40 fantasy and science fiction books you should read in 2022

Daughter of the Wolves by K.S. Villoso — March 15

K.S. Villoso wowed readers with her epic fantasy Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, which followed deposed queen Talyien as she fought to reclaim her crown and secure her homeland’s sovereignty in a Filipino-inspired fantasy world. Over the course of three books, Talyien underwent a huge transformation as a character, due in large part to Villoso’s decision to tell the story exclusively from her first person point-of-view, a rarity in modern fantasy books. Yet before Talyien contended with assassins, plots, and rival rulers, Villoso had written other stories set in this world. Now we’re getting to read some of them.

Villoso’s novel The Wolf of Oren-Yaro was originally a self-published success before it was picked up by Orbit books, who published the rest of the trilogy. Before that, Villoso had already self-published three stand-alone novels set in the same world which focused on the previous generation of characters. After the success of Bitch Queen, the author decided to rework those older books and re-release them. The first, The Blackwood Marauders, came out in late 2021. The next one is Daughter of the Wolves, which we’ll be able to read this March:

Clan, family, duty—the tenets of the Oren-yaro are clear: you are swords first, servants first. Yet no one expects much from the youngest daughter, not even when your family is sworn to the wolves who rule the land. At an age when most of her sisters have wed and borne children, Anira remains nursemaid to a decrepit father and an ailing mother, forgotten by a world moving too fast for her liking. When her elder brother deserts Warlord Yeshin’s army, she is forced to step up to save her family from disgrace.

Plunged into a world of bloodshed, Anira becomes the unlikely last link to a tyrant’s plans as she is tasked with bringing home the first dragon their kingdom has seen in decades. The arrival of a mercenary band, hell-bent on the same goal, creates a rivalry between her and their stubborn, unyielding leader. With her family’s freedom on the line, Anira must risk vengeful ancients, debased rituals, and even her own sanity to seize the prize.

When death comes calling, who will pay the price for her allegiance?

Pre-order it: Amazon