Sylvia Bishop

Stonehenge does not stand alone: it is surrounded by earlier monuments, it was built alongside a settlement and other sites, and it presides over graves and shrines from people who lived centuries and even millennia later. In modern history, it has inspired a Druidry movement, hosted a military airbase, drawn festival crowds and seen police brutality. Susan Greaney pulls out five books that tell the many stories of Stonehenge, the astonishing monument that continues to surprise us with each new excavation.

The Arthur C Clarke award highlights six outstanding science fiction books every year. This year’s field shows the breadth of contemporary science fiction, says chair of judges Andrew M. Butler. From antimemetics to royal rewilding, this year’s list offers something for everyone – and will be won, however the votes fall, by somebody who has never received the award before.

Many classic fantasies revolve around mythical creatures – slaying them, bonding with them, or even transforming into them. Bestselling author Katherine Arden talks us through her five favourites, from childhood classics to modern innovations, and the rich worlds these legendary creatures open up.

Addiction is fundamentally a multi-faceted phenomenon, says addiction psychiatrist and author Carl Erik Fisher. He recommends five books that shine light on different aspects of addiction, and talks to us about how society repeats itself – but how, at the community and individual level, there is wisdom and hope.

Overthinking might present as rumination about the past or worry about the future, and it comes in many different guises. But, as Dr Jessamy Hibberd explains, it’s dangerous in any form – inhibiting our problem-solving, trapping our mood, and causing mental and physical health problems. She talks us through five books for overthinkers, from classic research to books on compassion, mindfulness and acceptance.

Fairies have long stood for the numinous other, and since the twentieth century authors have put fairy tradition to a variety of uses. Award-winning author Jo Walton introduces us to five landmark stories of fairies – wide-ranging in setting and themes, but always at once alluring and discomfiting.

Epic fantasies offer rich worlds and stories to get lost inside. Multi-million bestseller Christopher Paolini recommends five key examples of the genre, each offering something different – their own guiding philosophy, their own delight in language, and their own ‘wonkiness’ that makes them memorable and meaningful.

Cosmic horror explores the sublime, and so has the power to terrify and exhilarate us, says horror writer John Langan. He takes us through forests, cities, sewers and even beach holidays, introducing five books that will confront you with the unknown – and the unknowable.

This year’s crop of sci fi award-winners encompasses sentient AI, lost species revival, and genetic mutations, with novels, graphic novels and novellas all scooping prizes. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop introduces the prize-winning page-turners that have taken this year’s top spots.

Popular Korean fantasy today features characters and themes from a rich tradition. Author, historian and translator Minsoo Kang introduces five key texts available in English, from founding myths to fantastical novels, and explains the history that shaped these stories – and, just as importantly, shaped the desires of their modern readers.