8 new fantasy and science fiction books to read in February 2023
By Daniel Roman
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A new month is almost upon us, and that means a whole new slate of fantasy and science fiction books are speeding toward shelves. We kicked off the year with a list of fantasy and science fiction books that came out in January, and we’re continuing that trend into February. The first installments of new series, standalone books, and even long-awaited sequels to celebrated novels are all on their way.
But first, a note before we begin: due to the ongoing strike of HarperCollins employees, we are not including any titles from HarperCollins or its imprints on this list. As of this writing, HarperCollins and its union have finally entered mediations after more than two months on strike. We hope for a speedy resolution for all involved so that we can get back to reporting about the many exciting books coming from HarperCollins imprints this year.
Now let’s round up the eight sci-fi and fantasy books that we’re most excited to check out that are releasing during the month of February!
Update: Since the writing of this article, the HarperCollins union strike has finally resolved. We’ve added in one of the publisher’s titles we were extremely excited for in February, because it’s never too late to gush about great books!
VICTORY CITY by Salman Rushdie (February 7)
Hearing the name Salman Rushdie may not immediately evoke thoughts of fantasy stories, but his new novel is squarely in the realm of speculative fiction. Rushdie has been a public figure ever since his most famous book, The Satanic Verses, led to assassination attempts and a fatwa calling for his death being placed upon him by the leader of Iran. Last year the author was attacked during a lecture, suffering serious injuries from which he’s still recovering.
But the wheels of the book business keep on turning. Rushdie has a new novel coming out this month, a sprawling epic that spans centuries. Victory City explores an alternate history where a young girl has become the vessel for a goddess. Check out the description:
In the wake of an unimportant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms in fourteenth-century southern India, a nine-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. After witnessing the death of her mother, the grief-stricken Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for a goddess, who begins to speak out of the girl’s mouth. Granting her powers beyond Pampa Kampana’s comprehension, the goddess tells her that she will be instrumental in the rise of a great city called Bisnaga—“victory city”—the wonder of the world.
Over the next 250 years, Pampa Kampana’s life becomes deeply interwoven with Bisnaga’s, from its literal sowing from a bag of magic seeds to its tragic ruination in the most human of ways: the hubris of those in power. Whispering Bisnaga and its citizens into existence, Pampa Kampana attempts to make good on the task that the goddess set for her: to give women equal agency in a patriarchal world. But all stories have a way of getting away from their creator, and Bisnaga is no exception. As years pass, rulers come and go, battles are won and lost, and allegiances shift, the very fabric of Bisnaga becomes an ever more complex tapestry—with Pampa Kampana at its center.