2023's Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy

19 Speculative Titles to Blow Your Mind

As we reflect on the past year, we like to put together a roundup of the best books (according to us). Our collection of 120+ titles span the full range of genres and categories. But for all you speculative fiction junkies, here's a closer look at the nineteen sci-fi & fantasy reads that made the cut.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Violet grew up thinking she'd be a Scribe like her father. But when he dies, her mother, the commanding general of the army, orders her to join the risky ranks of the dragon rider candidates. Part one in this romantasy series is described as The Hunger Games meets A Court of Thorns and Roses—but with dragons!   

Light Bringer: A Red Rising Novel by Pierce Brown

The worlds once needed the Reaper, aka Darrow. But now they need him to return to the people he loves and defend the Republic. So begins the latest interplanetary adventure continuing the Red Rising Saga. Old friends will reunite. New alliances will be forged. And rivals will clash on the battlefield.

Five Years After: A John Matherson Novel by William R. Forstchen

After several years attempting to lead a quiet life, John Matherson is pulled back into the fray in the newest thriller from the near-future After series. As he struggles to hold the tottering Republic together, John must contend with new threats to the fragile civilization he helped rebuild.

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

Find a gateway to the underworld. Steal a soul out of hell. A simple plan, except people who make this particular journey rarely come back. But Alex Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory—even if it costs her future. The much anticipated sequel to Ninth House, a bestselling dark academia fantasy. 

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco

The Prince of Envy has never claimed to be a saint. But when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he braces for the battle to save his falling demon court. But none of his meticulous plans prepare him for Camilla, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin like no other.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

With her family to support, Evie needs a job. So when a mishap with Rennedawn's most infamous Villain results in a job offer, she says yes. LIke any job, it's not without its difficulties, but just to add to the challenge, she develops a teeny crush on her terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon

In the stunning standalone prequel to the bestselling The Priory of the Orange Tree, three women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat. Tunuva, Glorian, and Dumai come from very different lives, but together their efforts will shape the world for generations to come.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Curmudgeonly faerie expert Emily Wilde is in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik trying to uncover the secrets of the elusive Hidden Ones. As usual, she avoids any inconvenient connections with the people around her. That includes her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival, Wendell Bambleby. 

Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Generations after Earth failed, a fragile colony ekes out a hardy existence on a terraformed planet. Then strangers appear, possessing unparalleled knowledge and technology. The thrilling space opera of the Children of Time series continues in this new chapter of humanity's battle for survival.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

The archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the deteriorating outside world. Citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives. When their health measures fall below 10 percent, they take a ferry ride to the Nursery for refurbishing. All is as it should be. But then ferryman Proctor Bennett begins to suspect that it's not. 

Touched by Walter Mosley

Martin Just wakes up one morning after what might have been a centuries-long sleep knowing two things: Humanity is a virus destined to destroy. And he is the Cure. With new physical abilities, Martin fights to defend his family. Think Octavia Butler meets Jeff VanderMeer meets Jordan Peele.

Whalefall by Daniel Krauss

Jay Gardiner is on a mission to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach when disaster strikes. The Martian meets 127 Hours in this powerful and scientifically accurate thriller about a scuba diver who's been swallowed by an eighty-foot, sixty-ton sperm whale.

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

Kel is an orphan whose destiny is to die for the prince. Lin is a physician with magical abilities. A failed assassination attempt brings Kel and Lin together where the two outcasts find themselves caught in a web of forbidden love, dangerous magic, and dark secrets that could change the world forever.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista lives as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information. When her intuition saves a traveling prince, the voice inside her blazes with warning—and promise. Today he'll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab

The three remaining worlds are connected by a single city: London. These worlds are about to collide—brought to a dangerous precipice by the discoveries of three remarkable magicians. Only one of them, a young runaway named Tes, can keep all the worlds from unraveling—if she manages to stay alive first.

Borrowed Time by John Nolte

Joshua Mason is an everyday man cursed with immortality. When you live forever, everything you love will die, so Joshua decided long ago not to become attached. That all changed when he met Doreen. Now she's dying of old age and Joshua's grief is compounded by a complicated promise to protect her grandson.

A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett

A delightfully funny, fantastically inventive collection of twenty newly unearthed short stories by the award-winning and bestselling author of the beloved Discworld fantasy series. This special trove—featuring charming woodcut illustrations—includes a heartfelt foreword by Neil Gaiman.

Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar

A riveting, haunting sequel to the bestselling thriller Chasing the Boogeyman—a tale of obsession and the adulation of evil, exploring modern society's true-crime obsession. As the story draws to its shattering conclusion, only one person holds all the answers—and he just may be the most terrifying monster of them all.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie.

Those are our picks for the best sci-fi & fantasy titles of 2023. You can also take a closer look at 2023's best thrillers and romances from our last couple posts. Please be sure to let us know if we missed any of your favorite reads from the past year.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon