It’s a good week for science fiction and fantasy fans. There are both new Star Wars and Sarah J. Maas works to read, and more besides!
Happy May! (Okay, that was technically yesterday.) The month is starting off strong when it comes to books, with plenty of new releases to look at today. Yours truly has tightened it up to just three choices … and some honorable mentions at the bottom.
Goodreads provides the summaries, we comment upon them, and then it’s up to you to decide which of these books you’ll make a priority to read and which you won’t.
Rebel Rising
Beth Revis has taken over Jyn Erso’s story for Rebel Rising. This YA novel features a younger incarnation of the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story lead, and it elaborates further on Jyn’s relationship with Saw Gerrera … as well as her relationship to rebellion itself. (The title pretty much gives that away, doesn’t it?) After Lost Stars, we have high expectations for YA Star Wars, to be quite honest with you, and besides, a little more Jyn Erso never goes amiss, especially considering the end of Rogue One. Disney Lucasfilm Press; hardcover, 416 pages; list price on Amazon: $17.99.
A Court of Wings and Ruin
One of our 11 things you need to know about this May is this release from Sarah J. Maas. Though it isn’t from her perhaps better-known Throne of Glass series, it’s hard to say no to the story of Feyre. In this installment, per Goodreads, she’s facing an invasion along with the always-dangerous Spring Court, which seems about right for a third novel escalation. Also, and this is a direct quote from Goodreads: “mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.” Sounds ominous. Bloomsbury USA Childrens; hardcover, 720 pages; list price on Amazon: $18.99.
The Boy on the Bridge
M.R. Carey’s The Girl with All the Gifts was a fresh take on the now undead (pun intended) zombie genre. Now we have a follow-up in the form of The Boy on the Bridge. A question answered on the Goodreads page indicates that this is a prequel that also functions as a story all on its own. (We can’t help but recommend that you also read The Girl with All the Gifts, though!) The short description on Goodreads also makes it sound like a fairy tale … albeit a rather creepy one indeed. Perhaps this one will help The Walking Dead fans get through the off-season. Orbit; hardcover, 400 pages; list price on Amazon: $26.00.
Also out today are a new book from Timothy Zahn to kick off a new, non-Star Wars series, Pawn; Robyn Bennis’ The Guns Above, her debut novel; and Jenny Han’s Always and Forever, Lara Jean.
Next: Review: Walkaway, Cory Doctorow
You have six choices here … or more! Let us know if you’re looking at something else this week instead.