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Fantasy and Science Fiction October 2026 |
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| A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson BennettIn this 3rd in the Ana and Din Mysteries series, the great detective Ana Dolabra and her assistant Din have to de-escalate a conflict between rival families by exonerating one family's eldest son of murder before all-out war erupts. Fans of the immersive setting and sharp character writing of the previous series entries will want to keep digging for more. Read next: Malka Older's Mossa and Pleiti series or Melissa Caruso's Echo Archives series.
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| Witch Daughter by Tanaz BhathenaWith her father, the king, in failing health, and rumors of witchcraft hampering her marital prospects, Princess Tahmineh's situation is precarious. She seeks to fulfill a prophecy that she will marry and bear the son of a great warrior, but when tragedy strikes, Tahmineh is caught in the crossfire and must choose what to protect most. For fans of: female-focused mythical retellings with complex characters such as Louisa Morgan's The Faerie Morgana.
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| Homebound by Portia ElanIt's 1983, and a college student is programming an adventure game to cope with the sudden loss of her uncle. This game, unbeknownst to her, will have an impact that echoes across centuries, coming into contact with a professor in the late 21st century and a sentient robot navigating a flooded Earth. Portia Elan's debut is "an ingenious narrative that explores the meaning of love and interconnectedness across time" (Kirkus Reviews) that readers of Silvia Park's Luminous or Jayson Greene's Unworld will devour. |
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An Empire in the Clouds
by Ai Jiang
Long isolated from her family following her parents' murder, Princess Xīlián of Piāo discovers the corrupt royal advisors are plotting to overthrow and kill her brother, the emperor. Desperately seeking help, she flees from the floating empire of lotuses to the drowning continent of Opera, a place of high tech and near environmental collapse where companies vie to sell a chance at immortality. There Xīlián tracks down her exiled brother Làng to assist in her efforts to disrupt the advisors' plans and remove them from court.
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| Palaces of the Crow by Ray NaylerIn this speculative alternate history of World War II, the blitzkrieg of 1941 brings together a Polish deserter, a Roma horse trader, a nonspeaking boy of unknown history, and a Jewish village girl with a strong connection to a murder of crows. Together, they work to survive the winter wilderness while evading enemy forces, guided by the crows who are more intelligent than they seem. This "impassioned paean to togetherness" (Publishers Weekly) and resilience will please fans of Kira Jane Buxton's similarly corvid-centric Hollow Kingdom. |
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| A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young; translated by Sophie BowmanThree years after a disastrous earthquake, the small seaside village of Haewon has been destroyed by a plague that turns the inhabitants into fish-like monsters. Mu-young has already lost her niece to this plague, and the arrival of a mainland scientist reveals dormant secrets that may decimate her will to survive. Taking inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth, this translated Korean novella will be a hit with fans of claustrophobic and thought-provoking cosmic horror. |
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| The Dorians by Nick CutterIn the Canadian wilderness, five elderly volunteers have been offered a second chance at life with a cutting edge experiment to stall or reverse their biological clocks. The secret to this new eternal youth is an implant of a symbiote whose only imperative is to survive. However, each volunteer sees this experiment go horribly wrong in Nick Cutter's latest grotesque display. For fans of: The Graceview Patient by Caitlin Starling and Younger by Dani Lamia. |
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| A Dark and Wild Wood by Sarah Nicole LemonSalomé has long been plagued by her spiritual visions and uncontrollable magic powers. When she flees the convent she was raised in to find her missing sister, her path intertwines with Lord Death. The Lord takes her to his home and promises to help her control her magic -- but any promise from Death must come with a price. Readers who enjoy gritty and dark fantasy stories about heroes reclaiming their power from abusive environments will be eager to read A Dark and Wild Wood. Try this next: Teagan Olivia King's Bitterbloom. |
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| Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul TremblayJulia Flang may be estranged from her CFO mother, but she has an offer Julia can't refuse: assume control of a comatose man with an AI implant to transport him across the country. Split between Julie's perspective and the disoriented surreal dreamscape of the remains of "Bernie's" consciousness, Paul Tremblay's latest "is injected with a squirming worm of fear that forces readers to take a critical look at AI's encroachment" (Library Journal). |
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| Teddy Bears Never Die by Cho Yeeun; translated by Sung RyuHwa-young is orphaned after the untimely death of her mother from a mass poison attack. Her manipulative landlord's attempt to have her killed goes awry thanks to the surprise intervention of a teddy bear. Finding they have a past connection, Hwa-young and Doha, the spirit-possessed bear, team up to find vengeance and answers. This translated Korean story is an action-packed and suspenseful romp, perfect for readers who enjoyed Robert Brockway's I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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