2021 was a big year for bookworms and writers
alike; while readers had time to sit down and get stuck into our reading lists,
authors were hunkering down with their editors and publishers
to finalize and release their books to the world — and we’re so thankful they
did!
Many of the great heroes of the past year have
been published in the science fiction and fantasy genres — no surprises there.
After all, these categories offer the reader unparalleled opportunities for
both escapism and introspection. What better than being able to see fragments
of yourself across countless different worlds and characters? The catch is,
even with all the time in the world, it’s hard to know where to begin your
reading. That’s why I’ve compiled my top five sci-fi and fantasy books from
2021 that I definitely recommend you add to your reading list this year. And,
don’t worry if you’d rather listen, each of the following novels also has a
highly-reviewed audiobook available to download!
1. Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo
Ishiguro
Given Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestseller status
(his previous novels including
Never Let
Me Go and
The Remains of the Day, both
of which received the Booker Prize), it’s unsurprising that his latest novel
Klara and the Sun was an instant hit on
the reading lists of
sci-fi and literary fiction fans alike in
2021. Similarly to his previous novels, Ishiguro takes his time building up to
the plot, but there’s absolutely no turning back once the suspense begins to
unfold.
The novel follows Klara, an ‘Artificial
Friend’, born to look after whichever human purchases her. Through the loveable
protagonist’s detailed and tender observations of the world around her, it
becomes clear that she is insightful, and noble far beyond what her mechanical
inner workings might suggest. It’s hard not to feel sympathy for Klara, who doesn’t
quite understand the human world she’s living in, as she sits on her store
shelf observing the world around her. She hopes one day she’ll be picked as a
Friend by a human; but, when her wishes are granted, she soon comes to realize
that the promises of humans are never quite what they seem. In fact, humans
themselves aren’t all she thought they’d crack up to be. Intrigued yet? I
certainly was, and I definitely recommend it if you’re interested in seeing the
potential fallout of our rapidly advancing society through the eyes of a unique
(and unforgettable) narrator.
2. Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony
Doerr
Following the success of his previously
best-selling novel All The Light We
Cannot See in 2014, Antony Doerr released another prize-winning knockout in
2021: Cloud Cuckoo Land — a story
spanning centuries, through the eyes of various characters, all of whom are
connected by one book.
The name of this book in question? You
guessed it, it’s Cloud Cuckoo Land, (as
written by the fictional Antonious Diogenes in around the first century B.C.,
not Doerr himself). The fictional book follows a shepherd named Aethon, as he
seeks a mythical city in the sky which — surprise! — is also named Cloud Cuckoo Land.
What follows is an intriguing string of
intrinsically connected, yet separate, tales of various characters and how
their lives have been affected by this book — for better or worse. We see
stories about a young girl growing up within the walls of historic
Constantinople; a village boy living on the outskirts with his cherished pet
Oxen; and an eighty year-old living with a life-or-death secret in 1940s Idaho.
There are plenty more unique characters, though to try to list them all would
be a disservice to the surprises, twists, and turns in this novel — instead, I
recommend you pick the book up and experience it first-hand.
3. The Gilded Ones, by Namina
Forna
If you like intriguing YA fiction with
actually interesting female protagonists, then this is the one for you. The Gilded Ones is the first in what’s
intended to become The Deathless Trilogy,
and author Namina Forna certainly knows how to introduce a trilogy! The book
follows sixteen-year old Deka as she’s torn between her desperation to fit in
with her village and a chance to start afresh and gain acceptance elsewhere.
Following a coming-of-age ceremony that sheds
light on the taboo golden color of her blood which drives her apart from the
rest of her village, Deka knows the consequences are worse than death should
she stay. Luckily, when a mysterious woman comes before her, our protagonist is
offered a way out — but only if she agrees to join and fight somebody else’s
war as part of an army of girls just like her. Of course, there isn’t much of a
choice between unavoidable death and fighting to stay alive. The real intrigue
comes when Deka discovers secrets beyond the walls that she can barely
comprehend — will she get to the bottom of them?
See why The
Gilded Ones made every book bloggers 2021 reading list, and why we’re all excited
for the next of the series to be released in 2022!
4. The Shadow of the Gods, by John
Gwynne
Established fantasy fiction series are
well-loved (with The Lord of the Rings,
The Wheel of Time and The Witcher all
respectively getting new TV series recently) but the spotlight seldom turns to
newer releases — until now. Jon Gwynne’s high fantasy, Norse-inspired, world
known as Vigrið instantly captured the hearts of both long-standing fantasy
fans and readers new to the genre alike.
In a world suffering from the fallout of
a war between gods, where jarls vie for power, monsters stalk the forests and
roads, and the fallen gods still roam the land. You’ll experience everything
from the eyes of the most unexpected characters: a mother-turned-warrior on the hunt to take
revenge on her son’s kidnappers, a former slave and farmer also out for
revenge, and a nobleman’s daughter seeking renown for her battle prowess. As
you might imagine, the novel delivers high levels of tension — but,
impressively, Gwynne’s attention to worldbuilding also provides adequate
respite in between. This definitely isn’t a book to miss out on!
5. The Galaxy, and the Ground
Within, by Becky Chambers
For fans of contemporary science fiction,
it might not come as a surprise to see Becky Chambers on this list. The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is the
fourth installation in Chambers’s Wayfarers
sci-fi series — but that doesn’t mean you can’t jump right in. While each
book in the series is set in the same universe,
they follow a different cast of characters and explore different places.
Chambers focuses on her characters —
their development, interactions, psychology — above plot. This novel follows
five characters from different alien species, including a character from an
earlier book in the series, The Long Way
to a Small Angry Planet. Following their chance meeting in a space station,
we learn they are all notably different from what their appearances might make
us presume. They befriend each other, talk, eat, laugh, and maybe even cry. So,
if you fancy an emotional and spellbinding journey through space, I can’t
recommend this novel enough.
—
So, now you know my top five favorite
books from the past year, is there anything new you’ll be adding to your
reading list? Or, perhaps you feel inspired to begin your own SFF manuscript
— either way, I hope that I’ve helped you choose from the overwhelming lists of
excellent fiction published in 2021; and, if
you’re new to these genres, I hope I’ve helped you find a new literary love.
Either way, happy reading!
Savannah
Cordova is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors with the
world's best editors, designers, and other publishing
professionals.
