December Sci-Fi & Fantasy Bonanza: New Releases from Space Operas to Dystopian Mysteries
December 2, 2025
Sunset at Zero Point by Simon Stålenhag is a visually rich, retro‑futuristic dystopia set in an abandoned Swedish military site, featuring giant machines and two young explorers.
Overall December 2025 releases present a mix of illustrated novels, translated works, tie‑ins, and seasonal scheduling from early to late month.
The Village at the Edge of Noon by Darya Bobyleva is a translated Russian novel where roads vanish, the forest encroaches, and modern tech fades in the village.
The article notes io9 coverage should be consulted for Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who release calendars.
This Brutal Moon by Bethany Jacobs concludes The Kingdom Trilogy, a space opera filled with interstellar conspiracy, warfare, and a colony’s fight for freedom.
December brings a broad slate of sci‑fi, fantasy, and horror releases, including titles like Better in Black, The Dark Is Descending, Dawn of the Firebird, The Definitions, Fallen Gods, A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Cheating Death, Legend, The Library of Fates, The Mating Game, The Mills of the Gods, Secrets of the First School, Something Wicked, Tarou: The Fall, This Brutal Moon, The Turing Protocol, The Village at the End of Noon, and the anthology We Will Rise Again, each paired with a short descriptor.
A second wave hits December 9 with new releases such as Children of Fallen Gods, Dark Sisters, Her Time-Traveling Duke, Level: Apocalypse, Midnight Somewhere, Seeing Other People, Sunset at Zero Point, and Tailored Realities, each offering a concise premise.
Dragons Gone Wild by Dan Koboldt advances The Build-A-Dragon Sequence, focusing on domesticated dragons addressing ecological threats while monitoring risks of wild dragon emergence.
Edge of Oblivion by Kirk Weddell follows Mitch, a computer scientist, and his quantum AI Amie aboard a space station as a space‑time catastrophe threatens Earth.
The Cyprian by Mercedes Lackey and We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark close December with romantasy and vampire‑inspired fantasy themes.
We Will Rise Again, an anthology edited by Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, and Malka Older, blends fiction and essays on protest and hope with contributions from top writers.
Stranger Things: One Way or Another by Caitlin Schneiderhan centers on Nancy Wheeler and Robin Buckley solving a post‑Season 4 mystery linked to illness and Upside Down danger, with a tie‑in tone.
A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara is the second S.C.Y.T.H.E. Mystery, a cozy thriller in which Nora Bird protects her twin brother from looming death as mysterious forces close in.
Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson gathers non‑Cosmere short fiction, including a brand‑new Moment Zero novella and author notes across space opera, detective thrillers, and fantasy.
Robin Cook’s Spasm pitches a science-thriller about stopping a deadly bioweapon, as investigators pursue clues across Essex Falls.
On December 1, notable titles include Artificial Truth, Snake‑Eater, and The Wondrous Life and Loves of Nella Carter, each briefed with a thematic teaser.
Mimik by Sebastian Fitzek is a memory‑twist psychological thriller about identity and a jail escape where the fugitive and investigator may be the same person.
The Best Horror of the Year, Volume 17, edited by Ellen Datlow, is highlighted as a premier annual horror collection.
Sunset at Zero Point by Simon Stålenhag weaves prose and art in a queer sci‑fi romance set on a secluded island, spanning decades.
Skull X Bones, an anthology edited by David B. Coe and Joshua Palmatier, collects pirate‑themed stories from Zombies Need Brains across sea and space.
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Gizmodo • Dec 1, 2025
31 New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books Arriving in December
New Scientist • Dec 1, 2025
The best new science fiction books of December 2025
Winter is Coming • Dec 2, 2025
8 new fantasy and sci-fi books to read in December 2025