17 fantasy and science fiction books to read in March 2024
Another month, another round-up of new fantasy and science fiction books! From fungalpunk cities to mythological retellings to sweeping epics, there are plenty of exciting stories to add to your bookshelf this March.
By Daniel Roman
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March is here, and by all that is holy is it shaping up to be a huge month for fantasy and science fiction media. Dune: Part Two is crashing into theaters; Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is keeping the gamers well fed; on television we've got Shōgun and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live and Halo and 3 Body Problem. There are no shortage of options if you want to spend your free time in fantastical worlds this month.
There are also quite a lot of exciting books hitting shelves in March. As we do every month, we're rounding up a bunch of new fantasy and science fiction book releases to bolster your TBR. There aren't quite as many new releases as in the loaded month of February, but it's close. From dark fantasies to cozy romantasies, dystopian sci-fi, urban fantasy mysteries, mythology retellings and more, there's great variety in the book offerings coming this month. Let's get right into it, because you need to spend less time reading me babble and more time finding your next favorite books!
THE HIDDEN QUEEN by Peter V. Brett (The Nightfall Saga #2) — March 5
This month, Peter V. Brett is releasing the second book in The Nightfall Saga, the sequel series to his acclaimed fantasy series The Demon Cycle. This new saga takes place 15 years after the events of the final Demon Cycle book and follows the next generation of characters as they navigate a new conflict with the demonic corelings.
Brett kicked off this series in 2021 with The Desert Prince, introducing readers to Olive Paper and Darin Bales, descendants of the heroes from The Demon Cycle. The Hidden Queen continues Olive and Darin's story while simultaneously building out an intriguing new era for Brett's dark fantasy world. You'll certainly get more out of The Desert Prince and The Hidden Queen if you've read the original series, but these books are also designed as an entry point into this fictional universe for new readers.
Humanity thought the war with demonkind was over. Now, after less than a generation to rebuild, the demon corelings have returned with a vengeance. The Spear of Ala—the fortress that stands at the gates of the demon’s hive—is the last bastion against the horde, and reports say it may already have fallen.
Olive Paper is expected to take the vanguard in the fight. Only an heir of Kaji can wield the artifact that opens the gates of the Spear of Ala, and as Ahmann Jardir’s child, Olive seems destined for a role as leader and savior. But Olive does not wish to follow in her father’s footsteps any more than she did her mother’s.
Darin Bales was born with supernatural senses that he struggles to process, and even those who love him believe he can barely take care of himself. Yet to save his mother from the clutches of Alagai Ka, the demon king, Darin will brave anything to mount a rescue.Darin and Olive each strive to walk their own path but find themselves inextricably tied to the legacies of their parents and to a fated confrontation with the demon king and his new hatchling queen.
If they fail, humanity may not survive.
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THE TRUTH OF THE ALEKE by Moses Ose Utomi (The Forever Desert #2) — March 5
Another sequel we're excited for in March is The Truth of the Aleke by Moses Ose Utomi. This is the second novella in Utomi's African folklore-inspired series The Forever Desert, which began with last year's The Lies of the Ajungo.
The Truth of the Aleke picks up 500 years later, so we'll see how the events of the first story influenced the world as a brand new set of characters seeks to weather the attacks of a deadly cult.
The Aleke is cruel. The Aleke is clever.
The Aleke is coming. 500 years after the events of The Lies of the Ajungo, the City of Truth stands as the last remaining free city of the Forever Desert. A bastion of freedom and peace, the city has successfully weathered near-constant attacks from the Cult of Tutu, who have besieged it for three centuries, attempting to destroy its warriors and subjugate its people.
Seventeen-year-old Osi is a Junior Peacekeeper in the City. When the mysterious leader of the Cult, known only as the Aleke, commits a massacre in the capitol and steals the sacred God's Eyes, Osi steps forward to valiantly defend his home. For his bravery he is tasked with a tremendous responsibility—destroy the Cult of Tutu, bring back the God's Eyes, and discover the truth of the Aleke.