I’ve already published a few articles in which I look back at my favourite Black Library stories of 2020 for all the Warhammer fans out there, but as the year is very nearly finished it’s now time for a wider roundup of all the best SFF/horror books in general that I’ve read this year. I would normally do a top 10, but I couldn’t resist making this the ‘top 20 of 2020’ so I’ve doubled the usual number of books…which, to be fair, did make my life easier as I’ve read so many great books this year! Narrowing the list down to 10 would have been really tricky, and even getting it down to 20 required a few sacrifices.
To help me with that, I decided to restrict this list to just books that were published in 2020. That meant I had to leave off a bunch of excellent books from 2019 or earlier (including, but not limited to Legacy of Ash, The Mirrored City, A Memory Called Empire, From a Certain Point of View, The Colonel’s Monograph, Gods of Jade and Shadow) that all deserve recognition, and it was still difficult narrowing things down in terms of 2020 releases! The final 20 are all books that I absolutely loved, though, and would happily recommend as genuinely fantastic reads. I’ve listed each one with a quick sentence or two about it and then a link to my review and, where appropriate, a relevant author interview.
Here then, in the order in which I read them, are my top 20 books of 2020!
The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith
I love a good inter-dimensional librarian story, and with its clever concept, strong characters and wonderful world building (including characters from books that were never written, and the politics of Heaven and Hell), this is an absolute blast from start to finish.
Check out my review of The Library of the Unwritten.
Neon Leviathan by T.R. Napper
This anthology of Southeast Asia-set cyberpunk stories paints a bleak, powerful picture of a not too distant future in which memories are a commodity in a shattered world that’s still afflicted by corporate greed. It’s not an easy read, but it’s packed full of incredible short stories.
Check out my review of Neon Leviathan and an interview with author T.R. Napper.
Saturnine by Dan Abnett
Probably my overall top Black Library book of the year, and certainly my favourite in the Siege of Terra series to date, this has absolutely everything I wanted and much, much more. It’s almost worth reading the whole Heresy series just so you can make the most of this one!
Check out my review of Saturnine and an interview with author Dan Abnett.
Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings
A bit of a surprise hit for me, this otherworldly, evocative folk-horror novella blew me away with its haunting contrast between the bright Australian sun and the dark shadows it casts. It’s a creepy, slow-burn horror story, and I absolutely loved it.
Check out my review of Flyaway.
Highfire by Eoin Colfer
If you thought Colfer only wrote children’s books, think again – Highfire contains all the wit and humour that you’d expect but with an added edge in the shape of sweary, vodka-swilling dragon Vern. It’s laugh-out-loud funny one moment and brutally violent the next, but a joy from start to finish.
Check out my review of Highfire.
Tales from the Crucible edited by Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells
The world of KeyForge’s Crucible is a bonkers melange of SFF tropes and archetypes, brought to vibrant life in this fantastic short story anthology. If you like your SFF to be bright and bold, there’s almost certain to be a story here for you – I can’t wait to read more about this madcap IP.
Check out my review of Tales from the Crucible and an interview with editor Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells.
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
I’m not sure I’d have ever imagined a horror story in which a 90s-era American ladies’ book club takes on an ancient vampire, but I can happily confirm that however mad this idea may sound, it works brilliantly! It’s hilarious, it’s utterly disgusting, and I loved it.
Check out my review of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.
Docile by K.M. Szpara
Challenging, unflinching, at times genuinely disturbing, this is a great example of how a story doesn’t need aliens, advanced technology or time travel to be science fiction, and how science fiction can be deeply character-driven and powerfully emotional. It’s a tough read in many respects, but worth it.
Check out my review of Docile.
Wrath of N’Kai by Josh Reynolds
I’m a big fan of Reynolds’ writing (he appears three times on this list!) and I can’t think of a more perfect IP for him than Arkham Horror – it’s an ideal setting for an occult mystery story, and this fantastic, pulpy adventure is a brilliant example of what Reynolds does best.
Check out my review of Wrath of N’Kai and an interview with author Josh Reynolds.
Sons of the Selenar by Graham McNeill
I was expecting this to be action-packed and exciting, but I don’t think I was fully prepared for how emotional the final voyage of the Sisypheum would turn out to be. Under other circumstances I’d have loved this to have been a longer story, but as it is it’s a great addition to the Siege of Terra series.
Check out my review of Sons of the Selenar and an interview with author Graham McNeill.
Seven Devils by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May
Plucky rebels, a powerful evil empire, a group of fantastic female characters thrown together by necessity and forced to find a way to work together, this has all the ingredients for a fun, action packed SF adventure. When the characters are this good though, it becomes greater than the sum of its parts!
Check out my review of Seven Devils.
Curse of Honor by David Annandale
Annandale’s writing almost always has at least a tinge of horror, but in this dark Legend of the Five Rings tale he’s really able to cut loose. It really shows, as he imbues this story of honour and pride with considerable darkness, to excellent effect – it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever read of his.
Check out my review of Curse of Honor and an interview with author David Annandale.
Notes From Small Planets by Nate Crowley
In a year in which travel has been virtually impossible, it was an absolute joy to visit a range of madcap SFF worlds in the company of Crowley and his author/editor duo Floyd and Eliza. Far from a simple parody of SFF tropes, this is equal parts loving homage and merciless piss-take, wrapped up in a brilliantly designed travel guide.
Check out my review of Notes From Small Planets and an interview with author Nate Crowley.
XX by Rian Hughes
Easily the boldest, most ambitious book I’ve read this year – maybe ever – this is a wild mix of vintage science fiction, modern technology, visual media and graphic design. It’s an absolute beast of a book, and won’t be to everyone’s taste, but is an absolute treat for a brave reader.
Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott
The first book in an exciting new trilogy, this is a wonderfully smart, complex space opera that I simply couldn’t put down. Brilliant characters, slow-burn world building, complex and fascinating politics and a breakneck pace all contribute towards an utterly compelling story – I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Check out my review of Unconquerable Sun.
Day Zero by James Swallow and Josh Reynolds
Two of my favourite authors collaborating on a modern, high-tech thriller set in the city where I live – it was a no-brainer to check this out, and I’m so glad I did because this is a fabulous, pacy, gripping story. I know nothing about the Watchdogs: Legion game it’s based upon, but that wasn’t a problem in the slightest. It works brilliantly as a standalone modern thriller.
Check out my review of Day Zero and an interview with authors James Swallow and Josh Reynolds.
Blood of the Everchosen by Richard Strachan
My favourite Age of Sigmar novel for some time, this is in my opinion the best depiction yet of life for the mortal followers of Chaos. Full of great characters (none of whom are even remotely safe) and told with an evocative, atmospheric style of prose, this is a thoughtful, characterful story that deserves to be at the top of any Age of Sigmar fan’s list.
Check out my review of Blood of the Everchosen and an interview with author Richard Strachan.
The Reverie by Peter Fehervari
Fehervari’s stories have always been horror stories, but this is his first novel under the Warhammer Horror label…and it might just be his best yet. A bit more accessible than some of his previous stories, this is both a sinister tale of creeping dread and an incredible, in-depth exploration of a unique Space Marine Chapter. I read it twice in quick succession, and it just gets better and better!
Check out my review of The Reverie and my Traveller’s Guide to the Dark Coil article.
The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath
The first ever Necron-POV novel (coming a year after Nate Crowley’s novella Severed), this should prove once and for all that Necrons can make excellent, compelling protagonists – especially when the Necrons in question are grumpy old man duo Trazyn and Orikan. It’s a blast from start to finish, and further evidence that Rath is very much one to watch!
Check out my review of The Infinite and the Divine and an interview with author Robert Rath.
Poison River by Josh Reynolds
Another fantastic Reynolds novel, this one is a sort of Golden Age detective story…just set in a fantasy equivalent of feudal Japan! It eschews most of the Legend of the Five Rings’ fantastical elements in favour of a clever mystery and lots of pointed conversations over polite cups of tea, and in Daidoji Shin it has a protagonist/detective absolutely bursting with character and perfect for Reynolds’ style and humour. Can’t recommend this one enough.
Check out my review of Poison River and an interview with author Josh Reynolds.
***
There you have it – 20 fantastic novels, all of which I personally loved to bits this year. As I mentioned earlier, it was really tough narrowing this list down, and I’ve had to leave off loads more books which in other years may well have comfortably made my top 20 (or even top 10). To all the authors whose books I’ve read this year, all that remains is to say a massive thank you! Reading has been even more important this year than usual, and these books have made a big difference.
Have you read any of these books? Are there other titles that you would include on your own list of 2020 favourites? Let me know in the comments below, or over on Twitter.
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