Category: Swords and Spaceships

An Evil Amnesiac Wizard With No Eyebrows

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 30, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’m ending the month of May (tra-lah!) with one last double dose of new releases to check out. I hope everyone had a good week (I have slept!) and something to look forward to in the upcoming weekend. I’m going to make it my business to sit outside in the shade and read a little in the fresh air. Here’s hoping the weather cooperates. Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Tuesday — in June!

Make this your most bookish summer yet with personalized reading recommendations from Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists (aka professional book nerds) are standing by to help you find your next favorite read. Get your recommendations via email, or opt to receive hardcovers or paperbacks delivered right to your door. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Get started today from just $18!

Let’s make the world a better place, together. Here are two places to start: Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, which provides medical and humanitarian relief to children in the Middle East regardless of nationality, religion, or political affiliation; and Ernesto’s Sanctuary, a cat sanctuary and animal rescue in Syria that is near and dear to my heart.

Bookish Goods

Ahab Quote Hat by StitchesbecrazyGifts

Look, I’m just saying that one of our books this week has no small amount of Moby Dick energy, and this is an absolutely classic line that I’m sure anyone who has ever fished in real life or in a video game feels in the marrow of their bones. $20

New Releases

From the Belly by Emmett Nahil

Isaiah is an ordinary sailor on an ordinary whaling vessel…until the Merciful makes a most extraordinary catch: a massive whale with a living man in its stomach. The man is given into Isaiah’s care, at which point things begin to go strange, with accidents and deaths befalling the ship and prophetic dreams plaguing Isaiah’s nights. The truth soon becomes clear: the Merciful is trapped in a cycle of punishment for its sins against the sea, and Isaiah must choose the fate of both his heart and his ship.

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

Gav wakes up in an evil wizard’s workshop with no eyebrows and no idea who he is…until he, unfortunately, realizes that he is the evil wizard, and he has no idea what his evil plan might have been. He buys time by playing along with his own evil plan and tries to keep his skin in one piece, all the while learning who Dread Lord Gavrax was and realizing that…wow, he really might not like that person at all.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

This is my last chance to tell you about books that came out in May, so here are two more I’m sneaking in from this last week of the month!

Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie McLemore

The Soler sisters are rebellious hellions, indulged by their grandmother…until she decides they should meet the standards they’re sure to be held to and sends them to Alarie House, a famous finishing school. Isla, the younger sister, gets herself sent home within a day, refusing to play along with the eerie environment of Alarie. But Renata stays, and months later, she returns for a single night as a perfect society girl — a very murderous one — before she vanishes again. It’s up to Isla to return to the school to find out what happened to Renata, and why.

NecroTek by Jonathan Maberry

An experiment gone horribly wrong leaves the residents of Asphodel Station…they’re not sure where; only that it’s clear they’re not in their Jupiter orbit anymore. The monsters that occupy their new location are ancient, eldritch, and now horribly aware that humans exist. Humanity’s one chance is on the alien world of Shadderal, where a ghost named Lost offers a possible solution: a ship that can be piloted only by the dead.

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Swords and Spaceships

8 Spectacular Backlist Sci-Fi and Fantasy Series Worth Reading

Post author By Samm Saxby
Post date May 29, 2024

Sponsored by

This post is written by Chris M. Arnone.

What is a backlist book, you might be asking? Backlist has a very specific meaning in the world of book publishing. It’s a book that’s been out for at least a year but is still in print. This is opposed to frontlist, which is a new book that a publisher is pushing and placing prominently in stores and online.

So when putting together a great list of backlist science fiction and fantasy (SFF) series, I was looking for slightly older but still-in-print books. This immediately threw out some of my favorite series that are too new or have, sadly, fallen out of print. I also decided to avoid classics or other series that I’ve written about a lot. Let’s spice things up a bit, shall we?

This list is a pretty balanced blend of science fiction and fantasy, spanning cultures and space, past and future, and authors familiar and under-the-radar. Some of these books are doorsteps, while others might be considered novellas. There’s a little YA sprinkled in because great books can be aimed at young readers, too. Trilogies abound, though there’s a nine-book series in there as well.

Enough preamble. Here are eight great backlist sci-fi and fantasy series worth reading.

The Centenal Cycle by Malka Older

We all need a little cyberpunk in our lives, particularly when the commentary hits so close to home. A search engine company created a monopoly two decades ago. Since then, the world moved from nation-states to a global micro-democracy. The Heritage Party, a corporate coalition, has been in power for a long time, but an election looms. When absolute power is at stake, who can you trust with the future?

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

I did promise some YA, didn’t I? This four-book series was romantasy before we had the term, and it’s a great one. Laia grew up on the streets, forever in fear of the empire. When her brother is captured, she’s forced to spy on the empire from inside the military academy. There, she meets Elias, an unwilling cadet. Together, do they have what it takes to bring an empire to its knees?

The Expanse by James. S.A. Corey

The most popular series on this list is also the longest, coming in at nine books. Set in our solar system but significantly in the future, The Expanse follows the ragtag crew of the Rocinante as they navigate complicated politics, warring factions, and an alien protomolecule that threatens to end all life.

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

The First Law Trilogy is a dark, epic fantasy series. Told through rotating points of view, the characters in this series are eclectic. A down-on-his-luck Barbarian, a selfish captain, a disabled torturer, and a temperamental wizard. Their paths are on a collision course that will likely change the face of the world.

Imperial Radch by Ann Leckie

Not only did this series take the SFF world by storm, but it also pushed the boundaries of gender in the process. There is a soldier known as Breq. She’s alone, but she used to be part of the larger AI consciousness for a ship called Justice of Toren. With her larger self and the crew destroyed, she wants revenge and finds that to get it, she’ll have to go all the way to the top of a galactic empire.

Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson

Here’s the oldest series on this list, and still one of the best backlist sci-fi and fantasy series you can find. The year is 2026, and 100 Earth colonists are trying to terraform Mars. Some are looking for medical breakthroughs, others for scientific discovery, while yet others just want a fresh start. Amidst the incredible hard science of the novel are the very human stories of 100 people very far from home.

The Nsibidi Scripts by Nnedi Okorafor

Looking for those little wizard boy vibes without the problematic TERF author? Look no further than this great series. Sunny lived in New York until recently when her family moved back to their native Nigeria. That’s enough to make a young woman feel out of place, but she has albinism. Desperate to fit in, she soon discovers that she and her closest friends are “free agents” gifted with powerful magic. They’re not alone — there’s also a serial killer hunting free agents, and only Sunny and her friends can stop them.

The Tensorate Series by Neon Yang

Looking for a quicker and beautiful fantasy read? Then, get these books on your TBR. As children, Mokoya and Akeha were sold to the Grand Monastery, even though they’re the twin children of the Protector. Mokoya has the gift of prophecy, and Akeha always knows how to manipulate adults. Rebellion is growing in the Tensorate, forces moving against Mokoya and Akeha’s mother, and both children must choose a side, even if they aren’t on the same side.

What are your favorite backlist sci-fi and fantasy series? Do you dig into the classics or opt for more recent books? They may not be as popular on BookTok or Bookstagram, but I stan the backlist.

Swords and Spaceships

Nine-Tailed Foxes, Dragon Slayers, and More New SFF

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 28, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’m coming at you with new releases for this last week of May, plus a couple of indie new releases from earlier in the month. I hope everyone who got a holiday weekend had a good one. Mine was…not the most fun, since I got exiled from my own room all weekend while my floor was being repaired, and my idea of a good time is not sleeping on the floor while my old man cat randomly screams because he’s mad there’s a closed door — in his house. But at least that’s over now! The only way to go is up. Stay safe out there, space pirates, get some extra sleep for me — and I’ll see you on Friday!

Bookish Goods

DarkKitsune Enamel Pin by Dragibuz

My weakness for a good enamel pin strikes again! To honor the nine-tailed foxes we’ve got a book about this week, I found this absolutely gorgeous pin. $20

New Releases

Ninetails by Sally Wen Mao

This collection of nine stories imagines the fox spirit seen across East Asian mythology as different figures united in solidarity, vengeance, and liberation.

The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond

Maddileh is a rarity in her land: a female knight, and in some ways the misogyny of her peers is a greater foe than the dragons she’s called on to slay. And this might well be why a minor infraction becomes a major stain on her honor. The only way to redeem herself is to retrieve a fabled sword from the legendary dragon called the White Lady.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Here are a couple of small/indie press new releases from this month for you to check out!

The Man Who Saw Seconds by Alexander Boldizar

Preble has a strange and mostly useless ability — he can see five seconds into the future. Then those five seconds give him the chance to literally dodge a bullet, leaving another man to die in his place. This revelation of his ability makes him the most wanted for a lot of agencies and groups — some above board, many not. It’s up to Preble to protect his family, his freedom, and his humanity.

Cecilia by K-Ming Chang

Seven and Cecilia knew each other once, back in their school days. A chance meeting brings the two women together, and they end up on the same bus, each claiming they are definitely not following each other. But their desire for each other is so deep and profound that soon they are lost in memory, in bodily transformation, and becoming unmoored from time itself.

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Swords and Spaceships

“KNIVES OUT In space with a PARASITE Twist” and More New SFF!

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 23, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and as promised I’ve got a second double dose of new releases for you today. I’ve got a yard sale lined up to eat my weekend, and we’ve got a shocking number of books to sell after thinning out the shelves. But I personally like having books for cheap at a yard sale because it lets readers, like I used to be, trying to make the most of my allowance money, get a lot of bang for their buck. Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Tuesday!

Bookish Goods

The Trash Reader T-shirt by TheLibraryCloset

I identify with this shirt a lot. It’s me, I’m the trash reader, just a raccoon digging through book piles and living my best life. $29

New Releases

Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

In a world half-drowned by rising seas, survivors live in five partially submerged buildings off the coast of West Africa. Unsurprisingly, the wealthy live in the highest levels, where they can see the sky and get fresh air. The poor are banished below the surface of the water. And there are those who were abandoned and left for the Atlantic Ocean to swallow. Now, an ancient power has awakened them from their water graves and offered them a chance at revenge.

Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf

The bastard daughter of a noble house has survived the order that her duke father gave, which killed her mother and just missed her. And now she’s out for revenge, powered by pure, white-hot rage — and a Heavenbreaker, one of the few war machines left after the last, devastating conflict. But she isn’t alone in her mission, not anymore. Because something is in the Heavenbreaker with her.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

As promised, the double dose of new releases is incoming, right here.

Escape Velocity by Victor Manibo

A luxury resort in low Earth orbit is host to reunions for the Rochford Institute, a school of only the most wealthy and well-bred students. But the 25th reunion of this class has a special twist to it: finance magnate Ava is taking this opportunity to seek the truth behind the murder of her brother, which occurred during their senior year at the school. And while the wealthy pursue their intrigues, the ones who they have left to rot on Earth have their own plans.

A House Like an Accordion by Audrey Burges

Keryth Miller has felt like she’s fading away before. Burnout, two teenage daughters, and an increasingly distant husband will do that to a person. But now she’s literally fading away, becoming translucent — and there can only be one cause. It means her father is drawing her, which means her father is alive. As she continues to fade away, Keryth searches for her father, hoping she can find him before she disappears entirely.

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Swords and Spaceships

A Dark Lord + a Time Loop: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Talk for May 21, 2024

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 20, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and this was another week of May just bombarding us with awesome new releases, so I’ve got a double dose for you today and another lined up for Friday. Hold onto your butts and your TBR piles—it’s a book storm!

Let’s make the world a better place, together. Here are two places to start: Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, which provides medical and humanitarian relief to children in the Middle East regardless of nationality, religion, or political affiliation and Ernesto’s Sanctuary, a cat sanctuary and animal rescue in Syria that is near and dear to my heart.

Bookish Goods

Sauron Headphone Stand by SlantedDesigns

Did I go looking for this? No. Am I absolutely charmed? Yes. I love being able to imagine the dark lord of Middle Earth is listening to some sick beats while trying to figure out where the dang hobbits have gotten to this time. $56.

New Releases

Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel

The river goddess Ganga has always joyfully cared for the mischievous young godlings that roam in her lands. But one day, she is cursed to become mortal. She weds King Shantanu and works on gaining her freedom at any cost—but that freedom comes at the cost of abandoning her infant son Devavrata. As Devravrata grows, he carries on the legacy of her curse, bringing strife and death to the land as his path and his mother’s cross again and again.

Cover of How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

Davi has tried time and again to be the hero and take down an all-powerful dark lord. But every time, she meets the same fate: death. And every time, a time loop takes her back to the start. She’s had enough; she’s sick of this. Maybe the real lesson is that if you can’t beat them, join them, and that’s what she’s going to try this time around.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Here’s your second set of new releases for today!

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

The island is, as far as the inhabitants know, the last bastion of humanity after the world has been cloaked in a deadly fog that kills everything it touches. It’s just three scientists and 120 villagers living in quiet harmony. That is, until one of the scientists is brutally murdered. Worse, this murder has caused the security system of the island to lower, and the residents have 107 hours to solve the murder—or the deadly fog sweeps in.

Freeset by Sarina Dahlan

In this sequel to Reset, the Four Cities have survived by controlling every aspect of their citizen’s lives. Every four years, people are mandated to have their memories of each other wiped away. But a handful of Dreamers have managed to find each other after this memory wipe, drawn together by forces beyond the control of the Four Cities. They may have a chance to find a free world again if they can escape the next forced reset of their lives.

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Swords and Spaceships

Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels, and Other Creatures

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 16, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got new releases and two queer short story anthologies for you to check out. We’re past Mother’s Day in Colorado now, which means that it’s time for us to finally start planting flowers. (Before Mother’s Day, chances are that you’re going to get a freeze coming in to ruin your day.) It’s been really cool to have a garden again, and plants, and the chance to think about trees and the like. It’s going to be a long-term project, but I’m bringing color and botanical diversity to this yard! Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Tuesday!

Bookish Goods

Pride Bookshelf Stickers by BackroadsBookstore

These cute stickers come with books in different colors for each pride flag — and each has a different little potted plant with it too. I love them. $3

New Releases

The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood

Jerusalem is a Saint, gifted with the powers of a demi-god and the physicality to match. She fears nothing and has but one goal: revenge on the vampires who enslaved and murdered her family. Yet she finds herself teaming up with the Ancient Vampire Alexei on the Union’s side to fight the Confederates, and together they might well change the course of the war.

Til Death Do Us Bard by Rose Black

Logan “The Bear” Theaker hung up his axe a year ago and has settled in for a life of quiet domesticity with his bard husband, Pie. But when Pie abruptly vanishes, Logan doesn’t hesitate to follow — especially when he finds out that Pie has been blackmailed into stealing an artifact that can create and control an undead army. But the deeper Logan goes into the rescue, the more secrets he uncovers, until he’s wondering if he will be able to save his marriage even if he does save his husband.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

We’ve got a brand new queer short story anthology, and I’m recommending another that isn’t quite as new-to-the-shelf shiny but still just as good!

Cover of We Mostly Come Out At Night edited by Rob Costello

We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures edited by Rob Costello

Trans and queer authors bring you 15 short stories about being the monster and what that might mean.

We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction (2020) edited by C.L. Clark & Charles Payseur

This anthology contains 15 queer speculative fiction short stories that were published in 2020.

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Swords and Spaceships

I’M AFRAID YOU’VE GOT DRAGONS

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 13, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and with May continuing its massive release of new books, you’re getting a double dose to check out today. Did you get a chance to see the aurora over the weekend? We got to see it very faintly here on Friday…and then the rest of the time it was super cloudy near where I live. Boo. Hopefully, you had clearer skies! Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Friday.

Bookish Goods

Bird Bookmarks by TheFatFinchShop

Since there’s a bit of an accidental bird theme in the titles of the recommendations, I went looking for book things that are bird related. Here’s a sampling of a set of really cute bird bookmarks I found! $10

New Releases

Road to Ruin by Hana Lee

Jin-Lu is a magebike courier, taking messages and packages between domed cities on a magic-powered motorcycle — exhilarating, but also the most dangerous possible job in the wastelands. But her most precious cargo might be her last — first, she takes a prince’s love letters to a princess desperate to escape her family and her horrible betrothed, and then, in love with both the prince and princess herself, she helps the woman flee directly into the wasteland and the coils of a brewing, deadly storm.

I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle

The backwater kingdom of Bellemontagne is famous (or perhaps infamous?) for its immense population of dragons, which come in sizes ranging from vermin to “say goodbye to your castle.” Unsurprisingly, such a place has dragon exterminators; Robert (who has a much longer name he hates) has inherited his father’s position as just that when he’d really just rather be a valet. He likes dragons and would very much prefer a career change. What fate has in store for him is something much more exciting.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Because May continues its assault of awesome new books unabated, here are two more to check out!

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

In 16th century Joseon, the tyrant King Yeonsan makes his people suffer, stealing, kidnapping, and abusing at his pleasure. Iseul sets off on an impossible mission to rescue her older sister, Suyeon, after she is taken to the king. At his court, she crosses paths with the tyrant’s half-brother, Daehyun, who would depose his brother and save their people…if he can. While these two unlikely allies despise each other, they hate Yeonsan far more, and together they will take the riskiest gamble anyone in the kingdom has ever seen.

Cover of When Among the Crows by Veronica Roth

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

Dymitr’s family have long been hunters who are called on to sacrifice their souls to destroy the monsters they track. But he’s been given perhaps the greatest monster of all to hunt: Baba Jaga. And if he wants a chance to defeat her, he will have to ally with a lesser monster. But his true motives and the secrets he carries might be a far greater enemy than their quarry.

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Swords and Spaceships

God Kings, Shield Maidens, and More SFF New Releases

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 9, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and as promised, I’ve got your second double dose of new releases. Let me tell you, this month has been murder on my book budget so far, and we’re only a third of the way through! Please send help. Someone come slap my credit card out of my hand before it’s too late. Stay safe out there, space pirates — and I hope you have a LOT of reading time this summer — and I’ll see you on Tuesday!

Looking for a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift? Go beyond the tried and true flowers and chocolate and give the gift of reading with Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists are standing by to help your mom find her next favorite read, delivered right to her inbox or doorstep. And with gifts starting at just $18, there’s something for any budget! Head to mytbr.co/gift to send the gift of reading to the book nerd in your life!

Bookish Goods

Black Valkyrie Art Print by MokiByMo

In honor of Black Shield Maiden, how about this gorgeous print of a Black Valkyrie? You can also get her as a tote bag or a puzzle in the artist’s shop. $49

New Releases

Black Shield Maiden by Willow Smith and Jess Hendel

Yafeu is a fierce yet compassionate young warrior, stolen from the Ghānian Empire and taken to the land of the Vikings, where she does her best to survive in the alien climate and culture. What she finds is a kindred spirit, a princess she comes to serve. Together, they fight to make their own fates and defend the freedom of Yafeu and others.

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

The God King Joon must die — and the means of his execution will be the five greatest liars in all the land, brought together by a mysterious patron. Each of these liars, these killers, has a reason to want vengeance on Joon — and the crown that sits on his head. But if they are to succeed, they must find a way to trust each other.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Why are there so many good books coming out this month? We’ll never know! But here’s more of them.

The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo

Once more, we travel with Cleric Chih, this time as they accompany a young bride who is set to marry an aging nobleman at his crumbling estate. As fits such a gothic beginning, the man’s mad son offers cryptic warnings, the servants are frightened and paranoid, and there is something definitely haunting the dark halls, whispering of what might have happened to the lord’s previous wives…

The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin

Once upon a time, Dimitri was the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo; now, he’s an exile, thanks to a civil war instigated by his estranged husband, Alexey. Dmitri has only one, dangerous ploy to regain his land — engineer Alexey’s downfall and then kill him. But Alexey has died and resurrected himself into immortality, claims that God Himself speaks to him, and can summon demonic creatures. If Dmitri wishes to save Novo-Svitsevo, he will have to forsake Alexey’s soul — a man he still cannot bring himself to hate — or sacrifice his own spymaster, whom he has come to love.

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Swords and Spaceships

10 Excellent Epic Fantasy Debuts

Post author By Samm Saxby
Post date May 8, 2024

Sponsored by

This post is written by R. Nassor.

Excellent epic fantasy debuts are a glorious thing to behold. I love to see new authors on the scene make their first public attempts at crafting magical struggles or impossible quests. It is a difficult subgenre to pull off, and so it is even more impressive when they make a splash.

As a subgenre of high fantasy, epic fantasy must take place in an alternate world with fantastical (i.e., magical and/or otherworldly) elements and involve complex geopolitical plots and/or multi-step quests. Although they are not requirements of the subgenre, epic fantasy books have also come to include multiple point-of-view characters, maps, and pronunciation keys as well.

The subgenre is largely inspired by early epic poetry like Beowulf, the Illiad, or the Odyssey. These are long narrative poems that involve a hero’s journey against large threats across kingdoms, realms, or states. Taking inspiration from the fantastical epic poems, epic fantasy books have larger-than-life stakes as well.

This list of 10 excellent epic fantasy debuts dives into authors who debuted in epic fantasy recently. Many great epic fantasy books were, unfortunately, not the author’s debut and thus have been omitted from this list. I also limited the series to the last decade because I wanted to give some love to recent releases readers might have missed on the shelves. I highly recommend giving these epic fantasy debuts a go.

Epic Fantasy Debuts Await

cover of the rage of dragons by evan winter

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter (2017)

For 200 years, the Omehi people have been at war. Military power is everything. So, the one of two thousand women born with the power to call dragons and the one of a hundred men born with the power to enlarge and strengthen themselves are valued. Without any gifts to speak of, Tau is fodder, hoping for an early injury that will end his mandatory service. That is until everyone he loves is murdered. His thirst for revenge sets him on a path to become a swordsman talented enough to kill the three men responsible for his pain.

Content Warnings: Misogyny, Sexual Assault, Racism

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (2018)

Inspired by 20th-century China, this epic fantasy book is a demonstration of the way the lives of insignificant people are twisted and crushed in war. Rin studied and struggled so that when she aced the empire-wide test to go to the academy, she could leave her town and her arranged marriage behind. At the elite military school, she discovered her talent for shamanism, but her gender, poverty, and dark skin stopped her from gaining many allies. Nonetheless, when war came to the Empire, her powers became more valuable than ever, but that power might just come at the cost of her humanity.

Cover of The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart (2020)

Nearing the end of the emperor’s reign, a battle for succession upends what little stability the kingdom had left. The unrecognized heir to the throne, Lin, knows she must learn how to manipulate bone shard magic to create animal-like constructs and keep the peace. On the ocean, Jovis is saving children from the Tithing Festival and becoming the people’s hero. But such hope only further fuels the oncoming revolution, and Lin will be forced to decide what she will sacrifice to save everyone.

The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick (2021)

The best heroes are always con artists, and Ren is one of the greatest in the city. She might just be talented enough to fake her way into the nobility for the sake of her and her sister’s future. However, the aristocracy might be even deadlier than the gang she escaped as a teenager, and as myth and magic begin to seep into her dreams, she will have to trust a vigilante, a merchant with a criminal past, and a police captain working for the nobility she is trying to con. That is if she wants to survive in this queer Venetian-inspired epic fantasy world.

The Unbroken by C. L. Clark (2021)

A rebellious princess finds the rebel figurehead she is looking for when she meets a soldier she thinks could change everything. Princess Luca knows she must usurp her uncle if she wants her people to flourish. Touraine was stolen by the empire and raised to kill for them, but when she is sent back home to quell a rebellion, her allegiance to her childhood home feels stronger than ever. When Luca meets Touraine at the right moment, she convinces her that together, they can pacify the rebels and usurp the king.

Cover of The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi (2022)

In this sapphic epic fantasy novel inspired by Ghanaian mythology, a born revolutionary, a princess, and a low-caste woman work together to start a revolution. Sylah’s dreams of overthrowing the ruling class died when her family was murdered. Anoor has never known the love of her mother, the empire’s ruler. As a member of the low caste, Hassa’s hands and tongue were removed as a child, leaving her invisible enough to the upper classes that she holds all their secrets. As the trial-by-combat begins to select new leaders, they are given the chance to act and change the world.

cover of The Stardust Thief (The Sandsea Trilogy Book 1) by Chelsea Abdullah; an illustration of a gold locket design surrounded by swirling flames

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah (2022)

Loulie al-Nazari and her jinn bodyguard are in the business of selling illegal magic, not rescuing royalty, but when she saves a prince, she attracts the attention of the sultan. He offers her a choice: retrieve a magical artifact or be executed. Now, Loulie is on the hook for finding a magic lamp — that could revive the land in exchange for the lives of all jinn — with the sultan’s son and her bodyguard. A take on One Thousand and One Nights wouldn’t be complete without daring escapes and dangerous magical foes, but the three will have to do their best if they want to survive an impossible journey in this epic fantasy debut.

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem (2023)

A magically talented heir-in-hiding is tested when she meets the son of her kingdom’s enemy. Sylvia was content hiding her magic as an orphaned apothecary’s assistant in a small town. She escaped the kingdom of Jasad when it fell a decade ago, and ever since, her dampened magic has escaped detection. That is until the heir of Nizahl uncovers it and blackmails her into becoming his champion for the deadly inter-kingdom competition. He doesn’t know she’s the lost heir and will make her compete to protect her peaceful life. Although Jasadi rebels and her conscious insists she take up the crown, Sylvia will have to decide if she wants justice more than safety.

Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland (2024)

In this Korean-inspired high fantasy epic, five assassins team up to do the impossible: steal the immortal crown from the god-king. Together, a poison maiden and the son of the lord who controls her; the king’s rogue spymaster and the exiled prince; and an impossibly fast thief and her hired muscle must travel separately to the heart of the empire if they want a shot at killing the king. There is an equal chance they will kill each other before they even get there. Worse yet, as their journey continues, it is more apparent than ever that they might just be replacing one unstable dictator for another.

Epic fantasy debuts are almost impossible to pull off, but when they succeed, fantasy at large is given an opportunity to experience the impossible. Impossible odds, impossible quests, and impossible successes await readers ready to embark on a journey only epic fantasy debuts can deliver.

Swords and Spaceships

A Double Dose of New Sci-Fi & Fantasy Releases

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 6, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and what I’ve got for you are a LOT of new releases. Like, so many. I complain all the time about December being the land of no books, and apparently that’s because all of the books are just clumped up at this end of the year.

So what I’ve got is a double dose of new releases today and lined up for Friday as well, and I’m still chewing on the edge of my desk because there are even more I want to tell you about. It’s going to be a wild month. Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Friday!

Let’s make the world a better place together. Here are two places to start: Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, which provides medical and humanitarian relief to children in the Middle East regardless of nationality, religion, or political affiliation; and Ernesto’s Sanctuary, a cat sanctuary and animal rescue in Syria that is near and dear to my heart.

Bookish Goods

Robot Table Lamp by HLDNShop

Andrea Hairston’s new book mentions “Circus Bots” which sound adorable. When I looked around on etsy, I found a lot of clown robots, which were definitely not my cup of tea, and then I found this cute guy who just wants to help you read. $45

New Releases

Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston

Society has nearly been destroyed by ecological disaster–there were the Water Wars, the refugees running from floods, the nostalgia militias roaming the roads. In a world where Darknet Lords establish their territory by “trolling” on the internet, Cinnamon (with her Circus-Bots and dogs) does her best to providing housing, healthcare, food, and education in a community of farmers that’s taking in refugees. With the Darknet Lords and the militias eyeing her home, Cinnamon must find a way to build a future, protect her community, and honor her past.

The Traitor’s Son by Dave Duncan

Doig Gray lives in a world where everything has gone wrong and the planet is dying around him–though those in power say nothing because they’re hoping it won’t end until they’re dead and gone. Doig’s father is killed in a mining “accident” for his dissident attitudes and Doig is under close scrutiny, watched to unsure he will not become the next folk-hero “traitor” as he becomes increasingly aware that something is horribly wrong with the world around him.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Extra helping of new releases, part one!

Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

It’s been a decade since Malik’s mother disappeared on the same night he discovered he possesses uncontrollable magic. At 17, he unexpectedly finds himself taken in to Caiman University–a hidden, magical university that his mother once attended. But as he begins to search for information about his heritage and what truly happened to his mother, he finds the fractures in his newly-found community–and a recently reawakened evil that dates back to the Haitian Revolution.

The Deer and the Dragon by Piper CJ

Marlow has long questioned her own sanity because the alternative would be far worse–that angels and demons exist, she can see them, and one of those terrifying entities has been hanging over her shoulder as long as she can remember. Until one of the fae shows up to inform her that no, it’s all real, and that entity? A Prince of Hell. Who immediately goes missing…

See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.