Top 5 Speculative Fiction Books of 2024

Note: This is a repost of my original article from my former website. Posted here and updated a little.

As the new year begins and we move into 2025, it becomes important to reflect on the year before. This year, I have undertaken an interesting new journey and I've found myself doing something that brings me a lot of joy. I discovered and joined BookSirens in August because I saw reviews as a way to add extra content to my blog while I worked on projects, but I quickly discovered that I enjoy writing about books almost more than I enjoy writing itself.

I had initially intended on only reviewing a single book a week, but quickly found myself rocketing through books. While this trend has tapered down lately (life has gotten in the way a bit) I still managed to review 21 books this year since August. I've had a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but mostly I have enjoyed the experience and I'm keen to keep it up as we move into 2025.

And since we're reflecting on the year gone, I figure there's no better time than now to announce my best indie books of 2024. I've had a roller coaster of a year. I've read spectacular books and not so spectacular books. The indie book scene is a mixed bag and I hope to provide a list of books than are worth your time and your money.

#5 The Edge of a World by JD Rivers

The Edge of a World is a fantasy adventure novel that follows the story of Otar, a wandering scholar attempting to uncover the secrets of a series of mysterious ruins left behind by an ancient civilisation. Otar is a well-rounded and compelling character whose romantic escapades make sense in the overarching narrative.

#4 The Mystery of the Pale King by Sam Flynn

The Mystery of the Pale King is a masterful tale of suspense and cosmic horror that tackles themes of colonisation, childhood trauma and religion. I could barely put this book down and finished the thing in a day. It contains fantastic worldbuilding and realistic characters and is a must read for fans of cosmic horror.

#3 Alan Dreams of Giants by T.M. May

Alan Dreams of Giants is a delightful tale set in a dream world full of imagination. Set in the 90s, it contains oodles of nostalgia that is neither too cheesy nor sentimental. It also has the honour of being the best cover on this list. The dream word of Imp Lode contains many pieces of typical fantasy sprinkled with flakes of strangeness that amplify its dream-like quality. Alan is effortlessly relatable and a character that is easy to root for as he navigates his dream world. It’s low stakes but contains tons of heart.

#2 Remnants of a Scarlet Flame by Cindy L. Sell

Without a doubt, the first entry to The Last Draegion series is a brilliant book. Set in a detailed and compelling world, with interesting three-dimensional characters and excellent prose, it's a spectacular jumping-off point for a series that I am looking forward to continuing. Cindy L. Sell is clearly a master of her craft and someone to keep an eye on.

#1 A Distortion of Fate by M.J. Lindsey

When M. J. Lindsey reached out to me to ask me to review her book, I had no idea that I would be reading my favourite book of the year. At the time, I called it a masterwork of fiction, and I stand by that statement. It blends science fiction, fantasy and multiple storylines with the ability of a master weaver that had me enthralled from start to finish. Lindsey conveys the complexity of the world without weighing it down, weaving need to knows into great prose with expert precision. A great book and the gold standard for books.

2024 was an exciting year for books and I look forward to continuing my reviews here on The Speculative Review.