Sci-Fi and Fantasy Stories to Transport You This Fall

Fall always feels like the right season to sink into speculative worlds—when the air turns crisp and the nights stretch longer, stories filled with magic, myth, and otherworldly journeys become irresistible. The 2025 fall reading season is brimming with standout science fiction and fantasy novels, and I’ve picked three for the 2025 Fall Reading Guide that I can’t stop thinking about. From an academic trek into Hell to a sisterly voyage across a drowning Earth, and finally a fairy-tale rebellion against destiny itself, these science fiction fantasy books will make you question, dream, and escape.

Top 3 Science Fiction Fantasy Books

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

In Katabasis, R.F. Kuang takes us deep into both the literal underworld and the hellscape of academia. Alice Law, a Ph.D. candidate in Analytical Magick, must journey into Hell to rescue her advisor after a spell gone terribly wrong. Alongside her academic rival, Peter Murdoch, Alice faces nefarious deities, grotesque shades, and the realization that academia itself can be just as punishing as the demons she meets below. I chose this novel because it blends biting commentary on toxic academic culture with a wildly inventive fantasy quest. If you loved Kuang’s sharp satire in Yellowface or the dark intensity of The Poppy War, this book is for you. It made me laugh, cringe, and nod in recognition at the academic absurdities, all while keeping me on edge with its stakes.

You can get a copy on Amazon.

Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei

Yume Kitasei’s Saltcrop is both luminous and devastating, a near-future eco-fantasy that follows two sisters sailing across a drowned and blighted world in search of their missing sibling. Carmen and Skipper’s journey through flooded cities, collapsed ecosystems, and corporate conspiracies is as much about their bond as it is about survival. I picked this book because it perfectly captures the haunting beauty of our fragile planet, while also highlighting resilience, sisterhood, and hope. For readers who enjoyed The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson or The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton, this story will resonate deeply. It left me unsettled but also inspired, reminding me that even in broken worlds, love and persistence matter.

You can get a copy on Amazon.

The Isle in the Silver Sea by Tasha Suri

In The Isle in the Silver Sea, Tasha Suri reimagines fairy tales as cages rather than comforts. On a magical island stitched together by stories, incarnates are forced to reenact tragic roles or risk their worlds disappearing. Sir Lavinia and Simran, bound to a doomed tale of a knight and a witch, dare to fight back against their prescribed murder-suicide ending. Suri weaves in themes of colonialism, assimilation, and resistance with her signature lyrical style. I chose this book because it’s one of the most innovative fantasy novels I’ve read this year—perfect for readers who loved The Priory of the Orange Tree or Suri’s own Empire of Sand. It gave me chills in the best way, reminding me that stories can imprison us, but they can also be rewritten.

You can get a copy on Amazon.

Why These Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books Are Perfect for Fall

These three novels stand out not only because of their breathtaking worlds, but also because of how deeply they grapple with identity, survival, and the power of storytelling. Fall is the season to get lost in layered narratives, and Katabasis, Saltcrop, and The Isle in the Silver Sea are exactly the kind of reads that will pull you in and not let go.