10 fantasy and science fiction books to read in December 2023

THE DOOM OF ODIN by Scott Oden (Grimnir #3) — December 19

Nothing makes gathering around the Yule log for the holidays feel more right than a gritty tale of the Norse apocalypse. Just ahead of the solstice, Scott Oden will be releasing the third book in his Grimnir Norse fantasy series, The Doom of Odin. Yes, the author’s last name is Oden; yes, the Norse god is also Odin. This is clearly a match made in Valhalla.

Unlike other Norse fantasy series like John Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn, Oden’s Grimnir books are set in our world and make ample use of history as well as myth. This could make them a fun crossover read for readers who like historical fiction as well as fantasy.

As the Black Death rampages across Europe, two creatures of the Elder World clash over the rotting corpse of Christendom in Scott Oden’s third book in the Grimnir Series

Skrælingr. Orcnéas. Fomoraig. He is Grimnir . . .

For over a century, he has tracked the dragon, Níðhöggr — the Malice-Striker — from the shores of Lake Vänern, across the Baltic Sea, through Russia, and down into the Mediterranean; he has hounded the wyrm from Old Muscovy to Messina. And finally, to the Eternal City — to Rome, itself.

And in Rome, on a cold November night in 1347 AD, on the ruined steps of Old St. Peter’s basilica, Grimnir’s saga comes crashing to an end. A crossbow bolt, loosed in terror, slays him out of hand. It is a mundane finale to a life spent hip-deep in bloodshed and slaughter, surrounded by steel and savagery and the sorcery of the Elder World.

But Death is just the beginning . . .

Now, on the grim and misty isle of Nástrond, under the shadows of Yggðrasil, Grimnir is plunged headlong into the twisted Valhalla that is the afterlife of his people. Here, bloody in-fighting, schemes and betrayals are the order of the day. Grimnir is forced to contend with a cabal of witches, with giants and trolls who have never felt the light of Miðgarðr’s moon, and with his own rapacious kin as he journeys beyond the shores of Nástrond to find answers. And with every death, Grimnir unravels another thread of a monstrous secret woven at the dawn of time — one that will turn him from the pawn of unknown gods into the most powerful being in the Nine Worlds. And the most hunted.

For he, alone, holds the key to Ragnarök and the Doom of Odin . . .

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REBEL MOON PART ONE – A CHILD OF FIRE: THE OFFICIAL NOVELIZATION by V. Castro — December 26

We close out our December book list with a tie-in novel. On December 22, the first part of Zack Snyder’s new sci-fi film series Rebel Moon lands on Netflix. A few days later, Rebel Moon Part One – A Child of Fire: The Official Novelization hits bookstore shelves, so if you can’t get enough of Snyder’s world, you can ingest it in both book and movie form.

Rebel Moon Part One – A Child of Fire: The Official Novelization is written by author V. Castro. Castro has written a ton of different books, but the one I know her best from is an Aliens novel about the early days of the tough-as-nails soldier Vasquez. She seems like a perfect fit for this literary take on Rebel Moon.

When a peaceful settlement on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Regent Balisarius, a mysterious stranger named Kora becomes their best hope for survival.

From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes REBEL MOON, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making.

When a peaceful settlement on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Regent Balisarius, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors—outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a new army of heroes is formed.

Novelized by V. Castro, two-time Bram Stoker Award-nominated author. Experience Rebel Moon on the page in this pulse-pounding novelization.

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And thus concludes our list of new book releases in December! It’s been a joy to share so many new books with you over the course of this year, and I sincerely hope you’ve found some that have piqued your interest! Enjoy your reading this holiday season!

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