January is officially underway, and the previous year is fading in the rearview. It's going to be an interesting year ahead to say the least...but one thing we can count on, even in strange times, is that more books will come along to transport us to imaginative dreamscapes and far-off worlds.
There are a lot of intriguing titles on the way this year in the fantasy and science fiction space. Whether you're looking for a wildly unique tale or a return to a beloved fictional universe, a grimdark saga or a cozy fantasies, or science fiction that will melt your brain into a puddle with its inventive concepts, there are plenty of options to feast on in 2025.
We've rounded up 16 of the fantasy and sci-fi books we're most excited to read in 2025. Reading is subjective, and these are just according to my own personal taste. Let us know in the comments if there are more books you’re looking forward to! And now, let’s get into our 16 most anticipated sci-fi and fantasy reads of 2025:
1. DEATH OF THE AUTHOR by Nnedi Okorafor — January 14
Okay, technically Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor is already out, which means I'm already reading it, which means I'm a little biased in shouting at you about how it's an "anticipated" title. Okorafor is a visionary author whose works in African futurism have made her one of the most recognizable names in modern speculative fiction...but even by her own high standards, Death of the Author is something special.
This book toes the line between literary fiction and sci-fi, telling the story of a paraplegic Nigerian American author who writes a hit sci-fi book and is then launched into the stratosphere of fame, with all the highs and lows that entails. At the same time, it also contains chapters from the book that author wrote, titled Rusted Robots.
The way Okorafor melds realities, building on these different stories for maximum thematic resonance, is astounding. I've been shouting at everyone I can about Death of the Author, and for good reason. It's an experimental metafiction of sorts, but if you like thought-provoking novels you'll have to sit and digest for a while, I can't recommend it enough.
2. GRAVE EMPIRE by Richard Swan (The Great Silence #1)— February 4
Richard Swan is the author behind the dark fantasy mystery series The Empire of the Wolf, which began with the novel The Justice of Kings. Those books told the story of an empire on the verge of collapse, and the venerable Justice Konrad Vonvault (one part detective, one part lawyer, one part necromancer) who fought to save it.
Now Swan is kicking off a new series with Grave Empire, which takes place around 200 years later, expanding the wold of Sova as it speeds into an industrial revolution. The Empire of the Wolf is now poised to become the foremost power in the known world, but it faces challenges: plagues in the north, a war with wolfmen in the south, and monks who have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife.
Swan introduces readers to a new character for this new age of his fantasy saga: Renata Rainer, an ambassador to an "enigmatic and vicious race of mermen," who must get to the bottom of these mysteries if there's to be any hope of surviving a looming apocalypse, the titular Great Silence.
3. AMBESSA: CHOSEN OF THE WOLF by C.L. Clark — February 18
Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf is a tie-in novel for the hit animated series Arcane, penned by C.L. Clark, the author behind the Magic of the Lost fantasy series. It delves into the backstory of Ambessa Merdada, the show's most enigmatic villain, showing how she rose to become a feared leader in the warrior nation of Noxus.
Clark's own books have all been top-notch so far, and they were a fan of Arcane before being brought on to write this book. Tie-in novels can be a mixed bag, but this one sounds like a match made in heaven — and a perfect way to scratch that Arcane itch if you're missing the show.
And, as it turns out, I've actually read this one already, so I can say with certainty that it delivers. Check out my spoiler-free review here.
4. DISSOLUTION by Nicholas Binge — March 25
Dissolution is the latest mind-bending sci-fi thriller from Nicholas Binge. Like Binge's last novel, Ascension, this one is another standalone, designed to give readers a full brain-melting experience in one go.
Memory lies at the core of Dissolution. Maggie Webb has been caring for her elderly husband for the past decade while his mind slowly fails from natural causes...or so she thinks. Then a mysterious man named Hassan comes into her life and reveals that her husband's memories aren't just vanishing — someone is purposefully going into his mind and erasing them. This begins a race against time as Hassan leads Maggie deeper and deeper into her husband's memories, revealing hidden aspects of his past that totally re-contextualize everything she knew about him, and a secret which could change the course of human history.
5. THE RADIANT KING by David Dalglish (Astral Kingdoms #1) — March 4
David Dalglish is a ridiculously prolific fantasy author who has been churning out books for decades; most recently, he wrapped up his epic fantasy saga Vagrant Gods last year, which was a rock solid series. This year, Dalglish kicks off yet another series with his new book The Radiant King.
Similar to Vagrant Gods, faith is central in The Radiant King, which tells the tale of two brothers who command a mystical force known as Radiance. They agree that they will never use this power of creation to rule over humans...but then one of them breaks that vow and builds an empire. The remaining brother has to team up with their other siblings to stop him, but there's a catch: they still can't assume the throne their brother built; they need a mortal figurehead to do that for them. And so they enlist the fanatical Bastard Princess, who has immense powers of her own. What could go wrong?
Knowing Dalglish, there will surely be some twist that turns the entire story on its head, probably right when readers are comfortable enough that they think they know where things are going. Few authors are as consistently good at sword and sorcery fantasy as David Dalglish, so anytime he's putting out a new series, it's wise to pay attention.
6. OF EMPIRES AND DUST by Ryan Cahill (The Bound and the Broken #4) — March 31
The Bound and the Broken is one of the biggest fantasy series of the moment in the indie publishing scene; author Ryan Cahill has published three full-length novels as well as a couple of novellas over the past few years, plunging readers headlong into his sprawling dragonriding fantasy story. This year, the fourth book in the series will release: Of Empires and Dust. If you enjoy authors like John Gwynne, Cahill's work will be firmly in your wheelhouse.
But this will be an exciting year for The Bound and the Broken in more ways than one. Late last year, it was announced that the indie bookshop The Broken Binding was launching a brand new publishing house, and that their flagship series was going to be The Bound and the Broken by Ryan Cahill. They're doing a whole new run of hardcovers for the series to make it more widely available, starting with the first novel Of Blood and Fire, which is tentatively slated to release on September 2. Cahill fans will be eating well in 2025.
7. THE RAVEN SCHOLAR by Antonia Hodgson (The Eternal Path #1) — April 15
Antonia Hodgson is an author of multiple historical fiction novels, but this year she's making her first foray into fantasy with The Raven Scholar. Peace has reigned in the empire of Orrun for nearly a quarter of a century, but when the emperor dies, seven leaders vie to replace him. Then one of them is murdered, and it becomes clear something sinister is afoot.
At over 700 pages, The Raven Scholar is a chonky tome of a book. It follows the former emporer's High Scholar Neema Kraa as she tries to discover what schemes have led to this bloody moment in the empire's history. The back-of-book description for this one is very interesting, playing with viewpoint to make it sound like Neema will be helped by a magical group of Ravens who are keeping close watch on her progress as she unearths some of the most dangerous secrets in the empire's history. Color me very intrigued.
8. THE ASHFIRE KING by Chelsea Abdullah (The Sandsea Trilogy #2) — April 15
One of my favorite fantasy novels of 2022 was The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah, a wonderfully imaginative book which drew inspiration from the tale of the Forty Thieves and Arabic oral storytelling traditions. The book told the story of Loulie al-Nazari, the legendary Midnight Merchant, who's roped into a quest to retrieve a magic lamp for a king. Loulie's journey across the desert left off on a pretty big cliffhanger, and in 2025, we'll finally get to see what happens next.
The Ashfire King is the long-awaited sequel, which sees Loulie and the banished prince Malik navigate the underground world of the jinn, ruled by magic. The dangers will be many; the jinn's society is on the verge of collapse, and Loulie in is control of magics she doesn't fully understand. But if the first book was any indicator, the adventure will be laced with plenty of highs and lows, light moments as well as shocking ones. For fans of The Stardust Thief, this is going to be a really exciting read in early spring.
9. THE DEVILS by Joe Abercrombie — May 6
If you're into grimdark fantasy, you're almost certainly familiar with Joe Abercrombie. He's one of the kings of the subgenre ever since his book series The First Law helped launch it into the popular conversation among fantasy nerds the world over. First Law is one of the all-time greats, and Abercrombie has written nine full-length novels in that universe. But this year, he's doing something a bit different...and it sounds delightfully hilarious.
The Devils keeps the author's same grimdark proclivities, but tells a tale set in an alternate history Europe where a team of monsters (including an over-sexed werewolf, a geriatric vampire, an ex-pirate, and more) work for a young pope to fight off elves threatening at the borders. The establishment calls in this team of misfits to do the dirtiest, most dangerous jobs that it can't deal with on its own.
That makes it sound a little like the Suicide Squad but in a fantasy world, which feels like the exact sort of thing Abercrombie would knock out of the park. Whether you're a longtime Abercrombie fan or someone who's always been curious about the author's works but hasn't yet checked them out, The Devils is a book you'll want on your TBR.
10. THE WITCH ROADS by Kate Elliot (The Witch Roads Duology #1) — June 10
Kate Elliot is a mainstay of the fantasy genre; she's been writing fantasy and sci-fi books since the early '90s and has published dozens of them. Any time she's releasing a new one, it's worth sitting up and taking note. This year, Elliot is starting a new series with The Witch Roads, a fantasy story about a young courier, Elen, from the lower classes of her society who is picked to guide an arrogant prince through a treacherous mountain pass. There, they stumble upon a haunted spire, and against Elen's sage counsel, the prince goes in and emerges changed.
The journey after gets even more complicated, with the prince and his entourage forced to rely on Elen's guidance despite the fact that they've been raised to look down on the lower classes all their lives. It sounds like this novel will be equal parts thoughtful, incisive, and adventurous, as well as cuttingly funny.
To make it all even better, Elliot is releasing both books in this duology in 2025. The second, The Nameless Land, comes out on November 4.
11. PEARL CITY by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle (The Phoenix Hoard #3) — July 15
Pearl City is the third book in The Phoenix Hoard series from Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle. The first two books, Ebony Gate and Blood Jade, introduced readers to a deadly warrior named Emiiko Soong, who had decided to live out her days selling antiquities in San Francisco after a horrific battle in a China marketplace earned her the nickname "the Butcher of Beijing." But those days are long gone; Emiiko has already had to come out of retirement to fend off a shinigami death god and a power-hungry warlord leading an army of blood jade-infused warriors.
Emiiko's saga will continue in Pearl City, as she returns to San Francisco after a trip to Tokyo in the previous novel, and the clash against the General continues. These books combine high-stakes action with urban fantasy and East Asian cultural influences; if you like authors like Fonda Lee or Jim Butcher, they're worth considering for your TBR.
12. THE LAST SOUL AMONG WOLVES by Melissa Caruso (The Echo Archives #2) — August 19
Another sequel coming down the pike this year is The Last Soul Among Wolves, the follow-up to Melissa Caruso's novel The Last Hour Between Worlds. The first book was a really unique fantasy novel that took place entirely at a year-turning party which was being dragged down through dimensions, each stranger and more dangerous than the last. It followed a magical detective and new mother named Kembril Throne, who really, really just wanted to enjoy her first night off since giving birth, but instead must team up with her rival and former lover Rika Nonesuch to crack the case before everyone ends up dead.
In short, The Last Hour Between Worlds was a total blast, with a lot of wit and humor as well as deadly action. But what happens when the party ends? That question will be answered in The Last Soul Among Wolves, which continues the tale for Kembril and Rika. One of the things I find so intriguing about this novel is that while the timeloop structure gave the first book a strict structure, book 2 won't be able to retread the same ground. We'll find out how it fares when it's released late this summer.
13. THE DAMNED KING by Justin Lee Anderson (The Eidyn Saga #3) — August 19
Sequels are the name of the game this summer. The Damned King by Justin Lee Anderson is the third novel in Anderson's epic fantasy series The Eidyn Saga, which has strong Dungeons & Dragons vibes. The first book, The Lost War, featured a wild twist at the end that set up a brewing revolution in the fantasy land of Eidyn, where allies and enemies are not quite what they seem at first glance.
Now that revolution is kicking into full swing. If you like adventuring parties that feel like they leapt right out of a Tabletop RPG, with lots of sword-and-sorcery action chased by some subtle yet intelligent political commentary, The Ediyn Saga is a series worth reading. I know I'm excited to see what happens in this next chapter!
14. QUEEN DEMON by Martha Wells (The Rising World #2) — October 7
Speculative fiction author Martha Wells may best be known for her hit sci-fi series The Muderbot Diaries, but one of my personal favorite novels she's written is Witch King, a standalone fantasy book about a shapeshifting demon and his misfit group of friends. That book began with the demon Kai realizing he'd been betrayed and nearly killed. He had to get his band back together as he slowly pieced together how he — an immortal and feared demon — had been laid low. The result was a moving, tender story that has stuck with me years later.
Queen Demon sounds like it will continue the story right where Witch King left off, with Kai's band of friends going on a quest to stop the rise of a new Hierarch who will subjugate the land. But can they trust each other enough to succeed?
15. THE BURNING QUEEN by Aparna Verma (The Ravence Trilogy #2) — November 4
Late in 2025, author Aparna Verma will return to the wold of her Ravence Trilogy with The Burning Queen, the sequel to The Phoenix King. The first novel introduced readers to the conflicted princess Elena Ravence, who was destined to take over the throne of her desert kingdom — so long as she could learn to control the fire magic that would mark her as a worthy heir.
Together with the assassin Yassen Knight, Elene survived a brutal invasion that all but destroyed her homeland. The first book left off on a pretty massive cliffhanger for Elena and the kingdom of Ravence, as well as her relationship with Yassen. This is a book I've been waiting for since the second I finished reading book 1, and it's thrilling to know it's coming out this year.
16. TAILORED REALITIES by Brandon Sanderson
Like Wells, prolific fantasy author Brandon Sanderson is doing something a bit different this year. In 2024, Sanderson released Wind and Truth, the fifth novel in his epic fantasy series The Stormlight Archive. Those books are one of the pillars of his fictional universe, known as the Cosmere, where all of his adult fantasy novels are set. Often when Sanderson is releasing a new book, it's tied to the Cosmere in one way or another.
Not so for Tailored Realities, a short fiction collection of non-Cosmere works Sanderson is putting out late in 2025. This collection features some previously released works, like "Snapshot" and "Perfect State," as well as a brand new novella titled "Moment Zero." Some of these stories haven't always been easy to find in print; others aren't available in print at all. Tailored Realities will collect them all for the first time in one anthology, which is perfect for the Sanderson completionists out there.
That brings us to the end of our most-anticipated science fiction and fantasy book titles for 2025. But you know how these things go: there are always more books out there. Which titles are you most excited about this year? Are there any you thought we missed? Let us know in the comments!
And if you like to keep up-to-date on all the latest fantasy and sci-fi books, do make sure to check back. We do round-ups of new releases every month right here at Winter Is Coming.
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