To say that Fall 2023 holds some truly outstanding science fiction and fantasy releases would be an understatement. The next few months include a return to the world of Red London, two truly unsettling houses, and giant cats wearing business suits (which is as adorable as it is terrifying).
Below are 12 highly anticipated science fiction and fantasy titles coming soon.
12th September
Image: Levine Querido
Have you ever wondered what our world would look like if Al Gore had won the 2000 election and declared war on climate change? In Sim Kern’s upcoming novel The Free People’s Village (the first adult title published by Levine Querido, previously known for his diverse, award-winning children’s literature), the answer is significantly greener and more environmentally friendly, but not for everyone.
When the historically black Houston neighborhood where she teaches – and where the queer punk band she’s in meets to perform – is threatened by the development of a new high-speed electromagnetic highway, disillusioned Maddie Ryan decides it’s time to take a stand. To keep her band together – and, most importantly, to spend more time with her crush – Maggie joins a local black-led movement on the verge of an anti-capitalist revolution that will change history forever.
“The Free People’s Village” is a timely story that seems ripped from the headlines. She could easily fall victim to the white savior stereotype. Instead, Kern makes Maddie reckon with her whiteness and the harm it has unwittingly inflicted on the community she calls home in a thought-provoking and unflinching revolutionary story.
12th September
Image: Simon & Schuster
Don’t plan on launching Rouge if you have tasks that need to be completed at some point in the near future. Mona Awad is an expert when it comes to crafting surreal (and often horrifying) gothic stories that captivate you from the first page and stay with you long after you’ve read them.
In “Rouge,” Awad takes a merciless stance against the beauty industry and the often unattainable standards modern society holds to it, drawing inspiration from Snow White, Egyptian mythology and, of all people, Tom Cruise. Rouge’s protagonist, Belle, is lured to a supposedly transformative and undeniably cult-like spa called La Maison de Méduse (a name that should be enough to raise a few eyebrows) following the mysterious death of her glamorous mother. There, Belle learns about her mother’s unhealthy obsessions and the monsters (both fairytale and otherwise) that seem to lurk around every corner.
Inspired by the skinfluencers who populate TikTok, Awad has crafted a cinematic and gripping story about the relationship between mothers and daughters and what we’re willing to do to “fit in.”
September 19th
Image: Gate
John Scalzi follows in the footsteps of science fiction greats like Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, who embraced the absurd and addressed larger issues like workers’ rights, unions, and late capitalism. John Scalzi is truly a must-read, no matter the topic. His new novel, Starter Villain, is no exception.
Since he’s divorced and lives alone with his cat, it’s fair to say that Charlie’s life hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. It’s not a bad life, but it’s not a particularly remarkable one either. All that changes when Charlie’s estranged uncle, an infamous supervillain, dies and leaves him his business. Being a supervillain isn’t all sunshine, secret hideouts and super-intelligent spy cats. Charlie’s uncle had enemies, and now it’s up to him to put these soulless idiots in their place and follow in his family’s footsteps. Starter Villain is a crazy, hilarious adventure and a truly delightful story of a villain that will have you hooked by the end.
September 26th
Image: Gate
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but Quintus Shu’al, the world’s only navigation fox, learns the hard way that this isn’t always the case.
In Christopher Rowe’s novella, animals are divided into two categories: “knowing” and “voiceless.” Quintus is knowledgeable and possesses human intelligence and the ability to communicate using spoken language, and he can maneuver his way through a network of mysterious paths that would otherwise be invisible to the human eye. After a trip to the gates of hell goes horribly wrong, Quintus is forced to lead a second expedition (consisting, among others, of a sinister priest, a bison ambassador, and twin raccoons) to save his own skin.
“The Navigating Fox” is set in an alternate North America and draws inspiration from Roman history. It’s perfect for readers who regularly grew up in Redwall and enjoy complex philosophical debates about creation. It’s part tall tale, part complicated heist novel, and, frankly, downright strange in the best way possible.
September 26th
Image: Titan Books
What do you get when three witches and a ghost stuck in a cat costume for eternity join forces to solve supernatural mysteries? Courtney Smyth’s downright delightful and uncompromisingly strange new novel, The Undetectables.
The citizens of the occult town of Wrackton have a big problem. A serial killer is on the loose, and the hypnotic whistle that announces his arrival causes victims to bite off their tongues in a truly gruesome act of violence. With very little evidence, virtually no clues, and a less-than-stellar track record for solving mysteries (their first case is technically still open), the task of catching the killer falls to Mallory, Cornelia, and Diana to. and Theodore (the unfortunate ghost mentioned above). What ensues is a compulsively readable race against time to stop a supernatural killer before he strikes again.
September 26th
Image: Gate
Everyone’s favorite globetrotting wizards are back at the start of a brand new series from VE Schwab, beloved author of the Shades of Magic trilogy.
Seven years have passed since Kell Maresh and his fellow Antari saved the world from devastation. Since then, he and Lila have spent their lives at sea as privateers, while Kell struggles with the loss of his magical abilities. When they learn of an assassination attempt on his brother, Kell and Lila are forced to return to Red London. There they learn of a precocious new Antari, Kosika, who has claimed the throne of White London in Holland’s absence, and of a rebellion aimed at tearing down the monarchy in its entirety. Amid this magical chaos and political intrigue, a young thief discovers a device that could bring friends and enemies together and change the world as they know it.
The Fragile Threads of Power is a wonderfully nostalgic addition to the world VE Schwab created that still keeps things fresh with the introduction of new characters and the promise of more story to come.
3 Oct
As lush and romantic as it is eerie, Alix E. Harrow’s foray into Southern Gothic literature is a perfect book to usher in the start of spooky season.
Set in the rapidly decaying town of Eden, Kentucky, Starling House tells the story of a hardened young woman named Opal, the sentient mansion that haunts her dreams, and its headstrong, self-sacrificing (and frustratingly handsome) heir, Arthur Starling. Penniless and desperate for work, Opal takes a job cleaning Arthur’s house, despite her initial misgivings about him – he’s far too brooding – and the Starling House, both of which are threatened by small-town rumors about a reclusive 19th century author .Century which mysteriously disappeared years ago. But what begins as a relationship built on mutual distrust soon develops into a tenuous alliance and undeniable attraction as Opal and Arthur spend more and more time together in the face of the dark forces that threaten both their lives.
3 Oct
Image: MCD
Ten years after Hild’s release, Nicola Griffith finally returns to the meticulously researched and magnificently rendered seventh-century Britain of St. Hilda of Whitby – known for turning snakes into stone and running one of the most important abbeys in Anglo-Saxon history – called home.
Like its predecessor, “Menewood” continues to expand the canon of what is known about Hild’s life and her supposed otherworldly abilities. No longer a radiant young girl, but still as fierce and determined as ever, Hild faces a world on the brink of war. Former alliances are tested and surprising new friendships are made as she strives to protect her kingdom and navigate the unconventional community that has built up around her.
At just over 700 pages, Menewood is by far the longest book on this list and is sure to keep you reading through the fall months and into the winter.
3 Oct
Image: Redhook
If you’re someone who can’t resist a story based on epic mythology or who couldn’t put down Maria Dahvana Headley’s recent, powerfully feminist translation of Beowulf, then you’ll want to put Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs on your TBR -Place stacks.
Subversive and full of action from start to finish, “Shield Maiden” tells the story of Beowulf from a completely different perspective. Fryda, who grew up listening to the stories of her uncle, King Beowulf, wants nothing more than to be a shield maiden, but a childhood accident has prevented her from achieving her dreams. At least until now. Fryda must summon all her courage and power when her father’s kingdom is threatened by foreign lords and a legendary dragon begins to stir in his fabled lair.
3 Oct
Image: Mulholland Books
With three Shirley Jackson awards, it should come as no surprise that Elizabeth Hand’s upcoming novel A Haunting on the Hill is “the first ever authorized novel to return to the world of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.” And What better time to read a spooky tale of isolation and madness than when the weather suddenly turns colder and the sun sets earlier in the day? It’s incredibly creepy and will make you frightened by every noise your house makes at night.
Desperate to find the perfect place to work on her new play, Holly Sherwin jumps at the opportunity to rent Hill House when she spots it on a weekend getaway. The old mansion – huge and unsettling – speaks to her as soon as Holly sees it. Her friend isn’t so sure, but agrees to accompany Holly to the house. As they settle in, strange things begin to happen. Time begins to play tricks on them, and disturbing sounds echo throughout the empty halls. What begins as a retreat to write soon turns into a battle with something old and sinister that refuses to stand alone.
Oct 17
Image: Astra House
Death is present from the first page of Molly McGhee’s highly anticipated and surprisingly moving debut novel, Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind. It’s a wonderfully sharp critique of late capitalism, in which McGhee examines what might happen if the worst of the worst in our society found a way to test dreams.
Jonathan Abernathy was unlucky. He’s lonely, broke and spinning his metaphorical wheels in the mud. When a job opportunity presents itself to him (literally) in a dream, Jonathan seizes the chance to change his life. He soon realizes that he is afraid of being removed from the employees’ dreams, which is all well and good until the boundaries between his life and his work become increasingly unclear.
November 7th
Image: Gate
If I had the chance to get everyone to read a trilogy of books, it would be The Last Binding, Freya Marske’s phenomenal (and extremely sharp) fantasy series. No one mixes lustful, screaming sexual tension with tender and painfully human interactions between characters like Marske. Think of your favorite romance novel. Is it a rival for lovers? Enemies to something more? Sunshine and grumbling? Forced closeness? Chances are you’ll find it in one of these books.
“A Power Unbound” is a deeply satisfying conclusion to this series. Not long after the devastating death of his twin sister, Jack Alston is drawn back into a seductive world of magic and mystery that he wants nothing to do with. Awaiting him is a bizarre London townhouse, a group of eccentric and unlikely friends and the inimitable Alan Ross. Alan is a writer and thief by profession and finds Jack absolutely unbearable. Jack, on the other hand, finds Alan unbearable and very attractive.
When Jack’s ancestral home and the foundations of magic are threatened, the two are forced to join forces and solve some problems (both literal and figurative, thanks to some clever pamphlets).
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