7 Most Exciting Fantasy Books Still Due Out In 2026

Published Oct 3, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT Once head of Screen Rant's Star Wars coverage and co-lead of Superheroes, Tom Bacon now works with the movies and books teams. He's a lifelong fan of the fantasy and sci-fi genres, and loves franchises such as Doctor Who and Marvel. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon, on LinkedIn @tabacon, or on Muckrack under tombacon. Tom has a wide range of interests, and he continues to serve his university as a volunteer chaplain. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he's into British politics too. 2026 may be coming to an end, but there are still some fantastic fantasy books due out over the last few months. Rebecca Yarros' Threshing Day is easily one of the most exciting releases of the year, an exciting collection of short stories set in the world of Fourth Wing. It's only the latest in a year that's featured books from Brandon Sanderson, Stephanie Garber, Rebecca Ferrier, Kiersten White, and so many more. But the year is far from over. Some of the most celebrated fantasy authors are still due to release books this year; Brandon Sanderson is far from over, we have Sarah J. Maas continuing her phenomenal ACOTAR series, and John Gwynne is returning to epic fantasy form. Here are eight major releases due out over the next few months. 7 The Fires Of December by Brandon Sanderson Releasing Digitally On October 6, Physically On December 8 Brandon Sanderson's next book is coming out sooner than anyone thought; although the physical book will be published on December 8, The Fires of December releases digitally on October 6. The latest book in Sanderson's ever-expecting Cosmere range, but this is different to anything he's written before; it wasn't commissioned, but rather was a labor of love. In this story, a poor woman named December learns a cataclysmic plague is on the way, and must fight to save her kingdom. "I wanted to write a secret project," Sanderson explained in an interview on Arcanum. "I wanted to write something that I didn't have anyone expecting me to write, and that I didn't have any deadlines for, and it was just free and liberating and I could approach as something brand new. And I tried two other books, and neither of them worked." Sanderson is usually a master-planner, but this was apparently a story he simply had to tell — and as an apparent standalone, it's a must-read for fantasy fans. You can pre-order The Fires of December from retailers like Amazon. 6 The Scarlet Ball by Nghi Vo Releasing on October 6 Award-winning fantasy author Nghi Vo is set to make a triumphant return to fantasy with The Scarlet Ball, described as an "all-consuming tale of ballrooms and bloodshed [that] weds The Gilded Age with the Gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro." It stars Judith Ban, a former convent girl, courtesan, and failed thief who heads to New York in pursuit of a new life. The one she chooses plunges her into danger, though, as she discovers the sinister Scarlet Ball — the night when the demons choose their brides. Speaking to Blackgate, Vo gave a sense of just how excited she is about this release. "It’s the story of a half-French half-Vietnamese courtesan who comes to the united states on the run who gets a deal from a very rich white woman that is one of the New York 400 in 1890. This woman is missing a grand daughter. If my main character Judith is willing to put on a white girls face and go dance with demons, she can go and marry a storm. I’m looking forward to that one, it was not an easy book to write and I can’t wait for people to see it. Its gory, messed up, I like to think it is kind of sexy and just tons of fun." You can pre-order The Scarlet Ball from retailers like Amazon. 5 This Shattered Tempest by Thea Guanzon Releasing on October 6 Thea Guanzon's epic Hurricane Wars trilogy is coming to its much-anticipated landfall in This Shattered Tempest. As the winds of war sweep through Lir, Talasyn and Alaric must confront the truth of their hearts and decide whether duty or desire will lead them forward. The latest storm threatens to consume the entire world, with rival nations preparing for war. Guanzon has always said she knew how her epic romantasy trilogy would end; she's finally about to reveal it to readers worldwide, which makes This Shattered Tempest particularly exciting. If you're not familiar with The Hurricane Wars, the story will soon be wrapped up, and it's a perfect moment to dive into a romantasy world with a fantastic magical system. You can pre-order This Shattered Tempest from retailers like Amazon. 4 A Court Of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas Releasing on October 27 Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Splintered Harmony will undoubtedly be one of the best-selling fantasy books of the year. The latest in Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses series, this is Book I in what Maas calls "The Valkyrie Cycle." The ancient evil of Koschei is stirring, and the Night Court will need to overcome recent betrayals and revealed truths, as well as terrifying new rifts, if they are to stand against his threat. Maas is keeping pretty quiet about A Court of Splintered Harmony. There's a sense in which she doesn't need to advertize it at all; she's one of the best romantasy authors out there, her character-work is growing increasingly sophisticated, and she's been building up to "The Valkyrie Cycle" for quite some time. This one will be unmissable. You can pre-order A Court of Splintered Harmony from retailers like Amazon. 3 The Wolves of War by John Gwynne Releasing On November 3 John Gwynne is best known for his epic high fantasy stories based on Norse mythology. The Wolves of War is the beginning of something totally different, a new series called "The Wolfheart Chronicles" inspired by Slavic legends. Gwynne appears to be creating a whole new world partly inspired by real history, blended with legends such as Baba Yaga, the iron-toothed witch. The stars appear to be a father and his daughter, whose dreams of becoming a wolf are a sign of "awakening powers" that may be the family's only chance against the coming storm. As the blurb advertizes: "For the wolves of war are stalking the horizon. Two princes have become mortal enemies, and an iron-toothed witch haunts the shadows. As mighty nations clash, Halia must master her strange magic to protect those she loves. To do so, she must accept a terrifying truth. Sometimes, the only way through the darkness is to embrace it." You can pre-order The Wolves of War from retailers like Amazon. 2 The Last King Of Faerie by Cassandra Clare Releasing On November 3 Welcome back to Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters universe, introduced in The Mortal Instruments back in 2007 and still expanding today. The Last King of Faerie is the first book in a new trilogy, intended to bring this epic saga to an end. The book follows Drusilla Blackthorn, a student at the Shadowhunter Academy. When an outing at a nightclub results in Dru’s kidnapping by Faerie prince Ash Morgenstern, she finds herself in a battle for survival. At the same time, Dru’s brother, Ty, must team up with Kit Herondale after a startling disappearance threatens the Shadowhunters. All that's according to the official synopsis. But advance reviews have revealed an adventure of far greater scale; Shadowhunters are disappearing en masse, and the portals between Faerie and the mundane world have closed. It seems Clare intends to bring her Shadowhunter stories to an end in epic fare. No doubt more will be revealed as promotion picks up ahead of November 3. You can pre-order The Last King of Faerie from retailers like Amazon. 1 A Conspiracy Of Charming Monsters by Holly Black Releasing On November 3 November 3 will also be important for lovers of Holly Black's Elfhame stories. A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters is an illustrated anthology collecting six short stories, and the publisher explicitly refers to both Black's Modern Fairy Tales and Elfhame, suggesting we're in for a real treat. Two stories are completely new, although Black is keeping pretty quiet about what to expect from them. Black is particularly excited about the illustrations by Frostbite; "Come for the stories, stay for Frostbite," she told PEOPLE. These are exciting days for Holly Black, whose story Folk of the Air was picked up by Amazon earlier this year in an adaptation involving Ridley Scott's production company, Scott Free Productions. You can pre-order A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters from retailers like Amazon.