io9’s monthly list of new sci-fi, fantasy, and horror releases returns, and while it may not be as long as our round-ups from September and October, there are still 62 fantastical, terrifying, thought-provoking, tear-jerking, heartwarming, unsettling, and otherwise page-turning books to behold.
November 3-4
The House of Illusionists: And Other Stories by Vanessa Fogg
“Fantastical tales set in worlds both close and distant from our own, exploring relationships, love, passion, and connection across space and time.” (November 3)
The Blackfire Blade by James Logan
The sequel to The Silverblood Promise begins as “winter has come early to Korslakov, City of Spires, and Lukan Gardova has arrived with it. Most visitors to this famous city of artifice seek technological marvels or alchemical ingenuity. Lukan only desires the unknown legacy his father has left for him in the vaults of the Blackfire Bank. But when Lukan’s key to the vault is stolen by a mysterious thief known as the Rook, he and his friends race to win it back.” (November 4)
Blackthorn by J.T. Geissinger
“A scorching new enemies-to-lovers romance filled with explosive secrets, nail-biting, gothic suspense, and the dangerous lure of dark magic.” (November 4)
The Burning Queen by Aparna Verma
“In the thrilling sequel to The Phoenix King, deadly secrets are uncovered, new alliances are forged, and an exiled princess will rise from the ashes of the old world as the burning queen.” (November 4)
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
“A young woman must shake off a family curse and the widely held belief that she is the reincarnation of her dead cousin in this wickedly funny, brilliantly perceptive novel about love, female rivalry, and superstition.” (November 4)
The Eleventh Hour: A Quintet of Stories by Salman Rushdie
“A spellbinding exploration of life, death, and what comes into focus at the proverbial eleventh hour of life.” (November 4)
Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff
The Empire of the Vampire trilogy ends as “Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and his last hope of ending the endless night―the Holy Grail, Dior. With no desire left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of the Augustin Empire to claim the life of the Forever King.” (November 4)
Fallen City by Adrienne Young
“In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate’s daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.” (November 4)
A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman
A new fantasy duology begins as two magicians—one with a summer wand, one with a winter wand—must join forces against a brutal storm and, after they discover they’re fated to be rivals, resist the urge to fall in love. (November 4)
The Great Work by Sheldon Costa
“An alchemist and his teenage nephew hunt down a legend in this profound and unsettling speculative Western.” (November 4)
A Heart of Crimson Flames by A.K. Mulford
“Wolf pack politics, heart-pounding action, dark magic, newfound family dynamics, and shifter romance come to an explosive climax in the incredible conclusion of the Golden Court Trilogy.” (November 4)
Helm by Sarah Hall
“The story of a singular life force, and of the relationship between nature and people, neither of whom can weather life without the other.” (November 4)
The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer
“The tale of Bluebeard as it’s never been told before … a thrilling romantasy and murder mystery.” (November 4)
A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka
The Inheritance of Magic series continues as Stephen Oakwood faces a new challenge: “the Winged, a mysterious group involved with his father, have noticed Stephen, and they want him to join them or else … The cults, Houses, and corporations of the magical world are locked in an endless battle for dominance, and Stephen is beginning to realize that he’s going to have to pick a side.” (November 4)
The King Must Die by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
“A pulse-pounding science fiction adventure following the daughter of rebel instigators and the heir of a power-drunk ruler who team up to save their empire…or destroy it in the process.” (November 4)
Lies Weeping by Glen Cook
“From Glen Cook, the godfather of Grimdark himself, Lies Weeping is the first book in a brand new arc of his groundbreaking Chronicles of the Black Company—an epic fantasy series.” (November 4)
The Nameless Land by Kate Elliott
“Surprising betrayals, surprising alliances, and surprising discoveries of heritage abound in this energetic sequel to The Witch Roads.” (November 4)
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry
“A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel.” (November 4)
Pluto by Ben Bova and Les Johnson
The Outer Planets trilogy concludes as “against a backdrop of unknown alien technology and potential interplanetary war, Mikelson’s inhuman ego and obsession will risk humanity by calling something unknown to our solar system.” (November 4)
The Sacred Space Between by Kalie Reid
“An enchanting enemies-to-lovers fantasy about an exiled saint and the devout iconographer sent to paint him.” (November 4)
Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson
“When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike … But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives―it left something behind. Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants.” (November 4)
Son of the Morning by Akwaeke Emezi
“A steamy paranormal romance set in the Black South—a bold new foray that takes us on a journey of magic and fantasy, from the whispering creeks outside the city of Salvation to the very depths of Hell itself.” (November 4)
Stars Like Us by Stephen K. Stanford
The sequel to Jubilee picks back up with Col, “security chief for the artificial mini-world of Jubilee—a kind of Vegas-in-space. But his peaceful life is shattered by a surprise attack, and desperate to save his young family, he flees … but the League base he reaches is riven by politics and infiltrated by the enemy. Col must escape again, this time to his birth planet, where he faces long-dormant personal demons.” (November 4)
Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop
“A young detective investigating crimes of the uncanny will learn that bargains can change your fate—for good or ill—in this darkly enthralling fantasy.” (November 4)
The War Beyond by Andrea Stewart
In this sequel to The Gods Below, “loyalties will be tested, long-lost secrets will be revealed, and two sisters will face each other on the battlefield as the war between the gods ignites.” (November 4)
November 11
Bones of Our Stars, Blood of Our World by Cullen Bunn
“A high-stakes hunt for a masked killer whose brutal murders may be a portent of an evil as ancient and cold as the stars themselves.” (November 11)
Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree
“Return to the fantasy world of the bestselling Legends & Lattes series with a new adventure featuring fan-favorite, foul-mouthed bookseller Fern.” (November 11)
Daughters of Nicnevin by Shona Kinsella
“Mairead and Constance, two powerful witches, meet in the early days of the 1745 Jacobite uprising. While the men of the village are away fighting, the villagers face threats from both the Black Watch and raiders, and the women are confronted with their vulnerability. They enlist the help of Nicnevin, fae queen of witches, to bring men made of earth to life to help protect their village. But just who do they need protection from? And what will happen when the village men return?” (November 11)
God’s Junk Drawer by Peter Clines
“A mind-bending tale of mystery and adventure set at the dawn of time.” (November 11)
The Last Wish of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson
In this sequel to The Courting of Bristol Keats, “Bristol and Tyghan work to understand and reconcile their differences, moving forward with their common goal of saving Elphame. But when a daring rescue attempt turns into a disaster, and a beloved knight dies, Bristol is forced to confront the fact that her mother is more powerful than she could have ever imagined―and more dangerous.” (November 11)
Letters From an Imaginary Country by Theodora Goss
“Deeply influenced by the author’s Hungarian childhood during the regime of the Soviet Union, each of these intricate stories engages with storytelling and identity, including Goss’s own.” (November 11)
The Merge by Grace Walker
“A thrilling and ominously prophetic debut set in a world when Earth and its resources have been pushed to breaking point, giving rise to a revolutionary—and highly controversial—procedure in which two people’s consciousness can be combined to exist in one body.” (November 11)
Not You Again by Erin La Rosa
In this time-loop romance, a screenwriter reliving the day of her dad’s funeral forges a connection with a funeral director reliving a day that starts with the same fight with his ex-wife. (November 11)
Opposite World by Elizabeth Anne Martins
“Memories are malleable, dreams are a battlefield, and reality is a shifting landscape. Think Inception meets Dark Matter, with echoes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the unsettling corporate dystopia of Severance.” (November 11)
Project Hanuman by Stewart Hotston
This sci-fi tale offers a blend of “Indian mythology and classic space opera.” (November 11)
The Reluctant Reaper by MaryJanice Davidson
“A lot of twentysomethings might look forward to inheriting the family business. Amara Morrigan’s got zero interest in hers. The mantle she stands to assume is currently worn by her father, Death.” (November 11)
The Seventh Champion by Sylvia Mercedes
“A dragon princess joins forces with a scarred prince to escape a competition for her hand in marriage, unaware he is hiding dark secrets of his own in the first of a new romantasy duology.” (November 11)
Shadowplay by L.R. Lam
“In the second installment of the Micah Grey trilogy, Micah must learn two types of magic—one for the stage and one with deadlier consequences—while navigating a tender new love.” (November 11)
Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher
“An enthralling contemporary fantasy steeped in horror about a woman trying to escape her past by moving to the remote U.S. desert―only to find herself beholden to the wrath of a vengeful god.” (November 11)
The Strength of the Few by James Islington
“This highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Many follows Vis as he grapples with a dangerous secret that could unravel history across alternate dimensions.” (November 11)
The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex
“A taut, electrifying thriller about a woman determined to avenge her sister’s murder—and the killer who must confront his own ghosts.” (November 11)
There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm
“Humanity is under assault by malevolent ‘antimemes’—ideas that attack memory, identity, and the fabric of reality itself—in this whip-smart tale of science-fiction horror, an entirely reimagined and expanded version of the beloved online novel.” (November 11)
This Brutal Moon by Bethany Jacobs
The epic space opera Kindom Trilogy concludes as “violence has erupted across the Treble. The colony that Jun Ironway and Masar Hawks have fought to protect is now woefully compromised, and its people, unwilling to submit to tyranny once more, face a brutal fight for their lives and freedom.” (November 11)
This Gilded Abyss by Rebecca Thorne
“A thrilling lesbian fantasy where Arcane meets Titanic.” (November 11)
Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop
“A young detective investigating crimes of the uncanny will learn that bargains can change your fate—for good or ill—in this darkly enthralling fantasy.” (November 11)
Wild Cards: Aces Full edited by George R.R. Martin
This collection gathers Wild Cards stories previously published on Reactor (formerly Tor.com), including tales by Cherie Priest, Carrie Vaughn, Caroline Spector, Bradley Denton, and more. (November 11)
November 18
And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens
“A classic rom-com with a speculative twist, And Then There Was You follows Chloe, who, anxious to attend her 10-year college reunion alone and single, signs up for a mysterious matchmaking service that pairs her with the perfect date, Rob. Pro—he’s handsome, attentive, and clever. Con—he’s an AI robot.” (November 18)
The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers
“Below the streets of London, a secret network of magical bookshops has existed for millennia. But they’re slowly disappearing, and no one knows why. Only one dishonored bookseller can uncover the truth and rewrite her story—in this spellbinding standalone fantasy novel.” (November 18)
59 Minutes by Holly Seddon
“Across South England, these three women must navigate survival amidst chaos when the country receives a nuclear bomb alert. With only 59 minutes before mass destruction, will they make it to their loved ones in time?” (November 18)
How a Game Lives by Jacob Geller
“The first of two volumes: How a Game Lives, Vol. 1 is an artfully packaged must-have book for the devoted and casual fans alike, inviting readers to look at gaming and video games from an intellectual, psychological, and emotional perspective as a major part of our cultural fabric.” (November 18)
I, Medusa by Ayana Gray
“A new kind of villain origin story, reimagining one of the most iconic monsters in Greek mythology as a provocative and powerful young heroine.” (November 18)
I’ll Make a Spectacle of You by Beatrice Winifred Iker
“This heart-pounding Southern gothic horror debut takes readers to Bricksbury University, the oldest and most storied HBCU in the nation. But as one student is about to find out, a long history comes with a legacy of secrets.” (November 18)
Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey
“A space opera adventure like no other. Sometimes the fate of entire worlds can be decided by a woman with nothing to lose and the smartest gun in the multiverse in her hand.” (November 18)
Shadows Upon Time by Christopher Ruocchio
“The seventh and final novel of the galaxy-spanning series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe at last lights the greatest fire humanity has ever seen.” (November 18)
The Sky of Sacrifice by Rosalia Aguilar Solace
“From the ingenious creators of the Tomorrowland festival comes The Sky of Sacrifice, a highly anticipated follow-up to The Great Library of Tomorrow, the epic first volume in the Book of Wisdom Trilogy.” (November 18)
Slow Gods by Claire North
A “galaxy-spanning tale of one man’s impossible life charted against the fate of humanity amongst the stars—a powerfully imaginative space opera.” (November 18)
Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz
“A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.” (November 18)
November 25
As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegle
“An inventive and romantic speculative novel about two women—a witch and an immortal demon—who make a Faustian bargain and are drawn into a cat-and-mouse chase across multiple lifetimes.” (November 25)
Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill
“A new romantasy following a thief whose dramatic encounter with an assassin and a crown bodyguard (who has dangerous secrets to keep) launches her into a world of swirling palace intrigue.” (November 25)
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Father of Modern Fantasy by Don Marshall
“Explore the extraordinary life of J.R.R. Tolkien, the legendary creator of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, in this captivating literary biography that celebrates the father of modern fantasy and his profound influence on fantasy literature and mythological storytelling.” (November 25)
Queen of the Dead by Sarah Broadway
“A fun and fast-paced paranormal urban fantasy with a touch of romance and supernatural hijinks galore.” (November 25)
Smoke and Mirrors edited by Mercedes Lackey
“This 19th anthology of short stories set in the beloved Valdemar high fantasy universe features tales by debut and established authors and a brand-new short story from Mercedes Lackey herself.” (November 25)
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
