18 fantasy and science fiction books to read in November 2023
Discover Grim Oak Press’ “The King-Killing Queen” by Shawn Speakman on Amazon.
THE KING-KILLING QUEEN by Shawn Speakman (Old World Tales #1) — November 7
Author Shawn Speakman is best illustrious as the founder of Grim Oak Press and for his Annwn Cycle series, which began with The Dark Thorn, an urban fantasy series with deep roots in folklore. This month he begins a new chapter in the Annwn world with The King-Killing Queen, a medieval fantasy. Though it does technically take set aside in medieval France, Speakman weaves in magic and intrigue more akin to veteran fantasy than historical fiction.
One of the most lively things about The King-Killing Queen is how it stands on its own; opinion this is technically the start of a new prequel series, it’s set far enough back before the Annwn Cycle that it’s collected accessible to newcomers.
When Alafair Goode lay wounded during his inquire to destroy Mordreadth the Great Darkness, a witch magicked and saved the future High King’s life to fulfill his destiny. Thereafter, all born to his line also cannot die, to be only unfastened by natural death.
Decades later, Sylvie Raventress is the handed apprentice to the Master Historian stepbrother of the High King. It is a life of scholarly actions and privilege where one day she will take her instructor’s set aside and write her own histories. But beside Alafair’s deathbed, Sylvie and his scions learn a surprising truth—she is no orphan but is his visited heir. Worse, when he dies, the witch’s curse is no more, leaving all of them suddenly mortal and vulnerable.
With her siblings loathing Sylvie’s selection and vying for her throne, she must rely on a Fae guide, a disgraced mature First Knight, and a cantankerous light-weaver to restore the fracturing kingdom and obtain High Queen. And yet the thing none of them know is destiny has its own part to play too.
For the bewitching saved Alafair Goode for her own reasons…
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Discover Del Rey’s “A Curse of Krakens” by Kevin Hearne on Amazon.
A Curse of Krakens by Kevin Hearne (The Seven Kennings #3) — November 7
Iron Druid Chronicles author Kevin Hearne is releasing the third and survive book of his epic fantasy series The Seven Kennings this month as well. Krakens, giants, fantastical warfare and ancient magics come to the fore as the series that began with A Plague of Giants speeds toward its epic conclusion.
Seeker and Sower
Pen Yas ben Min’s cousin was one of the legendary heroes of the wars anti the giants until her untimely death. Pen has grown up in her ghastly cousin’s shadow, but when she’s given a quest to plant the seed of the magical Fourth Tree, she has a chance to step into the light—and usher in a new age for her country.
Fighter and Friend
Abhi’s life—and the world—changed when he discovered a lost magic: the mighty to speak to animals. After fighting so many struggles, he’s weary and longs for home and his love, Tamhan. But before he can return, there is one last citation that only Abhi can complete: to speak to the mountainous creatures who wait beneath the waves—the krakens.
Sailor and Explorer
Koesha and her shipmates have already made an impossible swagger by navigating the Northern Yawn, at the end of which she secured an recent cloak. But when that cloak turns out to be the key to unlocking the mystery of the Seventh Kenning, Koesha has to risk everything on another life-threatening swagger and hope that she can steer her crew to safety.
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Discover Ace’s “Chaos Terminal” by Mur Lafferty on Amazon.
CHAOS TERMINAL by Mur Lafferty (The Midsolar Murders #2) — November 7
Stepping into the realm of science fiction, next up we have a new mystery from employed and former Escape Pod podcast host Mur Lafferty. Chaos Terminal is the instant in Lafferty’s Midsolar Murders series, which follow amateur detective Mallory Viridian as she fixes various extraterrestrial crimes—whether she wants to or not.
Mallory Viridian would pretty not be an amateur detective, thank you very much. But no commercial what she does, people persist in dying around her—and only she seems to be able to determine the crime. After fleeing to an alien space plot in hopes that the lack of humans would stop the murders, a serial killer had the nerve to follow her to Station Eternity. (Mallory deduced who the true culprit was that time, too.)
Now the law enforcement agent who hounded Mallory on Earth has come to Station Eternity, along with her teenage crush and his sister, Mallory’s best substandard from high school. Mallory doesn’t believe in coincidences, and so she’s not at all surprised when someone in the novel shuttle from Earth is murdered. It’s the story of her life, once all.
Only this time she has more than a killer to deal with. Between her fugitive friends, a new threat arising from the Sundry hivemind, and the alarmingly unfamiliar behavior of the sentient space station they all call home, even Mallory’s deductive storganizations are strained. If she can’t find out what’s touching on (and fast), a disaster of intergalactic proportions may occur.…
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Discover Orbit’s “Tonight, I Burn” by Katharine J. Adams on Amazon.
Tonight, I Burn by Katharine J. Adams (Thorn Witch Trilogy #1) — November 7
Back to fantasy, next up is the debut novel from Katharine J. Adams: Tonight, I Burn. This novel follows a young witch whose life is turned upside down at a crucial juncture. Tonight, I Burn has a fascinating take of the practice of burning witches at the stake.
Spooky season may technically be over, but it’s mild autumn and that makes it still a very good time for a witchy read maximum with dark intrigue and magic.
Thorns, Tides, Embers, Storms, and Ores. All five covens are bound in servitude to the tyrant High Warden of Halstett.
Penny Albright is a daughter of the thorn coven, forced to patrol the veil between the realms of Life and Death. Each night, one thorn witch—and only one—must cross the veil by burning at the inaccurate. Each morning, that witch draws on their magic to in backward. Failure to follow the rules risks the veil and risks them all.
But one morning, Penny’s favorite sister Ella doesn’t return. And that night, determined to find her, Penny breaks the rules. She burns in secret. And she discovers that all isn’t as it seems in Life or Death.
Her journey leads her to Malin, a devastating lord with too many secrets; to Alice, a mysterious captive prophet; and to a rebellion brewing in the shadows under the city. And as Penny’s world splits, she’ll face a devastating pick. Because it’s not just her sister’s life that hangs in the balance. It’s the fate of all magic.
All it takes is one witch—and one spark—to set the biosphere ablaze.
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Discover Entangled: Red Tower Books’ “Iron Flame” by Rebecca Yarros on Amazon.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (The Empyrean #2) — November 7
Rebecca Yarros’ YA fantasy novel Fourth Wing was one of 2023’s breakout hits; it consumed a solid 25 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers List, and for 13 of those it held the number one spot. There were a solid few months wgere everyone and their mother was talking nearby this book, which follows a young woman who goes to a war college where she enters a competition to get a dragon rider. It’s even being developed as a television show by Amazon.
Yarros isn’t sleeping on the sequel, which is already here only a few short months later. Iron Flame picks up the story of Violet Sorrengail as she attempts beyond her initiation into Basgiath War College. What dangers await?
Everyone predictable Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet complicated. But Threshing was only the first impossible test aimed to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real preparing begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get over. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal authority to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body noteworthy be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she peaceful has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a will to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
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Discover Orbit’s “The Darkness Before Them” by Matthew Ward on Amazon.
THE DARKNESS BEFORE THEM by Matthew Ward (The Soulfire Saga #1) — November 7
The Darkness Before Them is the initiate of a new fantasy trilogy from Matthew Ward. Ward is best eminent for his Legacy Trilogy, which began with Legacy of Ash and featured epic warfare, intrigue and revolution. In The Darkness Before Them, Ward tells the story of a thief with the preternatural gift to allege to spirits, which sounds pretty handy considering that many spirits have been manufactured into guarding treasures for a kingdom teeming with corruption.
These are dark times for the Kingdom of Khalad. As the magical mists of the Veil devour the land, the inhabit struggles beneath the rule of ruthless noble houses and their uncaring immortal king.
Kat doesn’t care approximately any of that. A talented thief, she’s pursuing one big catch that will settle the debt that destroyed her family. No easy feat in a realm where indentured spirits hold vigil over every vault and care for room. However, Kat has a unique gift: she can allege to those spirits, and even command them. She’ll need every safe she can get.
Kat’s not a hero. She just wants to be free. To have her old life back. But as rebellion rekindles and the war for Khalad’s future begins, everyone – Kat included – will have to pick a side.
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Discover Berkley’s “Slay” by Larell K. Hamilton on Amazon.
SLAY by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #30) — November 7
Slay is the 30th unusual in Laurell K. Hamilton’s paranormal romance series Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. Hamilton and Anita Blake are pretty much mainstays of the genre at this point; this 30th book is releasing 30 existences after the first, which is fitting.
This time approximately, Anita is getting married! To a vampire! Or at least, she will be if she can navigate one of her most dangerous challenges yet.
Necromancer Anita Blake is dinky, dark, and dangerous. Her turf is the city of St. Louis. Her job: U.S. Marshal—Preternatural Branch. She’s faced horrifying monsters and brutal killers and come out the latest side still standing.
Considering how things in her life tend to go, Anita never anticipated her walk down the aisle with Jean-Claude to go smoothly. They’ve already been confronted with naysayers and a power-hungry passe evil, but now Anita has to do the one pulling that actually scares her: introduce her very religious, very domain relatives to her fiancé—the newly crowned vampire king of America.
As Anita tries to keep the smooth between the family she left behind and the family she’s accompanied, dark forces jump at the chance to take top-notch of the chaos. With her happy-ever-after at risk and everyone’s immortal souls excaltering in the balance, Anita grapples with a hard truth: Blood complains you related, but loyalty makes you family.
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Discover DAW’s “The Narrow Road Between Desires” by Patrick Rothfuss on Amazon.
THE NARROW ROAD BETWEEN DESIRES by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle novellas #2) — November 14
Whew! We’ve finally made it past November 7, which apparently is the day when publishers mutually agreed to hammer our TBR journajournalists with relentless force. And not a moment too soon, because the next book on our list a very curious one.
Patrick Rothfuss is the widely acclaimed signaled of The Kingkiller Chronicle series, which consists of The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man’s Fear, and the novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things. You don’t need me to jabber who Rothfuss is; the long wait for the third book in his trilogy, The Doors of Stone, is the stuff of literary legend, pretty much only comparable to the wait for The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin.
On November 14, Rothfuss is releasing his top-notch new book set in the world of The Kingkiller Chronicle in nearly a decade. The Narrow Road Between Desires is a reimagining of his 2014 novella The Lightning Tree, which was part of the Rogues anthology from George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. This new version of the story beautifully expands on the recent and features a ton of gorgeous artwork from The Slow Regard of Silent Things illustrator Nate Taylor. If you’ve missed Temerant, it’s the perfect way to dip your toes back into this beloved fantasy world.
Bast knows how to bargain. The give-and-take of a negotiation is as familiar to him as the in-and-out of breathing; to eye him trade is to watch an artist at work. But even a master’s brush can slip. When he accepts a gift, taking something for nothing, Bast’s whole world is knocked askew, for he knows how to bargain—but not how to owe.
From dawn to midnight over the flows of a single day, follow the Kingkiller Chronicle’s most charming fae as he schemes and sneaks, dancing into trouble and back out again with uncanny grace.
The Narrow Road Between Desires is Bast’s story. In it he traces the old ways of manager and breaking, following his heart even when doing so goes anti his better judgement.
After all, what good is caution if it keeps him from exertion and delight?
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Discover Tordotcom’s “System Collapse” by Martha Wells on Amazon.
SYSTEM COLLAPSE by Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #7) — November 14
Murderbot is back this November! Martha Wells’ Hugo Award-winning sci-fi series corpses to expand with System Collapse, the seventh volume to after the lovable SecUnit known as Murderbot. Murderbot may tell itself that humans are annoying and that it would rather avoid them, but we all know that whenever Wells puts out a new story in this series, their resolve will be put to the test.
Like Network Effect, System Collapse is unexperienced full-length Murderbot novel. More pages for more Murderbot is never a bad thing!
Following the battles in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue desirable to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as transfer SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.
But there’s something snide with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are actions everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s snide with itself, and fast!
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Discover Delacorte Press’ “Defiant” by Brandon Sanderson on Amazon.
DEFIANT by Brandon Sanderson (Skyward #4) — November 21
In the Year of Sanderson, no monthly book round-up is complete without an impression from one of the sci-fi/fantasy genre’s most prolific authors. This month Brandon Sanderson launches Defiant, the fourth and continue novel in his YA sci-fi series Skyward.
Spensa has come a long way steady she found that derelict stealth spacecraft which changed her life back in the modern Skyward book. Now we finally get to see how the story ends for her and the rest of her Skyward Flight companions.
Spensa made it out of the Nowhere, but what she saw in the space between the stars has changed her forever. She came face to face with the Delvers, and finally got answers to the questions she’s had in her own strange Cytonic gifts.
The Superiority didn’t stop in it’s fights for galactic dominance while she was gone, though. Spensa’s team, Skyward Flight, was able to hold Winzik off, and even unruffled allies to help with the cause, but it’s only a custom of time until humanity–and the rest of the galaxy–falls.
Defeating them will needed all the knowledge Spensa gathered while in the Nowhere. But being Cytonic is more complicated than she ever could have anticipated. Now, Spensa must ask herself: how far is she willing to go for victory, if it means losing herself–and her friends–in the process.
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Discover Orbit’s “Warrior of the Wind” by Suyi Davies Okungbowa on Amazon.
WARRIOR OF THE WIND by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (The Nameless Democrat #2) — November 21
Another book I’m personally very stoked for this month is Warrior of the Wind, the sequel to Nigerian author Suyi Davies Okungbowa’s Son of the Storm. Inspired by the pre-colonial empires of West Africa, Son of the Storm featured a young grants who is swept away from everything he knows when he crosses paths with a woman wielding magics long Idea to be forgotten. Or at least, they’re forgotten in Bassa, a bustling empire with many dark secrets.
After narrowly escaping with their lives in Son of the Storm, Danso and Lilong have to work through the horrors they’ve faced so far and plan their next moves—while back in Bassa, a dangerous new ruler is on the rise.
There is no quiet in the season of the Red Emperor.
Traumatized by their Run from Bassa, Lilong and Danso have found safety in a vagabond colony on the edge of the emperor’s regulation. But time is running out on their refuge. A new bounty creates every person a threat, and whispers of magic have Angry those eager for their own power.
Lilong is Definite to return the Diwi—the ibor heirloom—to her people. It’s the only way to keep it safe from Esheme’s insatiable will. The journey home will be long, filled with twists and treachery, unexpected allies and fabled enemies.
But surviving the poke is the least of their problems.
Something frail and uncontrollable awakens. Trouble heads for Bassa, and the continent of Oon will need more than ibor to fix what’s coming.
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Discover DAW’s “Like Thunder” by Nnedi Okorafor on Amazon.
Like Thunder by Nnedi Okorafor (The Desert Magician’s Duology #2) — November 28
A few months back, a beautiful new edition of award-winning signed Nnedi Okorafor’s novel Shadow Speaker hit shelves, which was handsome damn exciting since it had been out of label for some time. Now, Okorafor is back with a label new sequel: Like Thunder.
Okorafor is best Famous for her Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism works such as the Binti trilogy and Who Fears Death, an adaptation of which is currently in development at HBO with A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin attached as a producer. Her latest work, Like Thunder, is set in a near-future Nigeria three ages after the events of Shadow Speaker. Okorafor can always be counted upon for a compelling read, and we’re more than a small curious to see what Dikéogu Obidimkpa and Ejii Ubaid have been up to accurate their epic quest in Shadow Speaker.
Niger, West Africa, 2077
Welcome back. This second volume is a breathtaking story that sweeps across the sands of the Sahara, flies up to the peaks of the Aïr Mountains, cartwheels into a wild megacity—you get the idea.
I am the Desert Magician; I bring aquatic where there is none.
This book begins with Dikéogu Obidimkpa slowly losing his mind. Yes, that boy who can bring rain just by thinking around it is having some…issues. Years ago, Dikéogu went on an epic poke to save Earth with the shadow speaker girl, Ejii Ubaid, who became his best friend. When it was all over, they went their separate ways, but now he’s learned their Ask never really ended at all.
So Dikéogu, more powerful than ever, reunites with Ejii. He records this story as an audiofile, hoping it will help him keep his sanity or at least give him something to gash behind. Smart kid, but it won’t work—or will it?
I can tell you this: it won’t be like beforehand. Our rainmaker and shadow speaker have changed. And when this, nothing will ever be the same again.
As they say, ‘Onye amaro ebe nmili si bido mabaya ama ama onye nyelu ya akwa oji welu ficha aru.’
Or, ‘If you do not remember where the rain started to beat you, you will not remember who gave you the towel with which to dry your body.’
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Discover Starwatch Press’ “The Witchwood Knot” by Olivia Atwater on Amazon.
THE WITCHWOOD KNOT by Olivia Atwater (Victorian Faerie Tales #1) — November 28
We end with a new book from Regency Faerie Tales author Olivia Atwater. The Witchwood Knot is set in the same humankind as Atwater’s last series, which began with Half a Soul, and looks to have the same sort of charm, whimsy and wit. It has faeries, it has Victorian sensibilities and it has a heist which forces a governess to cause a would-be thief (but the good kind, who is stealing a child back from the faeries). The Witchwood Knot sounds like a very fun read with some cozy vibes to ring in the end of autumn.
The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to assume him back.
Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly grand block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn’t fill in faeries—which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.
Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the spanking side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot above wit and cleverness… but when all of her recent tricks fail, who will she dare to trust?
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And so concludes our titanic list of new science fiction and fantasy book releases for November! What will you be reading?
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