
82 New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books Arriving in July
Archive of Unknown Universes by Ruben Reyes Jr.
'A piercing debut novel following two families in alternative timelines of the Salvadoran civil war—a stunning exploration of the mechanisms of fate, the gravity of the past, and the endurance of love.' (July 1)
The Curse That Binds by Laura Thalassa
This standalone romantasy prequel to the author's Bewitched follows the origin story of Roxilana, involving 'a queen destined for magic. A king cursed by love. A fate no one could outrun.' (July 1)
A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan
'This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals.' (July 1)
Grave Birds by Dana Elmendorf
'This twisty, fresh take on a Southern gothic follows a mysterious, charming bachelor as he makes his way into a small town, bringing a plague and the devil with him.' (July 1)
Human Rites by Juno Dawson
The HMRC trilogy concludes as 'with Her Majesty's Royal Coven in shambles and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the sisterhood of friends and witches must find a new way of putting together the pieces if (wo)mankind is to stand a chance.' (July 1)
Inferno's Shadow by Taylor Anderson
'Lost in a mysterious world, far from all they knew in 1847 America, Colonel Lewis Cayce and his soldiers must face the unimaginable might of the Dominion once and for all in this gripping alternate history.' (July 1)
Infinite Archive by Mur Lafferty
'Amateur sleuth Mallory Viridian has just about got her bearings aboard the space station she calls home, but now the physical embodiment of the Internet is on its way, and it's bringing murder with it.' (July 1)
My Ex, the Antichrist by Craig DiLouie
'A horror novel with a twisted tale of love, heartbreak, and the apocalypse. We all have bad exes. Lily Lawlor's just happens to be the antichrist. Sometimes, love can be hell.' (July 1)
The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream
'With a dash of magic and a cast of oddball, small-town characters, this feel-good novel explores forgiveness, family, and the sense of humor it takes to live with the ones we love the most.' (July 1)
Space Trucker Jess by Matthew Kressel
A scrappy teen estranged from her grifter father goes on a cross-galaxy odyssey to track him down when he goes missing, encountering 'vanished planets, strange societies, inscrutable alien gods, and mind-bending secrets that may change humanity's path forever.' (July 1)
Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon
'A merchant's daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy.' A Critical Role book. (July 1)
A Vassal of Shadow by J.C. Robins
'At the onset of an epic holy war, a young vassal will learn: If he wants to play games with gods, he must be prepared to lose everything.' (July 1)
The Winds of Fate by S.M. Stirling
The Make the Darkness Light series continues as 'Artorius and his team must race against time to thwart a looming clash between two ancient powers, navigating a treacherous landscape where their actions could rewrite history and spark a catastrophic conflict.' (July 1)
Arthur by Giles Kristian
This Arthurian tale follows an aging mercenary tasked with murdering a child that could be the savior of Britain—but instead decides to take the boy to Camelot instead. (July 8)
Ascension by S.T. Gibson
'From the international bestselling author of Evocation comes its hotly anticipated and spellbinding sequel, where Rhys steps into his new role as High Priest. A magical read for lovers of traditional urban fantasy.' (July 8)
The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths
A detective who solves cold cases using the help of time travel visits 1850 London to solve a puzzling mystery—and finds herself trapped in the past while her son faces shocking accusations in the present. (July 8)
The Gryphon King by Sara Omer
'The first in a sweeping Southwest Asian-inspired epic fantasy trilogy brimming with morally ambiguous characters, terrifying ghouls and deadly monsters.' (July 8)
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
'Loyalties are tested in this slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy following an assassin and a healer forced to work together to cure a fatal disease, all while resisting the urge to kill each other—or, worse, fall in love.' (July 8)
Lore of the Tides by Analeigh Sbrana
'From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.' (July 8)
Never the Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert
'The most powerful sorceress in all the world comes face to face with her greatest rival in this enchanting and seductive fantasy romance debut.' (July 8)
Red Tempest Brother by H.M. Long
'The epic naval fantasy trilogy concludes, as Sam, Mary and Benedict play a deadly game of war and espionage on the high-seas.' (July 8)
Remote: The Five by Eric Rickstad
The Remote series continues as FBI agents with remote-viewing capabilities track the Tableau Killer, who has the same abilities—along with a fierce desire for revenge against the dangerous group that drew out his powers. (July 8)
The Secret Market of the Dead by Giovanni De Feo
'An Italian-inspired gothic historical fantasy about a young woman who finds her power in the nocturnal realm that lurks beneath her town.' (July 8)
Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier
'With their freedom on the line, a young woman and a rakish pirate take their fate into their own hands as they attempt to find a lost mythical isle with the power to save their entire world.' (July 8)
Stone & Sky by Ben Aaronovitch
The Rivers of London series continues. 'All Detective Sergeant Peter Grant wanted was a nice holiday up in Scotland. He'll need one once this is over. Sea: check. Sand: some. Sun: sort of—but that's not the only thing in the sky…' (July 8)
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen
'A new heartwarming fantasy rom-com with an opposites-attract twist set in the delightful, donut- and dragon-filled world of Tanria.' (July 8)
Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
'The hunt for a stealthy predator takes a damaged J-Psy to the heart of falcon territory in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel.' (July 15)
The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
'Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga.' (July 15)
The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
This standalone 'cozy fantasy' follows a lonely sorceress who breaks the law and finds herself on an island filled with magical greenhouses and one cranky gardener. Soon she realizes she'll need to break the law (again) and 'unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island―and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.' (July 15)
Ghost Cell by Zac Topping
'Blade Runner meets John Wick in this sci-fi action adventure following a super-soldier whose very existence has been outlawed by the same society that created him.' (July 15)
Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner
When a woman searching for her missing brother in a Pacific Northwest forest discovers a woman's body, she 'unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of very powerful forces―from this world and beyond―hell-bent on keeping their secrets buried.' (July 15)
House of Beth by Kerry Cullen
'A haunting and seductive tale of a young career woman who slides quickly into the role of stepmother, in a life that may still belong to someone else.' (July 15)
House of Frost and Feathers by Lauren Wiesebron
'A sense of wonder and adventure make up this lyrical debut fantasy of a young woman in search of a home, and a home in search of people to make it feel lived in.' (July 15)
The Immeasurable Heaven by Caspar Geon
'An entirely alien cast race across the multiverse in search of a priceless map of the realities in this thrilling cosmic space opera.' (July 15)
Inner Space by Jakub Szamalek
'American and Russian astronauts are trapped together in the International Space Station as war breaks out in Ukraine and life support functions begin to fail in this action-packed debut technothriller.' (July 15)
The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem
'In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen must risk everything and everyone she loves for the chance to restore her lost kingdom of Jasad.' (July 15)
Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones
Two new novels collected as one release from the horror author: a road-trip adventure with a serial killer in hot pursuit, and the tale of a babysitter who realizes the house she's in may be haunted. (July 15)
The Memory of the Ogisi by Moses Ose Utomi
'The epic conclusion to Moses Ose Utomi's critically acclaimed Forever Desert series, The Memory of the Ogisi shatters every truth, interrogates every lie, and is a story of oppression you'll never forget.' (July 15)
The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten
'The Nightshade Crown is in the hands of a ruthless god and Lore will stop at nothing to defeat him in the final installment of this lush, romantic fantasy series.' (July 15)
One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford
'In this heart-wrenching and unique spin on the zombie mythos, a brilliant scientist desperately searches for a cure after a devastating epidemic while also hiding a monumental secret—her undead husband.' (July 15)
Pearl City by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle
The Phoenix Hoard series continues: 'When an ancient power rips through the Realm to land in her city, the General will stop at nothing to take it for his own. Emiko must face her past, present, and future, as she races to stop the General. Is Emiko's fate written to be the destroyer of worlds, or can she chart a new course to save her family?' (July 15)
Powerless by Harry Turtledove
'In a society where lies are law, a simple act of honesty can become the ultimate rebellion.' (July 15)
A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan
'As World War II rages around her, a witch abandoned by her coven must journey to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands.' (July 15)
Royal Gambit by Daniel O'Malley
'A delightful and hilarious supernatural adventure featuring a lady-in-waiting who must keep the court safe from murder.' (July 15)
10,000 Ink Stains: A Memoir by Jeff Lemire
'A hardcover memoir collection showcasing the work of the legendary Eisner Award-winning comic book creator Jeff Lemire, who has created some of the most iconic stories in modern comics.' (July 15)
Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland
The Broken Blades series concludes: 'After the battle in Quu Harbor, escaping is no longer enough. The most dangerous liars in the four realms have one last mission—return to Yusan and finish what they started. But now a usurper sits on the serpent throne. And he may be more dangerous than the god-king.' (July 15)
Uncanny Ireland: Otherworldly Tales of the Strange and Sublime edited by Maria Giakaniki
Writers from the 19th century until current times contribute to this collection of stories that build on Ireland's history of fantastic fiction, 'reworking elements of folklore into modern tales of the weird and macabre.' (July 15)
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
'A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track.' (July 15)
The Confessions by Paul Bradley Carr
When the world's most powerful supercomputer suddenly goes dark, humanity scrambles to adjust to an analog existence. The chaos gets much worse once millions of people receive letters ordering them to confess their darkest secrets and crimes. (July 22)
Daughters of Flood and Fury by Gabriella Buba
'This powerful sequel to Saints of Storm and Sorrow brims with unruly magic and pirates, moon-eating dragons, and sizzling Sapphic romance.' (July 22)
The Last Wizard's Ball by Charlaine Harris
'[In] the sixth and final installment in the critically acclaimed Gunnie Rose series, sisters Lizbeth Rose and Felicia must face their fates at the last Wizards' Ball.' (July 22)
The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw
A student at the Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted, 'the premiere academy for the dangerously powerful,' must team up with her classmates to survive the school's annual tradition of post-graduation carnage. (July 22)
The Pack by Z.W. Taylor
The Moon Blood Saga continues as Charlotte finds her peaceful new life among Alaska's Thunderhead werewolf pack threatened by a surprise arrival. (July 22)
Red Rabbit Ghost by Jen Julian
'An impulsive young outcast confronts his small town's dark secrets in this atmospheric and haunting debut horror novel.' (July 22)
Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan
'Combining elements of Latina and Indigenous culture, family drama, mystery, horror, and magical realism in a spellbinding mix, Salt Bones lays bare the realities of environmental catastrophe, family secrets, and the unrelenting bond between mothers and daughters.' (July 22)
A Shift of Time by Julie E. Czerneda
The Night's Edge series continues over a summer in Marrowdell, where 'its wild magic is out of sorts' and causing dangerous mayhem for Bannan and Jenn. (July 22)
Small Fires by Ronnie Turner
'Suspected of murdering their parents, sisters Lily and Della flee to a strange, unnamed island in Scotland, and their arrival puts in motion a horrifying series of events.' (July 22)
Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon
'This is How You Lose the Time War meets Ex Machina: Seth Haddon's science fiction debut is a sapphic sci-fi action adventure novella.' (July 22)
The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau
'A broken woman. A mysterious job ad. A chance to heal in French castle gardens—but strange things are growing behind the ancient stone walls.' (July 29)
Angel Down by Daniel Kraus
'An immersive, cinematic novel about five World War I soldiers who stumble upon a fallen angel that could hold the key to ending the war.' (July 29)
Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell
'When a mysterious figure shows up in the photograph an architect takes of the derelict Seabrink Hotel, ghostly encounters and murder are unleashed.' (July 29)
Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo
'This sweeping historical fantasy set in a lush, Puerto Rico-inspired world, uses magical realism to combine Caribbean carnaval culture and the mythology of the Taíno—the Indigenous people of the region—in a gripping exploration of community, reclamation, and healing in defiance of a violent past.' (July 29)
Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado
'The start of a thrilling epic fantasy trilogy centered around three families' fight for power in Ahkebulin, a land where magic is feared, giants are real, and prophecy holds sway.' (July 29)
A Covenant of Ice by Karin Lowacheel
'In this final chapter of the Crowns of Ishia series, the survival of the Ba'Suon people, their dragons, and the land itself rests on the decisions of Lilley, Janan, and Meka.' (July 29)
A Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson
This contemporary queer fantasy set in Chicago imagines a 'waystation for the dead,' where the recently departed cross over on Lake Michigan. It's a peaceful process until the city's ghost population mysteriously increases—and a living human boards the boat to the afterlife. (July 29)
An Oral History of Atlantis: Stories by Ed Park
'In Ed Park's utterly original collection, characters bemoan their fleeting youth, focus on their breathing, meet cute, break up, write book reviews, translate ancient glyphs, bid on stuff online, whale watch, and once in a while find solace in the sublime.' (July 29)
Wrath of the Dragons by Olivia Rose Darling
'In the explosive sequel to the bestselling romantasy Fear the Flames, two fated lovers must unite against warring kingdoms to defend their home and crowns from those who wish to destroy them.' (July 29)
All the Ash We Leave Behind by C. Robert Cargill
The author 'returns to the world of Sea of Rust and Day Zero with a new novella that shares the post-apocalyptic, robot-inhabited future of those two acclaimed novels.' (July 31)
Bright Dead Star by Caitlín R. Kiernan
'From tales of bizarre violence and murder, haunted photographs and films, through reflections on the flexible borders of sanity and the perverse, to alien horrors from deep time, deep space, and the deep sea, Bright Dead Star is a veritable supernova of the weird and uncanny as only master fantasist Caitlín R. Kiernan can deliver.' (July 31)
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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Truly terrifying dinosaurs, tons of stars in the new 'Jurassic World'
The original "Jurassic Park" left audiences gasping as T-Rex's jaws snapped shut, Velociraptors hunted down children and a lifelike Brachiosaurus munched on leaves. In 1993, Steven Spielberg brought dinosaurs back to life in "Jurassic Park," making the most successful film of all time - a title it held for several years" until "Titanic" hit cinemas. We enjoyed two "Jurassic Park" sequels, then three "Jurassic World" films which were less frankly terrifying, being more suited to families. "Jurassic World: Rebirth," directed by Gareth Edwards ("Rogue One: A Star Wars Story") ramps up the tension in what feels like a return to those scary 1993 roots. "Jurassic Park was already a kind of horror film. It pretended to be a family film, but it scared children a lot," Edwards told dpa, recalling the original. But because the fans from back then are now grown up, the seventh film in the series deliberately wanted to add more horror, he says. "It's harder to scare adults. That's why we wanted to go the extra mile. And I was actually waiting for the studio to say no, because it's a family film after all," says Edwards. "But they saw it the same way. They also wanted to bring back the horror. And that's why we had a lot of free rein with our ideas." That is clear, especially when you see some of the mutant dinosaurs bred by researchers on a secret island that were deemed too dangerous for amusement parks. Some of these dinosaurs are truly degenerate beasts, so gruesome that you wonder whether the makers are less interested in the billion-dollar merchandising business this time around. After all, such hideous giant mutant dinosaurs in toy form don't seem like the ideal choice for a child's bedroom. "Well, when I was four years old, I always bought monsters and bad guys as toys. I think the merchandising will work out fine," says Edwards. Three new top stars The seventh film takes another step back towards the original with its cast of several strong characters. Scarlett Johansson ("Black Widow") plays tough mercenary Zora Bennett, with Mahershala Ali ("Moonlight") as Zora's old friend plus Jonathan Bailey ("Bridgerton") is a museum palaeontologist. These three are not just eye candy or dinosaur fodder, but have emotional backstories and develop in the course of their deadly mission. Edwards did not initially want to direct the film, he has said in past interviews. But he was particularly impressed by the characters in the script. "One of the hardest things about being a filmmaker is that no matter how much you pack into a film visually, if the audience doesn't care about the characters or the story is too confusing, then everything else is for nothing. And I read the script and immediately liked the characters and their interactions. I knew I just had to bring them to life and then the film would work." The stars' acting quality also pays off – with Ali, a two-time Oscar winner ("Moonlight," "Green Book"), and Johansson, a two-time Oscar nominee (including for "Marriage Story"). Johansson says she fulfilled a childhood dream with "Jurassic World Rebirth" as she also caught dinosaur fever back in 1993, she has said in several interviews. But the filming was more exhausting than she had expected, she told dpa. "I was totally shocked and thrilled when I was cast. And then you get to the film set and do the actual work. Some days are really hard," she said of shooting in Thailand and Malta. Her colleague Jonathan Bailey also drew strength from the knowledge that he was part of a unique film series during the gruelling shoot. "There aren't many franchises that have spanned so many generations," Bailey told dpa. "It's been 32 years since the original film. And everyone who worked on this film – from us actors on set to the people behind the camera to the post-production team – was inspired by the first film, by the nostalgia of a unique cinema experience." The island where it all started The dinosaur action is just as exciting, but what about the most important ingredient – the dinosaur scenes? They also benefit from a further way "Jurassic World Rebirth" returns to its roots. The plot does not range around the globe but is again focused on an island. The hunt is on for three particularly dangerous dinosaurs, on land, in the water and in the air. "The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind," says Universal, which may seem a little far-fetched. But it fuels the action and entertainment factor enormously. The limited setting means some intense scenes work well even if they don't quite achieve the masterful thrills that Spielberg managed to create when directing action in confined spaces. But at least in terms of special effects, "Jurassic World Rebirth" certainly makes Spielberg's 1993 original look old with scenes from a T-Rex hunting underwater or Pterosaurs attacking people scaling a steep rock face.