17 fantasy and science fiction books to read in September 2023
By Daniel Roman
SHADOW SPEAKER by Nnedi Okorafor (The Desert Magician’s Duology #1) — September 26
Nnedi Okorafor is a visionary author best known for her Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism stories, such as the Binti trilogy and Who Fears Death, the latter of which is currently in development as a series at HBO. This month will see the re-release of one of Okorafor’s earlier works which was previously out of print: Shadow Speaker, the first book of The Desert Magician’s Duology. Okorafor is a consistently great writer, so it’s very exciting that this previously hard-to-find novel is getting another run.
Niger, West Africa, 2074
It is an era of tainted technology and mysterious mysticism. A great change has happened all over the planet, and the laws of physics aren’t what they used to be.
Within all this, I introduce you to Ejii Ugabe, a child of the worst type of politician. Back when she was nine years old, she was there as her father met his end. Don’t waste your tears on him: this girl’s father would throw anyone under a bus to gain power. He was a cruel, cruel man, but even so, Ejii did not rejoice at his departure from the world. Children are still learning that some people don’t deserve their love.
Now 15 years old and manifesting the abilities given to her by the strange Earth, Ejii decides to go after the killer of her father. Is it for revenge or something else? You will have to find out by reading this book.
I am the Desert Magician, and this is a novel I have conjured for you, so I’m certainly not going to just tell you here.
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VAULT: A LITRPG ADVENTURE by Nicoli Gonnella (Unbound #8) — September 27
We end with another LitRPG Adventure: Vault, the eighth book in Nicoli Gonnella’s Unbound series. This one takes the action and mechanics of the LitRPG genre and applies them to a world filled with primordial gods, chimaeras and other fun fantasy elements.
Three months have passed since the battle against the High Guard, and Felix and his people have grown. He’s poised on the brink of ascension to Master Tier, and his Stronghold is a burgeoning city; echoing with commerce, affluence, and the influence that comes with it.
Felix cares for none of it.
His Companion Pit remains cursed. Wings lost and wounds unable to heal, every remedy they try on the grounded creature only brings a fresh round of despair. It consumes all of Felix’s attention, to the point that only the threat of the Corrupted Unbound—Imara—can force him away.
The huntress has only a singular prey: the Unbound known only as the Ashen Gnome, who she intends to personally deliver to the Hierophant.
Should the Gnome fall into her clutches, everything Felix has built would be destroyed—and there’s not a chance in hell that he’ll let that happen.
And so ends our round-up of this month’s new fantasy and science fiction book releases. We’ll be working through some of these here on the site, so make sure to check back for reviews throughout the month!
Next. The Phoenix King is a smoldering start to Aparna Verma’s Ravence trilogy. dark
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