Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight an awesome and entertaining upcoming fantasy release with First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston.

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Over the last few years, one of the more unique fantasy fiction authors that I have been really enjoying is the highly inventive Cameron Johnston.  A talented writer who has created some very unique tales within the fantasy genre, Johnston has produced some amazing books over the years, including his Age of Tyranny novels, The Traitor God and God of Broken Things, the hilarious dark fantasy siege novel, The Maleficent Seven, and the brutal and intense fantasy thriller The Last Shield (one of my favourite books of 2024).  All these novels have been exceptional reads, and Johnston is one of those authors who seems to get better with every book he writes.

Due to Johnston’s continued ability to produce particularly gripping fantasy novels, he is very much an author I keep an eye on, especially as I am very curious to see what he writes next.  As such, I am currently very excited for his upcoming 2026 release, First Mage on the Moon, which frankly sounds amazing.

Set for release in April 2026, First Mage on the Moon will see Johnston produce another unique and memorable fantasy novel, this time focused on several oppressed mages trying to secretly create a rocket capable of landing on the moon.  An intriguing standalone novel, First Mage on the Moon has such a fun plot behind it, and I’m already quite excited to see how it unfolds.

Plot Synopsis:

Cameron Johnston returns in this innovative space fantasy, where wizards race to be the first on the moon – also known as the land of the gods. A fast paced read perfect for fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Ella Pickering has been stuck in a never-ending cycle of debt and pain. Formerly a Unity skymage trained to make supply runs, she is now wheelchair-bound after poor maintenance led to a skyship crash, and the world makes no accommodations for her disability. To pay off her medical debt, Ella works gruelling shifts making magical weapons for the research and design workshop, thinking of the days when she was active in the war between the unreligious Unity and the Ranneas Empire.

A late night double shift means Ella witnesses a lightning strike hit on an arcane experiment by Jackan Grissom. But not all is lost – the device morphs into a crude rocket blasting straight for the moon, ultimately falling into the No Man’s Land between the feuding nations. But the initial upward motion inspires hope: if they can make a device to reach the moon – the land of the gods – then the Unity might be able to come out of the war triumphant, if not unscathed. 

By Unity standards, the plot is blasphemous, but Ella and Jackan have their own motives behind summoning the help of the gods. Imbued with new knowledge, the two begin crafting a device to take them to the moon. But as more people become involved in their plot, will they be able to keep it under wraps? Or will word of their heresy lead them to more danger than they first anticipated?

I must admit that even after all the crazy and inventive novels Johnston has previously written, a space fantasy featuring moon-seeking mages really stands out.  With steampunk-esque fantasy setting involving war, intrigue and the science of magic, the plot for First Mage on the Moon has a lot of potential, and I love the idea of a bunch of rebel mages secretly working on a magical rocket, all in aid of reaching the moon.  The potential for calamity and compelling moments as the mages try to avoid detection while also experimenting with new forms of magic is going to provide a lot of intensity to this plot, and I look forward to seeing just how crazy things can get here.  Throw in Johnston’s proven ability to create powerful scenarios loaded with wicked humour, and First Mage on the Moon is likely to be a very impressive read with some very entertaining moments behind it.

Due to the awesome plot summary above, as well as Johnston’s impressive track record of incredible fantasy novels, First Mage on the Moon is currently one of my most anticipated fantasy novels coming out in 2026.  It sounds like Johnston is planning something very special with First Mage on the Moon and I already know I’m going to love this inventive and compelling upcoming fantasy release.