10 Exciting New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books Out August 2024

This month from the author* of the wildly popular Expanse series comes the first in an exciting new space opera series. It’s about the Carryx, a brutal alien race that has existed for centuries, ruining other species in the galaxy. When their existence comes under threat, they need humans for their survival. After the capture and kidnapping of some of the brightest humans, the people must figure out a way to survive and what they are going to do for the Carryx. This is the start of the story of one man, Dafyd Alkhor, a scientist who will emerge a champion — and the most hated man in history.

*It’s the pen name of two authors, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.

This is a dark romantasy debut all about revenge, vampires, and justice!  Shan LeClaire has spent her life building the power of her blood magic in order to protect her brother and get the revenge she desperately wants. Samuel Hutchinson has a secret, terrible gift, and when he finds the victim of a magical serial killer, he becomes swept up in the intrigue of vampire king’s court. When Shan and Samuel cross paths, their powers and destinies clash and combine, leaving Samuel to wonder if he can follow Shan down her dark road of vengeance.

The prolific T. Kingfisher is a Book Riot fave! This fantastic new novel is her take on the “Goose Girl” fairy tale. Cordelia lives an unusual, unhappy, and sometimes punishing existence as the daughter of an evil sorcerer. She’s never challenged her mother before, only lived her days subservient and silent. But when her mother brings home a kindly man and his sister, Cordelia grows fond of them, and she realizes she must act if she wants to save them from her mother’s nefarious plans.

If you love stories about time travel, this is a great pick for you! In the future, humans have discovered pocket worlds, defined as “a geographically small, hidden offshoot of our own reality, sped up or slowed down by time.” Exploration of these pockets is an exciting new way to hopefully find new solutions for Earth’s problems. But forty years later, like all things, corporations have taken over pocket exploration, and a disgraced scientist (who wears the pocket universe where her estranged wife lives around her neck) has one chance to right these wrongs and save humanity from itself.

A new novel from award-winning author Nalo Hopkinson is always reason to celebrate! In this new fantasy, Veycosi, a student of music and history, sets out to learn from the rare Alamat Book of Light to become a scholar in Chynchin. But instead, he finds himself stuck in a complicated battle of danger and dark forces, where an ancient invading army approaches, children are disappearing, and the statues of island witches are coming to life.

This charming novel was a runaway hit in Japan! How can you go wrong with cats? In this magical fantasy, being kind to cats really pays off. Because the legend goes, if you’re kind to the right cat, it will take you to a magical coffee shop that you can’t find on your own. This special shop is staffed by talking cats (purristas?), who will impart wisdom, read your star chart, and supply you with delicious food and drink.