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Fantasy and Science Fiction April 2026 |
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Operation Bounce House
by Matt Dinniman
A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl. All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family's aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there's a complication. Even though the settlers were promised they'd be left in peace, Earth's government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an eviction action. But maximizing profits will always be Apex's number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their homes? The game is called Operation Bounce House. Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who've paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he's ever known.
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30seven
by Jeremy Robinson
Marcus Lockwood is ready to forget the horrible murder that took away his wife Isabella. He decides to take his son Elias to Moose Hollow, a secluded campground, to try and forget and reset. But their vacation is cut short when a mysterious alien craft abducts the campgrounds' visitors....and Isabella's killer may be one of them. For fans of: science fiction on the more gruesome and twisty side such as Jonathan Janz's Veil and Nathan Ballingrud's Crypt of the Moon Spider.
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| Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief by T. KingfisherGoblins aren't known for their fighting prowess, but Sergeant Nessika and her Whinin' Niners squadron have no choice against the humans encroaching on their territory. When a wizard teleports them behind enemy lines, they'll have their work cut out for them surviving long enough to go home. Fans of Delilah S. Dawson's Kill the Farm Boy and Terry Pratchett's Discworld series will enjoy this irreverent and thoughtful fantasy. |
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Godfall
by Van Jensen
All David Blunt wanted was to be sheriff of his hometown, Little Springs, Nebraska, population 731. But his days of simply keeping the peace among the locals he's known all his life are upended by a series of brutal, bizarre murders--all happening in the wake of an event truly out of this world. One year ago, just outside the town, a being fell to Earth. Whatever it is, it's three miles tall, seemingly dead, and definitely not human. Dubbed the giant, the being's arrival has transformed this quaint farm town from the middle of nowhere into the most important city on the planet. Yes, a city, complete with a top-secret government research site and a hundred thousand new residents: soldiers, scientists, bureaucrats, spies, criminals, conspiracy theorists--and now a murderer. David never thought his job would involve breaking up chanting crowds of cultists or brokering peace with dueling government agencies, all against the backdrop of the otherworldly. And as he faces a murder spree that strikes closer and closer to home, David has to solve multiple mysteries--what fell from the sky, how it's connected to the killings right in front of him, and who the killer is--before he loses his hometown forever.
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Stay for a Spell
by Amy Coombe
A cursed princess must discover what her heart truly longs for in this charmingly cozy romantic fantasy for everyone who's ever lost - or found - themselves in a bookshop. Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar is disillusioned with life as a princess. She longs for real conversation, the chance to build a life of her own making, and uninterrupted reading time. During a routine royal visit to the town of Little Pepperidge, Tandy's dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she unlocks her heart's desire. Certain that someone will figure out how to break the curse eventually, and delighted by the prospect of an entire bookstore of her own, Tandy settles into life among the stacks. She finds it easy to exchange balls and endless state dinners for teetering piles of books and an irritatingly handsome pirate who seems bent on stealing her stock. She even starts to believe she's stumbled into her very own happily ever after. There's just one, minor problem: as Tandy's royal duties go unfulfilled, her frantic parents start sending princes to woo her, each one of them certain their kiss will break the curse. After all, what more could a princess want but a prince?
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The Ganymedan
by R. T. Ester
A dark science fiction debut examining agency and sacrifice through one man's desperate attempt to reach home after he murders his tyrannical employer. Verden Dotnet made an easy living mixing drinks for the creator of all sentient tech in the galaxy--until he decided to kill the creator. Now this man is dead, really dead, no cloud back-ups, and V-Dot is on the run, carrying a galaxy-shattering secret in his pocket. When he misses the last ship back to Ganymede, he convinces an old, outdated but still sentient ship, TR-8901, to give him a lift. But TR suspects that something is up--it is hearing rumours about his creator's death, and the man who fled the scene. But TR is a dutiful ship, and will carry out its duties until proven otherwise...
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After the Fall
by Edward Ashton
Part alien invasion story, part buddy comedy, and part workplace satire, After The Fall by Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7 (inspiration for the film Mickey 17), asks an important question: would humans really make great pets?Humans must be silent. Humans must be obedient. Humans must be good. All his life, John has tried to live by those rules. Most days, it's not too difficult. A hundred and twenty years after The Fall, and a hundred years after the grays swept in to pick the last dregs of humanity out of the wreckage of a ruined world, John has found himself bonded to Martok Barden nee Black Hand, one of the good grays. Sure, Martok is broke, homeless, and borderline manic, but he's always treated John like an actual person, and sometimes like a friend. It's a better deal than most humans get. But when Martok puts John's bond up as collateral against an abandoned house in the woods that he hopes to turn into a wilderness retreat for wealthy grays, John learns that there are limits to Martok's friendship. Soon he finds himself caught between an underworld boss who thinks Martok is something that he very much is not, a girl who was raised by feral humans and has nothing but contempt for pets like John, and Martok himself, whose delusions of grandeur seem to be finally catching up with him. Also, not for nothing, something in the woods has been killing people. John has sixty days before Martok's loan comes due to unravel the mystery of how humans wound up holding the wrong end of the domestication stick and find a way to turn Martok's half-baked plans into profit enough to buy back his life, all while avoiding getting butchered by feral humans or having his head crushed by an angry gray. Easy peasy, right?
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We Burned So Bright
by Tj Klune
A LibraryReads pick An Indie Next pick A heart-wrenching standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, We Burned So Bright follows an elder gay couple on an end-of-the-world road-trip. The road stretched out before them. No other cars, just the headlights on the blacktop. Above, the cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky....Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they've experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world. Now, the world is ending for real. A rogue black hole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they've ever known will be gone. Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They're in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it's all over. On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how--impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, and new friends. And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough. Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?
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The Once and Future Queen
by Paula Lafferty
22-year-old Vera is at a crossroads: waiting tables, grieving her previous relationship, and jogging aimlessly each morning as if toward an uncertain future. Then an odd man shows up at her workplace, insisting that she was once the legendary Queen Guinevere of Camelot, and that her lost memories hold the key to changing both the past and the present. Somehow, it all feels like the direction she's been looking for. But when she asks the mysterious man to tell her more about Lancelot, Arthur, and a faithless queen, he can only say that much of what she's heard about Camelot is wrong. The truth, he claims, is something she must see for herself. After jumping through a portal in Glastonbury's historic center, Vera is not prepared for what she finds. Magic is everywhere, but a curse on the kingdom means it dwindles every day. She has no idea how to perform a queen's duties. Her fast friendship with Lancelot sets gossip flowing, and the stranger she must call husband often refuses to meet her eye. Arthur is a puzzle: cold, forbidding, and, while angry to her face, keeps leaving secret tokens of tenderness in her chambers. Worst of all, Vera's memories--and the answers locked within them--show no signs of returning. If Vera is truly destined to save Camelot, she'll have to trust her instincts. And her king will have to trust her . . .
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| The Poet Empress by Shen TaoWei Yin has only joined the Azalea House as a concubine out of desperation to save her family. But civil war may be on the horizon, and to survive, Wei may have to put herself directly in danger by harnessing the power of poetry magic in a world where women are forbidden to read. This tale of imperial court drama and immersive fantasy features a compelling and complex heroine who will do anything to survive, perfect for fans of R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War and Shelley Parker Chan's She Who Became the Sun. |
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