The 2000s gave us some of the biggest names and boldest ideas in science fiction—space operas that redefined the genre, cyberpunk evolutions, and near-future thrillers that feel eerily relevant today. But here’s the twist: not every great book of the decade made it onto the Hugo, Nebula, or Locus ballots.
In this episode, Jim continues the series by uncovering the real gems of the 2000s—one Best and one Runner-Up from each year—that critics and fans adored but the awards somehow overlooked. From planetary epics to biotech thrillers, from mind-bending hard SF to character-driven adventures, these are the novels that deserved far more recognition than they received.
Which of these overlooked masterpieces have you read? Which ones will be jumping onto your TBR after this episode? Share your thoughts in the comments!
And as always—don’t forget to like, subscribe, hit that bell, and join our Patreon community if you’d like to help support more content like this: https://www.patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges
#ScienceFiction #SciFiBooks #2000sSciFi #UnderratedBooks #AwardSnubs #HiddenGems #BookTube #FantasyForTheAges #SciFiCommunity #TBR
Want to purchase books mentioned in this episode?
1634: The Galileo Affair: https://t.ly/RhmC7
Consorts of Heaven: https://t.ly/mhhLt
Coyote Rising: https://t.ly/ZbCAW
Crystal Rain: https://t.ly/fuuDR
Drowning World: https://t.ly/xiXOI
Empire: https://t.ly/HLicw
The Ethos Effect: https://t.ly/_pf26
Hunter’s Run: https://t.ly/v2MI_
Into the Looking Glass: https://t.ly/TAtf5
The January Dancer: https://t.ly/JuleH
The Octagonal Raven: https://t.ly/t_Uw-
Plague Year: https://t.ly/fj7QE
Prey: https://t.ly/PufFc
Remains: https://t.ly/ZDZiz
Reunion: https://t.ly/29u7j
The Skies of Pern: https://t.ly/SLikf
The Temporal Void: https://t.ly/n7Wg4
Under the Skin: https://t.ly/xT7Xi
The Unincorporated Man: https://t.ly/K5Vjr
Venus: https://t.ly/PURgb
Ways to connect with us:
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages
Follow us on Mastodon: @FantasyForTheAges@nerdculture.de
Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com
Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages
Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n
0:00 - Opening
1:45 - Episode Explanation
3:09 - Great Sci-Fi Novels of the 2000s
18:19 - Conclusion & Wrap-up
————————————————————————————
Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:
https://elements.envato.com/
