If you’ve got a yearning to add a few more monsters, space explorers, magically gifted teens, supernatural detectives, alien translators, superheroes, cosplayers, and mages on missions to your winter reading list, look no further: Gizmodo has got you covered with a giant avalanche of shiny new books for June!
Among Strangers by Robert Silverberg
This collection gathers four tales by the Hugo and Nebula-winning Grand Master of SF: 1967’s Those Who Watch, 1968’s The Man in the Maze, 1985’s Tom O’Bedlam, and 1992’s The Way to Spook City. (June 1)
The Dark Ride: The Best Short Fiction of John Kessel by John Kessel
Including flash pieces, novellas, horror tales, and more, this collection of short fiction from the acclaimed author ranges from 1981’s “Not Responsible! Park and Lock It!” to 2021’s “The Dark Ride,” including “40,000 words of never-before-collected fiction and extensive author’s notes.” (June 1)
The Peacekeeper by B.L. Blanchard (June 1)
In this alt-history tale that imagined North America was never colonised, an Ojibwe detective haunted by his mother’s murder 20 years prior realises the crime is connected to the murder case he’s currently investigating. (June 1)
The Soul Stealer by Graham Masterton
The latest from the author of The Manitou is about a detective-turned-Uber-driver who finds himself caught up in a murder case tied to a demonic evil. (June 1)
Aurora by David Koepp
The latest novel from the prolific screenwriter (whose credits include the first two Jurassic Park films) imagines a solar storm knocks out power across the planet. A single mum must protect her neighbourhood amid the chaos, while her estranged billionaire brother plans a retreat to his apocalypse bunker. (June 7)
Before Takeoff by Adi Alsaid
Two teens meet during an airport layover when the rules of the universe suddenly go haywire and impossible things (indoor snowstorms and the sudden formation of jungles) start happening all around them. (June 7)
The City Inside by Samit Basu
In this tale set in a near-future version of Delhi, we meet a “Reality Controller” who oversees a celebrity’s multi-reality livestreams, and the wealthy recluse who joins her in the shifty realm of “surveillance capitalism.” (June 7)
Forging Silver Into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer
A pair of best friends must decide where they stand, and where their true loyalties lie, when magic — which was long forbidden, and which they both consider dangerous — suddenly re-enters their lives. (June 7)
Future Stories: What’s Next? by David Christian
In this non-fiction book, the author talks with “theologians, philosophers, scientists, statisticians, and scholars from a huge range of places and times” to divine how humans prepare for an uncertain future, touching on “the future of human evolution, artificial intelligence, interstellar travel, and more.” (June 7)
Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
A trans boy who’s been infected with a bioweapon hides from a doomsday cult with the help of a group of queer teens — all while trying to control the monster the weapon is forcing him to mutate into. (June 7)
The Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston
A magician-turned-cardsharp joins an elite tournament where the most powerful currency is secrets. But when he wins the most valuable, high-stakes secret of all, he must go on the run from everyone who dearly wants to know that secret, too. (June 7)
Little Bird by Tiffany Meuret
A grieving woman who’s closed herself off from the world must figure out the right course of action when a new neighbour moves in — and she discovers a talking skeleton and a sentient vine in her backyard. (June 7)
Never the Wind by Francesco Dimitri
When a blind teen moves to Southern Italy with his parents, he makes friends with a girl from a rival family; together they try to fight against a mysterious force that threatens to tear both their worlds apart. (June 7)
A New Clan by David Weber and Jane Lindskold
The latest Star Kingdom novel finds teen Stephanie Harrington back on Sphinx, where humans peacefully coexist with the intelligent alien treecats — but don’t always coexist peacefully with other humans. (June 7)
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
In Victorian England, a group of kids with strange abilities — invisibility, the power to heal — team up with a detective to evade their monstrous, shadowy pursuer, and possibly save the world while they’re at it. (June 7)
Screams From the Dark edited by Ellen Datlow
“Twenty-nine tales of monsters and the monstrous” from Fran Wilde, Joyce Carol Oats, Indrapramit Das, Cassandra Khaw, Richard Kadrey, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Stephen Graham Jones, Joe R. Landsdale, Nathan Ballingrud, and more. (June 7)
The Veiled Masters by Tim Pratt
This novel inspired by the Twilight Imperium game follows an intergalactic political conspiracy in which a spy and an ambassador form an uneasy alliance to save themselves and the galaxy. (June 7)
We All Fall Down by Rose Szabo
A new fantasy duology kicks off with this story about a city that was once ruled by witches but has seen magic slip away. When a quartet of queer youths realises they’ve unwittingly become part of a bid to bring that magic back, they must stick together to discover the truth about what’s going on. (June 7)
Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane
This new take on the Trojan War imagines the mythological Achilles as a trans woman who becomes a priestess of Aphrodite — and then must fight a magical war against Helen of Troy. (June 7)
Boys, Beasts & Men by Sam J. Miller
This short-fiction collection introduces us to a boy who gets supernatural revenge on bullies, a riff on The Thing that imagines the nervous survivor of a shapeshifting alien-invasion, a queer rebellion that sparks a paranormal reaction, and more. (June 14)
Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg
Perilous adventures and maybe romance await when a woman learns she’s a “Pillar of Time,” a magical anchor point for the world’s timeline. Unfortunately, there’s a sinister force chasing after the Pillars — but fortunately, a mysterious Scotsman has suddenly appeared and is determined to protect her. (June 14)
Clockwork Destiny by Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart
The steampunk trilogy — based on the music of Rush, and co-written by the band’s late drummer — concludes as adventurers Owen and Marinda take on their final fanciful adventures. (June 14)
Generation Wonder: The New Age of Heroes edited by Barry Lyga
This YA anthology contains 13 short stories aiming to “turn superhero tropes on their head and offer fresh perspectives on modern myths.” Authors include Barry Lyga, Paul Levitz, Sarah MacLean, Lamar Giles, Elizabeth Eulberg, Danielle Paige, Varian Johnson, and more, with illustrations by Colleen Duran.(June 14)
The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison
In this sequel to The Witness for the Dead, Celehar — who can communicate with the recently deceased — is pulled into a murder investigation that leads him into some very dark places. (June 14)
Implacable Alpha by W. Michael Gear
The Team Psi series continues, as does the mystery of Prisoner Alpha — now an escaped prisoner, and still being pursued by her timeline-hopping would-be assassin. (June 14)
January Fifteenth by Rachel Swirsky
This near-future sci-fi novella follows four women in vastly different circumstances as they negotiate a crucial date on the calendar: the day Americans receive an annual “Universal Basic Income” payment. (June 14)
A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
The author’s Fractured Fables series continues with Zinnia Grey, “professional fairy-tale fixer and lapsed Sleeping Beauty,” who’s dedicated her life to rescuing princesses who’ve fallen into deeply enchanted sleep… until the day the Evil Queen reaches out for her help. (June 14)
Our Child of Two Worlds by Stephen Cox
This sequel to Our Child of the Stars continues the story of Cory, an alien child raised by loving Earth parents — and who may be the planet’s only hope when an intergalactic threat begins to close in. (June 14)
Rise of the Vicious Princess by C.J. Redwine
A princess raised to be politically sharp aims to bring peace between her unstable kingdom and their longtime enemy, something that becomes even more urgent when her royal mother is attacked. But it’s a dangerous mission that’ll involve going undercover on the high seas as a smuggler. (June 14)
The Seed of Cain by Agnes Gomillion
In this Afrofuturist tale, a woman determined to secure freedom for her people must stop a sinister new leader from succeeding — but she’s been suffering strange blackouts, and may need to seek help from a magical power. (June 14)
The Splendid City by Karen Heuler
This “genre-blending story of modern witchcraft, a police state, and WTF characters” images a young woman struggling to cultivate her talents while living in an extremely repressive community — with the help of a talking cat who becomes an unexpected ally. (June 14)
Trouble With the Cursed by Kim Harrison
The next Hollows novel follows a demon — named Rachel, living in Cincinnati — whose life is actually going pretty well until her best friend turns up with a vampire in tow. (June 14)
The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
When nine magical songs vanish from the enchanted piano that powers New Orleans, young mage Perilous “Perry” Graves must draw on his talents to try and save his city. (June 21)
The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
A new fantasy trilogy begins with this story inspired by African and Arabian mythology, following three women who join forces to ignite a revolution. (June 21)
In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
A new fantasy series kicks off in a world where magic is running dangerously low. A once rich and powerful man who’s chosen exile must check back into the world when his mother is murdered — and then must put together a gang of misfits to help the world figure out its magic problem before it’s too late. (June 21)
Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
This riff on Brothers Grimm fairy tale The Juniper Tree is about a witch — one of the last witches left — who plots to escape her domineering wizard father. (June 21)
The Nobodies by Alanna Schubach
Best friends Jess and Nina have a secret: they can swap bodies. But what’s sometimes a liberating, rewarding exchange turns dark and deceptive when their identities begin to blur between them. (June 21)
Speaking Bones by Ken Liu
The acclaimed Dandelion Dynasty series ends “in the middle of two wars on two lands among three people separated by an ocean yet held together by the invisible strands of love.” (June 21)
The Storm Beneath a Midnight Sun by Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson
Amid a war in Reykjavík, a recovering addict and her sceptical son flee for what they hope will be a better life on a magical island, while a sorcery professor sets out to draw on an ancient power that could bring the war to an end. (June 21)
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
Seeking to prove his loyalty to the queen, who’s also his sister, a prince and his bodyguard turn detective after a break-in — only to discover both a conspiracy afoot and the fact that they just might have feelings for each other. (June 21)
The This by Adam Roberts
As social media that literally links into your brain takes over the world, a young man is pressed into military service to fight an army of sentient robots — while in the far future, one woman has one last chance to save an AI-decimated humanity from complete extinction. (June 21)
This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
The sequel to This Poison Heart sees Briseis reaching out to her long-lost relatives, hoping to tap into their magic to find the missing piece of the Absyrtus Heart — the only thing that can save her mother. (June 21)
The Clockwork Empire by Lucas J.W. Johnson
This steampunk fantasy set amid the industrial revolution follows a ragtag crew fighting against the ruling Roman Empire, all while trying to find and contain a mystery man who’s scheming to bring down the gods. (June 28)
Cosplay: A History – The Builders, Fans, and Makers Who Bring Your Favourite Stories to Life by Andrew Liptak
The author — an Gizmodo alum — digs into the history of cosplay and charts its ever-growing popularity at conventions and fan events today. Read our interview with Andrew Liptak here. (June 28)
Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald
A new fantasy series kicks off with this tale introducing Raine, a woman with the forbidden gift of being able to see and communicate with the dead. When her secret’s revealed, she’s forced to join a group of warrior magicians, where she discovers her abilities may be more powerful than she ever realised. (June 28)
Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson
A translator for an alien cultural attaché finds herself in deep trouble after a tragedy spells major trouble for intergalactic relations. Read a review here. (June 28)
Godslayers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
The sequel to Gearbreakers finds the rebels on the run from the mech-heavy armies of Godolia. Both Eris and Sona have managed to survive the war, but Eris is being held prisoner and Sona has been brainwashed by the enemy. Can they reunite, rejoin forces, and launch the next phase of attack? (June 28)
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
In Regency-era England, a young woman whose mother is eager to marry her off lives under a faerie curse that means she feels no fear or embarrassment. As you might imagine, this complicates her love life rather immensely.(June 28)
Invisible Things by Mat Johnson
New Roanoke — hidden under a bubble on Europa and populated by alien abductees — is not what an ambitious sociologist expected to find when she joined the first manned mission to Jupiter. Meanwhile, back on Earth, a man joins a rescue mission to spring his wife from the far-off moon. (June 28)
Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett
The Founders Trilogy concludes as Sancia, Clef, and Berenice must pull off a risky heist before taking on a seemingly insurmountable enemy that’s using magic as a tool to control half the planet’s human minds. (June 28)
The Martyr by Anthony Ryan
The Covenant of Steel series continues as outlaw-turned-spymaster Alwyn Scribe serves a noblewoman who’s become something of a cult leader thanks to her apocalyptic visions — visions which, he learns, might be about to come true. (June 28)
The Origin of Storms by Elizabeth Bear
The author’s Lotus Kingdoms epic fantasy trilogy comes to an end with this entry, though there’s still a lot to get through, including a war between four factions who all believe they should own the throne of the Alchemical Emperor (June 28)
Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
In this contemporary fantasy, a teenager begins to realise her mother’s been hiding a particularly witchy secret about herself. (June 28)
The Path of Thorns by A.G. Slatter
A governess with a secret takes a new job motivated by revenge — but then has second thoughts when she starts to actually enjoy her new life. Unfortunately, it seems her dark past won’t let her change what’s already been set in motion. (June 28)
Resolute by Jack Campbell
The Lost Fleet series continues as Admiral John “Black Jack” Geary, already dealing with political intrigue within the Alliance, finds a Rift Federation ship whose occupants are keeping secrets, as well as a new alien enemy to deal with. (June 28)
Sands of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
A collection of novellas from the well-known sci-fi universe help give backstory and fill in the blanks on some of Dune’s characters, including Gurney Halleck and the Shadout Mapes. (June 28)
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
A woman whose magic has a nasty habit of killing her husbands needs a new partner if she wants to stop a demonic invasion — so she hires a bodyguard with the right kind of power to help her succeed, though he also has the power to destroy her. (June 28)
Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch
Not sure we can sum this one up any better than the official description: “As rising waters — and an encroaching police state — endanger her life and family, a girl with the gifts of a ‘carrier’ travels through water and time to rescue vulnerable figures from the margins of history.” (June 28)
Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.