MAYDAY MAYDAY!!! It’s book overload this month! There are so many great new releases coming out that we just had to count down some of the best Sci Fi Books for May 2023. (We may have even thrown in the odd Fantasy and Horror tale just for good measure! From mysterious islands of “eternal life” through to terrifying tales of humanity there’s a little bit of something for everyone this month.
Fractal Noise
Christopher Paolini
16th May – Tor
To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars took the Sci Fi world by storm back in 2020 (read our review here) as the authour of epic fantasy series Eragon sent us into a deep space, first contact story. Now Christopher Paolini returns to the Fractalverse with a new standalone novel set 23 years before the events of TSIASOS.
When an enormous circular pit, too large and too perfect to be natural is discovered on the planel of Talos VII, a small team of explorers are sent to investigate. What follows is a gruelling trek through a hostile environment in search of answers. For some it’s an opportunity of a lifetime, for others it’s the search for meaning in a tragic world. A fascinating, claustrophic tale of exploration that asks questions as much of the characters as it does of the anomaly that could only be of conscious design.
March’s End
Daniel Polansky
9th May – Angry Robot
The Harrows are an estranged family who by day are teachers, doctors and bartenders but by night are the sworn protectors of the magical, fantastical parallel world of the “March”. When a contagious madness known as the “End” starts to threaten the inhabitants of the March, the family must confront their chequered history and uncomfortable past to try and save the world.
Framed inside the stunning worldbuilding of sentient lichen and antique toys lies a heartfelt story of family seeking resolution and absolution from their own madness.
Bang Bang Bodhisattva
Aubrey Wood
9th May – Solaris
A cyberpunk, buddy cop crime thriller that flips traditional tropes with a slice of wry comedy and the thrill of the chase. Set in the rather grim dystopia of 2032, trans hacker Kiera has been framed for murder and must team up with harboiled P.I Angel Herrera to search for the truth. What follows is a fast pace tech-heavy noir crime story that uses the odd-couple dynamic to bring representation and understanding to the meanings of identity. Packed with one liners and crassly loveable characters Bang Bang Bodhisattva is the perfect melting pot for genre lovers in need of a relevant and modern spin on futuristic crime thrillers.
The Ferryman
Justin Cronin
2nd May – Orion
A true epic of speculative fiction, acclaimed author of The Passage Trilogy, Jusin Cronin is back with The Ferryman. Prospera, an isolated island paradise in the middle of a vast ocean is the brainchild of a mythic genious. Its population live a life of privilege, where every need met is by the obliging support staff until they approach retirement. Then the Ferryman transports their bodies to another mysterious isand known as The Nursery, to have their memories wiped so they can start life anew.
But paradise is not paradise for all and with the cryptic message of “The world is not the world” ringing in the Ferryman’s ears, talk of resistance and revolution begins to rise. Many begin to question their place in the social order and a rebellious cohort known as The Arrivalists look to stir things up. Full of twists and turns like you wouldn’t believe, The Ferryman is filled with big ideasa and develops into a fascinating meditation on humanity that will grip you to the last page.
19 Claws And A Blackbird
Agustina Bazterrica
4th May – Pushkin Press
Not for the squeamish, Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird is a collection of short stories from the grizzly and macabre mind of Agustina Bazterrica, author of TikTok sensation Tender is the Flesh. Tackling tales of grotesque murder and insidious violence with pepperings of body horror and disturbing fantasies, each story is unsettling in its own unique way. There are certainly reoccuring themes within the colleciton, often centred around the abuses of power. This book will leave you shocked into contemplating the darker sides of human nature.
The Malevolent Seven
Sebastien de Castell
11th May – Quercus
It’s the Magnificent Seven, except they’re wizards! Cade Ombrea must bring together a rag tag crew of seven war-hardened mages to head into a cursed wasteland to defeat the good guys. That’s right, this time we’re siding with the bad guys (the good guys don’t pay as much). But are our crew of murderous mages really bad or are they just unhinged? If you imagine The Suicide Squad trapsing across Westeros you wouldn’t be far off. The Malevolent Seven is comedic quest where motives are masked and the real villains are not who you’d think. A fun journey with madcap characters through a magical landscape with a soundtrack of wry humour.
Such Sharp Teeth
Rachel Harrison
9th May – Titan
The feminist werewolf story we’ve been waiting for. Yes there’s love story in there but this isn’t your usual monster romance. Instead we’re treated to a darkly funny and sweetly emotional journey where our lady lycan, Rory must reluctantly retun to her hometown and deal with the complications of family and her new found aversion to silver. Running deeper are elegant touches on facing trauma, confronting vulnerability and channelling the inner rage that sometimes we all have to let out.
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