TGON’s To-Read in 2019

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We’ve already got a list of books to preorder and request from libraries. These books come from some of our favorite up-and-coming and legendary authors that we’re stoked to hear from again. We’ve even included a few strange twists that we can’t help but stare at. For hours.

Winter of the Witch – Katherine Arden

We’re looking forward to the end of a beautiful and highly original debut fantasy series set in medieval Russia. Based on Russian fairy tales, Winter of the Witch promises one last adventure with the magical heroine Vasya and the winter king Morozko. Coming January 8, 2019.

The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

Editor Charlie Jane Anders from i09 adds another novel to her repertoire after the much-loved All the Birds in the Sky. She’s also great at naming things. Set on a planet divided between extreme heat and extreme cold, this novel features a young woman trying to survive after being exiled to the permanently dark side of the planet. Coming February 12, 2019.

Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos by Lucy Knisley

The cartoonist/author of the Eisner Award winning Relish presents a book about pregnancy and early childcare next February. Knisley’s memoir continues to unfold at a charming rate, after her volumes on travel, marriage, and memory. Coming February 26, 2019.

Press Enter to Continue by Ana Galvan

The English-language debut of cartoonist Ana Galvan looks trippy and wonderful. With innovative style and a pastel color palette, Press Enter to Continue promises to go beyond the average comic book. A must-read for fans of comic books and coding alike. Coming August 27, 2019.

A Fistful of Drawings by Joe Ciardiello

We’re just not excited because we like comics; we’re excited because the drawings remind of classic Sergio Leone movies! This new title from Fantagraphics is about an Italian-American using the spare style of these excellent Westerns to depict the cross-section of Italian-Americans in film, from Iron Eyes Cody to Ennio Morricone. Coming February 2, 2019.

This next novel’s so fresh that we don’t even have a cover for it!

The Border Keeper by Kerstin Hall

We’re always for the next great work of fantasy, so we can’t wait to see what Kerstin Hall’s debut novella has in store for us. Hall, a South African writer, submitted to a call for non-European fantasy, and soon she had the ear of tor.com. The Border Keeper follows a man with a shady past through the realms of the spirit world as he tries to make a deal with a goddess. Coming April 2, 2019.

Tears of the Trufflepig by Fernando A. Flores

Flores’s tale takes place along the southern border of Texas in a future where narcotics have become legal and now criminals smuggle ancient Olmec artifacts across the border instead. South Texas shenanigans always catch my ears, but throw in a character named Paco Herbert that calls to mind the great author of Dune? Consider me reading. Coming May 14, 2019.

The Organs of Sense by Adam Erlich Sachs

Alternate history piques my interest, but the alternate history of science? Sold. Young Gottfried Leibnitz, who hasn’t yet invented calculus, investigates a fellow astronomer who predicts that a total solar eclipse will cover the world, owns the biggest telescope in Europe, but has no eyes of his own. Coming May 21, 2019

Lent by Jo Walton

Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award winner Jo Walton brings us another alternate history, this time at a religious figure. In Lent, Girolamo Savonarola can see demons. He also has magical powers that soon put all-but-officially in charge of high Renaissance Florence, the home of Michelangelo and Raphael. Coming May 28, 2019.

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Seasoned fantasy veteran Sarah Gailey brings a new blend of magic and noir mystery in Magic for Liars. The awesomely named Ivy Gamble cannot use magic and wants no part in it, but her twin sister Tabitha works at a school where she teaches magic. Ivy turns detective when her sister disappears and Ivy must track down a murderer. Coming June 4, 2019.

Spine of the Dragon by Kevin J. Anderson

Longtime Star Wars author Kevin J. Anderson unveils a new fantasy series with his forthcoming, Spine of the Dragon. The master of space fantasy brings us a story of bitter enemies who must unite in order to overcome an ancient evil together. Sound a little simple? Maybe, but Anderson’s reputation vouches for him. Coming June 4, 2019.

 

Earth by Ben Bova

Speaking of reputations, who’s got a better resume than Ben Bova? In his newest book, simply titled Earth, a wave of gamma radiation is rushing towards Earth that will kill everyone. Humans must work with the Predecessors in order save to intelligent life in our galaxy. Coming July 16, 2019.

Broken Stars by Ken Liu

Ken Liu’s edited another sci-fi anthology featuring exclusively the work of contemporary writers from China. His last one, Invisible Planet, was published in 2016. Both anthologies feature award-winning authors such as Cixin Liu and Broken Stars clues western readers into the history of the genre in China. Coming February 19, 2019.