5 of Our Most Popular Stories of the Year
The best of the Best of Book Riot from the year that was.
Book Riot’s Best Books of 2024
We’ve assembled our favorite reads of the year across genres — romance, horror, fantasy, poetry, and more. We hope you enjoy them just as much as we have!
8 Science Fiction Books That Are Impossible to Adapt
We seem to be living in an era when impossible-to-adapt science fiction novels are, in fact, getting adapted. Just look at the recent success of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films or the incredible Foundation series on Apple TV+. Both of these are based on book series formerly considered impossible to adapt: remember all of the terrible attempts to adapt Dune before?
And yet, that doesn’t suddenly mean that any and all science fiction novels are adaptable. While plenty are out there that would just be wildly expensive to adapt, we all know that studios will spend that cash if they think they can make it back. The real challenge is the science fiction novels that are too philosophical, too trippy, or just too much in their protagonists’ heads to ever make sense on screen.
12 Fantasy Books Inspired by Mythologies from Around the World
Why let Greek mythology dominate the conversation? Below I’ve gathered a dozen books that use mythologies other than Greek mythology. Dive into ancient epics, from Gilgamesh to the Ramayana; sample some Russian and Chinese folklore; dip your toes into the world of the Mayan gods. Follow alongside a Navajo monster hunter, a young Nigerian witch, and a detective investigating a case involving angels and djinn. These 12 books will take you around the world — and far beyond it.
Tennessee Public School Closes Library in Response to Book Banning Law
Green Hill High School in Wilson County, Tennessee has closed its library in preparation for the new school year so staff can check the entire collection to make sure they are in compliance with a new law that went into effect July 1. (These laws are onerous on purpose, folks.) H.B. 843 “requires schools to maintain and post lists of the materials in their libraries and to evaluate challenged materials to determine whether or not they are ‘age-appropriate.’”
The Best Historical Fiction of the 21st Century (So Far)
Historical fiction is an incredibly expansive genre that can include everything from historical romance to literary fiction set in the past. Historical fiction provides a small window into an imagined past, with contemporary social awareness serving as a guide. Since we weren’t there at the sinking of the Titanic or to see the fall of the Byzantine Empire, readers use historical fiction to understand our past and present. These beautiful books are just a few of the best historical fiction books published in the last 24 years!
