May is nearly upon us, so it’s time to take a look at what bookish delights will be heading our way in the coming weeks. If There’s Always Room For One More, these are books I need to make some room for…

May has been looking juicy, but there’s nothing like a global pandemic to throw the best laid plans into disarray. With bookshops closed, staff shortages at warehouses and printers not necessarily open to even make books, publishing schedules have been shifting faster than a cardsharp’s hands.

None of these reversals have got in Murderbot’s way, mind.

Yes, everybody’s favourite socially anxious cyborg is the only book on my May watch list that hasn’t slipped. Am I surprised? No. Nobody messes with Murderbot. Murderbot would appreciate it if you could maintain an antisocial distance at all times, and on that basis will condescend to come back to save your ass as planned on May 5th. Note: there will be no displays of affection and strictly no hugging when Network Effect comes out.

I am only halfway through the Murderbot novellas, which isn’t diminishing my excitement for a whole damn book in the slightest.

I was looking forward to Adrian Tchaikovsky’s new stand-alone portal scifantasy The Doors of Eden (with some trepidation, but nonetheless). This release has shuffled back to August, but for those with a stronger constitution than mine right now, Firewalkers – Tchaikovsky’s dystopian novella of class and climate change – will still be out from Solaris on May 12th.

May 14th sees HarperVoyager release a stunning new edition of Barbara Hambly’s classic portal fantasy, the Darwath trilogy starting with The Time of the Dark. Political fantasy meets Pitch Black as two young Californians are whisked to a world under threat from the dark itself. My big question is whether I can shoehorn a reread into my Wyrd and Wonder line-up… Maybe it’s a Spooktastic Read?

Correction: I included Annihilation Aria by Michael R Underwood in February’s Make Some Room, but it seems this was a US only release in the end. Happily we are now confirmed for a UK release on May 5th. A xeno-archaeologist, a warrior woman with a mission, a snarky cyborg with a secret, tentacular overlords and SPACE TURTLES – set the dial for pulp adventure and strap in. I loved Underwood’s work on Born to the Blade, so I’ve already got the popcorn on for this.

A special shout out goes to Phoenix Extravagant, the new stand-alone fantasy by Yoon Ha Lee. The official Rebellion release will now be in the autumn (so expect to see it here in a few months), but for those keen to lay hands on a tale of magic dragon mecha, it will be the May book of the month for Goldsboro Books new SFF bookclub.

What are you looking forward to in May?

All release dates quoted are for the UK.