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Illumicrate's 100 Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy, & Horror Books of the 21st Century
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34 participants, 100 books
You can start and finish this challenge whenever you like!
Per Illumicrate:
To mark the first 25 years of the 21st Century, earlier this year the New York Times published its ‘100 Best Books of the 21st Century’, as voted on by industry professionals, “determining the most important, influential books of the era”. While both a huge undertaking and an incredible list, as genre fiction readers and lovers here at Illumicrate, we found the list didn’t quite… float our boat.
In the time since its publication, we (The Illumiteam) have taken it upon ourselves to nominate, vote and rank what we believe to be the best and most impactful Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror (SFFH) books published in the 21st Century.
We hope this list resonates with our customer base and you can be reminded of some nostalgic favourites worth re-reading and more recent releases we think are worth picking up!
Article here: https://www.illumicrate.com/news/100-best-sci-fi-fantasy-horror-books
* many of these are series, so only the first book has been added to the challenge
* many of these are series, so only the first book has been added to the challenge
Challenge Books
25
The Fifth Season
N.K. Jemisin
The Broken Earth Series by N.K. Jemisin (2015)
Starting with the end of the world, this is the story of one woman’s quest to find her missing daughter. Her son has been murdered and she has been betrayed, now she sets out across a shaken continent where the very earth beneath her feet is no longer stable or whole.
“Let’s start with the end of the world, why don’t we? Get it over with and move on to more interesting things.”
All three Broken Earth books won the Hugo Award for Best Novel three years in a row, making Jemisin the first author to win three years running and the first to win for an entire series individually. A seemingly unmatchable feat, this series will undoubtedly go down in history.
Caitlin says: There’s a glorious moment when reading The Fifth Season for the first time where you figure out what the connection is between each of the POVs. There’s so much social commentary here and when you couple that with worldbuilding that’s incredibly imaginative, characters so fleshed out they feel real, and flawless writing, it makes The Broken Earth series one of the greatest SFF series ever written, and truly deserving of all its accolades.
26
The Priory of the Orange Tree
Samantha Shannon
Roots of Chaos series by Samantah Shannon (2019)
The royal matriarchy have ruled the Queendom of Inys for a thousand years, but their future is uncertain, and a great evil has awakened.
“No woman should be made to fear that she was not enough.”
Imi says: As a life-long Samantha Shannon lover thanks to The Bone Season, I was beyond excited to step into a different world of her making. The representation of a queer-normative world as well as depression and struggles with mental health were such a boon to me at the time that it made Priory and this whole universe a very special place in my heart.
27
Strange the Dreamer
Laini Taylor
Strange the Dreamer Duology by Laini Taylor (2017)
Orphan and librarian, Lazlo Strange, joins a band of warriors to find the lost city of Weep in search of knowledge. However, the city presents him with even more mysteries: how is his past connected to Weep, and who is the mysterious woman he’s seeing in his dreams?
“It was impossible, of course. But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming?”
Yas says: I thought nothing could top Laini Taylor’s previous series but this duology does it – she builds such a rich and lyrical world that finds it’s way into my very soul. I frequently reread passages for comfort and think about the story almost every day.
28
Mistborn
Brandon Sanderson
The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson (2006)
The Mistborn series asks: what would happen if the Dark Lord won? This premise drives the series. Filled with twists and turns, part heist story, part political intrigue and complemented with wonderfully unique magical system. The Mistborn Series has sold over 10 million copies and is a landmark in the epic fantasy genre.
“Men rarely see their own actions as unjustified.”
29
The Bone Season
Samantha Shannon
The Bone Season Series by Samantha Shannon (2013)
In a future where clairvoyants are hunted by authorities, Paige Mahoney is captured and imprisoned leading to her discovery of the force behind the puppet government and organisation taking over the free world.
“Knowledge is dangerous. Once you know something, you can’t get rid of it. You have to carry it. Always.”
Originally an intriguing ‘alien’ dystopia with paranormal elements, The Bone Season series has made a unique impact as one of the first to be revised and rewritten by its original author. Samantha Shannon, who wrote her debut series at just 19, has openly discussed her struggles and the visible growth in her writing. By revising the first three books for the series’ 10th anniversary, she has left a mark on literary history, opening the door for other authors to explore similar revisions.
Bec says: I first read The Bone Season a few years back in its original form, and whilst I enjoyed it, it wasn’t until I started reading each sequel upon release and then recently went back and re-read the entire series from the start that I truly fell in love with this series. Samantha Shannon’s rewrites really bring her masterful storytelling to life as you see the threads planted throughout the series that effect events further down the line. I never thought I’d be so excited to get back to Scion.
30
Mexican Gothic
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2020)
Noemí visits her cousin in the Mexican countryside after receiving a distressing letter. Once there, she must uncover the secrets of the house, whilst it invades her dreams with nightmares and visions.
“The world might indeed be a cursed circle; the snake swallowed its tail and there could be no end, only an eternal ruination and endless devouring.”
Romie says:I remember finishing this book, hugging it, and rereading the last chapter. To this day, when I feel down, I still go back and reread the last few paragraphs, they give me a sense of quiet hope.
31
The Book Thief
Markus Zusak
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)
Narrated from the point of view of Death, follow orphan Liesel Meminger through 1939 Germany as Death wanders down her street and prepares to change her life forever.
“In the darkness of my dark-beating heart, I know. He’d have loved it all right. You see? Even death has a heart.”
Bec says: One of those books that takes hold of you and never quite releases its grip, told from the unique perspective of Death and following two children growing up in WWII era Germany. Have tissues on hand if you pick it up.
32
Fool's Assassin
Robin Hobb
The Fitz and the Fool trilogy by Robin Hobb (2014)
An estate owner with a secret and hidden past is thrown back into his old life when a mysterious messenger disappears before delivering his message, and leaving nothing but a trail of blood.
“This is our last hunt, old wolf. And as we have always done, we go to it together.”
Hannah says: These books have a stranglehold on my heart, my beloveds. This series sneaks in disguised as a slow-paced low fantasy and slowly builds into an epic spanning a lifetime. I cannot well put into words how much I adore Fitz and the Fool, but Fool’s Assassin is a perfect example of Hobb’s incredible writing, weaving together the threads of these characters lives, loves and heartache into a tale that will have you beaming with joy one minute and sobbing uncontrollably the next (no, I’m not okay).
Heather says: I had the privilege of journeying with Fitz, the Fool, and so many other memorable characters in the Realm of the Elderlings since the very first trilogy in the series, and it saw me through so much. In this trilogy, we come to the journey’s end, and it is a testament to Hobb’s sparse but emotive writing that we come to care so deeply about the friends and relationships formed throughout that this is bittersweet, poignant, and ultimately hopeful. A truly diverse cast with very real strengths and flaws, who face challenges both external and internal — these characters will stay in your heart for many, many years to come. Just don’t forget the tissues.
33
The Martian
Andy Weir
The Martian by Andy Weir (2011)
When an astronaut is stranded on Mars and presumed dead, he must use his expertise in botany to survive while waiting for NASA to realise the mistake and fight to bring him home.
“I guess you could call it a “failure”, but I prefer the term “learning experience”.”
34
An Ember in the Ashes
Sabaa Tahir
An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir (2015)
In an Ancient Rome-inspired world a slave girl goes undercover in a brutal military academy to try and save her brother. There she meets the academy’s most promising soldier and they discover their fates are intertwined.
“Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after. Such moments are tests of courage, of strength.”
35
Horns
Joe Hill
Horns by Joe Hill (2009)
On the one-year anniversary of his girlfriend’s grisly murder, Ignatius Perrish wakes up from a night of drinking (and doing dark deeds) to find horns growing from his forehead. Along with these horns, Ig possesses a terrifying new power. One that will allow him to get revenge for his murdered love.
“Maybe all the schemes of the devil were nothing compared to what man could think up.“
36
A Darker Shade of Magic
V.E. Schwab
Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab (2015)
A realm-hopping adopted member of the royal family of Red London crosses paths with a thief of Grey London. What happens next will both involve and change all four Londons, for better and for worse.
“I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”
Imi says: For the lovers of adventure-centred fantasy, mysterious magic, and mischievous underdogs. A Darker Shade of Magic was my introduction to Schwab and the unputdownable nature of Lila and Kell’s adventures will make it my first recommendation for childhood fantasy lovers returning to reading as adults.