John Wiswell’s fractured fairytale Someone You Can Build a Nest In tells the story from the perspective of the monster. Gives a wry, ironic, but ultimately compassionate view of humanity
ML Wang’s standalone fantasy Blood Over Bright Haven has plenty to say about the real world. Wang delivers engaging characters and a fascinating magic system that allows her to explore a range of complex issues.
Definitely the weirdest fantasy novel of the year, Jeff Noon and Steve Beard’s Gogmagog is a ferocious and bizarre piece of worldbuilding that is unafraid to mix elements and subgenres of science fiction, fantasy and horror. A found family narrative that sets readers up for Ludlula the concluding volume in this duology.
Leigh Bardugo draws on her own family history in The Familiar. Set in 16th Century Spain it follows the fortunes of a maid who is forced to reveal her magic abilities while hiding her Jewish identity from the Inquisition.
Crime fiction meets kaiju in a rich fantasy setting in Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup. Bennet uses characters based on a Holmes and Watson template to investigate a murder that leads to revelations about the politics of their world. A great start to a new series.
5 Honourable Mentions – click on image for full review
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