A note just in case. I have enjoyed reading all of these books. I am proud to own at least a signed copy of at least one of these books. I am glad that all of these authors are experiencing different levels of success.
I just do not happen to think that these are one of the five best SFF novels produced in their respective years. I have read something better.
- 2016 - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin[3]
- 2015 - The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
- 2012 - A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
- 2011 - The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
- 2009 - Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi[1]
- 2008 - The Last Colony by John Scalzi[1]
- 2000 - A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge[2]
- 2015, 2017, 2018 - Saga (graphic novels) by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples. [4]
I can't comment on the rest of the nominees as I haven't given them a full reading.
[1] By John's own admission, The Last Colony was missing something. Which is how Zoe's Tale came into being. Two halves of a good book are not independently worthy of being a top 5 book, IMHO.
[2] This was the winner in 2000! I enjoyed it, but didn't think it was that great. Curiously, I did like A Fire Upon the Deep by Mr. Vinge a great deal and can see why it won in 1993. The two books are related.
[3] Added on 5/16/2016. I just finished it over the weekend. While it was a very good book, I have, indeed, read better books.
[4] This entire series just seems like an identity journey with some science-fictionium and fantasium slathered on. The artwork isn't terribly interesting. I've never seen the attraction of reading it and can think of several other series that I'd rather read. And yet it will get nominated in almost every year. I enjoy the author's work in other series immensely. This one? Leave it.
