May 2012 exhibits some exciting fantasy book releases. We got a couple of long-awaited sequels, some surprises and some innovation. I’ve put together a couple of summaries for those interested in what just happened or are just about to happen in the fantasy genre. The fantasy book releases included are: the King’s Blood, the Atlantis Complex, Whispers Under Ground, Dreamless, Bitterblue, A Song of Ice and Fire, Princeps, the Serpent’s Shadow, City of Lost Souls, Railsea, and Sparks Fly.

New fantasy book releases in High Fantasy are:

The King’s Blood by Daniel Abraham

This is the second book in the thrilling fantasy series The Dagger and the Coin. The story takes place in a land once ruled by dragons which is now facing war. Standing between universal darkness and hope is a suspicious young woman who got a gambler’s mind.

A Song of Ice and Fire Boxed Set by George R.R. Martin

Martin’s fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire is becoming a standard epic fantasy. Time Magazine dubbed him as being the ”American Tolkien” and his stories are being translated into a HBO miniseries ”Game of Thrones”. The box includes the five first novels: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons.

Princeps by L.E. Modesitt

Princeps is a sequel to Modesitt’s book Scholar in which Quaerty (the scholar) manages to prevent a civil war. Now a volcanic eruption devastates the old capital and Quaerty and his wife must fight the corruption and chaos to defend against a neighboring ruler who sees an opportunity for invasion. All this while hiding his powers as an Imager.

New fantasy book releases in Urban Fantasy are:

Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronvitch

The third book about supernatural police investigations in London. The London Police’s wizards are called in to investigate a magical clue to a murder only to discover that something horrible is happening in the oldest labyrinth that make up the tube system of London.

New fantasy book releases in Adventure Fantasy are:

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan

Good news, this book by Riordan was published May 1 so you don’t have to wait. This final book in the trilogy Kane Chronicles is fast-paced and filled with action. The siblings Carter and Sadie have been drawn into a battle between the ancient Egyptian gods. They can’t seem to the chaos snake down and the world is about to plunge into eternal darkness. The Kanes have to destroy him once and for all.

Railsea by China Mieville

Railsea is said to be the Moby Dick of the underworld. Sham Yes ap Soorap is on board the moletrain watching the giant mole bursting through the earth. He is in awe but can’t let himself get carried away completely as he questions if there isn’t more to life than endless rails of the railsea. So when they come across a wrecked train with pictures hinting at something impossible it’s a welcome distraction for Sham. But as pirates, trainsfolk, monsters and salvage-scrabblers starts to hunt him he realizes that he got more than he bargained for. And it might not be just Sham’s life, but the whole railsea, that’s about to change.

New fantasy book releases in Young Adult Fantasy are:

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Dreamless is the second book in the planned trilogy Starcrossed. The story is about a girl named Helen Hamilton who’s a modern-day Helen of Troy. In this the second book she has to descend to the Underworld to search for a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge. But every time she weakens and she’s running out of time.

Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer

Colfer gives us the seventh book in the Artemis Fowl fantasy book series. This time Artemis has to deal with some negative consequences after dabbling with fairy magic. Artemis must escape the confines of his mind to save the underwater world from an old foe’s destructive intent.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

This is the fifth book in Clare’s fantasy series The Mortal Instruments. The novels are about a young girl named Clary Fray and Jace who is a shadowhunter. In City of Lost Souls the demon Lilith is destroyed but Jace and Valentines son Sebastian, who Clary hates, are magically bound together. The Clave are hellbent on stopping Sebastian no matter what happens to Jace.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Bitterblue a new novel from Cashore that’s set in the same world as the previous two. It was released May 1. The story picks up six years after the events of Graceling and Fire in the Seven Kingdoms. Bitterblue, the young queen, sneaks out from mountains of paperwork and meets two young thieves. Without realizing that she’s their queen they open her eyes to the true state of the Kingdom.

New fantasy book releases in Romantic Fantasy are:

Sparks Fly by Katie MacAlister

MacAlister’s book Sparks Fly is number three in the Light Dragons series. It’s advisable to read the first two before taking on the third as there are quite a few characters and plots to keep track of. In Sparks Fly Ysolde are held accountable by the First Dragon for past wrongs. So she and her friends set into motion an elaborate plan with far-reaching repercussions for both the mortal and immortal worlds. But when someone from her family is taken, no one is safe from the fire of her rage.

I think it’s really exciting to see what the new fantasy book releases are about. The fantasy genre is constantly evolving and some of new books are hard to put in proper subgenres. I’m wondering if it’s maybe time to create a new subgenre, Weird Fantasy. I bet Mieville agree with me. I wonder what next month’s fantasy book releases has to offer?