2020 has been a great year for books, and there are still more great books to come! Following are 10 of my most anticipated science fiction and fantasy releases for the second half of 2020 (in alpha order).
I’d love for you to share some of your anticipated releases in the comments below! What do we have in common? What did I miss?
10 Forthcoming Science Fiction & Fantasy Releases
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Between Earth and Sky #1
A god will return
When the earth and sky converge
Under the black sunIn the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts.
Why I want to read it: I’ve heard great things about, and plan to read, Rebecca Roanhorse’s Trail of Lightning. Then I saw this book on Netgalley. What draws me to this book: (1) it’s set in a high fantasy world inspired by the Pre-Columbian Americas, (2) that prophecy, (3) A “harmless” man? What is Serapio hiding?
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Scholomance #1
A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) — until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets. There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere. El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students. Learning has never been this deadly
Why I want to read it: I’ve loved the Naomi Novik books that I’ve read (Uprooted and His Majesty’s Dragon—with plans to continue the Temeraire series). And there’s something compelling about magical schools. Especially darkly dangerous magical schools.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
Why I want to read it: I looked up this book after I kept hearing about it on Twitter. The premise is haunting—a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets? What kind of life does she live? Why does she want so badly to leave her mark on the world? What happens when someone remembers her name? I have so many questions that need answering.
The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter
The Burning #2
Desperate to delay an impending attack by the indigenous people of Xidda, Tau and his queen craft a dangerous plan. If Tau succeeds, the queen will have the time she needs to assemble her forces and launch an all-out assault on her own capital city, where her sister is being propped up as the ‘true’ Queen of the Omehi.
If the city can be taken, if Tsiora can reclaim her throne and reunite her people, then the Omehi might have a chance to survive the coming onslaught.
Why I want to read it: The Rage of Dragons was one of my favorite reads of 2019. I’ve been waiting for book two ever since. You can read my read of The Rage of Dragons here.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters–James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna–join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.
Why I want to read it: This is another book that I keep hearing about on Twitter. I haven’t managed to read The Ten Thousand Doors of January yet, but Alix E. Harrow is on my TBR! In the meantime, I added this one to my TBR as well because witches and suffragists. I haven’t read this story yet!
Nophek Glass by Essa Hansen
The Graven #1
When a young man’s planet is destroyed, he sets out on a single-minded quest for revenge across the galaxy.
Caiden’s planet is destroyed. His family gone. And, his only hope for survival is a crew of misfit aliens and a mysterious ship that seems to have a soul and a universe of its own. Together they will show him that the universe is much bigger, much more advanced, and much more mysterious than Caiden had ever imagined. But the universe hides dangers as well, and soon Caiden has his own plans.
He vows to do anything it takes to get revenge on the slavers who murdered his people and took away his home. To destroy their regime, he must infiltrate and dismantle them from the inside, or die trying.
Why I want to read it: (1) a crew of misfit aliens, (2) a mysterious ship that has a soul and universe of its own! (3) revenge story that takes us across the galaxy. What else needs be said?
The Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson
The Stormlight Archive #4
I decided to forgo posting a synopsis because of potential spoilers to book three.
Why I want to read it: (1) Brandon Sanderson wrote it. (2) I love The Stormlight Archive books. (3) I’m on track to finish Oathbringer before this book comes out, so it’ll be the first Stormlight book I read at its time of publication!
The Tower of Fools by Andrzej Sapkowski
Hussite Trilogy #1
A brand new trilogy from the author of the legendary WITCHER series, set during the vibrantly depicted Hussite wars.
Reinmar of Bielau, called Reynevan, flees after being caught in an affair with a knight’s wife.
With strange, mystical forces gathering in the shadows and pursued not only by the Stercza brothers bent on vengeance, but also by the Holy Inquisition, Reynevan finds himself in the Narrenturm, the Tower of Fools, a medieval asylum for the mad, or for those who dare to think differently and challenge the prevailing order.
The ‘patients’ of this institution form an incomparable gallery of colourful types: including, among others, the young Copernicus, proclaiming the truth of the heliocentric solar system.
Why I want to read it: I love what I’ve read in The Witcher. I also like how this book explores a period of time that I haven’t seen before in a historical fantasy.
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo
The Singing Hills Cycle #2
The cleric Chih finds themself and their companions at the mercy of a band of fierce tigers who ache with hunger. To stay alive until the mammoths can save them, Chih must unwind the intricate, layered story of the tiger and her scholar lover—a woman of courage, intelligence, and beauty—and discover how truth can survive becoming history.
Nghi Vo returns to the empire of Ahn and The Singing Hills Cycle in this mesmerizing, lush standalone follow-up to The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Why I want to read it: I read and loved The Empress of Salt and Fortune. Nghi Vo is a talented writer (as are all the writers on this list), and I’m excited that we get the chance to revisit the world in this standalone follow-up. Even more exciting, Chih returns to introduce us to the next story set in this world.
Wizard of the Pigeons by Robin Hobb
A gorgeously illustrated 35th anniversary edition of the urban fantasy classic, featuring a new foreword by Megan Lindholm and illustrations by Tommy Arnold.
Seattle: a place as magical as the Emerald City. Subtle magic seeps through the cracks in the paving stones of the sprawling metropolis. But only the inhabitants who possess special gifts are open to the city’s consciousness; finding portents in the graffiti, reading messages in the rubbish or listening to warnings in the skipping-rope chants of children.
Wizard is bound to Seattle and her magic. His gift is the Knowing — a powerful enchantment allowing him to know the truth of things; to hear the life-stories of ancient mummies locked behind glass cabinets, to receive true fortunes from the carnival machines, to reveal to ordinary people the answers to their troubles and to safeguard the city’s equilibrium. The magic has its price; Wizard must never have more than a dollar in his pocket, must remain celibate, and he must feed and protect the pigeons.
But a threat to Seattle has begun to emerge in the portents. A malevolent force born of Wizard’s forgotten past has returned to prey upon his power and taunt him with images of his obscure history; and he is the only wizard in Seattle who can face the evil and save the city, his friends and himself.
Why I want to read it: I’m a huge fan of Robin Hobb’s Elderling books. I love that this book is about a magical city and features a compelling magic. (The price that Wizard pays for his magic sounds fascinating!)
Let’s Chat
What forthcoming science fiction and fantasy releases do you look forward to reading?
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
I’d really like to read Black Sun and The Invisible Life. I have the latter—just need to get to it!
Crystal (Kester) says
I hope you enjoy Black Sun and The Invisible Life!
Natalie Aguirre says
Great picks. I’m super excited for The Captive Kingdom by Jennifer Nielsen and already preordered it.
Crystal (Kester) says
Same! I loved the first three books and am looking forward to The Captive Kingdom.