I did a lot of reading in 2020, but because of *gestures vaguely at everything* and the ensuing anxiety it caused, I wasn’t particularly intentional about it. As a result, I read quite a few first books in series without then continuing on in those series.
So to qualify for this list, I have to have read the book in 2020, and NOT read any of its sequels. Several of the books on this list were among those that I actually got around to reviewing last year, so you may have heard me talk about them before. I’ll be sure to link to my original reviews in case you haven’t.
Here are my top 5:
5. The Rage of Dragons
The Rage of Dragons, by Evan Winter, is a military fantasy set in a fantasy analogue for bronze age Africa. It is a dark and brutal revenge story following Tau, who enters the military in order to strengthen himself to the point where he can gain revenge on the nobles who killed his father.
But there are a few problems. First is that the nobles are genetically bigger, stronger, and faster than the commoners. Second, there are bigger forces at play that will determine the fates of a lot more than just a few corrupt nobles.
The Rage of Dragons is an impressive first novel that, despite originally being self-published, ended up being picked up by Orbit Books. You can read my full review for it here.
The sequel to The Rage of Dragons, The Fires of Vengeance, came out in late 2020, and I have simply not gotten around to reading it yet.
I recommend this for anyone who likes grimdark or military fantasy. I think it will especially appeal to fans of the First Law series, by Joe Abercrombie, fans of secondary world fantasy that is NOT based on medieval Europe, and fans of the next book on this list.
4. The Poppy War
The Poppy War, by R.F. Kuang, is another grimdark military fantasy by a first time author that draws inspiration for its setting from somewhere other than medieval Europe. This story is heavily inspired by the the Second Sino-Japanese War, which was itself the part of the Second World War in which Japan invaded China.
Despite this relatively modern inspiration for the story, the setting draws more from medieval China, so that magic can replace technology as the source of extremely destructive war tactics.
Within this brutal, warlike setting, we follow Rin, an orphan whose only chance of advancing in the world is by taking a test that could allow her to gain entry into the elite Sinegard Academy, a school where the next generation of generals and diplomats are trained. She makes it in, only to find that, despite supposedly being a meritocratic system, nearly all of her classmates are from the wealthiest and most powerful families in the Nikara Empire. This leads to conflict between her and some classmates, but their schoolhouse squabbles are quickly overshadowed by the threat of war.
Like the previous entry on this list, this is a must-read for people who love grimdark or military fantasy. If you love people weaving history into their fantasy stories, like how George RR Martin weaves The War of the Roses into A Song of Ice and Fire, then this is a book for you. But be warned: This book is brutal.
3. Children of Blood and Bone
Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi, is a YA fantasy novel set in Orisha, a fictional country that draws inspiration from the country of Nigeria and Yoruba culture.
In it, we follow Zelie, a member of the oppressed and marginalized diviners, whose parents and ancestors were able to do magic in the past, Amari, a princess who has stolen a magic scroll from her father and is trying to set right the evil her family has done, and Inan, Amari’s brother and heir to the throne, who is tasked with hunting down the two girls and the scroll.
This book is a fascinating exploration of systemic and internalized racism in a setting very different from the one we have here in the United States. We see the assumptions and unconscious biases of the well-meaning Amari, the fear, distrust, and hatred born from oppression in Zelie and her brother, Tzain, and the deeply ingrained prejudices and internal conflicts of Inan, and it is easy to see how those emotions relate to what we experience in our own lives.
You can read my full review for Children of Blood and Bone here.
I recommend this book for fans of secondary world YA fantasy, especially if you like fantasy stories that explore analogues for real-world issues. I also recommend it for someone who wants stories inspired by African mythology.
2. Parable of the Sower
Parable of the Sower, by Octavia E. Butler, is a science fiction classic that I, regretfully, did not get around to reading until 2020. But apparently, I was not alone, as Parable of the Sower reached the New York Time bestseller list for the first time last year.
Parable of the Sower is a post-apocalyptic/dystopian novel set in a world ravaged by climate change. Civilization has all but collapsed, with isolated pockets found in neighborhoods protected by walls. Outside of those walls, chaos, tribalism, and savagery reign.
In this world, we follow Lauren Olamina, a young black girl with ‘hyperempathy’, a condition where she physically experiences pain and other intense sensations that she witnesses others experience. She lives in one of these walled communities with her father, stepmother, and brothers. Her father instills in her the need for preparedness in the face of disaster, and she takes that a few steps further.
As Lauren prepares for what she considers to be the inevitable collapse of her community, she writes down a collection of thoughts, ideas, and poems that form a new religion, which she calls Earthseed. This religion holds that since the only constant is change, then God must be Change.
I recommend this for anyone who is a fan of hard-hitting dystopian sci-fi. I really can’t say it better that author John Green does on the picture of the cover above: “Brilliant, endlessly rich… pairs well with 1984 or The Handmaid’s Tale.” And, honestly, it is high time that Parable of the Sower became a staple of high school English curriculums.
1. The City We Became
The City We Became, by NK Jemisin, is the single best book I read in 2020. It is an ode to the city of New York, it is a resounding rebuke of the fearful, racist, sexist worldview of SFF giant HP Lovecraft, and it is a masterfully woven story of these people who are New York City.
First, I want to note that, while this is a first book in a series and I have not read any of its sequels, that is simply because none of its sequels are out yet. I will drop whatever I am reading to read the next one as soon as it comes out. It is that good.
Every once in a while, a city becomes so dense with culture, history, and people that it becomes a living entity, and a person becomes its avatar. But there is something that doesn’t like it when a new city-being is born. It tries to kill it before it can come to its full strength.
Now, it is New York’s time to be born, to fight for survival. But the city has a trick up its sleeve, because New York is a city of cities, and so instead of one avatar, it has six. Can the avatars come together to stop the Lady in White and save the city they love, the city they are?
Between reading this book and the Inheritance Trilogy this year, NK Jemisin is my new favorite author. Her prose are exquisite, her tone is masterfully crafted, and her storytelling rivals that of any other SFF author.
You can find my full review for The City We Became here.
I highly recommend this book to any lover of science fiction and fantasy, especially those love Lovecraft’s mythos but hate his politics. I also recommend it to people who love the city of New York.
If you do decide to read this book and you are a fan of audiobooks, then I recommend you experience it that way. This audiobook is exquisitely produced, with sound effects and sound editing masterfully utilized in a way that pulls you into the story more without being distracting. And Robin Miles, the narrator, handles the diverse cast of the book with ease and grace.
What was your favorite book that you read last year?
Have you read any of the book I listed above?
What did you think of them?
Let me know in the comments down below!
