As with previous years, a lot of my reading is for Neon Hemlock or Baffling. But here I’ll share/update some of my favorite books and stories published in 2024 to help out future-dave with awards ballots.
Novels
Little Rot by Akwaeke Emeze
Thoughts: Twisted, fun, filled with incredible small character moments.
Exordia by Seth Dickinson
Thoughts: Plotty and readable first contact story in tandem with galaxy-brain science and politics that made me feel like I wasn’t quite smart enough to understand it.
Novellas
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed (Tordotcom)
Thoughts: Taut, compelling, clever.
The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar (Tordotcom)
Thoughts: Lyrical, Le Guinian, incisive.
Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo (Interstellar Flight Press)
Thoughts: Solid spin on thriller /detective story.
Short Stories
“We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read” by Caroline M. Yoachim (Lightspeed)
Thoughts: Fascinating form, evocative ending.
“The Clown Watches the Clown” by Sara S. Messenger (Apex)
Messed up (complimentary).
“Five Views of the Planet Tartarus” by Rachael K. Jones (Lightspeed)
Thoughts: Messed up (complimentary).
“Ten Ways of Looking at Snow, Reflected Off an Obsidian Armor” by Avra Margariti (Haven Spec)
Thoughts: Visceral and sad and full of longing.
“Poolhorse” by Samir Sirk Morató (Death Knell)
Thoughts: Horrific and nostalgic.
“Bride / Butcher / Doe” by Lowry Poletti (Strange Horizons)
Thoughts: So gay, so gross, so good.
“Cursed Moon Queers” by Natalia Theodoridou (Uncanny)
Thoughts: Hexes and exes. This one hurts. So good.
“The V*mpire” by P H Lee (Reactor)
Thoughts: Compelling and quicksand-stomach-making and perfectly evocative of a Time.
And some stuff I read this year from pre-2024 that I thought was great:
Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
I wasn’t strong enough for the sangfroid but this was well-constructed and worth reading.
The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard
A riveting thousand page book that could have probably used 200 less pages. Both less gay and less ace than I would have liked, but absorbing regardless. I could talk about this book for hours probably.
Wolfsong by TJ Klune
My first taste of Klune’s writing. Neat variation on urban fantasy tropes, though a couple of the central conceits drove me up the wall. His authorial voice was really interesting.
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Take the Kel books by Tamora Pierce and mash them up with Pern and anti-colonialism and alt-history and well-drawn emotion. Really enjoyed this.
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
This book is incredible. Fav read since The Saint of Bright Doors.
Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler
Loved this. It should be made into a movie immediately.
Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzalez
Very cute.
Vladimir by Julia May Jones
Got my litfic fix from this. Somehow made me enjoy the visit in this myopic POV.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Very enjoyable. I understand why it both was accessible for so many and why it was on so many lists when it came out.
Work For It by Talia Hibbert
A little more angst that I truly enjoy in a romance, but Hibbert made me almost not notice.
Feed Them Silence by Lee Mandelo
So good! I love when a “B plot” slots so affectingly inside the main plot like this.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Prob my fav romance of the year. Such a good writer.
City of Bones by Martha Wells
Enjoyable. Neat to see the early Wells writing at work.
Witch King by Martha Wells
Loved the dual-timeline, the worldbuilding, the angry gays, the gender stuff.
The Protector of the Small Quarter by Tamora Pierce
Alanna was very formative for me growing up, and I really enjoyed this foray into the narratives of my youth.
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torsz
Really solid! Might need to look for some Collins/Nicholas fanfic.
Leech by Hiron Ennes
Ancillary Justice meets gothic horror.