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Most Anticipated Fall 2021 Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Books

There are a ton of great science fiction, fantasy, and horror books in store for Fall 2021.

fall 2021 sci fantasy books

There are a ton of great science fiction, fantasy, and horror books in store for Fall 2021.  Of course, these books are only a dent in the fantastic lineup — so if you have any suggestions of titles to add, please drop them in the comments below!

No Gods, No Monsters Cadwell Turnbull

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

One October morning, Laina gets the news that her brother has been shot and killed by Boston cops. But what looks like a case of police brutality soon reveals something much stranger. Monsters are real. And they want everyone to know it.

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina : A Novel Zoraida Córdova

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

A novel about a family searching for the truth hidden in their past and the power they’ve inherited.

Among Thieves  M. J. Kuhn

Among Thieves by M. J. Kuhn

A thrilling fantasy debut—a high-stakes heist novel set in a gritty world of magic and malice.

The Actual Star : A Novel Monica Byrne

The Actual Star by Monica Byrne

David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas meets Octavia Butler’s Earthseed series, as acclaimed author Monica Byrne (The Girl in the Road) spins a brilliant multigenerational saga spanning two thousand years, from the collapse of the ancient Maya to a far-future utopia on the brink of civil war.

Mordew  Alex Pheby

Mordew by Alex Pheby

So it is that the Master begins to scheme against him–and Nathan has to fight his way through the betrayals, secrets, and vendettas of the city where God was murdered, and darkness reigns.  Propulsive, compulsively readable, full of unforgettable characters and a talking dog who wants to be a philosopher, Mordew is an epic fantasy strange, new, and terrifyingly alive.

Harrow : A novel Joy Williams

Harrow by Joy Williams

In her first novel since The Quick and the Dead (a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize), the legendary writer takes us into an uncertain landscape after an environmental apocalypse, a world in which only the man-made has value, but some still wish to salvage the authentic.

Under the Whispering Door  TJ Klune

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place in Under the Whispering Door, a delightful queer love story from TJ Klune, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The House in the Cerulean Sea.  Welcome to Charon’s Crossing.  The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through.

The Body Scout : A Novel Lincoln Michel

The Body Scout by Lincoln Michel

Diamond-sharp and savagely wry, The Body Scout is a timely science fiction thriller debut set in an all-too-possible future, perfect for readers of William Gibson.

The Orphan Witch : A Novel Paige Crutcher

The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around–changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight–and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.

Light From Uncommon Stars  Ryka Aoki

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in Ryka Aoki’s Light From Uncommon Stars, a defiantly joyful adventure set in California’s San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts.

Summer Sons  Lee Mandelo

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

Lee Mandelo’s debut Summer Sons is a sweltering, queer Southern Gothic that crosses Appalachian street racing with academic intrigue, all haunted by a hungry ghost.

The Last House on Needless Street  Catriona Ward

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Catriona Ward’s The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House.

The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess  Andy Marino

The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess by Andy Marino

From an electrifying voice in horror comes the haunting tale of a woman whose life begins to unravel after a home invasion.

The Last Graduate : A Novel Naomi Novik

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

The specter of graduation looms large as Naomi Novik’s groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling trilogy continues in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education.

Horseman : A Tale of Sleepy Hollow Christina Henry

Horseman by Christina Henry

In this atmospheric, terrifying novel that draws strongly from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the author of Alice and The Girl in Red works her trademark magic, spinning an engaging and frightening new story from a classic tale.

Once More Upon a Time  Roshani Chokshi

Once More Upon a Time by Roshani Chokshi

Embark on a perilous journey with Imelda and Ambrose as they brave magical landscapes and enchanted creatures on their quest to reclaim their heart’s desire…But first they must remember what that is…

The Death of Jane Lawrence : A Novel Caitlin Starling

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations, and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work. Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town.

A Spindle Splintered  Alix E. Harrow

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow

It’s Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, which is extra-special because it’s the last birthday she’ll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no-one has lived past twenty-one.  Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia’s last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate.

Cackle  Rachel Harrison

Cackle by Rachel Harrison

A darkly funny, frightening novel about a young woman learning how to take what she wants from a witch who may be too good to be true, from the author of The Return.

The Brides of Maracoor : A Novel Gregory Maguire

The Brides of Maracoor by Gregory Maguire

Multimillion-copy bestselling author Gregory Maguire unveils the first in a three-book series spun off the iconic Wicked Years, featuring Elphaba’s granddaughter, the green-skinned Rain.

Destroyer of Light  Jennifer Marie Brissett

Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett

The Matrix meets an Afro-futuristic retelling of Persephone set in a science fiction underworld of aliens, refugees, and genetic engineering.

This Thing Between Us : A Novel Gus Moreno

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

A widower battles his grief, rage, and the mysterious evil inhabiting his home smart speaker, in this mesmerizing horror thriller from Gus Moreno.

Child of Light  Terry Brooks

Child of Light by Terry Brooks

The electrifying first novel of an all-new fantasy series from the legendary author behind the Shannara saga, about a human girl struggling to find her place in a magical world she’s never known.

Flowers for the Sea  Zin E. Rocklyn

Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn

Flowers for the Sea is a dark, dazzling debut novella that reads like Rosemary’s Baby by way of Octavia E. Butler.

Nothing But Blackened Teeth  Cassandra Khaw

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a gorgeously creepy haunted house tale, steeped in Japanese folklore and full of devastating twists.

Trashlands : a novel Alison Stine

Trashlands by Alison Stine

From the author of Road Out of Winter, winner of the 2021 Philip K. Dick Award, a resonant, visionary novel about the power of art and the sacrifices we are willing to make for the ones we love.

Far from the Light of Heaven  Tade Thompson

Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson

The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having traveled light-years to bring one thousand sleeping souls to a new home among the stars. But when first mate Michelle Campion rouses, she discovers some of the sleepers will never wake.

The Seventh Queen : A Novel Greta Kelly

The Seventh Queen by Greta Kelly

After the gasp-inducing cliffhanger ending of The Frozen Crown, the exciting conclusion to the epic story of Askia—a warrior, witch, and queen-to-be—as she confronts the monster that stole her throne…and is holding her prisoner to steal her magic.

God of Mercy : A Novel Okezie Nwoka

God of Mercy by Okezie Nwoka

God of Mercy is set in Ichulu, an Igbo village where the people’s worship of their gods is absolute. Their adherence to tradition has allowed them to evade the influences of colonialism and globalization. But the village is reckoning with changes, including a war between gods signaled by Ijeoma, a girl who can fly.

The Perishing : A Novel Natashia Deón

The Perishing by Natashia Deón

A Black immortal in 1930’s Los Angeles must recover the memory of her past in order to save the world in this extraordinarily affecting novel for readers of N. K. Jemisin and Octavia E. Butler.

A Marvellous Light  Freya Marske

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Red White & Royal Blue meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell in debut author Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light, featuring an Edwardian England full of magic, contracts, and conspiracies.

This Weightless World : A Novel Adam Soto

This Weightless World by Adam Soto

From the streets of gentrified Chicago, to the tech boom corridors of Silicon Valley, This Weightless World follows a revolving cast of characters after alien contact upends their lives.

The Bone Shard Emperor  Andrea Stewart

The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart

In this action-packed magical fantasy epic, a heroine at the head of a powerful empire confronts a raging battle as she’s forced to do whatever it takes to restore peace.

Noor  Nnedi Okorafor

Noor by Nnedi Okorafor

From Africanfuturist luminary Okorafor comes a new science fiction novel of intense action and thoughtful rumination on biotechnology, destiny, and humanity in a near-future Nigeria.

You Feel It Just Below the Ribs : A Novel Jeffrey Cranor, Janina Matthewson

You Feel It Just Below the Ribs by Jeffrey Cranor, Janina Matthewson

A haunting, provocative novel, You Feel It Just Below the Ribs is a fictional autobiography in an alternate twentieth century that chronicles one woman’s unusual life, including the price she pays to survive and the cost her choices hold for the society she is trying to save.

Elder Race  Adrian Tchaikovsky

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky

In Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Elder Race, a junior anthropologist on a distant planet must help the locals he has sworn to study to save a planet from an unbeatable foe.

What do you think about the books on this list?

Are you looking forward to any of these books?  What science fiction and fantasy books are you looking forward to in 2021?  What books would you add to the list?

Fall 2021 Sci Fi and Fantasy Books

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  1. […] the Year, Bookriot‘s 20 Must Read Space Fantasy Books for 2021, and BiblioLifestyle‘s Most Anticipated Fall 2021 Sci-fi, Fantasy & Horror list (which summed it up as “The Matrix meets an Afro-futuristic retelling of Persephone set […]

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