Our borg Best of 2021 list continues today with the Best Books of 2021.  If you missed them, check out our reviews of the Kick-Ass Heroines of 2021 here, the Best Movies of 2021 here, and the Best in TV 2021 here.  And we wrap-upwards the twelvemonth with our additions to the borg Hall of Fame tomorrow.  Nosotros reviewed more than 100 books that we recommended to our readers this year, and some even made information technology onto our favorites shelf.  Nosotros don't publish reviews of books that we read and don't recommend, so this shortlist reflects only this year's cream of the ingather.  So let's get going!

Best Sci-Fi, Best Tie-In Novel – Moments Asunder by Dayton Ward (Gallery Books).  An engaging read and fun-filled start to a new trilogy, full of keen throwbacks to all the Star Trek series, with several surprise characters and incorporated events, and a great update to Wesley Crusher. Runner-up: Star Trek: Picard–Rogue Elements (Gallery Books), by John Jackson Miller, provided a keen story for a newer character, pulling into the mix the hereafter of some familiar characters including the classic villain Kivas Fajo.

Best Fantasy Read – Fizban's Treasury of Dragons (Wizards of the Coast).  Providing all the lore and stunningly expansive details on everything you lot want to know nearly dragons, it'southward stuffed full of wonderful dragon artwork and enough worldbuilding lore to open the optics of anyone interested in fantasy, and everyone who loves dragons.

Best Mystery, Best Historical Novel, Best Holiday Read – Common cold-Blooded Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Algonquin).  Every bit reviewed past the Wall Street Periodical, "Younger Holmes fans (and older ones too) should be charmed by… the latest entry in her serial featuring 12-year-quondam amateur sleuth Myrtle Hardcastle. In 1893, Myrtle receives a double Christmastime stupor: the decease, in "The Final Problem," of her fictional idol Holmes, and the credible murder of the proprietor of her town's mercantile shop. Tidings of discomfort, indeed." Agreed!

All-time Gamble Read, Best New Edition of Previous Published Work, All-time Translated Piece of work – A Heart Divided: Legends of the Condor Heroes ivby Jin Yong, translated by Gigi Chang and Shelly Bryant (St. Martin's Printing).  Yong did the unthinkable by creating a series of books that got better with each volume.  Chang and Bryant rounded out a literary achievement re-creating in this final chapter Jin's rich, powerful prose fully consequent with today'southward best action-thrillers.

Best Retro Read (Fiction) – Castle in the Air , by Donald Westlake (Hard Case Criminal offence).  This new edition of one of the writer's lesser-known works is brilliantly funny, a complex heist movie-in-the-making full of incredible, odd, quirky characters.

Best Supernatural Novel, Runner-upward for Best Retro Read – Afterward, by Stephen Male monarch (Difficult Example Crime).  The all-new novel by King is a perfect launch pad for a television set series; the slow-simmering pacing reflects the perfect make-ready four season serial centering on a boy burdened with an ability he cannot walk away from.

Best Retro Read (Non-Fiction) – The Boys, by Ron Howard and Clint Howard (William Morrow).  Hollywood's best loved brothers put together a nostalgic trip through the days of classic television.  A treat for fans of the director/pb actor or character actor known for his quirky roles, or anyone who loved even one of their many TV serial and film projects.

Best Horror Read (necktie) – Alien3: The Unproduced, First-Draft Screenplay past William Gibson, A Novel  by Pat Cadigan(Titan).  Cadigan put together a great sci-fi/horror story featuring Aliens favorites Corporal Hicks and cyborg Bishop from the pages of Gibson's discarded screenplay, resulting in a smarter story with more action and thrills than what audiences saw in the theater; and Halloween Kills: The Official Picture show Novelization, by Tim Waggoner (Titan) (also, Best Retro Read (Fiction).  A brilliantly told accommodation full of throwbacks from the commencement movie and a true blast from the past.

Best Film/TV Concept Art Book – Wink Gordon: The Official Story of the Motion picture  past John Walsh (Titan).  The ultimate source book for fans ofFlash Gordon, and a bully look back at the film production methods of the year 1980, full of concept artwork, original props, costumes, and interviews never before available to fans of this 40+ year old sci-fi/fantasy classic.

Best Star Wars Non-Fiction Book – The Fine art of Star Wars: Milky way'southward Border by Amy Ratcliffe (Abrams).   A truly unusual account that reads like a behind the scenes book for an animated moving-picture show or video game, taking readers where they've never been, a world inspired past the artwork of Ralph McQuarrie only as the movies were so inspired, further springing from 11 movies, three series, and dozens of books.  The result is something different and new that fans accept never seen earlier.

Best Star Trek Non-Fiction Book – Star Trek Voyager: A Celebration by Ben Robinson and Mark Wright (Hero Collector).  Total of new interviews from the actors, writers, directors, and creative coiffure–a truthful look behind the scenes, including stories fans have never read before, and images from the production they probably haven't seen earlier.  A landmark book for its series that fans have been waiting for, and the ultimate love alphabetic character to the serial in the words of those who created it.

Best Non-fiction Educational – Saurian: A Field Guide to Hell Creek – by Tom Parker, Chris Masna, and RJ Palmer (Titan).  A video game tie-in about dinosaurs with current scientific noesis direct from leading paleontologists?  This illustration-filled companion book is unique, and volition certainly drive players to the dinosaur simulation in one case information technology arrives as a full release.

All-time Book Design – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by MinaLima (Harper Blueprint).  MinaLima again offered up its artistry and design to make a new definitive version of a classic–a storybook that could be a new favorite for the next generation of readers.  The blueprint duo's imagination through tipped-in ephemera and fifty-fifty pull-out spectacles makes for the side by side level of the classic pop-up type volume.

Best Book on Film – TCM'southward Essential Directors by Sloan De Woods (Running Press).  Information technology may be De Forest's best volume on film notwithstanding.  It's an informative, almost encyclopedic entry well-nigh the finest pic directors, some who made their marks every bit household names, others as legendary auteurs, while nonetheless others provided a singular flick or image that has made them synonymous with Hollywood royalty.

All-time Reads for Immature Kids (tie) – If Y'all Go Down to the Forest Today (Abrams Books for Young Readers), by Rachel Piercey, illustrated by Freya Hartas, inspiring, interactive fun for kids; and Jim Curious and the Jungle Journey (Abrams Books for Young Readers), past Matthias Picard, eye-popping images that will have your breath away, in a 3D entirely visual sci-fi journeying for kids.

Best Comic Book Series, Best Fantasy Comic Book Series – The Last Ronin (IDW).  The original creators returned to evangelize the most memorable story of the twelvemonth. Runner-up for Best Comic Series: Stray Dogs (Paradigm). Runner-up for Best Fantasy Series: Hardears (Abrams).

Best Sci-Fi Comic Volume Series – Bract Runner Origins (Titan).  A solid prequel to the movies and serial.  Runner-up: Blackness Star (Abrams).

Best Activeness/Thriller Comic Book Series/Graphic Novel – Smart Girl (Titan). Spanish creative person Fernando Dagnino created the all-time of all worlds in this multiple-genre sci-fi noir.

Best Mystery/Law-breaking Comic Book Series – Gun Dearest (Titan).  Writer Charles Ardai and artist Ang Hor Kheng delivered a new spy series that feels like an update to Dr. No with a new heroine in accuse.

Best Homage Cover – Captain America 80th Anniversary Tribute by Mark Brooks.  Groovy homages don't merely copy an artist.  This is a gorgeous salute to Captain America #1.

Best Comic Book Creative person – Frank Cho, Fight Girls, and various covers.  The leading creative person of the female grade didn't let upwardly this year with several variant covers and his great creator-owned serial.  Only he entertained fans all year most with his 2021 convention sketch covers, which beg for their own nerveless edition.

Best Author/Artist – Cynthia von Buhler, Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Electrified Tesla. Von Buhler returned this year with her savvy heroine in a world of brilliant color and shadow.

All-time Comic Book Cover – Astonishing Spider-Man 75, variant cover by Gabrielle Dell'Otto.  Cyborg Spider-Man–need we say more than?

Best Comic Book Issue – Dynamite Begins 50th Anniversary of Red Sonja with several series.  From Sonjaversal to The Invincible Red Sonja to Red Sonja: Black and White everywhere nosotros turned there was a new celebration of Red Sonja, who turns fifty in 2022. Runner-upward: Green Arrow turns eighty with Anniversary Outcome and variant covers.  Some of the best story writers and artists got together to celebrate this special issue.

Come up back tomorrow every bit we add several new members to the borg Hall of Fame.

C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg