Read on to learn more about The Raven Scholar and you can also read the first chapter here!

Hi, Antonia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hello! I was born and raised in Derby, studied English at Leeds, and worked as an editor in London for many years. Now here I am near the Kent coast, writing away. Fun fact: I have short legs and a long body, which means I look taller sitting down.  

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

There was a small library about five minutes’ walk from my house when I was growing up. I must have loved stories before that, otherwise why would I be there every Saturday morning earning my ‘Bookworm’ badge and working my way through the shelves? But those are my early memories – the thrill of stepping through the door, into my favourite place in the world.

I also used to make up stories to songs, especially on long car journeys – I was daydreaming long before I could read or write.

On a more downbeat note – the library closed down years ago owing to spending cuts. I think it’s a building society these days.  

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: there must have been earlier ones, but the one I first remember reading for myself is The Magic Faraway Tree. Which of course has a fantasy element to it – all those hidden worlds waiting at the top of the tree, through the clouds…
• The one that made you want to become an author: Not one book – the multiplicity. The world of books.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Frankenstein. For its complex themes and ethical quandaries, for the way you oscillate between sympathy and horror for the monster, for the fact that Mary Shelley was eighteen/nineteen years old and could write something so sublime and enduring.

Your latest novel, The Raven Scholar, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Take nothing for granted. Goodbye.*

*I had a word going spare.

What can readers expect?

The unexpected. Fights and feuds. Footnotes and feathers.

Where did the inspiration for The Raven Scholar come from?

Partly, my fascination with animal myth and symbolism, and how that interconnects with the observed, living world. I’m a Tai Chi student, so I’m sure that also inspired me. (It certainly helped with the fight scenes, even though I have absolutely no martial skills of my own.)

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

So many. I loved exploring Neema’s development over the course of the story, and her fraught interaction with the world. The folktale elements were a treat to write, especially Yasila’s story, and the fable of the Fox. The Raven – I can’t not mention the Raven, they would not be happy with me. But more generally, I’ve always wanted to write epic fantasy, so even when I was struggling with something, or redrafting, it was still the best job in the world.

Can you tell us a bit about your process when it came to worldbuilding for The Raven Scholar?

I scribbled lots of initial notes, and made some decisions about the Eight Guardians (which animals they should be, for starters). Then I took myself off to the British Library and read up on them all. I have pages of scribbled facts about foxes for example – their behaviours and the myths that have grown up around them. Ditto tigers, and so on.

Around the same time, I also drew a map of Orrun and Helia, with all the towns and cities, where the eight monasteries were situated, rivers and mountains, etc. A poisoned forest to the west, scarred lands to the north, an empty sea to the northeast… Once I’d started making those decisions, the story evolved in part via the geography. It’s quite an organic, intuitive process, and I struggle to remember exactly how it all came together afterwards. But I also fix certain key points along the way. For example, I know precisely how the third book in the trilogy will end.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Oh the usual agonies of self-doubt. You know! At least now – because I’ve written four previous books – I recognise this as part of the process. Something you pass through.

I spent almost four years writing The Raven Scholar – I began properly in early March 2020, so that was an interesting time to start. Luckily I’d already done most of my research. I’d also just moved out of London. I was living in temporary accommodation, everything in storage, on my own in a strange town, when the first lockdown was announced. A very nice town, and very nice accommodation, I should add. Don’t feel too sorry for me. I had Zoom, and good friends to Zoom with. Good friends – that’s how you overcome anything.

What’s next for you?

I’m immersed in book two right now. I’d better get back there…

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

I’m reading a proof of Sister Wake by Dave Rudden at the moment and really enjoying it. It’s very singular, in an excellent, highly engaging way. And I’ve just heard about a book called The Faithful Dark by Cate Baumer – the blurb alone makes me shiver with anticipation. It’s being compared to The Tombs of Atuan which is very, very much my catnip. I don’t think it’s out until next February though – sorry!

Will you be picking up The Raven Scholar? Have you already? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Antonia Hodgson, Author of ‘The Raven Scholar’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Antonia Hodgson’s The Raven Scholar, which is out April 15th 2025.

Let us fly now to the empire of Orrun, where after twenty-four years of peace, the reign of Bersun the Brusque has come to an end. In the dizzying heat of midsummer, seven exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists compete to replace him.

When one of them is murdered, it falls to Neema Kraa, the emperor’s brilliant, idiosyncratic High Scholar, to find the killer and fight for the throne. Neema believes she is alone. But we are here to help; all she has to do is let us in.

If she succeeds, we will win an empire. If she fails, death awaits her. But we won’t let that happen.

PART ONE : AN INVITATION

CHAPTER ONE

Once they made sacrifices here, to appease the Eight. There was a modest temple on the hill, with views across the island, and worn stone steps leading up to a plain stone slab. Now there is a palace with golden halls and floors of white marble. Lustrous silk tapestries hang from the walls, telling intricate stories of love and war, and the death of tyrants. The air is lacquered with incense, rich and heady.

This is where my father died.

Yana Valit walked beside her twin brother Ruko, willing herself to stay calm. The emperor had no reason to hurt her; she had done nothing wrong.

Nothing he could know about.

Yasila followed close behind them, her footsteps muffled by the fine antique rugs that lined the way. Without turning, Yana could picture her mother’s expression precisely—composed, dignified. Yasila wore her fabled beauty like a mask, her light brown skin unmarked by years of loss and misfortune. A flick of kohl, a dab of perfume. Three paces away, and as distant as the moon.

Had she known the emperor would summon them here, this morning? No point in asking. Yasila had grown up a hostage on the Dragon island of Helia, where secrets were hoarded like precious jewels. She had learned young how to hold her tongue, and bind her heart.

They headed down another hushed corridor, deep within the inner sanctum. A solitary guard watched them approach, hand upon the hilt of his sword. He was dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Bodyguard—black trousers and a red tunic slashed with five black claw marks. The Bear sigil, worn to honour the emperor. The man carried himself more like a Hound warrior, Yana thought, his weight balanced slightly towards his toes, giving him a poised, dynamic stance. Yasila had trained her children to notice these things. As they passed beneath the guard’s piercing gaze, Yana spotted the square silver ring on his middle finger. The sigil of the Hound. She smothered a smile, imagining her mother’s admonishment. This is not a game, Yanara. This is how we survive.

Another turn, another incense-laden corridor, almost identical to the last. Th ere were no windows, no way for Yana to orientate herself. This, she knew, was a trick of the sanctum. Even experienced courtiers arrived at the throne room with a queasy sensation that they had both reached their destination, and lost their way.

Th ere is a world, Yana reminded herself, beyond these walls. Out there, out across the imperial island and its lesser palaces, courtiers strolled through pleasure gardens and woodland trails, trading scandals or starting new ones behind the deafening roar of frothing fountains. Servants sweated in the laundries, burned their fingers in the kitchens, talked of leaving as they shared a roll-up behind the service huts.

Yana felt a familiar tension in her chest—a desire to run out into the bright morning sunshine and disappear. Dodge the guards and take a boat back to the mainland, melt away into the busy streets of central Armas. Hitch a ride out of the capital and head north to Scartown, or some other rundown place on the borders. Start a new life, with a new name . . .

A dream, a fantasy. There was no escape for the daughter of Andren Valit, the Great Traitor. Th ere was no disappearing into the crowd. For the last eight years—half her life—Yana and her family had been watched, ceaselessly. When neighbours in their grid complained about the rubbish piling up, the rising cost of food, the street crime, the Valits kept their mouths clamped shut. They could not afford the luxury of speaking their minds. Th ey must assume—always—that someone was listening, eager to report them to the Hounds. Th eirs was a tightrope of a life, sharks circling below.

Ruko was gnawing his lip. Yana wanted to tell him not to worry, everything would be fine. But when she tried to speak, there was a knot in her throat. She never could lie to her brother.

∞∞∞

The Palace Hounds had arrived in the middle of the night. Boots on the stairs, a sharp rap at the door. Instantly awake, Yana threw back her bedsheet and swung her legs over her bunk. She’d trained herself to shift like this, from deep sleep to high alert. Her family might live under the emperor’s written protection, but that only extended so far. Th ere were plenty who still believed the Valits had been dealt with too kindly, after the rebellion. A piece of paper would not deflect an assassin’s blade.

“Open up, please,” a voice called through the door. Dropping down to the fl oor, Yana reached into the bottom bunk and punched Ruko in the arm. He groaned and burrowed deeper under the blanket. “Ruko,” she hissed, irritated. She loved her brother, but for Eight’s sake. “Move.”

In the living room, her mother stood in front of a mirror, clipping back her long black hair. “Open the door to our guests, Yanara.”

The Valits lived in a cramped, three-roomed apartment above a tailor’s workshop. To reach it, visitors must take a rotting wooden staircase, flimsily attached to the external wall. Yasila had dismissed the tailor’s offer to have it replaced. Let the way to her door be treacherous. Th e young Hound sergeant, having assessed the risk, had come up alone. His squad waited for him below, yawning in the velvet dark, batons fixed to their belts.

He introduced himself in neutral tones, giving nothing away. “Madam Valit? Sergeant Shal Worthy. His Majesty summons you to the island. No, not your youngest, just you and the twins. One of my officers will watch over . . .” He groped for a name. Eight, what was she called again, the little one?

“Nisthala,” Ruko offered, earning a sharp look from his mother. The sergeant gave Ruko a nod. “Nisthala. Thank you, sir.” Sir. The title sounded strange to Yana, but it was formally correct. She and her brother had turned sixteen yesterday. According to the law, Ruko was a man now.

And how old was the sergeant? Yana wondered, studying him in the candlelight. Only a few years ahead of them. He looked like a hero from a dance-tragedy, all soulful and athletic, with striking hazel eyes and smooth, warm-brown skin. He’d done his best to rough up his edges, in a bid to blend in with his more experienced squad. His full moustache merged with a thick stubble and his dark brown curls were chopped short. But his hands were a young man’s hands, his frame and his jawline still boyish. Twenty-one, Yana decided. Fresh out of Houndspoint and straight to squad sergeant, which meant he was being groomed for a high imperial position—

Shit.

She was studying him, he was studying her, his eyes blazing with internal fi re. Houndsight. A rare, innate ability to read a per-son’s thoughts and feelings with uncanny accuracy. Yana’s heart flared a warning. What had he seen? What had she given away?

The sergeant’s eyes dimmed back to normal. “Twenty-two, as a matter of fact.” He rubbed his jaw, rueful. “Maybe a beard would help, what do you reckon?”

Yana liked the way he’d made a joke, to counter the eff ect of his unsettling gift. But it didn’t alter the fact that the emperor—who could have sent anyone to escort them to the island—had chosen a man who could read them right down to the bone. Well—not her mother, perhaps. Not a child raised by Dragons.

A brief hug for Nisthala, sleepy and fretful and annoyed at being left behind—why was she always left behind, it wasn’t fair—and it was time to go. As they followed Sergeant Worthy down the stairs, Yana murmured a warning in Ruko’s ear, about the Houndsight. He nodded. He’d seen.

Armas City was built on a grid system, once revolutionary, now familiar. Yana’s grid—G4 NW—was comprised of the usual eight connecting squares, each one arranged around a shared courtyard. In more glamorous parts of the capital, these common spaces were transformed into whatever stood for paradise among the fashionable that year. (Lush scent gardens, in 1531—everyone had gone wild for lush scent gardens.) Yana’s square was not glamorous by any definition, but it was well looked after, with a communal vegetable plot and mature fruit trees, and a tiled prayer octagon for the faithful. Rundown but respectable. When the residents of Square 3 had first learned that the Valits were moving in, they had organised a petition in protest. We are loyal citizens of Orrun, it said. We do not want our home tainted by these people. Some of them had softened their opinion over the years. Some had not.

The squad’s arrival had woken them all. Neighbours leaned from windows, fascinated. They’d seen the mother taken away for interrogation plenty of times, but always on her own. This was new. What now, for the Valits? Some fresh disgrace?

“What’s happening?” someone shouted down. “Where are you taking them?”

“My apologies for the disturbance, citizens,” Sergeant Worthy replied. Houndspeak for none of your business. He tapped one of his officers on the shoulder—an older woman. “Stay and watch the little one.” As she set off he pulled her back, added in a quieter voice, “She’s frightened, trying to hide it. Be patient with her.”

People were still calling down, demanding answers. “What have they done?” “Are they under arrest?” “We’ve been saying for years, you can’t trust them—”

“Good night, citizens.” The sergeant’s tone had shifted. They heard the warning laced through it, and fell silent. After a tense moment, he added, friendly again, “May the Eight protect you …“

“. . . and remain Hidden,” people called back, with varying degrees of conviction.

The nearest docks were a couple of miles to the east. As they walked, they moved from the residential sector through squares dedicated to millwork and forges, and cavernous storehouses where people worked through the night, loading and unloading by lantern light. Some of the workers nodded at the sergeant as he passed. One woman dropped her load and put her fist to her chest in a Hound salute. This was something more than respect for his position. Ruko nudged Yana, and mouthed: Worthy. A not uncommon family name, but given the sergeant’s Houndsight, and his swift elevation …

“I’m his nephew,” he said, eventually.

Yana’s skin prickled. High Commander Gatt Worthy had died in her father’s attempted coup eight years ago. When Andren rushed the throne steps, it was Gatt Worthy who saw the threat, and placed himself between the emperor and Andren’s blade. It had been the pivotal moment of the rebellion. Gatt Worthy’s sacrifice. Andren Valit’s treachery.

“I’m sorry,” Ruko said.

“I can see that,” Worthy replied. Of course he could. Those eyes.

After a short pause, he added, “Thanks.”

The north-east docks were quiet, the sea lapping gently against the quay. In this bridging hour before dawn, the world was cloaked a sullen grey—the colour of loss, the colour of mourning. A couple of fishing boats were preparing to set sail, their crews moving in a silent harmony born of daily repetition. On rooftops, seagulls stretched out their throats, calling sharply to one another across the water. We are here, we are here. Another day begins.

Sergeant Worthy set off alone down the quay to inspect their boat, leaving his squad to conduct the mandatory strip and search. As if, perhaps, he wanted no part of it. Yana fumbled to remove her clothes under the withering gaze of her guard. The search was not gentle. The woman wrenched apart Yana’s short plait, poked and prodded her body with mean fingers. “What do you expect?” she hissed, when Yana protested. “Traitor’s daughter.”

Fighting back the tears, Yana tidied herself up as best she could without a comb. Her hair—like her mother’s, and her brother’s—was straight and black, with subtle strands of iridescent purple and blue that only showed in certain lights. An inheritance from their ancestor Yasthala the Great, the last Raven empress.

To her left, Ruko was joking with the men searching him. That’s how he’d learned to survive with the cursed Valit name hanging round his neck. Yana used her wits, Ruko his good humour.

And their mother?

Dignity.

As the Hounds approached, Yasila stretched out her arms and As the Hounds approached, Yasila stretched out her arms and inclined her head—a goddess, bestowing upon her handmaidens the privilege of disrobing her. There was a brief debate over the jewelled hairclip—might it be used as a weapon? “It might,” Yasila decided for them, and handed it over. “Keep it, for your trouble,” she murmured. A gift that robbed them of their power to take. As the women made their respectful bows, Yasila angled her gaze towards her daughter. This is how it is done, Yanara. And Yana thought, not for the first time—if I live to be a hundred, I will never perfect my mother’s exquisite cunning, her regal defiance.

Yasila had been summoned to the imperial island dozens of times since the rebellion. There was no discernible pattern to her visits. Emperor Bersun might request her presence three nights in a row. He might let a season pass without mentioning her name. Either way, Yasila was fixed to him by an invisible chain. It was his majesty’s right to pull upon it as and when he pleased.

As to why he summoned her—one obvious, sordid possibility. Yasila—a clever, bewitchingly beautiful woman of thirty-five— met with the emperor alone in his private chambers: no servants, no bodyguards. How the court loved the idea, how they laughed behind their sleeves. The craggy old soldier, the enigmatic widow.

Yana would not think of that. Her mother and the emperor.

A guard handed her a pair of brown cotton trousers and a matching long-sleeved tunic. If they were asked, the Hounds would say they were keeping the emperor safe. The outfits had no pockets, the material was too thin to conceal a weapon. But this was also a deliberate slight: the once rich and powerful Valits presented at court in outfits more suited to farm work.

Yana didn’t care—she hated dressing up—but the clothes were too big for her short, narrow frame. She wondered if they had given her Ruko’s outfit by mistake. No, she realised, as she turned to study her brother. He was already dressed, and looked as he always did these days: like a golden god. Bastard.

He threw a pose to amuse them both. Yana laughed, their mother frowned. Yasila could never understand this about her twins, the secret messages and in-jokes passing between them. Yana laughed because she knew that beneath the clowning her brother was worried. She laughed to reassure him, just as he had posed to distract her. And it worked, on the surface.

But underneath, the thrumming fear.

Why had the emperor called for them today, of all days? What did he want?

∞∞∞

Seven and a half years had passed since they last stood before the great Bear warrior. Bersun the Brusque, the reluctant emperor, who wore the crown out of duty, not desire.

After the rebellion, after the riots, the purges and the public executions, Bersun had sailed in procession down Dragon’s Mouth Bay to Samra City—ancestral home of the Valit dynasty. No one missed the significance. Entire neighbourhoods streamed from their homes to welcome him, packing the streets, waving and cheering with hectic fervour. The weather was bad. The weather was terrible. No matter. This was a day for the city that raised the Great Traitor to affirm its loyalty to the crown.

On the cracked marble steps of the Assembly Hall, Bersun stood beneath a golden canopy, shielded from the pounding rain—a hulking giant with a long, battered face. The sort of man you prayed to the Eight was on your side on a battlefield.

The canopy was not for him. Bear warriors preferred to stand as they were trained—out in the open, exposed to the elements. This was how you stayed tough, and strong, and focused. The canopy was for his ceremonial clothes, which he hated. Golden robes, densely woven with eight-sided patterns. A heavy, sumptuous red velvet cloak, trimmed with fur. Worst of all, a pair of soft, embroidered satin shoes, which could only look ridiculous on his enormous feet. He had roared when they were first presented to him—literally roared, like an actual bear. A man who had patrolled the Scarred Lands for twenty years, defeated by a slipper.

The emperor did not like his clothes, but duty said he must wear them, and they must not be spoiled. The dignity of the office. So he stood beneath the canopy, glowering as he always did on these occasions.

As for the crowds crammed into White Tiger Square, they were drenched, hair plastered to their skulls. Their one consolation in such miserable, inauspicious weather—Emperor Bersun hated speech-making even more than he hated his elaborate robes. This would not take long.

Raising his arms, the emperor displayed his ruined right hand for all to see. He had lost three fingers in his desperate, bloody fight with Andren Valit. Almost lost his life too, by all accounts. This was his first public appearance since that day. His giant frame and bulky robes could not disguise the truth: the Bear warrior was diminished, both in body and spirit.

“There’s been enough blood spilled,” he declared, shouting over the rain. His voice was gruff, with the short vowels and hard con- sonants of a far Norwesterner. “My body’s broken: it will mend. The empire’s broken, it will mend. We shall heal together. We shall grow stronger, together. This I swear, on the Eight.”

Cheers and applause washed through the square, as those at the front passed the message back. Had his rebellion succeeded, Andren would have restored his beloved city to its former glory. The ancient capital would have become the seat of power once more. The fear was, the emperor had come to destroy Samra in revenge. It wouldn’t take much. The once invincible Marble City had been in decline for fifteen centuries. Rubble City, people called it now, part mocking, part wistful.

Bersun waited for his people to settle. Then, on his signal, the Hounds brought Yana and Ruko up to join him. Eight years old they were then, clutching each other’s hand for courage. As Yana stepped under the golden canopy, she saw tears of sympathy in the Old Bear’s eyes. He beckoned to them, encouraging, and she hated him for it. How dare he be kind? This man who had killed her father.

The twins had been told to give the emperor a Bear salute. They did so in unison, right hand raised smartly to right temple, palm out.

Bersun looked touched. He wrapped an arm around Yana’s shoulder, gathering her in to him. The same to Ruko, on his left side. A great Bear hug from the great Bear emperor. Yana felt sick. He turned them to face the crowds. “You’ve stood here before,” he said, softly. “You know these people.”

It was true. As Governor of Samra, their father was always proclaiming something or other on the Assembly steps. People had loved to see the twins beside him. And Yasila in her flowing silks, long black hair netted with gold latticework.

“What do you see?” the emperor asked them.

Yana had gazed down at the crowds, still cheering and clapping wildly. “Fear,” she answered, at the same moment Ruko said, “Relief.”

“Fear and relief,” the emperor repeated, to himself.“Yes.That’s it. Very good.” He gave them both a final squeeze and let them go.

A few weeks later Gatt Worthy’s successor, High Commander Hol Vabras, had issued an edict stating that Yasila Valit was guilty of “indirect support” of the rebellion. In other words—her husband had used her money to fund it. For this crime she was stripped of all titles and estates, and given a six-month sentence. As she had already languished in the imperial dungeons for almost eight months, she was released the same day, cradling her baby daughter in her arms. Nisthala Valit—born in darkness, brought into the light. The edict continued:

Citizen Yasila Valit and her children shall be permitted to live freely in the Armas grids, with the following caveats:

On pain of death: they shall not leave the capital.

On pain of death: they shall not consort with sympathisers of the Traitor Andren Valit, nor seek to restore his reputation.

Also: the Valits must surrender themselves and their property to any inspections deemed necessary by His Majesty’s servant, High Commander Hol Vabras.

Under these terms, it pleases His Majesty that the Valit children should grow to maturity without harm or prejudice.

May the Eight protect His Majesty and remain Hidden.

Signed by

High Commander Hol Vabras

this fourth day of the month of Am, 1523

∞∞∞

Bersun had kept his promise. Nothing stronger in this world, my friend, than the word of a Bear warrior. But yesterday, the twins had turned sixteen. No longer children. No longer protected by the edict.

“Yana,” Ruko said quietly, as they boarded the boat to the imperial island. “The emperor spared us all these years. He won’t destroy us now.”

Her brother, the optimist.

The post Read The First Chapter From ‘The Raven Scholar’ by Antonia Hodgson appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Are you ready to be whisked away with a new fantasy or sci-fi read this year? We’ve rounded up 72 upcoming reads that will be hitting shelves between January and June this year, including new releases from Seanan McGuire, Nnedi Okorafor, Edward Ashton, Samantha Shannon, Natasha Pulley, M.R. Carey, Nghi Vo, Tochi Onyebuchi, V.E. Schwab, Tessa Gratton, and many more, along with some exciting debut releases!

Read on to discover new books hitting shelves in the first half of the year and be sure to check out our other 2025 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated, Romance, Young Adult, and Fiction lists.

JANUARY 2025 SFF BOOK RELEASES

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan

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A young ruler must forge a delicate alliance with the untrustworthy yet magnetic God of War to protect her kingdom in this stunning romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, from Sue Lynn Tan, bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess

North Is the Night by Emily Rath

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Two bold young women defy the gods and mortals, living and dead, in this darkly mythical, Finnish folklore-inspired fantasy duology for readers of T. Kingfisher’s Nettle & Bone, Danielle L. Jensen, Thea Guanzon, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec.

Lightfall by Ed Crocker

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A novel of vampires, werewolves and sorcerers, Lightfall is the stunning debut epic fantasy by Ed Crocker, for fans of Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire and Richard Swan’s The Justice of Kings

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

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A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical journey when a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, in this dreamlike and enchanting fantasy novel.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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Get ready to fly or die in the breathtaking follow-up to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

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In an alternate London in 1923, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans in this sweeping debut and epic retelling of Bletchley Park steeped in language, class, and forbidden romance. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire

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Giant turtles, impossible ships, and tidal rivers ridden by a Drowned girl in search of a family in the latest in the bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Wayward Children series from Seanan McGuire.

The Outcast Mage by Annabel Campbell

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In this glittering debut fantasy, a mage bereft of her powers must find out if she is destined to save the world or destroy it. Perfect for fans of Andrea Stewart, James Islington, and Samantha Shannon.

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill

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A poignant and enchanting novel about a magical bookstore that transports a trans man through time and brings him face-to-face with his teenage self, offering him the chance of a lifetime to examine his life and identity to find a new beginning.

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor

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In this exhilarating tale by New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor, a disabled Nigerian American woman pens a wildly successful Sci-Fi novel, but as her fame rises, she loses control of the narrative—a surprisingly cutting, yet heartfelt drama about art and love, identity and connection, and, ultimately, what makes us human. This is a story unlike anything you’ve read before.

Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb

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Godkiller and The Priory of The Orange Tree meet Netflix’s Kaos in this epic fantasy series set in ancient Greece.

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall

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In the tradition of Station Eleven, a literary thriller set partly on the roof of New York’s Museum of Natural History in a flooded future.

FEBRUARY 2025 SFF BOOK RELEASES

Grave Empire by Richard Swan

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From critically acclaimed author Richard Swan, Grave Empire begins the epic tale of an empire on the verge of industrial revolution, where sorcery and arcane practices are outlawed – and where an ancient prophecy threatens the coming end of days.

The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton

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Part first contact story, part dark comedy, and part bizarre love triangle, The Fourth Consort asks an important question: how far would you go to survive? And more importantly, how many drinks would you need to go there?

A Dragon of Black Glass by James Rollins

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The third and penultimate book in the New York Times bestselling Moonfall series from thriller-master James Rollins, A Dragon of Black Glass is a tale of relentless adventure and the struggle for survival in a harsh world that hangs by a thread.

Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

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Upon a Starlit Tide is a dark and enchanting historical fantasy combining elements of “The Little Mermaid” and “Cinderella” into a wholly original tale of love, power, and betrayal.

The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon

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The highly anticipated fifth novel in the New York Times bestselling Bone Season series-an epic and spellbinding fantasy from the author of The Priory of the Orange Tree.

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

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A spine-tingling standalone novel by bestselling author TJ Klune―a supernatural road-trip thriller featuring an extraordinary young girl and her two unlikely protectors on the run from cultists and the government.

Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill

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From an outstanding new voice in cozy fantasy comes Greenteeth, “a joyful, warm-hearted” (H. G. Parry) tale of fae, folklore, and found family, narrated by a charismatic lake-dwelling monster with a voice unlike any other, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

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The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves

Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi

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They’re no longer prisoners to the fae court, but now two elven sisters are each bound by shackles of the heart—the sequel to the national bestseller Faebound, hailed as “a devastatingly romantic and breathtaking fantasy” (Tasha Suri).

But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo

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The Shape of Water meets Mexican Gothic in this sapphic monster romance novella wrapped in gothic fantasy trappings

Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf by C. L. Clark

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Set in the blockbuster and award-winning universe of League of Legends: Arcane and written by award-winning author C. L. Clark, discover a thrilling epic fantasy novel where Ambessa Medarda truly learns what it means to be a Chosen of the Wolf.

The Witch of Whispervale by R. A. Salvatore

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From the legendary author and creator of Drizzt Do’Urden comes the next installment in the New York Times bestselling DemonWars fantasy series, about the traitorous invasion by the Xoconai of the eastern realms of Corona. However, the heroes of the last war against their demon god may be forgotten, but they are not powerless.

MARCH 2025 SFF BOOK RELEASES

Murder By Memory by Olivia Waite

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Told through Dorothy’s delightfully shrewd POV, this novella is an ode to the cozy mystery taken to the stars with a fresh new sci-fi take. Perfect for fans of the plot-twisty narratives of Dorothy Sayers and Ann Leckie, this well-paced story will leave readers captivated and hungry for the series’s next installment.

Homegrown Magic by Jamie Pacton and Rebecca Podos

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A delightful queer romantic fantasy full of friends-to-lovers chemistry, found family, rival family drama, and cozy garden magic from two acclaimed YA authors making their debut in the adult space.

The Hymn to Dionysus Natasha Pulley

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A timely reimagining of the story of Dionysus-Greek god of ecstasy, revelry, and ruin-and a captivating queer love story for readers of The Song of Achilles and Elektra.

The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn

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Practical Magic meets Gone Girl in Ava Morgyn’s next dark, spellbinding novel about a woman who is more than a witch―she’s a hunter.

The Serpent Called Mercy by Roanne Lau

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The Witcher meets Squid Game in this Malaysian Chinese-inspired epic fantasy novel where a debt-ridden slumdog joins an illegal monster-fighting arena for some fast coin, but quickly learns the most dangerous beasts are outside the ring

The Third Rule of Time Travel by Philip Fracassi

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In this riveting science fiction novel from acclaimed author Philip Fracassi, a scientist has unlocked the mysteries of time travel. This is not the story you think you know. And the rules are only the beginning.

A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames

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In the beloved tradition of Howl’s Moving Castle and The House in the Cerulean Sea, a whimsical and unforgettable cozy fantasy about adventure, common sense, and the power of love, as a cheeky butcher’s daughter, a befuddlingly handsome sorcerer, and his clever talking cat unlock magical secrets in the dark heart of their kingdom…

Tea You at the Altar by Rebecca Thorne

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The Princess Bride meets Bookshops and Bonedust in the third book of the Tomes & Tea series, where our favorite lesbian pirates must navigate the ultimate maelstrom–their own wedding!

The Anatomy of Magic by J.C. Cervantes

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A young woman learns to embrace all the messy imperfections of life and love with some help from her magical family in this next novel by New York Times bestselling author J.C. Cervantes.

Malinalli by Veronica Chapa

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An imaginative retelling of the triumphs and sorrows of one of the most controversial and misunderstood women in Mexico’s history and mythology, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow and Zoraida Córdova’s The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.

Idolfire by Grace Curtis

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A character-driven science-fantasy road trip book with sword fights and a slowburn romance, Idolfire delves into the vastness of history and the terrifying power of organized faith.

Once Was Willem by M. R. Carey

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Presenting an enthrallingly dark medieval fantasy – a fable of twisted folklore, macabre magic and the strangest of found families –  from M. R. Carey, author of the million-copy bestseller, The Girl With All the Gifts.

APRIL 2025 SFF BOOK RELEASES

Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell

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Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

Don’t Sleep With The Dead by Nghi Vo

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From award-winning author Nghi Vo comes Don’t Sleep with the Dead, a standalone companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful, her acclaimed reimagining of The Great Gatsby.

Notes From A Regicide by Isaac Fellman

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Notes from a Regicide is a heartbreaking story of trans self-discovery with a rich relatability and a science-fictional twist from award-winning author Isaac Fellman.

City of All Seasons by Oliver K. Langmead and Aliya Whiteley

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A vibrant and emotional science fantasy about cousins trapped in mirrored worlds – the resplendent and verdant summer city and the ice-carved wastes of the winter city. For fans of Every Heart a Doorway and This is How You Lose the Time War.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

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The eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

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From an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy comes The Raven Scholar, a masterfully woven and playfully inventive tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar’s quest to uncover the truth.

House of Blight by Maxym M. Martineau

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The first novel in an eerie, darkly creative, and romantic new gothic fantasy duology from Maxym M. Martineau, for readers of Sarah J. Maas and Rachel Gillig.

The Gods Time Forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez

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Irish mythology collides with Gilded Age New York in this sweeping debut enemies-to-lovers historical romantasy, perfect for fans of Outlander and A Fate Inked in Blood.

Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake

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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.

Polybius by Collin Armstrong

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Stranger Things meets The Walking Dead in this chilling novel based on the terrifying urban legend about a video game created by the government for psychological warfare.

Where the Axe Is Buried by Ray Nayler

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A cybernetic novel of political intrigue, Where the Axe is Buried combines the story of a near-impossible revolutionary operation with a blistering indictment of the many forms of authoritarianism that suffocate human freedom.

A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang

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From a rising-star author, winner of the both the Bram Stoker® and Nebula Awards, a richly inventive, brutal and beautiful science-fantasy novella. A story of family, loss, oppression and rebellion that will stay with you long after the final page. For readers of Nghi Vo’s The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Neon Yang’s The Black Tides of Heaven and Kritika H. Rao’s The Surviving Sky.

MAY 2025 SFF BOOK RELEASES

Silver Elite by Dani Francis

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In the first book of a sizzling dystopian romance series, psychic gifts are a death sentence and there are rules to survival: Trust no one. Lie to everyone. And whatever you do, don’t fall for your greatest enemy.

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis

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Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them – ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale.

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh

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Naomi Novik’s Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve

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Four strangers time travel to the past and find themselves stuck on the day all their lives were changed in this stunning speculative mystery from award-winning film and television producer Dete Meserve, perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Wrong Place Wrong Time and The Paradox Hotel.

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang

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With an armored, oath-bound hero reminiscent of The Mandalorian and the Asian-inspired epic fantasy of She Who Became the Sun, Neon Yang’s Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame is a stunning queer novella about a dragon hunter finding home with a dragon queen.

Esperance by Adam Oyebanji

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A whip-smart thriller in the vein of Blake Crouch, Andy Weir, and Neal Stephenson, Esperance plumbs the depths of a seemingly impossible crime rooted in racism, intergenerational trauma, and an inhuman concept of justice

A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis

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In this sumptuous, atmospheric historical fantasy set in post-World War One Appalachia, three outcasts with misunderstood magical gifts search for their place in the world while battling the dark forces that circle their community.

Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam

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An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat―perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman.

Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay

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From the internationally bestselling author of Tigana, All the Seas of the World, and A Brightness Long Ago comes a sweeping new novel of love and war that brilliantly evokes the drama and turbulence of medieval France.

Harmattan Season by Tochi Onyebuchi

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From the visionary author of Riot Baby and Goliath, Harmattan Season is a gripping fantasy noir in the tradition of Chandler, Hammond, and Christie that will have you by the throat―both dryly funny and unforgettably evocative.

A Letter From the Lonesome Shore by Sylvie Cathrall

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Dive into the charming conclusion to the Sunken Archive duology, a heart-warming magical academia fantasy filled with underwater cities, romance of manners and found family, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Behooved by M. Stevenson

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A charming slow-burn romantasy featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne, and a magical ride through a world of cozy enchantment

JUNE 2025 SFF BOOK RELEASES

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by Victoria E. Schwab

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From V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger.

A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry

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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell meets A Tale of Two Cities in H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing, a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge set during the French Revolution.

House of Frost and Feathers by Lauren Wiesebron

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A touch of The Bear and the Nightingale, a bit of Juniper & Thorn, and a sense of wonder and adventure makes up this lyrical debut fantasy of a young woman in search of a home, and a home in search of people to make it feel lived in.

The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott

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The Witch Roads is an epic fantasy duology, with brutal palace intrigue, a ravenous fungal ghost-plague, an overland journey with a small group of sometimes bickering characters, mysterious magic, ancient echoes of a long-ago war now intruding on the present, and a central love story, set in a new universe.

The Shipwright and the Shroudweaver by Rafael Torrubia

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Scottish debut Rafael Torrubia fuses the folklore of JRR Tolkien with the fire of NK Jemisin in this sprawling epic fantasy duology set in a Napoleonic world on the brink of collapse after an ancient evil strips its people of their names…

The Lady, the Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death by Helen Marshall

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A young woman is seduced by the glamour of the circus and drawn into a dangerous world of violence, cruelty and revenge. For readers of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus and Helen Oyeyemi’s Mr Fox.

Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race

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From a major new voice in epic fantasy, Six Wild Crowns is a breathtaking epic fantasy of dragons, courtly intrigue, sapphic yearning, and the wives of Henry VIII as you’ve never seen them before. 

UnWorld by Jayson Greene

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From the author of Once More We Saw Stars, an electrifying debut novel about AI that calls to mind Never Let Me Go and The Candy House’s tantalizing vision of the future.

The Unmapping by Denise S. Robbins

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With themes of climate change, political unrest, and social justice, The Unmapping is a timely and captivating debut.

Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell

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This second novel from Nebula Award-winning John Wiswell brings a humanizing, redemptive touch to the Hercules story in this mythological fantasy for fans of Jennifer Saint and Elodie Harper.

The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton

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A talented heretic must decide between the pursuit of forbidden magic, or the ecstasy of forbidden love—either way, her choice will upend the world, in the start of a sweeping, romantic epic fantasy trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Tessa Gratton.

This Princess Kills Monsters by Ry Herman

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A princess with a mostly useless magical talent takes on horrible monsters, a dozen identical masked heroes, and a talking lion in a quest to save a kingdom—and herself—in this affectionate satire of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The Twelve Huntsmen.

What fantasy and sci-fi book releases are you looking forward to this year? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases To Devour In 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.