One of the best parts about being invested in a sci-fi or fantasy series is theorizing about future plot threads and character arcs while waiting for the sequels to release. Will the rival queens put aside their differences and unite to fight a greater evil? Will the hero, after four books of slow-burn pining, ultimately get his heart’s desire? Will the character who was so unceremoniously killed off in book one somehow make a comeback in the finale?
Another aspect of obsessing over a book series is the sheer joy and excitement of having a new installment to look forward to. Regardless of whether the sequel exceeds one’s expectations or disappoints, reading a highly anticipated title and discussing it with fellow fans is quite the enthralling experience. And when you really care about the characters, you kind of don’t want their stories to end… ever.
While some writers are quite speedy, delivering follow-ups to their epic fantasy series each year or every other year, other authors prefer to take things slow, allowing ideas to marinate for a long time before penning a single word. Indeed, many years may pass before the much-awaited sequel appears on the horizon to reward the ever-patient reader.
So, if you’re one of those bookworms who prefers SFF series to standalones, we bring you a list of speculative books to add to your TBR pile. After all, waiting is more fun when there’s more people around; in the meantime, you can re-read the preceding books and make notes on what could possibly happen next!
The Doors of Stone by Patrick Rothfuss
Published in 2007, The Name of the Wind was an utterly refreshing epic fantasy novel, centering on the misadventures of Kvothe. The story is told in the form of flashbacks, with Kvothe narrating his life story to a scribe, detailing his childhood with a wandering troupe, the brutal murder of his family members, the years he spent as a street urchin, and finally his entry into a magical academy and almost getting expelled. With its unique magic systems and lyrical storytelling, The Name of the Wind sets the stage for (at least) two more books to follow.
The Wise Man’s Fear, published in 2011, continued the telling of Kvothe’s notorious exploits and expanded upon the fantastical settings. But the final volume in the trilogy, Doors of Stone still doesn’t have a release date—and it’s been over a decade already. So, while you wait for Rothfuss to pen the final chapter in Kvothe’s tale, you can check out the two novellas, The Slow Regard of Silent Things (2014) and The Narrow Road Between Desires (2023), focusing on secondary characters and set in the same fictional universe.
Ebon by Robin MicKinley
In her novel Pegasus, published in 2010, Robin McKinley created a wondrous universe where humans and Pegasi peacefully coexist. But their civilizations are vastly different, requiring Pegasi shamans and human magicians for communication. But our protagonist Princess Sylviianel and her Pegasus, Ebon, already share a special bond and can talk to each other.
Delicately and gently, McKinly paints a vivid picture of a spellbinding world, adrift with court politics and misunderstandings, leading to a dramatic, cliff-hanger ending that will make you hunger for the next installment. McKinley also has plans for a third book so while we await the conclusion to Sylviianel and Ebon’s emotional story, you can check out her other fairytale retellings.
The Winds of Winter by George R.R. Martin
The final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones ended on a whimper, and fans have been waiting for a more canon version of events from the author of the series himself. While five books in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series have been released so far, the sixth volume, The Winds of Winter and the seventh, A Dream of Spring still do not have a release date.
Right now, we have a few sample chapters for The Winds of Winter and repeated assurances that he’s still working on the novel. While we hope that the books may eventually get released, one can always revisit the land of Westeros by checking out Fire & Blood (2018), a prequel by Martin that details the fall of the Targaryen dynasty and its prestige TV adaptation, House of the Dragon, which boasts of some splendid battles involving dragons.
The Rose Field by Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials introduced readers to parallel universes and theological debates on the existence of God and the afterlife, while detailing a beautiful coming-of-age storyline of its young protagonists, Lyra and Will. Years later, Pullman returned to that universe with La Belle Sauvage, detailing a prequel adventure taking place when Lyra was just a baby, and followed it up with The Secret Commonwealth, set seven years after Lyra last said goodbye to Will.
In The Secret Commonwealth, Lyra’s relationship with her daemon Pantalaimon is on rocky waters, forcing them on separate paths. The final volume, The Rose Field, which will be published in October, will hopefully provide answers to the secrets of “Dust” and wrap up Lyra’s story.
Mistborn: Eras Three and Four by Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is definitely a novel-writing powerhouse, publishing books set in his Cosmere universe and beyond each year. But it’s precisely because he is working on multiple projects that the wait for individual books gets longer. While the first Mistborn trilogy introduced readers to fascinating hard magic systems and a world covered by ash, the Era Two books (Wax and Wayne series) expanded on the magic systems and took on a more swashbuckling Wild West flavor, as the planet of Scadrial improved with technological advancements.
Era Three is supposedly set in the early computer age, making use of retro technology and more plot involvement from Kelsier, while Era Four will have Sanderson veering into “space opera” territory. Sanderson has also stated that he would write the entire Era Three (Ghostbloods) trilogy first before releasing the books between late 2028 and 2030.
Featured image: Debby Hudson / Unsplash
