Fantasy and Science Fiction
September 2025
 
Celebrate Latinx and Hispanic Heritage
from September 15 to October 15
Malinalli
by Veronica Chapa

Book Riot' s Best New Book Releases

A real-life historical figure, the woman known as Malinalli, Malintzin, La Malinche, Doña Marina, and Malinalxochitl was the Nahua interpreter who helped Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés communicate with the native people of Mexico. When Indigenous leaders observed her marching into their cities, they believed she was a goddess--blessed with the divine power to interpret the Spaniards' intentions for their land. Later, historians and pop culture would deem her a traitor--the "Indian" girl who helped sell Mexico's future to an invader. In this riveting, fantastical retelling, 



 
Dawn of Fate and Fire
by Mariely Lares

The stunning conclusion to the duology that began with the internationally bestselling Sun of Blood and Ruin.

A Zorro reimagining weaves Mesoamerican mythology and 16th-century Mexican history into a swashbuckling historical fantasy filled with magic, intrigue, treachery and romance. Maps.
The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses
by Malka Older

The 3rd entry in the Mossa and Pleiti science fiction mystery series.

Pleiti agrees to help a former classmate resolve a case of false plagiarism while grappling with the sudden aloofness of her partner Mossa. However, the stakes of this academic defense may turn deadly as a conspiracy unravels. For fans of: Mur Lafferty's Midsolar Murders and Jessie Mihalik's Starlight's Shadow series.
Archive of Unknown Universes
by Ruben Reyes

"Beautiful." --LA Times, A Must-Read Book for Summer
"Luminous." --People, A Best Book of July


Follows two families in alternative timelines of the Salvadoran civil war--a stunning exploration of the mechanisms of fate, the gravity of the past and the endurance of love.
Beasts of Carnaval
by Rosália Rodrigo

"From the lush setting to the evocative prose to the can't-look-away characters, this is one of my most anticipated novels of the year." --NPR

A Puerto Rico-inspired fantasy follows a woman recently freed from slavery as she searches for her missing brother at the Carnaval of Beasts and learns why nobody who enters Carnaval ever leaves.
 Recent Releases
The Folded Sky
by Elizabeth Bear

The latest in the author's White Space series, this title will appeal to fans of well-developed and thought-provoking space opera.

Archinformist Dr. Sunya Song embarks on an interstellar trek with her wife and family to make contact with the artificial intelligence known as Baomind. However, the research station housing the Baomind is besieged on all sides by anti-AI fanatics, putting Sunya and her family at risk as she tries to preserve a new hope for humanity. 
A Letter From the Lonesome Shore
by Sylvie Cathrall

The conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology.

E. and Henerey continue their search through a mysterious underwater city while their siblings look for clues to their disappearance. As both pairs grow closer and find more answers, a mysterious cosmic threat looms. For fans of: emotional and well-characterized academia fantasy such as the Hart and Mercy series or the Emily Wilde series. 
Teo's Durumi
by Elaine U. Cho

TThe dazzling and cinematic sequel to space opera Ocean's Godori takes Ocean and her crew deep into the cloisters of the Moon and the conflicts of the heart.

T
eo Anand, falsely accused of murdering his family, must rely on his best friend Ocean Yoon to survive crash landing on the Moon and to help clear his name. Meanwhile, the true culprit lays a path of destruction across the galaxy. Rife with action and full of complex characters, Elaine Cho's duology concludes with emotional and adventurous flair.
Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil
by Oliver Darkshire

In his whimsical, humorous fiction debut, Oliver Darkshire "jokes his way through the English canon" (Publishers Weekly) with a flair that fans of Terry Pratchett will appreciate.

Isabella Nagg simply tries to get through her miserable existence one day at a time, tolerating her irresponsible husband, tending to their strange farm, and taking care of her pot of basil. When her husband returns home one day with a stolen spellbook, Isabella sees a chance to brighten her life.
 
The Witch Roads
by Kate Elliott

Book 1 in the Witch Roads duology.

When an arrogant prince gets himself and his entourage stuck in the village of Orledder Halt, it's up to former child slave Elen to guide them to safety. But the prince refuses to heed her warnings about the mysterious Spire, and the danger increases when he returns from the ruin a changed person. Readers will devour this new fantasy series rife with rich worldbuilding, political intrigue, and sharp tension with every page turn.
Automatic Noodle
by Annalee Newitz

A cozy near-future novella about a crew of leftover robots opening their very own noodle shop.
 
In this cozy near-future novella, a group of decommissioned robots suddenly come back online in an abandoned ghost kitchen in San Francisco and decide to make it their own, serving delicious hand-pulled noodles to the humans recovering from the aftermath of war. For fans of: science fiction with hope and heart such as Becky Chambers' Monk & Robot series.
Royal Gambit
by Daniel O'Malley

The 4th entry in the Chequy Group fantasy thriller series.

Botanist Alix -- also known as the 12th Lady Mondegreen -- must uncover the truth behind a royal assassination while protecting the heir apparent in disguise as her lady-in-waiting. Richly detailed while still maintaining a witty sense of humor in the juxtaposition of bureaucracy and the supernatural, this new novel is sure to be devoured by fans of the series.
Of Monsters and Mainframes
by Barbara Truelove

Spaceships aren't programmed to seek revenge--but for Dracula, Demeter will make an exception.

Demeter, an interstellar ship that ferries humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri, would rather do anything than ally herself with monsters. However, when an infamous ancient evil begins killing her beloved passengers, she'll have no choice but to assemble a paranormal crew of her own to take him down. For fans of: chilling science fiction horror with authentic and entertaining characters such as Peter Watts' Echopraxia and Mason Coile's William.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Dakota County Library
www.dakotacounty.us/library

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