Thales' Trust Index outlines a universal decline across the board when it comes to confidence.

Shows how large scenes were filmed, and the digital visual effects behind them.The post Watch this new Squid Game 2 VFX breakdown from Gulliver Studios appeared first on befores & afters.

Lately it seems like collective uncertainty about the economy is mainly focused on one thing: eggs.This isnt surprising. When the price of a kitchen staple like eggs nearly doubles in a year, its easy to make it a go-to symbol for the broader basket of financial anxieties many consumers are feeling. I get it, but I also worry all the egg-centric media coverage is overshadowing what is, for most households, a much bigger and more important line item: healthcare.So far this year, egg prices have generated roughly three times more headlines than healthcare costs have (per a quick Google News search)which is pretty much the reverse of the relative impact those issues have had on households over the past 40 years. Food inflation is a serious concern, but for the average consumer, the cost of out-of-pocket healthcare spending has far outpaced that of food (yes, even eggs).Cumulative Change in Prices Paid by Consumers (%)Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted)Why are eggs stealing the limelight? One big reason is that everyday commodities like eggs (or milk, coffee, and gas) are easy for consumers to comprehend. These products have a black-and-white price tag, you generally get what you pay for,and its hard not to notice when your paycheck suddenly doesnt stretch as far.Healthcare is differentHealthcare doesnt work like that. For consumers, out-of-pocket healthcare spending is a mishmash of insurance premiums, deductibles, appointment copays, and prescription costs. For heavier-duty care like surgery and hospital stays, there often isnt a clear-cut price tag. Not surprisingly, more than half of insured workers are confused by healthcare costs and billing, and as a result, many dont fully grasp the total healthcare hit to their walletor the value theyre getting (or not) for their healthcare dollar.This consumer blind spot is becoming a financial black hole for employers. For most companies, healthcare is now the second-largest operating expense after payroll. Employers are forecasting that healthcare costs will accelerate even more in 2025, increasing by about 9%three times the current inflation rate. After years of absorbing rising costs, many employers are now facing tough decisions about raising employees share of the premium, eliminating benefits, or passing costs onto customers.Unlike egg prices, though, the healthcare cost trend isnt primarily a supply-and-demand issue. A big chunk of runaway healthcare spending (as much as 25%, by some estimates) is due to inefficiency and waste, including overtreatment, undertreatment, low-quality providers, and uncoordinated care. The healthcare system is basically dropping three eggs from every carton on the floor, and employers are left to clean up the mess.Reining in this avoidable and unsustainable spending isnt as simple as cutting benefits or increasing premiums. In fact, limiting healthcare access can backfire if individuals forgo essential care, leading to a sicker workforce in the short term and snowballing costs in the long run.Unscramble the messThe reality is, if were going to unscramble the mess of healthcare, we need a collective shift in our expectations and mindset. Employers and consumers alikeall healthcare purchasers, in factneed to demand a new focus on value.We need to move away la carte egg purchases whereas though were in a supermarket aislefees are associated with volume, and total costs can only be managed with portion control (or as we say in healthcare, utilization management). This model has blinded people to what theyre spending and getting in return, undermining trust in the healthcare system as a whole. Instead, we need a healthcare model where a persons holistic needs are front and center. A model that incentivizes ongoing engagement, building trust over time, and consistently guiding people toward high-quality careincluding more care, when thats best for them.The future of higher-value, lower-cost healthcare is one in which people and purchasers have access to a broader range of services and settings (both virtual and in person). It offers personalized advocacy and support (including with clinical guidance, bills, and claims). And it offers an all-in-one experiencea departure from the fragmented maze weve all become accustomed to. Innovators and leaders on the front lines of healthcare management and purchasing are starting to recognize this, and are reorienting their solutions, partnerships, and models to ensure that people get the care they deserve, where, and when they need it.While egg prices may have our attention now, we cant lose sight of creating a healthcare system and experience thats actually worth the high price we all pay. And in healthcare, unlike with groceries, the key to affordability isnt buying less or cutting corners on quality. Its investing in the services and outcomes that deliver real value for our hard-earned money.Owen Tripp is cofounder and CEO of Included Health.The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) will now be responsible for handling federal student loans for more than 40 million Americans, taking over that responsibility from the Department of Education a day after President Donald Trumpsigned an executive orderto dismantle the education agency.The announcement comes at the same time that the SBA said it is cutting 43% of its staff and restructuring the agency to eliminate wasteful spending, as part of the Trump administrations cost-cutting agenda.We havea portfolio that is very large, lots of loans, tens of thousands of loans, pretty complicated deal, President Donald Trump said to reporters at the White House on Friday. Theyre all set for it. Theyre waiting for it. However, critics have said this could create chaos and confusion for millions of American borrowers. Currently, the U.S. federal education debtexceeds $1.6 trillion, according to CNBC.As CBS News noted, the SBA employs less than half a percent of the entire federal workforce, or roughly 6,500 people. Under the reorganization plan, the agency will eliminate approximately 2,700 jobs, which the agency said would save more than $435 million a year by next fiscal year.The SBA said in a statement that its reorganization will not impact its core services, which include loan guarantees and disaster assistance programs, and field and veteran operations; but it will refocus on supplying capital, fostering innovation, supporting veteran small business owners, and providing timely disaster relief in support of President Trumps economic agenda.It remains unclear how cutting the SBAs budget, staff, and programs could benefit American small businesses.According to the statement, Trumps agenda is aimed at reversing the broad and costly expansion of the SBA under the Biden Administration. The Trump administration claims the agency has doubled since the pandemic to help hard-hit small businesses through its programs, including the Green Lender Initiative, the Community Navigator Pilot Program, and DEI activities.In the last four years, the agency has veered off trackdoubling in size and turning into a sprawling leviathan plagued by mission creep, financial mismanagement, and waste, said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. Instead of serving small businesses, the SBA served a partisan political agendaexpanding in size, scope, and spending.A full list of the key features of the SBAs reorganization can be found here.

I swear theres probably a secret society of EDC makers who are constantly challenging each other to make the gosh darn tiniest EDC possible. Its relentless, and every single week or month I see a new EDC thats smaller yet somehow just as capable as its predecessor. Meet the Wolf Fang 2.0, a pint-sized EDC barely over 2 inches long. Designed to look quite like the fang of a cyberpunk animal, it serves as possibly the tiniest pencil ever made. Equipped with an eternal pen tip, the Wolf Fang 2.0 can write for decades, and when youre not using it to draw, it also works as a pry tool, a box opener, and even a bit driver, thanks to the fact that the fangs hollow design can store precisely one hex bit.Somewhere between a survivalists toolbox and a designers desk toy lies the Wolf Fang 2.0. At just 2.17 inches long and weighing a featherlight 0.49 ounces, its shockingly easy to underestimate. But underestimate it once, and youll be borrowing one from the guy who saw the Kickstarter page before you did.Designer: MR. GADGETClick Here to Buy Now: $32 $49 (35% off) Hurry! Only 3 of 60 left.This thing is tiny, but its built like a tank. Machined from aerospace-grade titanium, it trades bulk for resilience, holding its own in a world of cheaper, G10-and-steel wannabes. Titanium isnt just overkill hereits the secret sauce that allows the Wolf Fang 2.0 to stay so minuscule without sacrificing an ounce of durability. You can toss it onto concrete, wear it on a hike through rain or sand, let it rattle around on your keychain, or even drive your car over it. Itll come back looking like it just left the CNC mill.The fang shape lends this EDC perfectly to writing. Sure, it feels like a bit of a pencil stub, but unlike a pencil stub thats usually at the end of its journey, the Wolf Fang 2.0 can write for literal miles. Instead of traditional ink, it uses a specially alloyed metal tip that oxidizes on contact with paper, leaving a dark, legible markno smudges, no refills, no drying out. The tip is replaceable, but you likely wont need to anytime soon. This pen doesnt leak, run out, or fade, and it works in conditions where standard pens give upcold, heat, or even zero gravity if you ever find yourself in orbit.But the writing end is only one-third of the story. Unscrew the back and inside youll find a hidden magnetic bit driver. Paired with internal bit storage that cleverly nests a 1/6-inch hex bit, it turns the pendant into a quick-fix machine. Whether youre tightening screws on your EDC knife or opening up a stubborn battery compartment, the Wolf Fang 2.0 is ready. Heck, you can even use the bits (or the pen tip) to open boxes, and for especially stubborn paint lids, the reverse end of the Wolf Fang 2.0 serves as a makeshift pry bar. Every inch of space on the Wolf Fangs body is utilized to a fault, leaving no real estate bare. Excess material is removed, resulting in cutouts on three sides of the fangs cylindrical body, and if you thought the designers would just leave it at that, its where the EDCs tritium vials shine through, making it visible and accessible at night.The tritium slots are where the Wolf Fang 2.0 really flirts with jewelry status. Designed to house three 2mm x 16mm glow tubes, it emits a low, perpetual glow that feels part tactical, part cyberpunk. When worn as a necklace, its both a statement and a beaconvisible in the dark, impossible to ignore. Theres an energy to it, like carrying a little bit of future tech around your neck. Most people wear metal dog tags or animal fangs around their necks this, in its own unique way, is a fusion of both!The Wolf Fang 2.0 is an ideal EDC for anyone with a creative streak. Instead of tucking a pencil behind your ear, the fang is perfect to have on your person, either as an edgy pendant, as a keychain essential, or even as a zipper pull. Use it when you need it, forget about it when you dont, the Wolf Fang 2.0 challenges the notion of how much it can achieve with its hyper-compact design. Replacing over a 100 pencils while also simultaneously vowing to last a lifetime, the Wolf Fang starts at a cool $32 and ships globally starting June 2025.Click Here to Buy Now: $32 $49 (35% off) Hurry! Only 3 of 60 left.The post This Tiny Inkless EDC Pen Can Write Forever, And Its Also Indestructible first appeared on Yanko Design.

Global warming, but make it art.Usually, I never give a drinking water bottle a second glance. Water costs hardly anything, and its such a utility/necessity that elevating it to a design icon level is something only luxury brands like Evian or Dasani attempt at doing. That basically means the remaining 90% of brands have the most boring water bottle designs on the planet, made to be used and thrown but the Sprinkle bottle doesnt look at packaging that way.Designed to capture the journey of their water, Sprinkles bottles come in 3 design formats one in glacial form, one in an intermediary stage, and one as glacial water that usually then gets bottled at source. The bottle comes sans label, allowing this beautiful distinction to stand out, while its overall motto remains to be a brand that doesnt dwell in excess. The lack of a label reinforces Sprinkles overall REDESIGN TO REDUCE mindset.Designer: Prompt Design for M.WATER COMPANY LTD.The Sprinkle bottle evokes a sense of purity, with its crystal-like design. Its entirely clear, with the bottle looking almost like an ice sculpture itself. Theres no label, no graphic, not even an interplay of matte and gloss surfaces. Its all monolithic and shimmery, which really allows the 3-part design to shine through.The bottle displays the waters journey from source to sip. It starts with a block of arctic ice, which slowly melts into glacial form, finally becoming the spring water we associate with freshness and purity. The journey of ice to water is also a cautionary tale of sorts, showing climate change through design. The bottles design journey shows the loss of ice caps, and sure, while were left with a lot of drinking water as a result, theres still a sense of unstoppable change and of loss thats difficult to shake.The bottle was designed by the folks at Prompt Design, who had to work with a unique set of challenges. Apart from needing to create a bottle that was impactful and memorable enough to stand out on a grocery shelf or refrigerator, they also had to work around the label bit, finding unique places to list important information. To that end, the company devised a way to print the barcodes on top of the bottle cap, keeping the entire bottle itself looking incredibly pristine.The post These Water Bottles Capture The Process Of Glaciers Melting Into Spring Water first appeared on Yanko Design.

With multiple sampling and self-verification, Gemini 1.5 Pro can outperform o1-preview in reasoning tasks.Read More

Congress least favorite law is once against facing an existential challenge by bipartisan opponents. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, are planning to reintroduce a bill to sunset Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in two years. Repealing the bill, first reported by The Information, would remove protections that web services and users have enjoyed since the 1990s, which underpins much of the way the internet as we know it today works. Its a proposal Graham has been trying to advance since 2020, and his spokesperson, Taylor Reidy, confirms a reintroduction is in the works.Section 230 shields any interactive computer service or its users from legal liability for speech that was produced by someone else making it possible for social media platforms, as well as blogs and even listserv operators, to moderate content without fearing lengthy litigation over each decision. But critics have argued that it either reduces the incentives for large social networks to police illegal content like abuse and harassment, or, conversely, that it gives these platforms too much freedom to remove content thats not illegal.Section 230, and the legal immunity it provides to Big Tech, has been on the books since 1996long before social media became a part of our daily lives, Durbin says in a statement. To the extent this protection was ever needed, its usefulness has long since passed.Section 230 had bipartisan support when it became law in 1996, when the internet was a relatively small part of many peoples lives. But its come under bipartisan fire as the power of tech companies has multiplied and attracted blame for a variety of societal ills. Despite that, its been difficult for any single proposal for reform to gain momentum, since the ways that Democrats and Republicans think the law should change has largely fallen along partisan lines. In general, past Democratic proposals have sought to make it easier to hold platforms accountable for harmful content they allow to spread on their services, while Republican proposals have sought to punish platforms for restricting certain kinds of content.The idea of sunsetting Section 230 is not new Graham introduced a bill to repeal the law back in late 2020. When he reintroduced it in 2021, it had two Republican co-sponsors. But introducing a repeal with the backing of a prominent Democrat could give the proposal new status and momentum. The top bipartisan lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee floated something similar last year.But even with bipartisan support, passing any tech legislation has lately proved to be a Sisyphean task. Thats on top of a constitutional crisis that has thrown Congress power into question and raised the possibility that the Trump administration could abuse or selectively enforce any new law.Even with bipartisan support, passing any tech legislation has lately proved to be a Sisyphean taskThe theory behind a repeal of 230 is that it will force Congress (and industry lobbyists) to renegotiate if they want to retain any of the protections it provided. Graham said in a 2020 statement that the bill would give Congress two years to find an acceptable alternative or allow the legal liability protections to go away.Nongovernmental Section 230 critics like Digital Content Next, which represents publishers including The Verges parent company Vox Media, see value in putting pressure on tech companies to engage in solutions, rather than reject attempts at reform outright. The beauty of the sunset bill is, I think it would bring platforms to the table in a more thoughtful way, says Chris Pedigo, DCNs SVP of government affairs.Im under no illusion that it will be easy to pass legislation to protect kids online and finally make the tech industry legally accountable for the harms they cause, like every other industry in America, Durbin says in his statement. But I hope that for the sake of our nations kids, Congress finally acts.See More:

On March 18th, Chetan Nayak, a physicist leading Microsofts quantum team, presented new data on the companys quantum computing chip at the American Physical Societys Global Physics Summit in Anaheim, California. It was meant to calm a raging debate among physicists, but researchers remain skeptical of the results. I never felt like there would be one moment when everyone is fully convinced, Nayak told Nature in a March 18th article. The controversy centers on Microsofts February claim that it had built a new type of quantum hardware a topological qubit, made from a pattern of electrons on a tiny wire. Microsoft claimed that the qubit is less prone to errors. That would make quantum computers easier to scale up to something big enough to actually be useful. But in the journal article accompanying the release, the editors wrote that Microsoft had not conclusively shown the electrons forming the signature pattern, known as Majorana zero modes. In 2021, Microsoft had to retract a similar claim. When quantum computers become useful, ordinary consumers shouldnt expect them as personal devices.Discourse and skepticism are all part of the scientific process, Microsoft spokesperson Craig Cincotta tells The Verge. He points to additional improvements since that accompanying article, where Microsoft says the team controlled and measured a specific aspect of the qubit.The newest data Microsoft presented on Tuesday is just noise, says physicist Sergey Frolov of the University of Pittsburgh. (On Tuesday, Nayak acknowledged that the signal was hard to see because of electrical noise.) In a statement, Nayak tells The Verge that Microsoft is confident in its device. It is clear that the interest and excitement level are very high, he says. On top of controversy, the industry suffers from hype. Quantum computer champions say that they will revolutionize materials science, encryption, and finance. Theoretical research indicates that they could one day beat regular computers in certain time-consuming tasks and open new realms of computing. But the timeline is uncertain. In January, Nvidias Jensen Huang expressed doubt that commercial quantum computing would exist in 15 years, triggering quantum computing stocks to fall. He tried to walk those comments back on March 20th, when he hosted Quantum Day at Nvidias GTC conference, but quantum-related stocks fell again.Nevertheless, quantum computing researchers have been hard at work. Over the recent months, Google, Amazon, and several startups have announced a series of incremental improvements. Were left to wonder how much longer consumers will have to wait for quantum computings killer applications. Are quantum computers coming to your cloud or phone in the future? What and who are they for?Discourse and skepticism are all part of the scientific process.Quantum computers wont be able to tackle anything useful for at least another decade, says physicist Andrea Morello of the University of New South Wales in Australia. And thats if investors dont lose patience and jump ship. The technology remains a full-stack problem, from engineering the materials to make the qubits, to connecting the qubits together, to manufacturing the chips at scale and not to mention software. Investors are sticking around because the payoff could be huge. Quantum computers offer a completely new paradigm for computing. Unlike a conventional computer, which encodes information as binary ones and zeros, a quantum computer represents information as a probability of one and zero, known as a superposition. Superposition is a concept from quantum mechanics: for example, an electron can exist as a superposition, or probability, of multiple locations. You can also think of superposition like a coin flipping in the air. Before it lands, it is neither heads nor tails, but in a superposition state of both. Similarly, the qubit can represent information as some probability of both one and zero. Researchers make physical qubits from different materials for Google, Amazon, and IBM, each qubit is a small superconducting circuit; notable startups are using ions, atoms, and photons as qubits. At this point, its not clear what material is best.All qubits obey the mathematics of quantum mechanics. So do molecules. Thats why experts predict that an early useful application of quantum computers could be performing accurate and fast chemistry simulations, for discovering new materials for better batteries, more climate-friendly fertilizers, and new medical drugs. Currently, to simulate these reactions, scientists rely on supercomputers, which are inexact and slow. A quantum speedup could upend other industries, as well. Banks are investigating quantum optimization algorithms for improving financial forecasts. Quantum algorithms could make AI algorithms more energy-efficient. They should also be able to break existing encryption methods; the prediction has spurred research into more robust forms of cryptography. But first, researchers need to reduce the errors in a quantum computer overall and make them larger.And when quantum computers become useful, ordinary consumers shouldnt expect them as personal devices. Experts currently envision future quantum computers as a specialized chip in a supercomputer or as a data center. Either way, users would access the machine through the cloud. Its also unlikely that quantum computers will be useful for everyday tasks like word processing or internet browsing. Its proposed applications are largely specialized for technical fields such as pharmaceuticals and finance.Recent progress has been heartening. The first quantum computers of note, built in the last decade, were too error-ridden to execute useful algorithms. Lately, researchers have figured out how to correct computing errors by encoding a single unit of information in multiple physical qubits instead of one. Using this approach, Google and Amazon have shown that their quantum computers can more reliably store information without the machines becoming more error-prone as they get bigger. The results could pave the way toward larger, useful quantum computers. Still, a leap for physicists is an inch forward for the rest of us. Google and Amazons quantum memory only stored a single unit of quantum information, known as a logical qubit. A useful quantum computer will need thousands, perhaps a million physical qubits, corresponding to hundreds or thousands of logical qubits. Researchers need to reduce the number of physical qubits to encode a unit of information. In Amazons recent announcement, they only needed nine physical qubits per unit of information, compared to the 105 physical qubits that Google needed. We are a long way away from the big, mind-blowing, world-changing results and applications, says Morello.Its a very delicate balance. It has a chance of either people getting bored, or getting overexcited and really angryThe US, European Union, and the UK governments have each pledged funding in the billions to develop quantum computing. For the US, the main rival is China, which has poured $15 billion of public funding into quantum computing, according to the Mercator Institute for China Studies, a Germany-based think tank. Cash has been flowing in the private sector, as well. Crunchbase reported that quantum computing received $1.5 billion in venture funding worldwide in 2024, an all-time high compared to the previous record of $963 million in 2022.But building the technology is difficult. Researchers have to show progress to keep their investors happy, while also tempering their expectations to keep them patient. The worry is a potential quantum winter, where overhype leads to inflated expectations and disappointment, and investors withdraw funding. AI development underwent such cooling eras. Researchers made the first AI chatbot in the 1960s, but the field was overly optimistic about the speed of development. When they didnt deliver, funders withdrew, leading to two AI winters from the late 60s to the mid-90s.People would prefer to keep a low-enough profile to be kind of cool and a little bit buzzy, so that they can just continue reaping the benefits slowly, Frolov says. But I think its a very delicate balance. It has a chance of either people getting bored, or getting overexcited and really angry when quantum computers dont deliver according to their expectations.The anxiety over losing their funders trust has led to physicists current furor over Microsofts claims. Frolov, along with several other researchers, has spent years calling out what he said were discrepancies between Microsofts announcements and their experimental data. The community seems to be more receptive to critiques lately, he says.Such are the growing pains involved in building a quantum computer. Its potential remains alluring, but the finish line is still far away. In the meantime, physicists will continue squabbling over incremental progress as long as the cash keeps flowing. See More: Tech

As March marks Womens History Month in the US, we wanted to highlight the women here at IGN. Last year, we highlighted some staff picks of games, movies, and TV. This year we switched gears to another favorite hobby: reading. When the women of IGN were asked, Who are your favorite women authors? no easy question for avid readers a fascinating list sprung to life that spanned genres and styles. Lets see which authors and comic artists were included as we celebrate both the women of IGN and their favorite women authors!Sharon CreechHer stories of love, grief, and understanding the flawed human existence are nothing short of excellent. Marhyan FranzenNotable works: Walk Two Moons, Chasing RedbirdSharon CreechWalk Two MoonsIn her own singularly beautiful style, Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech intricately weaves together two tales, one funny, one bittersweet, to create a heartwarming, compelling, and utterly moving story of love, loss, and the complexity of human emotion.See it at AmazonKelly Sue DeConnickKelly Sue DeConnick has been battling in the trenches of the boys club of comics for years. When she wrote for Marvel, she was the one who brought the title of Captain Marvel to Carol Danvers, a legacy brought over into the MCU years later with her name in the credits as a consultant for the films. Outside of the Big Two, she's been an ever-present voice in indie comics with works like Pretty Deadly (if you're looking for a more mystical western theme) and Bitch Planet (if you want a more sci-fi, dystopian, feminist vibe). She continues with her current project, FML, from Dark Horse Comics for those looking for a more supernatural vibe in our stories. If you haven't read anything she's written yet, you're doing yourself a disservice: DeConnick is an incredible writer and an amazing human. Chelsea Reed Notable works: Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman Historia, Pretty Deadly, Bitch Planet, FMLKelly Sue DeConnickCaptain MarvelAs Earth's Mightiest Hero, Captain Marvel is exactly where she's always deserved to be. But as she navigates this crossroads in her life, a dramatic decision sends her to the stars - right into the middle of an intergalactic war!Sarah Rose EtterSarah Rose Etter writes weird but clear-eyed books for weird people (like me). Though shes only published two novels thus far, both have been among my favorite books of the year they came out. The Book of X, about a woman born to generational meat farmers and women with their stomach twisted into a knot, was surreal and painfully relatable; Ripe, about a young woman suffering through her job at a recognizably psychotic San Francisco startup and haunted by an ever-present void, swapped that formula (and also ends not unlike Rose Glass film Saint Maud). I hope she writes 100 more books like these in my lifetime. Leanne ButkovicNotable works: Ripe, The Book of XSarah Rose EtterRipe: A NovelA surreal novel with a dark, delicious edge (Time) about a woman in Silicon Valley who must decide how much shes willing to give up for successfrom an award-winning writer whose work Roxane Gay calls utterly unique and remarkable.See it at AmazonIsabel GreenbergI am excited to see the film adaptation of this feminist medieval tale and to see Charli XCX portray Rosa! Kelly PhamNotable works: The 100 Nights of HeroIsabel GreenbergThe One Hundred Nights of HeroIn the tradition of The Arabian Nights, a beautifully illustrated tapestry of folk tales and myths about the secret legacy of female storytellers in an imagined medieval world.N.K JemisinIt's unlikely this is the first time you're being recommended N.K. Jemisin's incredible The Broken Earth Trilogy. Though her other fantasy novels deserve attention in their own right, Jemisin's captivating writing, characters, and creative magic system in The Broken Earth Trilogy (specifically in the second book, The Obelisk Gate) make it the easiest to recommend. Her surprising playfulness with storytelling in The Fifth Season may be confusing for some at first, but stick with it the payoff is fantastic. It follows Essun, a woman trying to hunt down her husband who murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter while trying to survive a recurring cataclysmic event and hide that she has powers to manipulate the very earth around her. It's an incredible, Hugo Award-winning ride. Miranda SanchezNotable works: The Broken Earth Trilogy (The Fifth Season), The City We BecameN.K JemisinThe Broken Earth Trilogy: The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, The Stone SkyThis collectable boxed set edition includes all three books in N. K. Jemisin's incredible NYT bestselling and three-time Hugo award-winning Broken Earth Trilogy.See it at AmazonT. KingfisherIt's astounding just how much T. Kingfisher publishes in a year but my adventure-loving heart appreciates the number of Kingfisher's consistently interesting retakes on classic fairy tales and horror stories. Kingfisher's stories tend to skew toward gothic horror and dark fantasy, but even still, her comedic pacing and thoughtfully written characters provide a sometimes needed balance for various novels' heavy themes. Whether it's the slow and creeping exploration of emotional abuse in "What Moves the Dead" or her exquisite Saint of Steel fantasy romance series that deals with personal identity and loss, I've come away with a full heart (and feeling a little creeped out). MSNotable works: Nettle & Bone, What Moves the Dead, Paladin's GraceT. KingfisherWhat Moves the DeadA gripping and atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allan Poes The Fall of the House of Usher from Hugo, Locus, & Nebula award-winning author T. KingfisherSee it at AmazonHan KangMaybe its overly obvious to be recommending the most recent Nobel Prize winner for Literature even members of BTS celebrated her accomplishment on Instagram but all of the praise lauded on Han Kang is apparent when you crack open one of her novels. Like most people, I was introduced to her work through The Vegetarian when it was translated into English in 2015 and was immediately taken by its disturbingly mesmerizing plot about a housewife who stops eating meat, to the confusion and dismay of those around her, and eventually food altogether. (Its even more aesthetically arresting knowing that it released in South Korea a full eight years prior.) Ive followed her ever since, from the thematically similar Greek Lessons to the true-to-life South Korean political atrocities in Human Acts and We Do Not Part, and I cannot implore you enough to read Han Kang. She is a genius and absolute badass. LBNotable works: We Do Not Part, The Vegetarian, Human Acts, Greek LessonsHan KangThe VegetarianCelebrated by critics around the world, The Vegetarian is a darkly allegorical, Kafka-esque tale of power, obsession, and one womans struggle to break free from the violence both without and within her.See it at AmazonYume KitaseiNewly published but already on her way to releasing a third novel, Yume Kitasei is an imaginative sci-fi writer with a promising career ahead of her. While many of my favorite sci-fi writers tend to have expansive series, Kitasei's one-off stories delightfully build their worlds quickly, and their engaging stories move even faster. Her debut, The Deep Sky, is a neat murder mystery aboard a tech-filled spaceship bound for the hopeful future home of humanity that was hard to put down. Her follow-up, The Stardust Grail, is an Indiana Jones-style adventure as its protagonist races her enemies to find an ancient alien artifact that is the key to her friend's survival but potentially the doom of her own. Both are lovely and imaginative, and I can't wait to read her next novel that's out later this fall. MSNotable works: The Deep Sky, Stardust GrailYume KitaseiThe Deep SkyYume Kitasei's The Deep Sky is an enthralling sci fi thriller debut about a mission into deep space that begins with a lethal explosion that leaves the survivors questioning the loyalty of the crew.See it at AmazonGail Carson LevinePerfect for kids just getting started in fantasy. MFNotable works: Ella EnchantedGail Carson LevineElla EnchantedThis beloved Newbery Honor-winning story about a feisty heroine is sure to enchant readers new and old. See it at AmazonSarah J. MassSarah J. Mass is a queen in the fantasy romance genre who constantly leaves me jaw-dropped with everything she has created. Her world-building and storytelling are so incredibly detailed, that she quickly became one of my favorite fantasy authors. Shes generally best known for the remarkable series A Court of Thorns and Roses currently a five-book series with more releases coming which dives into a story about a young woman who ends up living in a magical realm. In it, she finds her confidence and strength while battling through internal and external wars among the Fae who are basically humans with super strength, magical powers, and immortality. Her first series was Throne of Glass, an amazing eight-book series that started her fantasy writing and world-building when she was only a teenager. Her latest series, Crescent City, has three books so far, with a fourth to come. All three of her series take place in the fantasy world of the Fae, so when readers are fans of one of her series, they tend to enjoy the others as well. Mass ability to develop strong characters and exciting twists leaves her stories equally entwined with the fantastical elements of the story and the romance side of things. For those looking for epic fantasy stories with romance and a bit of spice, jump into the Fae world with these books. Jessie WadeNotable works: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass, Crescent CitySarah J. MassA Court of Thorns and RosesFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable audiobook.See it at AmazonSilvia Moreno-GarciaThere seemingly isn't a genre Silvia Moreno-Garcia won't tackle. Whether it's a historical romance with a touch of fantasy in The Beautiful Ones or a dark vampire adventure set in Mexico City in Certain Dark Things, Moreno-Garcia nails it every time. Some of her romance-forward stories feel a little similar in their dynamics if you read them back to back, but it's easy to make sure that doesn't happen if you're new to her small library of published works. The majority of her works tend to skew toward dark historical fantasy set throughout North America and, more often than not, in Mexico, which is wonderfully refreshing. Anything she publishes has a guaranteed spot on my limited bookshelf space. MSNotable works: Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silver NitrateSilvia Moreno-GarciaMexican GothicFrom the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes a terrifying twist on classic gothic horror (Kirkus Reviews) set in glamorous 1950s Mexico.See it at AmazonErin MorgensternErin Morganstern's two novels, The Night Circus and The Starless Sea, read like falling into a dream. Morganstern is another of the very few authors whose books I will not only buy in hardcover instantly but also grab multiple copies to collect the various editions. The Night Circus is a luscious, historical fantasy romance about two magicians trained since childhood for their inevitable battle against one another at a mysterious circus. It's guaranteed to break me out of a reading slump whenever I pick it up again and was the book that drew me back into regularly reading as an adult. (Sometimes you've gotta not look at a screen, as much as I love spending my time playing video games.) Her second novel, The Starless Sea, is a winding, enchanting story about stories. It begins in the world we know before protagonist Zachary finds his way into an underground realm that serves as the library of all stories and it's in danger. Like her debut, The Starless Sea is wonderfully written and best paired with a warm cup of tea. MSNotable works: The Night Circus, The Starless SeaErin MorgensternThe Night CircusWritten in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.See it at AmazonHelen OyeyemiI get a little giddy when I hear that a new Helen Oyeyemi book is on its way. A truly singular voice, Oyeyemi is hard to pin down in a way thats like stick with me here trying to chase down a wispy ghost thats purposefully messing with you but youre still having a great time anyway. Her novels are fantastical, but arent really fantasy at all; a chunk of them are inspired by Hans Christian Anderson folktales, but the look and feel could not be further from their progenitors. (Gingerbread, for example, is vaguely Hansel and Gretel-ish put through a capitalist meat grinder.) Mostly theyre all fever dream adventures that nuke the rules of literary fiction. As another great writer Alexandra Kleeman said to The Nation, Oyeyemis work has the discombobulating quality of walking through a moving vehicle while carrying a full-to-the-brim cup of very hot tea. LBNotable works: Parasol Against the Axe, Gingerbread, Boy Snow Bird, Mr. FoxHelen OyeyemiMr. FoxThe extraordinarily gifted Helen Oyeyemi has written a love story like no other. Mr. Fox is a magical book, endlessly inventive, as witty and charming as it is profound in its truths about how we learn to be with one another.See it at AmazonLeomi SadlerTummy Bugs is a collection of over a decade of work from Leomi Sadler and full of bright colors and dark humor. KPNotable works: Tummy BugsLeomi SadlerTummy BugsCollecting Leomi Sadler's energetic work for the first time, Tummy Bugs serves as both an introduction and a retrospective to Sadler's deeply personal and exciting cartooning voice.Samantha ShannonFor those of you who have been mourning the end of the Game of Thrones TV show and are waiting rather impatiently for George R.R. Martin to finally publish The Winds of Winter, Samantha Shannon is here to ease your suffering. The Roots of Chaos series, starting with The Priory of the Orange Tree, is exactly the kind of high fantasy series we all deserve. With rich characters, dragons, magic, suspense, tragedy, and a satisfying twist, this 845-page book will keep you on the edge of your seat and immersed in another world for as long as you let it. Another prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, was published only three years later, but excitement continues with yet another prequel, Among the Burning Flowers, which will be coming out later this year. If you've been itching to start a new series, this is the perfect time to jump in. CRNotable works: The Roots of Chaos series (The Priory of the Orange Tree), The Bone Season seriesSamantha ShannonThe Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos)A world divided.A queendom without an heir.An ancient enemy awakens.Gail SimoneGail has been writing comics (and other media) for a long time and has done amazing work in portraying the quiet but no less powerful moments in superheroes lives. She has won GLAAD awards and is the first female solo writer for Uncanny X-Men. She is more amazing than a short blurb can say. Check her out! MFNotable works: Uncanny X-Men. You can pre-order the next release (August 5) on Amazon now.Gail Simone(Kindle Only) Uncanny X-MenA core group of essential X-Men rise FROM THE ASHES to face a world without a home - and without Professor X! $5.99 at AmazonSue Lynn TanSue Lynn Tan's debut, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, is a gorgeous reimagining and expansion of the Chinese legend of the moon goddess and continues with its follow-up, Heart of the Sun Warrior. Together, they are the most delicious romantic adventures I've read. The duology eloquently gives context to Chinese mythology for those unfamiliar with it while keeping the pace of the action steady. As the first book's title suggests, the hidden daughter of the exiled moon goddess, Xingyin, takes the role of protagonist when she's sent into hiding among the Celestial Kingdom while her mother must continue her imprisonment on the moon. Determined to set her mother free, Xingyin goes on an epic, inspiring adventure to set things right. Tan's complex characters and strong understanding of romantic pacing make these instant standouts among romantic fantasy novels. MSNotable works: The Celestial Kingdom Duology (Daughter of the Moon Goddess), ImmortalSue Lynn Tan(Book 1 of 3) Daughter of the Moon GoddessA captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Change, in which a young womans quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.Morgan VogelMorgan's work is visceral and intelligent, beautifully drawn but also deeply unsettling. It captures the weight of being lost online, in the world, or within yourself. KPNotable works: Nightcore Energy, ValleMorgan VogelNightcore EnergyWith a stiff, frightening pen, Nightcore shows us the world of a young man attempting to escape a world he feels fundamentally alienated from by immersing himself in technologyaligning with Morgans own experience as a teenage web-artist.See it at Organ.FailJacqueline WilsonWritten for young adults, Jacqueline Wilson's works touch on hard-to-talk-about topics such as grief and loss, substance abuse, bullying, and abandonment. I grew up reading Wilson's books, and could often relate to her characters due to my own tough upbringing. I would often escape to my local library and bury myself in one of her books to feel less alone in what I was going through. She has won several awards for her work, including a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (basically the best award you can get!) by King Charles III for her "services to Literature." Meg KoeppNotable works: "Girls" series, Think Again, The Illustrated MumJacqueline WilsonThe Illustrated MumMarigold's daughter thinks she is the most beautiful mum in the world, but she wishes she wouldn't spend so much money and stay out all night - it's scary.Rebecca YarrosRebecca Yarross Empyrean series is a striking adult fantasy romance that follows a young womans experience going to a war college for dragon riders. If you can imagine humans working with dragons to prepare for war, you can guess (correctly) that its brutal right off the bat. Even though violence takes a prominent, integral role in the books, it doesnt overtake the importance of the storyline itself, the characters, and the world-building. Yarros does a phenomenal job creating relatable characters who deal with serious challenges, both physical and mental, they need to learn to overcome, but theres a theme of friendship and support throughout. The romance is woven into the story in an organic way that complements the plot well, while still keeping the excitement in the fantasy world. Even for those not interested in the romance side of it, youll likely end up adoring the characters experiences together and crave more of it the further you read. Yarros has this ability to create such complex storylines with so many unexpected twists and turns, leaving you constantly hyped. She reveals more of her worlds as she goes on through the books, and when I say shell crush your world and then rebuild it (hopefully), I mean it. Youll be surprised how attached you get to dragons and think of them as real people. The Empyrean series is a five-book series and the third book was released on January 21, 2025, with two still to come. JWNotable works: Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)Rebecca Yarros(3 Book Set) Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm)Immerse yourself in this captivating fantasy series with three stunning books: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm,by #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.This article features written contributions by: Chelsea Reed (Video Editor), Jessie Wade (Sr. Manager of Promotions and Events), Kelly Pham (IGN Store), Leanne Butkovic (Project Manager), Lindsey Salzer (Commerce Director), Marhyan Franzen (Supervising Technical Producer), Meg Koepp (Guides Editor, Trends) and Miranda Sanchez (Executive Editor, Guides).