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The Big Fantasy and Science Fiction Books of Fall
Hey, SFF fans! Good news. The next several months are about to get seriously fun.
As part of our Big Books of Fall series, this collection spotlights the most anticipated science fiction and fantasy publishing from August 15 through the end of the year. As always, inclusion is determined by early reviews and Goodreads regulars’ Want to Read shelves.
Probably the most high-profile release in the fantasy aisle, Rebecca Yarros’ Iron Flame—sequel to the breakout Fourth Wing—is dropping in November. Also look for new books from veteran authors V.E. Schwab and Cassandra Clare, the latter making her first foray into adult fantasy. That’s “adult” as in “not YA,” ya pervs. On the cozy fantasy front, look for Bookshops & Bonedust and The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic.
Sci-fi has a busy season ahead, too, with new releases from marquee names like Naomi Alderman (The Future), John Scalzi (Starter Villain), and the inimitable Martha Wells (System Collapse). (Go, Murderbot, go!)
As for debut novels, sometimes a new book just grabs you with its very premise. Such is the case with author Em X. Liu’s The Death I Gave Him, which is being billed as a queer retelling of Hamlet via a 21st-century locked-room mystery with an AI named Horatio. That’s, like, six genres in one. Or consider the sci-fi horror of Fault, which defies synopsis; you’re better off just clicking here.
So, yes—a busy SFF season indeed. Browse the book cover images below, hover over or click through for more details, and add any good leads to your Want to Read shelf.
The Big Fall Fantasy Books
The Big Fall Sci-Fi Books
Now it's your turn! Tell us which upcoming fantasy and sci-fi novels you're most excited to read this fall!
Comments Showing 1-50 of 52 (52 new)
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CJ
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Aug 15, 2023 03:43AM
That said, The Great Transition looks okay :-)
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Looking forward to this time of year. The new releases usually have a touch of horror.
You left off Freya Marske's trilogy finale A Power Unbound- have been waiting for this with anticipation!
I love the free speech option in Goodreads :D anyway list is useless as always
With the possible exception of THE GREAT TRANSITION, today's science fiction in general is not very appealing to me. The plots seem to just be riffs with some hand-waving tech thrown in.
wow... I'm a bit perplexed about the lack of free speech here on goodreads... that's not the way, guys. We should all be able to express ourselves ❤️ btw love all these books, my tbr is forever growing, help
My fave has become the Dungeon Crawler Carl series from Matt Dinniman and I'm awaiting the audiobook release of his latest in September. I usually read mysteries but love this series!
Can't wait for Iron Flame, have been waiting for it since I read Fourth Wing
Also The Chalice of the Gods for Percy Jackson fans!! Comes out next month, I'm so excited
We’re not including the final installment of Gregory Maguire’s Another Day trilogy? Really???
I can't wait for Murtagh by Christofer Paolini!! And i'm a bit perplexed that it's not on this list...
How do so many of these books have ratings already? GOODREADS CHANGE YOUR SYSTEM. Iron Flame already having 650 5* reviews when it doesn't come out til November is the most egregious review bombing I've seen on this site in a LONG time.
☾ jazmin wrote: "wow... I'm a bit perplexed about the lack of free speech here on goodreads... that's not the way, guys. We should all be able to express ourselves ❤️ btw love all these books, my tbr is forever gro..."My TBR has only (so far today) grown by two books: The Olympian Affair and Walking Towards Peace: The True Story of a Woman Named Peace Pilgrim. Yes, I know the second one is a kid's book... .
Slightly OT but...Some of these Book Covers are Golden!
For example the cat in a suit from Scalzi's Starter Villain! 💖
Busy season for SFF. Iron Flame, The Fragile Threads of Power, Bookshops and Bonedust, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and System Collapse are all on my list.
Lots of excellent books on this list but I would add Murtagh to Fantasy and Defiant to sci-fi. They come out in November and I can't wait!
Chaos Terminal! I loved Station Eternity, and I can't wait to see where the story goes next.And fans of Travis Baldree might also like S. Usher Evans' Weary Dragon Inn series.
Also there’s A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid, and The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin.
I’ve been patiently waiting for a new murderbot novel and now the time is almost here im losing my mind.
I can't wait for Iron Flame! But where's Ruthless Vows, why isn't it on there?
TC boyle is one of my favorite authors always look forward to his new releases!
The great transition is one of my top books of this year. It was absolutely brilliant and amazing. The fragile threads of power…I am ready
MURDERBOT SERIES!!!! ANDDDDD Murtagh is coming out along with Iron Flame!!! I am all set for November :DDDDD
Speaking of epic sci-fi, has anyone read Grone by Patrick Cumby? Soooo good! His new one is coming out this fall. It’s called Longstar, I think. I definitely have it on pre-order!
I haven't even read Fourth Wing and there's already a sequel, I guess I need to catch up on popular books???
Dan wrote: "How do so many of these books have ratings already? GOODREADS CHANGE YOUR SYSTEM. Iron Flame already having 650 5* reviews when it doesn't come out til November is the most egregious review bombing..."that's the thing about goodreads that irks me most, just do away with the pre-publication ratings, I dont care what the hardcore fanbase thinks. most prejudiced thing ever. ARCs, sure, but don't let people give their opinion if they haven't even read the thing
Law wrote: "I haven't even read Fourth Wing and there's already a sequel, I guess I need to catch up on popular books???"ENG version is set to be published in late November. I think Fourth Wing came out in early spring? So that figures I guess
Swaye wrote: "Ok but just tell me the gay ones plskthx"Bookshops and Bonedust, System Collapse, and The Death I Gave Him are queer, though not necessarily gay (I assume sapphic, NB, and a queer retelling of Hamlet, but I haven't read any of them yet.)
If you want only gay then I'd try Allie Therin or Jordan L Hawk.
Stephen wrote: "Kind of disappointed The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft did not make your list."Oh this sounds awesome! Just added it to my list. Thanks!
You should really have McKinley Aspen on this list. Book One (Praesidium - it came out last year) was fantastic and won tons of awards. Book Two (Cogitatio) just came out in August and it's even stronger. The author is someone to be watched and followed for sure!
Dan wrote: "How do so many of these books have ratings already? GOODREADS CHANGE YOUR SYSTEM. Iron Flame already having 650 5* reviews when it doesn't come out til November is the most egregious review bombing..."Many people get Advanced Reader Copies. Then there are some who rate without reading but for the most part, people get ARCs. Not sure if yoive been to the giveaway part of Goodreads yet but thats one way or watch popular Book tubers/Book Tokers..they get them too. Ive won once on here...had someone randomly send me one another year and got one from someone on Pinterest about 8-10 years ago (i happened to have been on there and saw where a publisher had one more copy left & I asked if she still had it and she sent it to me. A book i was anxiously waiting to come out!) Plus, you have to think about some books may come out in other countries first. Then come to the U.S. :)
Can’t wait for sword Catcher and the iron flame
Swaye wrote: "Ok but just tell me the gay ones plskthx"I was also clicking just to find the queer or LGBT tag lol
I am surprised that the two new Cherryh books coming in October aren't on this list: DEFIANCE, the next 'Foreigner' novel and ALLIANCE UNBOUND, book 2 of 2 in 'The Hinder Stars' series.
Dan wrote: "How do so many of these books have ratings already? GOODREADS CHANGE YOUR SYSTEM. Iron Flame already having 650 5* reviews when it doesn't come out til November is the most egregious review bombing..."Some of these books are already out and many have been released as early review copies. While that doesn't allow for all of the advance ratings, at least some of them are legitimate. That said, I haven't seen an advance copy of Iron Flame which is probably going to sell so well the publisher doesn't feel a need to get it in the hands of very many potential reviewers. The imprint is Red Tower Books which is directed toward the "New Adult" audience, not YA, and will publish romantic fantasy and scifi with "feminist" characters. Don't worry, you folks who are anxious for gay characters--the books in this imprint will include them.
Nicky wrote: "Dan wrote: "How do so many of these books have ratings already? GOODREADS CHANGE YOUR SYSTEM. Iron Flame already having 650 5* reviews when it doesn't come out til November is the most egregious re..."It's a matter of personal honor! Some fans don't appear to have it.
Why all these stories look like the same cookie cutout as last year's list? Give me something that at least diverges a little from the norm.
Nicky wrote: "Dan wrote: "How do so many of these books have ratings already? GOODREADS CHANGE YOUR SYSTEM. Iron Flame already having 650 5* reviews when it doesn't come out til November is the most egregious re..."Swaye wrote: "Ok but just tell me the gay ones plskthx"
Amen to that. How can you rate a book you haven't read?
I could not make out the names of the books. So I will just wait to see the books in the store. Sorry!
Lilith is interesting to see here, especially since I've been writing my own Lilith story for the past 5 years. So, of course I was a little ruffled... Yes, there are some obvious similarities but more than enough to be considered a totally, separate original work. So I'm still continuing with my story.
Dan wrote: "How do so many of these books have ratings already? GOODREADS CHANGE YOUR SYSTEM. Iron Flame already having 650 5* reviews when it doesn't come out til November is the most egregious review bombing..."That is insane.
How is Christopher Paolini's "Murtagh" not on this list? This is the fifth installment in the Inheritance series (Eragon) that is highly anticipated.
Goodreads makes the same unforgivable mistake of sweeping science fiction and fantasy on one heap. Those two categories are so different they don't even resemble each other and have a vastly different reader/fan base. When will Goodreads give the good example to the rest of the readers world and keep those two seperated? It would feel good for thousands of fans that now find their preferred category infested with books from the other category making the search for a book 100% harder than it could be. Please Goodreads. Correct this mistake.
