2024 has so far been a great year for readers and authors alike. Authors banded together to fight against artificial intelligence displacing the human artist. The Writer’s Guild protests last year drove home the point that we need to protect our authors. Meanwhile, readers and librarians across the United States together fought against widespread book ban demands. Reading became cool again, thanks in part to booktok.
Fantasy and science fiction make up a huge portion of book sales, generating over $590 million in sales every year just in the US. Even on Amazon, the fantasy book category ranks number eight on the list of most competitive book categories. Safe to say, people love themselves some good ol’ fantasy novels. This year, too, the genre saw a slew of books flood the markets, with multiple titles becoming extremely popular. Popular trends in the genre included new settings, a disdain for Tolkien copycats, and a heavy helping of romantasy.
Season of Romantasy
Partly because of #booktok, romance was in the air this year, especially when it came to fantastic tales. Romance novels and year-round beach reads became very popular this year. Booktokers pretty much named Colleen Hoover the Queen of young adult romance. But it was romantasy that rose as #booktok’s favorite genre, with titles like Fourth Wing, the first novel of The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sara J. Maas, The Serpent and the Wings of Night, from the Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent dominating the scene for most of the year.
That said, standalone romantasies have also been in vogue. Margaret Rogerson again stole the show with her Sorcery of Thorns while Grace Draven wrote the enticing Entreat Me.
New Settings and Landscapes
The era of fantasy novels unfolding almost unfailing in the European medieval seems to be over. More and more authors are setting their fantasy novels in non-European spaces. Jade City by Fonda Lee and Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse are great examples of fantastic tellings getting set in new places. Asian fantasy is a hot favorite among these spaces, with authors exploring non-European cultures, histories, and timelines in their novels.
Era of Inclusivity
Fantasy novels, epic or otherwise, are also starting to become more inclusive in general. More and more female protagonists are taking over the fantasy scene. Queer narratives like Malice by — which is a Sapphic retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Lies We Sing to the Sea — another sapphic tale that delves into Greek mythology — also became immensely popular. The Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn is a popular YA fantasy novel that tells a tale of grief and love and Arthurian legends while exploring the history of slavery through the eyes of black women with magic in their veins.
Standalone Fantasy
The popularity of standalone fantasies also soared to new heights. This is probably because of how accessible they are compared to long four or five-part epic fantasy series. The lack of commitment needed to read these doesn’t take away from their quality, though. In fact, authors need to build entire worlds and spin a tale worth reading all in the space of one novel. Novels like The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood and The Magician’s Daughter by H. G. Perry.
Myths and Fairies
Retellings of popular fairytales or spinning new tales exploring mythologies of different cultures are also having a moment in the fantasy scene right now. From the wonderful Madeline Miller to Susanna Clarke and Guy Gavriel Kay, many are building their brands around this. Popular books include A Court of Thorn and Roses, Circe, the Percy Jackson series, and even Good Omens. The latter two have seen newfound interest since the show based on them became popular.
Industrial, Political, Progression, and A Slice of Life
For a while, after the epic success of George R R Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, it seemed that people were veering toward grim political fantasies. And these books did dominate the scene for a while. Think The Goblin Emperor and The Cruel Prince.That said, none of these novels’ popularity can even begin to compare to George R R Martin’s epic fantastic tale full of political intrigue.
Recently, though, readers have shown a newfound love for lighter fantasy, with a focus on magic systems and world-building. Brandon Sanderson, following in the footsteps of Robert Jordan with his Cosmere series, is a good example of this. Since the bleakness of COVID-19, there seems to also be a growing interest in comfier tales with a hint of a slice of life. Legends and Lattes, for example, is a popular high fantasy cozy story that leaves you feeling warm and comfortable.
