Djinn Like a Lion: 10 Splendiferous New SFF Books Out March 2024

This is a collection of poetry, Afrofuturism, and flash fiction that asks mind-bending questions about the universe. In this book, there are many universes in (you probably guessed it) the middle of nowhere. What if a Black woman was god of one of the universes? What if Black women were gods of all the universes? What would the lives of all the characters and creatures on these inventive pages look like then? Anastacia-Reneé has some ideas.

Spun from the award-winning novelette Folding Beijing, this is an exciting novel of first contact. In the future, the world is split into two factions, the Pacific League of Nations and the Atlantic Division of Nations. When three scientists from the Pacific discover that an alien race is sending messages to Earth, they attempt to make contact before the more aggressive Atlantic part of the world takes a harsher stance against the extraterrestrials. And in case you missed it, this novel is translated by the award-winning author Ken Liu!

We here at Book Riot are BIG fans of Johnson’s last novel, The Space Between Worlds. And this promises to be another exciting sci-fi mystery of murder and mystery set in the same world. Scales is a mechanic and fighter in Ashtown, outside the wealthy Wiley City. She’s also the only trusted member of the Emperor’s crew. But when an inexplicable murder happens, and soon more follow, Scales must track an unknown killer under the heart of Wiley City. And into her own past.

Premee Mohamed has quickly become one of my auto-buy authors. This is the second of three books she has coming in 2024 (that we know about), a dystopian novel of war and resistance. It’s about a jailed pacifist named Alefret, who is offered a chance at his freedom by the enemy. In order to gain his life back, he must infiltrate the enemy city’s anti-war protesters and incite them to rise up. But maybe Alefret has an idea of how to just end war altogether.

Cozy sci-fi fans, rejoice! This is a fun novel about a spaceship ship, which also happens to be a luxury hotel. No, not on Fhloston. The Grand Abeona Hotel sails around the solar system, offering the finest in space travel. Carl has been the manager of the hotel for a long time—and a passenger for even longer, ever since he hid onboard. He is at the heart of this story with plenty of mysteries. Like, who is driving the ship, and who is leaving love letters in the lobby? (Say that five times fast.) It’s also about found family, rebels and spies, secrets, and what makes a place a home.

From far in the future, we now travel wayyy back into the past. 60 CE in Britain, to be exact. This is a feminist fantasy retelling of the story of Herla and the Wild Hunt. Herla had hoped to save her people and her land from the Romans by making a deal with the king of the Otherworld. (Julia Roberts voice: Big mistake. Huge.) When she finally escapes the Otherworld, everyone is long gone, and she must carry out her days cursed. But a chance meeting with the queen of the land may help Herla break her curse. That is, if the ancient Otherworld magic doesn’t take over the land first.

Hard sci-fi space marriage of convenience? YES, PLEASE. On a terraformed colony on Mars, a ballet dancer-turned-refugee named January crosses paths with a horrible Mars politician, Aubrey Gale. Gale, who is from Mars and who is campaigning with a xenophobic platform. But when Gale’s political aspirations blow up in their face, they propose a deal with January. To appease the public and fix Gale’s image, they will wed. But as their relationship grows, January discovers Gale is different than their public persona. And he begins to worry someone is trying to kill Gale and destroy the colony.

In this epic fantasy debut, two men find each other and fall in love again and again for a lonnng time: 4 BCE to the present-day raves of Los Angeles. As these two men reunite and are drawn to each other without realizing their souls have met before, the universe conspires to throw danger and doom in their paths. Can two souls recognize one another from another life? And will they get a happily ever after?

Last, but not least, a debut first book in an exciting new YA fantasy duology! Nhika is a bloodcarver, one who can change the physical form of another with a touch. In the city of Theumas, bloodcarvers are no longer revered for their healing skills. Instead, they are feared and hunted. When Nhika is captured, she is forced to use her gift of healing and winds up embroiled in a high-profile murder case. And it turns out the person she suspects of the killing isn’t who he claims to be. And something else terrible looms on the city’s horizon.