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The Most Anticipated Fantasy & Science Fiction Books
Here there be dragons, superheroes, aliens, and warlords. In the coming months, readers will get to return to Westeros and the All Souls universe, explore an India-inspired world of mythology and magic, experience the haunting tale of a monster coming into her own, and so much more.
To discover the best fantasy and science fiction novels hitting bookshelves through the rest of the year, we focused on what Goodreads members are anticipating and reactions from early reviewers. We measured anticipation by how many times a book has been added to Want to Read shelves, and then we only included books that have earned at least a four-star rating. (If you're curious how you can read prepublished books and be among the first to rate them, take a look at our book giveaways.)
Check out the fantastical reads below, and add what catches your eye to your Want to Read shelf!
To discover the best fantasy and science fiction novels hitting bookshelves through the rest of the year, we focused on what Goodreads members are anticipating and reactions from early reviewers. We measured anticipation by how many times a book has been added to Want to Read shelves, and then we only included books that have earned at least a four-star rating. (If you're curious how you can read prepublished books and be among the first to rate them, take a look at our book giveaways.)
Check out the fantastical reads below, and add what catches your eye to your Want to Read shelf!
Soldiers don't get paid to ask questions. In this installment in the beloved Chronicles of the Black Company series, Croaker struggles to trust his new ally, the peculiar sorcerer Mischievous Rain, as the Company attempts to break a rebel army.
Publication date: September 11
Immune to magic, Lady Everleigh escapes a massacre at the court of Bellona and goes into hiding with a gladiator troupe. As her desire for vengeance grows, she trains herself to take on the cruel usurper who assassinated the royal family.
Publication date: October 2
To save the world, Baru Cormorant must tear it apart. She becomes the very thing she once sought to destroy, all in a quest for revenge against the Empire of Masks in this sequel to The Traitor Baru Cormorant.
Publication date: October 30
Mehr can manipulate the dreams of the gods. An outcast descended from desert spirits, she defies an emperor and challenges a cabal of ruthless mystics in this captivating debut inspired by India's Mughal Empire.
Publication date: November 13
Brace yourself; The Winds of Winter is…still not here. Instead, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire delivers the first volume of his two-part history of the Targaryens, charting their volatile rise to power in Westeros.
Publication date: November 20
Formed around an alien biodome, Rosewater is a town on the edge. Its residents are hopeful and hungry to unlock the mysterious structure's rumored powers in this scientific thriller set in Nigeria.
Publication date: September 18
In the final installment in the Murderbot Diaries, the rogue robot fights its own programming to help the only human who ever showed it respect, traveling the width of the galaxy to stop a nefarious corporation and save innocent colonists.
Publication date: October 2
As humanity's interstellar empire nears collapse, Emperox Grayland II sets desperate measures into motion while the rest of the universe prepares for war in this pulse-pounding sequel to The Collapsing Empire.
Publication date: October 16
The crew of the Rocinante is scattered across the galaxy. Fighting to hold off an authoritarian regime and a sociopathic scientist, they launch a daring, last-ditch plan in this eighth installment in The Expanse series.
Publication date: December 4
This summer Liu became the first woman to win the Best Writer Eisner Award. She and artist Takeda continue their acclaimed Monstress comic about a young woman struggling to control her inner beast in an alternate 20th-century Asia.
Publication date: September 11
Heading into a year-long hiatus, Vaughan and Staples leave their fans with an explosive spacefaring adventure that follows Alana, Marko, and Hazel as they encounter fake news, old enemies, and genuine terror.
Publication date: October 2
After a devastating betrayal, October "Toby" Daye worries her fragile self-made family will fall apart. She juggles a kidnapping, an annoying ex-boyfriend, and meddling faeries in this latest installment in the October Daye series.
Publication date: September 4
What does it take to become a vampire? Harkness returns to the world of her All Souls trilogy to tell the story of a young immortal during the Revolutionary War and the human he will come to love hundreds of years later.
Publication date: September 18
In this sequel to Vicious, the line between life and death blurs as ambitious Sydney Clarke does everything she can to try and save Victor Vale, the superhuman man who stood up to Eli Ever and paid the ultimate price.
Publication date: September 25
Peter Grant, detective and apprentice wizard, is used to solving magical crimes, but he wonders if he's met his match when he encounters Martin Chorley, the so-called Faceless Man wanted for numerous crimes against humanity.
Publication date: November 13
Check out the complete coverage of Sci-Fi & Fantasy Week:
Top 50 Fantasy Books on Goodreads
The Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy of the Year (So Far)
Hidden Gems for Lifelong Fans of Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Comments Showing 1-50 of 71 (71 new)
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Tanya
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Aug 20, 2018 08:39AM
Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening.
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Super excited for Vengeful and the newest volume of Saga!
Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."Honestly at this point I don't think he has any intention of ever finishing the series. I hope I am proven wrong.
Roya Sands and the Bridge Between the Worlds should be on this list! Though this is the author's first novel, I have been following this amazing man's writings for over a decade. He has a near-genius ability to imagine possible futures and timelines, but always with empowered scenarios for hope and unexpected outcomes.Roya Sands and the Bridge Between Worlds
Can't wait for the next Murderbot installment Exit Strategy & also the next in The Expanse series Tiamat's Wrath.
Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."My guess: 2019
No doubt to coincide with the climax of the HBO series. Also, I suspect, considering the "quality" of the writing on the show......Grrrrm probably wants to wait until it's too late for D&D to steal his storyline. Once they're done getting it all wrong we'll get the real story from him.
Hopefully.....
Kimberly wrote: "Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."Honestly at this point I don't think he has any intention of ever finishing the series. I hop..."
true that.
Ilona Andrews Magic Triumphs?? I'm certainly waiting for it!!
Honestly at this point I don't think he has any intention of ever finishing the series..."I feel the same about Doors of Stone.
Movie deals are signed with pre-production underway, but the final part of the series is 3-years late.
Patrick Rothfus's 3rd Kingkiller book would be mighty welcome.
Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."If it ever does. I wonder if he's got a massive case of Writer's Constipation?
Port of Shadows. I've been waiting for the next 2 books in the Black Company series forever. Still no news on A Pitiless Rain.
I can think of so many fantasy authors who I anticipate eagerly - none of them are on that list. Steven Erikson, Janny Wurts, Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, Deborah A Wolf, Mark Lawrence - to name just a few. I've given up on George Martin - fed up of waiting for Winds of Winter whilst he writes prequels and faffs about with his TV series. If or when it finally comes out, I intend to wait and buy it second hand as I will not put one more penny in his pocket when he shows complete contempt for the readers who made it all possible.
Surely no one could anticipate Winds of Winter will ever by available now that GRRM has functionally abandoned this project. Thankfully he gave the rights to other writers to finish the series on his behalf. Anticipate, if you will, the screenplay for the TV series.
Please come out with a sequel to the aeronauts windlass.
Angela wrote: "Ilona Andrews Magic Triumphs?? I'm certainly waiting for it!!"So am I
Huh, I didn't know the Black Company series was still going. I should get back into that.
For me,at this moment, it is Ilona Andrews' Magic Triumphs
how is dresden files not in urban fantasy?
Adger wrote: "Patrick Rothfus's 3rd Kingkiller book would be mighty welcome."Ryanb wrote: "Honestly at this point I don't think he has any intention of ever finishing the series..."
I feel the same about Doors of Stone.
Movie deals are signed with pre-production underway, but the final..."
I just finished the first 2 of KingKiller and also looking forward to the 3rd installment
Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."Totally agree. One has the thought that he feels the history of the Targaryans needs to be known before the WoW can be fully appreciated.
But whenever WoW gets released i'm looking forward very much to re-reading all the other books again before hand - including these Targaryan books.
WoW, of course. But also the second installment in the Baru Cormorant world. One of those rare, totally original fantasy universes.
Yes we're all waiting for WoW but there are plenty of other authors to discover! Stop complaining and go read something new while you wait.It's obvious the list has books with a release date which means my favorite - Joe Abercrombie won't be on this list because he's writing a trilogy.
I'm waiting on Scalzi and Corey's books.
Why is "Time's Convert" listed under urban fantasy? I have read it and I don't think it belongs there...fantasy yes, URBAN fantasy no.
The finale to Ilona Andrews, SM Stirling and David Weber are all finishing their series.
I hope Patrick Rothfos does not pull a George RR Martin. I have long given up on George RR Martin.
Adger wrote: "Patrick Rothfus's 3rd Kingkiller book would be mighty welcome."It sure would.
Kimberly wrote: "Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."Honestly at this point I don't think he has any intention of ever finishing the series. I hop..."
I agree!
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. If for no other reasons than 1. He's awesome and 2. It's a new location in the Cosmere.
Not to be a jerk but for Monstress vol 3 it's Sana Takeda, with an 'n', not Sara :)
I have given up on George RR Martin. He can stuff his other filler books.
Excited about Fire and blood, but i'd sell my soul for Winds of winter. I would really love to see the 3rd installment of the Kingkiller chronicles as well.
Angela wrote: "Ilona Andrews Magic Triumphs?? I'm certainly waiting for it!!"I thought of that one too - the last book in an epic series.
How is Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas not on this list?
Holly wrote: "Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."My guess: 2019
No doubt to coincide with the climax of the HBO series. Also, I suspect, cons..."
He is waiting for HBO to tell him how the series will end.
Adger wrote: "Patrick Rothfus's 3rd Kingkiller book would be mighty welcome."AMEN!!!!
Teresa wrote: "Adger wrote: "Patrick Rothfus's 3rd Kingkiller book would be mighty welcome."Ryanb wrote: "Honestly at this point I don't think he has any intention of ever finishing the series..."
I feel the s..."
You may be in for a Looooooooonnnnnngggggggg Wait Teresa. Rothfus doesn't seem to be in any hurry and I fear his story may never see an ending. It's a shame because he is an amazing story teller however he and Martin seem to have lost the vision of their stories and the fact that they will lose readers/respect if they fail to finish their series. Maybe they never knew where they were going in the first place and are hoping they die so readers will forgive them for not finishing the books? It is frustrating when an author leaves off in the middle of the story and the final book isn't in the publishers office with some idea of the next publishing date.
While we knew the HP series would be multiple books long, each book finished THAT story even though the Whole story needed all of them. You weren't left hanging in the middle!
Tom wrote: "Surely no one could anticipate Winds of Winter will ever by available now that GRRM has functionally abandoned this project. Thankfully he gave the rights to other writers to finish the series on h..."Thankfully? Benioff and Weiss have ruined this series.
Tanya wrote: "Surely the most anticipated fantasy book is Winds of Winter. Whenever that's happening."Agreed, when shall our watch end?
I can't wait for Vengeful and Saga, volume 9!!
On the "Song of Ice and Fire" forum that has over a hundred thousand members, they held a "Favorite Character" thread for a few months. The top ten results were in this order: Arya, Tyrion, Jon, Jaime, Davos, Sansa, the Hound, Stannis, Delorous Edd and Ned Stark. So of course, George RR Martin writes a new book about Dany's family.
Faith Hunters last book in the Jane Yellowrock series was EXCELLENT!!
Next Desden File book by Jim Butcher would be good, but I don't think that will ever happen....😥
I'm looking forwards to Vengeful coming out. September 25th couldn't come sooner.
last book in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, due the end of this month.
John wrote: "Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. If for no other reasons than 1. He's awesome and 2. It's a new location in the Cosmere."But I don't believe it is Cosmere, right? He says its in a shared uni with some other stories, but not an actual Cosmere book sadly. :[
How about William Gibson's Agency? Due December 25th.
