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 Locus Bestsellers for November include top titles: Twelve Months by Jim Butcher (Ace), Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (Ace), and Dragonlance Legends by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman (Random House Worlds).
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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JON COURTENAY GRIMWOOD is now represented by John Jarrold Literary Agency.
LYNNE M. THOMAS and MICHAEL DAMIAN THOMAS were amicably divorced on April 2. Uncanny Magazine is now entirely under the ownership of Michael Damian Thomas per the divorce settlement.
BOOKS SOLD
S.A. CHAKRABORTY sold an untitled novel and another book to David Pomerico at Harper Voyager US for seven figures via Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates.
BRANDON SANDERSON and PETER ORULLIAN sold contemporary fantasy Songs of the Dead, first in the Strata Wars trilogy, and two more books to Marcus Gipps at The Broken Binding Press via Stevie Finegan of Zeno Agency on behalf of Joshua Bilmes of the JABberwocky Agency.
CHRISTOPHER RUOCCHIO sold short story collection Songs of the Sun Eater, “set in the world of the galaxy-spanning saga,” and another book to Aranya Jain at DAW via Danny Baror of Baror International. UK rights went to Nicolas Cheetham at Head of Zeus.
CL HELLISEN’s The Shape of Monsters and A Million Points of Light went to Bella Pagan at Tor UK via Caro Clarke of Portobello Literary.
GENOVEVA DIMOVA’s The Travelling Museum of Witchcraft went to Stephanie Stein at Tor via Brenna English-Loeb of Transatlantic Literary Agency. UK rights sold to Amanda Raybould at Solaris.
JENNIFER G. BLAKE’s Midnight at the Immortalium, “pitched as Ocean’s Eleven but fantasy,” and another book sold to Sareer Khader at Ace at auction via Samantha Fabien of Root Literary.
VAISHNAVI PATEL’s The Library of Lost Time went to Natalie Hallak at Ballantine via Jordan Hill of New Leaf Literary & Media.
SAARA EL-ARIFI’s Sinnerman, “following an immortal who masquerades as a detective but consumes sins to survive,” and another book went to Mika Kasuga at Union Square & Co in a pre-empt via Ginger Clark of Ginger Clark Literary on behalf of Juliet Mushens. UK rights to Sinnerman and two more books went to Charlotte Trumble at Harper Voyager UK via Juliet Mushens of Mushens Entertainment.
KATIE SIEGEL sold One for the Books to Shannon Plackis at Avon A via Melissa Jeglinski of The Knight Agency.
M.O. WALSH sold near-future story L3K to Gabriella Mongelli at Little, Brown in a pre-empt via Renée Zuckerbrot of Massie McQuilkin & Altman.
JULIE BUXBAUM sold The Past Selves Club to Margo Shickmanter at Avid Reader Press via Jennifer Joel of CAA. UK rights went to Joanna Lee at Juniper.
CATHERINE LEROUX sold Republic of Glass set in a near-future Montreal and translated by Katia Grubisic, to Sally Howe at Scribner via Jacqueline Ko of The Wylie Agency. Canadian rights went to Nicole Winstanley at Scribner Canada via Jessica Bullock of The Wylie Agency UK.
TANIA MALIK’s Vanished Creatures sold to Emily Griffin at Holt, at auction via Nicki Richesin at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.
NAINA KUMAR’s Diamond of the Rebellion, “pitched as a speculative reimagining of the Victorian era” following an Indian princess, went to Sarah Blumenstock at Ace in a pre-empt. Kumar’s modern paranormal romance You’ve Been Ghosted went to Kara Cesare at Bantam Dell via Johanna Castillo of Writers House. Gabby Colangelo will edit.
JOANNA RUTH MEYER sold two books in the cozy fantasy series Tea & Wizardry to Marilyn Brigham at 47North via Sarah Gerton while part of New Leaf Literary & Media.
JEFF WHEELER sold The Last Harbinger and two more books to Elizabeth Agyemang at 47North.
ROBERT CHARLES WILSON’s 40 Million Years of Summer sold to Jacob Weisman at Tachyon Publications via Shawna McCarthy of The McCarthy Agency.
DAVID LISS sold The Death and Birth of Iliana Marek to Jacob Weisman at Tachyon Publications. Rick Klaw will edit.
AUSTON HABERSHAW’s fantasy novel In Her Exquisite Clutches to Jacob Weisman at Tachyon Publications via Joshua Bilmes of JABberwocky Literary Agency. Jaymee Goh will edit.
RR HAYWOOD’s “multiverse adventure novel” Changing Worlds sold to George Sandison at Titan Books via Anthony Harvison of The Double Agents.
HANNA HEDGEWARD sold fantasy novel Fallow Lies the Blood to Katie McGuire at Alcove Press via Amy Giuffrida of Belcastro Agency.
LASHAWN M. WANAK’s short story collection The Works of Her Hands sold to Patrick Swenson at Fairwood Press via Kristopher O’Higgins of Scribe Agency.
MARIA DONG’s “steampunk adult fantasy mystery” Pastiche went to Laurie Johnson at Severn House via Amy Bishop-Wycisk of Trellis Literary Management.
LUKE BECKSTRAND’s Spark of Life and books two to six in the Axion series went to Sally O’Keefe at Primera.
BRENDON TAYLOR’s In Tune for Murder, An Overture to Murder, and books three to five in the George Picardi Mysteries series; as well as The Apothecant, The Bloodstone Curse, Counting in the Dark, The Archivist, and The Bloodstone War; went to Tanya Anne Crosby at Primera in two separate deals.
KELLY FAE WILSON sold Unraveling Fate, Weaving Fate, and Balancing Fate to Sally O’Keefe at Primera.
DAVID LAWRENCE MORSE sold “speculative literary novel” The Occident to Jaynie Royal at Regal House.
Four books in an untitled litRPG series by SHAMI STOVALL went to Rhett Bruno at Aethon & Vault via Drew Gilmour of Achilles Literary Agency.
NORET FLOOD’s Conduit series sold to Rhett Bruno at Aethon & Vault via Drew Gilmour of Achilles Literary Agency.
LINDARAE SANDE’s historical fantasy titles A Bloom for a Blacksmith, A Hero for a Housekeeper, A Maiden for a Monster, A Lookalike for a Lord, A Mate for a Methuselah, and An Inamorata for an Immortal went to Kathryn Le Veque at Dragonblade Moonrise.
SHANNON IWANSKI sold The Wages of Sin, first in a “supernatural queer detective noir” series, plus Burned by a Cold Kiss, They Must Be Fed, Renaming the Dead, and To-Be-Dead Pile to Staci Troilo at Rogue River via Metamorphosis Literary Agency.
MORGAN BRIDGES’s dystopian romance trilogy, The Nocturnal Sequence, went to Stephanie Beard at Podium Publishing for seven figures.
REBECCA ROSS sold A Bittersweet Spell and two more books to Julia Elliott at Harper Voyager US via Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media. UK rights sold to Elizabeth Vaziri at Harper Voyager UK.
LYNN CAHOON’s Black Mountain Magic, first in the Enchanted Mountain Bakery Mysteries series, and two more titles went to Michaela Hamilton at Kensington via Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
TASHIE BHUIYAN’s Double Take and another title went to Carrie Feron at Gallery via Stuti Telidevara and Pete Knapp of Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management.
KIMBERLY LYNN HANSON sold horror fantasy romance I Am the Devouring Dark and another book to Ruth Atkins at Michael Joseph via Bethany Weaver of Weaver Literary Agency.
PENELOPE BLOOM resold Unbound, the first book in the Confluence Academy series, and sold two more titles to Madeleine Colavita at Forever via Katherine Odom-Tomchin of Folio Literary Management. UK rights went to Jessie Goetzinger-Hall at Headline.
LJ ANDREWS sold Blood in the Ink, first in a dystopian romance series, and another book to Kristine Swartz at Ace via Katie Shea Boutillier of Donald Maass Literary Agency.
KASSANDRA ALEXANDER’s The Elevator Glitch, “a Greek and Greek mythology-inspired speculative romantic comedy,” went to Chelsea Villareal at Podium Publishing via Christina Zobel and Susan Velazquez of JABberwocky Literary Agency.
NANCY TUCKER’s Nice Things All the Time went to Katherine Burdon at Quercus in a pre-empt via Hattie Grunewald of The Blair Partnership.
LEAH LOBEL sold contemporary paranormal romance Bleeding Me Dry and another title to Sam Brody at Forever via Emily Forney of BookEnds.
K.A. LINDE sold the “last two” books in the Oak and Holly Cycle to Liz Pelletier at Red Tower via Kimberly Brower at Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management.
N.K. BROWN’s dark romantic fantasy A Bounty of Blood and Bargains in the Devil’s Huntress series sold to Lisa Green at City Owl Press.
TI MIKKEL’s Echo of Ashes went to Yelena Casale at City Owl Press.
LESLIE O’SULLIVAN’s fantasy romance Moon Strings went to Lisa Green at City Owl Press.
STEPHANIE MŌSHER’s Flame and Sorrow went to Lisa Green at City Owl Press.
ASHLEY SELLMAN sold A Prison of Stone, first in the Fae of Broken Kingdoms series, and another title to Twisted Words.
JASMINE WIGHAM sold The Library of Botanical Witchcraft to Hannah Bowstead at Headline via Stevie Finegan of Zeno Agency.
ALEXANDRA BRACKEN’s Immortal Rose and another book went to Kate Agar at Tempest via Alessandra Birch of Writers House on behalf of Merrilee Heifetz.
GENEVIEVE K. THOMAS sold an untitled cozy romantic fantasy and another title to Sophie Judge at Second Sky via Kiya Evans of Paper Literary.
ANGELA MONTOYA’s romantasy The Immortal Undoing sold to Bria Ragin, David Yoon, and Nicola Yoon at Joy Revolution via Larissa Melo Pienkowski of Azantian Literary Agency.
ISABELLE TAYLOR’s Fake Dating with a Dragon, fifth in the monster romance series Claw Haven, and another book went to Stephanie Doig at Harlequin.
PREMEE MOHAMED and JONATHAN SIMS’s From the Library of Jurgen Leitner, set in the Magnus Archives universe, and two more books sold to Lydia Estrada at Random House Worlds via Rusty Quill.
GARETH L. POWELL sold Unleashed and another book to Fenton Coulthurst at Titan Books via Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency.
JESSICA LEWIS sold This House Is Not a Home to Ariana Sinclair at Morrow via Holly Root of Root Literary.
SETH HADDON’s Such Deep Hunger and another book sold to Oliver Dougherty at Nightfire via Maeve MacLysaght of Aevitas Creative Management.
TANYA PELL’s A Darkness Rather Blacker went to Kimberly Laws at Gallery via Marcy Posner of Folio Literary Management.
SEAN FERRELL sold In the Fields We Thirst to Ed Schlesinger at Gallery via Alec Shane of Writers House.
K LUCIAN JONES’s Ghosts of Bakersfield went to Justine Norton-Kertson at Android.
J.W. OCKER’s Our Monster Who Art in Heaven sold to Alexandra Murphy at Page Street via Alexander Slater while part of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.
PETER CLINES sold The Off Season and another title to Peter Wolverton at St. Martin’s via David Fugate of LaunchBooks Literary Agency.
REBECCA KENNEY’s “haunted house horroromance” Writhe and two more books sold to Mary Altman at Sourcebooks Casablanca via Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary Agency (world).
Jacy Morris (2024)
JACY MORRIS sold A Town Painted Red, “in which an Indigenous graffiti artist… discovers that [Portland] is rotting from the inside out,” to Alex Woodroe at Tenebrous Press.
CARL ANTONOWICZ’s illustrated novel The Wreck and Ascension of the Good Ship Yanqui went to Alex Woodroe at Tenebrous Press.
LESLIE J. ANDERSON’s folk horror Children of the Wrong Heaven went to Randall Lotowycz at Quirk Books via Lane Heymont of The Tobias Literary Agency.
DAVID MASSENGILL sold “queer horror-thriller” Mr. Doppelganger to David-Jack Fletcher at Slashic Horror Press.
MAZEY EDDINGS sold “gothic horromance” The Bargain to Rachael Kelly at Dutton at auction via Claire Friedman and Jessica Mileo of Inkwell Management. UK rights went to Soraya Bouazzaoui of Headline Eternal.
PHILIPPA YOUNG sold “paranormal rom-com” Cold Hearts and another book to Holly Ingraham at Sourcebooks Casablanca via Lauren Bieker of FinePrint Literary Management.
AISLINN BROPHY’s “sapphic high fantasy” The Divinity Thieves went to Polo Orozco at Putnam Children’s via Sarah Fisk at The Tobias Literary Agency.
BRIDGET MORRISSEY sold YA romance I Put a Spell on You to Hannah Hill at Delacorte Romance via Taylor Haggerty of Root Literary. BRIDGET MORRISSEY, AUSTIN SIEGEMUND-BROKA, and EMILY WIBBERLEY writing as E.B. ASHER sold Last Night in Lyris to Priyanka Krishnan at Avon via Taylor Haggerty of Root Literary for Morrissey, and Katie Shea Boutillier of Donald Maass Literary Agency for Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka.
RACQUEL MARIE sold YA contemporary horror A Different Kind of Murder to Rachel Diebel at Feiwel and Friends via Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
KENDALL ANNETTE’s YA novels Tylor Whitlock Just Won’t Die and Charlie Burton Has Killer Timing sold to Jennifer Thompson at Scholastic for six figures at auction via Bethany Weaver of Weaver Literary Agency.
SARAH PORTER sold YA gothic thriller A Darker Obscure to Alexandra Aceves at Holiday House via Rebecca Podos at Neighborhood Literary.
HAFSA A. JAWAD resold romantasy The Tales of Arcana Fortune and sold sequel The Mirrors of Runisia Winters to Alison Romig at Delacorte via Sophie Sheumaker of BookEnds.
RYAN DOUGLASS’s horror novel Night of Madness and another title sold to Kara Sargent at Simon Pulse via Petersen Harris of Temple Hill Publishing on behalf of Lane Clarke at Ultra Literary.
JO SALAZAR’s If We Survive the Night, If We Survive What Saved Us, and another title sold to Gabbi Calabrese at Sourcebooks Fire via Renee Runge and Ali Herring of Spencerhill Associates.
GWENYTH REITZ’s Prom Anomaly went to Emilia Sowersby at Roaring Brook Press via Uwe Stender of TriadaUS Literary Agency.
KALYN JOSEPHSON sold A Dragonslayer’s Guide to Love, Valor, and Other Myths to Kate Meltzer at Roaring Brook Press, in an exclusive submission via Carrie Pestritto of Laura Dail Literary Agency.
ROXANE DE ROUEN’s romantasy duology beginning with She Dies at Dawn went to Brian Geffen at Holt Children’s at auction via Lizzie Bishop of Faber UK.
ROWAN BRIGHTON BROWN’s young adult contemporary fantasy White Trash Witchcraft sold to Alexandra Aceves at Holiday House via Alexander Slater while part of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.
Fabiana Muñoz (2024)
FABIANA MUÑOZ’s The Dead Walk in Pleasant Cove and another book went to Tamara Grasty at Page Street Kids via Vicky Weber of Creative Media Agency.
PAIGE COOPER sold speculative literary debut novel Nulligravida to Martha Sharpe at Flying Books via Samantha Haywood and Eva Oakes of Transatlantic Literary Agency.
SHIRA ERLICHMAN sold debut novel Tangerapple, “set in a lightly speculative version of New York,” to Deborah Garrison at Knopf in a pre-empt via Erika Stevens of Salky Literary Management.
B.N. KING sold debut Wolfboy, first in a trilogy, to Emily Archbold at Del Rey via Veronique Baxter at David Higham Associates. UK rights went to Rebecca Hilsdon at Michael Joseph.
MEGAN DANIELS sold Time Sick, “in which one woman travels forward five years in time to solve her own murder, only to find herself falling in love with her future self’s husband,” to Natalie Hallak at Ballantine at auction via Nicole Cunningham of Trellis Literary Management.
JOSIE BULLARD sold Dreams of Ruin and two more books to Andy Dodds at Podium Publishing via Christy Fletcher and Ariele Fredman of UTA on behalf of Alix Frank of DBA. UK rights went to Alexa Allen-Batifoulier at Del Rey UK at auction via Ciara Finan and Cathryn Summerhayes of Curtis Brown UK.
BRETT RYLAND sold Our Whole Lives Behind Us, following a widower who works for a time travel tourism agency, to MJ Johnston at Sourcebooks Landmark via Jane Dystel of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
MYLEE MILLER sold Heart of Bone to Marcy Harris at Alcove Press via Rachel Estep of D4EO Literary Agency.
JESSE ARAGON sold debut “horror-tinged epic science fantasy” The Demon Star and another book to Marcus Gipps at The Broken Binding Press via Imogen Bovill of Abner Stein on behalf of 2 Seas Agency for DAW Books and John Baker and Julie Gourinchas of Bell Lomax Moreton.
THERESA HUNTER’s debut romantasy Wings of Salt and Storm, first in a series, and another title sold to Kate Prosswimmer at Scarlett Press via Emily Forney of BookEnds.
REMY FINK sold debut Thespians: A Tragedy to Taz Urnov at Hell’s Hundred via Claire Harris of Helm Literary.
A.J. JACONO’s speculative debut Yes, Yes went to Katie McGuire at Crooked Lane via Logan Harper of Jane Rotrosen Agency.
Wen-yi Lee (2025)
ELLIE OWENS sold debut YA dystopian fantasy Cave Jumpers and another book to Madison Pelletier at Mischief Books via Juliana McBride of Rebecca Friedman Literary. Lydia Sharp will edit.
DENE PLEWS’s debut YA romantasy Queen of Thieves and another title went to Lydia Sharp at Mischief Books via Cole Lanahan of The Seymour Agency.
WEN-YI LEE will edit horror anthology The Kids Came Back Wrong for Mary Kate Castellani at Bloomsbury Children’s, sold at auction via Isabel Kaufman of Fox Literary. Kei Nakatsuka will edit.
SYLVIE ALTHOFF sold SF novella Trivial Matters, “featuring a transgender heroine lost in time,” to Justine Norton-Kertson at Android.
KWAN ANN TAN’s debut “speculative literary choose-your-own-adventure novella” The Waiter went to Mika Kasuga at Union Square & Co via Julie Finidori of Aevitas Creative Management UK.
LOUIS BAYARD’s The Night Caller, “pitched as a Dracula origin story,” went to Jovanna Brinck at Algonquin via Dan Conaway of Writers House.
Jamal Hodge (2024)
JAMAL HODGE will edit short story anthology Shards of Gotham: New York City Through the Looking Glass for R.B. Wood at Ruadán.
IVANA GEČEK’s Strange Flowers Blooming from Within, fourth in the Extremities “queer anthology series,” sold to David-Jack Fletcher at Slashic Horror Press.
DARYL GREGORY sold horror novella The Porcelain Sisters to Jacob Weisman at Tachyon Publications via Seth Fishman of The Gernert Company. Jaymee Goh will edit.
ROBERT J. SAWYER sold Sawyer on Science Fiction, a “collection of articles, columns, reviews, and speeches,” to Edward Willett at Shadowpaw Press.
BOOKS RESOLD
SHEILA MASTERSON resold The Poison Daughter to Nicole Otto at Slowburn for seven figures at auction via Alyssa Morris of Trellis Literary Management. UK rights went to Rachel Winterbottom at Wayward TxF at auction via Maddalena Cavaciuti of David Higham Associates on behalf of Allison Malecha and Tori Clayton at Trellis Literary Management.
ERIN AMPERSAND sold Time to Play, Making Friends, Hide and Seek, Breaking Rules, and Running Wild in the litRPG Apocalypse Parenting series to Ali Fisher and Maxine Charles at Tor in a pre-empt via Erin Malone of WME.
PIRATEABA resold The Wandering Inn and Fae and Fare to David Pomerico at Harper Voyager US via Drew Gilmour of Achilles Literary Agency.
BEN FARTHING resold novella Scurry, pitched as “in the vein” of Good Boy, to John Harlacher at Weird Tales Presents via Lane Heymont of The Tobias Literary Agency.
JACEY BEDFORD’s Psi-Tech trilogy resold to Wizard’s Tower.
ANTHONY TARDIFF’s Mirages resold to Elizabeth Agyemang at 47North via Carrie Pestritto of Laura Dail Literary Agency.
Three books in ARCANE CADENCE’s New Life As a Max Level Archmage series went to Rhett Bruno at Aethon & Vault. Damian Wassel will edit.
PUBLISHING
At Tor, ALEXA BEST has been promoted to publishing strategy associate, SAMANTHA FRIEDLANDER to associate marketing manager, LIZZY HOSTY to associate manager of publishing strategy, TYRINNE LEWIS has been promoted to senior marketing manager, EMILY MLYNEK to senior director of marketing, ERIN ROBINSON to associate manager of publishing operations, JESSE SHAMON to AdPromo designer, TIANA TOLBERT to senior social media manager, and BECKY YEAGER to associate director of ad promo and marketing.
ASHLEIGH HEATON has launched Enchantress Marketing, “a full-service book marketing agency specializing in genre fiction and open to traditional, indie, and hybrid authors.” It will offer services including “author brand development and management, individual title advertising and launch promotions, social media and newsletter strategy, convention planning assistance, website design, backlist support, and publishing consultations.” Heaton was previously director of marketing at Penguin Random House.
AUTUMN TOENNIS has joined Europa Editions as editor.
CRISTAL SANCHEZ was promoted to national account manager and SHELBY SWEET has joined as associate national account manager for Hachette Book Group.
SARAH GERTON has joined The Caldwell Agency as literary agent and audio rights manager. She was previously at New Leaf Literary.
MEDIA
Film rights to JOE ABERCROMBIE’s The Devils went to James Cameron at Lightstorm. Abercrombie and Cameron will co-write the script.
Film rights to OCTAVIA E. BUTLER’s Parable of the Sower sold to Warner Bros. Melina Matsoukas and Inga Veronique will produce, along with Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, as well as managing director of Butler’s estate Jules Jackson. Matsoukas will direct.
Film rights to BEN MEZRICH’s forthcoming novel The Last Orbit: Genius, Terror, Defiance, and the Race to Avert Apocalypse sold to TriStar Pictures in a pre-empt. Beau Flynn will produce, Matt Shakman will direct, and Josh Friedman will adapt.
Film rights to YA dystopia Talented by SOPHIE DAVIS went to Molly Cusick at ReelShort via Flavia Viotti of Bookcase Literary Agency.
Film rights to AVERY FLYNN’s Head Witch in Charge sold to Molly Cusick at ReelShort.
Here we go again—Locus is back with a premier look at the latest Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult releases making their debut this week! Our newest lineup is overflowing with must-read titles hitting the shelves, and we’ve hand-picked the very best to help you navigate your ever-expanding TBR pile. We share a fresh video every single week, so be sure to subscribe to stay updated on the latest literary trends—your support makes all the difference. Enjoy this week’s highlights, and we’ll catch you in the next one with even more essential new reads!
SF novel, second in the Time’s Shadow series set in the Polity Universe. Al Straeger has built a p-prador army from the Spatterjay virus, while Blite and Cormac are trapped in conflict on the world of Yossander’s Hold. Simultaneous with the Macmillan/Tor UK edition.
Horror novella described as “Severance meets Lovecraft.” Joe joins the mysterious Ponos company as an administrative assistant, but gets more than he bargained for. Simultaneous with the Macmillan/Tor Nightfire UK edition.
Brennan, Sarah Rees: All Hail Chaos (Orbit US 978-0316568746, $19.99, 480pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Fantasy novel, the second in the Time of Iron series. Fantasy reader Rae, transported into her favorite book-realm, has played a villainess, and now faces undead armies, raiders, and an Emperor who wants her as his queen. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.
Butcher, Jim: Out Law (Podium Publishing 979-8347030026, $16.99, 208pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/05/2026)
Fantasy novella in the Dresden Files set after Twelve Months. After the Battle of Chicago, Harry Dresden is pressured by John Marcone to help an underling, and deals with a demonic foe he himself may have created.
Dinniman, Matt: A Parade of Horribles (Ace 979-8217190065, $32.00, 704pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
SF LitRPG novel, eighth in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Carl and Princess Donut compete in races on the 10th Floor, while on the 11th floor, something called the “Parade of Horribles” is happening. Previously self-published, now with an exclusive bonus story, “Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.”
SF novel with fantasy elements. The fantasy world of Malicarn is the setting of blockbuster movies — but it’s a “Truman Show”-esque environment where the people within believe their magical, dragon-filled lives are real.
Flett, Jane: Welcome to the Chaoskampf (Penguin Random House UK/Doubleday UK 978-1529955064, £18.99, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 05/14/2026)
Literary apocalypse novel. Marcy leaves her perfect life and takes up with a group of apocalypse-summoning filmmakers who think her old boxing scar is the mark of the Chosen One.
Francis, Dani: Broken Dove (Penguin Random House/Del Rey 978-0593875490, $32.99, 608pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Dystopian romance novel, second in the Silver Elite series. Exposed as a double agent within the Silver Elite, Wren aids in the allied Uprising, though she’s torn between her lover Cross and hotshot pilot Grayson. Simultaneous with the Penguin Random House UK/Del Rey UK edition.
Gailey, Sarah: Make Me Better (Tor 978-1250851758, $28.99, 432pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Wellness-gothic horror novel. Celia, seeking community, goes to the Salt Festival on a mysterious island, where the secluded community promises healing and transformation and the reef outside keeps growing.
Gammon, Jendia & Chiara, Ernie: Omniboz: Tales from the Land of Oz (Stars and Sabers 978-1967550098, $19.99, 152pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, 05/15/2026)
Anthology of short stories inspired by L. Frank Baum’s Oz books. Authors include Adrian Tchaikovsky, Helen Gylnn Jones, J.R. Dawson, and more.
Glynn, John: The Lost Book of Lancelot (Grand Central 978-1538775233, $29.00, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Arthurian fantasy novel. Orphan Lancelot grows up in seclusion on the Isle of Women and in love with the handsome Galehaut; as he is drawn into Camelot politics, he finds himself in a battle between warring worlds.
Near-future SF novel. Working for the Callisto corporation, Kelli edits AI output into “appropriate” stories for TV; her rigid life is interrupted when ex Rowan seeks her help for his illegal gender-affirming surgery.
Leckie, Ann: Radiant Star (Orbit US 978-0316290357, $30.00, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
SF novel, a standalone set in the world of the Imperial Radch. The Radch, cracking down on the city Ooioiaa’s local rituals, permit only one more man to enter the Temporal Location of the Radiant Star and join its mummified bodies as a “living saint.” Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.
McIntyre, Vonda N.: The Curve of the World (Aqueduct Press 978-1619762800, $21.00, 408pp, formats: paperback, 05/15/2026)
Historical fantasy novel, published posthumously. In an ancient Minoan world, ambassador Iakinthu sails the world to return her son Rhenthizu to his home on the Pacific coast, a distant land no Minoans have ever reached.
Newman, Kim: Model Actress Whatever (Titan Books UK 978-1803366678, $19.99, 464pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Satirical horror novel. Soap-opera actress Chrissie discovers her character is about to be killed off, stops dieting, and discovers she has supernatural abilities, and has to rescue her aunt who’s a therapist for supervillains.
Noon, Jeff: Moon Over Brendle (Angry Robot UK 978-1836730309, $19.99, 256pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Fantasy novel with elements of memoir. In an alternate 1968 Lancashire, teenage Joe has the rare ability to see Greot, a swirling dust rainbow that settles on the dead, and becomes a successful SF novelist.
Near-future horror novel. Two best friends in Ecuador go to a hedonistic Solar Noise Festival: Noa embraces the narcotic haze and collective visions, but Nicole senses something sinister at play. Translated from the Spanish by Sarah Booker.
Fantasy novel, the second in the Loyal Opposition series. Brother Desiderius and Sister Svangerd take on a dangerous task from a high-up official. Parker is a pen name for Tom Holt. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition; ebook also available. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.
Patel, Vaishnavi: We Dance Upon Demons (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-1668068595, $28.00, 304pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Fantasy novel. Burned-out reproductive healthcare worker Nisha collapses at an Indian art exhibit after being beckoned by a statue, and wakes with strange powers.
Plett, Cale: The Saw Mouth (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 979-8217025701, $19.99, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Young-adult rural horror novel. Ten years after an apocolypse in which souls woke up inside machines and destroyed them, genderqueer teen Cedar finds themselves hunted by a rotting shadow in Sawblade Lake.
Roth, Veronica: Seek the Traitor’s Son (Tor 978-1250347909, $29.99, 432pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Fantasy romance novel, first in the Burning Empire series. Soldier Elegy defends her homeland from the Talusar, but a prophecy says she and Talusar general Rava will fall in love with the same man and only one will be victorious in the war. Simultaneous with the Macmillan/Tor UK edition.
Searcy, Holly: The Whisper Tree (Blackstone Publishing 979-8228465343, $29.99, 382pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Fantasy novel, second in the Amarra Chronicles. Elven druid Kiana joins an adventure party to track down royal artifacts, and must save the Whisper Tree from a corruption.
Smyth, Lauren: All That Glows (Enclave Escape 979-8886052619, $24.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/12/2026)
Young-adult SF novel. Kyrie and her town in the Mojave Desert survived a plague-carrying rain ten years ago, but a masked man outside the town fence doesn’t seem to understand the world ended.
Turtledove, Harry: Lightning Runes (Arc Manor/Caezik SF & Fantasy 978-1647101770, $29.67, 304pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 05/11/2026)
Historical fantasy detective novel, second in the City of Shadows series (standalone). In 1940s Los Angeles, a missing musician and a trail of magic triggers an investigation into an ancient power threatening the city.
Vibbert, Marie: Multitude (Apex Book Company 978-1955765497, $18.95, 184pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 05/12/2026)
SF novel. Humanity — from a SETI researcher in Australia to a mathematician in Beirut — must contend with a hivemind collective of cephalopod aliens.
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Here we go again—Locus is back with a brand-new selection of notable releases across the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult genres! This week’s lineup is packed with exciting new books hitting shelves, and we’re excited to highlight them for you. Whether you’re on the lookout for your next great read or just can’t resist adding more to your growing TBR pile, you’re in the right place.
We share a new video every week, so make sure to subscribe to stay updated on the latest releases—your support means a lot. We’ll see you again next week with another fresh batch of must-read titles!
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