14 fantasy and science fiction books to read in June 2023
By Daniel Roman
ISLA’S REACH by Francisca Liliana (The Breaths and the Depths #1) — June 16
We come next to Francisca Liliana’s debut book Isla’s Reach, which is the first novel in her The Breaths and the Depths duology. A ragtag group of heroes going on an adventure is always a sure bet in the fantasy genre. Throw in some dragons, assassins, and magic, and it’s hard to go wrong.
The world of Iona has forgotten the time when dragons ruled the skies and their Viden riders controlled the wind.
The Evandis War, started by the long dead Cinead the Decayed, was won, but at the extermination of every dragon and rider. Evelyn, the last Viden, has been in hiding for her entire life, but no more. Once she bonds with Oretem, the last dragon, her purpose quickly turns from being the shield for those she loves, to the blade that fights to survive.
A Reticent assassin haunts her steps, one who has his own demons to battle. They both seek a single person-Meric, a bounty hunter Venandi, who the assassin endeavors to destroy and the Viden hopes to save. These three lives intertwine in ways that leave them questioning everything they’ve ever known. The roots of Isla’s Reach burrow deep to carry the world, and it won’t be long until they’ve broken entirely.
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THE BOOK OF GEMS by Fran Wilde (Gem Universe #3) — June 20
The latest novel from Nebula Award-wining author Fran Wilde’s Gem Universe series hits shelves soon. Each novella in the Gem Universe stands somewhat on its own; sometimes years pass in between entries. They’re short reads at around 100 pages each, meaning that if you haven’t dipped your toes into the Gem Universe this is a great month to binge through all three books to get the full picture before reading Wilde’s latest work.
It’s been centuries since the Jeweled Valley and its magical gems were destroyed. In the republics that rose from its ashes, scientists craft synthetic jewels to heat homes, power gadgetry, and wage war.
Dr. Devina Brunai is one of these scientists. She also is the only person who believes true gems still exist. The recent unearthing of the Palace of Gems gives her the perfect opportunity to find them and prove her naysayers wrong.
Her chance is snatched away at the last moment when her mentor steals her research and wins the trip for himself. Soon, his messages from the field transform into bizarre ramblings about a book, a Prince, and an enemy borne of the dark. Now Dev must enter the Valley, find her mentor, and save her research before they, like gems, become relics of a time long forgotten.