The 7 best books to get during Barnes & Noble’s massive 50% off sale

In this tightly wound sci-fi thriller, Proctor Bennett’s job is to shepherd citizens who have grown unhappy in their utopian society to the Nursery, where they’ll be reborn with no memories of their former lives. But when he’s assigned to retire his own father, Proctor’s life careens off the prescribed path as he begins to question the so-called truths he’s been fed his entire life. The Ferryman was one of my favorite sci-fi and fantasy books of 2023, and if you missed it at its debut, this sale’s a great excuse to dive into the atmospheric mystery.

Six of Crows author Leigh Bardugo dips into historical fantasy with this darkly compelling story set during Spanish Golden Age. The Familiar follows servant Luzia, whose ability to perform magic is discovered and exploited by influential people seeking to raise their own status. But the more attention Luzia gains for her “milagritos,” the more she fears her Jewish heritage will be uncovered and she’ll become yet another victim of the Inquisition. Bardugo wonderfully blends the real-life horrors of this time period with complex characters, political intrigue, and plenty of twists in this memorable read.

The Book of Love is long, and yes, it might start off slow, but there’s a reason this is the type of fantasy book that winds up on best of the year lists even outside the genre space. Imaginative, touching, and epic in scope, it follows three teenagers who find themselves back in their small town after dying a year earlier but without any memories as to what happened to them. The only one who seems to know anything about their disappearance or return is their high school music teacher, who gives them a series of magical tasks to complete if they want their lives back. There is a lot more that goes on in The Book of Love, but trying to boil it down to a few words is like trying to write a log line for a dream. This is a book you feel more than anything, and would make perfect book club fare. (Trust me, you’ll have a lot to discuss.)

As a child, Channi’s father offered her as a sacrifice to the demonic Angma, cursing her with the face of a serpent. Now, the only person who sees Channi for who she is and not the monster she appears to be is her beautiful sister Vanna. So when Angma returns years later with her sights set on Vanna, Channi doesn’t hesitate to throw herself into a high-stakes battle to save her sister — even knowing she might not be able to save herself in the process. Her Radiant Curse is a lush and heart-wrenching fantasy about the love between two sisters that’s beautiful but never sappy. And while the book is self-contained, it serves as the backstory for the outstanding Six Crimson Cranes, which you can also snag at Barnes & Noble for 15% off.

Prophet is a suspense-packed sci-fi mystery that sees people’s fondest memories brought to life only to kill them shortly after. Assigned to investigate the bizarre case are two military investigators who share a complicated past: by-the-book American intelligence officer Adam and ex-MI6 agent Sunil, who has the ability to tell truth from lies and fakes from the real deal. There’s a real X-Files vibe to Prophet at times, and a great will-they-won’t-they romance that packs a punch. Prophet is a bit of a windy read, but if you’re willing to commit yourself to the ride, it’s worth the payoff.

Yet another standout book from last year, He Who Drowned the World is the second installment of The Radiant Emperor duology. (The first book, She Who Became the Sun, is currently 15% off at Barnes & Noble, too.) Though there are fantasy elements interwoven throughout, the series is foremost an alternate history and queer reimagining of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming dynasty. He Who Drowned the World is a relentlessly brutal story, following four people willing to do anything and sacrifice everything to achieve their desired destiny. Despite the darkness, Parker-Chan brings such humanity to even the most difficult to read situations that I found myself sad to say goodbye to these characters and this world when the story ended. If you’re looking for something on the more intense side, I can’t recommend this more.

While this is not a novel, it is one of Polygon’s favorite Dungeons & Dragons adventure books. The basic premise is a quest to save a village from an evil cult determined to take over. However, there’s a lot more going on that gets uncovered throughout the adventure. While Phandelver and Below is fun time for experienced players, it’s also become a great go-to for new players if you’re D&D-curious. Plus, it features tons of awesome illithid action, making it perfect for fans of Baldur’s Gate 3.