13 new fantasy and science fiction books to read in October 2024
By Daniel Roman
Spooky season has arrived, and with it a fresh deluge of books to stock your shelves. You don't even have to trick or treat to get them, you can just roll on down to your local bookstore or favorite online retailer. (Though now that I think of it, maybe it's worth trying to trick or treat bookstores. Would that work? Now I need to know.)
While the season of ghouls and goblins is obviously a great time to read horror, there are still plenty of fantasy and science fiction novels coming out this month as well. Some have elements that fit the season; others take readers to the depths of space, the bloody frontier of a medieval battle line, fantastical worlds, the heart of swashbuckling romance and more. We're going to run through 13 books that we think the avid SFF reader should have on their radar for this month, starting with...
LIVESUIT by James S.A. Corey (A Captive's War Novella) — October 1
Surprise, it's a new James S.A. Corey story! Didn't we just get a new book from The Expanse author just a few months ago, their series-starter The Mercy of Gods? Why yes we did, but if there's one thing you can count on for James S.A. Corey, it's that there's always another book on the way, and it'll be here before you know it.
Just like with The Expanse, Corey is expanding the world of the new Captive's War series with some short fiction. The first Captive's War novella arrives this month. Titled Livesuit, this 90-page story is about human soldiers trapped in an eternal conflict who meld their bodies with the titular "Livesuit" technology, making them "more than human for the duration of a war that might never end."
It's not completely clear at a glance whether this novella takes place before or after The Mercy of Gods, which is probably intentional. But you can bet that it expands on the mythos of this sci-fi universe James S.A. Corey has created in some interesting ways that will ripple outward into the larger series.
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THE CITY IN GLASS by Nghi Vo — October 1
Nghi Vo is the author of the acclaimed Singing Hills Cycle novellas, and this month, she's got a brand new standalone novel hitting shelves: The City in Glass. I have yet to read one of Vo's books (not for lack of want, just time), but I have a feeling this will be the one to break that trend. Based on the description of the book, I'm going to say that if you enjoyed Witch King by Martha Wells, The City in Glass might scratch a similar itch.
The City in Glass is about an immortal demon named Vitrine who has spent ages molding the city of Azril to her liking, inciting "revelry and riot" in turn as she works her will over generations of its inhabitants. Then, angels invade and destroy it...except that Vitrine manages to curse one of them, so that he can never truly leave Azril — or Vitrine's ire — behind.
This book is part fantasy and part romance, as angel and demon are eventually forced to decide whether they can set aside their differences as the ruins of Azril come under a new threat. And perhaps they'll figure out their twisted fascination with one another in the process.
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GRIMDARK MAGAZINE Issue #40 — October 1
We don't normally include magazine issues in this list, but in this case an exception has to be made because the 10th anniversary issue of Grimdark Magazine is here and it's a special one. If you're not familiar, Grimdark Magazine is a long-running genre zine dedicated to the darker side of the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Its 40th issue is out now out, and by any sort of anthology standard, it's a doozy.
Featuring a brand new Gentleman Bastards short story from Scott Lynch as well as fiction from other heavyweights like Mark Lawrence and Christopher Beuhlman, essays and interviews from a number of exciting genre storytellers including Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski, it's a fantastic issue of a magazine that's very deserving of the support, and a great way to get in some short fiction this October. I'm literally in the middle of reading it right now, so how can I not recommend it?
This issue is only available in ebook form, and it's currently part of Kindle Unlimited, so if you're part of that subscription service you don't even need to pay extra to check it out.
HELL OF A WITCH by Rachel Aaron (Tear Down Heaven #2) — October 1
Alright, we've talked about a lot of non-spooky books so far (although I guess that depends on your definition), but now we're going to hit up one that is definitely perfect for the season: Hell of a Witch, the second novel in Rachel Aaron's paranormal fantasy series Tear Down Heaven. This is the sequel to Hell For Hire, which saw the demon Queen of Wrath Bex join forces with Adrian, witch of the Blackwood, in order to take on the corrupt forces of heaven.
Their plan worked...except now they need to figure out how to fight a war against the heavenly Gilgamesh and all the powerful forces arrayed behind him. It's got magic, it's got witches, it's got enchanted winnebagos and a daring mission into the heart of a magical fortress. What else do you even want this Halloween? Plus, like the Grimdark Magazine issue mentioned above, both Hell For Hire and Hell of a Witch are available on Kindle Unlimited at the moment, so you can easily check them out there.
BLOOD OF THE OLD KINGS by Sung-il Kim, translated by Anton Hur — October 8
Another fantasy book coming out this month is Blood of the Old Kings. This is the first book of a trilogy from South Korean author Sung-il Kim, which is being translated into English for the first time by Anton Hur. This is a dense epic fantasy that digs into themes of colonization and empire as an ensemble cast of characters collide in an attempt to overthrow the forces keeping their world in a chokehold. That may sound like a set up you've heard before, but I guarantee some of the details in Sung-il Kim's world are like nothing you've seen before. As veteran acquiring editor Lindsey Hall said in the initial deal announcement for Blood of the Old Kings:
“A dragon with seven eyes; an Empire running on magic generated from the corpses of sorcerers; and an investigation into the murder of a dear friend that uncovers a deadly plot with far-reaching consequences… and this is only the beginning of Sung-il Kim’s incredible fantasy trilogy!"
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SWORDCROSSED by Freya Marske — October 8
But perhaps you'd like something a little lighter this October. Swordcrossed by Freya Marske is a swashbuckling queer romantasy that taps into the sort of mood you'd hope out of a cozy story like Legends & Lattes, but with a bit more action. It's about a young nobleman named Mattinesh Jay who needs to hire a bodyguard...but ends up with a con artist named Luca Piere instead. Their enemies-to-lovers story brings Mattinesh's house to the brink of ruin as secrets are brought into the light of day and swords are crossed.
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JANUARIES: STORIES OF LOVE, MAGIC, & BETRAYAL by Olivie Blake — October 8
Olivie Blake is the author of The Atlas Six, a fantasy series about a group of magicians which wrapped up earlier this year with The Atlas Paradox. Now, Blake is releasing a brand new short fiction collection titled Januaries: Stories of Love, Magic, & Betrayal.
This collection includes 14 pieces from Blake, ranging from short stories she's previously released to brand new ones, poetry, and "at least one set of actual wedding vows." It sounds like a lot of fun; who doesn't want to read about a wish-giving fairy struggling with burnout, or a multiverse-hopping assassin ruminating on the one that got away? Blake's imagination is on full display in this one, which should make it a wonderful addition to the collection for fans of her work.
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ON VICIOUS WORLDS by Bethany Jacobs (The Kindom Trilogy #2) — October 15
There are a lot of exciting books coming out in October, but the next two on our list are my two most anticipated. First, we've got On Vicious Worlds, the sequel to Bethany Jacobs' gritty space opera These Burning Stars. These Burning Stars was an edgy, evocative revenge story which saw a morally gray space cleric team up with one of her former students in order to track down a dangerous assassin with ties to their past. Those threads unraveled in some pretty explosive ways during the first book as uncomfortable truths were revealed and allegiances shifted.
On Vicious Worlds picks up the mantle and continues the story for characters like Cleric Chono, Six, and Esek Nightfoot. If you like your science fiction to toe the grimdark line and leave you haunted by what you've read, this is a series that very much deserves to be on your radar.
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THE FURY OF THE GODS by John Gwynne (The Bloodsworn Trilogy #3) — October 22
My other personal most-anticipated book of the month is The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne, and I'm going to go on a limb here and say this isn't just one I'm personally looking forward to, but also probably one of the biggest fantasy releases of 2024. The Fury of the Gods is the third and final volume in Gwynne's Bloodsworn Trilogy, which began with The Shadow of the Gods. Now that gods have been unleashed and armies are clashing, the big finale is sure to leave us all with our hearts in our throats.
There are a lot of Norse-inspired fantasies out there, but I've never read one that did it quite so well as Gwynne's Bloodsworn. This series leans heavily into both Viking culture as well as Norse mythology to build a fantasy world that feels real and tactile, and so dangerous that the threat of a seax between the ribs or a vicious troll attack is never far. John Gwynne is one of the current master fantasy writers of our time, and I've got no doubt that The Fury of the Gods is going to deliver an epic ending worthy of the series.
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DEMON'S BLUFF by Kim Harrison (The Hollows #18) — October 22
Back on the spookier side of things, Demon's Bluff is an urban fantasy from Kim Harrison, a veteran author of the genre. This is book 18 of her series The Hollows, which follows the witch-born demon Rachel Morgan as she watches over the magical denizens of Cincinnati. If you're familiar with The Hollows, you know exactly what you're getting here — think the Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, or Jim Butcher brand of urban fantasy. If this is the first time you're hearing about the series, you'll probably want to start with the first book, Dead Witch Walking.
Demon's Bluff sees Rachel Morgan in a tight spot: after a new witch coven overseeing the "moral and ethical standards" of the Cincinnati magic scene accuses Rachel of illicit magic use, she has to undo a dangerous curse to prove herself. Except the magical items she needs to undo the curse no longer exist, meaning she has to go on a time travel journey to try and retrieve them.
But you know time travel never goes as planned. Rachel ends up in the wrong time, and stuck with one of the coven's leaders who accidentally traveled with her to boot. What could go wrong?
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MONSTROUS NIGHTS by Genoveva Dimova (The Witch's Compendium of Monsters #2)— October 22
Monstrous Nights is the sequel to Genoveva Dimova's Foul Days, and the conclusion of the Slavic folklore-inspired duology The Witch's Compendium of Monsters. With a series title like that (and that cover!), you just know it's perfectly suited for spooky season. Witches! Monsters! Magic and mayhem!
Foul Days ended with things seemingly on the up-and-up for the young witch Kosara, who had to contend with the Czar of Monsters after giving up her shadow and all the magic that came with it. She has her magic back by the time of Monstrous Nights and is more powerful than ever...but the good times aren't meant to last. When a murder case and an underground monster auction lead detective Asen back to Kosara's city of Chernograd, it soon becomes clear that the veil which typically holds monsters in their own world is growing perilously thin. Kosara believe it's her fault...and that only she can set things right.
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JAMAICA GINGER AND OTHER CONCOCTIONS by Nalo Hopkinson — October 29
We've talked about a fair amount of short fiction during this round-up, and we're not done. Jamaica Ginger and Other Concoctions is a new short fiction collection from Nalo Hopkinson, the award-winning speculative fiction author behind Brown Girl in the Ring, Salt in the Road, and many other stories. This is the first time Hopkinson's short fiction is being collected into a book since 2015, which makes it a pretty big deal.
And what sort of stories can you expect from Hopkinson here? Let's let the back-of-book description tell it, because when something's worded perfectly the first time, why try to summarize?
"In Hopkinson’s first collection of stories since 2015, a woman and her cyborg pig eke out a living in a future waterworld; two scientists contemplate the cavernous remains of an alien life-form; a trans woman at a funeral might be haunted by more than just bad memories; and an artist creates nanotechnology that asserts Blackness where it is least welcome."
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USURPATION by Sue Burke (Semiosis #3) — October 29
We end our October book round-up with an unnerving vision of the future. Sue Burke's Semiosis series is a science fiction story where humans try to settle on a distant planet only to come into contact with the sentient plants that already live there. The question of whether humans and these plants could coexist has spanned two novels to date: Semiosis and the sequel Interference. Now we're getting another entry, Usurpation.
So far, most of the action in the Semiosis series has been on the planet Pax. But now, some of its native plant lifeforms have been brought to Earth. As various calamity's strike the planet, the question of whether these plants can instigate a takeover of humanity looms — not to conquer, but rather to bring peace to a planet which is in free-fall.
Usurpation is the third and final book in the Semiosis trilogy, and it promises a thought-provoking end to Burke's science fiction saga.
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And so ends this month's list of new book releases. Which titles will you be adding to your TBR? Let us know in the comments!
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