For all that it includes some of the biggest shopping days of the year, December is a traditionally light month in the world of publishing. Most of the biggest titles of 2024 have already hit shelves, ready to tempt the holiday shoppers who had their act together as far back as September. But fantasy fans have a few notable releases to look forward to—in fact, one of the most eagerly awaited books of the year will arrive just in time for Christmas (Brandon Sanderson’s Wind and Truth), along with a buzzy romantasy debut from Rachel Howzell Hall, Thea Guanzon’s next Hurricane Wars novel, and the conclusion of Alexander Darwin’s Combat Codes series.
Here are our picks for the best fantasy titles hitting shelves this December.
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall
Release Date: December 3 from Entangled/Red Tower Books
Why You’ll Love It: A propulsive romantasy about a woman without memories who must rediscover who she is, The Last One follows the story of Kai, who wakes in the woods while a strange woman is trying to rob her. But when she finds her life subsequently intertwined with both her mysterious robber’s and a handsome blacksmith, the group is forced to flee an angry goddess and work together to discover not only who she is, but where her unexplained magical abilities have come from. A page turner of an adventure.
Publisher’s Description: Thrown into a desolate land of sickness and unnatural beasts, Kai wakes in the woods with no idea who she is or how she got there. All she knows is that if she cannot reach the Sea of Devour, even this hellscape will get worse. But when she sees the village blacksmith fight invaders with unspeakable skill, she decides to accept his offer of help.
Too bad he’s as skilled at annoying her as he is at fighting.
As she searches for answers, Kai only finds more questions, especially regarding the blacksmith who can ignite her body like a flame, then douse it with ice in the next breath.
And no one is what—or who—they appear to be in the kingdom of Vinevridth, including the man whose secrets might be as deadly as the land itself.
Blacklight Born by Alexander Darwin
Release Date: December 3 from Orbit
Why You’ll Love It: The final installment of Alexander Darwin’s Combat Codes Saga goes out with a bang. Unexpected twists and detailed action/fight sequences are balanced by flashback sequences that flesh out the ensemble characters in new ways.
Publishers Description: The Grievar War has engulfed the Empire of Kiroth. Silas the Slayer has given voice and violence to his warrior kin, providing them a reason to rise up after a thousand years of servitude.
Cego is released into a war-torn world where the lines between shadow and light are blurred. He must decide which side to fight for: with his brother’s righteous rebellion or beside the family he has finally found.
Murray Pearson leads a group of Lyceum students on an adventure across Kiroth to follow the path of combat mastery. But Murray seeks something more on this long road. Redemption.
Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
Release Date: December 6 from Tor Books
Why You’ll Love It: The long-awaited fifth installment in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive will undoubtedly be one of the biggest fantasy releases of the year. An epic fantasy series full of nothing but 1K-page doorstoppers, the series is set in the fictional world of Roshar, a land wrecked by devastation storms that have shaped the evolution of civilizations, magic, and more. Wind and Truth will conclude the first arc of the Stormlight Archive—Sanderson will take a break after this book to focus on some of his (many!) other series—and pickles up where Rhythm of War left off, chronicling the 10 day contest of champions between the Knights Radiant and the nefarious deity Odium.
Publisher’s Description: Dalinar Kholin challenged the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare—and the sudden ascension of the crafty and ruthless Taravangian to take Odium’s place has thrown everything into disarray.
Desperate fighting continues simultaneously worldwide—Adolin in Azir, Sigzil and Venli at the Shattered Plains, and Jasnah in Thaylenah. The former assassin, Szeth, must cleanse his homeland of Shinovar from the dark influence of the Unmade. He is accompanied by Kaladin, who faces a new battle helping Szeth fight his own demons . . . and who must do the same for the insane Herald of the Almighty, Ishar.
At the same time, Shallan, Renarin, and Rlain work to unravel the mystery behind the Unmade Ba-Ado-Mishram and her involvement in the enslavement of the singer race and in the ancient Knights Radiant killing their spren. And Dalinar and Navani seek an edge against Odium’s champion that can be found only in the Spiritual Realm, where memory and possibility combine in chaos. The fate of the entire Cosmere hangs in the balance.
A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon
Release Date: December 10 from Harper Voyager
Why You’ll Love It: This highly anticipated sequel to The Hurricane Wars will continue the story of Talasyn and Alaric, a Lightweaver and a Shadow magic user whose forced marriage is meant to bring peace to their warring lands and offer protection from an even greater supernatural threat. In the wake of their wedding, the two will have to learn to live together—and navigate the growing closeness that’s complicating their allegedly political union—-as they train to stop a potentially apocalyptic disaster.
Publisher’s Description: After a lifetime of war, Alaric and Talasyn were thrust into an alliance between their homelands that was supposed to end the fighting; however, being married to their sworn foe feels far from peaceful. Now Talasyn must play the part of Alaric’s willing empress while her allies secretly plot to overthrow his reign. But the longer the couple are forced together, the harder it becomes to deny the feelings crackling like lightning between them. When the time comes to act, can she trust him, or must she ignore her heart for the sake of so many others?
As the master of the Shadowforged Legion, Alaric has trained for battle all his life, but marrying a Lightweaver might be his most dangerous challenge yet. With tensions between nations churning, he needs to focus on the greater threat—the Moonless Dark, a cataclysmic magical event that could devour everything. Only he and Talasyn can stop it, with a powerful merging of light and shadow that they alone can create together. But saving their world from this disaster is a mere preface to his father’s more sinister schemes, and his wife is a burning flame in the darkness, tempting both his loyalties and his desires.
The Hurricane Wars aren’t over. It’s time to choose what—and who—to fight for. The world holds its breath amidst a whirlwind of new magic and old secrets that could change everything.
North Is the Night by Emily Rath
Release Date: December 17 from Erewhon Books
Why You’ll Love It: An action-packed female-led historical fantasy inspired by Finnish folklore, North is the Night follows a pair of young women who must fight their way back to one another after being torn apart by the gods. Described as perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Danielle Jensen, and Genevieve Gornichec, this story of faith, bravery, and determination mixes hefty culturally specific worldbuilding with a moving central relationship.
Publisher’s Description: In the Finnish wilderness, more than wolves roam the dark forests. For Siiri and Aina, summer’s fading light is a harbinger of unwelcome change. Land-hungry Swedes venture north, threatening the peace; a zealous Christian priest denounces the old ways; and young women have begun to disappear.
Siiri vows to protect Aina from danger. But even Siiri cannot stop a death goddess from dragging her friend to Tuonela, the mythical underworld. Determined to save Aina, Siiri braves a dangerous journey north to seek the greatest shaman of legend, the only person to venture to the realm of death and return alive.
In Tuonela, the cruel Witch Queen turns Aina’s every waking moment into a living nightmare. But armed with compassion and cleverness, Aina learns the truth of her capture: the king of the underworld himself has plans for her. To return home, Aina must bargain her heart—as Siiri plots a daring rescue of the woman she loves the most.
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
Release Date: December 24 from Tundra Books
Why You’ll Love It: The long-awaited sequel to Iron Widow, the Pacific Rim-tinged fantasy retelling of the rise of female emperor Wu Zeitan, finally arrives after several delays this month. A much slower and more character-driven installment, Heavenly Tyrant is the story of what comes after the first shot of a revolution, and spends a lot of time exploring themes of government, politics, and the mechanics of reform. As sequels go, it’s very different and occasionally frustrating and probably won’t appeal to everyone who loved its predecessor. But it deserves applause for the way it swings for the fences.
Publisher’s Description: After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself on the seat of power in Huaxia, but she has also learned that her world is not as it seems. Revelations about an enemy who dangles one of her loved ones as a hostage force Zetian to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite their mutual dislike and distrust, the two must work together to take down their common enemy and stoke a revolution against the systems of exploitation that plague their world.
However, power is not so easy to wield once seized, and a revolution is not so easy to control once unleashed. As Huaxia’s former elites strike back and the common people’s fervor for justice turns bloody and paranoid, can Zetian remain a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance and liberation?
Lacy Baugher Milas is the Books Editor at Paste Magazine, but loves nerding out about all sorts of pop culture. You can find her on Twitter @LacyMB