December is traditionally the month with the least amount of new sci-fi and fantasy book releases, so you’ll notice our regular list is a bit shorter than usual. But there are still plenty of intriguing releases on the way, so read on for tales of magic and mages, murder and mutations, and more.
Innate Magic by Shannon Fay
The Marrowbone Spells series begins by introducing ambitious “cloth mage” Paul Gallagher, who’s trying to make his mark in postwar London. When he tells his crush that he’s hiding an illegal magical talent, he accidentally puts not just his friends in danger but threatens the fate of the world. (December 1)
Absynthe by Brendan Bellecourt
In an alt-history version of 1920s Chicago, a World War I veteran realises his murky memories and PTSD are tied to his unwilling participation in an experiment that gave him latent telepathic powers. (December 7)
Boundaries edited by Mercedes Lackey
Emerging and established authors contribute to this latest collection of short stories set in the Valdemar fantasy universe, including a new tale from series creator Lackey. (December 7)
Bryant & May: London Bridge Is Falling Down by Christopher Fowler
The Peculiar Crimes Unit is back in action as Bryant and May take on a case involving the “impossible murder” of an elderly woman who was once a government security expert — and now others like her are suddenly at risk. (December 7)
The Coldest Touch by Isabel Sterling
Two teen girls — one who can predict how people will die, and one who’s a vampire — fall in love after they team up to fight a serial killer who’s targeting the supernaturally gifted. (December 7)
Cyber Mage by Saad Z. Hossain
In this comedic sci-fi genre mash-up set in 2089 Bangladesh, people have turned to biological nanotech to survive extreme climate change — which has resulted in some curious genetic mutations. Meanwhile, a mercenary trying to track down “a magical race of super genies” runs afoul of a teenage hacker. (December 7)
The Excalibur Curse by Kiersten White
The Camelot Rising series concludes as Guinevere, separated from Lancelot and Arthur by a magical barrier, joins with Morgana and Mordred to discover who she truly is — and to try and set things right in the kingdom. (December 7)
A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
A man able to locate anyone tracks his latest missing-person case to a mysterious town — then promptly vanishes himself. Years later, a longtime community member tries to unravel the secrets that surround the disappearances. (December 7)
The Righteous by Renée Ahdieh
The follow-up to The Damned and The Beautiful finds Pippa travelling to the world of the fey to try and find her best friend — and unexpectedly falling in love while navigating the realm’s strange magic. (December 7)
Risen by Benedict Jacka
The Alex Versus urban fantasy series concludes as the London mage tries to free his love Anne from possession — preferably before the creature that’s bewitched her is able to summon a dangerous magic army. (December 7)
1637: The Coast of Chaos by Eric Flint
This collection of stories set in the world of the Ring of Fire series chronicles the citizens of a small 21st century West Virginia town — as well as their friends and enemies — after they’re suddenly transported into war-torn Europe, circa 1632. (December 7)
The Veiled Throne by Ken Liu
The epic Dandelion Dynasty series continues as Princess Théra crosses the Wall of Storms on her way to war with the Lyucu, who controls her former empire in Dara — and leaders on both sides must grapple with the friction between old traditions and new ways. (December 7)
Evershore by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
The last of three Skyward series novellas, this tale follows Jorgen’s story back on Detritus as he tries to figure out who to trust and how to keep control over his cytonic powers. (December 28)
The Untold Story by Genevieve Cogman
The eighth Invisible Library novel follows time-travelling Librarian Irene as she tries to find out the truth about the mysterious Alberich, who has a death sentence hanging over his head for betraying the Library — and who may or may not be her father. (December 28)
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.