With the hot summer temperatures and blazing sun comes more time for reading. Vacations are planned, the days are longer, and more people look to pick up a good book to pass the time. Thankfully the publishing calendar is full of promising new fantasy and sci-fi book releases that should keep readers busy for the entirety of the season.
Want to know what to expect over the next months? Here we’ve got you covered with the best releases coming up soon. Remember that we won’t be covering sequels or series here, so please don’t get mad at me John Gwynne fans. He would deserve it otherwise, I know.
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky, June 4th
I’m cheating a bit, as this one was released two weeks ago, but it was too good to pass up. Adrian Tchaikovsky is a huge name in the Sci-fi space, with his Children of Time series having won award after award. His latest offering brings us into the mind of robots, and what purpose they may find when humanity is winding down.
Our protagonist is a servant robot, dutifully serving his human master day after day. That is, at least until he murders him. How Tchaikovsky brings our main character to life is fantastic, and I’ve never been more invested or interested in a robot’s path to sentience. The world-building is well done and offers a look at an apocalypse that feels fresh: One not brought on by war or famine, but instead by human apathy when we have everything we want. Funny, meaningful, and original, this book is worth picking up.
The Failures by Benjamin Liar, July 2nd
The Failures is a debut work, but signs from those who have received advanced copies and the size of the publisher’s push show that this title might end up being one of the best of the summer. While this is Benjamin Liar’s first novel, he has spent decades in other artistic fields such as music and game design, so the creative strength is there. Only time will tell if it lives up to the hype, but it’s worth paying attention to for now.
A mechanical planet has been abandoned by its creators, left to decay and die as its denizens look on, helpless. An attempt has been made to save the realm already but to no avail. Still, there is some hope left, if the previously failed heroes can pick themselves up and try once more.
Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon, July 2nd
I’m cheating a little bit with this one as well, as the hardcover is already out, and it’s the paperback coming out next month, but this is my list, so you’re going to deal with it. Gilded Crown is a romantasy that asks us what price we would be willing to pay to cheat death on others’ behalf.
As a romantasy, a fair amount of the plot is dedicated to our two main characters as they escape the looming threat of assassination, or at least the main character Helliver does, resurrecting the princess when necessary. The visuals of bartering with Death are written well, and the banter and relationship of our primary two feel true to life and endearing. Worth reading for those who want a little romance.
Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi, July 9th
For fans of historical fantasy, Navola will be a wonderful book to pick up. Set in a reimagining of Renaissance Italy, our main character Davico is the heir to a house of powerful and influential house of merchant bankers, obstinately disinvolved in politics, but in reality one of the most powerful players on the world stage.
Renaissance Italy is the perfect setting for a fantasy epic, full of political machinations and murderous intrigue that make for fantastic modern fantasy stories, with room for the writer’s interpretations to bring us somewhere new. While not much is known about the deeper intricacies of the setting just yet, this title will still be one to keep your eyes on come July.
The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman, July 16th
Lev Grossman has been away from the mainstream fantasy scene for a while. Ever since he finished his Magicians series back in 2014, he has instead been focusing on a handful of related comic books and children’s titles. However, now is heralded his triumphant return, as he is set to release his first adult fantasy book in a decade with The Bright Sword.
Have you ever wondered what happened to the Round Table after King Arthur’s passing? What the rest of his cadre of knights did once they lost their leader and their purpose? Grossman explores this land of Arthurian England and its aftermath through the eyes of a group of mismatched, lesser-known knights. The Magicians was a darkly comic series, asking deep questions from behind a veil of sarcasm and cynicism, and the Bright Sword is poised to do the same. This may be the most highly anticipated book on this list, and for good reason. Don’t skip this one.
The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa, July 16th
The Spice Gate seems like it could be a true fantasy epic, with a plot that crosses time and space, and brings in the machinations of both man and Gods, all through the eyes of one character looking for change.
Our main character Amir is marked as one able to travel through reality-warping Spice Gates, treated as a slave as he is forced to use the gates for transport of spices for the rich. He seeks to change the status quo but finds that he may just be a small piece in a much larger conspiracy.
The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill, July 23rd
For fans of horror, The Dissonance will provide a good balance between genres. Three teens were scattered across the U.S. after their tutoring in dark magic went awry. 20 years later they must return to Texas to reconcile with their past, as well as fight back a darkness that has been called into being today.
Shaun Hamill has a vibrant way of writing settings and scenes, using horror sensibilities to craft thick and moody visuals that keep readers interested even when action is lacking. Wrap it in a modern-day fantasy battle of good and evil, sprinkle in some deeper discussions of who we are, and accept the parts of us that we hide from others, and what you’re left with is a novel that will keep you up night after night, due to equal measures fright and wonder.
The Mercy of Gods by James Corey, August 6th
The writers of the Expanse series, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, are back again, now with the first title in a new space opera series they call The Captive’s War trilogy. Given the success of both the books and TV series, it should be no surprise that this book ends up on a lot of most anticipated lists.
The Carryx rule the universe, destroying or enslaving the races they deem beneath them. Humanity is no exception. Enslaved by the Carryx, the remnants of human civilization must do what they can to help fend off this unknown threat, while also finding ways to escape the clutches of the Carryx. Sci-fi fans of any background should be ready when this releases.
Glass Houses by Madeline Ashby, August 13th
Madeline Ashby has been succeeding on the fringes of near-future sci-fi for a bit but is set to really explode onto the scene with Glass Houses. Ashby is an expert on new tech, having written nonfiction on our management and experiences in the current age of hypergrowth and scientific development, and Glass Houses is her attempt to take on the growth of A.I., and what parts of life are best left to humans.
An A.I. company CEO, fresh off the sale of their new, emotional prediction A.I. algorithm, is flying home when their plane goes down. After miraculously surviving the crash, the CEO and his entourage find themselves on a deserted island, save for one building: A futuristic house, complete with A.I. integration, though with no contact with the outside world. The group plans to find a way to leave the island; at least, until they begin to disappear, one by one. For fans who like a mystery twist, or want to peer into a dark vision of AI’s evolution, read this one ASAP.
Blackheart Man by Nalo Hopkinson, August 20th
A scholar in training becomes embroiled in a political nightmare as a neighboring nation sends a naval force to forcefully open their borders for trade. All the while, an ancient army frozen in tar comes back to life, with a demon called the Blackheart man at its helm. A mixture of history and fantasy, this book will both provide an insightful look into the political struggles of the historical Caribbean, while also introducing beautiful, culturally themed fantasy elements. A must-pick for sure.
