C.'s eleven favourite scifi & fantasy stories read in 2017

When I was reviewing only one book a month, it was quite easy to see which were my eleven favourite scifi and fantasy stories of the year (the single collection made twelve). Since I've considerably increased the number of reviews per month in 2017, it may not be as visible. On the other hand, I've reviewed more books because I've read great stories and that one review a month wasn't enough anymore.
So, let's now pick la crème de la crème from my 2017 reads! Here are the books that you really must catch up if you haven't read them.
Please note these aren't necessarily books published in 2017. The books are in the order I read them.

Tade Thompson, Rosewater.
My review here.

Admittedly, I read it by the end of 2016, but since I reviewed it in 2017, it counts!
I read this scifi novel in a couple of days and I really loved the story, the main character and the world building. I highly recommend it, and I'm not the only one as it received the first ever Nommo Award.

Emma Newman, Planetfall.
My review here.

2017 was the year I discovered Newman's writing. First there was Planetfall, a raw and powerful scifi novel, followed by After Atlas. Then there was The Split Worlds series that I read in a sweeping five days (my review here). Definitely a writer I'll faithfully follow in the future.

Aliya Whiteley, The Arrival of Missives.
My review here.

This scifi novella defied all my expectations and left me enthused. The story remained with me, long after having read it. It is a thing of beauty, marvellously written and it must be read.

Lois McMaster Bujold, Penric's Demon, Penric and the Shaman, Penric's Fox, Penric's Mission and Mira's Last Dance.

"Excuse me, but where's the review for those?" There's none because McMaster Bujold keeps throwing new Penric novellas at us! Nonetheless, I'll review them all, as soon as she's finished with them. But my re-read of the first two Penric novellas and the catching up of the latest proved as fun and enjoyable as ever when reading McMaster Bujold. (#LoveLois)

Jennifer Marie Brissett, Elysium.
My review here.

Elysium is a unique tale about love, survival and truth. It can be confusing at times but it's a remarkable scifi story that I will re-read at some point and that stayed with me for a long time.

Victor LaValle, The Ballad of Black Tom.
My review here.

The Ballad of Black Tom is a gripping novella, full of emotions. It is also a Lovecraftian tale that addresses in no uncertain terms H.P. Lovecraft's racism. It's an absolute must-read if you have missed it.

Alexis Wright, The Swan Book.
My review here.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the best literary speculative fiction I've read for years. It may not be a straightforward and easy read, but, crikey! What a beauty! I couldn't stop talking about it.

Usman Malik, The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn.
My review here.

Months after having read it, I still wonder why this novella doesn't have a publication of its own rather than being lost in Tor.com free offers. It's a beautiful fantasy story about cultural changes and self discovery and amazingly written. Don't miss it! (And it's free!)

Prayaag Akbar, Leila
My review here.

Leila is an incredibly striking and grim dystopia about class and caste, and the walls we build between communities. Except those walls aren't metaphorical. And day after day, the world news seemed to show me we may be heading this way.

Jeannette Ng, Under the Pendulum Sun.
My review here.

Even weeks after having read it, I'm still thinking about this novel which has the most fantastic (and fantastical!) world building, a wonderful complexity in the interwoven intertexts and a gripping pace full of twists and turns. One of my favourite fantasy novels of the year!

Chris Brookmyre, Places in the Darkness.
My review here.

Set on a space station that is building a generation ship, this novel throws together two very different women: the first one is a 40 something corrupt cop, the other, in her early 30s, adopted in a rich family, has just been named at a high position on the station. Crimes and conspiracies ensue.

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Do you want to check all my 2017 reviews? Here they are

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