It’s the end of the year as we know it (and I feel full of cheese and chocolate).
2024 has been an extremely good reading year for me, and with so many highlights it’s made this post very difficult to narrow down. So I’m going to do something a little different and break it up into some obscure categories and lists, like a chaotic awards ceremony of sorts.
This year has been dominated by the number three due to the number of trilogies I’ve read and for three authors who have dominated by TBR…
The Three Kings
This year I read all 13 of Joe Abercrombie’s published books. Suffice to say, I am late to the party, but I had a ball nonetheless. With his First Law Trilogy, standalones, and Age of Madness Trilogy, I have found some of my favourite characters in fiction. Take a bow Sand dan Glokta, et al.
I have also got through the remainder of Mark Lawrence’s published works, with his Book of the Ice trilogy being a surprise favourite. Lawrence has become one of my favourite writers of all-time, his prose and genre-defying stories set him apart from many of his contemporaries.
Finally, I have continued my deep-drive into the works of Adrian Tchaikovsky – the master world-builder of SFF, the most prolific author currently writing across the genres, whose output is both consistent and astounding.
These three authors have each provided me with at least one read a month for the past year, and are firm favourites as a result.
All hail the three kings of SFF and the recipients of the Sinead O’Connor Award, aka The ‘Nothing Compares to You’ Award!
3 is the Magic Number, or My Top 3 Trilogies of the Year
The Age of Madness by Joe Abercrombie
The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee
The First Law by Joe Abercrombie
My Top Reads – Released and Read in 2024
(in no particular order)
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
A complete surprise how much I enjoyed this read. Fantastic world building and a brilliant mystery plot. But it’s the characters that drive it and the irreverent humour. Can’t wait for book 2.
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky
If you want an example of how to create alien worlds, then look no further. Tchaikovsky is the master world-builder and this book is phenomenally creative.
Blood Brothers Beyond by Rob J. Hayes
When Rob dropped this surprise novella on the world I was so excited to get back to his Mortal Techniques world. I was not disappointed. This is a brilliantly written novella, filled with action, emotion, and humour. One of my favourite worlds and series.
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
It’s Tchaikovsky again. This time he brings us the end of the world – a robot apocalypse with a difference.
Service model shows us the best of Tchaikovsky’s non-human character work alongside his astute observations and wit.
The Escher Man by T.R. Napper
Napper delivers his best work to date, which is why he’s become an auto-buy author for me.
The Escher Man is a dark, near future cyberpunk punch in the face.
Brilliantly written and visualised.
The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
The Expanse remains my favourite sci-fi series, so I came into this book with trepidation. This is so different (thankfully) and so good too. The set up in here promises much for this series.
Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson
Debut novel of the year for me. SBFBOX finalist and a damn good read.
This had everything I needed – unique world building, great character work, and an interesting plot, filled with intrigue and action.
An accomplished debut with depth and strong themes.
The Book That Broke The World by Mark Lawrence
Book 1 in this series was my book of the year last year. This book was just as good. If Lawrence maintains this quality and momentum in book three, then this will likely be one of my all-time favourite series.
The World to Come by Yuval Kordov
This is how you conclude a trilogy.
This series is phenomenal on so many levels. You just have to read it. I loved it – genre defying, dark fantasy, dystopian, post apocalyptic, EVERYTHING!
Ninth Life by Stark Holborn
I read book 1 and 2 earlier this year and really enjoyed them. Then book 3 released…
This was a something else. A shift in direction from the previous two, it takes on a life of its own. Intricately structured, plotted, and paced to perfection. This is a series I highly recommend.
And Finally…
A few honourable mentions and a few ‘where have I been until now’ reads:
Two stand out self-pub reads for me in 2024 were Dreams of the Dying by Nicolas Lietzau and Hall of Bones by Tim Hardie. Both well worth your attention.
And finally, some new-to-me authors who had me shouting, “where have I been until now?!”
Guy Gavriel Kay with Tigana – beautiful and thought-provoking.
Octavia E. Butler with Parable of the Sower – eerily prophetic and powerful.
Becky Chambers with The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet – an absolute joy!
All of the above blew me away!
To close, I’d like to thank you all for indulging me in my rambling review of the year – it’s been emotional. I hope 2024 brought you as much reading pleasure as it did me. Here’s to another great reading year in 2025. Happy reading and Happy New Year all!
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