Is “read more books” on your list of New Year’s resolutions? If it isn’t, you’ll surely be tempted to make room for it—and form a new habit that’ll last through 2024—once you see all the new sci-fi, fantasy, and horror titles hitting bookshelves in January.
Heartless by H.G. Parry
This riff on Peter Pan follows a man who becomes dangerously obsessed with tracking down a long-lost childhood friend who shared his fascination with the classic J.M. Barrie story. (January 1)
Among the Gray Lords by D.J. Butler
The Indrajit and Fix series continues as the two friends “set out on a high-stakes, high-adrenaline quest across the ancient city of Kish to bring their friend back to life”—a task that proves even more complicated than they expected. (January 2)
Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White by Amélie Wen Zhao
The sequel to Song of Silver, Flame Like Night continues the author’s YA fantasy “inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.” (January 2)
The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake
The fantasy trilogy that began with The Atlas Six concludes, as the six Society recruits must discover “what they’re willing to betray for limitless power―and who will be destroyed along the way.” (January 9)
Deep Freeze by Michael C. Grumley
In this near-future thriller, an Army vet dies after his bus crashes into a freezing river… but somehow revives in the hospital. Soon he realizes the circumstances of his survival are shrouded in sinister secrets. (January 9)
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan
This romantic mystery set off the coast of South Africa involves “a ruined mansion by the sea, the djinn that haunts it, and a curious girl who unearths the tragedy that happened there a hundred years previous.” (January 9)
The Glass Box by J. Michael Straczynski
In this sci-fi thriller, a woman incarcerated as part of a dystopian “reeducation” program decides to fight back—but must first gain the trust of her fellow inmates. (January 9)
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire
The Wayward Children series continues as new student Antsy—who has a talent for finding things—flees the school when she’s bullied by the resident mean girl, then has a magical adventure while she’s finding her way back. (January 9)
Sanctuary of the Shadow by Aurora Ascher
“For humans, the circus is a place filled with wonder and amazement. For Harrow, though, it’s a place to hide from those who slaughtered her entire clan. Disguising her abilities as part of her act has kept her true identity safe for years. Until he arrives.” (January 9)
Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohanty
“Bled dry by violent confrontations with the Magadhan Empire, the Mathuran Republic simmers on the brink of oblivion. Senator Krishna and his third wife Satyabhama have put their plans in motion … but they are soon to discover that neither gold nor alliances last forever—and that they are not the only players on the board.” (January 9)
The Longest Autumn by Amy Avery
This debut fantasy novel follows a woman tasked with escorting the god Autumn into the human world for his annual visit—an arrangement that becomes far more complicated when a magical snafu traps Autumn among the mortals. (January 16)
Machine Vendetta by Alastair Reynolds
The latest adventure in the Perfect Dreyfus space opera series is “a thrilling tale of deadly conspiracies and old enemies that refuse to die.” (January 16)
The Parliament by Aimee Pokwatka
“The Birds meets The Princess Bride in this tale of friendship, responsibility, and the primal force of nature.” (January 16)
Pillar of Ash by H.M. Long
The Hall of Smoke saga wraps up with this tale following “Yske, a healer and daughter of the warrior priestess Hessa” who “holds the balance of power in a world—shattering war of the gods, in this thrilling, mythical and emotional epic fantasy saga.” (January 16)
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
“This Jamaican-inspired fantasy follows a gods-blessed heroine who’s forced to choose between saving her sister or protecting her homeland.” (January 16)
This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer
This horror novel follows the aftermath of a rock climbing trip gone awry. Months later, three bodies are found in various stages of mutilation and decay, and—even more disturbing—a fourth member of the party still missing. (January 16)
Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley
In 2314, an archivist who specializes in the 21st century internet feels an unexpected connection with a post from 2024. “She’s quickly drawn into the mystery of the text: Is it autobiography, fantasy or fraud? What’s the significance of the recurring number 381?” (January 16)
To Challenge Heaven by David Weber and Chris Kennedy
Forty years after barely repelling a devastating alien invasion of Earth, humanity scrambles to find new allies when another, even more sinister attack becomes imminent. (January 16)
The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler
When extinct mammoths are resurrected, an expert in elephant behavior is called in to help them survive—in the form of her digitized consciousness being transferred into one of the animals. (January 16)
Unbound by Christy Healy
This release “is a gender-bent reimagining of the classic tale of a monstrous beast and the beauty determined to tame it, set against the lush backdrop of Irish mythology and folklore.” (January 16)
Wages of Sin by Harry Turtledove
This alt-history tale asks: “What if HIV started spreading in the early 1500s rather than the late 1900s?” (January 16)
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
Faerie folklore scholar Emily Wilde returns; this time, while sorting through her feelings for faerie Wendell Bambleby, she sets about making a map of the faerie realms, a project that brings about new dangerous adventures. (January 23)
Exordia by Seth Dickinson
Described as “Michael Crichton meets Marvel’s Venom,” this sci-fi story explores the aftermath of a first-contact encounter between a human and a serpent alien on the run. (January 23)
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
A new trilogy begins with this tale of “two elven sisters [who] become imprisoned in the intoxicating world of the fae, where danger and love lie in wait.” (January 23)
From the Forest by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
The author’s long-running Saga of Recluce fantasy series continues; this new story arc “follows the early life of a man known by many names depending on who you ask—hero, tyrant, emperor.” (January 23)
Gothikana by RuNyx
“The eternal romance of Beauty and the Beast meets the gothic suspense of Dracula in this erotic dark academia story of epic love.” (January 23)
Kinning by Nisi Shawl
This sequel to Everfair continues the alt-history tale “where barkcloth airships soar through the sky, varied peoples build a new society together, and colonies claim their freedom from imperialist tyrants.” (January 23)
The Sanctuary by Andrew Hunter Murray
“In a disintegrating and lawless near-future, a young man journeys north to a mysterious island owned by one of the world’s wealthiest men—and finds an entire new civilization waiting for him.” (January 23)
Womb City by Tloto Tsamaase
“This genre-bending Africanfuturist horror novel blends The Handmaid’s Tale with Get Out in an adrenaline-packed, cyberpunk body-hopping ghost story exploring motherhood, memory, and a woman’s right to her own body.” Read an excerpt here. (January 23)
A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen
A neuroscientist looking for a fresh start meets a man who claims he’s met her before—and knows too much about her for it not to be true. Turns out they’re in a time loop together, and they’ll need to team up if they want to escape. (January 30)
The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
A woman sets out on a magical, monster-filled journey to find her long-missing mother and break her family’s curse. (January 30)
Heartsong by TJ Klune
The Green Creek Series—a fantasy series for adult readers about a wolf pack—continues with Robbie Fontaine’s story, as he tries to find his place in a world where he’s never had a permanent home or known exactly who to trust. (January 30)
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
The Crescent City series continues as Bryce longs to return to Midgard—and Hunt, a prisoner of the Asteri, longs to be free so he can help her. (January 30)
The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden
Determined to explore their family roots, an American couple buys a dirt-cheap fixer-upper in a picturesque but nearly abandoned Italian town. Before long they realize the house has a frightening history that’s starting to wake up. (January 30)
Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona
In this 1990s-set genre homage, a teen babysitter must draw upon her love of horror movies to survive a terrifying night on the job in suburban New Jersey.(January 30)
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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