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November 2024 provides plenty of incentive to travel to fantasy worlds of magic and wonder: the election, Thanksgiving with family. Then, there’s the possibility of discussing the election with family at Thanksgiving. If you’re looking to escape, you’re in luck — November has many new fantasy books to choose from.
Ushers, Joe Hill, November 1
Many speculative fiction books are long. Like, really long. But some are short enough to be read in one sitting. This novella by Joe Hill is one of the latter. Protagonist Martin Lorensen is just 23 and has already survived two mass-casualty events. Now, investigators want to know why. Ushers explores Martin’s story and how luck has nothing to do with his good fortune.
At just 29 pages, Ushers is a great book to read on lunch breaks or during commutes. It’s a Kindle exclusive, though, so you’ll need either a Kindle device or the app. The good news: Ushers will cost you less than $2.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Asylum, Una McCormack, November 5
Asylum is only the second Star Trek: Strange New Worlds novel, so it’s not too late to get in if you’re a fan. It’s the follow-up to The High Country by John Jackson Miller, who also just penned the excellent Batman: Resurrection. Asylum splits its narrative between two time periods. First, when Christopher Pike and Una Chin-Riley first met at Starfleet Academy. They become friends, although Pike has suspicions about Una’s loyalties.
Fast forward 25 years, and the two are on the USS Enterprise together, tasked with settling a Chionan trade agreement. Then, a terror attack disrupts the proceedings. When the prime suspect is discovered to have ties to Chin-Riley, it could expose a secret she’s been keeping and shatter her friendship with Christopher Pike.
The Teller of Small Fortunes, Julie Leong, November 5
Julie Leong’s debut is a beautiful fantasy novel about found family and the experience of those seeking something more. The Teller of Small Fortunes stars Tao, an immigrant fortune teller who only has her mule as a friend. Then, a thief and a former mercenary approach her and recruit her to join their search for a missing child. It’s an interesting group for a quest, but throw in a magical cat and an adventure-seeking baker, and the balance between characters is tremendous.
As her new adventure begins, Tao feels increasingly connected to her new friends. Of course, no fantasy novel would be complete without a dark, ominous threat. In The Teller of Small Fortunes, Tao’s past threatens her newfound happiness and her new friends. She must decide what she is willing to face and risk to save them.
The Courting of Bristol Keats, Mary E. Pearson, November 12
This list wouldn’t be complete without a nice romantasy or Faerie story. The Courting of Bristol Keats is the first book of a planned duology, and it’s full of the moral dilemmas that often define good fantasy. After their parents passed away, Bristol Keats and her sisters are struggling to survive. Then, a mysterious letter from an aunt they’ve never met promises a way out. Tempted by the hope it gives, Bristol agrees to meet her.
What Bristol learns is shocking. Her father might still be alive, and he might be the captive of threatening creatures in another realm. To save him, Bristol travels to this other world and is thrust into a story of fae and monsters. She makes a deal with the fae leader, but she doesn’t know his secret. What begins as a quest turns into a race to find her father before others do.
Darkly, Marisha Pessl, November 26
Arcadia “Dia” Gannon is a high school student who idolizes the late game maker Louisiana Veda. So when The Louisiana Veda Foundation offers a scholarship competition, Dia is all over it. The only question on the application: What would you kill for? Dia is shocked when she is chosen as one of the interns, but she soon learns there might be more to this than she thought.
Dia discovers that the six other interns all have secrets and dark pasts. Soon, they all find themselves as part of a diabolical game where the prize is a lot more than a resume builder. Darkly will keep you guessing with twists, turns, and creative plot connecting by Marisha Pessl.