There may only be a handful of months left in 2020, but that’s still plenty of time to be enchanted by new fantasy worlds or find yourself on a journey across the stars. Here are six science fiction and fantasy novels—a blend of books and audiobooks—that hit shelves in 2020 and should be on your TBR list before the new year arrives.
Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, narrated by Moira Quirk
Lesbians, and sword fights, and necromancy—oh my! Tamsyn Muir’s sci-fi Locked Tomb series has all of that and more. NetGalley members have been buzzing with excitement about Harrow the Ninth for months. Picking up where the first book left off, Harrow has come out of the tournament victorious but at a great cost and is now asked by the Emperor to fight in an impossible-to-win war. No bones about it, Moira Quirk’s performance as the complex and complicated Harrow is sure to delight readers.
Skyhunter by Marie Lu
Coming next week is an exciting new science fiction YA novel from Marie Lu. The first in a series, Skyhunter follows Talin, a refugee working as an elite soldier in Mara, the only nation on Earth free from the clutches of the Federation. She’ll do almost anything to protect her home, yet when she’s tasked with killing Red, a Federation deserter, she refuses. As punishment, her commander forces Talin to take Red on as a fighting partner to keep an eye on him. With their combined skills, Talin wonders if together they can stop the Federation once and for all.
Scarlet Odyssey by C.T. Rwizi, narrated by Korey Jackson, Janina Edwards, Robin Eller, Kimberly Woods, Susan Dalian
Fans of ensemble cast narrations will definitely want to check out this audiobook by debut novelist C.T. Rwizi. Korey Jackson leads the cast as the narrator for Salo, who longs to be a mystic in a tribe that demands he become a warrior. Though his queen accepts his path, she sends him away from their people on a mission to the Jungle City. Joined by three other travelers who don’t fit in, Solo hunts for information on the enchantress who threatens their tribe.
The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
The final chapter in the Daevabad trilogy published this summer, making it the perfect time to dive into the series from the beginning or pick up where you left off. Healer Nahri and the exiled Daevabad prince Ali are recovering in Egypt after the events of the last book, and though Nahri wishes they could stay safe in her human home forever, she knows they must return to the djinn city. Over the course of their journey back, long-kept secrets are revealed that could change everything.
Network Effect by Martha Wells, narrated by Kevin R. Free
Murderbot is back! Everyone’s favorite Artificial Intelligence Security Unit is once again drawn away from the shows it enjoys binge-watching to help a group of humans in trouble. Kevin R. Free continues to narrate, nicely capturing Murderbot’s every exasperated moment. This fifth installment in the Murderbot Diaries also happens to be the first full-length novel in the series!
Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston
On shelves now, Andrea Hairston’s latest transports readers to the Arkhysian Empire, a land suffering from the spread of a poison desert. It falls to Djola, spymaster and second-in-command to the emperor, to find a way to save his home before it’s too late. While others look for quick solutions, Djola knows that the only way forward is through great sacrifice. In an interview with We Are Bookish earlier this year, Hairston shared the inspiration behind the book and where she hopes to see the genre go in the future.
