Books by Sylvia Bishop
Sylvia Bishop is a British author. She writes fiction for children and teens, and runs workshops for children, teens and adults.
“On Silver Tides uses the folklore of rivers and lakes in particular. Mythic water creatures appear in horrifying, mutually contradictory accounts, but also show up in more commonplace ways – Jenny Greenteeth, for example, is a river hag who snatches children, but also a name for duckweed. This made it easy to create that half-remembered, hidden-world effect that I love so much. Here, the hidden world belongs to ‘silvermen’: a secretive amphibious community, living on houseboats and protecting the river. The story follows Kelda as she guards her little sister, Isla. Isla can’t breathe under water, and should have been sent away from the family’s boat at birth. When the waterways sicken, Isla is blamed, and they flee.” Read more...
“A lot of the comparisons in the reviews mention Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and there is a comparison in that there’s a competition—but there the similarity ends.” Read more...
Zoe Greaves, Children's Author
Interviews with Sylvia Bishop
Five Lesser-Known Novels by Fantasy Greats, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
Often, great fantasy writers will be best known for one work or world in particular. There’s a delight to discovering what else these great dreamers imagined, says our fantasy editor Sylvia Bishop. She picks out five works by household names that you might not already have read – ranging from sprawling multiverses, to miniscule worlds in carpets.
The Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Novels, as Chosen by Fans: the 2025 Hugo Awards, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The Hugo Awards are an annual celebration of fantasy and sci fi work, chosen by fans. Our fantasy editor Sylvia Bishop introduces this year’s winners, with something for everyone to escape into – from the short story winner for a busy day, to the epic series for long winter evenings.
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1
The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition
by Ursula Le Guin and illustrated by Charles Vess -
2
The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set: Illustrated Edition
by JRR Tolkien and illustrated by Alan Lee -
3
His Dark Materials I: Northern Lights (full-colour illustrated edition)
by Philip Pullman and illustrated by Chris Wormell -
4
The Last Hero
by Terry Pratchett and illustrated by Paul Kidby -
5
The Complete Chronicles of Narnia
by C.S. Lewis and illustrated by Pauline Baynes
The Most Beautifully Illustrated Fantasy Novels, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The Most Beautifully Illustrated Fantasy Novels, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
Fantasy classics often have a myth-like quality that lends itself to beautiful, carefully crafted editions, explains our fantasy editor Sylvia Bishop. She introduces five key examples – from hand-produced wood-engravings to the re-colouring of a lifetime’s work, these books are labours of love.
Award-Winning Fantasy Novels of 2025, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The award-winning fantasy novels of 2025 are notable for spanning the breadth of the genre: murder mysteries and legal thrillers have been honoured alongside monsters, mythologies and folk tales. Our fantasy editor Sylvia Bishop introduces the five books that took the top spots, and the immersive worlds they offer readers.
Award-Winning Sci Fi Novels of 2025, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
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.
The Best Portal Fantasy Books, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
In portal fantasy, characters leave one world for another – satisfying a yearning we all share, says fantasy novelist and Five Books fantasy editor Sylvia Bishop. She introduces us to five unforgettable doorways – through attics and out of dreams, via the liminal spaces between worlds, into the endless possibilities beyond.
The Best Sci Fi Novels of the Past Decade, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
Fans vote every year for the best of sci fi and fantasy, in both the Hugo Awards and the Nebula Awards, and the Best Novel spot in each is always one to watch. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop introduces the sci fi winners of the last decade: from titles that are now classics of the genre, to the newest writers making waves.
The Best Fantasy Novels of the Past Decade, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The winners of the Hugo Awards and the Nebula Awards are chosen by fans each year. They cover both fantasy and sci fi, and the best novel spot for each is highly prestigious. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop takes a look at the fantasy winners of the last decade, offering rich pickings for fans of magical worlds that are beautiful, absorbing and strange.
Award-Winning Sci Fi Novels of 2024, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
Award-winning sci fi books this year have ranged from deep-sea dives to space operas to goats. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop talks us through the winning titles.
Award-Winning Fantasy Novels of 2024, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
This year’s award-winning fantasy books offer something for every taste, from melancholic fairy tales to gripping horror. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop introduces the winning titles.
Interviews where books by Sylvia Bishop were recommended
The Best Tween Books of 2017, recommended by Zoe Greaves
It’s a golden age for books for 8-12 year old children—aka ‘Tweens.’ Our children’s editor, Zoe Greaves, picks some of the year’s best.
The Best Teen Fantasy Books Set in Britain, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
Britain offers rich pickings to writers: wild and windswept locations, peculiar folklore, a treasure trove of odd histories and even odder place names. Taking Britain as a starting point, many fantasy authors have produced stories that are at once wonderfully strange and hauntingly plausible. Our fantasy interviewer Sylvia Bishop picks out her top five fantasy books set in Britain for teen readers.
