100 Must-Read Sci-Fi & Fantasy Novels by Female Authors

Bookriot published this list of 100 female SFF authors and I really, really like the books they’ve chosen. There are some books I’ve read, others I own, and many I don’t know at all yet. So naturally, I now want to check out everything on this list and read it. Bookriot listed only the first isntalment to represent a series, but my list-loving brain decided that I’m going to list (almost) all the books, so this is more than 100 works – which just means more fun and more to read. Yay!

The books printed bold are ones I have already read and if I also reviewed them here, I added a link to my review. If I stopped listing a series after a certain part, that’s because I didn’t like the series and abandoned it, or because I haven’t caught on that there are more instalments yet. I’ll update the list as I find out more about these authors and their books.

  1. Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce
    1. Alanna: The First Adventure
    1. In the Hand of the Goddess
    2. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
    3. Lioness Rampant
  2. The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia
  3. Among Others by Jo Walton
  4. The Ancillary Trilogy by Ann Leckie
    1. Ancillary Justice
    2. Ancillary Sword
    3. Ancillary Mercy
  5. Ancient, Ancient by Kiini Ibura Salaam
  6. The Antelope Wife by Louise Erdrich
  7. Harolds of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey
    1. Arrows of the Queen
    2. Arrow’s Flight
    3. Arrow’s Fall
  8. Queen’s Own
  9. Ash by Malinda Lo
  10. The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
    1. Assassin’s Apprentice
    2. Royal Assassin
    3. Assassin’s Quest
  11. The Pyramid Waltz by Barbara Wright
  12. Biting the Sun by Tanith Lee
  13. The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish
  14. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter
  15. The Clockwork Century by Cherie Priest
    1. Boneshaker
    2. Clementine
    3. Tanglefoot
    4. Dreadnought
    5. The Inexplicables
    6. Fiddlehead
    7. Jacaranda
  16. Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
  17. Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara
    1. Cast in Shadow
    1. Cast in Courtlight
    2. Cast in Secret
    3. Cast in Fury
    4. Cast in Silence
    5. Cast in Chaos
    6. Cast in Ruin
    7. Cast in Peril
    8. Cast in Sorrow
    9. Cast in Flame
    10. Cast in Honor
    11. Cast in Flight
  18. China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh
  19. Chorus of Mushrooms by Hiromi Goto
  20. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
    1. Cinder
    2. Scarlet
    3. Cress
    4. Fairest
    5. Winter
    6. Stars Above
  21. Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart
    1. The Crystal Cave
    2. The Hollow Hills
    3. The Last Enchantment
    4. The Wicked Day
    5. The Prince and the Pilgrim
  22. The Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce
    1. The Darkangel
    2. A Gathering of Gargoyles
    3. The Pearl of the Soul of the World
  23. The Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor
    1. Daughter of Smoke & Bone
    2. Days of Blood & Starlight
    3. Dreams of God & Monsters
  24. The Black Jewels by Anne Bishop
    1. Daughter of the Blood
    2. Heir to the Shadows
    3. Queen of the Darkness
    4. The Invisible Ring
    5. Dreams Made Flesh
    6. Tangled Webs
    7. The Shadow Queen
    8. Shalador’s Lady
    9. Twilight’s Dawn
  25. The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier
    1. Daughter of the Forest
    2. Son of the Shadows
    3. Child of Prophecy
  26. The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris
    1. Dead Until Dark
    2. Living Dead in Dallas
    3. Club Dead
  27. Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente
  28. The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
  29. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
  30. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
  31. Tales of the Magatama by Noriko Ogiwara
    1. Dragon Sword and Wind Child
    2. Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince
  32. Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
    1. Dragonflight
    1. Dragonquest
    2. The White Dragon
    3. Dragonsong
    4. Dragonsinger
    5. Dragondrums
    6. Moreta
    7. Nerilka’s Story
    8. Dragonsdawn
    9. The Renegades of Pern
    10. All the Weyrs of Pern
    11. Chronicles of Pern: First Fall
    12. The Dolphins of Pern
    13. Dragonseye
    14. The Masterharper of Pern
    15. The Skies of Pern
  33. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
    1. An Ember in the Ashes
    1. A Torch Against the Night
    2. A Reaper at the Gates
    3. A Sky Beyond the Storm
  34. The Etched City by K.J. Bishop
  35. The Female Man by Joanna Russ
  36. Lighthouse by Carol Berg
    1. Flesh and Spirit
    2. Breath and Bone
  37. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
  38. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  39. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
  40. Graceling Trilogy by Kristin Cashore
    1. Graceling
    1. Fire
    2. Bitterblue
    3. Winterkeep
  41. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
  42. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
    1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
    1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
    2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
    3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
    4. Harry Poter and the Order of the Phoenix
    5. Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince
    6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
    7. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  43. The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington
  44. Her Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree Jr.
  45. Hild by Nicola Griffith
  46. Temeraire by Naomi Novik
    1. His Majesty’s Dragon
    1. Throne of Jade
    2. Black Powder War
    3. Empire of Ivory
    4. Victory of Eagles
    5. Tongues of Serpents
    6. Crucible of Gold
    7. Blood of Tyrants
    8. League of Dragons
  47. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
  48. The House on the Lagoon by Rosario Ferré
  49. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
    1. Howl’s Moving Castle
    2. Castle in the Air
    3. The House of Many Ways
  50. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
    1. The Hunger Games
    2. Catching Fire
    3. Mockingjay
  51. Ink by Sabrina Vourvoulias
  52. Inkworld Trilogy by Cornelia Funke
    1. Inkheart
    2. Inkspell
    3. Inkdeath
  53. The Island of Eternal Love by Daína Chaviano
  54. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
  55. Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear
  56. The Dreamblood Duology by N.K. Jemisin
    1. The Killing Moon
    2. The Shadowed Sun
  57. Kushiel Trilogy by Jacqueline Carey
    1. Kushiel’s Dart
    2. Kushiel’s Chosen
    3. Kushiel’s Avatar
  58. Nightrunner by Lynn Flewelling
    1. Luck in the Shadows
    1. Stalking Darkness
    2. Traitor’s Moon
    3. Shadows Return
    4. The White Road
    5. Casket of Souls
    6. Shards of Time
  59. Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
  60. Worldbreaker Saga by Kameron Hurley
    1. The Mirror Empire
    2. Empire Ascendant
  61. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
  62. Moving the Mountain by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
  63. Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi
  64. My Christina & Other Stories by Mercè Rodoreda
  65. My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due
  66. Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin
  67. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
  68. Earthseed by Octavia Butler
    1. Parable of the Sower
    2. Parable of the Talents
  69. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
  70. The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
    1. The Queen of the Tearling
    2. The Invasion of the Tearling
    3. The Fate of the Tearling
  71. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
    1. The Raven Boys
    2. The Dream Thieves
    3. Blue Lily, Lily Blue
    4. The Raven King
  72. The Red by Linda Nagata
    1. First Light
    2. The Trials
    3. Going Dark
  73. Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
  74. October Daye by Seanan McGuire
    1. Rosemary and Rue
    1. A Local Habitation
    2. An Artificial Night
    3. Late Eclipse
    4. One Salt Sea
    5. Ashes of Honor
    6. Chimes at Midnight
    7. The Winter Long
    8. A Red-Rose Chain
    9. Once Broken Faith
    10. The Brightest Fell
    11. Night and Silence
    12. When Sorrows Come
  75. Salt Fish Girl by Larissa Lai
  76. The Second Mango by Shira Glassman
  77. The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold
    1. Cordelia’s Honor
      1. Shards of Honor
      2. Barrayar
    2. Young Miles
      1. The Warrior’s Apprentice
      2. “The Mountains of Mourning”
      3. The Vor Game
    3. Miles, Mystery & Mayhem
      1. Cetaganda
      2. Ethan of Athos
      3. “Labyrinth”
    4. Miles Errant
      1. “Borders of Infinity”
      2. Brothers in Arms
      3. Mirror Dance
    5. Memory
    6. Miles in Love
      1. Komarr
      2. A Civil Campaign
      3. “Winterfair Gifts”
    7. Miles, Mutants & Microbes
      1. Falling Free
      2. “Labyrinth”
      3. Diplomatic Immunity
    8. Cryoburn
    9. Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance
    10. Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen
  78. Shikasta by Doris Lessing
  79. The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
  80. Psy-Changeling by Nalini Singh
    1. Slave to Sensation
    2. Visions of Heat
    3. Caressed by Ice
  81. So Far from God by Ana Castillo
  82. Sorcerer Royal by Zen Cho
    1. Sorcerer to the Crown
    2. The True Queen
  83. The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger
    1. Soulless
    2. Changeless
    3. Blameless
    4. Heartless
    5. Timeless
  84. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
  85. The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
  86. Spirits of the Ordinary by Kathleen Alcala
  87. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
  88. A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar
  89. Sunshine by Robin McKinley
  90. Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
  91. Swords of Riverside by Ellen Kushner
    1. Swordspoint
    2. The Privilege of the Sword
    3. The Fall of Kings
    4. Tremontaine
  92. The Queen’s Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
    1. The Thief
    1. The Queen of Attolia
      • Knife Dance
    2. The King of Attolia
    3. A Conspiracy of Kings
    4. Thick as Thieves
    5. Return of the Thief
  93. Confederation by Tanya Huff
    1. Valor’s Choice
    1. The Better Part of Valor
    2. The Heart of Valor
    3. Valor’s Trial
    4. The Truth of Valor
    5. An Ancient Peace
  94. War for the Oaks by Emma Bull
  95. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
  96. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
  97. Blud by Delilah S. Dawson
    1. Wicked as They Come
    2. Wicked as She Wants
    3. Wicked After Midnight
    4. Wicked Ever After
  98. Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
  99. The Woman Who Thought She Was a Planet and Other Stories by Vandana Singh
  100. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
    1. The Wrath and the Dawn
    2. The Rose and the Dagger
  101. The Time Quintet by Madeleine L’Engle
    1. A Wrinkle in Time
    2. A Wind in the Door
    3. A Swiftly Tilting Planet
    4. Many Waters
    5. An Acceptable Time