Fantasy is one of entertainment’s most diverse genres. With stories that take fans to rich and exciting worlds — some like our own, some very different — there is room for truly endless characters, cultures, and adventures. It’s why there are a number of different kinds of fantasy, such as high fantasy, the newly popular “romantasy” subgenre, and, of course, sword and sorcery. With stories of adventure, battles, magic, and sometimes even romance, sword and sorcery stories are often some of the most fascinating. It makes the niche one of the best to see adapted from page to screen and we are always eager for more.
Here are three sword and sorcery fantasy books coming out in 2026 that, while they haven’t hit print just yet (or, in the case of one of them, will be out in just a few days), we already want to see adapted. There may not be as many sword and sorcery fantasy books coming out this year as some other fantasy subgenres, but these books have already captured our attention and we are eager for more.
3) A Dance of Burning Blades by M. H. Ayinde
Set to be published on August 11th, A Dance of Burning Blades is the second book in Ayinde’s Invoker Trilogy (go back and check out A Song of Legends Lost for the first book). The Invoker Trilogy is set in a world where nobles are able to summon ancient ancestor spirits for battle and, in the first book, a powerful spirit is accidentally summoned by a commoner — and might just hold the key to ending a war. With worldbuilding inspired by Africa and featuring an interesting mix of magic and ancient technology (yes, you’ll get some Black Panther vibes here,) the trilogy is a story of political intrigue, rebellion, and revenge with a little bit of conspiracy thrown in.
With A Song of Legends Lost seeing the start of rebellion, A Dance of Burning Blades will see that rebellion grow with tensions growing across the Nine Lands. A brother will seek revenge while the daughter of the king whose plan went wrong and started the whole rebellion in the first place operates in the shadows. It’s high intrigue, major action, and we want to see this on the screen, stat.
2) The Wolves of War by John Gwynne
Yes, I know the image for this one is actually of The Bloodsworn Saga, but that will make sense here in a moment.Coming out on November 3rd, John Gwynne’s The Wolves of War (which does not yet have cover art) is set to be the start of a new duology. Set in the same world of Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn Saga, The Wolves of War is inspired by Slavic mythology and is described as taking readers into a “world of dark forests and frozen rivers, of ancient myth and forgotten magic, where one young woman’s power will decide the fate of a kingdom.”
While details are few about this book, Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn Saga (The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods, and The Fury of the Gods) is fantastic and as a writer, he’s known for immersive worlds with great characters and packing his stories with deep emotions. These are the sorts of stories that make for great television and movies so we’re already wanting to see The Wolves of War in live action.
1) The Book of Fallen Leaves by A. S. Tamaki
You don’t have to wait very long for this one, as The Book of Fallen Leaves, the first book in Tamaki’s The Autumn Empire, will hit stores on March 17th but we’re already eager to read it — and for it to be adapted. The book has been described as Shogun meets Game of Thrones and has received early praise for its worldbuilding and characters.
Inspired by Japanese samurai sagas, The Book of Fallen Leaves will follow exiled Prince Sen Hoshiakari who is looking to restore his family’s honor. Along the way, he’s saved by a peasant girl, Rui, who as a result finds herself part of something much larger when civil war breaks out — and demons show up as well. With themes of destiny, vengeance, and loyalty, not to mention what sounds like some major battles, this is one that definitely needs an adaptation.
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