KHCPL Main: Fantasy and Science Fiction: January 2026

Recent Releases

The King Must Die
by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

Mercenary Fen has spent her entire life at the mercy of cutthroat politicians on the planet Newearth. But when her fathers are executed and Fen is in danger of facing the same fate by the ruthless Sovereign, Fen must find the remnants of an underground rebellion in order to survive. For fans of: cinematic science fiction with intrigue, world-building, and well-drawn characters, such as Pierce Brown's Red Rising and Premee Mohamed's The Siege of Burning Grass.

Higher Magic
by Courtney Floyd

Dorothe Bartleby has one last chance to pass her qualifying Magic exams after an anxiety attack ended her first attempt. When she accidentally creates a skull named Anne that reveals a horrible secret about the fate of disabled students at the academy, Dorothe has to team up with another mage candidate and trust her own skills to save her career and the institution of magic itself. This debut academia fantasy will "charm anyone who's had to fight for their place in higher education" (Library Journal).

Simultaneous
by Eric Heisserer

Grant Lukather, agent of the elusive federal department known as Predictive Analytics, teams up with Sarah Newcomb, a past-life hypnosis therapist, to embark on an investigation into a bizarre killer who crosses time, space, and consciousness. The Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Arrival brings a mind-bending science fiction thriller that will draw in fans of The Glass Woman by Alice McIlroy and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer.

Red City
by Marie Lu

The Alchemy in Angel City has been controlled by two rival syndicates for years, teetering perilously between tenuous peace and all-out war. But when two childhood friends are plucked from obscurity to become rising stars on opposite sides of the conflict, all loyalties will be tested. For fans of: richly detailed urban fantasy rife with drama and tension lurking in the underbellies of society, such as L.K. Steven's Silvercloak and Olivie Blake's The Atlas Six.

The Summer War
by Naomi Novik

Furious at her beloved brother for leaving home, musically gifted Celia had no way of knowing her childish curses at him would doom him to a life without love. Celia desperately searches for a way to undo her mistake, until she uncovers a centuries-old secret about the immortal beings known as the summerlings. For fans of: magical curses, suspense, and in-depth worldbuilding as found in The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara.

There Is No Antimemetics Division
by Qntm

Humanity is under attack by Unknowns, an alien force of "antimemes" (an idea that is designed to be forgotten), and Marie Quinn, the director of the Antimemetics Division, is desperate to regain ground against them. But how do you fight against an enemy that can essentially erase itself? This surreal and twisted science fiction thriller will be memorable to fans of similarly offbeat stories as These Memories Do Not Belong To Us by Yiming Ma.

Conform
by Ariel Sullivan

In the far future, humans are subject to the whims of the elusive Illum, a group of technologically advanced beings. Emeline spends most of her days sorting ancient art for destruction and waiting for her turn at Mate selection...until she is chosen as a Mate for an Illum named Collin, the first time an Illum has chosen a human Mate in years. For fans of: intricately plotted dystopian romances such as Dani Francis' Silver Elite.

Kill the Beast
by Serra Swift

When the immortal Beast murdered her brother, Lyssa Cadogan swore revenge. To see it through, she has teamed up with the melodramatic and foppish Alderic Casimir de Laurent, a man who somehow knows where the Beast lives and has one of its claws. But Lyssa and Alderic are keeping secrets that could doom them both. Serra Swift's folktale-inspired fantasy debut "falls in the twilight between melancholy and adventure, punctuated with brutality, occasional gore, and shocking moments of joy" (Library Journal).

Contact your librarian for more great books!