The Faith of Beasts, the second book in James S.A. Corey’s The Captive’s War series, took first place with a respectable lead over our second-place finisher, Christopher Buehlman’s medieval horror adventure Between Two Fires. Our runner-up was The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (Tor), a fantasy centered on the hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan. There were 54 nominated titles, down from 55 last month.

Echoing last month’s voting, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary held onto the top spot on our trade paperback list, followed by Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. There were no new runners-up. Sixty-three titles were nominated, up from last month’s 55.

On our media and gaming-related list, three books made our list. Two tied for first place, Dragonlance Legends by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman and Magic: The Gathering: Strixhaven: Omens of Chaos by Seanan McGuire. Dan Abnett’s Warhammer 40,000: Eisenhorn: The Omnibus came in third. There were no new runners-up. We had 16 titles nominated, down from 22 last month.

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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: April 2026

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

Author Dafydd ab Hugh, 65, died in June 2026.

Ab Hugh was born David M. Friedman on October 22, 1960 in Los Angeles CA. He began writing SF/F as early as 1987 with Heroing: or, How He Wound Down the World, first of two books in the fantasy series Jiana. He wrote Arthuriana books Arthur War Lord (1994) and Far Beyond the Wave (1994), as well as several tie-in novels for Star Trek and Doom. His short fiction, including Hugo and Nebula Award-nominated novelette “The Coon Rolled Down and Ruptured His Larinks, a Squeezed Novel by Mr. Skunk” (1990), was published in Asimov’s, New Destinies, Free Space (1997), and more.

For more, see his entry in the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

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Ready to update your reading list? A brand-new wave of incredible books has officially arrived, and we’re highlighting the most anticipated new releases in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, and YA hitting shelves the week of July 14th, 2026. Whether you’re searching for mind-bending futures, dark magic, spine-tingling terror, or captivating young adult stories, this week’s lineup is packed with must-reads.

We’ve curated the ultimate shortlist of standout arrivals to help you easily spot your next obsession. Don’t forget to subscribe for your weekly dose of fresh speculative fiction recommendations, and thanks for hanging out with us—we’ll catch you next time with another stack of great books to explore!

The post New Book Releases Video: July 14, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Author R.S. Belcher, 59, died July 11, 2026.

Rod Belcher was born May 2, 1967 in Roanoke VA. He graduated Virginia Commonwealth University, worked on a Masters degree in forensic science at The George Washington University, and worked as a newspaper and magazine editor, a reporter, and a freelance writer. After story “Orphans” appeared in a Star Trek tie-in anthology in 2006, he continued publishing in 2013 with “Hollow Moments” and The Six-Gun Tarot, first in the Golgotha series, which continued with The Shotgun Arcana (2014), The Queen of Swords (2017), and The Ghost Dance Judgment (2020). He also wrote the Nightwise Universe, including Nightwise (2015), The Night Dahlia (2018), Locus Award nominee for Horror The Brotherhood of the Wheel (2016), and King of the Road (2018). In 2019, he published another tie-in novel, Men in Black International (2019). Standalone novel The Queen’s Road was published in 2020. He published about a dozen short fiction works in the 2010s and ‘20s in anthologies such as Galactic Stew (2020) and Skull X Bones (2025) and in magazines such as Amazing Stories.

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Check out the campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2040521099/locus-anthology-2025

The post Locus Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the Year: Volume 1 Is Funding Now! appeared first on Locus.

Author and editor Mark J. McGarry, 68, died in May 2026 in Paris, France.

McGarry was born February 6, 1958 in Albany NY. He wrote Sun Dogs (1981) and Blank Slate (1984) as well as several genre works of short fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Analog, Stellar, Amazing Stories, and F&SF, including Nebula Award nominee “The Mercy Gate” (1998). He was the original editor of SF magazine Empire and a past editor of the SFWA Forum and Bulletin.

The post Mark J. McGarry (1958-2026) appeared first on Locus.

The prize formerly known as the International Booker Prize has announced a partnership with Bukhman Philanthropies, which “has made a generous commitment to fund the next 10 years of the International Booker Prize.” The funding will double the prize awarded to the winning title from £50,000 to £100,000, split between the author and translator.

The Buhkman International Booker Prize “celebrates the best works of long-form fiction or collections of short stories translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland.” This year’s judges are Katie Kitamura (chair), Patrick McGuinness, Caleb Azumah Nelson, Olga Ravn, and Tessa Thompson. Submissions are open until September 24, 2026.

The shortlist will be announced on April 15, 2027. The winner will be announced the following month. Shortlisted titles receive £5,000, or £2,500 each for author and translator.

For more information, including submission guidelines for the prize, see the Booker Prize website.

The post Buhkman International Booker Prize Judges Announced appeared first on Locus.

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ELEANNA CASTROIANNI is now represented by Arley Sorg of kt literary.

ERIN LATIMER, CORAL ALE­JANDRA MOORE, and J.C. SNOW are now represented by JABberwocky Literary Agency.

ROBERT J. SAWYER will be writer-in-residence at Calgary’s Alexandria Writers’ Centre So­ciety from September 1 to No­vember 30.

 

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“Whatever Kills the Pain” by C.W. BLACKWELL won Best Long Story, “Blind Pig” by MI­CHAEL BRACKEN won Best Short Story, and “The Temporary Murder of Thomas Monroe” by TIA TASHIRO won Best Novelette in the 2026 Derringer Awards.

Trail of Shadows by MIKE AL­LEN won the Webster Award at RavenCon 2026, held April 24-26.

 

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ADA PALMER’s And Loki in His Prison and And Odin on His Tree, in “a Norse duology,” went to Mal Frazier and Pat­rick Nielsen Hayden at Tor via Cameron McClure of Donald Maass Literary Agency. Jennifer Gunnels will edit. UK rights sold to Nicolas Cheetham at Head of Zeus via Harry Illingworth of DHH Literary on behalf of Cam­eron McClure.

JON COURTENAY GRIM­WOOD sold Thrones and Pow­ers and an untitled historical fantasy novel to Simon Taylor at Transworld in a pre-empt via John Jarrold of John Jarrold Liter­ary Agency.

JON GRACEY’s Midnight in Ravenswood, OLIVER K. LANGMEAD’s Beneath the Martyr’s Eye, and RILEY SIL­VERMAN’s Because the Night, in the world of social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower, sold to Lee Harris at Tor. Carl Engle-Laird will edit.

STEPHEN ARYAN sold Silver Tongued Devils and another title to Marcus Gipps at The Broken Binding Press via Juliet Mush­ens of Mushens Entertainment (world English).

CAITLIN ROZAKIS sold Dreadful sequel Half-Baked to George Sandison at Titan Books via Sarah Fisk of The Tobias Liter­ary Agency.

CASEY SCIESZKA sold Fu­ture You, “about a young woman working at a Catskills hotel who finds herself trapped in a four-month ‘time scramble,’” to Sarah Stein at Harper via Ali Lake of O’Connor Literary Agency.

TRAVIS J.I. CORCORAN’s Red State Earth, a prequel to Red State Mars, and another book went to Tony Daniel at Ark Press.

DUSTIN PLANTHOLT sold Homebound Apocalypse and two more books to Rhett Bruno at Aethon & Vault. Damian Was­sel will edit.

KELLEY ARMSTRONG’s Im­mortal Lies, in which a young woman teams up with a vampire hunter to save a college from a coven of vampires, and another book went to Elizabeth Agy­emang at 47North via Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency.

ZACK PETROC and JUSTIN SLOAN’s “litRPG fantasy” Castle Crawl and another title sold to Elizabeth Agyemang at 47North via Connor Smith of Hesperides Literary.

JC ROSS sold an untitled “litRPG fantasy” and another book to Gwyn Jordan at Rogue­heart Press. Chelsea Karol will edit.

GENEVA LEE sold Harbinger and four more books to Liz Pel­letier at Red Tower for seven figures via Louise Fury of The Fury Agency. UK rights sold to Rebecca Hilsdon at Michael Joseph.

JULIE HALL sold “Bridgerton-inspired historical romantasy” The Secrets of Everlight and another title to Elizabeth Vinson at Ace via Flavia Viotti of Book­case Literary Agency.

JULIETTE CROSS’s “goth­ic standalone paranormal ro­mances” The Ayre Witch, Of Frost and Fyre, and Vanity and Vampires went to Erika Tsang at Bramble for seven figures via Rachel Brooks of BookEnds.

JESSICA CAGE’s I Inherited a Gargoyle, “following a reluctant succubus,” and two more books sold to Jason Pinter at Simon Maverick via Patrice Caldwell of The Caldwell Agency.

SCARLETT ASH’s The De­mon’s Kiss went to Amy Baxter at Avon UK via Haley Warrington of Booker Albert Agency.

KATE RHODES and JEN­NIFER XU, writing as KAIJU, sold Novae, with a romance between a necromancer and an astronomer, and two more titles to Rebecca Taylor at Inklore at auction via Ammi-Joan Paquette of Aevitas Creative Management. Sara Miller will edit.

COLETTE RHODES sold Harpy at High Tide, first in the Monsters at Sea series, and two more books to Elizabeth May at Kensington via Jill Marr of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.

ASH LUKENS’s “polyamorous romantic fantasy” Signed in Shadows went to Katie McGuire at Alcove Press via Lauren Bieker of FinePrint Literary Manage­ment and Mara Hollander of Azantian Literary Agency.

KIERSTEN WHITE’s Drown: A Love Story, “in which a woman possessed since childhood uses her bond with the unknowable entity inside her to undo other dormant possessions, until the attacks begin zeroing in on her home,” sold to Tricia Narwani at Del Rey via Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency.

RONALD MALFI’s Revenant, “in which a detective investigat­ing the disappearance of a local child is forced to confront the impossible return of his younger brother,” went to Ed Schlesinger at Gallery via Cameron Mc­Clure of Donald Maass Literary Agency.

CHRIS PANATIER sold Kill Me With Fire, in which a curse transforms two women into “fe­ral witches,” to Alan Lastufka at Shortwave via Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency.

BEAR LEE sold “cosmic giallo novel” Morphia Slow to David-Jack Fletcher at Slashic Horror Press.

CHLOE SPENCER’s Make a House a Home, following a Midwestern tradwife, went to David-Jack Fletcher at Slashic Horror Press.

MARIAH STILLBROOK sold Betsy, “about a possessed man­nequin wreaking havoc on a group of teens in the ‘90s,” to David-Jack Fletcher at Slashic Horror Press.

ANTOINETTE VAN SLUYT­MAN’s Red Rhen, a “matriar­chal cosmic-fantasy,” went to dave ring at Neon Hemlock via Julie Crisp of Julie Crisp Literary Agency.

SAMANTHA COHOE’s adult debut The Devoured, in which twins are haunted by their 20-years-prior kidnapping, went to Elana Gibson at Crooked Lane via Sarah Phair of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

STEPHANIE FELDMAN sold “feminist folk horror” In Summer She Turns Cruel to Christine Neulieb at Lanternfish Press via Stacia Decker of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.

KATE WESTON’s Death Looks Good on You, “pitched as body horror meets the beauty industry,” went to Aleena Hasan at Daphne Press via Chloe Sea­ger of Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency.

AMY GIACALONE’s “modern-day ghost story” This May Come Back to Haunt Me sold to Megan Stielstra at TriQuarterly Books.

GABRIELLA GYLLENHOFF sold My Demon Exchange Stu­dent to Ashlyn Inman at Keylight.

SHAMEEZ PATEL sold Fang-Girling and another book to Ashley Imane Fields at Forever via Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

EILIS O’NEAL’s “sci-fi dysto­pian duology” Redemption Ark and Renegade Stars, set on a reality TV show in outer space, went to Mary Kate Castellani at Bloomsbury Children’s at auction via Christabel McKinley of David Higham Associates. Meghan Maria McCullough will edit. UK rights went to Simon & Schuster UK at auction.

LIZ EDELBROCK sold Spec­tacle of Ruin, about a gods-cursed teen, to Wendy Loggia at Delacorte via Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency.

ELLE TESCH’s “YA adventure fantasy” The Gods We Buried went to Lydia Gregovic at Dela­corte via Pete Knapp & Stuti Telidevara of Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management.

MARC J GREGSON’s Bright Sky, first in the Below the Black fantasy trilogy, and two more titles sold to Jonah Heller at Peachtree Teen via Heather Cashman of Storm Literary Agency.

LAURA E. WEYMOUTH sold Willow Crowned, “in which an exiled king and a rebel serving girl clash on a remote island stronghold,” to Bess Braswell & Hana Tzou at Feiwel & Friends via Laura Crockett of TriadaUS Literary Agency.

JORDAN RIVET sold post-apocalyptic romance KA­THARSIS to Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books via Lanie Davis & Daisy Garrison of Alloy Entertainment on behalf of Jim McCarthy of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.

AMANDA DEWITT and MA­RIA INGRANDE MORA sold “ac­ademic rivals-to-queerplatonic-besties fantasy-comedy” Royal Person Fiction to Ashley Hearn at Peachtree Teen via Cate Hart of Harvey Klinger for DeWitt, and Erica Bauman of Aevitas Creative Management for Mora.

CATHERINE CHENG’s de­but, literary horror Whitefish, “about a Michelin-starred chef who spirals into madness as he becomes increasingly entangled with a wealthy family – and the merman whose flesh he’s serv­ing them,” sold to Kate Lucas and Sophie Garcia-Cubas As­semat at Flatiron Books for six figures at auction via Maddy Belton of Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency. UK rights went to Delayna Spencer at Hodder & Stoughton at auction.

ASH HUANG sold debut speculative novel The Secret Lives of Immortals, about a love story between “a poet from the Imperial Chinese palace and the Roman gladiator who tricks her into eternal life,” and another title to Angelica Chong at Redhook and Jenni Hill at Orbit UK in a pre-empt via Hana El Niwairi of CookeMcDermid.

JESSICA PLUMMER’s debut Magestruck, “a queer fantasy rom-com,” and another book went to Leyla Erkan at Harlequin via Eric Smith of Neighborhood Literary. The Conman’s Guide to Dragon Slaying, pitched as “an adult How to Train Your Dragon meets Heated Rivalry,” sold to John Morgan at Grand Central at auction via Smith.

LIVVY JANE BAKER’s debut, “sapphic enemies-to-lovers cozy fantasy” Advanced Alchemy, sold to Elana Gibson at Alcove Press via Fabienne Schwizer of Ki Agency.

Filmmaker and screenwriter LINDSEY ANDERSON BEER’s debut novel Hollow, “a feminist retelling of ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’,” sold to Tara Singh Carl­son at Putnam in a pre-empt via Alyssa Reuben of WME. Beer will adapt and direct a film version through the Honey Trap produc­ing label with producers Sydney Sweeney and Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap.

MADELINE HAZE CURTIS sold debut A Light Mistaken for the Sun, pitched as a sapphic Interview with the Vampire, to Brittany Adames at Simon & Schuster at auction via Sasha Landauer of Writers House.

KATY LAIRD sold debut, horror Occult Entertainment, pitched as Squid Game meets Backrooms, and another title to Troix Jackson at Nightfire in a pre-empt via Kiana Nguyen of Donald Maass Literary Agency.

RORY FORREST sold “humor­ous sci-fi” Dave, the Space Pet to Summer Stewart at Unso­licited Press, by Stacey Kondla while at The Rights Factory (world English).

LILIA VARGAS COSTELLO sold debut Borderline, “for fans of Stranger Things and Rules for Vanishing,” to Ardyce Alspach at Union Square Kids via Stephen Barbara & Sidney Boker of Ink­well Management.

CYNTHIA PELAYO sold Eve­rina, a novella reworking of Frankenstein “inspired by Mary Shelley’s experience as a griev­ing mother,” to Mika Kasuga at Union Square & Co via Lane Heymont of The Tobias Literary Agency.

EMAN ABDELHADI and M.E. O’BRIEN will edit anthology When We Win: Dispatches from Revolutionary Futures for Dao Tran at Haymarket.

BEATKA LAKE sold “sapphic western horror novella” Beneath the Veins to Mika Kasuga at Union Square & Co via Paul Lucas of Regal Hoffmann & As­sociates.

AMALIA STONE sold 6 Steps to Survival, a “sapphic, dual timeline space opera novella,” to Veronica Holmes at Scylla.

 

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M.H. FOSTER resold The Demon Overlord’s Retirement Plan, first in a previously self-published fantasy series, Love, Politics, and Other Acts of War, and Band of Others to Morgan Spehar at Grand Central via Seth Fishman of The Gernert Company (NA).

KATE ASHER resold Crown of Olympus, Blood of Olympus, Blade of Olympus, and another book to Christine Ebbs at Penguin Australia via Saffron Dodd of ASH Literary.

ERICK THIEMKE, writing as ALWAYSROLLSAONE, sold three books in the series A Soldier’s Life to Rhett Bruno at Aethon & Vault. Damian Wassel will edit.

 

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CAILIN DUFFY has joined Orbit as assistant editor and NI­COLE PUAPATTANAKAJORN has joined as administrative assistant.

EDEN RAILSBACK has joined Tor Publishing Group as an associate editor. She was previously at HarperCollins.

SARAH BLUMENSTOCK has been promoted to executive edi­tor at Berkley.

Uncanny Magazine Manag­ing Editor MONTE LIN will also become nonfiction editor starting with Uncanny Magazine Issue 72.

At Harper Collins, MAY CHEN and TESSA WOODWARD have been promoted to VP, pub­lishers of Avon Group, which includes the imprints Harper Voyager, Avon, and Avon A. MORGAN PAGER has joined as senior director, marketing for Avon. RICH THOMAS has been promoted to SVP, group publisher and HEIDI RICHTER to VP, marketing and publicity at Harper Children’s.

 

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REBECCA YARROS sold film rights to The Things We Leave Unfinished to Lionsgate. Yarros, Arash Amel of Amel Company, and Carly Kleinbart Elter and Alex Young of Hidden Pictures are executive produc­ers. Todd Lieberman will also produce, Thea Sharrock will direct, and Amel will adapt the script.

Film rights to SARAH BLUE’s The Marriage Hex and The Fang Arrangement went to Molly Cusick at ReelShort.

The post People & Publishing Roundup, July 2026 appeared first on Locus.

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

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Bontrager, Megan: The Sea Hides Its Dead (Orbit US/Run For It 978-0316588010, $19.99, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Horror novel. Grad student Caro joins a sea-cave expedition to find the ancient Cult of the Leviathan, only for the entrance to collapse and trap them inside the site. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK/Run For It UK edition.

 

Carrick, M.A.: The Eye of Leviathan (Orbit US 978-0316584845, $19.99, 512pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Fantasy novel, first in The Sea Beyond series. In an alternate Spanish Golden Age, a human in the otherworldly Sea Beyond and a fae disguised as a human must take down the empire. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.

 

Goodman, A.B.: House of Atreus: Agamemnon Falling (Planetary Books 979-8183814347, $19.99, 162pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/01/2026)

SF novel, second in the House of Atreus series. As Agamemnon returns home after war, Trojan prophetess Cassandra tells him that the “goddess” he sacrificed his daughter to was actually an ancient machine.

 

Grist, Rhiannon: Home Sick (Rebellion/Solaris UK 978-1837867639, $16.99, 288pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/16/2026)

Horror novel. Tamsin, after a traumatic incident, moves to a cottage with only a thin wall separating her from an unnerving woman.

 

Hachemi, Munir & Sanches, Julia: The Mulai (Coach House Books 978-1552455197, $18.95, 176pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/14/2026)

SF novel. An archaeologist travels to a remote planet to study the Mulai, descendants of a lost space mission with unrecognizable customs who live in domes. Translated from the Spanish by Julia Sanches. Simultaneous with the UK Fitzcarraldo edition.

 

Hunter, Faith: Unpredictable Magic (Ace 979-8217187621, $20.00, 560pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Urban fantasy novel. Siblings (and private investigators) Angelina and Evan Everhart-Trueblood are drawn into a disappearance case that seems to involve Angie’s aunt and vampire ex-husband.

 

Kwok, Jean: Dominion (Penguin Random House/Putnam 979-8217044368, $32.00, 448pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Romantic fantasy novel, the first in the Silk and Iron trilogy. In a world of four rival factions and tyger-bonded riders, Rubi enters a deadly competition and encounters a frustratingly handsome leader.

 

Lambert, Jennifer K.: Among the Thorns (Macmillan/Tor Bramble UK 978-1250360373, $32.99, 400pp, formats: hardcover, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, second in the Never the Roses series. Dream sorceress Rose is acclaimed and sought after by the prince, while isolated dream sorceress Thorn wants everything she has. This author also writes as Jeffe Kennedy; copyrighted by Jennifer M. Kennedy.

 

Marie, I.V.: Ruinous Ends (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 978-0593898840, $21.99, 480pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Young-adult dark academia fantasy novel, second in the series The Souls of Blackwood Academy series. After the Decennial competition, six former pupils discover new secrets about Blackwood.

 

Marillier, Juliet: The Amber Owl (Rebellion/Solaris UK 978-1763662513, $29.35, 416pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/16/2026)

Fantasy novel in the Heartwood series. Stasya lives by the Heartwood Forest, where she uses her gift with animals, but is relocated to court when she protests soldiers trying to hack through the woods.

 

Niven, Larry & Barnes, Steven: Ice Vegas (Blackstone Publishing 979-8228329577, $29.99, 272pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

SF thriller novel. Carver, a security operative, and Spider, world’s deadliest assassin, team up to stop saboteurs from damaging BALDR, a nuclear facility that powers half of Europe.

 

Oh, Temi: Not With a Bang (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-1668203460, $18.99, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

SF novel. The Minton family, from prepper father Marcus to Briar, drawn into a UFO cult, are confronted with an extinction-level event. Copyrighted by Temitoyen Ochuboju Douglas-Scott. First US edition (Simon & Schuster UK 5/26).

 

Olsson, Lindsey: To Drown a Witch (Penguin Random House/Putnam 979-8217004799, $20.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Young-adult fantasy romance novel, first in a duology. When the deadly entity “the Witch” shows signs of being reborn, thief Nes, who can detect magic, is drawn into the hunt by Toran of the King’s Guard.

 

Parker, Natalie C.: The Assassin’s Guide to Dating (Candlewick Press 978-1536243291, $12.99, 256pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/14/2026)

Young-adult superhero romance, sequel to The Assassin’s Guide to Babysitting. At an academy for those with powers, Lila finds her “bombshell” powers are subject to increasing surveillance, hindering her growing relationship with Tru.

 

Rivers, Erynne: Wench (HarperCollins UK/Avon UK 978-0008798246, £16.99, 400pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/16/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. Maid Marian, unhappily betrothed to the Sheriff of Nottingham, is kidnapped in the forest by the notorious fae Merry Men and Robin Hood. A first novel.

 

Rowland, Alexandra: Yield Under Great Persuasion (Macmillan/Tor Bramble UK 978-1035087556, £22.00, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/16/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. Tam sets out on a quest to find himself, finally fed up with his lover Lord Lyford, who smashed his prize-fair vegetables when they were children and is favored by the goddess Tam feels betrayed by.

 

Shunmugam, Megam: The Mortal Trials (Angry Robot UK 978-1836730156, $19.99, 304pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Fantasy novel. Mistaken for someone else, Lirah enters a deadly competition and encounters a frustratingly handsome trainer.

 

Tierney, Joan: Misery’s Wife (Macmillan/Flatiron 978-1250421791, $28.99, 272pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

SF novel. In this retelling of a Portuguese folktale, trans woman Elixane receives a message from a toad to rescue her sister, who is married to the King of Misery.

 

Wellington, David: Erebus-13 (Orbit US 978-0316569361, $19.99, 496pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

SF novel, third in the Red Space series. Petrova and her crew must unite the solar system’s factions to stop Erebus, a dark entity hurtling towards Earth. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.

 

Wiswell, John: The Dragon Has Some Complaints (Astra House/DAW 978-0756420499, $29.00, 400pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/14/2026)

Fantasy novel. A three-headed (formerly four-headed) dragon with bickering heads tries to sneak into a dragon-riding academy for food, and bonds with rider Rania, who’s desperate for a dragon of her own.

 

Woodroe, Alex: Brave New Weird: The Best New Weird Horror, Volume Four (Tenebrous Press 978-1959790655, $19.99, 230pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/14/2026)

Year’s best anthology of 23 weird stories from 2025, selected as winners of the Brave New Weird Award. Authors include Corrie Haldane, Alistair Rey, Ashley Stokes, and Audrey Zhou. Edited by Woodroe with Matt Blairstone.

 

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The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) announced the 2026 inductees to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame: Lois McMaster Bujold and Tim Burton were honored as creators. “Metropolis” and the X-Men franchise were also recognized as exceptional creations in genre media. Inductees are added to the SF&F Hall of Fame display in the museum.

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame was founded in 1996 and then relocated from the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy at the University of  Kansas to its permanent home at MoPOP (formerly EMP) in 2004.

For more information, including a complete list of Hall of Fame members, see the MoPOP website.

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Dive into a fresh week and a whole new pile of incredible books to obsess over! In this episode, we’re highlighting the biggest, most anticipated releases in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, and YA hitting shelves during the week of July 7th, 2026. Whether you’re searching for mind-bending futures, spellbinding magic, spine-tingling scares, or powerful young adult journeys, this week’s lineup has a little something for every fiction lover.

We’ve curated the ultimate list of standout new arrivals to help you refresh your TBR and track down your next favorite obsession. Make sure to subscribe for your weekly dose of fresh genre releases, curated book recommendations, and everything speculative fiction. Thanks for hanging out with us, and we’ll catch you next time with another stack of amazing books to discover!

The post New Book Releases Video: July 7, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

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

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Brooks, Mike: This Is Where the Future Bleeds (Titan Books UK 978-1835417614, $18.99, 400pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Diviner Kitt finds destinies for the rich and powerful, but when one destiny sets off a chain of violence and she sets out with a ragtag group to warn the recipient.

 

Bullen, Chiara: The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance (Penguin Random House/Del Rey 978-0593982693, $29.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Aspiring scholar Ainsworth sets out to write his thesis about Mount Vengeance, an attraction for bold adventurers, and discovers a kind innkeeper and a mystery. Simultaneous with the Penguin Random House UK/Del Rey UK edition.

 

Cassidy, Kalie: In the Wake of the Ruined (Little, Brown 978-0316587587, $19.99, 432pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Romantic fantasy novel, second in the Siren Mage series. Imogen has claimed her crown and powers, and faces a war while trying to end her bond with the deity Eusia. Simultaneous with the Orion UK/Gollancz edition.

 

Chien, Florence: The Revenant of Surolifia (Rising Action 978-1998672349, $18.99, 416pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/07/2026)

Political fantasy novel. After the Empire slaughters thousands of Lucas’s people, he infiltrates the imperial forces, while Prince Faye joins violent revolutionaries to reclaim his throne.

 

Cleeton, Chanel: An Infinite Love Story (Penguin Random House/Berkley 978-0593816950, $30.00, 352pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Science fiction romance novel. During the space race, astronaut Joe loses contact with earth — a mishap written off as an error, while his wife Vivian tries to unravel what really happened.

 

Connolly, Amanda: The Lure of Wolves and Whispers (Simon & Schuster 978-1665989510, $21.99, 464pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Young-adult fantasy novel, first in the Martyred Isle series. To save her sibling, Maeve enters a deadly competition and encounters a frustratingly handsome leader.

 

Cross, Charlotte: The Brides (Macmillan/Tor Nightfire UK 978-1335000965, $30.00, 400pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Horror novel about the brides of Dracula. Mafalda, her lover Lucy, chaperone Eliza, and maid Alice seek out a cure for wasting illness at a castle in Transylvania.

 

Ernshaw, Shea: Habits of the Sea (Simon & Schuster/Atria 978-1668097731, $28.00, 304pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Magical realist novel. Clay’s wife dies, and a violent storm tears their home property away from Scotland, and now it exists as an island out of time where Clay hasn’t aged.

 

Foxfield, Kathryn: Our Wicked Gifts (Penguin Random House/Random House 979-8217122080, $20.99, 432pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

YA fantasy novel. Cecily is the overlooked daughter of the Winter family, who made a deal with the devil for riches and magic; she investigates Soren, a boy they banished to the underworld.

 

Goff, Ellen Pauley: The Farewitch of Foxe Holler (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-1668099179, $19.00, 480pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Contemporary fantasy romance. Honey — a farewitch who can heal ailments with the right baking recipe — deals with a moody warlock who asks her to heal his mysterious illness.

 

Hinkley, Sara: The Red Sacrament (Titan Books UK 978-1835410820, $19.99, 512pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Horror novel. In 1869 Paris, ageless actors led by the vampire Arnault perform at midnight for those with elusive entry slips. A first novel.

 

Holness, Nevin: King of Lost Dreams (Simon & Schuster/Atheneum 978-1665946940, $19.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Young-adult fantasy novel, sequel to King of Dead Things. After defeating the daughter of Death, Malcolm, Eli, and Sunny grapple with their magic and origins and set out to find a key.

 

Hotston, Stewart: The Next Enemy Shall Be the Last (NewCon Press UK 978-1917735308, £26.99, 278pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, 07/07/2026)

SF novel. A father and son’s narratives intertwine as a paranormal artefact lands on a beach in Devon, bestowing nearby humans with psychic powers, and a similar one may have surfaced in Russia decades later.

 

Kagawa, Julie: Deathless (HarperCollins 978-1335008466, $19.99, 400pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Young-adult fantasy novel, second in the Fateless series. Sparrow and her companions must slay the Deathless King, and must journey to the Loom of the goddess of Fate to be granted her powers.

 

Knightley, Brigitte: The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy (Ace 978-0593819487, $31.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, second in the Dearly Beloathed duology. Osric the assassin and Aurienne the healer confront their growing attraction as well as a deadly Pox that may have been unleashed by a mysterious Order. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.

 

Lambridis, Scott: St. Ulphia’s Dead (Regal House 978-1646037506, $19.95, 210pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Folkloric horror novel. Disgraced researcher Mirs and his supervisor Jo investigate the island of St. Ulphia, where locals claim they’re being possessed by a cannibalistic Wendigo. A first novel.

 

Lanzen, Meredith: Formula Zero (Penguin Random House/Berkley Romance 978-0593956694, $20.00, 448pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Science fiction romance novel. Madeline earns competes in the dangerous, male-dominated, zero-gravity racing sport Formula Zero, and is rescued from an accident by her former situationship Julian.

 

Markov, Haralambi: The Language of Knives: Stories (Mythic Delirium Books 978-1956522051, $17.95, 218pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/07/2026)

Collection of 13 horror stories blending Slavic mythology, body horror, sexuality, and queerness. Introduction by Ann VanderMeer.

 

McCarthy, Wil: Thieves’ Sky (Baen 978-1668073322, $28.00, 288pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 07/07/2026)

SF novel, fourth in the Rich Man’s Sky series. When pirates steal an alien technology with dangerous powers, the crew of the CV Defender must find them before it destroys the Solar System.

 

McCaughrain, Kelly: Just Another Dead Boy (Candlewick Press 978-1536251739, $19.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. In a world where everyone knows when they’ll die, Regan works as a “Juliet” at a luxury resort, offering sensational end-of-life romances to rich guys until her relationship with client Jude becomes something more.

 

Miles, Jo: The Final Chronicle of Yeneh (Horned Lark 978-1998390182, $24.99, 136pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 07/07/2026)

Science fantasy novella. Lady Ada Quintrall wants to terraform her family’s new planet and restore their fortune — but xenobiologist Dr. Zamora and some troubling revelations about the native wildlife give her second thoughts.

 

Olthoff, Melissa: Tempered By Fire (Baen 978-1668073339, $17.99, 496pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/07/2026)

Fantasy novel, second in the Griffin Corps series. After bonding with her griffin and graduating the Training Academy, Harper is sent out from Tennessan to find out what’s happening to rival Savinia’s griffins.

 

Rowan, Leah: Marion (Titan Books UK 978-1835418949, £9.99, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Horror novel, a feminist retelling of Psycho. When Norman attempts to murder Marion in his motel, she turns the knife on him and goes on the run. First UK edition (Nightfire 6/26).

 

Roy, Lucinda: The Bird Tribe (Tor 978-1250816887, $32.99, 512pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, 07/07/2026)

Futuristic fantasy novel, third in the Dreambird Chronicles trilogy. Ji-ji sets out on a transatlantic quest to discover the truth about the Flying Africans, their origins, and whether they’re a myth or genetic experiment.

 

Sampson, Freya: Most Ardently Yours (Sourcebooks Landmark 978-1464277894, $32.99, 320pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Contemporary fantasy romance. A struggling romance writer swears off men, then accidentally summons Mr. Darcy from an abandoned copy of Pride and Prejudice she finds in a London bookshop.

 

Sims, Jonathan: The Burn Line (Orion UK/Gollancz 978-1399620703, £25.00, 368pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/09/2026)

Horror novel. During the hottest summer on record, passengers on the London Underground witness a terrible event that messes with their memories, and bond together to confront the force responsible.

 

Song, Yu-jeong: The Memory Bookshop (HarperCollins/Morrow 978-0063475120, $17.99, 192pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Fantasy novel. Jiwon, mourning her mother, and stumbling into a bookstore, is offered an hourglass that can let her relive the past — in exchange for giving up time in her future. Translated from the Korean by Shanna Tan.

 

Suh, Yejin: The Last Soldier of Nava (HarperCollins UK/Magpie 978-0008683474, $18.99, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Fantasy novel. Shadow, having escaped her power-hungry father, is pulled back into court life as magical dead zones consume the world and her father’s new protege seeks revenge. A first novel.

 

Tingle, Chuck: Fabulous Bodies (Tor/Nightfire 978-1250398567, $27.99, 240pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/07/2026)

Horror novel. Poppy, influencer by day and grave-robber by night, steals the body of her idol, flamboyant pianist Eddie Michaels, only for him to wake up. Simultaneous with the Titan Books UK edition.

 

 

The post New Book Releases: Jul 7, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Author and historian JAMES RAY COMER, who wrote as J. Comer, 59, died in late April or early May 2026.

Comer was born August 5, 1966. He wrote sev­eral pieces of short fiction, including “Soldier’s Coat” (2015), “Scratch” (2016), “The Wooing of Etroklos” (2016), “Star Thistle” (2018), “Beam That Is In” (2019), “Tilting the Wick” (2020), “Sky Machine” (2021), “Sometime Called Parchment” (2021), “Quicksilver” (2023), and “The Weather Maker” (2024). His stories were published in magazines including Cirsova Magazine and Daily Science Fiction, and anthologies includ­ing Secret Stairs (2018), Lost Trails (2015) and Lost Trails 2: Forgotten Tales of the Weird West (2016), and anthologies for Queer Sci Fi’s annual flash fiction contest. He also wrote a number of articles for Cir­sova and Queer Sci Fi and sourcebooks for tabletop role-playing game Were­wolf: The Apocalypse.

#noinsta

The post James Ray Comer (1966–2026) appeared first on Locus.

Author and editor TED WHITE, 88, died May 24, 2026. He was in palliative care.

Theodore Edwin White was born February 4, 1938. He contributed to SF fan­zines at a young age and won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1968. He was assistant editor at F&SF from 1963-1968 and editor for Amazing Stories and Fantastic from 1968-1978. As an author, he wrote Invasion from 2500 (1964) with Terry Carr, Lost in Space (1967) with Dave Van Arnam, Sideslip (1968) with Dave Van Arnam, No Time Like Tomorrow (1969), By Furies Possessed (1970), Trouble on Project Ce­res (1971), and For­bidden World (1978) with David Bischoff. He wrote Android Avenger (1965) and The Spawn of the Death Machine (1968) in the Tanner series. He wrote Phoenix Prime (1966), The Sorceress of Qar (1966), and Star Wolf! (1971) in the Qanar series. He also wrote more than two dozen works of short fiction. He edited The Best from Amazing Stories (1973) and The Best from Fantastic (1973). He briefly edited Heavy Metal, which won a British Fantasy Award in 1980. As a fan, his fanzine Blat!, edited with Dan Steffan, won a FAAn Award in 1994. He later won FAAn Awards for Fan Writer in 1998 and for Lifetime Achievement in 2009.

He is survived by his daughter, Arielle White, who also goes by Kit.

The post Ted White (1938–2026) appeared first on Locus.

A new week means a brand-new stack of books to get excited about! Join us as we spotlight some of the most anticipated Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult releases arriving the week of June 30th, 2026.

Whether you’re eager for epic quests, imaginative futures, chilling tales, or unforgettable coming-of-age stories, this week’s selection offers something for every speculative fiction reader.

We’ve rounded up a collection of standout new titles to help you find your next favorite read and keep your TBR pile growing. Be sure to subscribe for weekly updates on the latest genre releases, book recommendations, and all things speculative fiction. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you again soon with even more incredible books to discover!

The post New Book Releases Video: June 30, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

The North Carolina Speculative Fiction Foundation (NCSFF) has announced the finalists for the 2026 Manly Wade Wellman Award. The award recognizes “outstanding achievement in science fiction and fantasy novels written by North Carolina authors.”

The winner will be announced July 17, 2026 during ConGregate 12, to be held at the Airport Marriott in Greensboro NC.

For more information, visit the NCSFF website.

The post 2026 Wellman Award Finalists appeared first on Locus.

The July 2026 Locus magazine, issue #786, has interviews with Naomi Kritzer and Temi Oh. The issue includes the 2026 Locus Poll results. Jane Yolen (1939-2026) is remembered with an obituary and appreciations. News covers the 2025 Nebula, Bram Stoker, and Seiun Award winners, as well as Subterranean Press’s planned closure, the Commonwealth Prize Regional winners and AI controversy, and much more. Cory Doctorow’s column is entitled “Hell Is Other People”. Event coverage includes the Locus Awards, StokerCon, the SFWA Nebula Conference, the Bay Area Book Festival, and WisCon 48, as well as international reports on SF in Brazil and SF in Bulgaria. Other obituaries remember Lalana Dararutana AKA Piper J. Drake, Ted White, and James Ray Comer. Reviews cover new works by Ada Hoffmann, Lavie Tidhar, Naomi Kritzer, James Islington, Mahmud El Sayed, R.J. Barker, Paul Tremblay, Geoffrey D. Morrison, Hildur Knútsdóttir (translated by Mary Robinette Kowal), Kylie Lee Baker, Shannon Chakraborty, Grace Curtis, Luis López Carrasco (translated by Rosalind Harvey), Luis Othoniel Rosa (translated by Katie Marya), Keala Kendall, Eileen M. Ruvane, J.A. Morgenstein, Soman Chainani, Nat Cassidy, Eugen Bacon, Cheryl Ntumy & Stephen Embleton (eds.), Sarah Coolidge (ed.), Kirsten Kaschock, Alexis Hall, James Patrick Kelly, Jo Walton & Ada Palmer, and others.

Reviews by ALEXANDRA PIERCE / 19

Scion, James Islington; The Republic of Memory, Mahmud El Sayed; Mortedant’s Peril, R.J. Barker.

Reviews by ALEX BROWN / 21

Japanese Gothic, Kylie Lee Baker; The Tapestry of Fate, Shannon Chakraborty.

Reviews by GABINO IGLESIAS / 25

I Know a Place, Nat Cassidy; Sauúti Terrors, Eugen Bacon, Cheryl Ntumy & Stephen Embleton, eds.; I Was Alive Here Once: Ghost Stories, Sarah Coolidge, ed.

Reviews by DIVERS HANDS: VANESSA FOGG, ADRIENNE MARTINI, MICHAEL SWANWICK, ALVARO ZINOS-AMARO / 26

An Impossibility of Crows, Kirsten Kaschock; Hell’s Heart, Alexis Hall; The Book of Bots, James Patrick Kelly; Trace Elements: Conversations on the Project of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Jo Walton and Ada Palmer.

Bacon, Eugen, & Cheryl Ntumy, eds. • Sauúti Terrors (Gabino Iglesias)
Baker, Kylie Lee • Japanese Gothic (Alex Brown)
Barker, R. J. • Mortedant’s Peril (Alexandra Pierce)
Carrasco, Luis López • The White Desert (Niall Harrison)
Cassidy, Nat • I Know a Place (Gabino Iglesias)
Chainani, Soman • Young World (Colleen Mondor)
Chakraborty, Shannon • The Tapestry of Fate (Alex Brown)
Coolidge, Sarah, ed. • I Was Alive Here Once: Ghost Stories (Gabino Iglesias)
Curtis, Grace • Heaven’s Graveyard (Niall Harrison)
El Sayed, Mahmud • The Republic of Memory (Alexandra Pierce)
Hall, Alexis • Hell’s Heart (Adrienne Martini)
Hoffman, Ada • Ignore All Previous Instructions (Gary K. Wolfe)
Islington, James • Scion (Alexandra Pierce)
Kaschock, Kirsten • An Impossibility of Crows (Vanessa Fogg)
Kendall, Keala • That Which Feeds Us (Colleen Mondor)
Knútsdóttir, Hildur, tr. Mary Robinette Kowal • Dead Weight (Ian Mond)
Kritzer, Naomi • Obstetrix (Gary K. Wolfe)
Morgenstein, J. A. • The League of Dangerous Young Ladies (Colleen Mondor)
Morrison, Geoffrey D. • The Coffin of Honey (Ian Mond)
Rosa, Luis Othoniel, tr. Katie Marya • Animal Spiral (Niall Harrison)
Ruvane, Eileen M. • Tell Me My Future (Colleen Mondor)
Swanwick, Michael • The Book of Bots (Michael Swanwick)
Tidhar, Lavie • The Three Coffin Problem (Gary K. Wolfe)
Tremblay, Paul • Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep (Ian Mond)
Walton, Jo, & Ada Palmer • Trace Elements: Conversations on the Project of Science Fiction and Fantasy (Alvaro Zinos-Amaro)

The post Issue 786 Table of Contents, July 2026 appeared first on Locus.

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

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Beiko, S.M.: The Sleuth of Ferren City (ECW Press 978-1770416970, $17.95, 376pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 06/30/2026)

Young-adult fantasy novel, third in the Brindlewatch Quintet. Monstros have emerged in various places, looking for acceptance, but Camillite Sable is suspicious as she tries to find her missing friend.

 

Berman, Steve: Witchcraft in Your Lips (Lethe Press 978-1590215524, $20.00, 284pp, formats: paperback, 07/01/2026)

Anthology of six novellas (one reprint) about witches and queer love, ranging from bog spirits to Bloody Mary. Authors are Steve Berman, Mia Dalia, L.A. Fields, Joachim Heijndermans, Audrey R. Hollis, and Ivy L. James.

 

Bianco, Julia: Witch Season (St. Martin’s 978-1250384393, $30.00, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Urban fantasy romance novel, first in the Broken Coven series. Katherine, enforcer for the LA Aestas coven, is forced to put up with Silas, the rich heir to the Noctis coven who tries to interfere with her methods.

 

Bourne, Brianna: Meet Me at Midnight (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 979-8217225552, $19.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

YA fantasy romance. Aria keeps meeting the same boy in her midnight dreams, meeting him in beautiful locations every midnight.

 

Broaddus, Maurice: A City Dreaming (Tor 978-1250265166, $32.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 06/30/2026)

SF novel, third in the Astra Black trilogy. A new empire approaches the Muungano empire, a collection of city-states that spans the solar system.

 

Castle, Jayne: Enter the Nightmare (Penguin Random House/Berkley 979-8217187379, $30.00, 304pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Science fiction thriller, part of the Harmony series. After staying at the Hotel of Dreams, Alice’s life is falling apart again, with a dead body in the shower and a mysterious man rescuing her. Castle is a pen name for Jayne Ann Krentz, who also writes as Amanda Quick.

 

Codega, Linda H.: Pasha the Storm (Kensington/Erewhon 978-1645661825, $27.34, 560pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Fantasy novel. Exiled pirate queen Pasha is guarded hostage by nobleman Atle, but as the ambitions of Atle’s necromantic queen turn dangerous, Atle draws Pasha into his own treasonous plans.

 

Eudave, Cecilia & Myers, Robin: The Summer of the Serpent (Soho Press 978-1641295826, $27.00, 144pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Supernatural novel. In 1977 Guadalajara, children start seeing bizarre apparitions, while listless adults wander through the summer.

 

Hathaway, Amber: Hallowed Deadly Seeds (Deadly Seeds Press 978-1967381043, $16.99, 306pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 06/30/2026)

Horror novel, second in the Little White Flowers series. Alice Drayton and her brother get trapped in isolated Evanston, Maine, where the twisted religious community is determined to assimilate them.

 

Hofstatter, Eric: Pain Is a Chain. Move, and I’ll Hear You (Aqueduct Press N/A, $5.95, 109pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/01/2026)

Prose-poetry book with fantasy and horror elements. Part of the Conversation Pieces series.

 

Hur, Angela Mi Young: The Loom Tree (Kensington/Erewhon 978-1645660880, $27.48, 464pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Dark academia fantasy novel. Korean American teenager V crawls into a tree trunk whose powers unlock the diary of her mother, Sharon, who attended the terrifying magical boarding school Alvsdahl.

 

Hurwitz, Gregg: The Delivery (Amazon/Thomas & Mercer 978-1662539343, $19.99, 251pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 07/01/2026)

SF novella. Struggling parents Rebecca and Mark accept “Mr. Man,” an AI companion, into their home to help, but violent incidents start to plague the neighborhood.

 

James, V.V.: Redhaven (Orion UK/Gollancz 978-1399635547, £12.99, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/02/2026)

Fantasy novel, part of the Sanctuary universe. Sarah and her daughter Harper flee a government crackdown targeting witches in America. Author also writes as Vic James.

 

Kim, Sophie: The Winged Game (Penguin Random House/Del Rey 978-0593983362, $32.99, 544pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Sports fantasy romance novel. Taissa, a former player of magical airborne sport Carriwitchet, is offered a chance to return to the game by Kion, the rival who destroyed her career. Simultaneous with the UK (Hodderscape) edition.

 

Laben, Carrie-Edmund: Smoke Season (Word Horde 978-1956252125, $22.99, 326pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 06/30/2026)

Cosmic horror novel. Searching for his estranged sister Helen, now a worshipped figure in a remote Montana commune, Justin ends up contending with a government agency set on wiping her out.

 

Mason, Ruthy: Death Do Us (Hachette/Union Square & Co. 978-1454965152, $18.99, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Body horror novel. Young archaeologist Bea, feeling increasingly constrained by her imminent marriage, and notices her skin and hair falling off. A first novel.

 

McGuire, Seanan: Velveteen vs. The Consequences of Her Actions (Subterranean Press 978-1645243069, $95.00, 608pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 06/30/2026)

Collection of 33 stories featuring the superheroine, including 16 never-before-published. There is a signed limited edition of 1000.

 

Modesitt, L.E.: Last of the First (Tor 978-1250349057, $32.99, 448pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Fantasy novel, 26th in the Sage of Recluce series. Mirror Lancer Alyiakal is promoted to Subcommander, though high command on Cyador is full of treachery.

 

Newton, Ruth: The Carrier (Penguin Random House UK/Bantam UK 978-0857508126, £18.99, 448pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 07/02/2026)

SF thriller novel. People can avoid emotional pain by paying to give it to others — but those Carriers end up dead. A first novel.

 

Paxman, Emily: All We Have Left (Titan Books UK 978-1835417591, $18.99, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Post-apocalyptic romance novel. Survivor Kayla brings her ailing sister to an exclusive community with a functioning hospital, where she’s courted by local politician Sid, whose marriage would help her chances of entry.

 

Rirdan, Daniel: The Woman Who Touched the Sun (Corino Press 979-8992609073, $13.99, 24pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, 06/30/2026)

SF novel. A woman from Nebraska with a samurai bloodline builds herself a spaceship in her barn, traveling to distant fiery reaches of space.

 

Shipton, Liz: Mother & Slaughter (Tyrannosaurus Yes 979-8295553233, $15.99, 380pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 07/01/2026)

Fantasy novel. In Draconia, where women must choose between being mothers and gladiators, star combatant Eleanor finds herself pregnant and takes a risky journey to find a witch outside the kingdom. Illustrated by Daniel Lorca.

 

Simmons, David: Fetty on the Switches (Clash Books 978-1968043117, $18.95, 198pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 06/30/2026)

Collection of 21 crime, horror, and love stories. In an alternate Baltimore where the dead rise, citizens struggle with phantasmagoric situations like biology-class vivisections and serial-killing monsters. A first collection.

 

Swift, Dana: When Dealing with Dragons (St. Martin’s/Wednesday Books 978-1250402431, $20.99, 339pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Young-adult romantic fantasy novel. Farren Walsh is determined to become a dragon veterinarian like her father, but her arrogant rival James Murphy interns at her family’s sanctuary.

 

Szal, Jeremy: Wolfskin (Orion UK/Gollancz 978-1473227521, $32.00, 672pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

SF novel, book 3 of The Common series. Vakov is a Reaper, an elite soldier injected with alien DNA that makes him stronger and faster — and has to fight a cult and the Shenoi, the genocidal race who gives him his powers.

 

Thorne, Rebecca: Moss’d in Space (Tor/Bramble 978-1250414144, $17.70, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Cozy SF novel, first in the Moss’d in Space series. Torian buys an abandoned alien starship, and discovers that it houses an organic computer entity named Moss, abandoned inside by its former owner. Simultaneous with the Bramble UK edition.

 

Tremblay, Paul: Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep (HarperCollins/Morrow 978-0063398467, $30.00, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Near-future SF horror novel. Gamer Julia gets a temp job “remote-controlling” a comatose man across the country for the company that owns the AI tech in his brain, and he starts to wake up.

 

Varga, Emily: The River She Became (St. Martin’s/Wednesday Books 978-1250878694, $22.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

YA romantic fantasy novel. Scholar Yaseema archives fae relics by day, and tries to unlock their magic at night, and finds an ancient key to the fae realm where she can save her land.

 

Verne, Jules: From the Earth to the Moon: Annotated for Our Spacefaring Age (MIT Press 978-0-262553865, $30.00, 334pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 06/30/2026)

Reprint of the classic 1865 SF novel, with detailed annotations. Translated by William James Miller. With essays by Samit Basu, Jordan Bimm, Erika Nesvold, Adam Oyebanji, Malka Older, Adam Roberts, and Asif Siddiqi.

 

Walton, Jo: Everybody’s Perfect (Tor 978-1250314055, $29.99, 272pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 06/30/2026)

Fantasy novel. In a fantasy mirror city to Venice, laborer Tiry is one of many citizens who has a dream that his city Serenissima will have a doge and marry the sea.

 

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The post New Book Releases: Jun 30, 2026 appeared first on Locus.

Starlog, the magazine devoted to “visionary sci-fi and cutting-edge science,” has announced its return to print for November 13, 2026. The magazine will be published annually; there will also be a weekly email newsletter, Lodestar.

Annalee Newitz will serve as editor-in-chief, with Meredith Borders as senior editor and Jason Kauzlarich as senior art director. In a podcast episode announcing the relaunch, Newitz described the goals of the print issue:

“What is required of a magazine is to have something that you can’t get online, and that’s really thoughtful, engaging articles and beautiful, full-color images that just pop off the page…We’re going to have a healthy dose of articles about cutting-edge science, speculating with scientists about where we’re headed next. And we’re also going to have deep-dive essays from experts about all your favorite movies and books.”

The magazine will also be accompanied by The Starlog Podcast, hosted by Jordan Hoffman and Dave Gonzales. The show will feature “conversations with visionary creators, filmmakers, and scientists.”

Starlog magazine previously ran from August 1976 to April 2009, concluding with issue #374. The relaunch will be part of Fangoria’s media network.

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