Welcome to our series exploring some of the best books of the year. We scoured multiple sources to pull together an eclectic mix of reading recommendations with a wide range of appeal. The science fiction and fantasy novels in this blog post include stories that are compelling, imaginative, richly detailed and thought-provoking. Enjoy!

10 Notable Sci-Fi / Fantasy Books of 2018

1. Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller When a climate-wars project involving the construction of a sophisticated floating city in the Arctic Circle begins to succumb to corruption and crime, the arrival of a woman riding an orca at the side of a polar-bear companion brings together four people to stage strategic acts of resistance.

2. High Voltage by Karen Marie Moning Immortal Faerie and ancient feuds, secrets and sacrifices–a thrilling new chapter in the bestselling “Fever” series begins, featuring Dani, Ryodan, and other beloved characters, as they battle to save Dublin from the rising of a terrifying evil determined to enslave the human race.

3. Vox by Christina Dalcher Marginalized in a near-future America where the government limits women to no more than 100 spoken words daily before outlawing women’s education and employment altogether, a former doctor resolves to be heard for the sake of her daughter.

4. Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko A young girl falls under the spell of a strange, sinister man who asks her to perform odd tasks before convincing her to enroll in a strange and magical school called The Institute of Special Technologies.

5. Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft The Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. Immense as a mountain, the ancient Tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual animals and mysterious machines.

6. Vengeful by V.E. Schwab After her brush with death, Marcella Riggins targets the city of Merit using her new-found power while manipulating Victor Vale and Eli Ever into a battle against one another.

7. The Book of M by Peng Shepherd When people throughout the world begin losing their shadows and memories while developing dangerous powers, a man desperately searches for his afflicted wife in a world turned upside down by bandits and cultists.

8. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett A thief in a city controlled by industrialized magic joins forces with a rare honest police officer to stop an ancient evil ritual that endangers thousands of lives.

9. The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

10. The Book of Hidden Things by Francesco Dimitri Three friends go searching for Art when he misses their yearly reunion in their Southern Italy hometown, hearing fantastical stories along the way about Art’s recent life and discovering a curious manuscript in his home authored by Art, called The book of hidden things.

If the books in this blog post are not your cup of tea – check out the other posts in our best books of the year series, the book lists below or try our Give 3 Get 3 service to receive personalized recommendations from our knowledgeable staff.

More Best of 2018 Book Lists Worth Exploring

Best Science Fiction and Fantasy – Goodreads Choice Awards

Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy – NPR’s Book Concierge

Best Science Fiction and Fantasy – Kirkus Reviews

Best Books 2018 – Library Journal

The 10 Best Science Fiction Books of 2018 – Chicago Review of Books

Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Graphic Novels – Powell’s Books

Best Books of 2018 – Amazon

19 of the Best Fantasy Books of 2018 – BookBub

Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Horror Books of 2018 – Publisher’s Weekly

The 5 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels of 2018 – The Washington Post