June’s pile of new sci-fi and fantasy books is—much like May’s—a bit smaller than usual, as releases have shifted to August and beyond. However, this month still promises plenty to get excited about, with dragons, deep-space explorers, magical warriors, and even some Bigfoot action to add to your reading list.
Big Girl by Meg Elison
This collection includes the title story (about a teen who’s 60 feet tall) as well as the previously unpublished “The Pill”—about a dystopian “cure” for obesity—and other sci-fi stories, as well as an interview with the author. (June 1)
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Broken Genius by Drew Murray
FBI Agent Will Packer is called in to investigate a murder at a comics convention specifically because the victim has ties to Will’s pre-bureau career as a tech CEO. He soon discovers that shadowy Dark Web operatives may also be involved in the crime. (June 2)
Burn by Patrick Ness
In an alternate version of 1957 small-town America—a world where dragons exist, but only outcasts interact with them—a girl and her father hire a dragon to work on their farm, not realizing the animal will draw them into a dangerous thrill ride involving a prophecy, a cult, and the FBI. (June 2)
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
In this alt-history inspired by Les Misérables, a young cat burglar becomes drawn into Paris’ underworld—and is soon forced to use her criminal skills to infiltrate the royal court in order to protect her younger sister. (June 2)
Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles by Ellen Datlow
Josh Malerman (Bird Box), Garth Nix, Richard Kadrey, Kelley Armstrong, and more contribute to this collection of 18 original horror stories inspired by movies and TV. (June 2)
The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso
The Rooks and Ruin series begins as a woman charged with guarding the secrets of a magical tower must try and save the world, after making a mistake that could mean the end of everything. (June 2)
Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams
A girl breaks free of her sheltered life in an extreme religious cult—only to discover the outside world has been ravaged by a deadly viral pandemic. (June 9)
The Ghosts of Sherwood by Carrie Vaughn
This tale continues the legend of Robin Hood, imagining that Robin and Marian must spring back into action and reunite all their old allies when their children are kidnapped. (June 9)
Shadowborn by Katie MacAlister
The Born Prophecy series continues as a trio of warriors prepares to make a last stand against a vengeful god—but their quest against evil is weakened when one of them is imprisoned in a spirit realm that threatens her powers. (June 9)
Corporate Gunslinger by Doug Engstrom
Deep in debt, a drama-school grad crafts a new persona and takes a job as a gunslinger who duels on behalf of corporations. As this dystopian satire explores, it’s a lucrative but brutal life that puts her on the verge of paying the ultimate price. (June 16)
Devolution by Max Brooks
The author of World War Z returns with this account of “the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre,” a fast-paced tale of Bigfoot terror—told via diary entries, interviews, and other sources—that unfolds deep within a remote Pacific Northwest forest. We’ll have an interview with Brooks up on io9 later this week. (June 16)
Glorious by Gregory Benford and Larry Niven
The Bowl of Heaven series continues, as a deep-space expedition ship from Earth explores the dangerous and often bizarre corners of an alien star system. (June 16)
The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae
A teenage girl who dreams of a destiny beyond tending horses soon regrets her royal aspirations (and must think fast on her feet) when she’s chosen as the “prize” in a cross-desert race that ends with a human sacrifice. (June 16)
The Unconquered City by K.A. Doore
The Chronicles of Ghadid trilogy concludes as a new monstrous threat rises, and assassin-turned-protector Illi Basbowen must face her past to safeguard her new home. (June 16)
The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison
In an alternate version of 1880s London, Jack the Ripper is still roaming the streets—but so are angels, werewolves, and vampires, who intermingle with humans as part of a tenuous peace. (June 23)
The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell
In a world where memory loss is the price for using magic, a young man who’s been branded an outcast since childhood has turned to a life of crime. When he’s given a chance to explore his troubled past, he discovers a shocking truth that could change not just his life, but the balance of power in the kingdom. (June 23)
Obliteration by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth
The final Awakened novel finds the world finally in a time of peace—until one last nest of creatures determined to wipe out humanity emerges. In order to bring order to Earth once more, an unlikely truce must be forged. (June 23)
The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
In this fantasy inspired by classic martial arts movies, a young bandit joins up with a misfit gang of thieves as they set out on an impossible-sounding quest. (June 23)
Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron: Shadow Fall by Alexander Freed
The second in Alexander Freed’s planned trilogy tells the story of the titular ragtag squadron of pilots brought together by New Republic Intelligence, operating under General Hera Syndulla. Check out an excerpt here. (June 23)
Way of the Laser: Future Crime Stories edited by Joe M. McDermott and Eric M. Bosarge
This collection gathers 18 original sci-fi stories—from Jennifer Brozek, Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, Paul Jessup, Mur Lafferty, Jaime Mason, and more—all about how technology will impact, affect, and become intertwined with crime in the future. (June 25)
Alien Secrets by Ian Douglas
The Solar Warden military sci-fi series begins, when a Navy SEAL spots a UFO while on a mission in North Korea—and is soon tapped to lead a secret agency that’s been working with aliens since a certain close encounter back in 1947. (June 30)
The Dirty South by John Connolly
This supernatural thriller from the author of The Woman in the Woods takes us back to the earliest days of Charlie Parker’s career as a private investigator who specializes in particularly unusual cases. (June 30)
The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
The Daevabad trilogy concludes as a con woman and a djinn prince must fight together to save their kingdom as it teeters on the brink of war. Read an excerpt here! (June 30)
Interlibrary Loan by Gene Wolf
In the future, clones are seen as property, not people, and they can be loaned around as needed, much like library books. A “borrowed person” whose consciousness comes from a dead mystery writer discovers a mystery of his own when he arrives at his new branch. (June 30)
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
After she receives a distressing letter from her newlywed cousin, a 1950s socialite turns private eye as she heads to the Mexican countryside—where unexpected horrors await. (June 30)
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