Debuting last week and this week, Sarah A. Parker’s The Ballad of Falling Dragons (Avon) ranks #1 on three lists this week. Also notable: the trade paperback reprint of Rachel Gillig’s The Knight and the Moth (Orbit) debuts on four lists. And a graphic novel version of Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl (Vault Comics) debuts on two lists.

The table shows the current rank of each book and the change since last week, where:

= same as last week

+/- change since last week

+ back on list

++ new on list

x no longer on list (number of x’s: weeks off list)

All lists rank hardcovers and paperbacks separately, except for the USA Today list, which is a single list combining fiction and nonfiction in all formats. Dates shown are posted dates, except those in parentheses, which are dates compiled. New York Times posts its list one week in advance of print publication.

Note that some sources do not compile paperback bestsellers, and some exclude YA books (like the Harry Potter series) from their hardcover and paperback fiction lists.

The post Weekly Bestsellers, 1 June 2026 appeared first on Locus.

The Nuremberg 2028 Worldcon bid has announced its withdrawal from the race after a decision by a crew-committee assembly.

This decision comes from a mix of personal, organisational and timing reasons. Since our introduction at Smofcon in November, we have received wonderful support from volunteers, artists, experienced conrunners and communities across Central Europe. We are deeply grateful for that.

But as site selection begins, we have to be honest: we are not at the point where we would need to be in order to ask the community to vote for us and be ready to carry the responsibility of winning.

The Kigali bid, which was changed from Uganda to Rwanda in 2024, also withdrew February 7, 2026 due to lack of resources.

This leaves the Brisbane bid for 2028 the only remaining bid for the 2028 Worldcon. The bid’s administrators responded to the Nuremberg bid withdrawal:

The post Nuremberg Worldcon Bid Withdraws appeared first on Locus.

The June 2026 Locus magazine, issue #785, has interviews with Robert Jackson Bennett and Isabel J. Kim, and a spotlight on artist Dante Luiz. The Summer Reads section includes Locus reviewers’ recommendations, commentary from Saga editor Nivia Evans and Sheree Renée Thomas, and US and UK forthcoming books titles. News includes the 2026 Locus Awards winners, Daniel Kraus’s Pulitzer Prize win, LA Times Book Prize winners, new Transworld imprint 3AM Books, and more. Obituaries remember Tom Clegg, Michael P. Spradlin, and Donald Sidney-Fryer. Reviews include new titles by Amitav Ghosh, Joseph Eckert, Ian McDonald, Christopher Priest & Nina Allan, Rachel Khong, Thomas Elrod, Ra Page & David Sue (eds.), Garth Nix, J.M. Sidorova, Andrea Hairston, Isabel Ibañez, Leslye Penelope, Vonda N. McIntyre, Isabel J. Kim, Jedediah Berry, ‘Pemi Aguda, Munir Hachemi translated by Julia Sanches, M. John Harrison, Lee Young-do translated by Anton Hur, Violet Allen, Andrew Dana Hudson, Kate Milford, Meg Shaffer, Elana K. Arnold, Daisy Pearce, Uketsu translated by Jim Rion, Allen Stroud, Cynthia Gómez, James S.A. Corey, Ann Leckie, Alex Shvartsman, Jeff Noon, Sheree Renée Thomas, and more.

Reviews by MAYA C. JAMES / 19

The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays, Andrea Hairston; Graceless Heart, Isabel Ibañez; The Inevitable Undoing of Zahara Douglass, Leslye Penelope.

Reviews by GABINO IGLESIAS / 25

Dark is When the Devil Comes, Daisy Pearce; Strange Buildings, Uketsu; Anti-State, Allen Stroud.

Reviews by DIVERS HANDS: ALEX BROWN, YOON HA LEE, RUSSELL LETSON, ADRIENNE MARTINI, ADAM ROBERTS, WOLE TALABI, ALVARO ZINOS-AMARO / 26

Muñeca, Cynthia Gómez; The Faith of Beasts, James S. A. Corey; Radiant Star, Ann Leckie; The Best of All Possible Planets, Alex Shvartsman; Moon Over Brendle, Jeff Noon; Ring Shout on Saturn, Sheree Renée Thomas; The Illuminated Man: Life, Death and the Worlds of J.G. Ballard, Christopher Priest & Nina Allan.

Aguda, ‘Pemi • One Leg on Earth (Niall Harrison)
Allen, Violet • Plastic, Prism, Void (Abigail Nussbaum)
Arnold, Elana K. • Holloway (Colleen Mondor)
Berry, Jedediah • Kill All Wizards (Niall Harrison)
Corey, James S. A. • The Faith of Beasts (Yoon Ha Lee)
Eckert, Joseph • The Traveler (Gary K. Wolfe)
Elrod, Thomas • The Franchise (Ian Mond)
Ghosh, Amitav • Ghost-Eye (Gary K. Wolfe)
Gómez, Cynthia • Mu eca (Alex Brown)
Hachemi, Munir • The Mulai (Niall Harrison)
Hairston, Andrea • The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays (Maya C. James)
Harrison, M. John • The End of Everything (Niall Harrison)
Hudson, Andrew Dana • Absence (Abigail Nussbaum)
Iba ez, Isabel • Graceless Heart (Maya C. James)
Khong, Rachel • My Dear You (Ian Mond)
Kim, Isabel J. • Sublimation (Niall Harrison)
Leckie, Ann • Radiant Star (Russell Letson)
McDonald, Ian • Boy, With Accidental Dinosaur (Gary K. Wolfe)
McIntyre, Vonda N. • The Curve of the World (Niall Harrison)
Milford, Kate • Rialto (Colleen Mondor)
Nix, Garth • Massif (Alexandra Pierce)
Noon, Jeff • Moon Over Brendle (Adam Roberts)
Page, Ra, & David Sue, eds. • Monster Capital: Tales of Capitalist Unease (Ian Mond)
Pearce, Daisy • Dark Is When the Devil Comes (Gabino Iglesias)
Penelope, Leslye • The Inevitable Undoing of Zahara Douglass (Maya C. James)
Priest, Christopher, & Nina Allan • The Illuminated Man: Life, Death and the Worlds of J.G. Ballard (Alvaro Zinos-Amaro)
Priest, Christopher, & Nina Allan • The Illuminated Man: Life, Death and the Worlds of J.G. Ballard (Gary K. Wolfe)
Shaffer, Meg • The Book Witch (Colleen Mondor)
Shvartsman, Alex • The Best of All Possible Planets (Adrienne Martini)
Sidorova, J. M. • The Witch of Prague (Alexandra Pierce)
Stroud, Allen • Anti-State (Gabino Iglesias)
Thomas, Sheree Ren e • Ring Shout on Saturn (Wole Talabi)
Uketsu, translated by Jim Rion • Strange Buildings (Gabino Iglesias)
Young-do, Lee • The Heart of the Nhaga (Abigail Nussbaum)

The post Issue 785 Table of Contents, June 2026 appeared first on Locus.

The Locus Science Fiction Foundation announced the winners in each category of the 2026 Locus Awards on May 30, 2026, during the Bay Area Book Festival.  Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, and Nnedi Okorafor were Guests of Honor, with Featured Local Artist Alyssa Winans. Additional weekend events included readings, panels with leading authors, and a catered reception.

The post 2026 Locus Awards Winners appeared first on Locus.

The post Magazines Received – June appeared first on Locus.

Get ready for another week of incredible new reads as Locus spotlights the latest Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult releases hitting shelves the week of May 26th, 2026! From highly anticipated adventures to chilling tales and imaginative worlds, this lineup is filled with books readers won’t want to miss. We’ve rounded up some of the biggest and most exciting releases to help you discover your next favorite addition to your TBR pile. New videos arrive every week, so be sure to subscribe and stay connected with all the newest happenings in speculative fiction. Thanks so much for watching and supporting the channel—we can’t wait to share even more upcoming releases with you soon!

The post New Books Video: Releases of the Week! May 26, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

The 2025 Shirley Jackson Awards nominees for outstanding achievement in horror, psychological suspense, and dark fantasy fiction have been announced.

The post 2025 Shirley Jackson Awards Nominees appeared first on Locus.

Hum by Helen Phillips (Marysue Rucci) [amazon / bookshop] has been announced as the winner of the second annual Climate Fiction Prize. Founded by Leo Barasi, Rose Goddard, and Imran Khan, and supported by Climate Spring, the prize seeks to “celebrate the most inspiring novels tackling the climate crisis.”

Other shortlisted titles and authors of genre interest include:

Phillips received the £10,000 prize in a ceremony in London and will be celebrated at a winners’ event at Hay Festival on May 30. For more information, including the complete lists of finalists and judges, see the Climate Fiction Prize website.

The post Phillips Wins 2026 Climate Fiction Prize appeared first on Locus.

Lalana Dararutana, 49, died May 18, 2026. She had cervical cancer.

Dararutana was born September 15, 1976 in Syracuse NY. In her childhood she was a caregiver to her younger sister and brother. She began publishing books in her thirties after attending a writing conference in 2009. As an author, Dararutana went by Piper J. Drake and PJ Schnyder and published many works of fantasy, paranormal, and SF romance. She wrote two books in the Mythwoven series: Wings Once Cursed & Bound (2023) and Fangs So Bright & Deadly (2024). She wrote SF romance series The Triton Experiment, including Hunting Kat, Tracking Kat, and Fighting Kat, all in 2022. She wrote An Idol with Luv (2024); steampunk romances Keeping Cadence (2019) and Evie’s Gift (2019); and paranormal mystery The Ink that Bleeds (2023). She also wrote an urban fantasy short story, Siren’s Calling (2018).

Dararutana has a third forthcoming novel in the Mythwoven series, Hearts Still Bound & Broken, currently scheduled for 2027, as well as a short story in another project currently forthcoming in 2027 or 2028. She is survived by her husband Matthew Beckerleg, siblings, parents, and found family members.

The post Lalana Dararutana AKA Piper J. Drake (1976-2026) appeared first on Locus.

The British Fantasy Society (BFS) has announced the shortlists for the 2026 British Fantasy Awards:

Winners will be announced during Fantasycon 2026, to be held October 9-11 in Glasgow, Scotland. For more information, see the BFS website.

The post 2026 British Fantasy Awards Shortlists appeared first on Locus.

Visit our bookshop.org page to purchase this week’s new books and support your local bookstore. And us!

Banerjee, Anindita & Vint, Sherryl: Reactionary Worldbuilding (MIT Press 978-0262053679, $90.00, 434pp, formats: paperback, 5/26/2026)

Non-fiction collection with in-depth examination of the process of worldbuilding, and its connection to ideology. Includes apocalyptic reenactments, alternative histories, conspiracy theories, and more.

Frost, Jeaniene: A Curse of Beasts and Magic (Tor/Bramble 978-1250395993, $20.99, 368pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. Ever since Raine Stones family was killed, a beast that survives off of violence has lived inside of her. She stops the beasts energy until one night she uses it to save an elderly man, and finds a new realm of danger. Simultaneous with the Tor UK edition.

Haig, Matt: The Midnight Train (Penguin Random House/Viking 978-0593833377, $30.00, 304pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Time-travel fantasy novel. The Midnight Train can take you back to moments from the past. Wilbur wishes to use it to revisit his honeymoon with his ex-wife Maggie, but doing so is a big risk.

Hairston, Andrea: The Redemption Center Is Closed on Sundays (Tor 978-1250807311, $32.99, 416pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Science fiction novel. After the murder of a local celebrity, Oona the Saint Berdoodle teams up with a group of misfits to solve the case. Oona secretly knows who the killer is, but the killer knows she knows, and is trying to keep her silent forever.

Ishiguro, Naomi: The Rainshadow Orphans (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-3751791564, $27.00, 641pp, formats: ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy novel, the first in a trilogy inspired by Japanese folklore. The Lucky Crows—a criminal organization—is terrorizing Rainshadow City. A family is seeking revenge against the Lucky Crows after the murder of their aunt. A first novel. Simultaneous with the Simon & Schuster UK edition.

Knútsdóttir, Hildur & Kowal, Mary Robinette: Dead Weight (Tor/Nightfire 978-1250329295, $24.96, 160pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Horror novella. Unnur befriends Ásta after finding her lost cat. They form a quick bond, but when things become violent, their friendship is truly put to the test. Translated from Icelandic by Mary Robinette Kowal.

Lourey, Jess: The Blackthorn Women (Amazon/Thomas & Mercer 978-1662535260, $16.99, 320pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy novel. With Katrine Blackthorn’s return to her family’s mansion in Faith Falls, Minnesota, all of her family’s fears start manifesting. Katrine needs to confront the dark secret of her family’s lineage if her family is to survive.

Lukens, F.T.: The Last Best Quest Ever (Simon & Schuster/McElderry 978-1665950978, $19.99, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Young-adult humorous fantasy romance novel. Ellinore has one final quest to slay a mythical beast, but the problem is all of her quests were lies. On this quest she must decide whether she wants to continue the lie, or become someone new.

McBride, Hazel: A Queen Crowned in Flames (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 978-0593972977, $30.00, 480pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, the second in a duology inspired by Celtic mythology. A queen named Aemyra Daercathian is fleeing. She must decide whether or not to make a great sacrifice in order to save her people.

Oh, Ellen: Jin Young, In Between (Penguin Random House/Crown 978-0593125984, $19.99, 272pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Young-adult fantasy romance novel about lovers in parallel worlds. Jin Young teleports to Mina’s world inside of a webcomic, but each time he does so, catastrophic weather nearly destroys his world.

Randall, Breanne: Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies (Penguin Random House/Dell 978-0593875025, $20.00, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy novel, second in the Sisters of Light and Shadow series. Eléa Deniz returns home to discover the estate is now home to the Shadowcraft Academy. Eléa must find her power, and resist the prophecy involving her magic. Simultaneous with the Bloomsbury UK edition.

Roche, Máire: Bromantasy (Penguin Random House/Putnam 979-8217180707, $20.00, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Humorous fantasy romance novel. Juniper O’Reilly and Mo Elmthorn set on a quest to slay a monster, only to discover the “monster” is a little girl. On the quest they may be forced to confront the truth of their “platonic” friendship. A first novel.

Tsamaase, Tlotlo: House of Margins (Kensington/Erewhon 978-1-64566-104-7, $28.00, 432pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Horror novel. Anaya, an up-and-coming African author disappears during a writing residency. Her sister Ranewa is determined to find out the truth on her disappearance, and realizes it’s more horrifying than she could have thought. A first novel.

Varghese, Anuja: A Kiss of Crimson Ash (Orbit US 978-0316591959, $19.99, 396pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, the first in the Games of the Goddess trilogy. An ancient goddess teams up with a newly crowned queen, a heartsick prince, a common thief, and a courtesan with magic in her blood to stop the corrupt king of Nandapore. A first novel. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.

Viel, Neena: I’ll Watch Your Baby (St. Martin’s Griffin 978-1250906342, $18.99, 336pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Supernatural horror/thriller novel. In 1994, Bless finally found the family she needed, but someone had unfinished business with her. She’s forced to face horrors from her past and her present, and there’s only one way out. A first novel. Simultaneous with the Titan Books UK edition.

Yeeun, Cho & Ryu, Sung: Teddy Bears Never Die (Orbit US/Run For It 978-0316601245, $19.99, 304pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Genre-bending novel with horror elements. Hwayoung, who lost her mother in a mass-poisoning attack, teams with Doha, whose mind is trapped in a teddy bear, to get revenge. Translated from Korean by Sung Ryu.

Kendall, Keala: That Which Feeds Us (Penguin Random House/Random House 979-8217117963, $20.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Young-adult Hawaiian Gothic horror/supernatural thriller novel involving the horrors of colonialism. Native Hawaiian teen Lehua goes to a luxury resort in search of her missing twin, and is haunted by dreams. A first novel.

Hudson, Lexy: Wonders Never Cease (Titan Books UK 978-1835416174, £10.99, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy novel. Trix and Sander are ballerinas and their company’s star attraction. Trix falls for Sander, but finds herself questioning his past, and at the peak of their popularity, he goes missing. A first novel.

Lem, Darkly: Transmentation | Transgression (Blackstone Publishing 979-8228648807, $24.29, 452pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Science fiction multiverse novel, the second in the Formation Saga series. Malculm starts to question the motives of the society he works for. Prieme Dhalgram is doing whatever she can to expand Burel Hird’s territory across the multiverse.

Lemon, Sarah Nicole: A Dark and Wild Wood (Harper Voyager 978-0063441583, $32.00, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Fantasy novel. When Salomé’s sister disappears, she’s determined to find a way to save her. She travels into the wild black forest where she has an encounter with Lord Death, and he takes her in as his apprentice, but is it safe to trust Death? A first novel.

Palmer, Suzanne: Ode to the Half-Broken (Astra House/DAW 978-0756419585, $29.00, 442pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/26/2026)

Science fiction novel. Be—an old robot—has lived a life of isolation after the world almost ended three decades ago. Be is brought out of solitude by a cyborg dog, and they have to come to terms with who they’ve become.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.

The post New Book Releases: May 26, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Matt Dinniman’s A Parade of Horribles (Ace), eighth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, debuts strongly, ranking in the top five of all four print lists compiled here, and at #1 on two of them. Seven other Dinniman titles rank on one or more lists this week, three of them on the NY Times fiction hardcover list. Other debuts this week are books by Shannon Chakraborty, Dani Francis, Sarah Gailey, Sarah A. Parker, Veronica Roth, and Sarah Rees Brennan.

The table shows the current rank of each book and the change since last week, where:

= same as last week

+/- change since last week

+ back on list

++ new on list

x no longer on list (number of x’s: weeks off list)

All lists rank hardcovers and paperbacks separately, except for the USA Today list, which is a single list combining fiction and nonfiction in all formats. Dates shown are posted dates, except those in parentheses, which are dates compiled. New York Times posts its list one week in advance of print publication.

Note that some sources do not compile paperback bestsellers, and some exclude YA books (like the Harry Potter series) from their hardcover and paperback fiction lists.

The post Weekly Bestsellers, 25 May 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Edward Ashton, After the Fall (St. Mar­tin’s 2/26) This humorous SF novel is set more than a century after Earth’s civiliza­tion collapses, some 100 years aliens took over. John is bonded to Martok Barden, one of the “good” alien grays, but things start to go wrong when John’s bond is put up as collateral for a messed up business deal. “Entertaining, smart, fast-paced, and funny, this is science fiction for people who like their alien stories with a side of chuckles but also profoundly human.” [Gabino Iglesias]

Amal El-Mohtar, Seasons of Glass & Iron (Tordotcom 3/26) El-Mohtar’s new collec­tion offers 14 stories and four poems, all originally published between 2008 and 2023, including the title story, which won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. Inspirations range widely, from folklore and murder ballads to present day issue, united by a “stylistic thread that runs through all eighteen of these selections… a kind of intense lyricism, mediated by a degree of intellectual rigor.” [Gary K. Wolfe]

Jeffrey Ford, Pandemonium Waltz (Lethe 2/26) Ford, an ever-surprising author with a distinctive knack for mixing the real world with the weird, is in fine form in his eighth collection, offering 17 stories, most from the last five years and one new, plus “a delightful and incisive interview with Kelly Link” [Gary K. Wolfe]

Darkly Lem, Transmentation | Transgression (Blackstone 3/26) This follow-up to Transmentation | Transience picks up soon after, following people body-hopping between universes, all with their own agendas, not all of them clear. Notably, those of Burel Hird want to bring order to all worlds, but predictably face some opposition. This volume digs a bit deeper into the mechanics of body-hopping, but leaves much still to be investigated. “This series is doing bold and clever new things with many-worlds narratives and anyone with an interest in such ideas needs to be reading it.” [Alexandra Pierce] Lem is a writ­ers’ collective consisting of Josh Eure, Craig Lincoln, Ben Murphy, Cadwell Turnbull, and M. Darusha Wehm.

Richard K. Morgan, No Man’s Land (Del Rey 3/26) Morgan’s latest novel is a stand­alone hardboiled fantasy, set just after WWI was ended by a fae invasion (with accom­panying magical reforestation) in Britain. Ex-soldier Duncan Silver, scarred by the war and furious, is determined to recover the children the fae have stolen. “A reader expecting a retread of Altered Carbon or The Steel Remains may be disap­pointed in No Man’s Land; no outrageous technology, no great prophecies. I, however, loved it.” [Alexandra Pierce]

Francis Spufford, Nonesuch (Faber & Faber UK 2/26; Scribner 3/26) Spufford returns to London and the Blitz for his latest literary fantasy novel, where an independent young woman must thwart time-traveling fascists trying to change history. “As much as I loved the spectacle – which at one point has Iris hundreds of feet in the sky as German bombers ham­mer London – it’s the authentic moments, grounded in history, that hit home.” [Ian Mond]

A.D. Sui, The Iron Garden Sutra (Ere­whon 2/26) Sui’s first novel mixes philoso­phy and an involving SF mystery, as Vessel Iris, a death monk of the Starlit Order, sets out to do rites for the long-dead crew of a recently recovered spaceship, only to find something stalking the academic explorers in the vegetation-covered ship interior.

Adrian Tchaikovsky, Children of Strife (Orbit US 3/2026) This far-future SF novel, fourth in the acclaimed Children of Time series, combines new ideas with series history and some familiar characters, from terraformers playing god who accidentally produce something terrible that destroys them; generations later, a research vessel rediscovers that lost world, but soon most of the crew disappears, leaving a single human, the uplifted mantis shrimp captain, and an AI to figure out what’s going on. “Tchaikovsky ends on that note of Roddenberry excitement and optimism that promises many new Children books to come.” [Paul Di Filippo]

Sheree Renée Thomas, Mojorhythm (Third Man 11/25) Thomas introduces The Root and Sky series, a trio of collections that opens with this volume of 14 stories (eight new), a multi-genre mix focusing on Hoo­doo, fantasy, myths, and folklore. “Thomas wields literary tools to induce a heady sense of wonder… in the amalgamation of multiple ideas, styles, conventions, histories and forms into a vibrant, beautiful collage that connects past, present and future, and makes reality feel more magical, full of the potential for change.” [Wole Talabi]

Makana Yamamoto, The Obake Code (Harper Voyager US 2/26) Yamamoto returns to the world of their popular first novel Hammajang Luck for this entertaining standalone heist novel. Set for life after the big heist, Malia has retired as the notorious hacker, the Obake – only she gets bored and crosses some gangsters, who demand she take down a crooked politician, which gets her embroiled in a conspiracy that might be too big for her.

The post New & Notable, May 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Bouchercon has announced the nominees for the 2026 Anthony Awards, honoring the best in crime fiction. Authors and works of genre interest include:

Best Hardcover Novel

The post 2026 Anthony Awards Nominees appeared first on Locus.

Shahriar Shaams is the recipient of the 2026 A.C. Bose Grant for South Asian Speculative Literature, presented by the Speculative Literature Foundation (SLF) and DesiLit.

The $1,000 grant is given annually to “a South Asian / South Asian diaspora writer developing speculative fiction.” Shaams’s winning work is A Night With the Spy.

For more information, see the SLF website.

The post Shaams Wins 2026 A.C. Bose Grant appeared first on Locus.

The winners of the 2026 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire, honoring the best SF/F work published in France in 2025, were announced on May 18, 2026.

Winners will be awarded at a ceremony in Montpellier, to be held May 23. For more information, see the official webpage.

The post 2026 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire Winners appeared first on Locus.

Locus returns with an exciting roundup of the newest Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult books arriving the week of May 19th, 2026! This week’s selection is packed with standout releases ready to claim a spot on your ever growing reading list, and we’ve gathered some of the most anticipated titles to make choosing your next read a little easier. We post brand-new videos every week, so don’t forget to subscribe and keep up with the latest in speculative fiction—your support truly means a lot. Dive into this week’s featured books, and we’ll see you soon with another batch of unforgettable new releases!

The post New Books Video: Releases of the Week! May 19, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Science fiction editor, publisher, critic, and translator Tom Clegg, 68, died suddenly May 5, 2026. He was known in the SFF community for his deep affection for science fiction, and he became an important channel for translated works in France through his work at Bragelonne SF.

Thomas Clegg was born in 1957 in Springfield MA and grew up in Spain with his family. He graduated from Amherst College in 1978 and studied at the London School of Economics, teaching there for some time, despite being very shy. He met his wife-to-be, Colette, in Barcelona, and they went on to live in Paris and the French countryside. His large body of written work was largely non-fiction and includes many reviews and essays to French magazines, including Ozone and many issues of Galaxies Science-Fiction, and some translations. He edited the anthology Science-Fiction 2006 with Peter Crowther & Jean-Claude Dunyach. His more widely known work was in publishing, where he acquired many works in translation from English to French and vice versa as director of the Bragelonne SF collection. He spent many years at Bragelonne, bringing Anglophone SF to the French audience, working with such authors as Alastair Reynolds, Kim Stanley Robinson, David Weber, and more.

He is survived by his wife Colette and many friends and colleagues.

The post Tom Clegg (1957–2026) appeared first on Locus.

Jim Butcher’s Twelve Months fought off all comers to remain at the top of our hardcover list, sporting a wide margin over our second-place finisher Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, the second book in Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series. The Elsewhere Express (Del Rey), a new standalone fantasy by Samantha Sotto Yambao, was our new runner-up. There were 55 nominated titles, up from 54 last month.

The top two titles on our trade paperback list remained static, with Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman holding onto the top spot followed by Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary in second. Our runner-up was How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days (Orbit US), a cozy fantasy by debut author Jessie Sylva. Seventy-four titles were nominated, up from 69 nominated titles.

On our media and gaming-related book list, Dragonlance Legends, an omnibus of novels Time of the Twins, War of the Twins, and Test of the Twins by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman took first place barely beating out Mike Chen’s Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon, a prequel to the Star Wars Outlaws game. There were no new runners-up. We had 22 nominated titles, tying last month’s number of nominations.

Compiled with data from: Bakka-Phoenix (Canada), Book Moon (MA), Borderlands (CA), McNally Robinson (two in Canada), Mysterious Galaxy (CA), Toadstool (two in NH), White Dwarf (Canada).

Data period: February 2026

The post Locus Bestsellers, May 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Visit our bookshop.org page to purchase this week’s new books and support your local bookstore. And us!

Allen, Violet: Plastic, Prism, Void (LittlePuss Press 978-1964322025, $19.95, 336pp, formats: paperback, 05/19/2026)

Trans fantasy romance novel. Acrasia, a trans intergalactic moth goddess, has a love-hate relationship with a trans mech pilot from another universe, and is determiend to keep him in her dimension. A first novel.

Anonymous: A Breath of Time (Flame Tree Collections UK 978-1835627822, $30.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 05/19/2026)

Fantasy romance anthology. Stories involve time-bending, time traveling, different timelines, and alternate history. Part of Flame Tree’s Romantic Fantasy series.

Barker, RJ: Mortedant’s Peril (Tor 978-1250398802, $28.99, 432pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Fantasy novel, first in the Trials of Irody Hasp series. Irody is a low-level Mortedant — a thankless job that involves reading the last thoughts of the dead — and has to clear his name when he’s implicated in his own apprentice’s murder. Simultaneous with the Macmillan/Tor UK edition.

Bruce, Camilla: The Temptation of Charlotte North (Penguin Random House/Del Rey 978-0593724972, $18.99, 448pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Gothic supernatural novel. Rebellious young woman Charlotte sees potential in a spirit on a remote island, but must overcome the wishes of a priest and schoolteacher to banish it.

Chefchaouni, Loretta: The Lustrous Dark (Peachtree Teen 978-1682638378, $19.99, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Dark fantasy novel. Midwife’s apprentice Shay discovers tries to save her long-lost mother, only to be abandoned in a deadly, ghoul-inhabited forest.

Coverly, S.D.: The Arcane Arts (Penguin Random House/Del Rey 978-0593974223, $29.00, 400pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Dark academia romance novel. Ellsbeth is drawn to arcane Newlyn University, meets Professor Thaddeus Rawlins, and falls into a romance with him as he supervises her thesis in illegal mind-control magic. This is a pen name for Dan Frey & Dana Schwartz.

Fitzgerald, Patrick: Navigators You Can Trust (Podium Publishing 979-8347007738, $19.99, 420pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Fantasy adventure novel, first in the Navigators trilogy. The Navigational Brotherhood use their magical abilities as peacekeepers in the Perpetual War; fresh recruits get sent on a mission to retrieve a powerful talisman.

Isaacs, Robert: It’s Hard to Be an Animal (Grand Central 978-1538773284, $18.99, 288pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Magical realism/fantasy novel. On a blind date, Henry suddenly gains the ability to understand animals, and overhears three rats discussing a corpse in the New York subway, prompting him and his date to investigate.

King, Rachael: Song of the Saltings (Simon & Schuster/McElderry 978-1665984331, $19.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 05/19/2026)

Young-adult folk horror novel. On Lotta’s island, a fearsome creature called the Glimm demands yearly sacrifices, but it rejected Lotta as a child. Now the sacrificial horses don’t seem to appease it, and a blight is harming the island.

Mare, Annie: A Star-Cursed Heart (Ace 978-0593817506, $18.99, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. In modern-day Salem, Lucy Prynne and Ashes Steadfast are descended from the town’s original families and made to fight each with conflicting curses, but the two women are also friends in love. Mare has co-authored mystery and romance novels with Ruthie Knox (some under the name Mae Marvel), along with new-adult romance as Robin York.

Moore, Alan: I Hear a New World (Bloomsbury UK/Archer 978-1-526643292, £20.00, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/21/2026)

Fantasy novel, second in the Long London quintet. In 1958, Dennis Knuckleyard discovers that a key from the Great When that he gave away years ago has unleashed occult creatures on London.

Nayler, Ray: Palaces of the Crow (Macmillan/Farrar, Straus, Giroux/MCD 978-0374620752, $28.07, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Speculative novel. A group of four survives the German blitzkrieg in 1941; as they cross forested borderland, an intelligent flock of crows befriends by Neriya, a Jewish girl dreaming of becoming a biologist. Simultaneous with the Orion UK/Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition.

Raasch, Sara: The Fake Divination Offense (Tor/Bramble 978-1250428790, $19.99, 336pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Fantasy sports romance novel, second in the Magic and Romance duology. Rawball star half-giant Orok is forced into a PR relationship with fan-favorite cheerleader Alexo Warden.

Rex, T.K.: The Wildcraft Drones (Stelliform Press 978-1998466030, $15.99, 202pp, formats: paperback, 05/21/2026)

Collection of fourteen sci-fi tales. In the future, humans grapple with AI intelligence alongside climate crisis. Scientists make contact with a wild dolphin, and a drone is depressed after his human companion dies.

Rozakis, Caitlin: Startup Hell (Titan Books UK 978-1835415863, $19.99, 432pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Satirical fantasy novel. Morgan, junior salesperson at a tech startup, is sucked into the infernal plane. after she discovers her dead boss tried to trade his soul for profits.

Sawyer, Robert J.: The Downloaded 2: Ghosts in the Machine (Shadowpaw Press 978-1998273560, $16.99, 260pp, formats: paperback, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Science Fiction Novel. Ex-convict Roscoe Koudoulian re-uploads his consciousness into cyberspace, where he’s confronted with someone he left for dead centuries ago.

Smith, Ali: Glyph (Penguin Random House/Pantheon 978-0593701584, $28.00, 288pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Speculative literary novel, a companion to Gliff. Sisters Petra and Patch, now grown and estranged, reunite after Patch finds a phantom horse destroying her bedroom furniture. First US edition (Hamish Hamilton 1/26).

Summers, Georgia: Trollheim: Tale of Systir (Titan Books UK 978-1835416648, $28.99, 288pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 05/19/2026)

Fantasy novel. A Nordic girl, Sýstir, runs for her life when her mother is executed for witchcraft. She finds sanctuary among the mythical beings of Trollheim, but seeks to find out what happened to her missing sister Ada.

Tanzer, Molly: And Side By Side They Wander (Tordotcom 978-1250382054, $24.99, 112pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

SF novella. Fennel Tycho works with ragtag team to pull off an interstellar heist from an alien museum refusing to return humankind’s greatest art to Earth.

Villaire, Alyssa: The Neon Sky (Little, Brown 978-0316574983, $19.99, 400pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/19/2026)

Young-adult fantasy novel, sequel to The Glittering Edge. Penny and her witch boyfriend Alonso try to help their friend Corey undo the bloody magical bargain that made his family rich — but the cost of breaking it is taking a life.

Yeeun, Cho: Teddy Bears Never Die (Headline UK/Wildfire 978-1035431250, £14.99, 304pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/21/2026)

Genre-bending novel with horror elements. Hwayoung, who lost her mother in a mass-poisoning attack, teams with Doha, whose mind is trapped in a teddy bear, to get revenge. Translated from the Korean by Sung Ryu.

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