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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of the more crazy and fun looking science fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026, with Monsters of Ohio by John Scalzi.

Amazon

In recent years, one of the more entertaining and enjoyable authors of science fiction that I have become a fan of is the always reliably quirky John Scalzi.  A veteran science fiction author who has been providing his unique take on the genre for years, Scalzi is best known for his Old Man’s War and The Interdependency series.  In addition to these established, long-running series, Scalzi has also written a range of distinctive standalone science fiction novels that provide interesting takes on the world, as well as satirising certain elements of pop culture.  I have had a wonderful time reading novels like Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society, Starter Villain and When the Moon Hits Your Eye, which had some amazing and very memorable plot ideas behind them.

All Scalzi’s books that I have had the pleasure of reading have proven to be particularly awesome, with my favourite probably being Redshirts (I love a good Star Trek parody), and I’ve been really trying to read any new books from the author when they come out.  As such, when I saw that Scalzi had a new book coming out in 2026, it instantly flew towards the top of my must-read list.

This new upcoming novel from Scalzi is the tantalizingly titled Monsters of Ohio, which features a very fun cover that matches the outrageous energy of the title.  Currently set for release in November 2026, Monsters of Ohio has a very interesting plot behind it, as cosmic horrors appear amongst the simple people of rural America with chaotic result.

Plot Synopsis:

Richland, Ohio is the same tiny, sleepy rural community it’s been for the last 150 years. But times are hard, as social and economic forces roil the once-placid town.

Now Richland, Ohio is primed to explode – just not in the way anyone expected. Because in Richland, the revolution doesn’t start with a protest. It starts with growing tentacles.

Mike Boyd left Richland decades ago, to find his own way in the world. But when he’s called back to his hometown to tie up loose ends, he finds more going on than he bargained for. He becomes caught up in a sequence of events that will bring this tiny farm village to the attention of the entire world . . . and, perhaps, spell its doom.

This is a very intriguing plot for Monsters of Ohio, and it’s certainly got my attention.  I love the idea of a small town going through economic hard times becomes the target of something a lot stranger and out of this world, and with Scalzi’s trademark wit and cynicism thrown in, it should result in a fascinating and captivating read.  As such, I’m very excited to read Monsters of Ohio later this year, and if it’s as entertaining as Scalzi’s previous books, I’m in for an exceptional time when I get my hands on it.