It’s December — traditionally, not a month that brings too many book releases, but there are still plenty of juicy sci-fi and fantasy stories to help get you through the rest of the year. We’ve got you covered with dragons, interstellar treasure hunters, apocalypses, werewolves, evil AI, and so much more!
The Frame-Up by Megan Scott Molin
A comic book writer is called in to help the LAPD’s investigation when someone starts copycatting crimes from her favourite comic book. Could a real superhero (and a real supervillain) be roaming the streets of Los Angeles? (Dec. 1)
The Clan Chronicles: Tales from Plexis edited by Julie E. Czerneda
The bustling interstellar shopping center and meeting point known as Plexis Supermarket, well-known to fans of the author’s Clan Chronicles series, is the setting for this collection, which features 23 new stories by Czerneda and others. (Dec. 4)
Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst
A teenage girl whose family members are all a) treasure hunters and b) capable of transforming into dragons must plan her first jewel heist as an important rite of passage. But a life of crime is never easy, especially with the added complication of magic powers. (Dec. 15)
A King in Cobwebs by David Keck
The Tales of Durand trilogy concludes with the protagonist taking up his sword to fight his biggest battle ever, defending the kingdom from an unspeakably evil force known as the Banished and their malevolent monarch. (Dec. 4)
King of the Road by R.S. Belcher
The secret society known as the Brotherhood of the Wheel returns to the highway to protect travellers from the supernatural (and occasionally human) monsters that lurk on the road. This latest instalment in their adventures features an all-female, all-werewolf biker gang, as well as a pack of killer clowns. (Dec. 4)
The Mansion by Ezekiel Boone
A programmer splits from his partner for personal reasons, only to see the fruits of their labour become a billion-dollar company he can lay no claim to. Years later, the two must put aside their bitter differences when a smart-home AI they designed together turns destructively evil. (Dec. 4)
The Shattered Sun by Rachel Dunne
The Bound Gods fantasy trilogy ends with plenty of swords and sorcery, as well as a desperate plan to bring the sun back and save the world from the endless darkness known as “the Long Night.”
Splintered Suns by Michael Cobley
A valuable ship is buried somewhere in the sands of an out-of-the-way planet—and two rival groups of treasure hunters are desperate to snag the tracking device that will reveal its location. Who will manage to rob the highly-secure deep-space museum where the device is kept first? (Dec. 11)
Strange Days by Constantine Singer
A wealthy tech guru and a young man whose parents have just been murdered by something otherworldly must team up to convince the public that an alien invasion is underway. (Dec. 4)
Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton
The description for this book name-checks Black Mirror and Westworld as inspirations for its story about a future where humanity is even more obsessed with perfection than it already is. (Dec. 4)
A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy by Alex White
The second Salvagers book sees the treasure-hunting crew of the Capricious seeking out a cult that could help save the galaxy with its powerful magic. To access it, though, one of them will have to go undercover, and another will have to make amends with a past partner who betrayed her. (Dec. 11)
Burning Ashes by James Bennett
This contemporary fantasy imagines that magic and dragons exist in a world that looks an awful lot like our own, where grieving protagonist Ben Garston must put aside his booze-soaked guilt to help protect the modern world from ancient terrors and vengeful creatures. (Dec. 11)
The Corporation Wars Trilogy by Ken MacLeod
The three parts (Dissidence, Insurgence, and Emergence) of MacLeod’s acclaimed space opera about drone battles and AI rebellions on deep-space mining colonies come together into a single volume. (Dec. 11)
Green Jay and Crow by DJ Daniels
A “body double” who looks human but is actually 3D printed from plant matter has managed to extend her disposable life with some assistance from aliens and other sympathizers. To truly survive, though, she’ll need to crack into an artifact that’s guarded by the neighbourhood crime boss. (Dec. 11)
Black City Dragon by Richard A. Knaak
This urban fantasy mixes gangster drama with supernatural frights, as the gatekeeper who’s charged with keeping Prohibition-era Chicago safe from evil creatures tries to protect his reincarnated girlfriend (and the rest of the city) from falling into their clutches. (Dec. 18)
Kingdom of Needle and Bone by Mira Grant
When a long-forgotten disease reappears and starts racking up a huge death toll, a doctor who’s just lost her niece to the illness decides ethics will need to take a back seat to saving the world. (Dec. 31)
Siege of Stone by Terry Goodkind
The Nicci Chronicles continue as a trio of allies—a sorceress, a wizard, and a swordsman—manage to survive a broken spell that unleashes a long-petrified army upon their city. Their next move is pool all the defences they can muster to protect the people, as well as prevent the awakened soldiers from taking over the rest of the world. (Dec. 17)