It is that time of the year again when I take a step back and look at all the books lingering on my TBR. So many unread books waiting to be read and so many adventures that I am eager to embark on. Taking stock of all my TBR books, I made a list for myself with all the books that I hope to read in 2020.
Here are the Sci-fi books on my TBR for 2020 –
I really enjoyed reading Planetfall but for some reason, have not read the other books in the series. In 2020, I want to complete some series that I started. Speaking of which, I want to read Vengeful as I loved Vicious and had been waiting for a sequel for many years. The only problem is that I do not remember anything from Vicious and will have to read that book again before I read the sequel.
The one series that I am eager to read is The Calculating Stars. I don’t want to read it this year as I heard the books are slow paced and I feel like reading something much more fast paced now. This is the reason for having Recursion on my immediate TBR as I am craving for a sci-fi thriller now.
There are few famous authors that I have been meaning to read and would like to read something by them in 2020 –
- Iain M Banks – one of the most popular sci-fi authors and the series is extremely popular too.
- Tim Powers – a famous classic SF author. The book I chose has time travel, one of my favorite tropes.
- C.J. Cherryh – I have been meaning to read something by her for a long time now. Time to crack open one of her books.
- Lois McMaster Bujold – Multiple Hugo winner. I want to start her extremely long series and find out if it is worth all the hype.
I have some more classic SF books that I am hoping would end up as my favorites. Most of these are hard sci-fi which happens to be my most favorite Sci-fi subgenre. Reading about all the science just makes me excited.
- Alastair Reynolds – I am very eager to read his space opera which I heard is great.
- Philip K Dick – I have mostly read his shorter works and enjoyed them immensely. I want to read a full-length novel by him soon.
- Vernor Vinge – I heard this and its sequel have some kickass science in it and I can’t wait to read it.
- Larry Niven – A famous hard sci-fi classic SF author
- John Wyndham – Plants turning into monsters killing humans. I am in!
- Samuel R Delaney – I love books which deal with interesting aliens (check my recent post on it) and also communicating with aliens. I heard Babel-17 is yet another book about linguistics and aliens.
- Jack Vance – Yet another famous classic SF author that I want to try
What is on your TBR for 2020?
Have you read any of these books? Do let me know which ones I should be prioritizing from this list.
Bookish Muggle 
I love Tim Powers, I recommend just about everything he’s written:-)
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Oh great. I should try his book asap in that case.
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I like the premise of the book by the author – John Wyndham. That will make a superb revenge story.
Destination Infinity
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Yeah the premise sounds so interesting. I want to read the book mostly because of this premise.
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Philip K. Dick was such a great storyteller. I hope you enjoy his stuff. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is the perfect place to start with him, too!
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oh thanks. Will pickup Do Androids.. soon then. I was conflicted between this and The man in the high castle but ended up choosing this.
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I’d really like to read the Machineries of Empire series by Yoon Ha Lee next year. I meant to get around to it this year but it just didn’t happen.
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I tried the first book in that series by Yoon Ha Lee but it just wasn’t for me. Nothing wrong with the book but I went it with wrong expectations I guess. I hope you end up liking it.
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I definitely want to read Emma Newman’s books, I’ve bought the first two and haven’t read them yet. I’m excited for K.B. Wagers new book A Pale Light in the Black, which is about the equivalent of space Coast Guard taking part in their annual war games – except this year, someone’s trying to hide a secret by killing the participants.
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I am yet to read something by K B Wagers. Keep hearing a lot in the blogosphere about her (his?) books. The one you are planning to read sounds very interesting.
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Her books are a lot of fun, I’ve read her first trilogy, which is a space opera about a princess who ran away from home when she was 18 and spent 20 years as a smuggler/gunrunner, and now has been dragged back to court by bodyguards after assassinations leave her next in line to the throne.
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oh wow. That sounds right up my alley. I love books with bold female protagonists. Definitely going to try this book.
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Do it! The first book in the series is Behind the Throne. I’m actually reading the first book in the 2nd trilogy with the same protagonist right now!
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Just read some reviews. The lead lady is Indian? I am sold. It’s bound to be different from every other series out there.
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Yup! She’s basically leading the Indian Space Empire 1000 years from now. It’s a matriarchal society and everything.
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I liked the Emma Newman I read (Before Mars) and Ringworld sounds so interesting to me. I’ve never read Day of the Triffids but liked the movie. Alastair Reynolds is someone I’ve been thinking of trying too.
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I have not seen the Day of Triffids movie too. Hopefully I will like the book. Considering it is a classic, it will likely be slow paced and not great with characterization (though not sure).
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Oh my goodness, The Anubis Gates is so SO good! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
And Alastair Reynolds is such a dude!
You’re going to have an awesome 2020!! 😀
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I just read the synopsis somewhere and wanted to check out Anubis Gates. I didn’t know anyone who liked it so thanks for confirming.
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*tips hat* 😊
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That’s one heck of a TBR, I hope you manage to get to these and that you enjoy them! I need to check out Emma Newman’s work, and I feel like I’ve heard so much about Lois McMaster Bujold this year that I need to give her work a try, too. 🙂
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Same here. Everyone keeps raving about Bujold’s book and she has a million books out already. It’s high time I read at least one I guess. 🙂
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Great list. I really want to step into philip K. Dick too. I also really want to read The Calculating Stars. Until I was writing a recent post I had no idea it had won so many awards this year.
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Yeah The Calculating Stars has been getting so much praise and it does sound interesting too. I haven’t heard any bad reviews so far.
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Ooo… you have some awesome authors here. If you can get a chance to pick up Downbelow Station and dive in, do so… I love, love LOVE Cherryh. She is probably the single author who most influenced my own writing. And Lois McMaster Bujold is another great talent. She also has a lovely fantasy novella series Penric and Desdemona, but the Vorkosigan Saga is fabulous… As for Emma Newman’s series – After Atlas is another marvellous book, for my money, it’s the best book in the series, and still echoes in my mind. I’ve enjoyed all Wyndham’s writing. And Recursion and The Calculating Stars are also on my 2020 TBR list! Happy reading, Avada and many thanks for swinging by and visiting my blog:))
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Oh good to hear you liked Downbelow Station, I need to bump it up on my TBR I guess. Bujold has such a long series. It is a bit intimidating to be honest, which is why I still have not picked up her books. Need to at least read the first subseries in her mega series. Oh I am happy to know that After Atlas is better than Planetfall. So many books, so little time. I am hoping to prioritize these books in 2020.
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Bujold has also written a much shorter, novella series around a young man possessed by a demon that is also funny and poignant. And unlike many novellas, this series represents good value for money. And yes – I thought the pacing issues that occur in Planetfall were completely fixed in After Atlas, which I absolutely loved. And yes… I know what you mean about so many books, so little time!
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I really want to read Vengeful next year too. I’ve got Vicious on my December TBR, and I’m hoping to get a copy of Vengeful for Christmas, so I should get to it soon 🙂
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I have heard mixed reviews about Vengeful. Some people love it but some despised it. Keeping my fingers crossed that I like it. Vicious is one of my favorites. I hope you like it.
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