There’s a lot to be thankful for this November, especially if you’re a fan of great fantasy novel, so we’ve compiled a list of the best books of that genre that are about to hit shelves.
White Trash Warlock, David R. Slayton, November 7
White Trash Warlock is David R. Slayton’s debut novel and the first in what will be the Adam Binder series. What an awesome concept to kick off with too, as Adam Binder is the opposite of Harry Potter in almost every way. Adam has the Sight, AKA magical powers, but he doesn’t get to go to a magical school full of wonder. Instead, Adam grew up in an abusive home, and his brother even had him committed to a psych ward. Now, years later, Adam must come to terms with who and what he is and try to maybe do some good in the world.
If you’re looking for another reason to support Slayton’s debut novel, he is the founder of Trick or Read, which gives children books on Halloween. He also works to support and elevate new and underrepresented authors. Here’s hoping White Trash Warlock is a huge success.
The Future, Naomi Alderman, November 7
Set in a completely fictional and not-anything-like-our-society world, The Future takes place in a dystopian world where billionaires have all the power and money controls everything. Five people from around the world are brought together in an attempt at a daring heist. The great cast includes the daughter of a cult leader, an internet-famous survivalist, the spouse of a CEO, and a hacker.
The group joins forces to try and expose the catastrophic ends of the billionaires and change the future. Their choices are simple. Succeed, or watch civilization end.
Related: How To Read The Witcher Books in Order
Star Wars: The Eye of Darkness, George Mann, November 14
The High Republic has been my favorite thing to come out of Star Wars in a long time. The High Republic is set approximately 200 years before the Original Trilogy and explores a time that hadn’t been covered in Star Wars before. New heroes and villains emerged and became the focal point of a completely new story.
Phase One was set 232 years before the Battle of Yavin, and Phase Two went backwards another 150 years. Now, Phase Three kicks off after the events of Phase One. Confused yet? Think of it like the movies — middle trilogy, prequels, sequels.
After the explosive events at the end of Phase One, the Jedi are reeling and the Nihil have scored major victories. They have also installed the Stormwall, a barrier preventing the Republic from reaching any world beyond it. Veteran Star Wars author George Mann pens the first volume of the desperate effort of the Jedi to reunite the galaxy, which is Eye of Darkness. Without a doubt, it’s going to be one of the best new fantasy books to read in November 2023.
The Kingdom of Sweets, Erika Johansen, November 28
Erika Johansen’s latest, The Kingdom of Sweets, is a retelling of The Nutcracker that pits two sisters against each other in a Christmas Eve battle. Clara and Natasha have been given the powers of Light and Dark, respectively, by their godfather, Drosselmeyer. Drosselmeyer controls the city through his power and greed.
Natasha is tired of living in Clara’s shadow, and the Sugar Plum Fairy offers her a different path — at a price. The Kingdom of Sweets is awfully enticing to Natasha. She must make a choice between worlds and decide where she truly belongs.
Kingdom of Without, Andrea Tang, November 28
Beijing looks very different from the city we know today. After a new emperor installed himself in 1915, Beijing developed much differently in Kingdom of Without. Walls divide the city into rings that are sorted by class. The Beiying Army rules the streets and people live in fear. Zhong Ning’er is only trying to pull off a job, but finds herself surrounded by revolutionaries.
Kingdom of Without is a Young Adult novel, so at times the subtlety is lacking. The drug much of the population is hooked on is called Complacency, after all. Still, Kingdom of Without is an impactful tale about power and oppression. Zhong has never gotten involved in the revolution — she has seen what the courts do to those who do. This time, though, the stakes are so high that she might not have a choice.
Those are our picks for the best new fantasy novels releasing in November 2023. For more, check out our picks for October 2023.
