17 fantasy and science fiction books to read in March 2024
By Daniel Roman
Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner (Fallen Gods #2) — March 12
Sunbringer is the sequel to Hannah Kaner's acclaimed fantasy debut Godkiller, which came out last September. Set in a fantasy world where the old gods have been outlawed but their magic still lingers, the first book in Kaner's Fallen Gods series earned comparisons to stories like American Gods and Gideon the Ninth, as well as glowing reviews for putting its own twist on the sorts of deific quandaries that sweep genre readers away. There's a lot of anticipation for this one, and for good reason.
When Middren falls to the gods, your kind will be the first to die.
Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren—but now they are stirring, whispering of war. Godkiller Kissen sacrificed herself to vanquish the fire god Hseth, who murdered her family and endangered her friends. But gods cannot be destroyed so easily, and Hseth’s power threatens to reform with even greater strength and a thirst for vengeance. As tensions rise throughout the land, the kingdom needs its Godkiller more than ever.
Still reeling from the loss of Kissen, young noble Inara and her little god of white lies, Skedi, have set out to discover more about the true nature of their bond. As the divide between gods and humans widens, Inara and Skedi will uncover secrets that could determine the fate of the war to come.
Meanwhile, Elogast, no longer a loyal knight of King Arren, has been tasked with killing the man he once called friend. The king vowed to eradicate all gods throughout the land, but has now entered into an unholy pact with the most dangerous of them all. And where his heart once beat, a god now burns. . .
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A FEATHER SO BLACK by Lyra Selene (Fair Folk #1) — March 12
If you've a hankering to spend time with the fae this month, the book you're looking for is A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene. It's the tale of Fia, a changeling of fae blood, and her sister Eala, who is under a curse which forces her to transform into a swan every night. Fia sets out into the realm of the fae in order to find a way to lift her sister's curse, and finds herself caught up in complicated feelings for both a prince (who is betrothed to her swan sister) and the avaricious fae lord who may be able to help break the curse. Expect lyrical writing, a strong dose of myth and magic, and a sweeping romance.
Set in a world of perilous magic and moonlit forests, this seductive romantic fantasy tells the story of a defiant changeling, her cursed sister, and the dangerous fae lord she must defeat to save her family.
In a kingdom where magic has been lost, Fia is a rare changeling, left behind by the wicked Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen's daughter and retreated behind the locked gates of Tír na nÓg.
Most despise Fia's fae blood. But the queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. Meanwhile, the real princess Eala is bound to Tír na nÓg, cursed to become a swan by day and only returning to her true form at night.
When a hidden gate to the realm is discovered, Fia is tasked by the queen to retrieve the princess and break her curse. But she doesn’t go alone: with her is prince Rogan, Fia's dearest childhood friend—and Eala’s betrothed.
As they journey through the forests of the Folk, where magic winds through the roots of the trees and beauty can be a deadly illusion, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince…and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be more monster than man, but he seems to understand Fia in a way no one ever has.
Soon, Fia begins to question the truth of her mission. But time is running out to break her sister's curse. And unraveling the secrets of the past might destroy everything she has come to love.
