New science fiction and fantasy titles

As always, this month’s selection covers a wide range of titles exploring many different worlds and cultures; some based in the real world, others from imagined realities. There’s also a range from debut works, and hotly tipped international bestsellers.

Our first selection comes in the form of Kaliane Bradley’s debut novel The ministry of time. Published to rave reviews from the likes of The Cosmopolitan, the book’s plot revolves around a civil servant who is offered a huge salary to gather “expats” from across history to see if time travel is possible.

Our next pick is Goddess of the river by Vaishnavi Patel, a sumptuous reimagining of the story of Ganga, goddess of the river of the same name.

The practice, the horizon, and the chain by Sofia Samatar has been described as “embodying the legacy of Ursula K. Le Guin”. In this novel, we follow a revolutionary and exhausted dreamer who sets out on a mystical, space adventure.

The pattern of the world by J. T Greathouse is the conclusion to British Fantasy Award-nominated Pact and Pattern fantasy series, in which a warrior with magical powers must unpick his greatest feat which turned out to be, ironically, also his greatest failure.

International bestselling author Hannah Whitten delivers the second instalment of The Nightshade Crown series, called The hemlock queen. This is a tale of mysterious dark forces in her dangerous and dazzling world of the Sainted King's court.

The Honey Witch by Sydney J Shields is a tender and whimsical magical love story.

To round things off for fans of The Doll Factory and The Miniaturist, we have The theatre of glass and shadows by Anne Corlett, set in an alternate London’s Theatre District.

Below is our full list of selected titles from this month’s newly acquired science fiction and fantasy novels.

• The practice, the horizon, and the chain / Samatar, Sofia
• The ministry of time / Bradley, Kaliane
• Goddess of the river / Patel, Vaishnavi
• The pattern of the world / Greathouse, J. T
• The Honey Witch / Shields, Sydney J
• The hemlock queen / Whitten, Hannah
• Play of shadows by De Castell, Sebastien
• The theatre of glass and shadows / Anne Corlett