Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday participants need to list their top anticipated releases for the second half of 2024. I am planning to do two versions of this list, one that will exclusively look at upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction, and more, and this one that will focus on upcoming fantasy and science fiction books.
2024 has so far been a pretty amazing year for books (something I will cover in next week’s Top Ten Tuesday), with some outstanding and impressive novels coming out and blowing me away. However, the year is far from over and there are so many incredible and epic-sounding novels set for release in the second half of 2024. To fill out this list I have scoured my list of anticipated upcoming releases and tried to work out which of the books coming out between the start of July and the end of December I am most looking forward to. I already have a couple of these books in advance, but I think it’s worth including them here, especially as I still need to make time to read them.
I had initially intended to only do a single list featuring all the genres, however, I ended up with way too many awesome upcoming novels on my radar. So, to fairly feature them all, and to save myself from some hard decisions, I decided to split this post into two separate lists, starting with this one on fantasy and science fiction. I still had to cut out several impressive upcoming releases, but I was a lot happier with how these lists turned out, especially as I was able to feature so many epic upcoming reads that I am going to have the most fun reading. Due to how much potential that I think the entries on this list have, several have previously appeared in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, as well as on my recent Winter TBR list. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated fantasy and science fiction releases for the second half of 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons – 9 July 2024
An intriguing fantasy heist novel that will see a fugitive girl and her dragon work with a team to break into a heavily guarded vault in a floating dragon castle.
Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 30 July 2024
Another unique science fiction read from the highly inventive Adrian Tchaikovsky.
Good Boys by Jeremy Robinson – 20 August 2024
Jeremy Robinson looks to impress with his second book of 2024, the alien focussed novel, Good Boys.
Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes – 15 October 2024
An awesome Star Wars novel that will focus on the legendary Mace Windu.
Top Ten List:
Deep Black by Miles Cameron – 1 August 2024
The first upcoming book I want to highlight on this list is the excellent science fiction novel, Deep Black by Miles Cameron. A sequel to his previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black will follow a massive interstellar trading ship, known as a Greatship, as it tries to make its treacherous journey home. Set to combine elaborate science fiction elements with a compelling thriller storyline, Deep Black should be an outstanding read.
The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey – 6 August 2024
The masterminds behind The Expanse series return with a bold new book, The Mercy of Gods. The Mercy of Gods will see vestiges of humanity stolen away by an advanced alien species so that they can compete in elaborate games to become their new master’s favoured race. This book sounds so damn awesome, especially as it will combine intricate alien political intrigue with some amazing science fiction elements. Set to introduce the next big science fiction series, The Mercy of Gods is going to be something epic and I was lucky enough to receive a copy of it earlier today.
The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston – 13 August 2024
After wowing me with books like The Traitor God, God of Broken Things and The Maleficent Seven, Cameron Johnston returns in 2024 with another awesome dark fantasy novel, The Last Shield. Set to be a gender-bent, dark fantasy Die Hard, The Last Shield sounds pretty damn incredible and there is no way I won’t love this book.
The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry – 20 August 2024
One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, has been having an amazing couple of years across multiple genres. While I still need to read his science fiction novel from earlier this year, NecroTek, I am particularly excited for his next book, The Dragon in Winter. The third and final book in Maberry’s Kagen the Damned series, The Dragon in Winter looks set to be one of the absolute best dark fantasy novels of 2024 as the doomed protagonist finally faces off against his nemesis. The first two books in this series Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), were dark, extremely over-the-top, and excessively addictive, and I cannot wait to see how this dark series concludes.
A Darkness Returns by Raymond E. Feist – 20 August 2024
Legendary author Raymond E. Feist returns with A Darkness Returns, the first book in his new The Dragonwar Saga. This new series sounds really cool, especially as it will pull together his iconic Riftwar Cycle with his recent Firemane Saga (King of Ashes, Queen of Storms and Master of Furies). In particular, the plot of this book will split between the two different fantasy worlds of the respective series, as the protagonist attempt to save them from both mundane and dangerous interdimensional threats.
A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan – 24 September 2024
One of the fantasy books I am really looking forward to this year is the awesome sounding new novel from Anthony Ryan, A Tide of Black Steel. Set in the same universe as the author’s epic The Covenant of Steel series (made up of The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel will expand on the compelling fantasy world introduced in the first trilogy and take the reader on an intriguing new adventure. I am very excited to read this book, and I look forward to seeing how Ryan will connect this new novel with his previous series.
Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024
One of my favourite science fiction thriller series returns with the upcoming book Darkside by Michael Mammay. The fourth entry in the amazing Planetside series, Darkside follows on from the exceptional novels, Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, and will bring back Mammay’s retired solider protagonist for another intrigue laden adventure. This time the protagonist will be forced to go up against two corrupt corporations he has previously annoyed, while investigating another missing person’s case at a mining operation on an isolated moon. Mammay has deeply impressed me over the years with his outstanding writing, and Darkside is going to be a particularly gripping read.
The Fury of Gods by John Gwynne – 24 October 2024
John Gwynne looks set to bring his epic The Bloodsworn Saga to an end in a big way with the upcoming novel, The Fury of the Gods. Concluding an extremely epic trilogy, that includes The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods, The Fury of the Gods will showcase the final battle between warring mortals and returning gods, as all hell literally threatens to break out throughout Gwynne’s intriguing new fantasy nation. I have deeply enjoyed this amazing, character-driven series of the last few years, and I look forward to seeing how Gwynne wraps everything up. Also, it needs to be said that The Fury of Gods has the best cover out of all the books I am highlighting tonight.
The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 26 November 2024
Another favourite fantasy author of mine, Melissa Caruso, has a great new book coming out later this year that I am very excited for. This novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, will feature a complex and entertaining fantasy mystery, as two rivals attempt to work together to investigate a reality bending magical event killing people. I love the sound of this intriguing new novel and I have a feeling The Last Hour Between Worlds is going to be one of the most compelling books of 2024.
Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 5 December 2024
The final upcoming novel I want to highlight on this list is the outstanding and fun Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Days of Shattered Faith will continue the loosely connected events of the previous books, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds. This third book will see two new protagonists, unusual ambassadors from an oppressive and zealous nation, attempt to survive a deadly city where everything goes. This should be a pretty wild and entertaining novel with some subtle underlying messages, and I cannot wait to see the elaborate and inventive adventure that Tchaikovsky comes up with. Due to how epic the previous two books were, this should be something very special and impressive, and Tchaikovsky has yet to produce something I didn’t love to death.
That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out, and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming fantasy and science fiction books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that every one of the books I mentioned above has some amazing potential, and most, if not all, will probably end up with a full five-star rating from me. Make sure to also check out my next list where I dive into upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more. Let me also know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.
The Unseen Library 