10 Must-Read Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of September 2025
- Joao Nsita
- 12 hours ago
- 15 min read
It’s a Tuesday evening in late August, and a new kind of chill is beginning to settle over London. The sun, which just weeks ago held the fierce, unrelenting heat of high summer, now dips below the horizon a little earlier, painting the sky in softer, more melancholic shades. This is the liminal space, the magical transition into autumn, and for readers of science fiction and fantasy, it is the dawn of the most wonderful time of the year. The cozy, introspective energy of the season calls for stories that are as complex, dark, and wondrous as the turning of the leaves.
The literary landscape of 2025 is a thrilling and vibrant place, and nowhere is that more evident than in the speculative fiction genres. On platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, the trends are a testament to our collective desire for stories that are both intellectually challenging and viscerally thrilling. The "#darkacademia" and "#gothiclit" aesthetics continue their reign, with readers celebrating moody, atmospheric tales set in ancient universities and crumbling manors. "Folk horror," with its roots in ancient traditions and the terrifying power of the natural world, is experiencing a massive resurgence. And "weird fiction"—stories that defy easy categorization and embrace the strange and unsettling—has moved from a niche subgenre to the forefront of the cultural conversation.
September 2025 is a month that perfectly captures this exciting spirit. It is a treasure trove of anticipated releases from some of the most innovative and daring voices in fiction. This is not a list of simple space operas or generic fantasy epics. This is a curated guide to the stories that are pushing the boundaries of their genres, from a Booker-longlisted author’s pulpy devil-baby horror to a historical novel narrated by a 17th-century wax doll. These are books that will challenge you, haunt you, and stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
This is your definitive, in-depth guide to the essential speculative fiction of the month. We will take a deep dive into each of these ten incredible books, exploring the unique magic that makes each one a must-read. So, light a candle, pour a glass of something warming, and prepare to journey into the strange, the scary, and the sublime. Your next favourite book is waiting.
Enjoyed what you read? If you find this article insightful and it helps you discover your next great read, please consider supporting our work. Your generosity allows us to continue creating and sharing in-depth literary content. You can make a donation by moving your cursor to the top of the article or scrolling down to the bottom. Every little bit helps us spread the love, one story at a time!
10. The Captive by Kit Burgoyne
The Vibe: A gloriously pulpy, darkly comedic, and wildly inventive horror novel that gleefully mashes up the political thriller with the classic devil-baby story.
Synopsis: This book marks the thrilling entry of Booker-longlisted author Ned Beauman into the world of pulp horror, writing under the clever pseudonym Kit Burgoyne. The premise is brilliantly chaotic: a group of radical revolutionaries, desperate to make a statement, kidnap a young, wealthy heiress. Their plan immediately goes off the rails when they discover two things: first, their captive is heavily pregnant, and second, the baby, which is born shortly after the kidnapping, might just be the Antichrist, or at least something very, very much like it. What follows is a madcap, high-stakes, and bloody struggle as the revolutionaries try to figure out what to do with a possibly demonic infant while also evading the authorities.
Why It's a Must-Read: The Captive is a perfect example of the trend towards genre-blending and darkly comedic horror. It’s a book that promises to be both a thrilling page-turner and a hilarious, satirical take on classic horror tropes. The comparison to both the chilling paranoia of Rosemary’s Baby and the witty, apocalyptic humour of Good Omens suggests a book that is as smart as it is entertaining. For fans of literary authors taking a joyful dive into genre fiction, this is an absolute must-read. The story's blend of horror and comedy is a winning formula, a theme you can explore in our list of 6 Must-See Dark Comedy Movies.
What to Expect: A fast-paced, witty, and gory ride. Expect sharp dialogue, shocking twists, and a story that is not afraid to be both silly and genuinely unsettling. This is the kind of book that will appeal to both hardcore horror fans and readers who just love a well-told, wildly original story. For more on the classic films that inspired this book, the IMDb page for Rosemary's Baby is a great place to start.
9. Audition for the Fox by Martin Cahill
The Vibe: A playful, imaginative, and wonderfully weird novella that blends Japanese folklore, time travel, and a healthy dose of humour.
Synopsis: Martin Cahill makes his full-length fiction debut with this incredibly charming and inventive novella. The story revolves around fox gods, or kitsune, from Japanese folklore, and features a plucky, determined protagonist who finds themselves caught up in their magical, time-bending shenanigans. The plot promises a joyful and humorous adventure that plays with the conventions of both fantasy and time travel narratives.
Why It's a Must-Read: This book taps into the growing popularity of "cozy fantasy" and stories inspired by non-Western mythologies. Kitsune are fascinating figures in Japanese folklore, known for their intelligence, their magical abilities, and their love of trickery. For a great overview of these mythical creatures, the Yokai.com database is a fantastic resource. Cahill’s novella promises to be a lighthearted and witty exploration of this rich mythological tradition. It’s the perfect, uplifting read for a cool autumn day, a story that is guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.
What to Expect: A fast-paced, funny, and heartwarming adventure. Expect a story that is full of charm, wit, and a deep love for its folkloric source material. At a novella length, it’s the perfect, satisfying read for a single afternoon. This kind of imaginative storytelling is a true delight, a quality shared by the films on our list of The Top 5 Best Fantasy Movies of All Time.
8. The Retreat by Gemma Fairclough
The Vibe: A "Northern Weird" folk horror novella that promises a strange and unsettling journey into the dark side of the modern wellness industry.
Synopsis: This novella is part of Wild Hunt Books’ "Northern Weird" series, a collection of stories that explore the unique, often eerie, folklore and landscapes of the North of England. The story follows a protagonist who embarks on a journey to an exclusive and mysterious wellness retreat. As with all good folk horror, the promise of healing and rejuvenation soon gives way to a creeping sense of dread, as the retreat’s strange rituals and the insular nature of the community begin to reveal a dark and ancient secret.
Why It's a Must-Read: The folk horror revival is one of the most exciting trends in modern fiction and film. Stories that explore the dark, primal power of the natural world and the strange, often terrifying, traditions of isolated communities are resonating deeply with a modern audience. This novella promises to be a fantastic addition to the genre, blending a very modern, relatable premise—the search for wellness—with the timeless terror of folk horror. For a deeper understanding of the genre’s cinematic roots, the BFI’s History of Folk Horror is an essential guide.
What to Expect: A slow-burn, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling story. Expect a powerful sense of place and a creeping dread that builds to a terrifying climax. It’s a story that will make you think twice before you book your next yoga retreat. The story's blend of suspense and horror is sure to be a hit with fans of the genre, a quality shared by the films on our list of 6 Gripping Suspense Thriller Movies You Can't Miss.
7. Galloway’s Gospel by Sam Rebelein
The Vibe: A gruesome, fast-paced, and wildly entertaining horror-mystery that feels like The X-Files and Goosebumps had a very bloody, very brilliant baby.
Synopsis: Sam Rebelein returns to the eerie, fog-shrouded world of Renfield County, Upstate New York, the setting of his previous acclaimed novels. While the book stands completely on its own, fans of his work will enjoy the clever connections to his existing universe. The story follows a new set of characters as they investigate a series of bizarre and gruesome occurrences in their town, all of which seem to be connected to a mysterious local cult, strange, deranging wood scraps, and fields of unnervingly perfect sunflowers.
Why It's a Must-Read: Sam Rebelein has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting new voices in horror. His work is a perfect blend of small-town, Stephen King-esque horror and the "monster of the week" fun of a classic sci-fi show. Galloway’s Gospel is a perfect example of the "small town with a dark secret" trope, a cornerstone of the horror genre. The book promises to be a thrilling, scary, and darkly funny ride. For more on the author's unique world, you can visit the official Sam Rebelein website.
What to Expect: A fast-paced, plot-driven horror novel with plenty of gruesome scares and a compelling central mystery. Expect a story that is both genuinely terrifying and a whole lot of fun. It’s the perfect read for a dark autumn night. The show’s intricate plot will keep you guessing, a quality it shares with the films on our list of 6 Edge of Your Seat Thriller Movies That Will Keep You Guessing.
6. Somebody Is Walking on Your Grave: My Cemetery Journeys by Mariana Enriquez, tr. Megan McDowell
The Vibe: A haunting, melancholic, and deeply personal non-fiction journey through the world’s most famous cemeteries, from one of the modern masters of literary horror.
Synopsis: This is the first piece of translated non-fiction from the brilliant Argentinian author, Mariana Enriquez. This is not a straightforward travelogue; it is a lyrical, gothic, and deeply philosophical exploration of the places where the living and the dead intersect. Enriquez guides the reader through graveyards and cemeteries around the world, from the famous Père Lachaise in Paris to the forgotten burial grounds of her native Argentina. She uses these journeys to meditate on history, on mortality, and on our eternal fascination with the afterlife.
Why It's a Must-Read: Mariana Enriquez is a literary superstar, and her fiction, like the brilliant Our Share of Night, has been praised for its ability to be both terrifying and heartbreakingly beautiful. This book promises to bring that same, unique sensibility to the world of non-fiction. It’s a perfect read for the spooky season, a book that is not about ghosts, but about the very real, very human act of remembrance. For a virtual tour of one of the famous locations in the book, the official Père Lachaise Cemetery website is a great resource.
What to Expect: A beautifully written, melancholic, and thought-provoking collection of essays. Expect a book that is less about scares and more about a deep, gothic atmosphere. It’s a perfect, contemplative read for a quiet autumn afternoon. The book’s exploration of life and death is profound, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 5 Best Movies About Life and Death.
5. Midnight Timetable: A Novel in Ghost Stories by Bora Chung, tr. Anton Hur
The Vibe: A strange, unsettling, and brilliantly original novel-in-stories that is a perfect blend of workplace comedy and supernatural horror.
Synopsis: From the internationally bestselling author of Cursed Bunny, Bora Chung, comes a new and wonderfully weird novel. The story is set over the course of a single night in a mysterious research facility for cursed objects. Each chapter is a new "ghost story," told by the facility's late-night staff as they deal with the terrifying, and often absurd, supernatural occurrences that are part of their job. The book is being pitched as a must-read for anyone who is fascinated by online collaborative fiction projects like the SCP Foundation or the Backrooms.
Why It's a Must-Read: Bora Chung is a master of the weird and the wonderful. Her work is famous for its ability to blend body horror, dark humour, and sharp social satire. This book promises to be a fantastic and incredibly creative take on the classic ghost story. The "novel-in-stories" format is a brilliant device, allowing for a variety of different tales and tones, all unified by the single, claustrophobic setting of the research facility. For those unfamiliar with the inspiration, the official SCP Foundation website is a deep and fascinating rabbit hole to fall down.
What to Expect: A book that is as funny as it is terrifying. Expect a collection of strange, inventive, and deeply unsettling stories that offer a sneaky and insightful commentary on the horrors of the modern workplace and the quirks of human nature. This kind of bold, genre-defining work is always exciting, a quality it shares with the films on our list of The Top 5 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time.
4. Spread Me by Sarah Gailey
The Vibe: A sexy, scary, and truly terrifying body horror novel that is being described as a desert-set riff on John Carpenter’s masterpiece, The Thing.
Synopsis: Sarah Gailey is one of the most versatile and exciting authors working today, and their return to full-bore horror is a major literary event. Spread Me is not for the faint of heart. The story is a tense, paranoid, and claustrophobic thriller about a group of people isolated in the desert who encounter a strange, seductive, and terrifying organism that can imitate and absorb them. It is a story about desire, identity, and the horrifying loss of self.
Why It's a Must-Read: Sarah Gailey’s previous horror novel, Just Like Home, was a modern masterpiece of the haunted house genre. Spread Me promises to take their incredible talent for creating atmosphere and psychological dread to a whole new level. The comparison to John Carpenter's The Thing is high praise indeed, suggesting a story that is not just gory, but also a masterclass in paranoia and suspense. This book is set to be one of the most talked-about and terrifying horror releases of the year.
What to Expect: A genuinely scary and unsettling read. Expect graphic body horror, intense psychological suspense, and a story that will burrow its way under your skin and stay there. This is a must-read for hardcore horror fans who are looking for a book that will truly terrify them. The story’s intense drama is gripping, a quality it shares with the films on our list of 6 Gripping Suspense Thriller Movies You Can't Miss.
3. Moonflow by Bitter Karella
The Vibe: A brilliant, hallucinatory, and wonderfully weird debut novel that is a perfect example of the hot new "mushroom horror" subgenre.
Synopsis: This debut novel is set in a mysterious and magical forest in Northern California, expanding on the world of the author’s acclaimed fiction-game, Toadstools. The story is a fascinating and complex blend of genres, at times reading like a gritty crime thriller, at other times like a detailed nature guide, and at still other times like a piece of Lynchian horror. The plot involves weird and possibly sentient mushrooms, a mysterious feminist cult, folkloric monsters, and some very real human monsters.
Why It's a Must-Read: Fungal horror is having a massive cultural moment, from the success of shows like The Last of Us to a new wave of fiction. Moonflow is set to be one of the best and most original additions to this burgeoning subgenre. The book’s unique, genre-blending style promises a reading experience that is completely unpredictable and utterly captivating. It’s a book that celebrates the strange, the beautiful, and the terrifying power of the natural world.
What to Expect: A strange, beautiful, and deeply immersive read. Expect a story that is not afraid to be weird, to blend genres, and to take the reader on a truly hallucinatory journey. It’s a perfect read for fans of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation and anyone who loves a story that defies easy categorization. The show’s post-apocalyptic vibe is brilliantly realized, and for more on the genre, check out our list of The Top 5 Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies of All Time.
2. The Poorly Made and Other Things by Sam Rebelein
The Vibe: While Galloway's Gospel is his September release, it's essential to highlight the book that set the stage earlier in the year. This is a fantastic collection of interconnected horror stories that introduces the eerie world of Renfield County.
Synopsis: This collection of novellas and short stories serves as the perfect introduction to Sam Rebelein’s unique and terrifying fictional universe. The stories are all set in and around the fictional Renfield County in Upstate New York, a place where the veil between our world and something much older and darker is perilously thin. From strange, poorly made objects that seem to have a life of their own, to the dark secrets of the town of Edenville, this collection is a masterclass in modern folk horror and weird fiction.
Why It's a Must-Read: This is the perfect book to read before diving into Galloway’s Gospel. It establishes the unique atmosphere and recurring motifs of Rebelein’s world. The stories are creepy, inventive, and incredibly well-written. It’s a collection that will appeal to fans of Stephen King and anyone who loves a good, old-fashioned, small-town horror story with a modern, weird twist.
What to Expect: A collection of genuinely scary and unsettling stories that are all loosely connected. Expect a powerful sense of place and a creeping dread that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. It’s the perfect, bite-sized introduction to a major new voice in horror. The show's thrilling plot will keep you hooked, a quality it shares with the films on our list of 6 Edge of Your Seat Thriller Movies That Will Keep You Guessing.
1. The Wax Child by Olga Ravn, tr. Martin Aitken
The Vibe: A strange, beautiful, and deeply unsettling work of literary historical fiction, narrated by a 17th-century wax doll.
Synopsis: Olga Ravn’s previous novel, the brilliant and bizarre sci-fi story The Employees, was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. She returns with a novel that promises to be even stranger and more beautiful. The book is set in Denmark in the 1600s, during the time of the witch trials. It is a historical look at this terrifying period, but with a wonderfully weird and inventive twist: the entire story is narrated by an actual wax doll, a doll that was created by one of the accused witches.
Why It's a Must-Read: This is set to be one of the major literary events of the autumn. Olga Ravn is one of the most exciting and original voices in contemporary world literature. The premise alone is a work of genius, a completely unique and unexpected way to tell a story about a dark and well-trodden period of history. The novel promises to be a powerful and moving exploration of misogyny, superstition, and the power of storytelling, all told from the perspective of an inanimate object brought to life. For more on the history of the witch trials, The Salem Witch Museum website provides some fascinating historical context.
What to Expect: A beautifully written, strange, and profoundly moving novel. Expect a book that is not a straightforward historical narrative, but a lyrical, experimental, and deeply philosophical work of art. This is a must-read for any fan of literary fiction who is looking for a book that will challenge, surprise, and ultimately reward them. The film's dark and complex themes are a key to its success, a quality you can explore in our list of 6 Must-Watch Psychological Thriller Movies.
Conclusion: A Season of Strange and Wondrous Stories
September 2025 is a month that is brimming with a unique and powerful kind of magic. The ten books on this list are a testament to the incredible creativity and ambition of the modern science fiction and fantasy genres. They are stories that are not afraid to be weird, to be dark, to blend genres, and to ask difficult and profound questions about the world we live in. From the haunted forests of Northern California to the cursed research facilities of South Korea, these are not just escapist fantasies; they are explorations of our deepest fears and our most profound hopes.
As the cozy, introspective season of autumn begins, there is no better time to lose yourself in a story that will challenge and enchant you in equal measure. These are the books that will be talked about, debated, and beloved for years to come. Your next great adventure is waiting within these pages.
Enjoyed what you read? If you found this article insightful and it helps you discover your next great read, please consider supporting our work. Your generosity allows us to continue creating and sharing in-depth literary content. You can make a donation by moving your cursor to the top of the article or scrolling down to the bottom. Every little bit helps us spread the love, one story at a time!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is "weird fiction"? Weird fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction that combines elements of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, and is characterized by its unsettling atmosphere and its focus on the strange and the inexplicable.
2. What is "folk horror"? Folk horror is a subgenre of horror that is rooted in folklore, the occult, and the terrifying power of the natural world and isolated communities.
3. Do I need to read an author's previous books to enjoy their new one? For the most part, no. All the books on this list, even those set in a shared universe like Galloway’s Gospel, are designed to be read and enjoyed as standalones.
4. What does "novel-in-stories" mean? A "novel-in-stories" is a book that is structured as a collection of short stories, but the stories are all interconnected by a common setting, theme, or group of characters, and together they form a cohesive, novel-like narrative.
5. Are all these books scary? The scariness levels vary greatly. Books like Spread Me and Galloway’s Gospel are full-bore horror. Others, like The Wax Child and My Cemetery Journeys, are more atmospheric and psychologically unsettling than outright scary.
6. What is a "novella"? A novella is a work of fiction that is shorter than a full-length novel but longer than a short story, typically between 20,000 and 40,000 words. Audition for the Fox is a novella.
7. Where can I find out more about translated fiction? Websites like the Booker Prize (which has a prize specifically for translated fiction) and publications like the Asymptote Journal are fantastic resources for discovering new and exciting works from around the world.
8. What is the SCP Foundation? The SCP Foundation is a massively popular online collaborative fiction project where users write and share stories about a secret organization that secures, contains, and protects anomalous, supernatural, and otherwise unexplained phenomena.
9. Are these books available as audiobooks? Most major new releases are simultaneously released as audiobooks. Check platforms like Audible closer to the release dates.
10. I'm new to horror. Which book on this list would be a good starting point? For a fun, fast-paced, and mystery-driven introduction to horror, Galloway’s Gospel would be a fantastic choice. For something more atmospheric and less gory, The Retreat would be an excellent place to start.
