November means SciFiMonth here at There’s Always Room For One More, but there’s more than just SF to enjoy in the month’s new releases! I’m very late posting this month because life is overwhelmingly busy, but I’d hate you to miss out on these upcoming (or now up and come) books…

There may be more than just great SF heading our way, but if you’re looking for some freshly-minted SF titles to add to your SciFiMonth TBR, I’m here to help.

With its bold retro cover art, Celestial by MD Lachlan stands out from the crowd. Stir in a linguist protagonist (one of my favourite SF perspectives) and a mystery on the Moon and I am already strapped in for this alternative history of the space race. Out now from Gollancz. 

Lavie Tidhar is an author who I am long overdue reading, whose range is as broad as their concepts are fascinating. Neom is currently a utopian dream: a yet-to-be-built megacity. In far future Neom, it is the nexus of sea and desert, earth and stars; an ancient city where love and revolution are stirring. You can visit from November 9, courtesy of Tachyon Publications.

Julie E Czerneda is another author who I really need to get started on – upcoming stand-alone To Each This World (DAW Books, November 15) sounds like the perfect starting point. A mission has been despatched to find and retrieve generation ships launched in an earlier era, to bring them safely home. There’s a suggestion of greater threat, but I’m intrigued by the implicit questions of cultural drift and generational divide. Will the ships want to come home to Earth?

The big three releases for SciFiMonth almost need no introduction – I’ve seen reviews for two of them already! – but I’m too invested in all three not to mention them here in case you’ve missed out (don’t miss out).

Ocean’s Echo is the second tale by Everina Maxwell; a not-a-sequel to last year’s read-along Winter’s Orbit set in the same universe and promising further tales of political and romantic complications. It sounds like the perfect way to spend a rainy weekend. Out now from Orbit.

For all I say I’m not wild about retellings, I’m weak for history reimagined as space opera. The Stars Undying is Emery Robin’s debut, with Cleopatra Altagracia seeking to overturn her twin sister’s rule through romantic and political alliance with Caesar Commander Matheus Ceirran and his mistrustful right hand Antony Anita. Damn right I’m here for a queer, gender-swapped, space-set take on the dawn of the Roman Empire… Out now from Tor.

The Red Scholar’s Wake is Aliette de Bodard’s first novel-length tale from the sprawling tapestry of her Xuya universe. Historically inspired, it features a talented engineer made an offer she can’t refuse by a pirate queen in mourning (who happens to be a sentient spaceship). Expect love, tea and space battles on November 24th (Gollancz).

The next two titles are tales of magical women inhabiting an otherwise familiar world – I’d call them fantasy, but I suspect you’ll find them located in the general Fiction section. The Weather Woman is Sally Gardner’s latest, a historical novel set in London between the two Frost Fairs where a young woman goes to great lengths to disguise herself in order to protect her inexplicable gift for weather forecasting. Out from Apollo on November 10th.

The Wilderwomen by Ruth Emmie Lang (which reminds me I still need to read Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance) is a cosy supernatural tale of family. One sister can see the future; the other sees the echoes of other people’s memories – they must combine their gifts to find their mother, five years vanished. Out from St Martin’s Press on November 15th.

A random assorted trio to close out the month: Rebecca Roanhorse is back with new novella Tread of Angels, introducing a world of earthbound descendants of angelic war. Expect social hierarchy, sisterly devotion, emotional entanglement and murder on the menu on November 17th (Rebellion).

Sharon Shinn is another author I’ve been meaning to get acquainted with; The Shuddering City (November 22nd, Fairwood Press) is a stand-alone (I think) of forbidden love and mysterious powers in a city about to shake itself apart.

I’ll close with The Hollows by Daniel Church, as I’ve been really enjoying my folk horror this year and this one is set in an area I know well for maximum shudders. A rural community in England’s Peak District is isolated by snow storms – which would be bad enough without a mysterious killer closing in. Ancient gods vs a woman determined to protect her community? Sounds like a good winter’s night in. With the door locked. Out now from Angry Robot.

What books coming out this month are you excited for?

All release dates and publishers are for the UK unless otherwise mentioned.