Welcome to 2022, but more importantly, welcome to a whole lot of new book releases to look forward to over the next year!

In this round up, we take a look at an array of highly anticipated books releasing between the months of January and June. From new releases from favourite authors such as Rachel Lynn Solomon, Sarah J. Maas, Tahereh Mafi, Marlon James, Emily St. John Mandel, Holly Black, Christina Lauren, Ryan Sager, and many more, to absolutely dazzling debuts, you’re sure to find quite a few exciting new reads within this list!

Stay tuned as we’ll be releasing more 2022 lists for several genres!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite January to June 2022 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them! 

JANUARY

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
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A TV meteorologist and a sports reporter scheme to reunite their divorced bosses with unforecasted results in this charming romantic comedy from the author of The Ex Talk.

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier
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A destitute woman deceives her way into the guesthouse of a Hollywood Hills mansion and inadvertently becomes a target in the twisted game of the wealthy family upstairs in the next intoxicating novel from Eliza Jane Brazier.

Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden
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Anything But Fine is a hilarious coming of age story about a gay ballerina who loses his dancing dreams, but finds his true self and his first love. 

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
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Three years ago, Katrina Freeling and Nathan Van Huysen were the brightest literary stars on the horizon, their cowritten books topping bestseller lists. But on the heels of their greatest success, they ended their partnership on bad terms, for reasons neither would divulge to the public. They haven’t spoken since, and never planned to, except they have one final book due on contract.

Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi
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In his adult novel debut, Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and NAACP Image Award finalist and ALA Alex and New England Book Award winner Tochi Onyebuchi delivers a sweeping science fiction epic in the vein of Samuel R. Delany and Station Eleven.

Echoes and Empires by Morgan Rhodes
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Falling Kingdoms series comes the first book in a brand-new duology about forbidden magic and dangerous secrets, for readers of Victoria Aveyard and Margaret Rogerson.

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
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A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
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From Rachel Hawkins, the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs, comes Reckless Girls, a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker
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A Thousand Steps is a beguiling thriller, an incisive coming-of-age story, and a vivid portrait of a turbulent time and place by three-time Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestselling author T. Jefferson Parker.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
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Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
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The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut “that is both fantastically fun and crack your heart wide open vulnerable.” (Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate).

The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman
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In this epic YA fantasy debut, magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war. When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces. The first in an Indian-inspired duology that’s perfect for fans of There Will Come a Darkness, The Gilded Wolves, and We Hunt the Flame.

FEBRUARY

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson
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When fate and tacos bring Ramón and Julieta together on the Day of the Dead, the star-crossed pair must make a choice: accept the bitter food rivalry that drives them apart or surrender to a love that consumes them—perfect for fans of Jane the Virgin!

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide… 

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
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Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist
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From debut author Kit Mayquist, a propulsive and atmospheric modern Gothic with all the splendor of The Great Gatsby . . . and all the secrets, lies, and darkness that opulence can hide.

The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson
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Three generations of abused women must navigate their chilling new reality as a mysterious epidemic of violence sweeps the nation in this compelling novel of self-discovery, legacy, and hope.

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
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A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James
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Both a brilliant narrative device—seeing the story told in Black Leopard, Red Wolf from the perspective of an adversary and a woman—as well as a fascinating battle between different versions of empire, Moon Witch, Spider King delves into Sogolon’s world as she fights to tell her own story. Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, it is a fascinating novel that explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap.

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour
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The debut adult novel by the bestselling and award-winning YA author Nina LaCour, following two women on a star-crossed journey toward each other. (Edit: Yerba Buena will now publish on May 31st 2022)

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
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In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
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Axie Oh’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” perfect for fans of Wintersong, Uprooted, and Miyazaki’s SpiritedAway.

Lease On Love by Falon Ballard
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Beach Read meets The Flatshare in this warmly funny and delightfully sharp debut rom-com about a down-on-her-luck young woman who turns an innocent mix-up between a dating app and a roommate app into a new chance at love.

The Verifiers by Jane Pek
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Introducing a sharp-witted heroine for the 21st century: a new amateur sleuth exploring the landscape—both physical and virtual—of New York in a debut novel about love, technology, and murder.

MARCH

Sundial by Catriona Ward
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Sundial is a new, twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, internationally bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street.

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
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The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
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The much-acclaimed viral sensation from Olivie Blake, The Atlas Six—now newly revised and edited with additional content, is a dark academic debut fantasy with an established cult following that reads like The Secret History meets The Umbrella Academy.

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
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From the author of the breakout thriller Every Last Fear, comes Alex Finlay’s electrifying next novel The Night Shift, about a pair of small-town murders fifteen years apart―and the ties that bind them.

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir comes a brilliant, unforgettable, and heart-wrenching contemporary YA novel about family and forgiveness, love and loss, in a sweeping story that crosses generations and continents.

Lakelore by Anna Marie McLemore
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In this young adult novel by award-winning author Anna-Marie McLemore, two non-binary teens are pulled into a magical world under a lake – but can they keep their worlds above water intact?

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
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The Golden Couple is the next electrifying novel from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo behind You Are Not Alone, An Anonymous Girl, and The Wife Between Us.

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma
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Nisha Sharma’s hilarious new romantic comedy inspired by The Taming of the Shrew features a love-phobic TV doctor who must convince a love-obsessed homebody they are destined to be together.

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
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A mythic love story set in Trinidad and Tobago, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo’s radiant debut introduces two unforgettable outsiders brought together by their connection with the dead.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St James
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A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.

A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch
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A wry and bold debut novel, which is at once an irresistible catastrophe waiting to happen and an unflinching exploration of how we narrate the stories of our lives, as an aspiring novelist finds herself stalking—and writing about—her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta
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A stunning YA fantasy inspired by ancient Mesoamerica, this gripping debut introduces us to a lineage of seers defiantly resisting the shifting patriarchal state that would see them destroyed―perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi and Sabaa Tahir.

APRIL

An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan
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Romeo and Juliet meets Chinese mythology in this magical novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Astonishing Color of After.

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
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In this twisty, mind-bending thriller from the bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes, Emma Averell worries that her crippling insomnia is a sign that she’s slowly going insane—like the mother she’s worked so hard to leave in her past.

Reputation by Lex Croucher
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Bridgerton meets Gossip Girl with a dash of Jane Austen, in Reputation, a Regency-era historical romantic comedy with a deliciously feminist twist, from a hilarious new British voice, Lex Croucher.

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
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For fans of Caraval and The Night Circus, this decadent and darkly enchanting YA fantasy, set against the backdrop of a Belle Époque-inspired hotel, follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

I Am the Ghost in Your House by Maria Romasco Moore
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From the author of Some Kind of Animal comes a wildly unique story about an invisible girl struggling to see herself in a world obsessed with appearances.

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose
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Meet the women of Buckhead — a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships. Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead — and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.

An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher
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This seething, gut-punch of a thriller can only have sprung from the fiendish brain of Tarryn Fisher, one of the most cunning writers of our time.

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow
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A spellbinding debut novel tracing three generations of a Southern Black family and one daughter’s discovery that she has the power to change her family’s legacy.

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
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A searing and compassionate new novel about a young Black nurse’s shocking discovery and burning quest for justice in post-segregation Alabama, from the New York Times bestselling author of Wench.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
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The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space.

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa
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The USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man is back with a hilarious rom-com about two strangers who get trapped in a lie and have to fake date their way out of it…

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann
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Thirty, flirty, and asexual Joy is secretly in love with her best friend Malcolm, but she’s never been brave enough to say so. When he unexpectedly announces that he’s met the love of his life—and no, it’s not Joy—she’s heartbroken. Malcolm invites her on a weekend getaway, and Joy decides it’s her last chance to show him exactly what he’s overlooking. But maybe Joy is the one missing something…or someone…and his name is Fox.

MAY

Book of Night by Holly Black
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies in the vein of Ninth House and The Night Circus.

Hide by Kiersten White
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A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
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The “reigning romance queens” (PopSugar) and New York Times bestselling authors of The Soulmate Equation and The Unhoneymooners present a charming and laugh-out-loud funny novel filled with adventure, treasure, and, of course, love.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
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From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need…

Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer
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New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer expands the Cursebreaker world in an electrifying new series.

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
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From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

City of Orange by David Yoon
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This imaginative and affecting new novel is beloved, bestselling, and award-winning author David Yoon at his finest: thought-provoking and heart-piercing, by turns funny and challenging, and at all times deeply human. 

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
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Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca in this debut supernatural suspense novel, set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, about a remote house, a sinister haunting, and the woman pulled into their clutches…

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
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An insightful, delightful new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation.

My Summer Darlings by May Cobb
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Three lifelong friends plus a dangerous, sexy new stranger in town add up to a scorching summer of manipulation, obsession, and murder, from the acclaimed author of The Hunting Wives.

Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater
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Merida goes on an all-new, life-changing adventure in this original YA novel set several years after the close of Brave!

Boys, Beasts & Men by Sam J. Miller
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In Nebula Award-winning author Sam J. Miller’s devastating debut short-fiction collection, featuring an introduction by Amal El-Mohtar, queer infatuation, inevitable heartbreak, and brutal revenge seamlessly intertwine. Whether innocent, guilty, or not even human, the boys, beasts, and men roaming through Miller’s gorgeously crafted worlds can destroy readers, yet leave them wanting more.

JUNE

Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald
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From the author of the critically-acclaimed Blackwing trilogy comes Ed McDonald’s Daughter of Redwinter, the first of a brilliant fantasy series about how one choice can change a universe.

American Royalty by Tracey Livesay
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In this dangerously sexy rom-com that evokes the real-life romance between Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle, a prince who wants to live out of the spotlight falls for a daring American rapper who turns his life, and the palace, upside down.

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
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A dazzling epic of betrayal, love, and fate that spans five generations of an Indigenous Chicano family in the American West, from the author of the National Book Award Finalist Sabrina & Corina.

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
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How much would you risk to save the ones you love? Would you tempt even the most dangerous fate?Bestselling author Kalynn Bayron continues the story of Briseis and her family’s deadly magic in the sequel to This Poison Heart.

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond
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A people-pleasing bridesmaid-for-hire falls for the crushable new lesbian in town. Will she finally find her happily ever after—and her own voice? 

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
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With his trademark blend of sharp characters, psychological suspense and gasp-worthy twists, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake will shock readers until the very last page.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
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A Discovery of Witches meets The Craft in this the first installment of this epic fantasy trilogy about a group of childhood friends who are also witches.

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
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A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors. Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and Annihilation.

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
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In the first book of a visionary African and Arabian-inspired fantasy trilogy, three women band together against a cruel Empire that divides people by blood.

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
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Evvie Drake Starts Over meets Beach Read in this heartwarming and hilarious novel about a divorced romance channel screenwriter whose script about her marriage’s collapse just might help her reclaim her life and find love.

We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo
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The first book in a dark fantasy YA duology by the author of What Big Teeth, about the power and danger of stories and the untold costs of keeping magic alive, perfect for fans of Aiden Thomas and Marie Rutkoski.

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
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She was the face that launched a thousand ships, The fierce beauty at the heart of Olympus, And she was never ours to claim. A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Helen of Troy, Achilles, and Patroclus that’s as sinful as it is sweet.

What 2022 book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated 2022 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you have read any of them!

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
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In the stunning first novel in Marlon James’s Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child.

The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy.

The Girl In Red by Christina Henry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a postapocalyptic take on the perennial classic “Little Red Riding Hood”…about a woman who isn’t as defenseless as she seems.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
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Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skilfully animated as necromantic skeletons. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the internationally bestselling author of The Bone Season, an enthralling epic fantasy about a world on the brink of war with dragons–and the women who must lead the fight to save it.

Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender
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An ambitious young woman with the power to control minds seeks vengeance against the royals who murdered her family, in a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world embattled by colonial oppression.

A Boy and His Dog At The End of the World by C.A. Fletcher
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When a beloved family dog is stolen, her owner sets out on a life-changing journey through the ruins of our world to bring her back in this fiercely compelling tale of survival, courage, and hope. Perfect for readers of Station Eleven and The Girl With All the Gifts.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo comes a mesmerising tale of power, privilege, and dark magic set among the Ivy League elite.

The Library Of The Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith
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In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren’t finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
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New York Times bestselling and Alex, Nebula, and Hugo-Award-winning author Seanan McGuire introduces readers to a world of amoral alchemy, shadowy organisations, and impossible cities in the standalone fantasy, Middlegame.

Recursion by Blake Crouch
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At once a relentless pageturner and an intricate science-fiction puzzlebox about time, identity, and memory, Recursion is a thriller as only Blake Crouch could imagine it—and his most ambitious, mind-boggling, irresistible work to date.

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
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In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light.

Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle #3) by Jay Kristoff
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The epic conclusion of the internationally bestselling Nevernight Chronicle from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey
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Sharp, mainstream fantasy meets compelling thrills of investigative noir in Magic for Liars, a fantasy debut by rising star Sarah Gailey.

Cold Storage by David Koepp
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For readers of Andy Weir and Noah Hawley comes an astonishing debut by the screenwriter of Jurassic Park: a wild and terrifying adventure about three strangers who must work together to contain a highly contagious, deadly organism.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Ready Player One meets Stranger Things in this new novel by the bestselling author who George RR Martin describes as “an excellent writer.”

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world–a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Dragonslayer by Duncan M. Hamilton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In his magnificent, heroic, adventure fantasy, Dragonslayer, Duncan M. Hamilton debuts the first book in a fast-moving trilogy: a dangerous tale of lost magics, unlikely heroes, and reawakened dragons.

Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A decadent rock star. A deeply religious radio host. A disgraced scientist. And a teenage girl who may be the world’s last hope. In the tradition of The Stand and Station Eleven comes a gripping saga that weaves an epic tapestry of humanity into an astonishing tale of survival.

What 2019 fantasy and sci-fi releases have you enjoyed? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Best Fantasy + Sci-Fi Books of 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

With almost 90 million members, Goodreads users add 18 million books to their “want to read” shelves every month plus there’s over 89 million written reviews on Goodreads, so these users know a thing or two about books!

Based on Goodreads, we’ve collated the top 10 fantasy and sci-fi books of 2019 so far according to Goodreads members!

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the internationally bestselling author of The Bone Season, a trailblazing, epic high fantasy about a world on the brink of war with dragons – and the women who must lead the fight to save it.

Recursion by Blake Crouch
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the bestselling author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines trilogy comes a relentless thriller about time, identity, and memory—his most mind-boggling, irresistible work to date, and the inspiration for Shondaland’s upcoming Netflix film.

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
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Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.

Dark Age by Pierce Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Tiamat’s Wrath by James S.A. Corey
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

S. A. Chakraborty continues the sweeping adventure begun in The City of Brass conjuring a world where djinn summon flames with the snap of a finger and waters run deep with old magic; where blood can be dangerous as any spell, and a clever con artist from Cairo will alter the fate of a kingdom.

Exhalation by Ted Chiang
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From an award-winning science fiction writer (whose short story “The Story of Your Life” was the basis for the Academy Award-nominated movie Arrival), the long-awaited new collection of stunningly original, humane, and already celebrated short stories

Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence
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Holy Sister completes the Book of the Ancestor trilogy that began with Red Sister and Grey Sister. A ground-breaking series, it has established Mark Lawrence as one of the most exciting new voices in modern speculative fiction.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the first novel in Marlon James’s Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

Have you read any of these books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Most Popular Fantasy & Sci-Fi Books of 2019 So Far appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Game of Thrones producers broke the hearts of many last month as the series finale aired capturing the attention of millions.

If you have been following the epic fantasy series, then you have probably heard the backlash the producers and HBO team are facing over how they approached the final season. It has even escalated to the point where a petition has been circulating the Internet in which frustrated viewers speak out against how the Thrones team decided to end the ever so popular TV series after eight dramatic seasons. As George. R. R Martin, author of the famous series and now TV show, has yet to complete the final two books in the series, some fans believe that the Thrones team did not do Martin’s ideas justice and that an alternate ending is needed. On the other hand, die-hard fans are just sad that the adventure is over and as such await the remaining books to be published.

In the meantime, if you are looking for post-Game of Thrones books to fill that empty void you may be feeling, then I highly recommend the following novels, many of which are also epic fantasy series in which may help you move on!.

A Time of Dread (Of Blood and Bone Series) by John Gwynne
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A Time of Dread, the first book in the Of Blood and Bone Series, has captured the attention of many seeking the next best epic fantasy series. It is a fiery tale written by the well-known epic fantasy author, John Gwynne, who tells a story of the Banished Lands, a previously used setting in some of his other fantasy novels. Gwynne has created yet another masterpiece in the eyes of many and I strongly recommend reading this novel as well as the sequel, A Time of Blood.

The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence
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In search of a new series about the rise to power? Look no further by picking up The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence. This series consists of 3 novels and follows the main protagonist by the name of Jorg Ancrath who attempts to rise up the ranks in the setting of post-apocalyptic Europe. Having the title of Prince of Throns (ironically the name of the first book in the series), Ancrath faces many challenges, including have to come face-to-face with his childhood fears. This series is both captivating and thrilling and will leave you wanting more as you move from one book to the next!

The Name of The Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles) by Patrick Rothfuss
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If you are looking to add a magical touch to your TBR list then look no further! The Name of the Wind is a fictional tale written by Patrick Rothfuss and has a unique voice to it as it is told by the main character himself Kvothe (otherwise known as “the man of many names” as he takes on many titles throughout series). This series has almost a memoir feel to it as Kvothe tells his story to The Chronicler from start to finish, over a three-day period. Despite the lack of climatic battle scenes, The Name of The Wind is an intriguing, mysterious novel that should definitely be added to your #TBR if you are searching for something to get out of your post-GoT depression.

The City by Stella Gemmell
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The City, a compelling dark-fantasy novel by debut author Stella Gemmell, has caught the attention of many over the last few years as she tells a powerful tale about overcoming the darkness and fear that has taken over The City. The City, a now-abandoned void, is thought to be the home to an ancient emperor for who very little truth is known. This heroic tale against the powers of evil will have you reading this book from start to finish in one sitting!

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
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Black Leopard, Red Wolf has captured the hearts of many with its breath-taking entrance into the fantasy literary world. This novel is the first novel in The Dark Star Trilogy and has been compared to famous epic fantasies such as Tolkien’s work and has even been called “An African Game of Thrones”. 620 pages of adventure, thoughtful character analysis, and, of course, loads of excitement! A definite read for all those fantasy-lovers out there!

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Since we are talking about must-read epic fantasies, how could we not forget the classics? The Lord of The Rings changed the fantasy game by creating a world of its own. From The Fellowship of The Ring to The Return of The King, you will become a part of Middle Earth as you read through the histories and adventures of dear Frodo and Sam, two hobbits living in The Shire. Embark with them on their epic journey through Mordor and enjoy the different characters you meet along the way!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
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Throne of Glass tells a powerful story surrounding a young assassin by the name of Celaena Sardothien who must now fight for her freedom after receiving an opportunity to obtain a royal pardon from the Crown Prince himself. This book, with a strong female lead, tells a compelling tale as you follow Celaena through her triumphs as she fights for her freedom as well as her survival!

The Axe & The Throne by M.D. Ireman
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Said to have “Game of Thrones-style-tales”, The Axe & The Throne has become a fan-favourite among all high-fantasy genre lovers. This detail-friendly novel follows a man by the name of Tallos on his quest to rescue his friend’s oldest son who has been taken by the Northmen a group of people you would not want to be caught with alone. This novel causes all sorts of emotions and will keep you reading until the very end. With a strong fictional world and endless character development, you would be a fool not to add this book to your next epic-fantasy TBR!

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (The Stormlight Achieve Series)
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If you’re looking for a nice-long epic-fantasy read, then you have stumbled upon the right book for you! Brandon Sanderson’s, 1008-page novel, The Way of Kings contains all the critical elements of an epic fantasy and will leave you immersed in the wonderful world of Roshar – a world of stone and storms. With excellent world-building details and character development, this is for sure a Sanderson classic and strongly recommended to those die-hard GoT fans out there.

The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
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Being one of the most-talked about fantasy novels circling the literary world in 2019, The Priory of The Orange Tree tells a tale like no other. Its unique setting and characters will have you attempting to read this book cover to cover just so you can find out what happens at the end! A definite highly recommended read for anyone looking for a new release fantasy!

Any other suggestions? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 10 Books To Read After ‘Game of Thrones’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I never liked the idea of genres.

The author of Booker-winning A Brief History of Seven Killings and African myth inspired Black Leopard, Red Wolf talks to Marcin Zwierzchowski about his views on fantasy literature and why he had troubles getting his new book published in the UK.

I’m trying to get to the mindset of a stereotypical publisher. You have this book that has won a Booker Prize and is a success. And the writer goes to them and says: “My next book is going to be a fantasy”. How did they react? Wouldn’t they react like: “More Jamaica history, please”, because that was a success?

Some publishers would, my publisher wouldn’t. Riverhead is a very sort of unconventional publishing house. I also made things slightly easier by having them read some of it. I wrote the first 100 pages and sent it to them and they absolutely loved it. I think whatever concerns they had were immediately put to rest, because I guess for fantasy readers it’s a really deep fantasy novel, and for literary fiction readers it’s still a very literary book. So if the book hits both and appeals to both audiences, it is all the American publishers look for.

That said, a lot of British publishers didn’t see it that way. For example my publisher who published “A Brief History” in the UK is not publishing this book.

That’s a bit astonishing.

Yeah, for me too. And a lot of publishers in the UK didn’t want it. Because of the exact same reasons why the Americans loved it, a lot of British publishers went: “This is too Sci-Fi for the literary crowd and to literary for the Sci-Fi crowd and neither is going to read it”. But in that case, who’s reading Margaret Atwood, who’s reading Ursula Le Guin?

But it doesn’t surprise anybody in the UK, though. Because they’re still very big on their genres and their margins. It’s the same thing with crime. They’re not going to put a crime book in their best books of the year, they’d put it in their best crime books of the year.

So what kind of a book is “Black Leopard, Red Wolf”?

Most of the fantasy I read starts at the top and it filters down to the urchin in the street. I started with urchin in the street and then worked my way back up. So that’s one thing.

The second thing is that even though it’s a trilogy, it’s not a part one, part two, part three. So it’s a trilogy, but part two doesn’t pick up when part one leaves off. So part one finishes off the whole story.

It wouldn’t be in the blurb, but the basic gist is there are three survivors of what happened. They’re trying to find this kid, but the kid is dead, and there are three survivors. And each survivor’s testimony is a different book. So basically it’s three characters telling the same story.

I did it because I wasn’t interested in part one, part two, part three. I’d get bored. Also while doing research for African legends and African story to an African myths I found that there is no such thing as an authentic story. There’s no director’s cut. It’s five different versions of the same story. In Africa they understand that stories can change and meanings can change and it doesn’t mean your story is more true than my story. And that’s a big part of African storytelling.

And that was one reason why I also wrote it – because I was also very interested in how three people looking at the same thing can tell three different things.

You said you were a nerd and a geek, and you would read fantasy, and in your other books like “John Crow’s Devil” there was a bit of stuff like that. But now it’s a big leap from “A Brief History of Seven Killings”, and for some people it could be a bit shocking. You said you had to reinvent how you wrote. Maybe you can elaborate a bit on that?

It didn’t feel like a shocking turn for me, because I’ve always loved sci-fi and I’ve always loved crime. You know, I read sci-fi to the point where of all the movies I thought I’ve seen, I haven’t seen them, I’ve read the novelisation. It wasn’t until I watched “Empire Strikes Back” that I realised I have never seen “Empire Strikes Back”, I’ve read the tie-in. “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”: I have never seen this. I read the book. So even that even my film language of sci-fi is from the books. So to me it’s almost like a homecoming. I knew it was going to be this adventure. And even in a really realistic book like “A Brief History” one of the characters was still a ghost. So I never let go of the surreal.

You never set boundaries of genres.

I never liked the idea of genres.

Both Hemingway and Faulkner ripped off Dashiell Hammett. Both of them ripped off Chandler, and they weren’t shy about it either. Both of them learned a huge lesson in narrative economy from Chandler.

So to me it wasn’t as big a leap.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez says that if you come from the Caribbean then you understand why you write stories about it raining frogs. It’s because the Caribbean reality is wilder than the craziest picture.

One of my problems sometimes when people write Sci-fi is you get a sense that they don’t believe in the world they’re writing. It’s interesting reading how magic works in a lot of books. It’s fantasy, but they’re writing from such a Christian point of view. The idea that this magic is kind of weak anyway, it’s not really effective, yet I believe it, but it might be a psychosis. The sword is going to beat the witch. If you believe that version of it, if you walk into it with a sort of Calvinist Judeo-Christian bullshit, what if you’re from that world and you don’t believe it at all? There is this TV show, I think it’s called “Britannia”, great show. What I like about the show is the world view that their world is real.

I want to write a world where these things were real to people… You know Valhalla didn’t become real because some Viking plucked it out of his ass. Valhalla became real because it is real. And you walk through the world as if Valhalla counts. You don’t walk through the world as though deep down this is kind of bullshit. So for me it’s fantasy in a way that we define it. It’s not fantasy in a way anybody in the book would define it. It’s the thing that Ursula Le Guinn got so right. You don’t read “Earthsea” removing yourself, thinking: “none of this would happen”. Of course it happens! And I think that’s important. So the book I wrote to me is a fantasy novel, but it’s also a historical novel, because if somebody from that world would be telling a story, there would be giant fish, and mermaids, and shapeshifting hyenas and all the other crazy stuff.

I left writing my book totally believing in a lot of stuff I wrote. I mean why not.

Europe is never mentioned in the book. And Europeans are never mentioned. The only time it’s mentioned is one character said I just came from a place where everybody plays hide and seek with the sun. And every 7 days they eat their own god.

It was very important to me to write the book from the perspective of the characters as opposed to mine… So I had to let go of that, and to let go of even Westerner ideas that if you work hard there’ll be reward, and good is this, and evil is that. I had to let go of it, or I’d end up writing “Lord of the Rings” with brown people in it or “Game of Thrones” with black people in it. Somebody asked me that: “Is it Game of Thrones with black people?”.

Yes, I saw the tagline for the book, and it was like “the African Game of Thrones”. So how much truth is in it?

There isn’t a lot of truth in it. It is in sense I also like writing about the fall of kings. So ultimately yes, there is a king in it. And the other two things I got from “Game of Thrones” are, one: a sense of uncertainty; you never know who’s gonna die. I think that’s one of the best things in “Game of Thrones”. I also wanted to write a fantasy novel that is very adult. Somebody asked me can a child read my book? This is the best way I can put it: there are some books when you’re growing up that were written for you and there’re some books that you steal. And to me the book that I wrote is a book as a kid you steal.

This is pretty violent, all my books are violent. It touches on things like rape, murder, assassination, etc.

But yeah I remember the first time I read “Shogun” you know I remember when I read “Lord of the Flies”. Books that even though they have children in it, they weren’t meant as children’s books, like “Catcher In The Rye”. That’s, I guess, kind of what I wrote. I wrote the book I would sneak off and steal.

Can you talk about the African background and the myths in the book?

Some of it is what I knew. And being the descendants of slaves and being raised to be a member of the British colony, I was surprised how much of Africa is still in Jamaica and in the Diaspora. Some of it was a surprise. I know some of the ancient stories and so on. But even the way in which we speak which we like to think is a very inferior English, it’s actually not. It’s because of the African languages in the voice. Like one thing about some African languages for example the verb always remain present tense. So Jamaican English I don’t say “he went” I say “he did go”. I don’t say something like “I’ll be there soon” I say “I soon go”.

A lot of people would think that’s just some backward English. It’s not, it’s the African surviving in your mouth, it’s the African surviving in your tongue. So some of that I knew. A lot of that I didn’t know. For a lot of that I had to do research, I spent two years researching it.

Is there one specific book of African folk tales, because I can find those with German or Nord stuff…

But there are no books of African folk tales. Such that, because people thought nobody would be interested, none of them are popular. So many of those folk tales are historical documents and research documents. I’m sure some people, usually racist, would ask “why is there no African Iliad?”. But there are tonnes of African “Iliads”, we just hadn’t had our Homer yet. A lot of those epics, we’re waiting for a point to translate them. Right now it’s historians, and thank God! This means the documents are there, but you know. “The Iliad” wasn’t “The Iliad” until Homer got to it.

So a lot of these things that I read are historical documents, are research documents, are first hand documents, but also a lot of people have been transcribing the epics. You know, take what these guys have been singing with choral guitar and put it in what’s in it in prose. It’s what people don’t know. It’s is hilarious that people said to me “The Lion King” was based on “Hamlet”. I was like: “well a few things. One, you purely have never seen Hamlet”.

I’m trying to see the resemblance.

Americans see it all the time. I think it’s because Scar kills his brother. That’s the only connection. And as far as I know, the lion king doesn’t get everyone he knows and loves killed.

Lion King is based on Sundyata or the Lion of Mali. I mean, the movie didn’t even change the family name. The family’s name is Simba. But so what, take a story, who cares? But I think lot of people don’t realise that so many stories are already with us. People think Pete Seeger wrote “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. No he didn’t. An African man wrote that.

But I set out to do tons of research and not just the stories, but also the world view behind the stories, and the morals behind it.

This must have been absolutely fun for you.

Loads of fun. I’m always amazed when people say how hard writing is. I’m like: “so?”.

It’s hard to find time for writing. But the research is absolutely fascinating.

People say that to me. The number of times I hear people say: “I wish I had time to write.” And I was like: “Why do you think writing has time for you? If you can’t make time to write, then you’re not a writer. If you wish you had time to write, you’re not a writer.” That’s fine, go write. There are lots of people who write who are not writers. But then you wrote a book, you’re not a writer. Art doesn’t work like that. I don’t know a single painter, a single dancer who says: “well, you know, I can’t find time to dance”. Or I don’t know a single dancer who says “when the inspiration hits me, I go out to dance”. No, you go do the damn work and you rehearse and you practice. Writers are the only people who come up with that bullshit. I had somebody say to me: “I write when I’m inspired”. I’m like: “wow, I haven’t been inspired since 1986”.

I can’t tell the last time I was inspired. I sit at my desk and I do my work. And then I do the revisions. But I also believe, whether you believe in inspiration, the muses, genius, or brilliance, whatever you call it, if you set a routine, the muses will show up. You get to dictate inspiration, so that inspiration isn’t dictating to you. And every other artist knows this. A dancer can’t say “I don’t feel like it today”. I don’t know any good musician who does that.

Sometimes my students would say “I didn’t write, because I was having a bad weekend”. And I’m like “I’m sure you think you had a bad weekend, but I’m sure you didn’t have as bad a weekend as Virginia Woolf”. And she still wrote dozens of essays and over a dozen books. Yes she eventually killed herself but that’s beside the point. The writing, the dancing, the painting, the art doesn’t give a damn how you feel. And thank God or I would never produce anything!

Someone asked Neil Gaiman: “How do you do it? How to start writing?” and he said: “Just do it”. And then do revisions, because if you didn’t do anything, you can’t do the revisions.

Revision is rewriting the book. With every book I write, I like to think I’m a better writer and this book I’ll only revise twice. And this new one, which I thought I’ll just write and be done. I revised it like five times. You never get good at it, which is great, because you’ get bored. What’s there to discover? Where’s the fear? People say: “You must be brave”. I’m like: “Are you crazy? I’m scared all the time!” Every book I’ve written starts with the “how the hell is this going to get written?”. Every book I write comes from a point of impossibility, there’s no way I can write I have no idea what to do. I should just quit right now nobody will know, because I wouldn’t have told them. And whether it’s inspiration whether it’s dumb luck, so many of the stuff I write happen because I overhear somebody and I go “oh my God, it’s such a great way!”. This book, the sci-fi book happened because of “The Affair”. And I haven’t seen that show, somebody was telling me the basic premise. I said: “Oh my God, that’s a novel!”.

Everything I’ve written starts from the point of view of I don’t know how to pull this off.

Even after the Booker, after all those great reviews?

Every book! The only thing that was reassuring writing this new book is when I realised “oh I’ve been through here before”. Because I have. And every book I’m like: “this is what’s going to kill me. I might as well just pack up and be done. I can’t. I don’t know what to do”.

But you still write, so it’s not a bad feeling, this fear, because if it were so bad, you wouldn’t go back.

Maybe it’s just glutton for punishment, because it’s easy. This is also what I always forget. I always remember the end of writing a book. So I can sit here, having a great mood about it, but I was absolutely nerve-wrecked back then. Why did I stick with it? Because I don’t know any better. I also think I write because one: that’s what I’m here to do. And I really don’t think I could do anything else. Which is funny, because I have done everything else. I’ve done nearly every career there is. But you get to the point that despite knowing how to do things, you get to the point when people ask you if you weren’t writing what would you be doing, you can’t answer the question. And I can’t answer the question. I don’t know what I’d be doing even though I’ve done nearly everything.

Do you have one story that stuck with you, you were surprised and you found lovely and weird?

I don’t know if it’s lovely, but it’s definitely weird. So most of the African epics tend to be about men. Even when there are women, there aren’t a lot of them. Only one has been translated so far. It’s from a point of view of a woman and she’s a cannibal witch. The great thing about this story is that the only person who could win with her was her own daughter. And her own daughter out-witched her. But the cannibal witch doesn’t die, she doesn’t die from a comeuppance like you’d expect. She just dies from old age. She’s like: “Alright, my own daughter beat me, I’m gonna lie down and die now” and that’s the end. But it’s such a thoroughly feminist story almost by accident. Because all the men in the story are stupid and they get eaten, the only person wise enough to outsmart her is her own daughter. It’s a fantastic story, I couldn’t believe it when I was reading it.

Have you read any books by Marlon James? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Interview: Marlon James, Author of ‘Black Leopard, Red Wolf’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

So begins Black Leopard, Red Wolf, the first book in The Dark Star Trilogy by Man Booker Prize-winning author Marlon James. To say that this is a sweeping novel is an understatement. At 620 pages, there does not appear to be much that this epic work does not tackle. It is a one-of-a-kind story of journeys and adventure, kinship and love, sex and violence, creatures and humanity. Based heavily in African history and mythology, this tale centers on Tracker – a young hunter who is tasked with finding a missing boy and just so happens to find a bit of himself along the way. Accompanied by an endlessly entertaining cast of characters that includes Leopard, a snarky shape-shifter, Tracker unravels the mystery of who the boy is and why finding him is of such critical importance.

Because the plot is so expansive, it is difficult to give much more of a synopsis without ultimately spoiling the many surprises that this novel contains. What I can say, however, is that James has done a masterful job of weaving complex themes throughout the novel. He touches on race and ethnicity, obviously, but pushes into a broad range of subjects including sexuality and gender roles, power and purpose, remorse and regret, the nature of man, and the ties that bond us together. His characters are complex and three-dimensional, each having flaws and strengths, trials and successes, pains and hope.

It is also imperative to mention the quality of James’s writing. The style that he has chosen is deliberate, reflecting an air of the ancient. It requires attention and focus to process all that he lays before you. His language is rich and descriptive, and the world of Tracker and Leopard is so carefully and convincingly constructed, on both a macro and micro level, that I could literally imagine myself set down in each scene. Some readers have reported finding it difficult to get into this book at first, however that was not my experience. (I must make a disclaimer, though, that I am generally a fan of long, rambling books!) It should also be mentioned that some readers have had difficulty with the graphic nature of the sex and violence portrayed within, however James is unapologetic about this as both a part his writing and indeed life itself.

I honestly don’t think I have ever read a book in my life where so much happened. And I’m certain that I haven’t had to “work” so hard while reading for some time. The entire reading experience was punctuated by flipping back and forth to examine maps and character lists, jotting down notes, and tabbing meaningful quotes. Every bit of the work was worth it, though.

Reading this book is an undertaking, much like the journeys that are set forth within it; however it is one that is well worth taking and I highly recommend this novel to others.

Is your interest piqued? Here are a few additional interesting tidbits worth noting, as well as links for further reading on this unique novel and it’s author:

James spoke of this novel/trilogy as stemming from his “dream of writing fantasy that honoured the African diaspora.” This truly appears to be a passion project for him. He is even responsible for drawing the maps found throughout the book himself! For additional information, see The New Yorker profile on Marlon James.

In terms of background and inspiration for the novel, James has stated that he was trying to follow the rise of the Iron Age. He was also inspired by imperial-age Ethiopia, as well as a number of African epic tales. Each book in this trilogy will reportedly have a different narrator and James has stated that it will be up to the reader to decide who is telling the truth in the end. For additional information, see the conversation with Marlon James from Electric Lit.

Marlon James is the author of three other novels: John Crow’s Devil (2005), The Book of Night Women (2009), and A Brief History of Seven Killings (2014), which won the 2015 Man Booker Prize. He was born in Jamaica but currently resides in Minnesota where he teaches literature at Macalester College in St. Paul. He was recently named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2019.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Have you read Black Leopard, Red Wolf? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Tracker is known far and wide for his skills as a hunter: “He has a nose,” people say. Engaged to track down a mysterious boy who disappeared three years earlier, Tracker breaks his own rule of always working alone when he finds himself part of a group that comes together to search for the boy. The band is a hodgepodge, full of unusual characters with secrets of their own, including a shape-shifting man-animal known as Leopard.

As Tracker follows the boy’s scent—from one ancient city to another; into dense forests and across deep rivers—he and the band are set upon by creatures intent on destroying them. As he struggles to survive, Tracker starts to wonder: Who, really, is this boy? Why has he been missing for so long? Why do so many people want to keep Tracker from finding him? And perhaps the most important questions of all: Who is telling the truth, and who is lying?

Drawing from African history and mythology and his own rich imagination, Marlon James has written a saga of breathtaking adventure that’s also an ambitious, involving read. Defying categorization and full of unforgettable characters, Black Leopard, Red Wolf is both surprising and profound as it explores the fundamentals of truths, the limits of power, the excesses of ambition, and our need to understand them all.

The post Review: Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be checking any of them out!

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
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In the stunning first novel in Marlon James’s Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child.

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons
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Uniting the worldbuilding of a Brandon Sanderson with the storytelling verve of a Patrick Rothfuss, debut author Jenn Lyons delivers an entirely new and captivating fantasy epic. Prepare to meet the genre’s next star.

Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik
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A space princess on the run and a notorious outlaw soldier become unlikely allies in this imaginative, sexy space opera adventure—the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy.

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
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Yangsze Choo’s The Night Tiger pulls us into a world of servants and masters, age-old superstition and modern idealism, sibling rivalry and forbidden love. But anchoring this dazzling and propulsive novel is the intimate coming of age of a child and a young woman, each searching for their place in a society that would rather they stay invisible.

The Dysasters by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
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P.C. and Kristin Cast, the #1 New York Times bestselling authors of the House of Night phenomenon, return to the scene with The Dysasters―the first action-packed novel in a new paranormal fantasy series.

Dark of the West by Joanna Hathaway
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He was raised in revolution. She was raised in a palace. Can their love stop a war? Code Name Verity meets The Winner’s Curse in Joanna Hathaway’s Dark of the West, a breathtaking YA fantasy debut.

The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders
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Set on a planet that has fully definitive, never-changing zones of day and night, with ensuing extreme climates of endless, frigid darkness and blinding, relentless light, humankind has somehow continued apace — though the perils outside the built cities are rife with danger as much as the streets below.

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie
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Gods meddle in the fates of men, men play with the fates of gods, and a pretender must be cast down from the throne in this breathtaking first fantasy novel from Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Awards.

The Afterward by E.K. Johnston
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Apprentice Knight Kalanthe Ironheart wasn’t meant for heroism so early in life, and while she has no intention of giving up the notoriety she’s earned, reputation doesn’t pay her bills. Olsa Rhetsdaughter was never meant for heroism at all. Beggar and thief, she lived hand to mouth on the streets until fortune–or fate–pulled her into Kalanthe’s orbit. And now she’s reluctant to leave it. Even more alarmingly, her fame has made her profession difficult, and a choice between poverty and the noose isn’t much of a choice at all.

Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
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Told in alternating perspectives, when Sybella discovers there is another trained assassin from St. Mortain’s convent deep undercover in the French court, she must use every skill in her arsenal to navigate the deadly royal politics and find her sister in arms before her time—and that of the newly crowned queen—runs out.

The Test by Sylvain Neuvel
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Britain, the not-too-distant future. Idir is sitting the British Citizenship Test. He wants his family to belong. Twenty-five questions to determine their fate. Twenty-five chances to impress. When the test takes an unexpected and tragic turn, Idir is handed the power of life and death. How do you value a life when all you have is multiple choice?

Apocalypse Five by Stacey Rourke
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For decades, Earth’s best line of defense has been a team of young soldiers known as the Apocalypse Five, forced into virtual reality simulations to train for Doom’s Day. But, this is no game. Death on the grid is brutally final and calls up the next in a long line of cadets. All it takes is one unscheduled mission, showing seventeen-year-old team leader Detroit a harsh and unfathomable reality, to shake the A5’s belief in all they thought they knew. After questioning people with the power to destroy them, the team is framed for a crime they didn’t commit and marked for death.

Which February 2019 fantasy or sci-fi read are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post February Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Perhaps you’re in need of some YA? Be on the look out for Leigh Bardugo’s King of Scars, Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Virtue and Vengeance, Christine Riccio’s Again, But Better, and Kasie West’s Maybe This Time.

If fantasy and sci-fi is more your speed, pick up Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree, Marlon James’ Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow, or Rick Riordan’s The Tyrant’s Tomb.

Or get drawn into a good mystery or thriller with Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s An Anonymous Girl, Samantha Downing’s My Lovely Wife, Wendy Walker’s The Night Before, and Megan Goldin’s The Escape Room.

Read on to discover just a few of the exciting 2019 new releases you can check out and tell us in the comments below if you will be adding them to your list!

JANUARY

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way.

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An unforgettable romantic comedy about a woman who finally has a shot at her long time crush—if she dares.

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in a darkly glamorous world, The Gilded Wolves is full of mystery, decadence, and dangerous but thrilling adventure.

The Suspect by Fiona Barton
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The new must-read standalone crime thriller from the author of Sunday Times bestseller, The Widow, and the Richard & Judy No. 1 bestseller, The Child – featuring unforgettable journalist, Kate Waters.

Golden Child by Claire Adam
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A deeply affecting debut novel set in Trinidad, following the lives of a family as they navigate impossible choices about scarcity, loyalty, and love.

FEBRUARY

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’s homage to hip-hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the internationally bestselling author of The Bone Season, a trailblazing, epic high fantasy about a world on the brink of war with dragons – and the women who must lead the fight to save it.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A fascinating historical novel about a battle-haunted English journalist and a Russian female bomber pilot who join forces to track the Huntress, a Nazi war criminal gone to ground in America.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Marlon James draws on a rich tradition of African mythology, fantasy and history to imagine an ancient world, a lost child, an extraordinary hunter, and a mystery with many answers…

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive…

Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A sweeping and enchanting new novel from the widely beloved, award-winning author Elizabeth McCracken about three generations of an unconventional New England family who own and operate a candlepin bowling alley

MARCH

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Pena
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Clark Kent has always been faster, stronger, better than everyone around him. But he wasn’t raised to show off, and drawing attention to himself could be dangerous. Plus, it’s not like he’s earned his powers . . . yet.

Run Away by Harlan Coben
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

She’s addicted to drugs and to an abusive boyfriend. You haven’t seen her in six months. Then you find her busking in New York’s Central Park. But she’s not the girl you remember. This woman is frail, filthy, terrified, and in more trouble than you ever imagined.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi (Pushed back to June 2019)
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the stunning sequel to Tomi Adeyemi’s New York Times bestselling debut Children of Blood and Bone, the first title in her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A thrilling story told in the form of an extended oral history, Daisy Jones and the Six transports the reader to the world of ’70’s rock ‘n roll; creative chaos, musical alchemy and an iconic sound.

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Influenced by the mysterious place gingerbread holds in classic children’s stories from the tantalizing witch’s house in “Hansel and Gretel” to the man-shaped confection who one day decides to run as fast as he can. this is a delightful tale of a surprising family legacy, in which the inheritance is a recipe.

APRIL

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, the paths of three individuals entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A twisty, compelling novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in murder…

The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From #1 New York Times bestseller Cassandra Clare and award-winner Wesley Chu comes the first book in a new series that follows High Warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood as they tour the world after the Mortal War.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Compulsive, creepy, and inspired by some our darkest fairy tales, Little Darlings will have you checking―and rechecking―your own little ones. Just to be sure. Just to be safe.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The New York Times bestselling author of Pucked and The Good Luck Charm delivers a Hollywood happily-ever-after where a famous heartthrob falls for his ultimate fangirl in this sexy standalone romantic comedy.

MAY

Again, But Better by Christine Riccio
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Shane has been doing college all wrong. Her life has been dorm, dining hall, class, repeat. She needs a change — there’s nothing like moving to a new country to really mix things up. Shane signs up for a semester abroad in London. She’s going to right all her college mistakes: make friends, pursue boys, and find adventure! Easier said than done.

The Night Before by Wendy Walker
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Told in dual timelines—the night before and the day after—The Night Before is a riveting thriller about family loyalty, obsession, and what happens when the desire for love spins out of control.

Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the academy would touch…

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the critically acclaimed author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart…

We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award longlist title The Poet X comes a dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.

JUNE

I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Catherine McKenzie, the instant bestselling author of The Good Liar, comes a riveting domestic suspense in the vein of Liane Moriarty that sees five siblings forced to confront a tragedy they thought was buried long ago.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an imaginative fantasy about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.

The Beholder by Anna Bright
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Follow Brother Zachariah and see, against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealings and festive celebrations, Anna Lightwood’s first romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin and Tessa Gray plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor.

The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Inspired by fascinating, true, yet little-known events during World War II, The Long Flight Home is a testament to the power of courage in our darkest hours—a moving, masterfully written story of love and sacrifice.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and The Signature of All Things, a delicious novel of glamour, sex, and adventure, about a young woman discovering that you don’t have to be a good girl to be a good person.

JULY

Dark Age by Pierce Brown
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Morning Star returns to the Red Rising universe with the thrilling sequel to Iron Gold.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The next heart-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager follows a young woman whose new job apartment sitting in one of New York’s oldest and most glamorous buildings may cost more than it pays.

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Maddie and Theo have two things in common: Alexa is their best friend and they hate each other. After an “oops, we made a mistake” night together, neither one can stop thinking about the other.

The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A gritty YA fantasy about a young chieftain from a persecuted caste of mercy-killers who must rely on her wits and bone magic to smuggle the crown prince to safety.

Maybe This Time by Kasie West
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

One year. Nine events. Nine chances to…fall in love? Told over the course of one year and following Sophie from event to event, this delightful novel from master of romantic comedy Kasie West shows how love can blossom in unexpected places.

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amar El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in this thrilling and romantic book from award-winning authors Amal-El Mohtar and Max Gladstone.

AUGUST

Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel about family, hope, and learning to love against all odds.

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

For fans of JP Delaney’s The Girl Before and Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10 comes this hair-raising novel of deception and revenge that will blow readers away.

The Dragon Republic by RF Kuang
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Mayan God of Death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore, for readers of The Song of Achilles and Uprooted.

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of Rust & Stardust comes this heartbreaking story, inspired by true events, of how far one mother must go to protect her daughter.

Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell
Goodreads | Amazon

Pumpkinheads is a book about fall and friendship and saying good-bye. About puns and pumpkin spice. And about taking a moment, while everything around you changes, to appreciate something wonderful.

SEPTEMBER

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story 15 years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A ruthless young assassin’s journey for revenge comes to a stunning end in the conclusion of this acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy.

The World of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The official guide to the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series complete with characters, creatures, new artwork, and more!

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Ninth House trilogy—Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, and Alecto the Ninth—is an epic science fantasy that blends necromantic theory and thrilling swordplay with a wicked, sacrilegious sense of humor; a modern mix of Dune, Riddick, and Gormenghast.

His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler, Kendare Blake, Rin Chupeco, and more
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dahlia Adler (ed.)’s HIS HIDEOUS HEART, a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s most unsettling and surprising short stories reimagined by authors Kendare Blake, Rin Chupeco, Lamar Giles, Tessa Gratton, Tiffany Jackson, Stephanie Kuehn, Amanda Lovelace, Emily Lloyd-Jones, Hillary Monahan, Marieke Nijkamp, Caleb Roehrig, and Fran Wild.

The Tyrant’s Tomb by Rick Riordan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

It’s not easy being Apollo, especially when you’ve been turned into a human and banished from Olympus. On his path to restoring five ancient oracles and reclaiming his godly powers, Apollo (aka Lester Papadopoulos) has faced both triumphs and tragedies. Now his journey takes him to Camp Jupiter in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Roman demigods are preparing for a desperate last stand against the evil Triumvirate of Roman emperors.

OCTOBER

The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner
Goodreads | Book Depository

Teagan can’t have what she wants most in life. Now everywhere she goes and everyone she knows are constant reminders of this. Desperate for a distraction, she needs to focus her energy elsewhere. Suddenly a foreign news story shocks her to the core. From that moment, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. It could become a global game changer.

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
Goodreads

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful. And these vampires don’t sparkle. They slay.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The new series centers on Alex Stern, a 20-year-old California high school dropout with a criminal past who is mysteriously offered a second chance as a Yale University freshman. Ninth House, the first book, follows Stern’s freshman year, where she is charged with monitoring Yale’s secret societies, who engage in sinister occult activities.

Untitled by Paula Hawkins
Goodreads

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco
Goodreads

Pitched as Frozen meets Mad Max, the series is about a world ruled by goddesses that has been split in two—one half existing in perpetual scorching Day, the other in freezing Night—and the twins separated at birth who learn they’re destined to make their way across the great divide and rule a reunited world.

Into The Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

NOVEMBER – DECEMBER

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a strange book hidden in the library stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare comes the first novel in a brand-new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London. Chain of Gold is a Shadowhunters novel.

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson
Goodreads

The follow-up to Brandon Sanderson’s 2018 YA sci-fi novel Skyward.

The Light of All The Falls by James Islington
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Light of All That Falls concludes the epic adventure that began in The Shadow of What Was Lost, the acclaimed fantasy blockbuster from James Islington.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A heart-breaking, uplifting story for fans of PS I Love You and Jojo Moyes, this gorgeously romantic novel will make you laugh, cry and remind you of what a wonderful gift it is to love and to be loved.

Quantum by Patricia Cornwell
Goodreads | Amazon

International bestselling, award-winning, and groundbreaking author Patricia Cornwell will introduce a new heroine for the technological age with Quantum.

What new release are you most excited to read this year? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 2019 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you loved the sub-Saharan African setting of the blockbuster Marvel movie Black Panther and find yourself keen to read some adult fantasy and science fiction with similar settings, then here are 12 books to check out!

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be checking any of them out!

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor | Science Fantasy | Goodreads

In a far future, post-nuclear-holocaust Africa, genocide plagues one region. The aggressors, the Nuru, have decided to follow the Great Book and exterminate the Okeke. But when the only surviving member of a slain Okeke village is brutally raped, she manages to escape, wandering farther into the desert. She gives birth to a baby girl with hair and skin the color of sand and instinctively knows that her daughter is different. She names her daughter Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient African tongue. Reared under the tutelage of a mysterious and traditional shaman, Onyesonwu discovers her magical destiny – to end the genocide of her people. The journey to fulfill her destiny will force her to grapple with nature, tradition, history, true love, the spiritual mysteries of her culture – and eventually death itself.

The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson | Epic Fantasy | Goodreads

Since leaving his homeland, the earthbound demigod Demane has been labeled a sorcerer. With his ancestors’ artefacts in hand, the Sorcerer follows the Captain, a beautiful man with song for a voice and hair that drinks the sunlight. The two of them are the descendants of the gods who abandoned the Earth for Heaven, and they will need all the gifts those divine ancestors left to them to keep their caravan brothers alive. The one safe road between the northern oasis and southern kingdom is stalked by a necromantic terror. Demane may have to master his wild powers and trade humanity for godhood if he is to keep his brothers and his beloved captain alive.

Rosewater by Tade Thompson | Science Fiction | Goodreads

Between meeting a boy who bursts into flames, alien floaters that want to devour him, and a butterfly woman who he has sex with when he enters the xenosphere, Kaaro’s life is far from the simple one he wants. But he left simple behind a long time ago when he was caught stealing and nearly killed by an angry mob. Now he works for a government agency called Section 45, and they want him to find a woman known as Bicycle Girl. And that’s just the beginning. An alien entity lives beneath the ground, forming a biodome around which the city of Rosewater thrives. The citizens of Rosewater are enamored by the dome, hoping for a chance to meet the beings within or possibly be invited to come in themselves. But Kaaro isn’t so enamored. He was in the biodome at one point and decided to leave it behind. When something begins killing off other sensitives like himself, Kaaro defies Section 45 to search for an answer, facing his past and coming to a realization about a horrifying future

The Famished Road by Ben Okri | Magical Realism | Goodreads

The narrator, Azaro, is an abiku, a spirit child, who in the Yoruba tradition of Nigeria exists between life and death. The life he foresees for himself and the tale he tells is full of sadness and tragedy, but inexplicably he is born with a smile on his face. Nearly called back to the land of the dead, he is resurrected. But in their efforts to save their child, Azaro’s loving parents are made destitute. The tension between the land of the living, with its violence and political struggles, and the temptations of the carefree kingdom of the spirits propels this latter-day Lazarus’s story.

Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord | Fairy Tale | Goodreads

A tale of adventure, magic, and the power of the human spirit. Paama’s husband is a fool and a glutton. Bad enough that he followed her to her parents’ home in the village of Makendha—now he’s disgraced himself by murdering livestock and stealing corn. When Paama leaves him for good, she attracts the attention of the undying ones—the djombi— who present her with a gift: the Chaos Stick, which allows her to manipulate the subtle forces of the world. Unfortunately, a wrathful djombi with indigo skin believes this power should be his and his alone. A contemporary fairy tale that is inspired in part by a Senegalese folk tale.

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter | Epic Fantasy | Goodreads

One in twenty-five hundred Omehi women are Gifted, wielding fragments of their Goddess’ power and capable of controlling the world’s most destructive weapon – Dragons. One in a hundred of their men has blood strong enough for the Gifted to infuse with magic, turning these warriors into near unstoppable colossi. The rest are bred to fight, ferocious soldiers fated to die in the endless war. Tau Tafari, an Omehi commoner, wants more than this, but his life is destroyed when he’s betrayed by those he was born to serve. Now, with too few Gifted left and the Omehi facing genocide, Tau cares only for revenge. Following an unthinkable path, he will become the greatest swordsman to ever live, dying a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill three of his own people.

The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola | Folktale | Goodreads

When Amos Tutuola’s first novel, The Palm-Wine Drinkard, appeared in 1952, it aroused exceptional worldwide interest. Drawing on the West African (Nigeria) Yoruba oral folktale tradition, Tutuola described the odyssey of a devoted palm-wine drinker through a nightmare of fantastic adventure. Since then, The Palm-Wine Drinkard has been translated into more than 15 languages and has come to be regarded as a masterwork of one of Africa’s most influential writers.

Imaro by Charles R. Saunders | Sword and Sorcery | Goodreads

Saunders’ novel fuses the narrative style of fantasy fiction with a pre-colonial, alternate Africa. Inspired by and directly addresses the alienation of growing up an African American fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy, which to this day remains a very ethnically homogenous genre. It addresses this both structurally (via its unique setting) and thematically (via its alienated, tribeless hero-protagonist). The tribal tensions and histories presented in this fantasy novel reflect actual African tribal histories and tensions, and provide a unique perspective to current and recent conflicts in Africa, particularly the Rwandan genocide and the ongoing conflict in The Sudan.

Wizard of the Crow by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o | Magical Realism | Goodreads

From the exiled Kenyan novelist, playwright, poet, and literary critic–a magisterial comic novel that is certain to take its place as a landmark of postcolonial African literature. In exile now for more than twenty years, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o has become one of the most widely read African writers of our time, the power and scope of his work garnering him international attention and praise. His aim in Wizard of the Crow is, in his own words, nothing less than “to sum up Africa of the twentieth century in the context of two thousand years of world history.” Commencing in “our times” and set in the “Free Republic of Aburĩria,” the novel dramatizes with corrosive humor and keenness of observation a battle for control of the souls of the Aburĩrian people. Among the contenders: His High Mighty Excellency; the eponymous Wizard, an avatar of folklore and wisdom; the corrupt Christian Ministry; and the nefarious Global Bank. Fashioning the stories of the powerful and the ordinary into a dazzling mosaic, Wizard of the Crow reveals humanity in all its endlessly surprising complexity.

Changa’s Safari by Milton J. Davis | Sword and Sorcery | Goodreads

In the 15th century on the African continent the young prince Changa Diop flees his homeland of Kongo, vowing to seek revenge for the death of his father and free his family and people from the foul sorcerer Usenge. He survives slavery and the fighting pits of Mogadishu, eventually becoming a merchant adventurer whose extraordinary skills and determination makes him a legend. From the Swahili merchant cities of Mombasa and Sofala to the magnificent Middle Kingdom, Changa and his crew experience adventures beyond the imagination. Despite his reputation, Changa will not rest until he has fulfilled his promise to his people. The anchors are lifted and the sails are dropped. Let the safari begin.

Acacia: The War with the Mein by David Anthony Durham | Epic Fantasy | Goodreads

Leodan Akaran, ruler of the Known World, has inherited generations of apparent peace and prosperity, won ages ago by his ancestors. A widower of high intelligence, he presides over an empire called Acacia, after the idyllic island from which he rules. He dotes on his four children and hides from them the dark realities of traffic in drugs and human lives on which their prosperity depends. He hopes that he might change this, but powerful forces stand in his way. And then a deadly assassin sent from a race called the Mein, exiled long ago to an ice-locked stronghold in the frozen north, strikes at Leodan in the heart of Acacia while they unleash surprise attacks across the empire. On his deathbed, Leodan puts into play a plan to allow his children to escape, each to their separate destiny. And so his children begin a quest to avenge their father’s death and restore the Acacian empire—this time on the basis of universal freedom.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James | Epic Fantasy | Goodreads

Three characters—the Tracker, the Moon Witch, and the Boy—are locked in a dungeon in the castle of a dying king, awaiting torture and trial for the death of a child. They were three of eight mercenaries who had been hired to find the child; the search, expected to take two months, took nine years. In the end, five of the eight mercenaries, as well as the child, were dead. What happened? Where did their stories begin? And how did each story end? These are the questions Marlon James poses in the Dark Star Trilogy, three novels set amid African legend and his own fertile imagination – an African Game of Thrones. From royal intrigue to thrilling and dangerous voyages, and complete with pirates, queens, witches, shape-shifters and monsters, these novels are part fantasy, part myth and part detective story…

Have you read, or do you plan to read, any of these? Or do you have any recommendations? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 12 Sci-Fi + Fantasy Novels With African Inspired Settings appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Written by Jasmine Shaheen

Welcome back, Nerds!

A new week means a new literary adventure, and this week we are heading to the homeland of the iconic Bob Marley: Jamaica. A culture so diverse and lively on its own; with its people, language and most definitely its books.

Here are five books by Jamaican authors that you don’t want to miss!

Read on to discover some great books and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading any of them!

August Town by Kei Miller | Goodreads

This novel is a miniature of Jamaica; its history, culture, people, and folklore. It has a set of unique characters; no one has too small of a role or too big. They are different in many things, they are not related directly to each other, but they all make a thread that connects them all together. With his poetic lyricism, Miller excels in immersing the reader in the Jamaican culture and its history.

The Book of Night Women by Marlon James | Goodreads

Dayton Literary Peace Prize for Fiction is a vivid, violent, difficult, gripping, disturbing and most of all; real story. This book will rile your emotions, will make you angry but it will make you understand. A not to be missed and a must read on 18^th century slavery.  Rape

Cannibal by Safiya Sinclair | Goodreads

Mixed with some Shakespearean allusions, the Jamaican-American poet uses her black female persona as she uncovers the reality of colonialism, racism, and patriarchy. It’s poetic, lyrical, and provocative; you won’t be able to put it down.

The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon | Goodreads

Nicola Yoon established herself as a powerful figure in the YA world with her debut Everything, Everything. And in The Sun is Also a Star, she begs the question; do opposites attract in real life as in physics?! Yoon brings a story of young love tangled with philosophical endeavors and existentialism. It sheds light on family, immigration, love, hope, and fate.

Waiting in Vain by Colin Channer | Goodreads

Feeling a little romantic?! Want some easy read and a little bit of romance? Then this book is for you! Channer’s Waiting in Vain is vivid, wild, and alive with love, relationships and the things we desire. Fun fact: The book is actually named after Bob Marley’s song from his album Exodus.

Do you have any others you would add? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Literature of The World: Jamaica appeared first on The Nerd Daily.