This is the post where I note the top Indie/Self-Published, and the top Traditionally-Published (Small Press/Big Five Trad & Imprints) books for Sci-Fi & Fantasy that I read in 2025!

It’s always hard to choose “top books of the year” from so many fantastic books that I read in 2025. However, every reader has individual tastes, and when one makes a top book list, one needs to remember that someone else’s top list will be completely different. Thus, these lists can be useful in helping guide readers towards a variety of books that perhaps they might not have otherwise discovered.

Additionally, I want to state here that I believe books are books, whether self-published or traditionally published. The manner in which a book is published has no bearing whatsoever on how well it is written. I only separate my top traditionally published book from my top self-published book, in order to let more books share the spotlight!

I love reading fantasy and science fiction books. There are some fantastic books out there in those categories. I had the privilege of reading some of these books, and posting reviews of what I thought of them on Goodreads. If you haven’t read these books, and if you don’t know about these authors, you’re definitely missing out! Let’s celebrate some awesome books! There are so many incredible books that are not listed in this post!

The books on this list are all ‘5 out of 5 possible star’ rated books for me, so they represent the top tier of what I read in 2025. There are no books I rated less than 5 stars on the lists.

This year I have also expanded the lists, to as many books as I felt I needed to include for each list, because I could not bear to leave off some of the books that were certainly good enough to make the lists, by cutting the lists off at ten books each.

Moreover, I have eliminated the ranking system for the most part (I want to slowly move away those) other than to denote the very best book I read in either category.

I have also stated which were the five finalists for my ‘book-of-the-year’ in each category, and have at least 1 honourable mention per category, which were books I felt were just outside the top lists, that were still fabulous reads!

Overall, the books on each list, other than the very top book, are listed in no particular order.

Below I will note the books, with cover attached, and a quick blurb about why I think the books are so good!

No rules here such as one book per author – I did not constrain myself with that either. Especially in a year where I binge-read the final 6 entries in “Malazan Book of the Fallen” by Steven Erikson, which is a 10-book series featuring what will likely become at least 2 or 3 of my favourite SFF books of all-time!

May you and yours have a safe and happy holiday season, and all the best for a prosperous 2026!  

P.L.’s TOP TRADITIONALLY-PUBLISHED SFF BOOKS FOR 2025

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

BLACK LEOPARD, RED WOLF by Marlon James

One for the honourable mention in the trad-published category this year, was also the most remarkably unconventional book I’ve read in 2025. Marlon James takes African myth and history and mashes it up into a vague, quirky, outlandish, darkly brutal, gory, and fascinating fever-dream of a world, where a famed hunter called Tracker takes on the search for a young boy who curiously no one really seems to want found. Demons, shape-shifters, witches, monsters, gods are part of a baffling, and creepy landscape where the worst of human traits are on display, and the character motivations are very difficult to decipher. Like nothing you’re going to read the year you read it, or in most years. Also, not for the faint of heart, but this is a unique and stunning book that will haunt your dreams, and is worth the effort of the sheer audacious brilliance of it, if you dare.

THE WARRIOR by STEPHEN ARYAN

The awesome conclusion to the “Quest for Heroes” Duology, Kell is back, and he’s the King! But he’s really just a figurehead, in a way; his marriage is in trouble; and he’d trade all the riches, wealth and status for one more chance to make a real difference. That chance arrives when an old friend is in dire need, and Kell must set off once more on yet another hopeless quest, very much like the one which made him famous. The problem with that original quest is that he was the only survivor, and the odds of surviving this new quest look even worse. But Kell decides it’s best to leave his formidable wife Queen Sigrid in charge because, after all, she’s better at running the kingdom anyway, and be off to face doom, one last time! Brilliant author Aryan gives you the sequel you need and the story demands, rather than perhaps the sequel you wanted, and the book is better for it. Darker and even more unpredictable than its amazing predecessor, “The Coward”, highly recommended.

AND NOW…THE OFFICIAL LIST!

THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD by Shauna Lawless

In this series, the wars amongst the mortals of ancient Ireland, the court politics, jockeying for power, double-crosses, misinformation, endless plots, and ‘moral flexibility’ mirrors the secret immortal war between the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann occurring parallel to/in the shadows of the human conflicts. An enchanting, ambitious series, centered on fabulous female main characters, it features one of my new all-time favs: Gormflaith. She is unremitting, cold, merciless, cunning, and ingenious in her wily plots. I adore highly flawed characters, and the devious and ruthless yet alluring Gormflaith is one of the best. This (Era One) finale is a heartbreaker, with an ending that will leave you speechless and teary-eyed.

THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR by Tad Williams

I did a bit of a backwards thing by starting “The Last King of Osten Ard” series which is set after the events of “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn”, but I don’t regret it. As a matter of fact, I think it’s enhanced my appreciation for the journey some of the characters have undergone in the time that passed since the original series. “The Dragonbone Chair” is wonderful, and kitchen boy Simon’s story hits all the classic tropes all the right ways. Tad Williams is an iconic author for a reason: he’s your favourite author’s favourite author. Dense, slow-burn, tons of lore, world-building (which is just my jam) – but once the action starts it is frenetic. Amazing start to this iconic series.

TOLL THE HOUNDS by Steven Erikson

With amazing symmetry, and heavy foreshadowing leading to such an explosive ending, where the confluence of major characters and events meet, on the most significant single day of the series so far, the reader will be left shocked, dazed, reeling, weeping, and will continue to see why this series is entitled “Book of the Fallen”. Earth-shattering, tragic, stupendous, “Toll the Hounds” is yet another incredible entry that helps makes “Malazan” a signal entry in the field of epic fantasy. One of the most emotionally impactful fantasy books I’ve ever read.

THE CRIPPLED GOD by Steven Erikson

If I am to judge “Malazan Book of the Fallen” by the aggregate of the work, including with a focus on the final book, “The Crippled God”, I would definitely say, this is one of the greatest epic fantasy series of all time. In a plaintive, hypnotic, highly satisfying, and nostalgic ending, “The Crippled God” neatly ties together the seemingly boundless plot threads and character arcs that demanded resolution by the end of the series. That said, “The Crippled God” does NOT going to rank in the top echelon of my favourite “Malazan” books! That doesn’t mean it’s not one of the best fantasy finales ever written, or that “The Crippled God” is not a great book.

MIDNIGHT TIDES by Steven Erikson

The writing in this series continues to be absolutely stellar, with Erikson’s prose reaching some new heights for me in this particular book, such as the Crippled God’s speech. Erikson’s genius continues to become more and more undeniable, and I am unarguably seeing “Malazan Book of the Fallen” for the literary tour-de-force that it is, without the confusion I experienced reading the earlier books in the series getting in the way to the same degree, obstructing the incredible view. This is a defining epic fantasy series, of the highest order.

DUST OF DREAMS by Steven Erikson

The wonder, the beauty, the heartbreak, the excitement, the depth of worldbuilding and story that includes hundreds and hundreds of characters, some gods, some ordinary people, and everything in between, will keep you coming back for more. If you are someone who loves epic fantasy, as I do, you will be profoundly affected by this series, and never regret the effort it took to read “Malazan”. I certainly haven’t. As I approach the final book in the main series, I feel I’ve been part of something immensely unique, special, and unlike anything else I’ve read yet in the fantasy genre.

REAPER’S GALE by Steven Erikson

Not as action-packed as the preceding installment, “The Bonehunters”, but even more emotionally devastating, edgy, and gripping, Book #7 in “Malazan Book of the Fallen”, “Reaper’s Gale”, blends some incredible moments of dark humour, utter savagery, tenderness, depravity, love, despair, and breathtaking courage in the face of adversity, into a heady cocktail of epic fantasy par excellence. There will be heartbreaking collateral damage along the way, in the wake of major happenings, that will leave the reader reaching for the tissue box, as to be expected in any “Malazan Book of the Fallen”, true to its moniker.

THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson

The Master of the Deck begins to reveal some of his hand (not to mention his cunning), the Ascendant gods show themselves to be even more potent (and also more vulnerable) than ever before, and the deities begin to truly choose sides. Elder Races, demons, mortals, and everyone else in between, continue to be caught in what is surely only the lead-up to a final apocalyptic conflagration. The battle for the First Throne we see in this installment, appears to be terrifyingly portentous of what cataclysm Erikson teases is coming.

THE TOWER OF LIVING AND DYING by Anna Smith Spark

Unabashedly, uncompromisingly pure grimdark fantasy, this is a lush, character-driven, incredible stuff. The prose beguiles and dazzles. While the players are fascinating and extremely well-drawn, they are some of the most detestable main characters one is going to meet in fantasy. They are horribly and seemingly irrevocably broken, and everyone around them pays the price for their emotional and psychological scars. In this second book, we witness Marith’s rise, and the utter carnage and chaos that accompanies it. Meanwhile, Orhan tries to survive amidst the inevitable downfall of the empire, and even his formidable political savvy seems incapable of stopping the decline.

THE HOUSE OF SACRIFICE by Anna Smith Spark

This is the kind of book trigger warnings were created for. It is not that terrors are consistently written in graphic detail. Predominantly, they aren’t. It is more about the TYPE of terrors explored and the depth of the debased behaviour, WHO commits the atrocities, and the QUANTITY and quality of the disturbing themes. Human sacrifice – including of children, sexual violence, murder, genocide, torture, mutilation, unhealthy obsessions, mania, revenge, oppression, drug and alcohol addiction, mental disorders, depression, betrayal…you see where I am going here. The themes are extremely bleak, just as stark as our characters. Here, in the gobsmacking finale, Marith seems unstoppable as he razes cities to the ground, marauding across the continent, while Orhan and the Sekemleth Empire appear to be doomed. Beautifully written, in a uniquely poetic style, and some of the darkest fantasy you will ever read.

THE FURY OF THE GODS by John Gwynne

The battle of the resurrected gods – Ulfrir (wolf), Lik-Rifa (dragon), and Rotta (rat) – is a conflict that escalates to a breaking point, in this last book of “Bloodsworn”, and Vigrið might be totally ripped asunder in the process. The members of Battle-Grim, the Bloodsworn, and their allies and enemies meet their fates, and Gwynne’s beloved and bestselling trilogy concludes as jubilantly as a warrior standing victorious over the body of their vanquished foe, with “The Fury of the Gods”. Orka will no doubt go down in the annals of fantasy fiction lore as one of the most beloved characters EVER written. “The Fury of the Gods” is an incredible capstone to the “Bloodsworn” Trilogy, which was an absolutely fabulous series.

THE LAST UNICORN by Peter S. Beagle

An enduring classic and one of the most popular fantasy books every written, a reclusive unicorn doesn’t realize she is the last of her kind until two human hunters travel through her forest. Wishing to confirm that she is the only unicorn left, she dares to leave the sanctuary of the forest and embarks on an adventure that will change the world. Filled with mystery, poignancy, and hope, if you are looking for a beautiful tale that is sweet and timeless, this is one not to be missed. As a special treat, my paperback version has an introduction by author Patrick Rothfuss, as this story is one of his foundational books from his formative years.

STORMING HEAVEN by Miles Cameron

Iniquitous gods, drunk on power, unashamed in their excesses and their wickedness, are under siege, by none other than upstart humans! Gorged on sex, violence, and vanity, and filled with all the human insecurities, weaknesses, and downright pitiful self-absorption, these gods are anything but magnanimous and worthy of veneration, and these gods would seem to deserve being deposed. (Co-incidentally, they are also hilariously funny!) In this second installment of the fabulous “Age of Bronze” Series, the action, as always with a Cameron novel, is top-notch, and we get even more wonderful character moments, as our principal characters divide, in order to conquer. But if they succeed in their quest, will they simply become that which they despise, providing more of the same sort of cruelty and capriciousness, if they manage to supplant their divine masters?

A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST by M.H. Ayinde

Why wouldn’t you summon the spirits of your dead ancestors to help you vanquish your enemies? Sounds like a perfect idea! As you can imagine, things go can wrong when the spirit-world is breached, and they definitely do, in this amazing African-inspired fantasy. Ayinde weaves a compelling tale about family, heritage, loyalty, privilege, and revenge, from the perspective of 5 very different characters, caught up in beautifully-drawn world where technology meets magic. For fans of Evan Winter, Mark Lawrence, and John Gwynne.

THE FINAL FIVE!

FINAL FIVE BOOKS I CONSIDERED FOR MY TRAD SFF BOOK-OF-THE-YEAR:

FURY OF THE GODS, THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD, THE HOUSE OF SACRIFICE, STORMING HEAVEN, TOLL THE HOUNDS.

AND THE WINNER IS…

P.L’s TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED SFF BOOK-OF-THE YEAR

 

 

 

 

 

TOLL THE HOUNDS by Steven Erikson

Steven Erikson Author Photo

P.L.’s TOP SELF-PUBLISHED SFF BOOKS FOR 2025

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

WEST OF APOCALYPSE by Bill Blume

A revenge space western opera, where the last honourable (and living) knight in the galaxy goes on a quest, jumping between worlds, to track down 13 powerful and evil former knights who are responsible for so much death and destruction, including her parents’ murder. There’s an army of foes coming to take her out, but Ayleen has a magic sword and a burning desire to kill all who stand in the way of her vengeance. Blisteringly fast-paced, with stellar fight scenes, full of plot twists, this book is a banger!

NO LIFE BUT IMMORTALITY by Luidmila Brus

One of the few notable sci-fi books I read this year, and a surprise favourite read, where an immortal genius turned serial killer may be behind a global blackout that changes life on earth forever. Can Martian colonists discover the truth of what has caused an environmental nightmare that has forced humankind to colonize outer space? And will an ancient malevolent evil be able to maintain its grip on the fate of the universe? This dystopian novel explores some fascinating themes. If you enjoy slow burn sci-fi that resonates with thought-provoking concepts, this one is for you.

THE KNIGHT OF THE MOON by Gregory Kontaxis

Famed bounty hunter John the Long Arm just wants to drink, carouse, and idle in his leisure time, wasting his hard earned money, when he’s not busy being a sought-after mercenary. But fate doesn’t let him just hang out and party on his off-days for long. He’s got a new mission, and a new partner, both forced on him, and it doesn’t look good that he’s going to make it out of his quest alive, even if he succeeds. Grim, tragic, action-packed, with wonderful characterization, this awesome novella is a prequel to the main “Dance of Light” series.

AND NOW…THE OFFICIAL LIST!

LIONS OF CARTHAGE – BOOK ONE by Samuel Hale

If you are a history nerd, like me, and you love the Punic War period, you can’t sleep on this exciting new series by Hale. With some of the most impeccable research behind it, mythology meets fact meets the fantastical, as an alternate 146 BCE with a semi-steam-punk vibe, blended with the heroic feel of classics such as the “Iliad”, brings us gods, demi-gods, fabled warriors, slaves, war-machines, and epic battles scenes. It’s set in the backdrop of the fall of Carthage at the hands of ancient Rome, and when the Numidians show up, things really go bonkers. Absolutely loved this tome, which allows for complete immersion in the stunning world-building, while providing action sequences that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

SORDANEON by L.L. Stephens

There is little I can write to convey just how spectacular this book is, and how criminally underrated it is. Utterly masterful storytelling, and an incredible character study, centered on a talented, gifted, yet mistrustful and arrogant god-prince, whose pain and bitterness is only dwarfed by his witty yet sardonic brilliance. Surrounded by enemies, rejecting those who might be genuine friends, Dorillian Sordaneon is one of the best-woven characters I’ve ever read in any novel. This author’s skill is undeniable, and needs to be more widely recognized.

SISTAH SAMURAI by Tatiana Obey

Kick ass katanas, splendid afros, awesome dialogue, author Obey writes a love letter to powerful, beautiful, resilient Black women, and pays homage to the Champloo style of Afro Samurai, which blends the edgy hip-hop vibe of Samurai Champloo with the relentless vengeance motif of Afro Samurai. Fantastic character work, sensational, cinematic action scenes that channel “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, pulsing with grit, attitude, and panache, the reader will fall in love with this short novel that packs a huge sword-cut for its page-count.

PLATINUM TINTED DARKNESS by Timothy Wolff

The gods cannot be trusted, but you can trust author Wolff to deliver a rip-roaring, action-packed thrill ride centred around the Guardians. The Guardians are a group of powerful yet sometimes divisive warriors who are supposed to be autonomous and above political scheming. Yet, they keep ending up being drawn into the plots and machinations of the various realms they inhabit. But despite such worries, the Guardians must protect all from the Harbingers, who are vessels for the gods, and whose power far exceeds the Guardians. Only unity can guarantee triumph, but all seems fractured. Really fun stuff!

OBSIDIAN – REVELATION

There is no beginning. There is no end. There is only “Obsidian – Revelation”, Book Two of the “Obsidian” Series. This is the Alpha and the Omega for me, of the best of what Indie grimdark SFF is all about. Beyond audacious, soul crushingly dark, yet so elegantly beautiful it hurts to breathe, with some of the best prose I’ve ever read, that does not ask for compliance, it just takes you, and doesn’t give you back. A part of my soul remained behind in this book, when I finished reading it. My favourite author, the iconic Janny Wurts, read this book, praised it highly, and one quote from her Goodreads review of the novel sums up how incredible it is, far better than anything I ever could say: “Don’t plan on taking breaks, and don’t cry for mercy – this book will give you none.” Stop reading my review here, and just go buy both Book One “Awakening”, this book “Revelation”, and pray you have the strength to wait long enough for the next book in the series to be released.

DANCE WITH ME – by Livia J. Elliot

An absolutely wonderful and touching allegorical novella where the author’s bravery, basing the story on her own personal challenges with trauma, emotional and physical abuse and depression, needs to be acknowledged. The themes can be heavy (though there is definitely a message of hope permeating the book), but the writing is stunning, and hearkens back to the immaculately-crafted fairy tales of old. A story the author clearly needed to write, and one that demands to be read.

WISTFUL ASCENDING – by J.C.M. Berne

Outrageously entertaining, yet with surprising thematic depth, superhero space-opera is the name of the game, and Rohan, the main character, exists in a galaxy filled with space bears, sentient space vehicles, frightening monsters, and more. All Rohan wants to do is tow spaceships, keep a low profile, and distance himself from his controversial backstory. Yet perhaps the biggest challenge before our protagonist, besides coming to terms with his past atrocities, and staying away from fighting, is navigating newfound love. Maybe the most fun I had reading a book this year!

SUNDERED MOON by Zammar Ahmer

Set in a uniquely tortured world which has ceased to rotate on its axis, thus half of it frozen and half baked, in a narrow strip of land called the Sunset Forest, humans have survived, and vanquished their dryad masters. But all is not peaceful, nor well. Famine, illness, discord, encroaching monsters, and more, throw the human kingdom into catastrophe, and the only hope lies in some very morally grey characters who must overcome their worst demons to try and salvage hope. This concluding book in the duology packs tons of twists, and a shocking ending. Gritty, emotional, a must-read for grimdark fans!

RIVER BECOMES SHADOW by Anne M. Smith-Nochasak

Smith-Nochasak shows mastery of the written word, always in control of the emotions she seeks to draw out of the reader, and the power of her authorial voice, combined with the often disturbing or triumphant events that take place in the book, are tear-inducing. Fraught with dystopian dejection and despondency, yet punctuated by optimism, and the greatness of the human spirit, a fantastic read.

GATEBOUND by Daniel T. Jackson

Four main characters are drawn relentlessly toward a magical power nexus. When and if they can survive to get there, will it mean their doom, or their ultimate triumph? Rarely can be found the series where the quality of each book continues to deliver or exceed on the promise of the previous installment. Yet, after reading three books in “Illborn”, I can say it is the case with this series. Once more, in “Gatebound”, author Jackson pairs breakneck, unremitting action and battle scenes, dark themes, intrigue, and romance, with unforgettable characterization, blended into a heady concoction that will have the reader flipping the pages breathlessly into the wee hours of the morning.

FUGITIVE RIFTS by A-M Mawhiney

The book commemorates the power of the human spirit, the ability to respect and cherish each other, to care for our fragile environment/ecosystem, and discover simple yet lasting solutions to profound problems. The message seems to be: our youth is our hope, and our future – we are in the best of hands with them. It is a very poignant, uplifting, and impactful message indeed. As with any book by Mawhiney, it is absolutely beautifully crafted, with redolent, moving writing that enthralls.

BOLD ASCENSION by Vaughn Roycroft

In Roycroft’s Dania, the Gottari factions, and a world inspired by the rise of the warlike, marauding Germanic tribes that helped precipitate the fall of the Roman Empire, are featured. Roycroft could one day in the future join the Camerons, Wurts, Winters, Cornwells, Gwynnes etc. as a master of depicting ancient combat, since his battles scenes are that spectacularly composed. This book has less bloodshed and more intrigue than it’s predecessor, “The Severing Son”, but it exceeds the wonderful first novel with its character development, depth of worldbuilding, and poignancy, as we see prophecies begin to take shape, as the so-called barbarians strike out into the ‘civilized world’ they believe is their for the taking.

DISCOVERY by J.A.J. Minton

Monumental, pioneering, avant-garde, “Discovery” by J.A.J Minton takes the best of sub-genres such as urban and/or dystopian/post-apocalyptic science fiction, historical fiction, thriller, cosmic horror, grimdark fantasy and smashes them up into a delectably eccentric, theatrical, atmospheric Smörgåsbord of bohemian delight that pushes the boundaries of conventional fiction in all the right ways, and defies being defined, other than to say, it’s a spectacular book.

RISE OF THE GODS by Dyrk Ashton

The “Paternus” trilogy is iconic in the Indie SFF fantasy sphere for good reason. This opening installment introduces the reader to an amazing urban fantasy world where a pantheon of the greatest mythical and semi-historical/historical heroes, gods, and monsters of yore come to life, in the modern-day, and we learn the ‘truth’ about their ‘real’ backstories. If you like ancient mythology, your cup will runneth over as you geek out over Ashton’s interpretations of your favourite legends. The author has conduced copious research, adding his own wonderful and often witty spin to craft a wild and incredible ride of a book, first in a series described by Ashton himself (accurately, I think) as “American Gods” meets “The Avengers”, and “Supernatural” meets “The Lord of the Rings”.

WHILE DARKNESS GATHERS by Philip Chase

And extremely poignant, and fantastic sequel to the “Edan Trilogy”, which is my top SFF Indie Series of all-time, Chase’s writing only becomes crisper, cleaner, sharper, without losing any of its flair and evocative power, which is no small feat, considering how brilliantly-written his previous books were. A horrifying dragon imperils the realm of a beleaguered ruler, and the next generation of warriors and magic-users after the time of the Prophet of Edan must rise to the occasion, prove their worth, and come into their own. Marvellous, and I continue to crave for much more of the world of Eormenlond.

THE FINAL FIVE!

FINAL FIVE BOOKS I CONSIDERED FOR MY INDIE SFF BOOK-OF-THE-YEAR:

DISCOVERY, WHILE DARKNESS GATHERS, SORDANEON, REVELATION, BOLD ASCENSION.

AND THE WINNER IS…

P.L’s SELF-PUBLISHED SFF BOOK OF THE YEAR

 

 

 

 

OBSIDIAN – REVELATION by Sienna Frost

Sienna Frost Author Photo