LAcon V, the 83rd World Science Fiction Convention, received 2,492 valid ballots (two paper), up from 1,962 at Seattle Worldcon 2025. There were 1,488 nominating ballots received (six paper), up from 1,338 last year.

The procedure for counting nominations remains the E Pluribus Hugo, or EPH, system, instituted in 2017 to help reduce the effect of bloc voting. The rather complicated system gives a single point to each voter’s ballot, dividing that point among the nominees. The points are counted, the two nominees with the fewest points are compared, and (points notwithstanding) the one with the fewest nominations (votes) is dropped. The process repeats until down to six finalists; the last position on the ballot is determined strictly by votes unless there’s a tie. This system complicates discussing how close a runner-up was to making the ballot, as some nominees might have eliminated others earlier on if they’d had just a few more points. We used to try to determine ourselves how far back the closest runner-up to the ballot was, but for the last several years the official nomination statistics have included their own determination of the margin by which the last place on the final ballot was decided, and we’re using those summations.

Once again, it’s time to explain the Australian ballot preference system (also called ranked voting or ‘‘Instant Runoff Voting’’) used for the Hugo Awards. First-place votes (including those for No Award) are counted in column one. If no entry has the majority of the vote then the entry with the fewest votes is dropped (e). The dropped entry’s second-place votes now become first-place votes (column two) and the process is repeated until a nominee has a majority of the votes (usually six drops, with six finalists), deciding first place. Second place is determined by dropping the winner, counting their second-place votes as if they were first, etc. Therefore, the item that originally placed second doesn’t necessarily win second place. Likewise, third place is decided by dropping both first- and second-place winners, promoting the next eligible entry, and counting all over again. The system ensures that the winner is liked by a majority of voters, even though it may not have received a majority of first-place votes.

BEST NOVEL

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow won easily, starting with the most first-place votes and holding the lead through all six rounds of voting to take first place. The Incandescent by Emily Tesh, which had the most nominations, then took second place in similar fashion. Third place was more of a contest, with The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson leading in the first two rounds, only to see A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett take the lead in the last two rounds. The Raven Scholar then took fourth place in three rounds without challenge. Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor took fifth in a single round, and Shroud followed in sixth. The closest runner-up to the ballot was Katabasis by R.F. Kuang, which needed three more nominations to make the ballot. This was Harrow’s seventh Hugo nomination and second win.

BEST NOVELLA

Amal El-Mohtar’s The River Has Roots came in with the most nominations, the most first-place votes, and led through all six rounds to win. The rest of the places also went without significant challenge, with Annalee Newitz’s Automatic Noodle in second place, Freya Marske’s Cinder House in third, Naomi Novik’s The Summer House in fourth, T. Kingfisher’s What Stalks the Deep in fifth, and Olivia Waite’s Murder by Memory in sixth. The closest runner-up to the ballot was A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo, which needed 11 additional nominations to make the list. This is El-Mohtar’s third Hugo nomination and third win.

BEST NOVELETTE

‘‘Never Eaten Vegetables’’ by H.H. Pak led all the way to take the Hugo in six rounds. Second place saw a bit of a scuffle, with ‘‘Kaiju Agonistes’’ by Scott Lynch leading in the first two rounds, only to have ‘‘When He Calls Your Name’’ by Catherynne M. Valente pick up enough votes to move into the lead when ‘‘The Millay Illusion’’ by Sarah Pinsker dropped, and hold on to take second place in the fifth round. ‘‘Kaiju Agonistes’’ then led all the way in voting for third place. Fourth place saw a tie between ‘‘Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy’’ by Martha Wells (which had the most nominations and led the first round of voting) and ‘‘The Girl My Mother Is Leaving Me For’’ by Cameron Reed, which pulled up to tie in the third round. The Pinsker then ended up in sixth place. John Scalzi’s ‘‘3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years’’ was the closest runner-up, needing one nomination worth more than half a point to make the list. This is Pak’s first Hugo nomination and win.

BEST SHORT STORY

‘‘In My Country’’ by Thomas Ha led the voting all the way, taking the award in six rounds. Second place was more of a contest, with ‘‘Wire Mother’’ by Isabel J. Kim leading the first two rounds of voting, only to have ‘‘10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days’’ by Samantha Mills move into the lead in the third and fourth rounds; then the Kim surged ahead in the fifth round to snag second place. ‘‘Missing Helen’’ by Tia Tashiro then led all the way in voting for third; the Mills took fourth without a challenge. ‘‘Six People to Revise You’’ by J.R. Dawson, which had the most nominations, ended up in fifth place, and Effie Seiberg’s ‘‘Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything’’ followed in sixth. ‘‘Barbershops of the Floating City’’ by Angela Liu needed just one more nomination to make the ballot. This is Ha’s second Hugo nomination and his first win.

BEST SERIES

John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series started with a solid lead in first-place votes and held on to win the award in the sixth round. Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series led the first four rounds of voting for second place, but when Elizabeth Bear’s White Space dropped, enough of its votes went to Katherine Addison’s The Chronicles of Osreth (which had the most nominations) to push it into the lead, taking second place in the fifth round. The October Daye series then waltzed off with third place without a contest, Bear’s White Space took fourth in a bit of a squeaker with Max Gladstone’s The Craft Wars, which then took fifth in one round; Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde came in fifth. Two series got enough nominations to make the list, but were declared ineligible: Mary Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut due to having fewer than 240,000 new words since its last appearance on the ballot in 2019, and Nghi Vo’s The Singing Hills Cycle due to having fewer than 240,000 words total. Because of the two dropped series, it’s difficult to determine the closest runner-up; T. Kingfisher’s Sworn Soldier needed two more nominations to make the ballot, but might not have enough words to be eligible; Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Dogs of War needed nine more nominations to make the ballot. This is Scalzi’s 14th Hugo nomination and fourth win (previous wins are for fan writer, related book, and novel).

BEST GRAPHIC STORY

A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel, based on Le Guin’s novel and adapted and illustrated by Fred Fordham, led for all six rounds to take the Hugo. Things got a little more interesting in the voting for second place: The Space Cat, written by Nnedi Okorafor and illustrated by Tana Ford, led in the first two rounds, only to see Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon, written by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman. pull ahead in the third and fourth round; then The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo & John Picacio dropped, and enough of its next votes went to The Space Cat for it to take second place. The Invisible Parade led the first two rounds of voting for third place, only to have Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon take the lead and keep it to take third in four rounds. The Invisible Parade, which had the most nominations, then led all the way in the voting for fourth place. The Power Fantasy Vol. 1: The Superpowers took fifth place in one round, and webcomic A Girl and Her Fed written by K.B. Spangler and illustrated by Ale Presser took sixth. The closest runner up is Who Killed Nessie? written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Rachael Smith, which needed two more nominations to make the ballot. This is Fred Fordham’s first nomination and win, as well as Ursula K. Le Guin’s 27th nomination and ninth win.

BEST RELATED WORK

Ada Palmer’s Inventing the Renaissance led from the first round and held on to win. Second place was mostly a contest between two titles: The Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, maintained by Renay, which led in the first two rounds, then tied in the third round with Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia Butler by Susana M. Morris, which pulled ahead in the fourth and took second in the fifth round. The Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom (which had the most nominations) took third place without a challenge, and Colourfields: Writing About Writing Science Fiction by Paul Kincaid took fourth. Essay ‘‘The Cuddled Little Vice (Sandman)’’ by Elizabeth Sandifer took fifth in one round, followed by ‘‘Ragnarök vs the Long Night’’ by Ashaya & Aziz in sixth. We Will Rise Again: Speculative Stories About Political Protest, Resistance, and Hope edited by Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, and Malka Older needed eight more nominations to make the ballot. This was Palmer’s third Hugo nomination and first win.

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION – LONG FORM

Sinners started with the most nominations, the most first-place votes, and went unchallenged through six rounds of voting to take the Hugo. Second place went to Andor (Season 2) without a contest. KPop Demon Hunters trounced the opposition for third place, taking it in just three rounds. Superman led the first two rounds of voting for fourth place, only to lose to Frankenstein in the third and final round. Superman then snagged fifth, and Mickey 17 took sixth. The closest runner up was Pluribus, which needed either one more nomination, or for the series Andor to have been eliminated in favor of the Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form entries; enough nominations were made for Andor to make the ballot in either category, but more voters nominated the longer form than nominated individual episodes, so the Short Form nominees were eliminated. Under the same rules, Murderbot could have made the ballot here, but was eliminated in favor of the episodes in Short Form.

BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION – SHORT FORM

Murderbot: ‘‘All Systems Red’’ won with a dramatic display of dominance, coming in with the most nominations, a big lead in first-place votes, and building that lead to take the prize in only five rounds. Murderbot: ‘‘The Perimeter’’ similarly took second place in just four rounds. Pluribus: ‘‘We Is Us’’ led all the way in the voting for third place; Severance: ‘‘Cold Harbor’’ tooks fourth without challenge. Doctor Who: ‘‘The Story & the Engine’’ only needed one round to take fifth place, followed by The Wheel of Time: ‘‘The Road to the Spear’’ in sixth. A number of items that could have made the ballot were dropped; as mentioned in the previous category, three Andor episodes were dropped here in favor of having the series on the Long Form ballot. Due to the limit on the number of episodes of the same show on the final ballot, Murderbot: ‘‘Free Commerce’’ was dropped at the showrunners’ request. This many changes make it effectively impossible to determine the next runner up, or how far back it was, but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: ‘‘A Space Adventure Hour’’ was next on the list by number of nominations, at least nine nominations back of the ballot.

BEST GAME OR INTERACTIVE WORK

A clear favorite with voters, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had the most nominations, a big lead in first-place votes, and held on to win in six rounds. Second place had Blue Prince leading through the first three rounds of voting, but Hades II managed to pick up a 20-vote lead in the fourth round, holding on to take second in the fifth round. Blue Prince then took third place without challenge, Hollow Knight: Silksong similarly took fourth, Dispatch took fifth in one round, leaving Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector in sixth. Split Fiction was the closest runner-up, needing 11 more nominations to make the ballot.

BEST EDITOR – SHORT FORM

Neil Clarke won easily, starting with the most nominations and a solid lead in first-place votes that only grew through six rounds of voting. Sheila Williams took second place with similar ease. Third place ended in a tie; Jennifer Brozek had a slim lead over Michael Damien Thomas in the first two rounds, but Thomas pulled ahead by two points in the third, only to have Brozek pull up to tie in the fourth round. Lee Harris then took fifth place in one round, and Scott H. Andrews ended up sixth. John Joseph Adams needed six more nominations to make the ballot. Clarke now has 18 Hugo nominations and eight wins overall; this is his 14th nomination and fifth win in this category.

BEST EDITOR – LONG FORM

Diana M. Pho started with a slim lead in the first few rounds of voting, but held on and grew that lead to win in six rounds. Lee Harris, who had the most nominations coming in, then took second place without serious challenge. Third place was more of a contest; Carl Engle-Laird led the first two rounds of voting, but then Jaymee Goh pulled ahead in the third round and took third in the fourth round. Engle-Laird then led through three rounds of voting to snag fourth place, Jenni Hill followed in fifth, and Joe Monti in sixth. Lindsey Hall declined nomination in this category; the closest runner-up was Navah Wolfe, three nominations back of the ballot. This was Diana M. Pho’s fifth Hugo nomination and third win.

BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST

Another category with a clear winner from the start: John Picacio came in with the most nominations, a big lead in first-place votes, and won without serious challenge in six rounds. Second place saw a scuffle between three contenders: Tran Nguyen led the first four rounds of voting, with Tom Roberts running second for the first two rounds, then Kelly Chong moved up into second place for the third and fourth rounds and then took the lead in the fifth and final round. Tran Nguyen led all the way to take third place in four rounds. Tom Roberts claimed fourth place in a single round, Dave Kellett snagged fifth place in one round, and Lulu Chen followed in sixth place. Maurizio Manzieri needed just one more nomination to make the ballot. Picacio now has four wins out of 19 Hugo nominations (16 in this category). Next year, the name of this category will change to Best Artist in Professional Illustration.

BEST SEMIPROZINE

Uncanny won without a fight, leading through all six rounds of voting. None of the places in this category saw any real contest: Strange Horizons, which had the most nominations, placed second, followed by Escape Pod in third, and Khōréō in fourth. On Spec took fifth place in a single round, leaving The Deadlands to take sixth. Beneath Ceaseless Skies declined nomination. The Sunday Morning Transport was the first runner-up, needing four more nominations to make the ballot. This is the 11th nomination for Uncanny and the ninth win.

BEST FANZINE

The voting started with An Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog having the most nominations and the lead in first-place votes, a lead it kept through four rounds, but when Journey Planet dropped out nerds of a feather flock together picked up enough votes to move into the lead and win in the sixth round. The rest of the places went without challenge: An Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog coasted into second place in the usual five rounds, Ancillary Review of Books took third, Journey Planet fourth, Intergalactic Mixtape took fifth, and Galactic Journey sixth. The closest runner-up was The Rec Center, 11 nominations away from the ballot. This was the eighth nomination and third win for nerds of a feather flock together.

BEST FANCAST

Worldbuilding for Masochists led through the first five rounds of voting, only to have Hugo, Girl! pull off a last minute surge and win in the sixth round with a nine-point lead. Worldbuilding for Masochists had to settle for taking second place without challenge, followed by Eating the Fantastic taking third in similar fashion. Octothorpe, which had the most nominations, came in fourth. The Coode Street Podcast took fifth place in a single round, and A Meal of Thorns ended up in sixth place. The Sword and Laser needed 13 more nominations to make the ballot. This is the fourth nomination and second win for Hugo, Girl!

BEST FAN WRITER

James Davis Nicoll led the first three rounds of voting, only to see Jason Sanford vault into the lead in the fourth round and build that lead to win in the sixth round. Nicoll then led the first four rounds of voting for second place, only to have Roseanna Pendlebury grab the lead in the fifth and final round. Nicoll then took third place without a fight. Örjan Westin followed in fourth place, Alex Brown in fifth, and Jay Brantner (AKA ‘‘Tar Vol’’) in sixth. There was some confusion about Brantner’s name; this was his first time on the ballot and most of his nominations were variations on TarVolon or Tar Vol, only five including any part of ‘‘Jay Brantner’’, who said he preferred to have his real name on the ballot; initially the Hugo Administration team tried to avoid confusion for fans who didn’t know the author’s real name by using ‘‘Jay Brantner (for ‘Tar Vol On’)’’, but on further discussion settled on the version with (AKA ‘‘Tar Vol’’) to make it clear Tar Vol is a pseudonym. The closest runner-up is Cora Buhlert, two nominations away from the ballot. This is Jason Sanford’s seventh Hugo nomination and first win.

BEST FAN ARTIST

Yuumei came in with the most nominations, a big lead in first-place votes, and held the lead to win in just five rounds. Geneva Bowers led all the way in the voting for second place, Sara Felix took third place in the same style, Richard Man then took fourth in only two rounds, España Sheriff grabbed fourth in one round, and Terri Ash followed in sixth. Brad Foster needed two more nominations to make the ballot. This was Yuumei’s first nomination and win.

BEST POEM

‘‘Hex Supply Customer Support Log’’ by Elis Montgomery led all the way through six rounds of voting to win. All of the places in this category went without challenge: ‘‘How to Become a Sea Witch’’ by Theodora Goss took second, ‘‘Care for Lightning’’ by Mari Ness (which had the most nominations) was third, ‘‘The World to Come’’ by Jennifer Hudak was fourth, ‘‘The Mourning Robot’’ by Angela Liu took fifth in a single round, and ‘‘Landing: Seattle’’ followed in sixth. The closest runner-up was ‘‘the jacarandas are unimpressed by your show of force’’ by Gwynne Garfinkle, two nominations away from the ballot. This is Elis Montgomery’s first nomination and win. The Best Poem category was a special Hugo Award for both Seattle Worldcon 2025 and LAcon V; a special amendment to make the category permanent got its first passage in 2025 and was ratified in 2026, becoming effective in 2027; it will need to be re-ratified in 2029.

LODESTAR AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK (NOT A HUGO)

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins had the most nominations, started the voting with a solid lead in first-place votes, and held onto the lead for five rounds, only to lose to Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee, which had the fewest nominations and was only fourth in first-place votes, but picked up enough votes when other titles dropped, particularly They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran, to pull ahead in the final round. This is one of the interesting effects of the Australian voting system – even big bestsellers with lots of first-place votes can have trouble winning if they don’t have support lower down on the ballot. Sunrise on the Reaping then started in the lead in the voting for second place, but Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman pulled ahead in the fifth round (again, after the Tran dropped) to take second place. The Collins again led the first three rounds of voting for third place, but it was Tran’s turn to pull ahead in the last round. The Collins then ended up taking fourth place, just two votes ahead of Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen, which then took fifth, leaving Oathbound by Tracy Deonn in sixth. Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee needed just one more nomination, or 0.18 points, to make the ballot. This was C.B. Lee’s first Lodestar nomination and win.

ASTOUNDING AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER (NOT A HUGO)

Antonia Hodgson started out with the most nominations, a big lead in first-place votes, and led throughout the voting to win. H.H. Pak took second place without challenge, Jared Pechaček took third in similar fashion, Sophie Burnham took fourth, Kamilah Cole landed fifth in a single round, and Molly O’Neill followed in fifth. Hodgson and O’Neill were the only two nominees not in their second year of eligibility. Hodgson herself questioned her elegibility in this category, as she has a number of previous novels, but since none of her earlier works had genre elements she was deemed eligible for her first work of SF/F, The Raven Scholar. Two other authors with enough nominations to make the ballot were ruled ineligible due to qualifying publication(s) before 2024: Barbara Truelove and Silvia Park. The closest runner-up was Carolyn Zhao, two nominations away from making the ballot.

–Carolyn F. Cushman

Searching for your next must-read? Our October 13, 2026 new books video explores the latest arrivals in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult fiction.

This week’s selection offers something for every kind of reader, from futuristic adventures and fantastical realms to terrifying tales, mysterious supernatural encounters, and captivating coming-of-age stories. Discover fresh additions to the world of speculative fiction and find new titles to spark your interest or earn a spot on your ever-growing reading list.

Subscribe to stay up to date with weekly new release roundups, exciting genre discoveries, and the latest in speculative fiction. Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week as we explore another batch of new Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult books!

REBECCA MATTE has joined kt literary. She was previously at Bradford Literary Agency.

MEGAN LALLY is now repre­sented by Joanna Volpe of New Leaf Literary & Media. Lally’s “romantic gothic horror” To Death, We Dance and another title went to Vicki Lame at Wednesday Books at auction via Mandy Hubbard of Emerald City Literary Agency. UK rights sold to Pan Macmillan.

Death of the Author by NNEDI OKORAFOR and The Rush by BETH LEWIS are among the five titles shortlisted for the eighth annual Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award. The winner will be announced October 1, 2026 and receives a handmade glass bell and a cash prize of £2,000.

MARISSA LINGEN’s SF That Fatal Discontent sold to Ardyce Alspach at Union Square & Co via Kurestin Armada of Root Literary.

SARATOGA SCHAEFER sold Zeroth, “in which a chronically lonely artist signs up for an AI boyfriend beta test,” to Stephanie Manova at Podium Publishing via Amy Giuffrida of Belcastro Agency.

TAMSYN MUIR sold standalone fantasy Floralinda, “a subversive fairy tale blended with a desperate dungeon crawl” and expansion of novella Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower, to Carl Engle-Laird at Tor Books via Jennifer Jackson of Donald Maass Literary Agency. UK rights sold to Tor UK.

AI JIANG sold dark fantasy Vessel Eater, “pitched as Mulan meets The Ghost Bride,” to Vi­engsamai Fetters at Erewhon via Danai Christopoulou of The Tobias Literary Agency.

MICHAEL F. FLYNN’s The Shipwrecks of Time, “in which a man who has stayed alive since the early Middle Ages will stop at no length to keep his immortality a secret,” went to Shahid Mahmud at Caezik SF & Fantasy.

Four books in DEVNEY PER­RY’s dystopian City of Saint series went to Susan Barnes at Bramble for eight figures at auction via Ge­organa Grinstead of The Seymour Agency. UK rights went to Gillian Green at Bramble UK for seven figures at auction.

WILL WIGHT’s Overworld went to Lindsey Hall at Tor in a pre-empt via Seth Fishman of The Gernert Company (NA).

J.S. MERESMAA’s short story collection Tears for the Sea, trans­lated by Greta Katz and Christina Saarinen, went to Wizard’s Tower.

SARAH BETH DURST sold “cozy fantasy” The Ninth Life of an Erstwhile Witch and the fifth and sixth books in the Spellshop series to Ali Fisher and Dianna Vega at Bramble for seven figures via Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger. UK rights sold to Gillian Green at Tor UK via Chris Scheina at Macmillan.

AR FREDERIKSEN sold “coast­al gothic horror novel” Portrait of Two Women and another book to Daniel Carpenter at Titan Books via Christine Goss of FinePrint Literary Management.

CHARLIE N. HOLMBERG sold A Charm for Mythical Beasts, “a cozy fantasy version of All Creatures Great and Small” to Julia Elliott at Voyager; Holmberg’s contemporary fantasy romance Willow Vane went to Bria Ragin at Delacorte, both via Hayley Nus­baum and Joseph Veltre of Gersh Agency.

EUGEN BACON sold short story collection Betwixt, Children of the Storm: Sauútiverse Stories, and “Norse murder mystery no­vella” Jintu to Nick Wells at Flame Tree Collections.

SHANNA MILES’s contempo­rary fantasy The Witch of Star Jasmine went to Elizabeth Agy­emang at 47North via John Cusick of Folio Literary Management.

J.D. SOUTHWELL’s Ezra and the Forbidden Scroll, first in a dystopian epic fantasy series, plus two more books sold to Kei­sha Mennefee at Honey Blossom Press.

ANDROMEDA ROMANO-LAX’s Fixed Stars, a re-imagining of Sylvia Plath’s life, went to Alexa Wejko at Soho Press via Michelle Brower of Trellis Literary Manage­ment.

SARAH DAY sold Moonchaser, “a courier’s discovery of a forsaken body leads to a remote mining settlement strained by murder, ambition, and secrets,” to Mark Teppo at Underland Press.

LEGION20’s Supreme Magus and two more titles went to Rhett Bruno at Aethon & Vault. Damian Wassel will edit.

JKSMANGA sold My Vampire System and two more titles to Rhett Bruno at Aethon & Vault. Damian Wassel will edit. JKS­Manga sold The God Slayer with L.E. GRAVES to Bruno at Aethon & Vault in a separate deal with two more books via M.H.F. Saint of Achilles Literary Agency.

ANNA SHOMSKY’s The Abbey of Saint Zosimos went to Kayla Mullinax Puga at Ooligan Press. Isabel Matthews will edit.

REBECCA F. KENNEY’s Rift­walker duet sold to Kelly Smith at Zaffre via Nicole Resciniti of Alliance Rights Agency on behalf of Allyson D’Antonio at Midnight Rose.

ANNE BISHOP’s third book in the Isle of Wyrd series went to Anne Sowards at Ace via Jennifer Jackson of Donald Maass Literary Agency.

ANDREA BARTZ sold specula­tive thriller Delete Your Account to Hilary Rubin Teeman at Bal­lantine via Alexandra Machinist of CAA.

DIANA PETERFREUND sold Ghost/Writer to Susan Barnes at Wildthorn with another title in a pre-empt via Kate Schafer Tester­man of kt literary.

MAX WALKER’s romantic fan­tasy Dating & Dragons went to Thaisheemarie Fantauzzi Pérez at Alcove Press via Kirsten Lang of Zeno Agency.

JAMES L. SUTTER’s Hearts Against the Machines, “a gay romance between a young medic and a newly paralyzed soldier in a field hospital for humanity’s doomed resistance after robots massacre civilization,” went to Marcy Harris at Alcove Press via Josh Adams of Adams Literary.

GRYFFIN MURPHY’s roman­tasy Ash’s Airborne Apothecary sold to Meg Hood at Bindery Books via Brent Taylor of TriadaUS Literary Agency.

CLAIRE WINN sold Shadecall­er, first in a romantic dystopian fantasy duology, and a second title to Amanda Ferreira and Stephanie Alleyne at Random House Canada via Kaitlyn Katsoupis of Belcastro Agency.

LEXI C. FOSS and ANNA FURY sold Rebel Bloodlines and an untitled book sold to Lizzie Poteet at Bantam Dell via Amy A. Collins of Talcott Notch Literary Services.

Brittany Ziegler writing as BRIT­TANY BADAHSS sold Salt Eden, “a selkie romantasy-eco thriller,” to Leah Wilson at Benbella Books via Amanda Elliott of Movable Type Management.

VICTORIA M. SORENSON sold An Immortal’s Grievance, “a gender-bent paranormal fantasy retelling of Dracula,” to Caroline Timmings at Alcove Press in a pre-empt via Liz Gettle of Myth Literary Agency (world).

E. CATHERINE TOBLER’s Sour Girl went to Tee Tate at City Owl Press via Jennie Goloboy of Donald Maass Literary Agency.

JENNIFER ASCIENZO’s The Golden Lord and The Butterfly Princess went to Tanya Anne Crosby at Primera.

ELIZABETH DEAR sold three books in the Shifter Guardians series to Sarah McCabe at Scarlett Press via Katie Reed of Katie Reed Literary.

ANASTASIA RYAN’s Ruin, first in the Daughters of the Black Tide trilogy, sold with two more titles to Meredith Wild at Page & Vine via Jess Gilbert of D4EO Literary Agency.

BREANNE RANDALL’s The Se­cret Society of Second Chance Magic went to Daniel Ehrenhaft at Blackstone Publishing via Natalie Lakosil of Looking Glass Literary & Media.

CHRISTINE WITCHER sold Congratulations, Your Fake Boy­friend Is Evil and another title to Kimberly Laws at Gallery via Brent Taylor while part of TriadaUS Liter­ary Agency.

AMALIE HOWARD’s The Eclipse in the Mirror and another book went to Liz Berry and Jillian Stein at Blue Box Press via Thao Le of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.

JENNIFER NATALYA FINK sold A Mischief to Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore at Bunny Presse via Amanda Annis of Trident Media Group.

CATRIONA WARD sold The Solitude, “a supernatural tale in which a personal assistant aboard a superyacht must try to survive the voyage as the affluent passengers are murdered one by one,” and another book to Kelly Lonesome at Nightfire via Robin Straus of Robin Straus Agency on behalf of Jenny Savill of Andrew Nurnberg Associates. UK rights went to Sophie Robinson at Night­fire UK via Jenny Savill of Andrew Nurnberg Associates.

MATS STRANDBERG’s “gothic folk horror” The Muse went to Michael Homler at St. Martin’s via Brittney Payer at Pan Macmillan on behalf of Elisabet Brannstrom of Grand Agency.

LUKE DUMAS sold Forever Home and Fury on the Waves to Loan Le at Atria via Maria Whelan of Mushens Entertainment.

BITTER KARELLA’s untitled gothic novel and another untitled campus novel sold to Angelica Chong at Run For It via Julie Gou­rinchas of Bell Lomax Moreton Agency.

MARIA TUREAUD’s Her Blood Is Ruin, pitched as reclaiming the folklore that inspired Dracula, to Elizabeth Trout at Kensington via Amy Giuffrida of Belcastro Agency.

M.I. MINAEVA’s Saint’s Hotel, “pitched as The Shining meets Silent Hill,” went to Bindery Books via Miriam Cortinovis of Ki Agency.

JEAN-BAPTISTE DEL AMO sold The Ravaged Night to Chris­topher Richards at Scribner via Laurence Laluyaux of Rogers, Coleridge & White.

JOSHUA BLACKWOOD sold Our Boy to Cassandra Thompson at Quill & Crow. Mathew Reyes will edit.

PHILIP FRACASSI sold short fiction collections Behold the Void, Beneath a Pale Sky, and No One is Safe to Alan Lastufka at Shortwave via Elizabeth Copps at Confluence Literary Agency.

ANIA AHLBORN sold supernat­ural novel Valerie to Ed Schlesing­er at Gallery via David Hale Smith of Inkwell Management.

STEVEN PATCHETT’s Flock for a Dead God went to Alex Woodroe at Tenebrous Press.

KRISTAL STITTLE sold The Devil’s Address to Alex Woodroe at Tenebrous Press.

CHRIS FORMANT and GARY M. KREBS’s Mortuary Tree, “where a scientist experimenting on combining human and plant DNA discovers an ancient ritual of burying humans inside hollowed trees to form a monstrous new hybrid species,” went to Anthony Ziccardi at Permuted Press.

TYLER JONES’s horror and supernatural short fiction col­lection Arson by Design sold to Mitch Hull at Rapture Trade via Elizabeth Copps of Confluence Literary Agency.

DAVID PEAK sold horror novel XLR8 to Benjamin DeVos at Apoc­alypse Party.

AIDEN THOMAS’s Remember Me, “a twist on Disney Pixar Coco for the Twisted Tales series,” went to Heather Knowles at Disney-Hyperion via Jennifer March Solo­way while part of Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

I.V. MARIE sold Cursed and Crowned, first in a romantic high fantasy duology for young adults and another title to Lydia Gregovic at Delacorte via Ariele Fredman and Gwen Beal of UTA. UK rights sold to Sarah Levison at Electric Monkey via Stephanie Thwaites of Curtis Brown UK.

ALEXIS AURIGEMMA’s fantasy Sisters of Sun and Shadow went to Tamara Grasty at Page Street Kids via Elizabeth Copps of Con­fluence Literary Agency. Kumari Pacheco will edit.

A.K. LIM sold YA fantasy Gar­den of Venom and another book to Hoda Agharazi at Mayhem Books via Emily Forney of BookEnds. UK rights went to Rebecca Hilsdon at Michael Joseph.

EMMA CLANCEY sold YA con­temporary fantasy This Blood Will Betray Us to Claire Stetzer at Amulet via Jim McCarthy of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.

LOLA STVIL sold Rage of An­gels and at least one other book to Kwame Alexander at Kwame Alexander Books via Allison Rem­check of Stimola Literary Studio. Margaret Raymo will edit.

OLIVIA SUN’s paranormal fan­tasy We Rose from the Sea and another book went to Alvina Ling at Alvina Ling Books in a pre-empt via Gwen Beal of UTA.

SCOTT REINTGEN sold Tita­nos, an SF retelling of the Titanic, to Kate Prosswimmer at Margaret K. McElderry Books via Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency.

JULIA ALEXANDRA sold duol­ogy Hunt the Wild Night and Tame the Vengeful Dark to Eileen Rothschild at Wednesday Books via Ellen Goff of HG Literary.

HELEN COMERFORD’s The Cafe at the End of the World went to Amber Flame at Generous Press via Christabel McKinley of David Higham Associates. Elaina Ellis will edit. UK rights went to Bloomsbury UK Children’s.

SAYANTANI DASGUPTA’s Daughter of the Sun and another title went to Alexandra Cooper at Quill Tree via Brent Taylor while part of TriadaUS Literary Agency.

EMMA LORD sold MJ Loves Spider-Man to Brittany Rubiano at Random House Children’s via Luci­enne Diver of The Knight Agency.

RENA BLAKE sold debut novel Nostalgia, “in which a woman living in a world engineered to erase overstimulation discovers a forbidden word—nostalgia,” to Jen Monroe at Berkley at auction via Emma Leong of Janklow & Nesbit UK.

CONSTANTIN FLORIN BOS­NEAG’s debut, space opera House of Wolves went to Lawrence Knorr at Hellbender Books.

CORVIN A. DOUPAGNE’s de­but, “queer dark academia fantasy” The Academy of Macabre Arts went to Elana Gibson at Alcove Press via Rebecca Podos of Neigh­borhood Literary.

MICHELLE DENHAM’s debut Hell Princess and another book sold to Amy Baxter at Avon UK via Michelle Hauck of Storm Literary Agency.

S.H. CARE’s debut, romantasy The Edge of the Blade sold to Maxine Shen at Alcove Press via Laura Bennett of Liverpool Liter­ary Agency.

CLAIRE GAYLE and MIKE GAY­LE sold debut Not Quite Myself to Leah Mol at Park Row Books in a pre-empt via Amy Mitchell of United Agents on behalf of Ariella Feiner. UK rights went to Clare Gordon at HQ at auction.

CHRISTINA GONZALES sold debut Tongues, “a work of super­natural femgore and body horror,” to Ed Schlesinger at Gallery via Ron Eckel of CookeMcDermid.

JONATHAN MARX’s debut Bump in the Night went to Randall Lotowycz at Quirk Books.

SOPHIA ESCAJEDA sold debut Sins of Levaria to Jean Lowd at Creative James.

EMILY VALE’s debut Wild Thing went to Cassandra Thomp­son at Quill & Crow.

NATASHA MIHELL sold debut, “sapphic, gothic horrormance” Malivestra to Marcy Harris at Alcove Press via Clara Chuiton of The Rights Factory.

CLARE OGAWA sold debut This Town Will Eat You Alive to Dina Davis at Hanover Square Press in a pre-empt via Jenny Bent and James Mustelier of The Bent Agency.

ANNALEE NEWITZ sold no­vella Noodle Union, a sequel to Automatic Noodle, to Stephanie Stein at Tordotcom via Laurie Fox of Linda Chester Literary Agency.

CHERYL S. NTUMY, XAN VAN ROOYEN, and J. UMEH will edit Sauúti Love Songs for Nick Wells at Flame Tree Press via Bieke van Aggelen at African Literary Agency.

ELLEN DATLOW will edit an­thology Dark End of the Street, featuring Dana Cameron, Clay McLeod Chapman, Rachel Har­rison, Nick Mamatas, George Sandison, and others, for R.B. Wood at Ruadán via Merrilee Heifetz of Writers House. Datlow will also edit anthology Bad Sex for Tachyon Publications.

JOHN JOSEPH ADAMS and OLIVIE BLAKE will edit dark academia anthology Forbidden Knowledge, featuring authors such as Alix E. Harrow, Alexis Hen­derson, Ken Liu, and Emily Tesh, for David Pomerico at Voyager via Seth Fishman of The Gernert Company for Adams and Amelia Appel at TriadaUS Literary Agency for Blake.

THOMAS HA sold novella Sons of Nod to Avery Davis at Tordot­com via Michael Curry of Donald Maass Literary Agency. Ann Van­derMeer will edit.

KIRSTY THOMAS is now the Assistant Publisher of Uncanny Magazine.

SHELDON TEITELBAUM has been appointed senior editor of BC BookWorld.

Qilin Press has established the Linda D. Addison Speculative Poetry Fellowship, an award that,

“supports BIPOC poets developing unpublished and in‑progress speculative poetry collections. The fellowship awards $1000 to one poet whose work demonstrates visionary depth, thematic strength, and artistic growth potential, recognizing the essential leadership of BIPOC poets in shaping contemporary speculative poetry.”

Applications open January 18, 2027, requiring a collection of 10 unpublished speculative poems. The fellowship recipient will be announced late September 2027.

For more information on the fellowship, see the Qilin Press website.

The nominees and honorable mentions have been announced for the Frank R. Paul Awards, which honor “outstanding work in book and magazine cover art.”

Best Book Cover

Visit our bookshop.org page to purchase this week’s new books and support your local bookstore. And us!

Anonymous: Helen of Troy (Flame Tree Collections UK 978-1835628072, $30.00, 368pp, formats: hardcover, 10/13/2026)

Anthology of stories based on the legend of Helen of Troy. Introductory essay by Bella Vivante, and foreword by Emily Hauser. Part of Flame Tree’s Myths, Gods, and Immortals series. This is an international hardcover edition simultaneous with the Flame Tree UK edition.

Anonymous: Of Blood & Petals (Flame Tree Collections UK 978-1835628096, $30.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, 10/13/2026)

Anthology of fantasy stories themed around forbidden love, with 25 illustrations. Foreword by Ella d’Avoine. Part of Flame Tree’s Romantic Fantasy series.

Anonymous: The Tarot of Love (Flame Tree Collections UK 978-1835628102, formats: hardcover, 10/13/2026)

Anthology of fantasy stories. Foreword by Niamh Rose. Part of Flame Tree’s Romantic Fantasy series.

Buehlman, Christopher: The Thrice-Bound Fool (Tor 978-1250621214, $29.99, 384pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Fantasy novel, second in the Blacktongue series. Thief Kinch has to decipher a sentient ancient book that tries to kill him, and finds himself on the run with knight Galva. Simultaneous with the Orion UK/Gollancz edition.

Campbell, Annabel: The Void Dragon (Orbit US 978-0316580830, $19.99, 496pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Fantasy novel, second In the Shattered Lands series. Naila’s powers threaten to escape her control, and with dragonriders after her, she seeks sanctuary at the library of Awasef. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.

Cassidy, Nat: Nestlings (Titan Books UK 978-1835418895, £10.99, 432pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Horror novel. Ana, paralyzed by complications giving birth, wins an affordable housing lottery in a beautiful old NYC building, but after moving in with her husband, sees bite marks on the baby. Originally published October 2023.

Chambers, Becky: As You Wake, Break the Shell (Harper Voyager US 978-0062936066, $32.00, 480pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

SF novel, first in a duology. Cora, a pilot who guides a living ship and is struggling with “mindbleed,” forms a bond with Signy, a reclusive botanist, on the struggling planet Fortune. Simultaneous with the Hodder & Stoughton UK edition.

Dawson, Delilah S.: Monstera (Titan Books UK 978-1835416013, $25.99, 192pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Horror novel. Lucy moves into an old house in Savannah and is drawn into a propulsive romance with Saskia, a secretive bodybuilder who keeps a flourishing garden.

Dimitri, Francesco & McDougall, Sophia: Pan (Tor 978-1250406989, $28.99, 464pp, formats: hardcover, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Fantasy novel, blending elements of the Roman god with Peter Pan. Pan returns to present-day Rome, and children start dreaming of an island and fighting pirates. Translated from the Italian (Marsilio 2008) by Sophia McDougall. Ebook also available.

Dunn, Kat: Rottenheart (Zando 978-1638934653, $28.95, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Queer romance horror novel, a reworking of Hamlet. Odette, traumatized by her mother’s death and her father’s remarriage to the cruel Claudine, learns her mother’s ghost haunts their manor, Herne House. First US edition (Manilla Press UK 6/26).

Faubion, Rebekah: What a Nightmare (Penguin Random House/Berkley 979-8217192144, $20.00, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Queer horror novel. Repressed receptioning Haven Powers has a dream about her boss dying that comes true the next day, and feeling stifled by her family and conformist town, embarks on a path to revenge.

Forest, Susan: Rivers of Ivy (Laksa Media Groups 978-1988140636, $21.00, 446pp, formats: paperback, 10/13/2026)

Fantasy novel, first in the Addicted to Heaven: The Next Generation series. After family catastrophe, Ivy Garton feels to Highglen, a city where magic is enslaved and industry is on the rise, to infiltrate the corrupt elite.

Goldsmith, Amy: A Darker Act (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 978-0593814383, $12.99, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

YA horror. Hazel played the lead role in a local play based on legends of a huntsman on the moors, but something horrible happened — a year later, Hazel and her castmates have to face the presence they awoke.

Goodman, A.B.: House of Atreus: Quest (Planetary Books 979-8233142161, $6.99, 154pp, formats: ebook, 10/15/2026)

SF novel, fifth in the House of Atreus series. In a world where the ancient Greek gods were actually ancient artificial intelligences, Orestes reunites with his sister and faces trial in Athens.

Hackwith, A.J.: Goblin Market (Titan Books UK 978-1835418970, £18.99, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Fantasy novel. Toast is a goblin changeling raised by humans, struggling to adapt to the Goblin Market; when human Sam is accused of murder, Toast has to prove her innocence. The author is Amanda Hackwith, who also writes SF romance as Ada Harper. Simultaneous with the Ace edition.

Jones, Stephen Graham: Off the Reservation (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-1668225127, $32.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Horror novel, sequel to The Only Good Indians. Nate and some older Blackfeet set out to repatriate the bones of a Blackfeet boy who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, only to find that something has taken the bones first.

Jung, Lynn D.: Mothsblood (Bloomsbury USA 978-1639737888, $30.00, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Fantasy novel. Alchemist Larkspur investigates the death of her university’s headmistress, wary that the case is drawing her closer to the cult called Promethean Genesis. Simultaneous with the Del Rey UK edition.

Lamberti, Luciano: To Bewitch a Hunter (HarperVia 978-0063455726, $28.00, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Literary horror novel. An old stalker tells Julia Ruiz that she’s her real grandmother, and warns Julia her parents aren’t her real parents, forcing Julia to confront events during Argentina’s military dictatorship. Translated from the Spanish by Frank Wynne.

Levine, Jenna: Love You to Death (Penguin Random House/Berkley Romance 978-0593819937, $20.00, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Paranormal romance novel. Lucy is killed by a bus, and offers a deal to jaded, handsome reaper Daniel: six more weeks of life, and he can spend time on earth. Copyrighted by Jennifer Prusak.

Lewellen, Lyndsey: Karabos (Enclave Escape 979-8886052961, $35.37, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Young-adult fantasy novel. Winslet, homeschooled entomologist, enters the Tournament of Scarabs to save her family and become a magical insect hunter.

Liss, David: The Death and Birth of Iliana Marek (Tachyon Publications 978-1616964696, $18.95, 304pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/13/2026)

Paranormal crime novel. In rural Florida, Iliana, foster daughter of the corrupt police chief, suddenly starts defending Dan, the town’s most unpopular person — a drug addict who’s been told he led a woman to suicide ten years ago.

MacDonald, Alexander: The Spaceflight Narrative: A Literary History of Leaving Earth (MIT Press 978-0262056830, $45.00, 286pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/13/2026)

Non-fiction.A critical look at the “conceptual development of spaceflight” as it appears throughout science fiction history, covering works from the 1620s through the 1890s.

Maclean, Will: Solace House (Grove Atlantic/Grove 978-0802168689, $28.00, 512pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Horror novel. Alex, a university student clearing out a run-down Victorian mansion, uncover elaborate and eerie journals from a former owner about a mysterious realm next to ours First US edition (Atlantic UK 5/26).

Marlowe, Mallory: Entities to Lovers (Penguin Random House/Berkley 978-0593956335, $20.00, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Paranormal rom-com novel. Medium and ghost-tour guide Rory is forced to host a tour with cocky professor Ezra, only for them to upset a matchmaker’s ghost and end up hexed. Simultaneous with the Bloomsbury UK/Head of Zeus/Aria edition.

McDonnell, C.K.: Ring the Bells (Penguin Random House UK/Bantam UK 978-0857505392, $33.99, 400pp, formats: paperback, 10/10/2026)

Paranormal holiday murder novel. During a Chistmastime book club, a local librarian is possessed by a chaotic entity who’s set on murdering first the book club members, then the rest of humanity.

McGuire, Seanan: Be Sure, Volume II (Tordotcom 978-1250459305, $21.99, 576pp, formats: paperback, 10/13/2026)

Collection of the fourth, fifth, and sixth books in the Wayward Children series. In three adventures, children visit strange worlds and encounter strange creatures, from goblins to kelpies. Illustrated by Rovina Cai.

Miller, Rowenna: The Dancer and the Dream Thief (Orbit US/Redhook 978-0316571920, $19.99, 400pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Historical fantasy novel. During an alternate Prohibition where dreams are sold illegaly, dancer Evelyn investigates the disappearances of her fellow girls and joins forces with Raife, who sells human dreams to elves.

Mooney, Kate: The Woman of the House (Penguin Random House/Berkley 979-8217189885, $30.00, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Supernatural horror novel. In their lakeside house, Rose tries to hide her secrets from her husband, but scratches on her arms start appearing, and the woman who lived there before her vanished.

North, Claire: As We Fall Through Time (Orbit US 978-0316586467, $19.86, 416pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

SF time travel novel. A rupture in history disrupts the lives of Cal — a time traveler who falls in love with a Drench soldier doomed to die — and Fadimatu, an ancient woman who sees her own mummy in a modern museum. North is a pen name for Catherine Webb, who also writes as Kate Griffin. Simultaneous with the Orbit UK edition.

Norton-Kertson, Justine: Gutterspace (Stars and Sabers 979-8992845808, $13.99, 142pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/13/2026)

Horror novella. A washed-up Portland artist is pitted against a monster that lurks in the panels of an old comic book. Interior illustrations by Ahmed Raafat.

Proudman, Sandra: The End of Us (Penguin Random House/Joy Revolution 979-8217118199, $19.99, 368pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Young-adult SF novel. In the post-apocalyptic Wasteland, Rico wins a lottery to the safe haven oasis, but gives it up for his lover Jules — only for him to find out that it was rigged, and Jules is in danger.

Rekulak, Jason: Look What the Cat Dragged In (Macmillan/Flatiron 978-1250895875, $29.99, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Thriller/horror novel. Cartoonist Penny agrees to catsit a strange feline named Godfrey, but after a week in her house, Godfrey seems to bring violent nightmares, disturbing new drawings, and insects. Features 80 pages of original artwork.

Rivers, Erynne: Wench (HarperCollins/Avon 978-0008798246, $24.90, 400pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Robin Hood-inspired fantasy romance novel. Maid Marian, unhappily betrothed to the Sheriff of Nottingham, is kidnapped in the forest by the notorious fae Merry Men and Robin Hood. First US edition (Avon UK 7/26). A first novel.

Roberts, Adam: Frankenstein Rex (Orion UK/Gollancz 978-1399617727, £25.00, 288pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/15/2026)

SF horror novel. Frankenstein’s monster, aided by his giant height and strength, becomes world dictator, and to prepare for his own death returns to his maker’s research to create an heir.

Sangoyomi, O.O.: Dreamweaving (Page Street 979-8890034465, $22.99, 400pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Young adult fantasy novel. Deja, a newcomer at prestigious Tanglewood Preparatory School who’s been shielded by her family’s witch legacy, shares disturbing dreams with straight-A school queen Tóbi.

Silver, Josie: Merry Spooky Love (Penguin Random House/Dell 978-0593983041, $20.00, 288pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/13/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, third in the Melody Bittersweet series. Melody and the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency face the ghost matriarch of a local department store, who doesn’t want her living children to sell out. The author has also written as Kat French.

Willett, Edward: On Spec 2026: New Canadian Literature of the Fantastic (Shadowpaw Press 978-1-998273-72-0, $29.99, 460pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/13/2026)

Anthology of 28 original stories of fantasy, science fiction, and horror by Canadian authors, a continuation of the magazine.

Zeller, Mathilda: It Looks Like You in the Dark (Tor/Nightfire 978-1250402035, $27.99, 288pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/13/2026)

Horror novel. When Tapeesa’s sister Esther goes missing from their Alaskan Inupiat village, Tapeesa must contend with white rare-earth miners and a hungry creature as the long dark of winter sets in. A first novel.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.

COVER REVEAL!

Check out this gorgeous, colorful cover for THE APPRENTICE LIAR AND THE DEATH OF THE WORLD by Isabel J. Kim, coming out March 2, 2027 from Union Square & Co!

From the publisher:

Arrow-Lee sold his first name to Death in a dream. In return, he relives his family’s death in his nightmares until he can figure out how to rewrite time, cheat Death, and live happily ever after. Should be easy. There’s only one problem: Arrow-Lee is seventeen and doesn’t know how to do any of that. Fortunately, he’s found Calla, a wizard with a library filled with black magics, and Arrow-Lee has no problems lying and grifting his way into an apprenticeship with her.

But apprenticeship comes with its own challenges. Like getting attached to Calla, who he’s supposed to be stealing from. Like learning that there are worse entities to make deals with than Death. And like learning that their timeline is more fragile than Arrow-Lee realized, and he might be the only person who can prevent reality from cracking like an egg. It’s too bad that everyone Arrow-Lee ever loved is on the other side. With reality itself on the line, Arrow-Lee is going to have to decide what really matters to him.

Award-winning author Isabel J. Kim’s The Apprentice Liar and the Death of the World is a smart contemporary fantasy filled with humor, heart, and the mind-bending physics of magic that’s perfect for fans of Lev Grossman and Maggie Stiefvater.

PRAISE
“The Apprentice Liar and the Death of the World is a heartfelt multiverse fantasy about life, death, magic, identity, and responsibility, where characters learn how to let go of the past and move on from their mistakes. Kim shows us that we don’t have to grapple with our grief, loss, and pain alone through the intersecting lives of each of the characters and the guilt and regret they shoulder.” 
—Ai Jiang, Nebula and Bram Stoker award-winning author of An Empire in the Clouds

“There’s breathtaking wizardry in these pages—heartbreak and humor and regret and growth and friendship—and a sense of magic as rich as any I’ve seen. Isabel J Kim is a brilliant writer.”
—Max Gladstone, New York Times bestselling author of This is How You Lose the Time War

COVER CREDIT
Jacket design by Liam Donnelly
Illustration © 2027 Carolina Fuenmayor
Jacket © 2027 by Hachette Book Group, Inc.

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Visit our bookshop.org page to purchase this week’s new books and support your local bookstore. And us!

Anderson, Kevin J.: Sleep With the Fishes (WordFire Press 978-1680578652, $15.99, 276pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, 10/06/2026)

Urban fantasy noir novel. When an immortal mafia Don is sentenced to eternal life in prison, the resulting power struggle means Dan Shamble has to deal with Sammy the Salmon along with his other supernatural cases and ex-wife.

Andrews, LJ: The Stolen Crown (Ace 978-0593955116, $30.00, 512pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, fourth in The Ever Seas series. In a world of fae factions, Mira is shipwrecked with Tait Heartwalker, a frustratingly handsome royal, only to discover a secret that threatens the kingdom.

Anning, Benedict: Atomic Coffin (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-0857508881, $30.15, 336pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Cosmic horror novel. Heidi, codename Thistle — a British spy in East Germany — discovers that a previously unkown Soviet submarine has been motionless and undetected in the ocean for three years. First US edition (Bantam UK 6/26).

Bailey, Tessa: Broken Rival (HarperCollins/Avon 978-0063381018, $30.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

SF novel. Eighteen-year-old Magnolia lives an ordinary teenage life, with one secret — her brilliant and persecuted parents invented time travel 50 years in our future, and sent her back in time to protect her from hunters.

Cameron, Miles: Soulstealer (Orion UK/Gollancz 978-1399632645, £25.00, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/08/2026)

Fantasy novel, first in the Soulflake Conspiracies series. Arcanist Bekka Trevelyan, on a field trip over the Yule holidays, is pulled into the investigation of the kidnapping of an indigenous woman and her child by a demon. Author writes historical fiction as Christian Cameron.

Cogman, Genevieve: A Scholar’s Guide to Demonology and Other Dark Arts (Macmillan/Tor UK 978-1035073924, £20, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/08/2026)

Fantasy novel, first In the Grayne’s Academy series. Philomela drops out of her PhD to become a Latin teacher at a girls’ school, but discovers it’s a secret training facility for elite demonologists.

Cole, Kamilah: Wicked Endeavors (Little, Brown UK/Atom 978-0349125879, £9.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Young-adult fantasy novel. Young-adult fantasy romance novel. In a deadly court of witches, infiltrator Caya must join forces with Bas, a frustratingly handsome co-conspirator. First UK edition (Little, Brown US 9/26).

Connor, Quinn: Your Beloved Remains (Macmillan/Flatiron/Pine & Cedar 978-1250461049, $28.99, 272pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Southern gothic horror novel. To save the moldering Basin College in the Ozarks, archivist Celia recruits postdoc Joan to forge the manuscript of a lost horror novel by the school’s 19th-century benefactress, with whom Celia has been infatuated.

Delemhach: The Dues and Don’ts of Magic (Simon & Schuster/Saga Press 978-1668234105, $30.00, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy romance novel, the first in the Magic Dues trilogy. Witch Spidena runs a magic shop at the edge of town, and is approached by fugitive Benthrop asking if she can make his nefarious pursuers forget him.

Emerald, A.T.: Under the Iron Sky (Penguin Random House UK/Del Rey UK 978-1529993493, £22.00, 560pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/08/2026)

Romantic fntasy novel, first the Under the Iron Sky series. In a world of deadly creatures ruled by the Dar’rak, rebel Soraya is captured by The Demon, a frustratingly handsome enemy soldier.

Erikson, Steven: Legacies of Betrayal (Tor 978-0765323613, $28.99, 320pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Epic fantasy novel, third in the Tales of Witness series, sequel to the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. A new holy war erupts in the burned-out Seven Cities, and teh Fifth and Sixth squads embark on a hopeless mission. Simultaneous with the Penguin Random House UK/Bantam UK edition.

Froud, Brian: Brian Froud’s Green Women (Abrams 978-1419783746, $34.41, 168pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 10/06/2026)

Art book/anthology. 72 Froud are paired with original stories and contributions by women authors, including Lisa Tuttle, Sarah Beth Durst, Amal El-Mohtar, Jo Walton, T. Kingfisher, and more.

Gray, Jordan Stephanie: Devoured (Little, Brown 978-0316584579, $19.99, 464pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Young-adult fantasy romance novel, the second in the Bitten series. In a deadly court of werewolves, infiltrator Vanessa must join forces with Calix, a frustratingly handsome threat.

Guanzon, Thea: This Shattered Tempest (Harper Voyager US 978-0063277359, $34.00, 496pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy novel, third and final in the Hurricane Wars series. In a world of Shadowforged and Lightweaver factions, Talasyn plunges towards war with Alaric, her frustratingly handsome husband.

Hall, Julie: The Secrets of Everlight (Ace 979-8217191390, $20.00, 496pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy romance novel. In a deadly court of fae, infiltrator Rowan must join forces with Dryden, a frustratingly handsome prince.

Harris, Joanne: Sleepers in the Snow (Pegasus Crime 979-8897102020, £22.00, 272pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/08/2026)

Ghost story/thriller. A new occupant, looking for a fresh start after a bitter divorce, moves into a cozy house on the moor, but the animals around start acting strange. Simultaneous with the Orion UK/Gollancz edition.

Hazelwood, Ali: Bound | Unboud (Penguin Random House/Berkley Romance 979-8217192717, $30.00, 416pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Duology of paranormal romance novellas. In “Bound,” a con artist and professor bond over an arcane text, and in “Unbound,” ancient immortal Lilit of Nineveh starts a relationship with a mortal doctor.

Huddleston, Tom H.: The Cracks (Titan Books UK 978-1835413036, £9.99, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/06/2026)

Horror novel. Widowed Sandra is invited by her wealthy friend and his wife to their dilapidated manor, Hautmond Hall, where visitors have mysterious accidents and there’s a secret room in the cellar. A first novel.

Jones, KC: House Haunters (Tor/Nightfire 978-1250440969, $18.99, 368pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/06/2026)

Horror novel. Despearate for a hit show to save her career, exec Grace latches onto handsome “ghost hunter” Frank, but production descends into nightmarish torments.

Karella, Bitter: Quaint Folk (Orbit US/Run For It 978-0316581943, $19.99, 352pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Horror novel. Picture-perfect wife Jessica moves with her husband to a “quaint” island whose residents live in isolation, but discovers something is deeply wrong with the cozy rustic community. Reprint (Run For It 2025). A first novel.

Khaw, Cassandra: Find Me Where It Ends (Tor/Nightfire 978-1250877895, $24.99, 144pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Horror novella. Antigone welcomes the black dog, the form Death takes to visit her family, and it becomes her companion. Simultaneous with the Titan Books UK edition. Simultaneous with the Titan UK edition.

King, John: Machine Elves Descending (PM Press 979-8887440972, $15.00, 128pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/06/2026)

Collection of stories, essays, and articles, with an interview conducted by Allan Kausch. Themes of dystopia, England, and rock n’ roll. Part of PM Press’ Outspoken Authors series.

King, Stephen & Straub, Peter: Other Worlds Than These (Simon & Schuster/Scribner 978-1668233092, $35.00, 704pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy novel, third and final in the Talisman trilogy that also function as a standalone. Part of The Dark Tower universe. Jack Sawyer faces challenges in infected teenages in America and the Gullet at the edge of Mid-World. Simultaneous with the Hodder & Stoughton UK edition.

Lawrence, Mark: The Bookshop Book (Harper Voyager UK 978-0008800406, £18.99, 224pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 10/08/2026)

Fantasy novel, set in the world of the Library trilogy. “Red” Archer wanders into a bookshop and, along with Rose Penrose, becomes a tool of The Great Smith.

Lockhart, E.: The Pools (Penguin Random House/Delacorte 978-0593904121, $20.99, 375pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

YA Fantasy novel. In a New England town with hot springs, a terrible event should have warned people away from the water — and new girl Lexie witnesses something strange when five people go swimming.

Lord, Karen: Angel at the Gates (Akashic 978-1636143156, $22.95, 180pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy novel. A man tries to return a family heirloom to its land of origin, and ends up at a priory whose residents, and resident Angel, want to keep him there as war builds outside.

Malone, Ailbhe: Banshee (Pegasus Books 979-8897102105, $28.95, 320pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Anthology of Irish myths retold to center the female characers. Authors include Wendy Erskine, Nikita Gill, Jess Kidd, and Megan Nolan. First US edition (John Murray UK 2/26/2026).

Manickavel, Kuzhali: A Compendium of Supernatural Entities Found in the Government Girls Higher Secondary School (Angry Robot 978-1915998866, $19.99, 172pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy novel. A mysterious notebook is found by frustrated secondary-school student Thamarai, which describes paranormal phenomena and might even be a means of escape.

Moeller, Tara: Teeth (DreamPunk Press 978-1963928372, $19.66, 286pp, formats: paperback, ebook, 10/06/2026)

Horror anthology, with “jaw-clenching” stories centered on the theme of teeth — losing them, finding them, and their titular fairy.

Nelson, Madison Tyler: Portrait of a Haunting (Penguin Random House/Berkley 979-8217189342, $30.00, 352pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Horror novel. Tatum must rely on her hated, inherited ability to see spirits when her best friend is murdered in an eerily similar way to a murder committed by Tatum’s own mother. A first novel.

Newitz, Annalee: A Wall Is Also a Road (Tor 978-1250228031, $28.99, 304pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

SF novel. Gardenpath, a slime-mold-like organism who lives between stars, visits a habitable world and forms a bond with Murtis, a bipedal courtesan who works in a seaside city called “Pompeii.”

Roth, Veronica: The Sixth Faction (HarperCollins 978-0063462595, $21.99, 528pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Young-adult SF novel, in an alternate timeline of the Divergent universe. Beatrice Prior’s choosing ceremony is disrupted by a tragedy, setting her on a different path.

Schwab, Victoria: Victorious (Tor 978-1250192233, $31.99, 592pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy novel, third in the Villains series. Eli and Victor, best friends and mortal enemies, face off in a final showdown. Simultaneous with the Titan UK edition.

Slatter, A.G.: Fitcher’s Bird (Titan Books UK 978-1835412589, £13.99, 160pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Horror novel. As children Dido and her sisters survived a fatal house fire — now, with her sisters missing, adult Dido must find out where they are and also what happened that fateful night.

Smoke, Lucy: Hallowed Bones (St. Martin’s Griffin 978-1250413741, $20.00, 384pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Romantic fantasy novel, first in the Sons of Salem trilogy. Haven has been warned to stay away from the Sons of Salem, five men whose families are mired in rumors of witchcraft or worse.

Stirling, S.M. & Olthoff, Melissa: Rome to the Stars (Baen 978-1668073506, $28.00, 400pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, 10/06/2026)

SF novel, first in the Pax Astra series. Commander Aquila Amphion, in a spacefaring Roman empire bolstered by technology from time-travelers, must confront Gra’ak, an alliance of space barbarians.

Torres, Nicolina: Night of the Mallrats (Harper Perennial 978-0063472976, $19.99, 384pp, formats: paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Horror novel. Five friends, visiting a condemned mall where they hung out as teens, unexpectedly travel back in time to 1994, the day a schoolmate disappeared.

Van Draanen, Wendelin: Ghosted (Holiday House 978-0823460397, $19.99, 256pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Young-adult paranormal romance novel. Gemma and Jimmy are high school sweethearts, but Jimmy is a ghost, and Gemma will soon age past him.

Vo, Nghi: The Scarlet Ball (Tor 978-1250904966, $28.99, 336pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy novel. Courtesan Judith Ban poses as the missing daughter of a white elite New York family, in a world of demonic marriages. Simultaneous with the Penguin Random House UK/Del Rey UK edition.

Wallace, Auralee: The Haunted Librarian (Ace 978-1420542912, $36.00, 368pp, formats: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Cozy fantasy novel. On a rainy autumn day, Ameila discovers three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc at her local library.

Williams, Tad: The Splintered Sun (Astra House/DAW 978-0756419059, $30.00, 528pp, formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook, 10/06/2026)

Fantasy novel. Set in the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn universe. A fearless bandit and his band of misfit rebels navigate a kingdom menaced by dark sorcery and war, 300 years before The Dragonbone Chair.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.

New Book Releases: Oct 6, 2026

https://bookshop.org/lists/new-releases-science-fiction-fantasy-horror-books-week-of-10-6-26

Dragon Con was held at multiple hotels and AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta GA from September 3-7, 2026. The Dragon Awards ceremony was held Sunday at 4:00 p.m. (See page 6 for the winners.) A fan-focused event with great attendance, Dragon Con also offered more than 30 event tracks, several of interest to SFF industry professionals. Panels included “Afrofuturism: Building the Future Now” with Afua Richardson, Dedren Snead (m), and Marcus Williams; “Not Quite the End of the World: Cozy Urban Fantasy” with Jarod K. Anderson, Delilah S. Dawson, C.B. Lee, F.T. Lukens, Carol Malcolm (m), and Tao Wong; and much more. Lauded SFF artists such as Tony DiTerlizzi and William Stout were also present, and guests included well-known SFF authors such as Kevin J. Anderson, Matt Din­niman, Sherrilyn Kenyon, K.A. Linde, Timothy Zahn, and more.

A few professional editors and publishers were also in attendance, such as John G. Hartness, Anne Sowards, and Toni Weisskopf. The greatest challenge for industry professionals was finding each other amidst the crowds, but with an Art Show, Masquerade, and a dearth of vendors, exhibits, and workshops, the convention was full of enthusiasm and a sense of community.

–Alice Strangman

Photographers: Paul Peterson and Bill Watters

Looking for your next great read? Our October 6, 2026 new releases video takes a look at the newest Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult books arriving this week.

From bold science fiction concepts and expansive fantasy worlds to eerie horror, supernatural intrigue, and memorable YA stories, this week’s releases bring plenty of fresh choices for readers. Whether you’re ready to discover a new favorite or simply want to see which titles are worth adding to your TBR, there’s something here to explore.

Be sure to subscribe for weekly updates on the latest speculative fiction releases, new books, and genre highlights. Thanks for watching, and join us next week for another look at what’s new in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult fiction!

The winners of the 2026 Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been announced by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ).

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association has announced the winners of its annual prize for poetry. Poems were judged in three categories, listed below.

Dwarf Form (10 or fewer lines):

• WINNER: “Unauthorized Territory”, Michael Bailey

• Second Place: “Communication Is Important”, F. J. Bergmann
• Third Place: “Untitled”, Anna Cates
• Honorable Mention: “Disillusioned Tribute”, Joy Donnell

Short Form (10 to 50 lines):

• WINNER: “The Wind Always Returns”, Hinse Mutter

• Second Place: “The Museum of Anomalous Objects”, F. J. Bergmann
• Third Place: “Last Lowcountry Haunt”, Joy Donnell
• Honorable Mention: “Cataloguing Lost Souls”, Colleen Anderson

Long Form (50 or more lines):

• WINNER: “The Abyss Between One and Two”, Izzy Toy Retke

• Second Place: “At the Cosmic Gallery Above Proxima Centauri b: After Dreamworld”, M. Frost
• Third Place: “A Backdrop of Black Velvet and Rhinestones”, F. J. Bergmann
• Honorable Mentions: “Ten Ways to End the World”, Kathleen Bryson         

The winning poems were announced on the SFPA website, along with commentary from contest judge Naomi Simone Borwein. The contest chair was Michael Hessel-Mial. 

The SFPA Contest awards unpublished poems from both SFPA members and non-members. Submissions are $3 a poem. Cash prizes are awarded: $150 for first place, $75 for second place and $25 for third place. See the SFPA Contests page for more details and updates. 

via file 770

The winner, finalists, and honorable mentions for the 2026 Salam Award for Imaginative Fiction have been announced.

The winner is “All the Tears from the River Below” by Rida Altaf. Finalists are “Qitmir” by Eman Farhan and “Dreams of Dying and Waking Men” by Shahmeer Mahesar. The honorable mention is “Diesel Raven” by Abdul Kabir Qureshi.

The Salam Award, “a short story award to promote science fiction and related genres of writing in Pakistan,” is an annual prize open to original fiction of 10,000 words or fewer written in English by authors who must be “currently residing in Pakistan, or be of Pakistani birth/descent.” The award is named for Pakistani physicist Abdus Salam.

Judges for this year’s award were Christopher Golden, Robert V.S. Redick, and Karen Joy Fowler. The winner receives Rs 50,000, publication on the Salam Award site, editorial review, and potential publication in a magazine.

For more, see the Salam Award website.

COVER REVEAL!

 Check out this delicious cover for The Cookout, edited by Erin Brown, Emmalia Harrington, Tonya R. Moore, and P.C. Verrone, coming out from Android Press!

Cover art illustrated by Ziziian, Cover design by Erin Brown

From the publisher:

“The Cookout” calls to something in our blood that unites us in love and community. Across the African Diaspora, with the fluctuations of ancestral knowledge and cultural roots, in wealth and happiness, in sickness and danger, in celebration and defiance, in every nook and cranny of the world, you’ll find The Cookout. But can it reach the depths of a Level 100 dungeon? Can we put picnic tables in the stars? Gather round the grill in another dimension? Source our seasonings in the furthest realms of our imaginations?

The Cookout: Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora was edited by Erin Brown, Emmalia Harrington, Tonya R. Moore, and P.C. Verrone, with stories by Shingai Njeri Kagunda, Brent Lambert, Eden Royce, DaVaun Sanders, and many more!

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LAcon V, the 84th World Science Fiction Convention, was held August 27-31, 2026 at the Anaheim Convention Center and Hilton Anaheim & Anaheim Marriott Hotels in Anaheim, California. Guests of honor were novelist Barbara Hambly, cartoonist Colleen Doran, illustrator Tim Kirk, graphic novelist Stan Sakai, screenwriter Ronald D. Moore, fanzine editor Geri Sullivan, and engineer Anita Sengupta; special guests were NASA engineer Tracy Drain and authors Terese Mason Pierre and Tracey Baptiste. Registration reported 4,597 in-person warm bodies from 59 different countries, at least 847 of which were Worldcon first-timers; 8,225 memberships were purchased, 990 of which were virtual. They saw 1,843 memberships sold for WSFS (supporting memberships). Though there were fewer warm bodies than Seattle at 7,177 and Glasgow at 7,300, Anaheim’s total memberships rival last year’s 8,667 in Seattle. In comparison, Glasgow reported over 10,000 total members, and Chengdu 2023 saw a record in-person attendance of 18,895 with over 20,000 total members.

The con hotels were about a five-minute walk from the ACC North where the dealers room and art show were housed, as well as much programming, which ran in the ACC North and the fourth floor of the Hilton. Events used the center arena as well as two ballrooms in the Hilton, all offering enough space that none of the events were ticketed. At night, the Lanai Deck of the Hilton on the fifth floor, which opened up onto the large, well-lit outdoor green, became a central hub for room parties.

This year’s theme was ‘‘Adventure Awaits.’’ Worldcon chair Joyce Lloyd wrote, ‘‘In line with our theme, the directive given to everyone was to provide an adventure around every corner.’’ Exhibits were placed beyond the traditional exhibit area and into the Hilton function space, with photography exhibits, themed backdrops for photo ops, a LEGO play area, and more.

PROGRAMMING

Programming began early on Thursday with several panels, readings, and workshops. The Opening Ceremonies ran that evening with host T. Kingfisher and, after a land acknowledgment and a performance by Toveema, a Tongva song and dance ensemble, saw speeches by Lloyd and the guests of honor and special guests. H. Emiko Ogasawara detailed the Lodestar Trophy design in a recorded video, and Scott Lefton introduced the Hugo Base design in person. Then, the First Fandom Awards were presented by David Ritter. The Big Heart Award went to Ian Stockdale; Hall of Fame to Mike Glyer, Craig Miller, and Bjo Trimble; Hall of Fame, Posthumous to Fredric Brown and Myrtle R. Douglas; and Sam Moskowitz Archive Award to Andrew Porter and David Ritter. Also making an appearance was Fuzzy the Channel Island Fox, LAcon V’s mascot.

Programming was prolific this year, featuring a wide variety of panels, interviews, meetups, workshops, screenings, performances, tours, and much more. There was no pocket program, to the consternation of many. The well-used online program guide (loaded a reported 2.7 million times) featured tags including AI, astronomy and space, contracts, fandom history, gameshow, music, non-Western literature, roleplaying, sustainability, and many genre categories. There were 1,737 scheduled items, with 243 fully virtual, and over 500 recorded for replay to members; participants totaled 1,063, with 168 virtual. There were 356 table talks; 166 readings. For comparison, Seattle reported 1,425 program items and 936 participants; Glasgow reported 789 program items and 976 participants; and Chengdu offered 235 in-person items with a reported 1,200 panelists and guests. Programming worked to platform ‘‘a very strong indigenous languages track with workshops and panels on Navajo, Tongva, and Chumash.’’

Virtual programming was particularly robust. Of the scheduled items, 243 were fully virtual, and over 500 were recorded for replay to members. Included in these numbers was the convention’s joint program stream with the African Science Fiction Society, which hosted ASFS members on several panels and workshops, as well as the Nommo Awards nominees announcement on Thursday morning. Besides the virtual content itself, the convention held a Discord server that accrued approximately 1,600 members, discussing program items at length before and after the items ran.

There was plenty of hands-on content to be found as well. Among the highlights was ‘‘what we believe is the first fully dedicated Makerspace at the convention,’’ according to Lloyd – four rooms were devoted to Makers presentations and demos. There were also gaming spaces throughout the convention, with libraries and equipment courtesy of such organizations as Strategicon and Anime Los Angeles. The Freebies Book Lounge held books, galleys, bookmarks, and more, ‘‘replacing the bookbags given away at some smaller conventions.’’ For those interested in more physical activity, the convention saw the customary morning Stroll with the Stars, tai chi, Muay Thai, dance workshops, full-body improv workshops, and multiple combat sessions presented by the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) Kingdom of Caid. Even before the convention formally started, Anaheim Poet Laureate Camille Hernandez hosted a preconvention poetry event at the city’s public library, and later she moderated a poetry workshop as well.

LAcon V had 78 items listed as ‘‘Kid Friendly.’’ Comparatively, 27 items at Seattle Worldcon were listed as ‘‘Youth’’ and 16 as ‘‘Teen,’’ Glasgow listed 26 as ‘‘Children’s Programme,’’ and Chicon listed 34 tagged with ‘‘children’s program.’’

The Masquerade was Friday night, directed by Richard Man and Karisu Wen. The Award for Best in Show Presentation went to Lance Ikegawa for ‘‘Single Parent’’ and Best in Show Workmanship went to Ed and Jenn for ‘‘Nuada and Nualla from Hellboy 2.’’

DEALERS’ ROOM

Located in the spacious Exhibits Hall, the dealers’ room was a huge hall where dealers were interspersed with exhibits, hangout spaces, signing tables, GOH booths, bid tables, and many empty booths and tables that never filled, wrapped around the art show, which was draped or paneled off from view. The overall effect was that the rather daunting space was sparsely occupied and it never felt the hum of business. There were 120 total dealers offering ‘‘books, jewelry, artwork, collectables, and more.’’ Dealers included Bad Habit Publishing, Tachyon, PM Press, Locus, the Scribe Tribe, and many other indie publishers; Clarkesworld Magazine; Indigenous Tongva people; jewelers, artisans, author tables, and more. Many vendors colonized the empty spaces and we heard from many that the layout was uncomfortably disjointed. Randee Dawn of Armchair News said, ‘‘I sold better here than I’ve ever done before, so I have no complaints about that. But I was all the way in the back of the room, near tables that never were filled up, and it felt a little empty and abandoned,’’ a sentiment others echoed. ‘‘My only real issue was the cold in the room. I brought some nice frocks to wear and had to have a quilted flannel over them! But seriously, it was cold.’’

Patrick Swenson of Fairwood Press said, ‘‘I was very much spoiled by the Seattle Worldcon last year, but this year was not terrible. Considerably less sales, though…. Last year in Seattle the traffic was steady all the time. This year, there were pockets of quiet time, and then some steady times and some rushes. Having the art show in the middle of all the dealers was not the best decision made for the exhibits area. Trying to navigate paying for Wi-Fi (or electricity) and actually getting it was difficult. I never got mine, and I hope to see a refund for what I paid.’’

Shahid Mahmud said, ‘‘We had four tables for Arc Manor/Caezik. We found the room too large and strangely laid out (no segregated sections for dealers and other items like art shows etc., so kind of dispersed all over the place). I think the expansive space with wide empty spaces also made it seem like there was a lot less foot traffic than in Seattle. We had multiple inquiries of people getting frustrated trying to find particular booths since there did not seem to be a comprehensive map and the overall layout made it difficult to locate specific vendors.’’

ART SHOW

The exhibit hall of the ACC North saw the participation of 141 artists, 2,398 pieces on display, and 1,933 prints for sale. This was the first Worldcon to display the work of backdrop/scene painters. Organizers reported sales numbers reaching $140,000 in total buyer payments. There were two internal special displays for Frank Kelly Freas and Vincent Villafranca. Best in Show went to K.L. Wollons for ‘‘Dhiala Waning’’, Best Color 2D went to Barbara Hambly for ‘‘The War Doctor’’, Best Monochrome 2D went to Vincent Di Fate for ‘‘Who Goes There?’’, best 3D went to Vincent Villafranca for ‘‘The Monster Tree’’, Best Fabric Art went to Kestrel Michaud, Best Mixed Media went to Snail Scott for ‘‘Guardian’’, Judges’ Choice went to Daniel Gonzalez for ‘‘Canción Nocterna’’, and the Judges’ Choice for Body of Work went to Brittany Otto. The judges were Elizabeth Klein-Lebbink, Meghan Lancaster, Edie Stern, Joe Siclari, and David Stein.

PARTIES/CON SUITE

The Con Suite was well attended, located at the Hilton in room 5505 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day except Monday and offering snacks and beverages for all attendees. The room parties were ‘‘a hit,’’ per Lloyd. There were parties for the Edmonton and Brisbane Worldcon bids and for the Montréal Worldcon, as well as an Asian Fantasy Book Party, a party run by the cast of the Writing Excuses podcast, parties titled ‘‘90 Years of Cons’’ and ‘‘We Interrupt This Party’’, Brotherhood Without Banners, Space Bar, and more. All room parties set on the Lanai deck opened onto a shared central courtyard. Geri Sullivan’s suite, ‘‘Toad Woods West’’, was a popular destination, not least because she hosted and lent the suite to multiple parties throughout the convention. Other publisher and agent mixers were held off-site and in the hotels, as well as a combined Locus & Saga party in the presidential suite.

CON PUBLICATIONS

The souvenir book was the main guide to the convention, a hefty 160-page full-size perfect bound publication, with a cover boasting Big Foot by GOH Tim Kirk. A letter from the chair Joyce Lloyd was followed by introductions to the guests of honor, special guests, and toastmaster Ursula Vernon; essays on Worldcons past; sections on the awards, including a full list of Hugo finalists and the membership list, and a section about WSFS.

The Fuzzy Pink Papers, the convention newsletter published online and in print at the convention, offered regular status updates, featuring programming updates, useful information, announcements, award results, and more.

HUGO AWARDS

The Hugo Awards Ceremony capped off the night of Sunday, August 30, 2026 at the ACC Arena, running from about 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. The event was livestreamed through the convention member portal as well as on YouTube. There was an autocaptioner, though it tended to lag behind, and multiple interpreters. Organizers estimate the in-person audience at 2,500 viewers, and as of September 9, the YouTube livestream had over 10,000 views. The toastmaster this year was T. Kingfisher, whose cheerful energy, hats, and abundant supply of animal facts kept viewers well entertained for the extended show. Although the ceremony experienced some technical issues, notably a corrupted slide deck, all content was shown. Finalist names were read in a prepared audio recording by Frank Todaro, and musical accompaniment was provided by the South Side Symphony.

After Kingfisher’s lively extended opening, as she stalled for time for the A/V team, Hugo administrator Tammy Coxen shared that the awards received 1,488 nominations and ballots from 2,492 members across all 21 categories. Kingfisher then returned to the stage to lead the In Memoriam for the many contributors to the SF scene who died in the past year, although technical issues delayed the playing of the video until later.

Emily Hockaday presented the Astounding Award for Best New Writer to Antonia Hodgson. Hodgson said, ‘‘My first novel, which was unpublished for good reason, was a Gothic vampire saga. My writing took a detour, but my heart has always remained fantastical. This award really does mean the world to me. No more detours. You’re stuck with me, I’m afraid.’’ She thanked the voters, fellow nominees, Hodderscape, Orbit US, her agent, and everyone at Worldcon.

Tracey Baptiste presented the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book to C.B. Lee for Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe. Lee, attending Worldcon for the first time, said, ‘‘Thank you all so much! I didn’t write a speech because I didn’t think that a little queer cozy novel could even be nominated.… But a novel that celebrates joy is not little.’’ They thanked their five-year-old child, partners, agent, and ‘‘I don’t know, cheese and frogs and all the wonderful things in the world,’’ and all the nominees.

Terese Mason Pierre presented the award for Best Poem to Elis Montgomery for ‘‘Hex Supply Customer Support Log’’. Montgomery, also a first-time Worldcongoer, thanked Jennifer Hudak, LAcon, the readers and voters, the poets of the Speculative Poetry Initiative, and more, and encouraged everyone to vote to make the category a permanent installment of the Hugos.

Tim Kirk presented the award for Best Fan Artist to Yuumei, who said in a virtual acceptance speech, ‘‘I am so grateful to everyone who has supported my art over the years. Your support allowed me to dream and create to the fullest.’’

Mike Glyer presented the Best Fan Writer Award to Jason Sanford. Chris Barkley accepted and read Sanford’s speech, beginning, ‘‘Oh shit, I guess I should have attended Worldcon.’’ Sanford expressed ‘‘I’m honored that people see my journalism and essays as worthy of standing among the writings of these wonderful people.’’ He thanked his mother, his children, Lucienne Diver, Barkley, his readers, and more. He thanked SF/F as a genre for ‘‘help[ing] me realize there’s nothing wrong with me’’ as a neurodiverse child and said, ‘‘We will always be here, living, seeing, loving, dying. We are as normal as life itself.’’

Tracy Drain presented the Best Fancast Award to Hugo, Girl! Amy Salley, Kevin Anderson, and Lori Anderson accepted, expressing extensive thanks and acknowledging Haley Zapal, who could not attend. Lori addressed ‘‘anyone creating fan work: Thank you for sharing your art with the world. In a society where everything is increasingly profit-driven, making cool stuff just because you love to do it and then giving it away for free is an act of resistance. Keep it up.’’

After the In Memoriam ran successfully, Geri Sullivan presented the award for Best Fanzine to nerds of a feather, flock together. G. Brown, Vance Kotrla and Paul Weimer accepted. Brown said, ‘‘The role of a fanzine like nerds of a feather, flock together, as I see it, is not only to celebrate the art that we all love, but to shine a light on these imagined worlds and how they contribute to our shared understanding of what it means to be human.’’ The cast thanked their team and families.

Neil Clarke presented the Best Semiprozine Award to Uncanny Magazine. Michael Damian Thomas accepted by video and thanked the magazine staff, Worldcon staff, the Space Unicorn Ranger Corps, and his family. Betsy Aoki also accepted in person, saying, ‘‘It’s been a bad year for speculative fiction magazines. We’ve seen too many good journals close. It’s really through the gracious community support that Uncanny Magazine has that we’ve been able to keep going another year and we’re grateful.’’

Colleen Doran presented the Best Professional Artist Award to John Picacio, who thanked Doran, Leigh Bardugo, New Leaf Literary, his editor, creative director, family, and more, and dedicated the award to his recently passed brother-in-law.

The award for Best Editor, Short Form was presented by Anita Sengupta to Neil Clarke, who said, ‘‘Twenty years ago this October, Clarkesworld published its first issue. It’s something I never thought would last that long, and my plus-one this evening thought he was here to help me with the table – and to be fair, I helped him with the table in the Dealers’ Room. But I wanted Sean Wallace here because he’s the person that talked me into taking this job. He’s worked by my side this entire time.… I never thought that I would find a career in this.’’ He also encouraged everyone to support the fundraiser for fellow finalist Sheila Williams and her health care.

The award for Best Editor, Long Form was presented by Patrick Nielsen Hayden to Diana M. Pho. Pho accepted, saying, ‘‘One word echoes in my head, said by so many this evening: despite. We are here, we’re alive, despite everything.… Let us keep our spirits, the spite, the fight, and the adventure, and for those who are against these values of love and acceptance, in the words of a great man, ‘Change your heart or die.’’’ She thanked the Worldcon community, family, friends, colleagues, and many others.

Tanya DePass presented the Best Game or Interactive Work Award to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Lead writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen accepted, saying, ‘‘It is an honor to be here today to celebrate the artistic minds of folks who have inspired us, delighted us, and made us think and feel, and I hope we never lose sight of what makes us human and what humans can contribute to each other.’’

Ronald D. Moore presented the award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form to Murderbot: ‘‘All Systems Red’’. Chris Weitz accepted with several others of the show staff, including Martha Wells and actor David Daltsmachian, saying, ‘‘It has been the privilege of a lifetime to be able to make this incredibly well-funded fan fiction.’’

David Gerrold presented the award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form to Sinners, although Ryan Coogler was not able to attend and did not share a speech.

Charlie Jane Anders presented the Best Related Work Award to ‘‘Inventing the Renaissance’’ by Ada Palmer. Palmer, unable to attend, accepted by video, though it was not able to be played immediately. She thanked her agent, advisors, fellow scholars, publishing teams, family, blog readers, and more. ‘‘Critics have called the book innovative, but Worldcon is where that innovation comes from, so it means the world to me to see my weird bridge book welcomed here.’’

Stan Sakai presented the award for Best Graphic Story or Comic to A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel. Fred Fordham shared a video acceptance speech expressing many thanks.

The award for Best Series was presented by Barbara Hambly to the Old Man’s War series by John Scalzi, who accepted and said, ‘‘I and some other members of the Best Series crew made a pact that whoever won, the rest of us would flip them off. You don’t do that if you don’t love the people that you are in your field with.’’ He thanked editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden and his wife Kristine.

The award for Best Short Story, presented by Larry Niven, went to ‘‘In My Country’’ by Thomas Ha. Ha expressed thanks to the voters, Clarkesworld, finalists, winners, family, and more, and said, ‘‘I know it’s hard to find the motivation, at least it is for me and I know that it is for some others. It is endless and relentless the way the world’s upended every other day, but I hope other writers, especially newer writers who are just starting out… I hope you just keep going and follow the impulse and the compulsion. You can’t let anyone take that away from you.’’

Mary Robinette Kowal presented the award for Best Novelette to ‘‘Never Eaten Vegetables’’ by H.H. Pak, who accepted with surprise. ‘‘In the absence of words, I’m just filled with gratitude,’’ they said, and thanked Clarkesworld, their readers, their teachers and professors, and their mother.

Harry Turtledove presented the award for Best Novella to The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar. She thanked her fellow finalists, voters, Worldcon volunteers, her agent and editorial team, family, and more. ‘‘The process of seeing The River Has Roots published was a process of being constantly humbled by how much extraordinary art and skill went into making it a beautiful object to hold and experience,’’ she said, recognizing Gem Carmella, Jeff Miller, Kathleen Neeley, and Steve Wagner for their work on the art and audiobook. ‘‘Free Palestine, trans rights are inviolable human rights, borders are bullshit, and we are bound together in this world to fight for the liberation of all people.’’

Kingfisher presented the award for Best Novel, in an envelope delivered by R2-D2, to The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow. El-Mohtar read Harrow’s speech. ‘‘This is a moment when both love and stories are being systematically devalued, distorted, suppressed, stolen, banned. I don’t know how we’re going to get through it sometimes. Then I start listing people again, the people who keep fighting and yelling at their senators and giving to bail funds and loving each other and telling stories. I want to thank all of you for loving a love story in times like these. It is by far the luckiest, most unlikely thing in a life of unlikely and lucky things.’’

ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES

After some reports about accessibility concerns at the awards and around the hotel, as well as ableist language used with one of the finalists, LAcon V’s chair issued a statement.

‘‘LAcon V recognizes that there were failures in accessibility and communication surrounding our main stage during the convention. The rear backstage ramp did not meet ADA accessibility requirements, and as a result we failed to provide the level of access that we intended and that our community has every right to expect. While this originated with a third-party vendor issue, responsibility for ensuring an accessible experience remained ours. We also failed to communicate the problem, its impact, and potential solutions effectively to those affected.

We recognize that this created barriers for attendees using mobility devices and caused understandable frustration, disappointment, and exclusion. We are deeply sorry for that harm.’’

For the complete statement, see their website.

WORLDCON 2027 AND BEYOND

The 85th World SF Convention, Montréal Worldcon 2027, will be held at the Palais de Congrès de Montréal in Québec, Canada, September 2-6, 2027, featuring guests of honor Linda D. Addison, Cory Doctorow, Chris Barkley, Jeph Jacques, Yves Meynard, Jo Walton, and more to be announced.

The 86th World SF Convention, Aussiecon 5, is scheduled for July 27-31, 2028 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in Brisbane (Meanjin), Australia, featuring guests of honor Claire G. Coleman, David Gaider, Kathleen Jennings, Seanan McGuire, Perry Middlemiss, Jonathan Strahan, and more to be announced.

–Alice Strangman & Liza Groen Trombi

A selection of photos from the convention follows.

Ready to see what’s new on the shelves this week? Our September 29, 2026 new releases video explores the latest arrivals in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult fiction.

This week’s lineup features a wide range of stories, from far-reaching sci-fi adventures and richly imagined fantasy settings to unsettling horror, supernatural mysteries, and engaging YA fiction. Whether you’re searching for your next immersive read or looking to expand your TBR list, there are plenty of new titles to discover.

For more weekly coverage of the newest speculative fiction releases, subscribe to the channel and join us each week as we highlight fresh books across these genres. Thanks for watching, and we’ll be back next week with another selection of new releases!

The October 2026 Locus magazine, issue #789, has interviews with Stephen King, Tananarive Due, and Paul Tremblay. The issue includes a feature on horror with spotlights by K. Ancrum, K-Ming Chang, Ellen Datlow, Christopher Golden, Micaiah Johnson, Keith Rosson, and Lisa Wood; commentary by Maurice Broaddus & Dr. Chesya Burke, Cassandra Khaw, and Lisa Wood; and a review by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro. LAcon V, Worldcon 2026 is covered with an extensive report and photos, the Hugo voting breakdown, and a WSFS business meeting report. News includes the Hugo Awards winners, Nancy Kress’s induction as a SFWA Grand Master, the Dragon Awards winners, and more. David Kopaska-Merkel is remembered with an obituary. Reviews include new titles by Annalee Newitz, Nghi Vo, Daryl Gregory, Freya Marske, Seth Haddon, Allan Kaster (ed.), Becky Chambers, Max Dosser, Claire North, Jonathan Strahan (ed.), Tananarive Due, Matt Hill, Haralambi Markov, Robert G. Penner, Naomi Alderman, Kuzhali Manickavel, Karen Lord, Margrét Helgadóttir (ed.), Adam Roberts, Caskey Russell, Shaun Tan, Sophia Hannah, H.G. Parry, Catherine Cavendish, Sean David Robinson, Hannah Whitten, Kim Boyhun (translated by Archana Madhavan), Kim Bo-Young (translated by Sophie Bowman), Cassandra Khaw, Adam Cesare, Neal Stephenson, K. Ancrum, Morgan Thomas, Wole Talabi and others.

Reviews by GABINO IGLESIAS / 29

Reliquary, Hannah Whitten; Mothersucker, Kim Boyhun, tr. Archana Madhavan; A Plagued Sea, Kim Bo-Young, tr. Sophie Bowman; Find Me Where It Ends, Cassandra Khaw; Clown in a Cornfield 4: Lights! Camera! Frendo!, Adam Cesare.

Reviews by DIVERS HANDS: JOANNE ANDERTON, ALEX BROWN, ADRIENNE MARTINI, ADAM ROBERTS / 30

D: Heavy Water, Neal Stephenson; Adam, Mine., K. Ancrum; Mad Eden, Morgan Thomas; The Fist of Memory, Wole Talabi.

Alderman, Naomi • The Strangers (Abigail Nussbaum)
Ancrum, K. • Adam, Mine. (Alex Brown)
Boyhun, Kim • Mothersucker (Gabino Iglesias)
Bo-Young, Kim • A Plagued Sea (Gabino Iglesias)
Cavendish, Catherine • Ghosts of Chanterlands (Colleen Mondor)
Cesare, Adam • Clown in a Cornfield 4: Lights! Camera! Frendo! (Gabino Iglesias)
Chambers, Becky • As You Wake, Break the Shell (Alexandra Pierce)
DK • A History of Horror, Fear, and the Uncanny (Alvaro Zinos-Amaro)
Dosser, Max • Nostalgic Futures: The Reactionary Fantasies of Speculative Fiction Fandoms (Alexandra Pierce)
Due, Tananarive • Mazywood (Ian Mond)
Gregory, Daryl • The Porcelain Sisters (Gary K. Wolfe)
Haddon, Seth • Null Entity (Alexandra Pierce)
Hannah, Sophia • We Were Never Here (Colleen Mondor)
Helgad ttir, Margr t, ed. • Nordic Nightmares (Niall Harrison)
Hill, Matt • Wrecks (Ian Mond)
Kaster, Allan, ed. • The Year’s Top Hard Science Fiction Stories 10 (Alexandra Pierce)
Khaw, Cassandra • Find Me Where It Ends (Gabino Iglesias)
Lord, Karen • The Angel at the Gates (Niall Harrison)
Manickavel, Kuzhali • A Compendium of Supernatural Entities Found in the Government Girls Higher Secondary School (Abigail Nussbaum)
Markov, Haralambi • The Language of Knives: Stories (Ian Mond)
Marske, Freya • Bodies of Magic (Alexandra Pierce)
Newitz, Annalee • A Wall Is Also a Road (Gary K. Wolfe)
North, Claire • As We Fall Through Time (Alexandra Pierce)
Parry, H. G. • The Witch Below Dreaming Wood (Colleen Mondor)
Penner, Robert G. • Notes on a Colonial Situation in Hell (Abigail Nussbaum)
Roberts, Adam • Frankenstein Rex (Niall Harrison)
Robinson, Sean David • The Door in Penrose Forest (Colleen Mondor)
Russell, Caskey • The Eagle in the Mountain (Niall Harrison)
Stephenson, Neal • D: Heavy Water (Joanne Anderton)
Strahan, Jonathan, ed. • Revolution in the Heart (Alexandra Pierce)
Talabi, Wole • The Fist of Memory (Adam Roberts)
Tan, Shaun • Hometown (Colleen Mondor)
Thomas, Morgan • Mad Eden (Adrienne Martini)
Vo, Nghi • The Scarlet Ball (Gary K. Wolfe)
Whitten, Hannah • Reliquary (Gabino Iglesias)

David Shelley will give up his current role as head of an English language management structure on January 1 2027 to become executive chair of Hachette UK and Hachette Book Group. Accordingly, Ben Sevier is taking over as CEO of Hachette Book Group, moving on from his position as president and publisher of Grand Central Publishing.

Sevier stated, “My decade leading the spectacularly talented teams across the Grand Central Publishing Group has been equal parts exciting, challenging, and deeply rewarding, and I expect a super-charged version of all three in this next phase of our company and our industry…”

Richard Kitson has been named as COO for global English language at Hachette. Christine Ball will join HBG in November as president and publisher of Grand Central Publishing, replacing Sevier. Emily Meehan will become president of Union Square. Amongst staffing changes, HBG will form a new publishing program in Canada that will be overseen by Sally Kim.

For more information on the changes see the HBG press release.

Penguin Random House UK has announced an imprint for the new adult reader category, Dusk, focusing on “romance, fantasy and crossover fiction.” Carmen McCullough and Amina Parchment-Youssef will lead the imprint, which expects to publish it’s first titles fall 2026.

McCullough told The Bookseller, “Some of the most exciting energy in publishing today is coming from a generation of readers who don’t see themselves, or their reading tastes, in traditional categories… They move effortlessly between YA, new adult and adult fiction, between romance and fantasy, discovering books through friends, creators and online communities, and turning the stories they love into genuine cultural moments.”