Like pretty much everyone else, I find there are always too many books I want to read and not enough time in which to read them, so I inevitably end up having a bunch of books that I really, really want to read…but never get around to. With that in mind, in 2023 I’m planning on making an active effort to look back at books that have been on my TBR list for a while but which I haven’t managed to get to. In particular, I’ve picked out 10 trilogies or series which I haven’t yet started but have been meaning to, and I’m going to at least make a start on each one. Ideally I’d like to read the whole trilogy/series (or at least whatever’s been published so far) in each case but I might not manage that, so the plan is to read at least the first book from all 10.
I’m actually cheating with a few of these as I have already read the first book in the series but haven’t managed to pick up the next one yet, so in those cases I’ll either go back and reread book one or jump straight into the rest of the series with a little bit of a head start. I haven’t picked these series with any grand plan in mind, so they’re all SFF but in a mix of styles. The only criteria I’ve really followed is that there needs to be at least two books already available to read in the series. I’ve listed them below in alphabetical order by author, and for each one I’ve included the synopsis for book 1 and a few observations on why I’m particularly keen to read that trilogy/series.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (the Winternight trilogy)
Beware the evil in the woods…
In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church.
But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods. . .
My parents loved this trilogy, and I know quite a lot of people who regularly recommend it, so it’s been on my radar for maybe the last year or so. I even picked up the paperback several months ago, so it’s been sitting on the shelf staring at me for a while. I don’t read a lot of folklore-inspired fantasy but when I do, I tend to really enjoy it, and I’ve got a feeling this trilogy is going to be right up my street. It helps that the whole trilogy is available too.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (Wayfarers)
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn’t expecting much. The ship, which has seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.
But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful – exactly what Rosemary wants.
Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They’ll earn enough money to live comfortably for years… if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.
But Rosemary isn’t the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed.
So far I’ve read and adored two Becky Chambers novellas – To Be Taught, If Fortunate and A Psalm For the Wild-Built – so I know full well that I’m a fan of her writing. I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to anyone who’s read her novels and not loved them (check out Rob Young’s guest review for a glowing write-up), and everything I’ve heard or read about this series suggests that this sort of slow-burn, character-driven SF is going to be absolutely perfect for me. Again, I bought the paperback ages ago and have it front and centre on my TBR shelf, just waiting for me to finally pick it up. I don’t know if this series is complete or not, but I’m happy to make a start either way.
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath by Ian Green (The Rotstorm)
Fight the Storm. Protect your people.
The endless rotstorm rages over the ruins of the Ferron Empire. Floré would never let the slavers of the Empire rise again. As a warrior of the Stormguard Commandos, she wrought horrors in the rotstorm to protect her people. She did her duty and left the bloodshed behind.
Fight for your family.
Floré’s peace is shattered when blazing orbs of light cut through the night sky and descend on her village. Her daughter is abducted and Floré is forced into a chase across a land of twisted monsters and ancient gods. She must pursue the mysterious orbs, whose presence could herald the return of the Empire she spent her entire life fighting.
Destroy your enemies.
Now, Floré must take up the role she had sworn to put aside and become the weapon the Stormguard trained her to be, to save not only her daughter, but her people…
I confess, I’ve had a review copy of this for a while, and not yet got around to reading it. Not, I hasten to add, because I don’t think it sounds awesome – on the contrary, it’s got great reviews and I’m pretty confident I’m going to enjoy it. It’s just slipped through the cracks somehow…but no more! These days I don’t actually read a lot of straight-up action-packed fantasy, but this has appealed to me ever since I first started hearing about it…and that definitely doesn’t have anything to do with the fantastic title…honest! Book 2 – The Gauntlet and the Burning Blade – is already out, and hopefully the as-yet-untitled book 3 won’t be too far behind.
Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen (The Graven)
In this dark, dangerous, roller coaster of a debut, a young man sets out on a single-minded quest for revenge across a breathtaking multiverse filled with aliens, mind-bending tech, and ships beyond his wildest imagining. Essa Hansen’s is a bold new voice for the next generation of science fiction readers.
Caiden’s planet is destroyed. His family gone. And, his only hope for survival is a crew of misfit aliens and a mysterious ship that seems to have a soul and a universe of its own. Together they will show him that the universe is much bigger, much more advanced, and much more mysterious than Caiden had ever imagined. But the universe hides dangers as well, and soon Caiden has his own plans.
He vows to do anything it takes to get revenge on the slavers who murdered his people and took away his home. To destroy their regime, he must infiltrate and dismantle them from the inside, or die trying.
I love a good space opera, and this is a book I keep seeing talked about by a lot of people – readers, reviewers and authors – whose opinions I trust. I particularly like that it features neurodivergent characters as written by a neurodivergent author, which just sounds like a viewpoint that I’m really interested in experiencing. And the fact that the author is a sound designer at Skywalker Sound (!), practises archery and swordsmanship, and is a trained falconer? I mean…how cool can you get? Book 2 in this trilogy – Azura Ghost – is also available, with book 3 – Ethera Grave – due in 2023.
Jade City by Fonda Lee (The Green Bone Saga)
Jade is the lifeblood of the city of Janloon – a stone that enhances a warrior’s natural strength and speed. Jade is mined, traded, stolen and killed for, controlled by the ruthless No Peak and Mountain families.
When a modern drug emerges that allows anyone – even foreigners – to wield jade, simmering tension between the two families erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all in the families, from their grandest patriarch to even the lowliest runner on the streets.
So I did actually read Jade City back in 2020, and I enjoyed it…but I think I read it at a time when I couldn’t really concentrate fully on it, and I just blasted through it as a book to read for fun rather than something to review. Even at the time I felt that maybe I needed to reread it to fully appreciate it, so I think it’s time I did just that. Everything about this series sounds perfect for me – a fantasy gangster saga, magic, kung fu, cool world building…I just really feel like this is a trilogy I’ll love if I give it a proper chance! I know so many people who rave about it too, and all three books are available to buy.
Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O’Keefe (The Protectorate)
The last thing Sanda remembers is her gunship exploding.
She expected to be recovered by salvage-medics and to awaken in friendly hands, patched-up and ready to rejoin the fight. Instead she wakes up 230 years later, on a deserted enemy starship called The Light of Berossus – or, as he prefers to call himself, ‘Bero’.
Bero tells Sanda the war is lost. That the entire star system is dead.
But is that the full story? After all, in the vastness of space, anything is possible . . .
I think I came across this on Twitter, after seeing various authors recommend it as a great modern space opera, and I sort of earmarked it as something to read without ever really investigating that much about it. Just one of those ‘take it on faith’ sort of things. To be fair though, that synopsis sounds fantastic, and I know we’re not supposed to make decisions based on things like this but both the title and cover are brilliant! Funnily enough, even though I perhaps know the least about this of everything on the list, I feel most confident that I’m going to enjoy it, and the trilogy as a whole (again, all three books are out now).
We Are the Dead by Mike Shackle (The Last War)
The war is over. The enemy won.
Jia’s people learned the hard way that there are no second chances. The Egril, their ancient enemy, struck with magic so devastating that Jia’s armies were wiped out. Now terror reigns in the streets, and friend turns on friend just to live another day.
Somehow Tinnstra – a deserter, a failure, nothing but a coward – survived. She wants no more than to hide from the chaos.
But dragged into a desperate plot to retake Jia, surrounded by people willing to do anything to win the fight, this time Tinnstra will need to do more than hide.
If Jia is to get a second chance after all, this time she will need to be a hero.
I bloomin’ loved We Are the Dead, book 1 in The Last War – here’s my review with more details, but suffice to say it’s dark (in the right ways) and powerful, with great characters and just a really smart, interesting concept. I honestly don’t know why I haven’t yet carried on with the series and read A Fool’s Hope and Until the Last, but it’s about time I did. I haven’t decided whether I’ll revisit book 1 or jump straight into book 2, but now I’ve got my heart set on continuing the series I really can’t wait to find out what happens next! I suspect that chatting to Mike for an interview as part of the 2022 Advent Calendar series is a big part of what’s got me so enthused to jump back in.
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart (The Drowning Empire)
Magic. Revolution. Identity.
The Emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands.
Lin is the Emperor’s daughter and she spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.
Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright – and save her people.
This had me sold at the mention of forbidden bone magic and animal constructs, but really it’s another one that I’ve seen so many people talking about that I’m slightly kicking myself for not picking up earlier. The synopsis sounds great, it’s had loads of really good reviews (including from Robin Hobb!), I like the idea of multiple POVs and LGBT rep, and once again I love the title and the cover. I’ve got high hopes for this one, and with the third book due out in 2023 now’s the perfect time to start at the beginning.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (The Burning Kingdoms)
One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne.
The other is a priestess searching for her family.
Together, they will change the fate of an empire.
Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of powerful magic – but is now little more than a decaying ruin.
Priya is a maidservant, one of several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to attend Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, as long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides. But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled . . .
Tasha’s first two books – Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash – are utterly wonderful, and some of my favourite fantasy novels in a really long time. When The Jasmine Throne was announced I was slightly disappointed that it was a new series rather than another of the Books of Ambha, but I quickly got over that, and I’ve been looking forward to exploring this new trilogy for quite a long time. I do this silly thing where I buy a book I’m desperate to read but then wait until the perfect time to read it…and of course the perfect time never arises. In this case book 2 – The Oleander Sword – has already been released and I still haven’t read book 1! But that’s ok, as I’m definitely going to read it in 2023, and I just know that I’m going to love this India-inspired world and sapphic fantasy story.
Iron Truth by S.A. Tholin (the Primaterre series)
When miners on a remote colony dig too deep, the golden age of space exploration comes to a bloody end. A corruption springs from Xanthe’s alien soil, possessing every mind it touches.
Embroiled in civil war, the galactic community spirals into panic, and the Primaterre Protectorate seizes control. In order to preserve Earth, its surface is quarantined, and all further deep space colonisation is outlawed.
Aboard one of the last colony ships, junior botanist Joy Somerset slumbers in cryostasis, unaware of war and corruption. Expecting the clear skies of a garden colony, she instead wakes stranded on Cato – a planet whose menacing sands seem to share a hunger with the crazed locals – and Joy faces mortal peril at every turn.
Commander Cassimer, troubled by a past of epic proportions, is a Primaterre veteran dedicated to fighting the corruption. Now he leads Scathach Banneret Company’s elite strike team on a mission to recover a clandestine starship lost on Cato. On this storm-lashed world, surrounded by shadow and ruin, Cassimer faces not only failure, but the loss of what little sanity he has.
Joy and Cassimer must trust each other long enough to uncover Cato’s dark secret and work together to survive deranged cultists, terrorist rebels, and the IRON TRUTH.
Another book 1 in a series that I read a while ago and absolutely loved (here’s my review), but somehow haven’t got around to following up on. It’s a great mix of bold SF action and dark, cosmic horror, with some brilliant characters, clever world building and compelling plot, and it really hit the spot for me – it also won the inaugural Science Fiction Self Published Competition (SPSFC) in 2022, so clearly it’s not just me who loved it! With three more novels in the series already published, plus another standalone book set in the same universe, there’s plenty more to look forward to. Here’s an Author Spotlight interview with the author if you’d like to know more.
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There you go then – 10 SFF trilogies or series that I’ve been meaning to either start or carry on with for ages, and which I’m determined to crack on with in 2023. All being well I’ll read at least the first book in all 10 series, and hopefully review them too, so keep an eye out for reviews in 2023! I can’t wait to make a start, although it might be tricky deciding which one to go for first…
I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these series – and if so, what you thought – or if any of them have caught your eye, so let me know in the comments below or over on Twitter!
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