13 fantasy and science fiction books to read in July 2023
By Daniel Roman
THE JASAD HEIR by Sara Hashem (The Scorched Throne #1) — July 18
The Jasad Heir is the debut novel from Sara Hashem, an Egyptian-inspired fantasy story and the first installment in Hashem’s The Scorched Throne series. That alone is enough to pique my interest, because who doesn’t want more Egyptian-inspired fantasy? But the story itself also sounds riveting. It follows a princess of a deposed kingdom who is drawn out of hiding when her magic is exposed to her worst enemy.
Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic was outlawed. Its royal family murdered. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe. The Heir of Jasad escaped the massacre, and she intends to stay hidden, especially from the armies of Nizahl that continue to hunt her people.
But a moment of anger changes everything. When Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, Sylvia accidentally reveals her magic—and captures his attention. Now Sylvia’s forced to make a deal with her greatest enemy: Help him hunt the rebels in exchange for her life.
A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity, even as hatred shifts into something more between the Heirs. And as the tides change around her, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she abandoned.
The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
IRL by E. A. Field — July 18
Gaming and reading go hand-in-hand as two of our favorite nerdy activities, but why keep them separate? E.A. Field’s book IRL is a zombie apocalypse story that sees two online gaming buddies team up in real life to survive the collapse. With shades of stories like The Last of Us, conspiracies and gaming references aplenty, IRL sounds like a fun romp with a lot of heart. Which is harder: surviving a zombie plague or talking to your online friends in real life?
Something is wrong in Bunker, Illinois.
Nora Grace Moon thought her toughest challenge this semester would be managing her OCD, but when her deceased roommate turns up as a reanimated corpse, her world starts to collapse.
When her uncle sends her a cryptic message, Nora realizes it must be a call for help. She reaches out to fellow gamer Wesley for advice, a US Marshal with real-life skills for tactical survival, not just in-game. They venture out into a world that is growing more and more deadly by the moment—not only are the undead spreading, but other humans are taking advantage of the societal breakdown. And unknown to Nora and Wesley, they have been targeted by an ancient archeological society who will stop at nothing until they have what Nora has: an artifact that will unleash a new world order of the undead.
IRL is a paranormal thriller about leaving the online world and dealing with things “In Real Life.”
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
IMMORTAL LONGINGS by Chloe Gong (Flesh and False Gods #1) — July 18
While author Chloe Gong is best known for her YA novels, including the bestselling These Violent Delights, this month she’ll be making her adult epic fantasy debut with Immortal Longings, the first volume in a new series called Flesh and False Gods. Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, Immortal Longings is a tale of political intrigue, romance, and danger. Even from the back-of-book description alone, it’s clear that Immortal Longings takes place in a deeply fleshed out fantasy world, which is exactly the sort of thing that we like to lose ourselves in for days at a time on summer vacation.
Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches.
Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.
Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.
Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.