Welcome to Future Fiction, my reimagining of the Waiting on Wednesday meme! There are so many amazing new books coming out, that I can no longer pick just one. My goal with Future Fiction is to share at least three new books each week, a combination of recent cover reveals and books that I’ve recently added to my TBR pile. I’m still going to be linking up with Wishful Endings/Can’t Wait Wednesday, and I also want to give a shout out to Jill at Breaking the Spine for starting the original Waiting on Wednesday meme. I hope you’ll find some new books to add to your TBR piles, and as always, I look forward to hearing what YOU’RE looking forward to:-D
This week, a trio of Summer 2022 fantasy releases!
A twisty tale of card sharps and con artists, in a world of magic where secrets are traded and gambled like coin. The Lies of Locke Lamora meets Casino Royale
When gambler and failed magician Valen Quinol is given the opportunity to play in the Forbearance Game—the invitation-only game where players gamble with secrets—he can’t resist. Or refuse, as it turns out…
Wedged between the empires of Cadogna and L’Ombre, tiny Valtiffe holds on tightly to its independence—and to the opportunities for trade, politics and smuggling it offers. But powerful forces are bearing down on the island nation, and soon Valen and his misfit crew are caught up in a game where the fates of whole countries are at stake, and lives are as easily discarded as playing cards.
The Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston. Releases in June 2022 from Solaris. This sounds like fun! I love The Lies of Locke Lamora comparison, and I’m definitely keeping this on my radar.
Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.
But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence… because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.
But why?
To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps…
Perfect for fans of Joe Hill and V.E. Schwab, The Cartographers is an ode to art and science, history and magic—a spectacularly imaginative, modern story about an ancient craft and places still undiscovered.
The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd. Releases in March 2022 from William Morrow. I missed Shepherd’s last book, The Book of M, which I heard really good things about. I’m not about to miss this, doesn’t it sound amazing?
The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation.
Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.
When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will.
Most of them.
The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake. Releases in March 2022 from Tor Books. You may have caught the buzz surrounding this originally self published book. I believe it was a recent Tik Tok sensation, and then Tor picked it up for publication. I’m excited, it sounds so good!
Reading a sentence like “The Lies of Locke Lamora meets Casino Royale” makes me want to read The Knave of Secrets right NOW… 😉
I know! Great comparison, and I hope the book lives up to it:-)
The worldbuilding in The Atlas Six and the Knave of secrets sound amazing!
I agree, lots of strong worldbuilding this week:-)
The Knave of Secrets sounds really good, especially because the game is gambling with secrets. Very intriguing!
The Cartographers sounds equally intriguing. I love that according to the synopsis it’s an ode to art and science, history and magic.
Aaaand The Atlas Six is going STRAIGHT on my to-buy list. Sounds amazing and absolutely my kinda read!
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Cover Reveal: Mafiosa Princess by Liza Malloy
I’m so excited for The Atlas Six too!
All of these sound great but The Knave of Secrets sounds awesome. All I had to hear was The Lies of Locke Lamora meets Casino Royale.
I love that comparison too:-)
Interesting timing. The Cartographers is about a gas station highway map. Just this past weekend I was having a discussion about these old maps and wondering if you can even get highway maps in gas stations anymore now that we usually use maps on our phones. For the longest time I had a book of local maps in my car even while using my phone, just in case. Now all I have are trail maps for various parks I visit and hike. 🙂
What a cool thing to remember! I carried a Thomas Guide in my car for years and that was the only way you could navigate. I’m pretty sure all my old TGs are gone, but now I wish I’d saved one:-)
Loving the sound of The Knave of Secrets, and I’ve been really excited for The Cartographers! I read The Atlas Six earlier this year and am glad it’s being picked up! I’m curious if there will be an editorial changes, as I think there were some things that didn’t work. I’m glad it still has a great cover because the original was also really nice!
I remember your review and I’m pretty sure that’s when I added The Atlas Six to my list. Can’t wait!
They all sound good, but I especially like the description of The Cartographers! (I still have a book by that author sitting unread on my shelf, so I should probably get to that one first). Great choices!
I’ve heard such good things about Shepherd’s first book, and I’d like to catch up as well.
I like the cover of The Cartographers. Happy Reading!
Cindy Davis recently posted…Can’t Wait Wednesday-The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water
Thanks for visiting, Cindy:-)
Heard a lot about Atlas Six on booktube and I am curious but at the same time I am not sure…lol. I think this is one for the library wishlist. 🙂
I’d like to see a few reviews first too. The author looks really young, not that that’s a bad thing, but still;-)
I love the Cartographers cover! All of these sound good. Hope you get your hands on them soon!
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…Blog Tour Review: Love in a Pickle (The Winters Sisters #3, Green Valley Library #9) by L.B. Dunbar
Thanks Lisa, me too!
Is it just me, or do these all have some kind of vibe in common? Like- I know the synopses and covers are different of course, but there is something about them that just makes me think they fit well together. They are all new to me, and look quite good! Thanks as always for sharing them!
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted…Reviews in a Minute: End of October Books
I think you’re right, they are all fantasy, of course, but there is a vibe:-)
I think I’ve got Atlas Six on my list, but that’s the only one I’m familiar with! Going to check out the others!
I’m so curious about Atlas Six!
That last one sounds awesome. A secret society, telepathy, empathy… yes please. The second one sounds really neat too.
Greg recently posted…The Lights of Prague
I know, it has a lot of great elements:-)
The Cartographers sounds really good, and I love that cover. The Atlas Six will be on my TBR list too 🙂
Yes, I also love the cover of The Cartographers!
I love the sound of the Cartographers – will be keeping my eye out for that one.
Lynn 😀
I’m excited to try the author:-)