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Fantasy and Science Fiction October 2025 |
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| A Rebel's History of Mars by Nadia AfifiKezza is an aerialist in a Martian circus, determined to get revenge on the man who helped lure desperate emigrants to the red planet. Azad, living on a neighboring planet a thousand years in the future, finds a cryptic message that he hopes will lead him to his long-lost sister. Separated by time, these two stories will collide as historians seek the truth behind the colonization of Mars. Nadia Afifi's offbeat and suspenseful storytelling will enrapture fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky and M.R. Carey. |
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In the veins of the drowning
by Kalie Cassidy
Imogen Nel is in hiding. Hiding from a cruel kingdom that believes Sirens are monstrous, blood-hungry creatures. Hiding from a king and his captain who viciously hunt her kind. Hiding from her own alluring abilities. By keeping herself from the sea, Imogen's bloodlust is dulled, and her black wings remain concealed beneath her skin. When a neighboring king comes to visit, Imogen can no longer hide. He knows precisely what she is, and he believes she can save their kingdoms from an even greater monster. But Imogen's power threatens to violently reveal itself, and the two form a blood bond that protects them both. They flee together, traversing waters teeming with the undead. As the lines between duty to their people and desire for each other begin to blur, Imogen worries her ancestral powers may not be enough to kill what hunts her--the only way to defeat a monster may be to become one herself.
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| The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. DawsonAt the edge of Chicago sits a mysterious lighthouse, a waystation for the souls of the dead to reconcile with their lives before moving on. Nera, usually standing by watching her father ferry these souls, is drawn into a night of chaos when a living woman named Charlie has boarded the ferry, searching for someone she lost. Fans of the musical Hadestown will enjoy this "grim, authentic exploration of death for those who appreciate mythology-infused fantasy" (Library Journal). |
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| The End of the World as We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, eds.Set during and after the events of Stephen King's highly acclaimed 1978 novel The Stand, this anthology collects new stories of human resilience after the apocalypse from authors like Poppy Z. Brite, Tananarive Due, Josh Malerman, and many more. Both a tribute to and an expansion of the original novel, fans of King's work will be delighted by the dedication on display from the contributors. |
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| The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra KhawAlessa Li has been forcibly enrolled at Hellebore Technical Institute, an elite academy for the dangerously powerful world-enders within its hallowed walls. On graduation day, Alessa is trapped in the library along with other students being forced to take part in the institute's grisly ritual: being devoured by the monstrous faculty. A harrowing and lore-rich tread into the darkest depth of dark academia fantasy, Khaw's latest is "a visceral symphony of body horror" (Booklist). |
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Hemlock & silver
by T. Kingfisher
A dark reimagining of "Snow White" steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind. Healer Anja regularly drinks poison. Not to die, but to save--seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on. But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja's unorthodox methods can save her. Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick. Or it might be the thing that kills them all.
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| Anji Kills a King by Evan LeikamCastle servant Anji is on the run after murdering the king, with a mysterious band of mercenaries known as the Menagerie hot on her heels. One of the Menagerie, a surly swordswoman named Hawk, has cause to keep Anji alive and the two form an uneasy alliance to evade death. Fast-paced and rich with character and world details, this debut series opener is a must for fans of Christopher Buehlman's The Blacktongue Thief and Sarah Rees Brennan's Long Live Evil. |
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| The Adventures of Mary Darling by Pat MurphyIn this clever Victorian mashup, Mary Darling is beside herself when her three children go missing, and her uncle John Watson's dear friend Sherlock Holmes proves more hindrance than help. Mary takes matters into her own hands, recruiting friends from her past to help her find her way to Neverland and rescue Wendy, Michael, and John herself. With both fantastical adventure and thoughtful exploration of both sexism and colonialism, this book will be a delight for readers looking for another feminist retelling of classic tales. |
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You weren't meant to be human
by Andrew Joseph White
In a decaying Appalachian landscape where hives of parasites offer shelter in exchange for corpses, trans man Crane embraces the safety they offer—until an unexpected pregnancy with his volatile partner Levi sparks a horrifying descent that threatens to unravel his fragile existence in this brutal world.
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Hole in the sky : a novel
by Daniel H. Wilson
As a mysterious object hurtles toward Earth, a Cherokee father, a NASA astrophysicist, and a shadowy government agent each uncover pieces of an impending first contact, forcing humanity to confront what it means to meet the unknown.
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