TSS: Upcoming Sci Fi and Fantasy I can’t wait to read

I discovered a link today via Lady Business of this fall’s most exciting science fiction and fantasy releases which reminded me just how many books I have to look forward to this fall and early winter in two of my favorite genres. We’re really spoiled for choice this year and there are a number of books I just cannot wait to read.

I’m going to start by telling you about the books from authors I already love, which I will definitely purchase; I do intend to try some new ones, but here are my guaranteed reads this fall:

Ashes of Honor, by Seanan McGuire – this one isn’t actually at the link above, although I’ve seen it on others; it’s the sixth October Daye book. Seanan McGuire has become one of my favorite authors for this series and others. I wrote at length on how much I simply adore this series for being epic, heart-breaking, and amazing, and I can’t believe the next book is actually out a week from Tuesday, although Amazon is predicting I will have to wait a little bit longer. I preordered it in April as soon as they released the cover and have been stamping my feet in impatience ever since.

The only question now is whether I should attempt a re-read of the entire series before this one arrives. If I do decide to, it will be next weekend, and I’m sure you will hear about it. I’d never recommend you start with this one, but if you’re craving urban fantasy, Rosemary and Rue is calling your name.

Next up, The Dirty Streets of Heaven, by Tad Williams. An epic fantasy author goes urban fantasy and, by all accounts already, does a fantastic job of it. I actually already have this book for review (thank you, Amazon Vine) because I have read and really enjoyed some of that epic fantasy in the past. As far as I recall, it didn’t really break the stereotype of farmboy saves the world, but when an author does stereotypes well, you’re reminded why they exist in the first place. That’s exactly what Tad Williams did there, and is another reason I’m excited to read this book. It’s in my “immediate TBR” pile, so you’ll be hearing about it from me very soon. I haven’t even read the summary, so I have no idea who Bobby Dollar is, but that’s okay; I’m ready for Williams to introduce me to this new world his way.

Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey, another new urban fantasy, is a completely obvious must-read for me. I adored her original Kushiel trilogy when I first got into epic fantasy, and I’ve not quite found another match for something that so very brilliantly evoked a new world and mythology, while creating absolutely fantastic characters, a perfectly epic saga, and an incredible love story. Even Carey’s own later novels haven’t quite matched it, but I simply love the way she writes and haven’t failed to like a single one of her books. I may have fallen behind with her epic fantasy (although I still own it all) and haven’t read Saints Astray yet, but that hasn’t stopped me craving this book too (also despite the cover, which I do not like).

This is another book I know virtually nothing about as it stands, but as I’ve mentioned, I like new releases that way.

Finally, for the purposes of this list, Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold is one book I will definitely be reading. I fell in love with the Vorkosigan saga recently and have been recommending it up and down to anyone I know who actually reads books, so resisting this book is an impossible feat. I’ve actually still not read Cryoburn because it’s the last and it hasn’t had the world’s greatest reviews, but having this book on the horizon makes me very excited.

I’ll still say, even if you think you don’t like science fiction, give Young Miles a try. You might be surprised.

This is only a short list, but my craving for urban fantasy here is really obvious. I’m glad the public craving for it seems to match my own, mainly because I generally find these books to be satisfying in so many different ways, and they’re much faster reading than epics. I still love epics, but I no longer have the time to sink into a huge series. I love all of the different worlds; though they’re usually based in cities in our world, the differences between them and the varying levels of darkness are fantastic. I love the fact that they can feel epic in a shorter space of time, that the main characters are often women who can kick butt and have feelings at the same time, and that they create long-lasting relationships between characters that really matter.

What new releases are you looking forward to this fall? Is there anything on the list above that’s new to me I simply must try?