does show up I will be buying it.
My rating : 4.5 of 5 stars
In the Shadow of Their Dying (Michael R. Fletcher & Anna Smith Spark)
It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of Smith Spark’s work, so of course this one was pretty much guaranteed to grab my attention when it came out. What I wasn’t expecting, having not sampled his wares thus far, was the twisted humour that Michael R. Fletcher brings to the table.
This is a darkly humorous story of a regicide gone wrong and a confused demon just trying to figure out where she belongs as a city burns around her. What it’s not is twee, fluffy, or cutesy in any way. Though if you’re familiar with either of the authors, you probably already knew that. Weighing in at only one hundred and seventy-ish pages, this is a reasonably quick read, and I’ll be very surprised if it doesn’t turn up on a few awards ballots next year.
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
Song of the Huntress (Lucy Holland)
A few years ago, Lucy Holland broke my heart with her historically-inspired fantasy Sistersong. This year, she’s done it again with Song of the Huntress. While it never really gets as dark as the previous book, this one still managed to raise a few goosebumps with its gorgeous fantasy take on the tale of king Ine of Wessex, his wife Æthelburg, and their interactions with the Wild Hunt of Faerie.
I really love these fantasy takes on history, and really do hope that the author has more to come. The heartbreak is worth it for writing as good as this.
My rating : 4.5 of 5 stars
The Heart of Winter (Shona Kinsella)
Another historical fantasy, this time taking us to Scotland and a tale of how Spring got its own goddess.
This is a more gentle tale than the books listed above, I suspect owing more of its style and feel to early oral traditions than to modern genre storytelling, but if anything that makes it stand out so well against all those other books hitting the shelves these days. This one leaves a warm glow in your heart when it’s done, and honestly, I wish there were more books like this.
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
The Green Man’s War (Juliet E. McKenna)
This is the seventh book in Juliet E. McKenna’s Green Man series, and I swear they just keep getting better and better. This time around, poor Dan Mackmain gets dragged into a much bigger problem than he’s previously had to deal with, but luckily he’s got a lot of friends and allies on his side.
McKenna has said a few times that while people keep reading the books in this series, and while she can keep finding new and interesting threats for Dan to deal with, she will keep writing them. Personally, I’m more than happy to keep throwing money at her and Wizard’s Tower while the stories are this good.
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
Service Model (Adrian Tchaikovsky)
Tchaikovsky is another author I can’t get enough off, so it’s probably a good thing he seems to be able to write about a gazillion books each year.
When I first saw the blurb for this one, I was expecting something along the lines of Murderbot meets Jeeves and Wooster. What we get instead is a damning view of human society through a darkly humorous lens. As you might expect from an author of Tchaikovsky’s calibre, the writing is exquisitely done, and the central character is surprisingly human, for a robot.
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
Moonlight Market (Joanne Harris)
This was an absolute delight to read, and reminded me just how much I enjoy Joanne Harris’ writing.
It’s a little bit of Romeo and Juliet, and a little bit of Neverwhere, mixed in with a hint of Greek mythology and just a touch of traditional faerie lore, and all set against the backdrop of a modern London that’s just the wrong side of not quite right.
At some point, I’m going to have to dust off the other books I’ve got by Harris and give them a read. I genuinely do keep forgetting how great a writer she really is.
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
Blood Brothers Beyond (Rob J Hayes)
This one’s only just hit the shelves, but I was lucky enough to read an early copy through the author’s Patreon, and I’m glad that I did.
It’s the latest in his loosely linked Mortal Techniques series, and while it comes in a fair bit shorter than the previous three books, that doesn’t make it any less of a story. In fact, I think the shorter length here makes this one work just as well, if not better, than any of the three full length novels.
A tale of brotherhood and loss and things not being what they seem to be, this is definitely a brilliant example of how good some self-published books can be these days.
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
Honourable Mention – Blood War (Tej Turner)
This is the third in Turner’s Avatars of Ruin series, and they just keep getting better. I’ll admit I was expecting this to be the series finale, what with trilogies being so common these days, so when I got to the end and realised there’s still more to come I was very pleasantly surprised. I’m looking forward to book four, and definitely recommend this series to anyone who hasn’t given it a try yet.
My rating : 4.5 of 5 stars
Honourable Mention – The Butcher of the Forest (Premee Mohamed)
I’ve only read a couple of Mohamed’s books so far, but each one of them has been an eye-opening experience. This one riffs on some of the darker aspects of fairy tale lore, perhaps with a hint of Lovecraftian horror creeping in. With a well-written main character leading us through the narrative, this is a treat for anyone who’s looking for something a little different in their contemporary horror.
My rating : 4 of 5 stars
Honourable Mention – We Are All Ghosts in the Forest (Lorraine Wilson)
Set in a world where the internet has broken down and its ghosts now haunt the real, this is a novel that grips you tightly. There’s a lot to unpack in this one, and I still find myself thinking about it six months after turning the last page. Maybe those ghosts are haunting me as well.
My rating : 4 of 5 stars
Honourable Mention – Cinderwich (Cherie Priest)
Most of what I’ve previously read by Cherie Priest has been her from steampunk Clockwork Century series, so this one caught me a little by surprise. It’s an intriguingly spooky light horror tale that mixes urban legend with small town folklore, and adds a supernatural flair to the ensuing narrative. Definitely one I’d recommend.
My rating : 4 of 5 stars
Looking Forward to 2025
There are already quite a few books on my pre-order list for next year, and I’d be lying if I said wasn’t looking forward to all of them. I mean, that’s why I pre-ordered them, right?
As I already mentioned above, I’m definitely eager to read the next book by Hannah Kaner. Faithbreaker is due out in March, and I will almost certainly be bumping it straight to the top of my to-read list as soon as it lands on my e-reader.
I’ve also got Death of the Author from Nnei Okorafor to look forward to in February, which looks to be quite a bit different to her other works from the blurb. I’ve been lucky enough to get an eARC of this one, and I’ve already got it lined up for early in the New Year.
Adrian Tchaikovsky’s got at least four books due out next year, including Shroud (which I review here), and a new entry in his Dogs of War series, Bee Speaker, which I am most definitely going to devour as soon as I get my hands on it.
And then there’s Future’s Edge from Gareth L. Powell. This one looks like it could be a bit more horror-focused than his previous works, and that’s got me intrigued. Luckily, I only have to wait until February to find out more.
So yeah, 2025 looks like to could be another good year for genre fiction. I can’t wait. Can you?
