Romantasy Is Taking Over the World –
Your guess is as good as mine how these romantasy characters both fit on this horse at such weird angles. IntroScroll down if you want to get straight to your newest treasure trove of UNLIMITED PHREEBIES.
Meanwhile. . . here’s a roundup of what’s new in science fiction, fantasy, and romance over roughly the past 7 days — fresh announcements, trailers, books, film/TV.
Heads up: I’m just sharing the latest news, not vouching for every project. Some of it sounds enticing, while some... I’ll let you decide!
FantasyNew releases & upcoming works* Philip Pullman’s final Lyra book: The Rose Field, the third volume in The Book of Dust (continuing Lyra Silvertongue’s story), will be published on 23 October 2025.
* Reprint & tour: Rebecca Thorne is celebrating a physical re‑release of her science fantasy novel This Gilded Abyss and will appear in Jacksonville, USA, on November 12.
* Amazon MGM Studios has optioned the screen rights to Katabasis, R. F. Kuang’s 2025 fantasy novel, with Angela Kang attached as showrunner.
Cross‑genre & trend notes* Autumn (i.e. Fall) in the Northern Hemisphere 2025 speculative preview: Goodreads and BookBub have refreshed their lists of upcoming sci-fi and fantasy titles for fall, showing a strong crop of multi-genre and borderline titles.
* Fantasy + romance = everywhere The “romantasy” subgenre continues to dominate buzz and sales (see more in the romance section below).
I don’t want to imply I was ahead of my time, but WAS I AHEAD OF MY TIME when I wrote the Bitterbynde Trilogy romantasy in the 1990s? Back then, when people asked my what kind of books I wrote, I would reply “fantasy” and hastily add, “you know, like ‘The Lord of the Rings’”, because back then, most people thought “fantasy” meant something altogether different . . . :)
RomanceNew series & author news* Kresley Cole launches a spin‑off: Author of Immortals After Dark, Cole is launching a new series, *Immortals Untold*. The first book, *Ravenous*, is set for release on May 19, 2026, and explores a realm called the Skein with demons, Valkyries, and intertwined fates.
* Ali Hazelwood’s bound for more: Hazelwood, already prolific in 2025 with five books, is releasing Bound, a dark academia paranormal romance, exclusively as a Spotify audiobook on November 11. She also hints at further adaptation work on her earlier titles.
* Fan‑fiction to bestseller success: Alchemised by SenLinYu—originally based on a Harry Potter fan fiction (“Manacled”)—has topped bestseller charts and been optioned for film. The rewritten version removes certain controversial elements and reframes its universe more distinctively.
Market & genre trends* Romantasy dominating 2025: The blend of romance + fantasy is more than a niche—it’s driving major sales increases, especially on social media platforms like TikTok.
* Release momentum: Several lists (Paste, Goodreads, Screenrant) are already spotlighting highly anticipated romantasy and fantasy romance titles for the rest of 2025, indicating that publishers are doubling down on this hybrid.
* Spotify is leaning into the rise of romantasy (fantasy + romance) by pushing its audiobook division, including immersive events like “The Forbid‑Inn” to engage fans in the genre.
Science FictionKey announcements & media* Chien 51 premiered in Venice: The French dystopian sci‑fi thriller Chien 51, based on Laurent Gaudé’s novel, debuted at the 2025 Venice Film Festival. It’s set in a near-future Paris where society is stratified by class and governed by AI‑led policing.
* The Astronaut is now out (or about to release): Jess Varley’s sci-fi horror film starring Kate Mara and Laurence Fishburne, about an astronaut who may have brought an alien back to Earth, is drawing attention.
* October looks strong for sci-fi cinema: Films like TRON: Ares, Frankenstein, and Bugonia are slated for release this month.
* , known for his prolific non‑fiction output in self‑publishing and fitness, is now venturing into sci‑fi horror, revealing in a recent podcast that he plans to launch his first fiction project via Kickstarter later this month.
* Alien: Earth, the new sci‑fi horror series created by Noah Hawley, has launched on FX / Hulu (internationally via Disney+). It’s set as a prequel to the original Alien mythos, focusing on hybrid, AI, and human identity themes.
* Midst, the space‑western audio drama podcast acquired by Critical Role’s Metapigeon, continues to expand with its sequel Unend. The new season (season 2) of Unend premiered on June 4, 2025.
* The Nebula Awards Showcase 60 anthology was recently published, collecting top short works (novellas, novelettes, short stories) recognized by the SFWA in 2025.
News & industry* Concatenation’s Autumn SF news: The UK site concatenation.org is tracking new releases, reviews, and conventions for Autumn 2025 in science fiction.
* McEwan’s genre turn: Ian McEwan’s upcoming novel What We Can Know is being framed as “science fiction without the science,” set partially in a post‑apocalyptic 22nd century and exploring memory, history, and human limits.
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This is Charlie Delta Tango, switching to silent running.


