RF Kuang’s stand alone historical fantasy takes on issues of empire and colonialism and introduces a unique linguistice magical system
Chelsea Abdullah’s propsulsive and adventure-filled debut draws on Middle Eastern fantasy traditions. Ending with a satisfying cliffhanger the next volume cannot come soon enough.
Holly Black has moved well away from her YA root to deliver a rich, dark world of shadows and magic and a hard living protagonist with a chequered past. Driven by effectively deployed crime genre elements, full of twists and reverses to the final page.
Nghi Vo explores a golden age of Hollywood replete with magic where people can literally sell their souls for stardom through the eyes of an Asian ingenue.
Fonda Lee brings her epic Jade Bone saga to an end with a book that spans twenty years and stands as an epic in its own right. As always, a fabulous blend of Godfather-style organised crime and politics, martial arts action and magic.
Honourable Mentions
The second of Lavie Tidhar’s Anti-matter of Britain quartet takes on a deconstructs the legend of Robin Hood
Mykaela Saunders delivers a dizzying and eye-opening collection of speculative fiction short stories by Australian First Nations authors.
Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series continues to entertain and impress, continuting to build out its magic-filled world while drawing in real places and events.
More great urban fantasy/horror/comedy with the second book in CK McDonnell’s series set around the very odd Mancunian newspaper The Stranger Times.
JM Miro delivers a gaslamp fantasy with plenty of clear antecedents but has taken these common elements and delivered an engaging and vivid world with engaging characters.
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