Saga/S. & S

With intricate worldbuilding and a unique magic system, Robinson draws readers in and delivers a compelling debut that will captivate fans of Nicola Tyche’s North Queen.

Kwan (Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love) offers a low-heat, medium-violence romantasy based on Chinese folklore.

There’s plenty to savor in this first book in the “Tides of Magic” trilogy for fans of Patrick O’Brian’s “Aubrey/Maturin” novels, readers seeking a new fantasy to fill the void left by the end of Naomi Novik’s “Temeraire” series, lovers of Our Flag Means Death, those looking for a less-cozy take on Rebecca Thorne’s Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, and anyone who’d like to rehash the Napoleonic Wars with a compelling narrative, great characters, swashbuckling derring-do, and epic, heartbreaking betrayals.

A high fantasy that’s also cozy, the latest from Beagle (The Way Home; The Last Unicorn) is recommended for fans of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust and Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust.