Welcome to THE BEST BOOKS OF 2025: REVIEWER'S CHOICE!! Reactor's book reviewers have come together to recommend their favorite 2025 reads. How many have you read?
reactormag.com/reviewers-cho…
ALT Text reads "That one friend that's too into illustrated fantasy covers" with a woman surrounded by book covers, including Priory of the Orange Tree, The Way of Kings, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, The Colour of Magic, Dragons of Winter Twilight, The Art of Prophecy, Golden Fool, The Unbroken, and A Dark and Drowning Tide
the entire concept of knighthood and bodyguards especially in fiction is inherently homoerotic. you've devoted your entire life to protecting this one person? you willingly risk your life for them everyday? ok i know what you are
ALT The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo; Wake The Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne; The Twisted Ones by T Kingfisher; John the Balladeer by Manly Wade Wellman; Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White; The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister
You wanted it...it's almost here!
Palamedes Sextus and Ianthe Tridentarius match wits on a dreamlike battlefield...
"The Unwanted Guest" by @tazmuir, originally published in the trade paperback edition of Nona the Ninth, available to read September 18th at Reactor!
something that people seem to miss in all the m/m vs f/f discourse is that i don't really want to read slice of life or deeply realistic stories about lesbian experiences, i want to read a 3000 page fantasy epic where the lesbians almost die twice and kill god
@AJWhiteAuthor's YA dystopian horror novel Hell Followed With Us is officially getting an animated adaptation by Lilly Wachowski! It's time for things to get WEIRD. It's time for things to get GORY!!
reactormag.com/lilly-wachows…
We are thrilled to announce the Wind and Truth Readalong at Reactor Magazine! Every Monday starting July 29th, join us for a new chapter from Book 5 of the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson!
reactormag.com/read-brandon-…
ICYMI: More than 500 people told us their Most Iconic SFF Books of the 21st Century. Here's the final top 10!
ALT The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin; All Systems Red by Martha Wells; Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie; Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir; Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey; This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone; The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers; A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine; The Martian by Andy Weir; and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
A while ago, we asked authors for their nominations for Most Iconic SFF Books of the 21st Century. We asked what readers thought, and 500 responses later (!!!), we're excited to present The Most Iconic SFF Books of the 21st Century (Readers' Choice):
reactormag.com/readers-pick-…
Some recommendations for deep sea/oceanic/aquatic horror! For when you Don't Want To Go Down There
ALT Six book covers on a dark purple background. The books are The Deep by Nick Cutter; Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield; Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant; Chlorine by Jade Song; Starfish by Peter Watts; and Dead Sea by Tim Curran
While we're waiting on Alecto the Ninth, may we interest you in some academic reading?
Here's a helpful guide to get you started - everything here [and more!] can be read for free at Reactor Magazine!
#thelockedtomb#GideonTheNinth#reactormag#tlt
ALT A graphic of a pyramid with three labels ("Informative," "Lesbians," and "Silly") at the three corners. Different essays about The Locked Tomb from Reactormag.com sit along the pyramid depending on which traits they align with
Ahead of season 2's premiere, let's look at how Interview with the Vampire became one of the single best shows on television:
reactormag.com/how-interview…
Palamedes Sextus and Ianthe Tridentarius match wits on a dreamlike battlefield...
"The Unwanted Guest" by @tazmuir is now free to read at Reactor! And if you happen to have drawn fanart for any particular scene...or outfit...feel free to tag us 🦴
reactormag.com/the-unwanted-…
We're excited to reveal the cover for Vesuvius by Cass Biehn! A high-stakes YA historical fantasy about two boys running up against their destinies in the final days before Pompeii's destruction.
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
Read WIND AND TRUTH, the new Stormlight Archive book from @BrandSanderson ...starting now! The serialization kicks off with the Preface and Prologue, with new chapters coming every Monday on Reactor.
reactormag.com/read-wind-and…
IT'S HERE!!!
30 of the MOST ANTICIPATED science fiction, fantasy, and horror books for the rest of 2025, as read and compiled by Reactor books editor Christina Orlando. Happy reading!!
reactormag.com/30-more-sff-t…
We're excited to reveal the cover AND an excerpt from They Bloom at Night by @nvtran - a new YA horror crawling with red algae and haunted by creatures of the past...
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death dropped one year ago. Today, we're counting down the best quiet, impactful moments from that season:
#ofmdreactormag.com/the-best-quie…
It’s a great time to read speculative fiction.
We asked over 50 authors about the most iconic SFF books of this century. Here's what they had to say.
reactormag.com/the-most-icon…
Happy Trans Rights Readathon! Some trans book recs for you!
ALT Six book covers on a light pink background. The books are: Pet by Akwaeke Emezi; The Seep by Chana Porter; Embodied Exegesis, edited by Ann LeBlanc; Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane; Countess by Suzan Palumbo; The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo
We are thrilled to present the cover for Tailored Realities by @BrandSanderson!
A new collection featuring stories, illustrations, and author's notes from beyond the Cosmere universe, Tailored Realities brings together 10 works of short fiction!
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
You don’t think we could drop Iconic SFF ballots without including the incredible C.L. Clark, did you? @C_L_Clark is the author of The Magic of the Lost series, starting with The Unbroken. They’re also known for their stellar book recommendations!
ALT An image that reads “Most Iconic SFF Books of the 21st Century” at the top with “CL Clark #iconicsff” at the bottom. The books featured are: The Winged Histories by Sofia Samatar; Hild by Nicola Griffith; The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson; The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin; Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer; Metal From Heaven by August Clarke; Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton; The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman; Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey; Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Iconic wuxia novel The Legends of the Condor Heroes comes to theaters this month as The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants, and fans of explosions and large spinning discs will enjoy the trailer:
reactormag.com/the-legend-of…
By popular demand, we're bringing you SIX (6) recommendations for space horror books centered on female characters!! Wait-what was that sound? One moment–I'm going to check the airlock. I'm sure it was nothing...
ALT The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling; The Outside by Ada Hoffmann; Dead Space by Kali Wallace; This World Is Not Yours by Kemi Ashing-Giwa; Ghost Station by SA Barnes; The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown
We're thrilled to help reveal the cover for Embodied Exegesis: Transfeminine Cyberpunk Futures! This collection, edited by Ann LeBlanc, contains 19 speculative stories by transfem authors. You can check out the table of contents and cover now!
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
It looks like The Wheel of Time season three will dig into a certain relationship a little bit than the books...Reactor spoke with The Wheel of Time Rafe Judkins on what to expect! #WOTreactormag.com/the-wheel-of-…
Looking for the perfect recap of @BrandSanderson's Stormlight Archive so far?
Here's everything you need to know about the major players and epic moments before we start previewing chapters from WIND AND TRUTH on 7/29! (W&T out from @torbooks on 12/6!)
reactormag.com/before-wind-a…
We're excited to help reveal the covers for books 2 and 3 in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by @mattdinniman! Carl's Doomsday Scenario and The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook are here to level up your day 💥
reactormag.com/revealing-car…
Continuing on the Wind and Truth Read-along with @BrandSanderson, let's revisit some favorite characters - and our first illustration - in chapters 1 and 2! 🖊️
reactormag.com/read-wind-and…
We are overjoyed to reveal a graphic novel edition of Ursula K. Le Guin's fantasy classic A Wizard of Earthsea, coming 2025
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
We're thrilled to help reveal the cover for A Palace Near the Wind, a science fantasy novella with themes of family, rebellion, and king-killing plots by @AiJiang_reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
Being in Szeth's head is always interesting. Plus, the rulers of Roshar grapple with their dire new reality in @BrandSanderson's WIND AND TRUTH--come share your thoughts on this week's chapters!
reactormag.com/wind-and-trut…
Have you seen the first 5 episodes of The Wheel of Time season 3?? If so (or if you light-blinded fools don't mind spoilers), Madeleine Madden talks about her new power–AND her relationship with Rand–in this new interview with Reactor: #WoTShowSpoilersreactormag.com/the-wheel-of-…
Your 🚨final reminder🚨 that we have a new Murderbot short story coming out right here at Reactor, tonight after the season finale! Okay ty enjoy hehe
#Murderbot
We are thrilled to reveal the cover (+excerpt) from @omersarae's The Gryphon King! A new Southwest Asian-inspired fantasy brimming with morally ambiguous characters and deadly monsters, The Gryphon King soars into bookstores July 8, 2025 from @TitanBooks:
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
Predatory morticians. Gullah funeral traditions. Southern Gothic coming-of-age. Fantastical Charleston.
We’re over the moon to announce Psychopomp and Circumstance, a Reconstruction Era novella by @EdenRoyce, coming soon from @TorDotComPub!
reactormag.com/book-announce…
We're excited to announce that we'll be releasing weekly audio chapters of @BrandSanderson's Wind and Truth along with our preview chapters starting August 26!
reactormag.com/audiobook-cha…
It's here! Reactor's 30 Most Anticipated Books of 2025, read and compiled by books editor Christina Orlando. If you're searching for your next fantasy, science fiction, or horror favorite, there's no better place to start 📖
reactormag.com/30-sff-titles…
We're excited to reveal the cover for The Hymn To Dionysus by @natasha_pulley! This reimagining of Greek mythology follows Phaedros as he grapples with both the politics of gods and his own madness.
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
We are thrilled to announce @torbooks' acquisition of When They Burned the Butterfly by @wenyilee_! An adult novel described as "Silvia Moreno-Garcia meets Fonda Lee" in 1972 Sinapore, you can read an excerpt on Reactor now!
reactormag.com/book-announce…
Could Star Trek: Prodigy be the best of the new Trek series? Well, Keith R.A. DeCandido binged season 2 in one night to let us know!
[Spoilers ahead!]
reactormag.com/television-re…
Hello Reactor readers! It's your Books Editor Christina Orlando coming at you live from the Hugo Awards! I'm gonna be bringing you all the news throughout the night, so stay tuned. What books are you rooting for this year?
This AAPI month, we're highlighting some favorites from the Reactor team! What are your favorites?
ALT Six books on a seafoam background. The words “AAPI Heritage Month Recommendations” is in dark blue font in the middle of the image. The books are The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jiminez; The City in Glass by Nghi Vo; Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake; The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi; The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei; Every Drop Is A Man’s Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto
2024 was an incredible year for African SFF short fiction. Author @WTalabi (Convergence Problems, Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon) highlights ten (plus a few more) outstanding examples:
reactormag.com/the-best-afri…
We are both thrilled and chilled to help reveal the cover and an excerpt of Coup de Grâce, a psychological horror novel following a young man trapped in an infinite subway station, for fans of House of Leaves and Piranesi...
reactormag.com/revealing-cou…
We're excited to help announce Amplitudes: Stories of Queer and Trans Futurity, an anthology of 22 stories of queer hope, joy, and triumph edited by @leemandelo!
reactormag.com/amplitudes-st…
Tor Publishing Group (@torbooks) and Tor UK (@UKTor) are delighted to announce a joint, multi-book deal for 10 more books from author John Scalzi (@scalzi)!
The first book of the new contract is tentatively scheduled for 2029.
reactormag.com/tor-publishin…
When their rental truck breaks down, two friends moving cross-country kill time by telling stories about the strange carving in front of the motel where they’re awaiting a mechanic...
"Parthenogenesis" by @SGJ72 is out on Reactor now!
reactormag.com/parthenogenes…
We are excited to announce that we are becoming Reactor!! We're bringing you a new look and a new name, but with all the same short fiction, articles, and rereads that you know and love.
tor.com/2024/01/09/tor-com-t…
Bong Joon-Ho said "Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films."
As many readers have discovered, the same is true for books! Xueting C. Ni recommends 5 new translated Chinese SFF books!
reactormag.com/beyond-liu-ci…
We're starting your Monday off with some recommendations for translated fiction, specifically focused on Korean science fiction and fantasy!
What are your favorites here, and what other books do you recommend?
ALT Six book covers on a light pink background. The books are: I’m Waiting for You and Other Stories by Kim Bo-Young; Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung; Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-Il Kim; Walking Practice by Dolki Min; Everything Good Dies Here by Djuna; and The Black Orb by Ewhan Kim
Well, @LordGrimdark's The Devils releases in a few weeks on May 13th, and you have to be realistic about these things. Join us for the last week of our extended preview with chapters 10-12!
reactormag.com/excerpt-the-d…
It seems like people like the niche book recommendation graphics we've been doing lately (ex. Appalachian horror/fantasy of manners/etc.)
If you could receive a highly specific book recommendation list of your choosing, what would you ask for?
We're thrilled to help announce The Villa, Once Beloved by @VictorManibo! Explore family history, fascism, colonialism, and the horrors of the past haunting the present in this Filipinx Gothic from @ErewhonBooks:
reactormag.com/book-announce…
@sapphomancer's adult fantasy Metal from Heaven has it all: labor uprisings, expansive worldbuilding, lesbians competing for marriage... It's time to read an excerpt of your next fall favorite:
reactormag.com/excerpts-meta…
We are thrilled to announce Nghi Vo's new standalone epic love story The City in Glass, described as This Is How You Lose the Time War meets Good Omens 🌃
reactormag.com/book-announce…
It's here! The Nov./Dec. short fiction bundle is available for FREE download onto your Kindle, computer, clay tablet, etc. Featuring stories from authors Nghi Vo, Cory Doctorow, Kerstin Hall, Kathleen Jennings, Nisi Shawl, and Lyndsie Manusos.
tor.com/2024/01/11/download-…
We are thrilled to reveal the cover and an excerpt from Academy of Liars, a new dark academia novel from none other than Alexis Henderson!
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
We are deeply saddened to report that Terry Bisson, author of Wyrldmaker, the The Fifth Element, and numerous short stories including "Bears Discover Fire," has passed away.
tor.com/2024/01/11/author-te…
Some indie + self-pub + underrated Black SFF books for your Black History month tbr! #booktwt
ALT Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson; Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden; An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon; The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson; Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi; and The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi
ALT Loving Safoa by Liza Wemakor; That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams; A Ruin of Shadows by L.D. Lewis; City of Dancing Gargoyles by Tara Campbell; The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez; and Empire of the Feast by Bendi Barrett
ALT A Necessary Chaos by Brent Lambert; Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi; We Are The Origin by C.M. Lockhart; Meji: Book One by Milton J. Davis; The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson; and Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus
To celebrate the release of his new book The Devils, @LordGrimdark is hitting the road for a book tour! Reactor is excited to reveal the door dates, locations, and guests–see you there!
reactormag.com/author-tour-j…
As promised, we’re sharing the selections for "Most Iconic SFF Books of the 21st Century" from a few authors who wanted to highlight the stories they love. Coming to you first with the talented @OlivieBlake! #iconicsff
ALT An image that reads “Most Iconic SFF Books of the 21st Century” at the top with “Olivie Blake #iconicsff” at the bottom. The books featured are: Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki; Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez; Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas; Sundial by Catriona Ward; A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab; Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey; Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko; Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; I’m Waiting for You by Kim Bo-Young; and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
ALT Six books on a seafoam green background. Text in the middle reads “French SFF”. The books are I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman; A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos; Ashes Ashes by Rene Barjavel; The Anomaly by Harvé Le Tellier; The Book of Knights by Yves Meynard; and Malevil by Robert Merle
Our first discussion of @BrandSanderson’s WIND AND TRUTH kicks off with a new perspective & new questions about the Stormfather, the Heralds, and everything we thought we knew...
reactormag.com/wind-and-trut…
2024 was another AMAZING year for Reactor's original fiction! Here's a list of all the incredible short stories, novellas, and novelettes by your favorite authors published this year! What were your favorites?
reactormag.com/all-of-reacto…
We're excited to announce the acquisition of 3 novellas and 2 new novels from Olivia Waite, author of The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics!
reactormag.com/tor-publishin…
For your Friday reading, we bring you:
LONG BOOK RECS and SHORT BOOK RECS.
DOORSTOPPERS and POCKET BOOKS.
What are some of your favorites?
ALT A collage of book covers against a beige background, including Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke,; Hild by Nicola Griffith; The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter; The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu; Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky; and Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
ALT A collage of book covers against a dark green background, including The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho; The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi; The Faerie Hounds of York by Arden Powell; If Found Return to Hell by Em X Liu; The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht; and Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
As longform writing finds less and less support online, the Reactor team wants to highlight some of the articles we've been perusing lately. We're calling this the
#Longformstorm - and we want to know what you've been reading too
We're thrilled to reveal the cover for @byalexcrespo's queer supernatural thriller A Feast for the Eyes!
In the hunt to photograph a monster who devours secrets...learn the cost of keeping them hidden. Coming October 7, 2025!
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
The category is: speculative fiction you may not already know, guaranteed to haunt you #booktwt
ALT A collage of book covers, including The Repeat Room by Jesse Ball, The Novices of Lerna Ángel Bonomini, Chlorine by Jade Song, Smothermoss by Alisa Alering, The Invisible Hotel by Yeji Y. Ham, and Ghost Music by An Yu
We're excited to share the cover for Countess by @sillysyntax, described as a queer, anti-colonial revenge story similar to The Count of Monte Cristo, set in space:
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
Tor is the new home for Seanan McGuire's October Daye and InCryptid series, with the new first new book coming spring 2025!
reactormag.com/book-announce…
We are ecstatic to reveal the cover for The Dark We Know, @wenyilee_'s chilling YA horror for fans of The Haunting of Hill House and She Is a Haunting!
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
We're thrilled to reveal the cover and an excerpt for The Crimson Road by @AngelaSlatter
In the same world as All The Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns, and The Briar Book of the Dead, The Crimson Road is a dark gothic fantasy full of witches and blood.
reactormag.com/cover-reveal-…
Set in the same thrilling world as @gen_dimova's The Witch's Compendium of Monsters series, Ace Up Her Sleeve is a standalone, spoiler-free story featuring the fire witch Kosara, who must match wits with the Tsar of Monsters in a high-stakes card game...
ALT Two hands grasp for an ace of spades playing card: one pale, one dark black. Knives, tentacles, and shadowy swirls surround them
When their truck breaks down, two friends kill time by telling stories about the strange carving in front of the motel where they’re awaiting a mechanic...
Next week. "Parthenogenesis" by @SGJ72
Illustration by @brianbritigan | Edited by @EllenDatlow
ALT The name of the story - as well as an ominous red deer head - hover over a small motel bathed in red sunlight. The name of the author sites at the bottom of the image.
We are thrilled to help announce Tall is Her Body by @chevotiere - a sweeping, multicultural story focusing on colonialism, Catholicism, and immigration. And you can read an excerpt now!
reactormag.com/erewhon-annou…
Simon thought he left his interest in the infamous “The Sunshine Killer” and his cult behind in childhood, but the past may be closer than he realized…
"The Two Musics" by @MichaelTCisco is out
Illustration by @NatalieFFoss | Edited by @AnnVanderMeer ☀️
reactormag.com/the-two-music…