Order History
Premium Membership & Rewards
Help Center / FAQ
7 Asian-Inspired Science Fiction and Fantasy YAs You Need In 2017
At the end of 2016, we named our most anticipated most anticipated YA fantasy novels for the first half of 2017, and it’s safe to say the year is not disappointing in the sci-fi and fantasy categories. Some of our favorite authors, like Marie Lu and Renée Ahdieh, are launching genre-mashing new series. Meanwhile, newcomer Julie C. Dao is making a splash with her debut, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, which has quickly become a contender for best fantasy of the year. May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage month, and we cannot let it pass without highlighting some of the best YA novels out or forthcoming this year. Asian stories are not a monolith; they span countries, languages, and traditions. The novels on this list are a prime example of that. Roshani Chokshi, who is mixed race (Filipino/Indian), named myths and epic poems from her culture as inspiration for her work, including A Crown of Wishes. Cindy Pon wrote Want as an ode to Taipei, her birth city, and is a big supporter of #cuteasianboys in YA. We are, too, Cindy. We hope that in the coming years, this list is twice as long.
[ean1]The Bone Witch, by Rin Chupeco (March 7)
Rin Chupeco is well versed in dark and scary stories, as was made clear in her debut novel The Girl From the Well. In the first book of her Bone Witch series, Chupeco returns with a dark fantasy heralded as Memoirs of a Geisha meets Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse. In it inexperienced witch Tea raises her brother from the dead. After wielding that power, she’s cast out of her community and taken in by a mentor. Faced with harnessing a power she can’t control is no small feat, especially when the balance of life and death rests on her shoulders. Geisha-esque fighters, monsters, and an unbreakable family bond make this a promising series starter.
A Crown of Wishes, by Roshani Chokshi (March 28)
If you haven’t read Chokshi’s debut, The Star-Touched Queen, please remedy this ASAP. A Crown of Wishes is more of a companion novel than a direct sequel and features a mighty heroine we briefly met in book one. Gauri is the princess of Bharata. She’s fierce and loyal and has a heart of steel. During a time of conflict, she’s taken prisoner by enemies of her kingdom, and is left with no choice but to make an alliance with prince Vikram, her sworn enemy. Together, they enter the Tournament of Wishes. The competition takes place in a realm of legend and features otherworldly creatures from Indian myth. In a way, Gauri is a version of Odysseus, overcoming challenges in order to find her way home. A fast-paced fantasy full of vivid and lush prose as only Chokshi can write it.
Ships in 1-2 days.
Flame in the Mist, by Renée Ahdieh (May 16)
Following the end of the #1 New York Times bestselling Wrath and the Dawn series, Renée Ahdieh returns better than ever. The best part of the Wrath and the Dawn (other than the swoon-worthy romance) was heroine Shahrzad herself. Ahdieh, simply put, writes badass female protagonists. The heroine of Flame in the Mist, Mariko, is an alchemist, traveling to meet the young royal relative she’s betrothed to. The political marriage was meant to elevate her family’s standing, but she’s ambushed along the way and barely escapes with her life. She can’t return home while there’s a price on her head, so she dresses as a boy to infiltrate the very people who tried to kill her: the Black Clan. Set against the backdrop of feudal Japan, Flame in the Mist is packed with intrigue, action, and earth-shattering romance.
Want, by Cindy Pon (June 13)
I’ve been a fan of Cindy Pon since Silver Phoenix. With Want, she makes her science fiction debut. The world she creates is a near-future version of Taipei, which feels familiar and new at once, weaving in elements of cyberpunk and dystopian. Jason Zhou lives in a society that’s virtually impossible to survive in unless you’re wealthy. The rich buy longer lives through the use of suits that protect from the dangers of pollution in the city. After his mother’s death, Jason makes a vow to change things. He manages to infiltrate the corporation that makes the suits, only to discover they are more nefarious than he ever imagined. As everything he thought he knew comes crashing down on him, Jason starts to fall for his own con, Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO. Part heist, part sci-fi thriller, Want is everything you need this summer.
The Library of Fates, by Aditi Khorana (July 18)
This one is for the romantics. Amrita is the princess of Shalingar, a kingdom with a gentle king and peaceful people. All of that changes when Emperor Sikander arrives in their lands. Though Amrita is in love with another, she sacrifices her future and offers herself as a bride to Sikander in order to keep the peace. Sikander has no intent to leave Shalingar alone, and Amrita detests the idea of joining his harem. After the palace falls under siege, Amrita runs for her life, accompanied by an oracle named Thala. Thala urges Amrita to search for the Library of All Things, where they might both reverse their fates. Steeped in Indian folklore, The Library of Fates is a quest novel that asks the question: can we truly change our destiny?
Ships in 1-2 days.
Warcross, by Marie Lu (September 12)
Fans of the Young Elites and Legend series don’t have to wait much longer for Marie Lu’s latest. Welcome to Warcross. For millions, Warcross isn’t just a ten-year-old game and obsession, it’s their way of life. And for a hacker like Emika Chen, Warcross is a way to pay the bills. She’s a bounty hunter whose targets are Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. When she hacks into the game’s biggest annual event, a glitch makes her visible to the world, turning her into an overnight sensation. She even gets a call from the game’s young billionaire creator, Hideo Tanaka, with an offer she can’t refuse. It’s time for Emika to go from bounty hunter to spy, as she’s thrust into Tokyo’s wealthiest scene, and a dangerous world she might not be able to glitch herself out of.
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, by Julie C. Dao (October 10)
Have you ever wanted to know how the Evil Queen from Snow White became the Evil Queen? Look no further. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is a reimagining of the Evil Queen origin story set in an East Asian–inspired fantasy kingdom. Eighteen-year-old Xifeng has been raised to believe her beauty is her only worthy power. Her fortunes, told by her powerful, abusive aunt, all say she’s destined to become the Empress of Feng Lu. In order to do that, she has to leave her peasant village behind and turn away the man who has loved her since they were kids. Xifeng is calculating and resourceful, with dark sorcery flowing through her veins. She quickly climbs the ranks in the palace, making allies and deadly enemies along the way. Dao’s skillfully takes this future evil Empress and turns her into a character we root for—no matter how steep the price.