“What are the best Science Fiction and Fantasy books released in 2019?” We looked at 202 of the top Science Fiction and Fantasy books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 32 books, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Science Fiction and Fantasy” book lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 150+ titles, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.

Our other Best Of 2019 Articles:

• The Best Young Adult Books
• The Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Books
• The Best Science And Nature Books
• The Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Books
• The Best Nonfiction Books
• The Best History Books
• The Best Fiction Books
• The Best Cookbooks
• The Best Graphic Novels And Comics
• The Best Biography And Memoir Books
• The Best Art And Photography Books
• The Best Kids, Children, and Youth Books
• The Best Poetry Books

Our Other Years: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015

All books appearing on 2 or more lists have been added to a Bookshop list as well!

Happy Scrolling!

Top 32 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books From 2019

32 .) A Boy and His Dog At The End of the World written by C.A. Fletcher

Lists It Appears On:

• Kirkus Reviews
• Amazon
• The Nerd Daily

THE MOST POWERFUL STORY YOU’LL READ THIS YEAR. ‘You’ll remember A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World long after you finish reading’ Peng Shepherd, author of The Book Of M ‘Fletcher’s suspenseful, atmospheric tale imagines a near future in which our wo

31 .) A Little Hatred (The Age of Madness) written by Joe Abercrombie

Lists It Appears On:

• Powell’s
• Guardian
• Amazon

Introducing a cast of unforgettable new characters, A LITTLE HATRED is the start of a brand new trilogy set in the world of the First Law which will have you gripped from the very start . . . War. Politics. Revolution. The Age of Madness has arrived . . .

30 .) Dark Age (Red Rising Saga, #5) written by Pierce Brown

Lists It Appears On:

• NPR
• Gizmodo AU
• Goodreads 2

Cast out of the very Republic he founded, with half his fleet destroyed, he wages a rogue war on Mercury. Outnumbered and outgunned, is he still the hero who broke the chains? Or will he become the very evil he fought to destroy?

29 .) Jade War (Green Bone Saga #2) written by Fonda Lee

Lists It Appears On:

• NPR
• Powell’s
• Library Journal

On the island of Kekon, the Kaul family is locked in a violent feud for control of the capital city and the supply of magical jade that endows trained Green Bone warriors with supernatural powers they alone have possessed for hundreds of years. Beyond Kekon’s borders, war is brewing. Powerful foreign governments and mercenary criminal kingpins alike turn their eyes on the island nation. Jade, Kekon’s most prized resource, could make them rich – or give them the edge they’d need to topple their rivals.

28 .) Sorcery of Thorns written by Margaret Rogerson

Lists It Appears On:

• Gizmodo AU
• Kirkus 2
• Noteworthy – Jackie

When apprentice librarian Elisabeth is implicated in sabotage that released the library’s most dangerous grimoire, she becomes entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy that could mean the end of everything.

27 .) The Future of Another Timeline written by Annalee Newitz

Lists It Appears On:

• Guardian
• Tor
• NPR

“A revolution is happening in speculative fiction, and Annalee Newitz is leading the vanguard.”–Wil Wheaton From Annalee Newitz, founding editor of io9, comes a story of time travel, murder, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love. 1992: Afte

26 .) The Heavens written by Sandra Newman

Lists It Appears On:

• Tor
• Washington Post
• NPR

New York, late summer, 2000. A party in a spacious Manhattan apartment, hosted by a wealthy young activist. Dozens of idealistic twenty-somethings have impassioned conversations over takeout dumplings and champagne. The evening shines with the heady optimi

25 .) The Ruin of Kings written by Jenn Lyons

Lists It Appears On:

• Kirkus Reviews
• Library Journal
• NPR

“Everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it.”—Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians When destiny calls, there’s no fighting back. Kihrin grew up in the slums of Quur, a thief a

24 .) The Testaments written by Margaret Atwood

Lists It Appears On:

• Tor
• Amazon
• NPR

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE Margaret Atwood’s dystopian masterpiece, The Handmaid’s Tale, has become a modern classic—and now she brings the iconic story to a dramatic conclusion in this riveting sequel. More than fifteen years after the events of The

23 .) Tiamat’s Wrath (The Expanse, #8) written by James S. A. Corey

Lists It Appears On:

• Gizmodo AU
• Amazon
• Goodreads 2

Thirteen hundred gates have opened to solar systems around the galaxy. But as humanity builds its interstellar empire in the alien ruins, the mysteries and threats grow deeper.

22 .) We Set the Dark on Fire written by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Lists It Appears On:

• Kirkus 2
• Tor
• Booklist

“We Set the Dark on Fire burns bright. It will light the way for a new generation of rebels and lovers.” –NPR.org “Mejia pens a compelling, gripping story that mirrors real world issues of immigration and equality.” –Buzzfeed Five starred reviews!! In th

21 .) Fall, or Dodge in Hell written by Neal Stephenson

Lists It Appears On:

• Goodreads 2
• Tor
• Booklist 2
• Kirkus Reviews

In his youth, Richard “Dodge” Forthrast founded Corporation 9592, a gaming company that made him a multibillionaire. Now in his middle years, Dodge appreciates his comfortable, unencumbered life, managing his myriad business interests, and spending time with his beloved niece Zula and her young daughter, Sophia.

20 .) Recursion written by Blake Crouch

Lists It Appears On:

• Gizmodo AU
• Goodreads 2
• The Nerd Daily
• NPR

Investigating a suicide, New York City police officer Barry Sutton finds a connection to the outbreak of a memory-altering disease and a controversial neuroscientist working to preserve precious memories.

19 .) Steel Crow Saga written by Paul Krueger

Lists It Appears On:

• Amazon
• Kirkus Reviews
• Tor
• NPR

A soldier with a curse Tala lost her family to the empress’s army and has spent her life avenging them in battle. But the empress’s crimes don’t haunt her half as much as the crimes Tala has committed against the laws of magic . . . and her own flesh and b

18 .) The Bird King written by G. Willow Wilson

Lists It Appears On:

• Booklist 2
• Chicago Review of Books
• NPR
• BookMarks

A fantastical journey set at the height of the Spanish Inquisition from the award-winning author of Alif the Unseen and writer of the Ms. Marvel series, G. Willow Wilson’s The Bird King is a jubilant story of love versus power, religion versus faith, and f

17 .) The City in the Middle of the Night written by Charlie Jane Anders

Lists It Appears On:

• Tor
• NPR
• BookMarks
• Powell’s

Entertainment Weekly’s 27 Female Authors Who Rule Sci-Fi and Fantasy Right Now, All the Birds in the Sky ― Winner of the 2017 Nebula Award for Best Novel, Finalist for the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novel “If you control our sleep, then you can own our dream

16 .) The Deep written by Rivers Solomon

Lists It Appears On:

• Amazon
• Gizmodo AU
• Goodreads 2
• NPR

The water-breathing descendants of African slave women tossed overboard have built their own underwater society—and must reclaim the memories of their past to shape their future in this brilliantly imaginative novella inspired by the Hugo Award–nominated s

15 .) The Lesson written by Cadwell Turnbull

Lists It Appears On:

• Chicago Review of Books
• Kirkus Reviews
• Publishers Weekly
• Library Journal

An alien ship rests over Water Island. For five years the people of the US Virgin Islands have lived with the Ynaa, a race of superadvanced aliens on a research mission they will not fully disclose. They are benevolent in many ways but meet any act of aggr

14 .) The Light Brigade written by Kameron Hurley

Lists It Appears On:

• Booklist 2
• Publishers Weekly
• Tor
• Library Journal

Soldiers are broken into light and sent to the frontline of a brutal interplanetary war, in this brilliant military SF from the Hugo Award­­-winning author of The Stars Are Legion. The Light Brigade: it’s what soldiers fighting the war against Mars call th

13 .) The Ten Thousand Doors of January written by Alix E. Harrow

Lists It Appears On:

• Amazon
• Tor
• NPR
• Noteworthy – Jackie

‘A gorgeous, aching love letter to stories, storytellers and the doors they lead us through . . . absolutely enchanting’ Christina Henry, bestselling author of Alice EVERY STORY OPENS A DOOR In a sprawling mansion filled with exotic treasures, January Scal

12 .) Exhalation written by Ted Chiang

Lists It Appears On:

• Goodreads 2
• Guardian
• BookMarks
• Powell’s
• NPR

‘Lean, relentless, and incandescent.’ Colson Whitehead, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys This much-anticipated second collection of stories is signature Ted Chiang, full of revelatory ideas and deeply sympatheti

11 .) Gods of Jade and Shadow written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Lists It Appears On:

• Amazon
• BookPage
• Tor
• NPR
• The Nerd Daily

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore. “Simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-mending, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a wondrous and magical tale ab

10 .) Magic For Liars written by Sarah Gailey

Lists It Appears On:

• Booklist 2
• Tor
• Powell’s
• The Nerd Daily
• NPR

Sharp, mainstream fantasy meets compelling thrills of investigative noir in Magic for Liars, a fantasy debut by rising star Sarah Gailey. Ivy Gamble was born without magic and never wanted it. Ivy Gamble is perfectly happy with her life – or at least, she’

9.) The Priory of the Orange Tree written by Samantha Shannon

Lists It Appears On:

• Amazon
• BookPage
• Gizmodo AU
• Goodreads
• The Nerd Daily

THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ‘The new Game of Thrones’ Stylist ‘Puts Samantha Shannon in the same league as Robin Hobb and George R.R. Martin. Shannon is a master of dragons’ Starburst ‘Epic fantasy with added dragons. A blockbuster’ Guar

8.) Wanderers written by Chuck Wendig

Lists It Appears On:

• BookPage
• Guardian
• Kirkus Reviews
• Publishers Weekly
• The Nerd Daily
• NPR

A decadent rock star. A deeply religious radio host. A disgraced scientist. And a teenage girl who may be the world’s last hope. From the mind of Chuck Wendig comes an astonishing tapestry of humanity that Harlan Coben calls “a suspenseful, twisty, satisfy

7.) A Memory Called Empire written by Arkady Martine

Lists It Appears On:

• BookPage
• Guardian
• Tor
• Amazon
• Library Journal
• NPR
• Powell’s

“A Memory Called Empire perfectly balances action and intrigue with matters of empire and identity. All around brilliant space opera, I absolutely love it.”—Ann Leckie, author of Ancillary Justice Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-

6.) Black Leopard, Red Wolf written by Marlon James

Lists It Appears On:

• BookMarks
• Guardian
• Gizmodo AU
• Kirkus Reviews
• Tor
• NPR
• The Nerd Daily

FINALIST FOR THE 2019 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD The New York Times Bestseller “A fantasy world as well-realized as anything Tolkien made.” –Neil Gaiman “Gripping, action-packed….The literary equivalent of a Marvel Comics universe.” –Michiko Kakutani, The New

5.) Middlegame written by Seanan McGuire

Lists It Appears On:

• Gizmodo AU
• Goodreads
• Kirkus Reviews
• Publishers Weekly
• Tor
• NPR
• The Nerd Daily

New York Times bestselling and Alex, Nebula, and Hugo-Award-winning author Seanan McGuire introduces readers to a world of amoral alchemy, shadowy organizations, and impossible cities in the standalone fantasy, Middlegame. Meet Roger. Skilled with words, l

4.) Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) written by Leigh Bardugo

Lists It Appears On:

• NPR
• BookMarks
• The Nerd Daily
• BookPage
• Gizmodo AU
• Tor
• Goodreads

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most prestigious universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

3.) The Starless Sea written by Erin Morgenstern

Lists It Appears On:

• BookPage
• Gizmodo AU
• Goodreads
• Guardian
• Amazon
• BookMarks
• The Nerd Daily
• NPR

The magical new novel from the bestselling author of The Night Circus. Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a strange book hidden in the library stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key

2.) Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1) written by Tamsyn Muir

Lists It Appears On:

• NPR
• BookMarks
• Powell’s
• The Nerd Daily
• BookPage
• Library Journal
• Tor
• Amazon
• Goodreads 2

Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.

1.) This Is How You Lose the Time War written by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Lists It Appears On:

• Amazon
• Booklist 2
• Gizmodo AU
• Goodreads 2
• Guardian
• Tor
• Washington Post
• NPR
• Powell’s

Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in this thrilling and romantic book from award-winning authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. In the ashes of a dying world, R

The 150+ Additional Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Released In 2019

22 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Sources/Lists