Classic science fiction
Penguin Books Ltd 1984 The dystopian classic reimagined with cover
Book SynopsisThe perfect edition for any Orwell enthusiasts'' collection, discover the classic dystopian masterpiece beautifully reimagined by renowned street artist Shepard Fairey Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101. . . First published in 1949, 1984 is George Orwell''s terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. ''Right up there among my favourite books . . . I rTrade ReviewHis final masterpiece. Enthralling and indispensible for understanding modern history * Timothy Garton Ash *Right up there among my favourite books ... I read it again and again * Margaret Atwood *More relevant to today than almost any other book that you can think of * Jo Brand *One of the most shocking novels of the twentieth century * Margaret Drabble *The book of the twentieth century * Ben Pimlott *
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers Fahrenheit 451
Book Synopsis The hauntingly prophetic classic novel set in a not-too-distant future where books are burned by a special task force of firemen. Over 1 million copies sold in the UK. Trade Review‘Another indispensible classic’ The Times ‘Fahrenheit 451 is the most skilfully drawn of all science fiction’s conformist hells’Kingsley Amis ‘Bradbury’s is a very great and unusual talent’Christopher Isherwood ‘Ray Bradbury has a powerful and mysterious imagination which would undoubtedly earn the respect of Edgar Allen Poe’ Guardian 'It is impossible not to admire the vigour of his prose, similes and metaphors constantly cascading from his imagination' Spectator 'As a science fiction writer, Ray Bradbury has long been streets ahead of anyone else' Daily Telegraph ‘No other writer uses language with greater originality and zest. he seems to be a American Dylan Thomas – with dsicipline’ Sunday Telegraph
£8.99
Hodder & Stoughton Dune
Book Synopsis''An astonishing science fiction phenomenon'' WASHINGTON POST''I know nothing comparable to it except The Lord of the Rings'' Arthur C ClarkeBefore The Matrix, before Star Wars, before Ender''s Game and Neuromancer, there was Dune, the first book in one of the greatest science fiction series ever written.A game of power, only those who can conquer their fear will survive.Melange, or ''spice'', is the most valuable - and rarest - element in the universe. And it can only be found on a single planet: the inhospitable desert world Arrakis.Whoever controls Arrakis controls the spice. And whoever controls the spice controls the universe.When stewardship of Arrakis is transferred to his house, Paul Atreides must travel to the planet''s dangerous surface to ensure the future of his family and his people. But as malevolent forces explode into conflict around him, Paul is thrust into a great destiny beyond his understanding.Read the first installment that inspired the major blockbuster films starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler.WINNER of the NEBULA AWARD for best novel, 1965JOINT WINNER of the HUGO AWARD for best novel, 1966READERS LOVE IT''Dune had me hooked! [...] Authentic world building'' ?????''The complexity and depth of the creation is staggering'' ?????''This is a phenomenal classic of literature'' ?????''There''s just so much brilliance here. The balance is perfect'' ?????''Dune is every bit to science-fiction what Lord of the Rings is to fantasy'' ?????Trade ReviewA sweeping work of science-fiction that helped define the genre and bring it to the mainstream * The Independent *Adapted from Frank Herbert's 1960s opus, Dune is dense, moody and quite often sublime - the missing link bridging the multiplex and the arthouse * The Guardian - 5* *This new adaptation of the 1965 Frank Herbert novel ... it's science-fiction at its most majestic, unsettling and enveloping * Daily Telegraph *Dune is this generation's Lord of the Rings trilogy ... firmly grounded in Herbert's book. The author's story of feudal nobles waging war over Arrakis, the only source of a powerful drug known as spice, is thick with conflicting ideas that academics are still unpacking today * The Independent *Dune: science fiction's answer to Lord of the Rings * The Guardian *Dune, more than 50 years after it was first published, is a story that speaks to the issues of our time * BBC Science Focus *Astonishing in its scope and thought-provoking in its breadth of themes, Dune is an unforgettable fantasy adventure like no other * Woman & Home *Astonishing in its scope and thought-provoking in its breadth of themes, Dune is an unforgettable fantasy adventure like no other * Isabelle Broom, womanandhome.com, Best Fantasy Books of All Time *Unique among SF novels . . . I know nothing comparable to it except The Lord of the Rings. * Arthur C. Clarke *One of the landmarks of modern science fiction . . . an amazing feat of creation. * Analog *A racy read. * The Week *One of the most famous novels in the history of science fiction, Dune remains as popular today as it ever was. * SciFi Now *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Frankenstein
Book SynopsisOne of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World'The Penguin English Library Edition of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley'Never did I behold a vision so horrible as his face, of such loathsome, yet appalling hideousness'A twisted, upside-down creation myth, Mary Shelley's chilling Gothic tale lays bare the dark side of science, and the horror within us all. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, who plunders graveyards to create a new being from the bodies of the dead - but whose botched creature causes nothing but murder and destruction. Written after a nightmare when its author was only eighteen, Frankenstein gave birth to the modern science fiction novel.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.
£7.99
Orion Publishing Co Flowers For Algernon
Book SynopsisCharlie Gordon, IQ 68, is a floor sweeper and the gentle butt of everyone''s jokes - until an experiment in the enhancement of human intelligence turns him into a genius. But then Algernon, the mouse whose triumphal experimental transformation preceded his, fades and dies, and Charlie has to face the possibility that his salvation was only temporary.Winner of the 1960 Hugo Award for Best Short Story, and subsequently expanded into a Hugo-nominated novel, Flowers for Algernon earned Daniel Keyes the honour of SFWA Author Emeritus in 2000 for his contribution to Science Fiction and Fantasy.''Heartbreaking and beautiful. Required reading, as far as I am concerned'' - Wil Wheaton''A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant'' - The Guardian''Excellent . . . extremely moving'' - The Encyclopedia of Science FictionWelcome to The Best Of The Masterworks: a selection ofTrade ReviewThis is one of the greats: a story and a central character that have stayed with me for thirty years, from the first moment I picked it up * Conn Iggulden *A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant * Guardian *A timeless tearjerker * Independent *Excellent . . . extremely moving * The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction *Unflinchingly honest . . . it will make you reflect on your own life . . . and completely and utterly break your heart * Guardian Online *A narrative tour de force, very moving, beautiful and remorseless in its simple logic * Science Fiction, 100 Best Novels *Strikingly original * Publishers Weekly *A tale that is convincing, suspectful and touching * New York Times *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Foundation
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST ALL-TIME SERIESThe Foundation series is Isaac Asimov's iconic masterpiece. Unfolding against the backdrop of a crumbling Galactic Empire, the story of Hari Seldon's two Foundations is a lasting testament to an extraordinary imagination, one that shaped science fiction as we know it today.The Galactic Empire has prospered for twelve thousand years. Nobody suspects that the heart of the thriving Empire is rotten, until psychohistorian Hari Seldon uses his new science to foresee its terrible fate.Exiled to the desolate planet Terminus, Seldon establishes a colony of the greatest minds in the Empire, a Foundation which holds the key to changing the fate of the galaxy.However, the death throes of the Empire breed hostile new enemies, and the young Foundation's fate will be threatened first.Trade Review‘One of the most staggering achievements in modern SF’The Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Fahrenheit 451
Book SynopsisVoyager Classics timeless masterworks of science fiction and fantasy.A beautiful clothbound edition of the internationally acclaimed Fahrenheit 451 a masterwork of twentieth-century literature.Over 1 million copies sold in the UK.The terrifyingly prophetic novel of a post-literate future.Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.The classic dystopian novel of a post-literate future, Fahrenheit 451 stands alongside Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World as a prophetic account of Western civilization's enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.Bradbury's powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which, decades on from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.Trade Review‘‘Ray Bradbury’s gift for storytelling reshaped our culture and expanded our world’ Barack Obama ‘Fahrenheit 451 is the most skilfully drawn of all science fiction’s conformist hells’Kingsley Amis ‘Bradbury’s is a very great and unusual talent’Christopher Isherwood ‘Ray Bradbury has a powerful and mysterious imagination which would undoubtedly earn the respect of Edgar Allen Poe’ Guardian
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd Frankenstein The 1818 Text
Book SynopsisMary Shelley''s seminal novel of the scientist whose creation becomes a monsterThis edition is the original 1818 text, which preserves the hard-hitting and politically charged aspects of Shelley''s original writing, as well as her unflinching wit and strong female voice. This edition also includes a new introduction and suggestions for further reading by author and Shelley expert Charlotte Gordon, literary excerpts and reviews selected by Gordon and a chronology and essay by preeminent Shelley scholar Charles E. Robinson.Trade Review“Gordon’s framing is the real standout of the anniversary edition (…) Highly recommended.”—N. K. Jemisin, The New York Times Book Review“Frankenstein is as efficient and resonant a reference today as it was in 1818. . . In this bicentennial year, much will be written about Frankenstein, its adaptations, and whether there exists a definitive or superior version of the novel. . . The 1818 Text is reflective of the thrill and nervous energy that ushered in a new era of science and society. . . But part of what makes it a little unsettling is what makes it so interesting: The chance to watch a 200-year-old novel develop. In a story that's reflected so much of the last two hundred years, and centers so much on choices, storytelling, and the potential for change, it only makes sense that Frankenstein reflects changes within its own creator”—Genevieve Valentine, NPR
£9.49
Temple Dark Books Diathesis
Book SynopsisMaria Rodrigues' parents were not who they seemed, and so the girl is raised apart from them, hiding without understanding. As she grows into adulthood and becomes enthralled by environmental activism, she meets a man whose genius is tempered by his questionable ethics, coming to learn that the lines between what is right and what is necessary are so easily blurred. Philosophy, ethics and science are at odds as a disparate cast of soldiers, technicians and explorers clash in the maelstrom surrounding the Ismud project Earth's first crewed interstellar probe. Some will seek validation for past wrongs; others revenge for festering pain; some merely a meaning to their existence; while others will stop at nothing to see their genius brought to life. These lives are mapped with sympathetic immersion, narrating a multivalent trajectory that will see a future cut short as the Ismud launch looms...
£15.74
Pan Macmillan The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: 42nd
Book Synopsis'One of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius' - David WalliamsAn international phenomenon and pop-culture classic, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has been a radio show, TV series, novel, stage play, comic book and film. Following the galactic (mis)adventures of Arthur Dent, Hitchhiker’s in its various incarnations has captured the imaginations of curious minds around the world . . .It's an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards to make way for a new hyperspace express route, and his best friend has just announced that he's an alien. At this moment, they're hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and an innocuous-looking book inscribed, in large friendly letters, with the words: DON'T PANIC. The weekend has only just begun . . .This 42nd Anniversary Edition includes exclusive bonus material from the Douglas Adams archives, and an introduction by former Doctor Who showrunner, Russell T Davies.Continue Arthur Dent's intergalactic adventures in the rest of the trilogy with five parts: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless.Trade ReviewOne of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius -- David WalliamsDazzlingly inventive -- Caitlin MoranFizzing with ideas . . . Brilliant -- Charlie BrookerI haven’t known many geniuses in my life. Some brilliantly smart people, but only a tiny handful would I class as geniuses. I would class Douglas, because he saw things differently, and he was capable of communicating the way he saw things, and once he explained things the way he saw them, it was almost impossible to see them the way you used to see them -- Neil GaimanThe first book that wasn’t by Roald Dahl that really made me laugh. Arthur Dent is this humdrum person in search of a cup of tea and ends up going on mind-blowing adventures. He is so ordinary and the circumstances are so extraordinary that it was the funniest thing I’d ever read -- Robert WebbIt changed my whole life. It's literally out of this world -- Tom BakerReally entertaining and fun -- Michael PalinHitchhiker’s is packed with that unique energy, all barmy and bristling and bold. This book can be witty, iconoclastic, godless, savage, sweet, surreal, but above all, it dares to be silly. Fiercely, beautifully silly -- Russell T. Davies, writer and producer of Doctor WhoHe had almost a Wodehousian style and some of his phrases and jokes entered our language. He changed the way people spoke -- Stephen FryThere has never been another writer remotely like Douglas Adams. He discovered a completely new genre – scientific wit – and having discovered it he raised it to dizzying heights -- Tony RobinsonQuite good I suppose, if you like brilliantly entertaining books written with a touch of imaginative genius -- Griff Rhys JonesVery occasionally a book comes along that changes the way you laugh and what you laugh about -- Richard DawkinsOne of the world’s sanest, smartest, kindest, funniest voices * Independent on Sunday *Sheer delight * The Times *Magical . . . read this book * Sunday Express *Really entertaining and fun -- John CleeseMuch funnier than anything John Cleese has written -- Terry JonesWho is John Cleese? -- Eric IdleI know for a fact that John Cleese hasn’t read it -- Graham Chapman
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Complete Robot
Book SynopsisIsaac Asimov's Robot series from the iconic collection I, Robot to four classic novels contains some of the most influential works in the history of science fiction. Establishing and testing the Three Laws of Robotics, they continue to shape the understanding and design of artificial intelligence to this day.Could a robot ever show true creativity? Is it wise to trust self-driving cars? Will robotic body parts transform human beings into machines? Will organic technology allow robots to become human?The Complete Robot combines the stories in I, Robot and The Rest of the Robots with many more found only in this collection including one of Asimov's masterpieces, the Hugo and Nebula award-winning novella The Bicentennial Man'.Featuring Dr. Susan Calvin, Donovan and Powell, and the detective Elijah Baley, hero of the Robot novels, this is the ultimate collection of short stories from a genius of the genre.Trade Review‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£9.87
Vintage Publishing 1984
Book SynopsisA dystopian masterpiece - the powerful and prophetic novel that defined the twentieth century.The year is 1984. War and revolution have created an unrecognisable world. Great Britain, now known as Airstrip One, is ruled by the Party, led by Big Brother. Mass surveillance is total and The Thought Police ensure no individual thinking is allowed.Winston Smith works at The Ministry of Truth, carefully rewriting history. But Winston dreams of freedom, and of rebellion. It is here that he falls in love with Julia, and starts a secret, forbidden affair with her - but in this world nothing can be kept secret, and they are forced to face consequences more terrifying than either of them could have ever imagined.''A profound, terrifying, and wholly fascinating book'' New Yorker''No novel of the past century has had more influence than George Orwell's 1984'' AtlanticWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ROBERT HARRIS
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep
Book SynopsisPhilip K. Dick's classic SF novel, which was adapted as the film BLADE RUNNER.Trade ReviewOne of the most original practitioners writing any kind of fiction, Dick made most of the European avant-garde seem like navel-gazers in a cul-de-sac * Sunday Times *My literary hero * Fay Weldon *For everyone lost in the endlessly multiplicating realities of the modern world, remember: Philip K. Dick got there first * Terry Gilliam *A masterclass in sci-fi wonderment * Empire *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers The Yellow Wallpaper Herland
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.
£5.62
HarperCollins Publishers Second Foundation
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST ALL-TIME SERIESThe Foundation series is Isaac Asimov's iconic masterpiece. Unfolding against the backdrop of a crumbling Galactic Empire, the story of Hari Seldon's two Foundations is a lasting testament to an extraordinary imagination, one that shaped science fiction as we know it today.The First Foundation has been defeated, crushed by the formidable mental powers of the Mule. But whispers of the mysterious Second Foundation, the only hope of defeating the Mule, are beginning to spreadSurviving members of the First Foundation also fear the secret powers of the Second Foundation, vowing to find and destroy it. However, the location of the Second Foundation remains shrouded in mystery. Finding it will lead the Foundation to the opposite end of the Galaxy, where the fate of Seldon's two Foundations awaits.Trade Review‘One of the most staggering achievements in modern SF’The Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Space Trilogy Out of the Silent Planet
Book SynopsisThis striking one-volume edition marks the 75th anniversary of Lewis's classic SF trilogy featuring the adventures of Dr Ransom on Mars, Venus and Earth. It includes an exclusive Foreword compiled from letters by J.R.R. Tolkien, who inspired Lewis to write the first volume.The Space Trilogy is a remarkable work of fantasy, demonstrating the powerful imagination of C.S..Lewis. This new one-volume edition marks the 75th Anniversary of the first publication of Out of the Silent Planet with an exclusive Foreword by J.R.R. Tolkien, on whom the main character of Ransom was largely based.OUT OF THE SILENT PLANETDr Ransom, a Cambridge academic, is abducted and taken on a spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra, which he knows as Mars. His captors are plotting to plunder the planet's treasures and offer Ransom as a sacrifice to the creatures who live therePERELANDRAHaving escaped from Mars, Dr Ransom is called to the paradise planet of Perelandra, or Venus. When his old enemy also arrives andTrade Review“Exciting, and highly approved.” J.R.R. Tolkien “This book has real splendour, compelling moments and a flowing narrative.” New York Times “An extravagant mingling of dream and realism…excellent and thrilling reading.” Daily Telegraph “Remarkable… a rare power of inventive imagination” Times Literary Supplement
£21.25
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc The Complete Fiction of H. P. Lovecraft
Book SynopsisThis full collection of tales by the master of eldritch, H. P. Lovecraft himself, will take you through monsters, cosmic horrors, and ancient evil.
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co Roadside Picnic
Book Synopsis'Deft and supple ... a truly superb tale' Theodore Sturgeon
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Roadside Picnic
Book SynopsisThe Strugatsky brothers'' poignant and introspective novel of first contact that inspired the classic film StalkerRed Schuhart is a stalker, one of those strange misfits who are compelled by some unknown force to venture illegally into the Zone and, in spite of the extreme danger, collect the mysterious artefacts that the alien visitors left scattered around. His life is dominated by the Zone and the thriving black market in the alien products. Even the nature of his daughter has been determined by the Zone. And it is for her that Red makes his last, tragic foray into the hazardous and hostile depths.Readers can''t stop thinking about Roadside Picnic:''A story of a horrific yet fascinating place, a story of an ordinary and unlikable man just trying to get by, a philosophical interlude on humanity and its significance or lack thereof, of greed and wonder, and the fever dream of the soul scream. It still spe
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers I Robot Isaac Asimov
Book SynopsisVoyager Classics timeless masterworks of science fiction and fantasy.The classic collection of robot stories from the master of the genre.In these stories Isaac Asimov creates the Three Laws of Robotics and ushers in the Robot Age.Earth is ruled by master-machines but the Three Laws of Robotics have been designed to ensure humans maintain the upper hand:1) A robot may not injure a human being or allow a human being to come to harm2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.But what happens when a rogue robot's idea of what is good for society contravenes the Three Laws?Trade Review‘An exciting science thriller…’New York Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Flowers For Algernon: The must-read literary
Book SynopsisThe classic novel about a daring experiment in human intelligence'A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant' Guardian'A timeless tearjerker' IndependentCharlie Gordon, IQ 68, is a floor sweeper and the gentle butt of everyone's jokes - until an experiment in the enhancement of human intelligence turns him into a genius.But then Algernon, the mouse whose triumphal experimental transformation preceded his, fades and dies, and Charlie has to face the possibility that his salvation was only temporary.Readers can't stop reading Flowers For Algernon:'I am finding it hard to put into words the vast range of emotions I experienced while reading this tale of hope, perseverance, truth and humanity . . . I'm a huge fan of science fiction that doesn't seem too far away; something that I could imagine being just around the corner - and that's how I felt about Flowers for Algernon' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'You're watching Charlie, the main character, go through an experimental procedure that increases his IQ. The whole book, written in diary entries, let us see how it affects his life and how he struggles through it. I rarely cry while reading a book but I couldn't help myself here. It's a classic for a reason. Read it. You won't be able to put it down' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Heartbreaking and beautiful. Required reading, as far as I am concerned' Wil Wheaton'This book is extraordinary, one of my favorites. It is a fast read but is is very powerful and heartbreaking. I read it in the plane and I felt a little embarrassed when I started to weep at the end of the book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'One of those stories I wish I would have read years earlier. It's simply marvellous. It's about the nature of intelligence and how intelligence can be divisive. It's a very emotional book' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Trade ReviewThis is one of the greats: a story and a central character that have stayed with me for thirty years, from the first moment I picked it up * Conn Iggulden *A masterpiece of poignant brilliance . . . heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant * Guardian *A timeless tearjerker * Independent *Excellent . . . extremely moving * The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction *Unflinchingly honest . . . it will make you reflect on your own life . . . and completely and utterly break your heart * Guardian Online *A narrative tour de force, very moving, beautiful and remorseless in its simple logic * Science Fiction, 100 Best Novels *Strikingly original * Publishers Weekly *A tale that is convincing, suspectful and touching * New York Times *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Foundation and Empire
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST ALL-TIME SERIESThe Foundation series is Isaac Asimov's iconic masterpiece. Unfolding against the backdrop of a crumbling Galactic Empire, the story of Hari Seldon's two Foundations is a lasting testament to an extraordinary imagination, one that shaped science fiction as we know it today.The First Foundation survived two centuries of barbarism as the once-mighty Galactic Empire descended into chaos. Now it mist prepare for war against the remnants of the Empire as the Imperial fleet advances on their planet, Terminus.Hari Seldon predicted this war; he even prepared his Foundation for it. But he couldn't foresee the birth of the mutant Mule. In possession of a power which reduces fearsome opposition to devoted slaves, the Mule poses a terrible threat to Seldon's Foundation.Trade Review‘One of the most staggering achievements in modern SF’The Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£7.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Cyberiad
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA giant of 20th-century science fiction * Guardian *A Jorge Luis Borges for the Space Age * New York Times *The linguistic inventiveness is extraordinary ... Lem has created a curious world in which robots and rockets rub shoulders with kings, dragons, witches and pirates * Independent on Sunday *
£8.54
Pan Macmillan The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Book SynopsisFollowing the smash-hit sci-fi comedy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is the second part in Douglas Adams' multi-media phenomenon and cult classic series. This edition includes exclusive bonus material from the Douglas Adams archives, and an introduction by Monty Python star, Terry Jones.If you've done six impossible things this morning, why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways, the Restaurant at the end of the Universe?Which is exactly what Arthur Dent and the crew of the Heart of Gold plan to do. There's just the small matter of escaping the Vogons, avoiding being taken to the most totally evil world in the Galaxy and teaching a space ship how to make a proper cup of tea.And did anyone actually make a reservation?Follow Arthur Dent's galactic (mis)adventures in the rest of the trilogy with five parts: Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless.Trade ReviewOne of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius -- David WalliamsDazzlingly inventive -- Caitlin MoranFizzing with ideas . . . Brilliant -- Charlie BrookerI haven’t known many geniuses in my life. Some brilliantly smart people, but only a tiny handful would I class as geniuses. I would class Douglas, because he saw things differently, and he was capable of communicating the way he saw things, and once he explained things the way he saw them, it was almost impossible to see them the way you used to see them -- Neil GaimanIt changed my whole life. It's literally out of this world -- Tom BakerHitchhiker’s is packed with that unique energy, all barmy and bristling and bold. This book can be witty, iconoclastic, godless, savage, sweet, surreal, but above all, it dares to be silly. Fiercely, beautifully silly -- Russell T. Davies, writer and producer of Doctor WhoHe had almost a Wodehousian style and some of his phrases and jokes entered our language. He changed the way people spoke -- Stephen FryThere has never been another writer remotely like Douglas Adams. He discovered a completely new genre – scientific wit – and having discovered it he raised it to dizzying heights -- Tony RobinsonQuite good I suppose, if you like brilliantly entertaining books written with a touch of imaginative genius -- Griff Rhys JonesVery occasionally a book comes along that changes the way you laugh and what you laugh about -- Richard DawkinsOne of the world’s sanest, smartest, kindest, funniest voices * Independent on Sunday *Magical . . . read this book * Sunday Express *Sheer delight * The Times *
£9.49
Alma Books Ltd Frankenstein
Book SynopsisSince it was first published in 1818, Mary Shelley's seminal novel has generated countless print, stage and screen adaptations, but none has ever matched the power and philosophical resonance of the original. Composed as part of a challenge with Byron and Shelley to conjure up the most terrifying ghost story, Frankenstein narrates the chilling tale of a being created by a bright young scientist and the catastrophic consequences that ensue. Considered by many to be the first science-fiction novel, the tragic tale of Victor Frankenstein and the tortured creation he rejects is a classic fable about the pursuit of knowledge, the nature of beauty and the monstrosity inherent to man.Trade ReviewThe first novel of the scientific revolution and, incidentally, the first novel of science fiction. -- Brian Aldiss Frankenstein appeals to something very primal, but it's also about profound things, the very nature of life and death and birth. -- Kenneth Branagh How many fictional characters have made the great leap from literature to mythology; how many creatures of sheer language have stepped from the rhythms of their author's idiosyncratic voices into what might be called a collective cultural consciousness? -- Joyce Carol Oates The greatest novel of the Romantic movement. -- Michael Dirda
£7.44
Orion Publishing Co The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 1
Book SynopsisThe definitive editions of Philip K. Dick's short stories, containing some of the most defining works in the Science Fiction genreTrade ReviewOne of the most original practitioners writing any kind of fiction * Sunday Times *A fitting tribute to a great philosophical writer who found science fiction the ideal form the expression of his ideas -- The IndependentOne of the most original practitioners writing any kind of fiction. Philip K. Dick made most of the European avant-garde seem naval gazers in a cul-de-sac -- Sunday TimesDick quietly produced serious fiction in a popular form and there can be no greater praise -- Michael MoorcockNo other writer of his generation had such a powerful intellectual presence. He stamped himself no only on our memories but in our imaginations -- Brian Aldiss
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co Starship Troopers
Book Synopsis''The historians can''t seem to settle whether to call this one ''The Third Space War'' (or the fourth), or whether ''The First Interstellar War'' fits it better. We just call it ''The Bug War''. Everything up to then and still later were ''incidents'', ''patrols'' or ''police actions''. However, you are just as dead if you buy the farm in an ''incident'' as you are if you buy it in a declared war.''5,000 years in the future, humanity faces total extermination. Our one defence: highly-trained soldiers who scour the metal-strewn blackness of space to hunt down a terrifying enemy: an insect life-form known only as ''Bugs.''This is the story of trooper Johnny Rico, from his idealistic enlistment in the infantry of the future through his rigorous training to the command of his own platoon. And his destiny is a war that will span the galaxy.Trade ReviewHeinlein's genius is at its height in this timeless classic that is as meaningful today as when it was written . . . a definite must-have, must-read book - SF SiteNothing has come along that can match it - Science Fiction WeeklyHeinlein was absolutely at his peak when he wrote this in 1959 . . . this is military SF done extremely well
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd Cats Cradle
Book SynopsisWith his trademark dry wit, Kurt Vonnegut''s Cat''s Cradle is an inventive science fiction satire that preys on our deepest fears of witnessing Armageddon - and, worse still, surviving it. This Penguin Modern Classics edition includes an introduction by Benjamin Kunkel.Dr Felix Hoenikker, one of the founding ''fathers'' of the atomic bomb, has left a deadly legacy to humanity. For he is the inventor of ice-nine, a lethal chemical capable of freezing the entire planet. Writer Jonah''s search for his whereabouts leads him to Hoenikker''s three eccentric children, to an island republic in the Caribbean where the absurd religion of Bokononism is practised, to love and to insanity. Told with deadpan humour and bitter irony, Kurt Vonnegut''s cult tale of global destruction is a frightening and funny satire on the end of the world and the madness of mankind.Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007) was born in Indianapolis. During the Second World War he was a prisoner in Germany and present at the bombing of Dresden, an experience he recounted in his famous novel Slaughterhouse Five (1969). His first novel, Player Piano, was published in 1951 and since then he has written many novels, including The Sirens of Titan, Jailbird, Deadeye Dick, Galapagos and Hocus Pocus. If you enjoyed Cat''s Cradle, you might like Philip K. Dick''s The Man in the High Castle, also available in Penguin Modern Classics.''One of the warmest, wisest, funniest voices to be found anywhere in fiction''Sam Leith, Daily Telegraph''A free-wheeling vehicle ... An unforgettable ride!''The New York Times''Vonnegut looked the world straight in the eye and never flinched''J.G. Ballard
£8.54
Penguin Books Ltd The War of the Worlds
Book SynopsisThe first modern tale of alien invasion, H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds remains one of the most influential science fiction novels ever published.The night after a shooting star is seen streaking through the sky from Mars, a cylinder is discovered on Horsell Common in London. At first, naïve locals approach the cylinder armed just with a white flag - only to be quickly killed by an all-destroying heat-ray, as terrifying tentacled invaders emerge. Soon the whole of human civilisation is under threat, as powerful Martians build gigantic killing machines, destroy all in their path with black gas and burning rays, and feast on the warm blood of trapped, still-living human prey. The forces of the Earth, however, may prove harder to beat than they at first appear. The War of the Worlds has been the subject of countless adaptations, including an Orson Welles radio drama which caused mass panic when it was broadcast, with listeners confusing it for a news broadTrade Review“The creations of Mr. Wells . . . belong unreservedly to an age and degree of scientific knowledge far removed from the present, though I will not say entirely beyond the limits of the possible.” —Jules Verne
£8.65
Penguin Books Ltd At the Mountains of Madness
Book Synopsis''To that flash of semi-vision can be traced a full half of the horror which has ever since haunted us''An expedition to Antarctica goes horribly wrong as a group of explorers stumbles upon some mysterious ancient ruins, with devastating consequences. At the Mountains of Madness ranks among Lovecraft''s most terrifying novellas, and is a firm favourite among fans of classic horror.The Penguin English Library - collectable general readers'' editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century to the end of the Second World War.
£7.99
Verso Books Terminal Boredom: Stories
Book SynopsisOn a planet where men are contained in ghettoised isolation, women enjoy the fruits of a queer matriarchal utopia -- until a boy escapes and a young woman's perception of the world is violently interupted. Two old friends enjoy cocktails on a holiday resort planet where all is not as it seems. A bickering couple emigrate to a world that has worked out an innovative way to side-step the need for war, only to bring their quarrels (and something far more destructive) with them.And in the title story, Suzuki offers readers a tragic and warped mirroring of her own final days as the tyranny of enforced screen-time and the mechanistion of labour bring about a shattering psychic collapse. At turns nonchalantly hip and charmingly deranged, Suzuki's singular slant on speculative fiction would be echoed in countless later works, from Margaret Atwood and Harumi Murakami, to Black Mirror and Ex Machina. In these darkly playful and punky stories, the fantastical elements are always earthed by the universal pettiness of strife between the sexes, and the gritty reality of life on the lower rungs, whatever planet that ladder might be on.Trade ReviewSuzuki is a daring writer and these stories will show the English-language world what she is made of. -- Jessica Esa * Metropolis Japan (5 Japanese Novels to Read in 2021) *Her punky irreverence remains radiant * Frieze *If you're into Kobo Abe and prefer Ryu Murakami to Haruki you'll not (as the title of this inaugural translation of Suzuki into English suggests), be bored. * The Millions (Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half 2021 Book Preview) *Weird and wonderful, unique and unsettling ... You won't put this one down. * Osusume Books *The stories chosen for this collection showcase an author whose interest in alienation and despair as well as playful literary exploration parallels the work of other '70s SF titans such as Joanna Russ or Thomas Disch. . Essential reading not only for those interested in Japanese SF, but for anyone interested in spiky, beautiful, and bleak literature. -- Nell Keep * Booklist (Starred Review) *These strangely prescient stories are perfect for fans of Haruki Murakami, George Saunders, and Philip K. Dick. * Publishers Weekly *The latest inclusion in the modern canon of Japanese women authors' surreal feminist work, [Terminal Boredom] puts a distinctly sci-fi spin on the concept. * Thrillist (30 Books We Can't Wait to Read in 2021) *Surprisingly contemporary ... with pertinent musings on the mutability of gender and the elusive nature of identity. -- Declan O'Driscoll * Irish Times *With the use of speculative elements, [Suzuki's] dark and playful stories highlight the realities of living on the lower rungs of society. -- Patricia Thang * Book Riot *[Terminal Boredom plays] with tech, gender, and tradition in marvelous ways. Highly recommended. -- Patrick Rapa * Philadelphia Inquirer *There's nothing boring about the short stories in Terminal Boredom. * The A.V. Club (5 new books to read in April) *Terminal Boredom provides a historical capsule and an interesting mirror to the American science fiction of the [1970s]. -- Silvia Moreno-Garcia * Washington Post *The seven stories here are not only still relevant but remarkably fresh . brilliant -- Lisa Tuttle * Guardian *Each of the worlds Suzuki creates is deep and complex, with many of the questions raised lingering long after the last page and making you crave more. -- Iain Maloney * Japan Times *An engaging and highly-relevant collection of short stories that will resonate with many readers, especially fans of writers like Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, and even George Orwell, but from a refreshingly female perspective. -- Rachel Stanyon * Asymptote Journal *Full of punk, punch, and feminist shruggings ... a spiky, timeless, and timely collection of psychologically astute speculative fiction * Lunate Fiction *Sure to be a treat for fans of Haruki Murakami, George Saunders, and the twisty genre experimentation of Black Mirror. * Chicago Review of Books (12 Must-Read Books for April) *The work and messages of Ursula K. Le Guin, the author's longer-lived contemporary, come to mind. -- Catherine Lacey * New York Times *A welcome glimpse inside the mind of a writer whose talent has been overlooked for far too long. * All the Anime *Suzuki's stories are reminiscent of the unhinged science fiction dystopias of the master of the craft, Philip K. Dick ... [and] extend the canon of twentieth century science fiction. -- Ian MacAllen * Chicago Review of Books *Suzuki's work, now released in English for the first time, marks an exciting moment. Its themes feel of-the-moment despite being written over thirty years ago, and yet they are also surreal-the imagined artificialities of the 1980s written as futuristic now mirror our mundane, modern technology. -- Makenna Goodman * Electric Literature *The themes of [Suzuki's] fiction thrum with a resistant, brightly grim tension. Passing decades certainly haven't dulled the razor's cut of her punk sensibilities. -- Lee Mandelo * Tor *A vital addition to the science fiction canon in the anglophone world ... If there is any proof needed that the future has ended, it is that these stories can speak to us so directly across the four decades since their writing. -- Calum Barnes * The Quietus *Dazzling ... her stories are characterised by the elegance with which they pierce the well-ordered surface of modern life to uncover the corrosion at its heart. -- Andy Hedgecock * Morning Star *At last, we have access to some of [Suzuki's] most exciting works * Books & Bao *Terminal Boredom is even more striking and believable in 2020 than it was in 1980 . Suzuki's feminist spirit is as relevant and her stories as piercing today as they were more than thirty years ago -- Alison Fincher * Asian Review of Books *One of the freshest collections I've read in years. -- Andy Weir * Toronto Star *Brilliant and often bleak . all shot through with a camp ethos, dark humour and kitchen-sink realism . in their brio and jagged urgency, these stories have, if anything, only gained in their alarming immediacy. -- Bryan Karetnyk * Times Literary Supplement *A thoroughly likeable and engaging book -- Bernard Cohen * South China Morning Post *Whether riffing on the poison of technology or about private feelings of loneliness and want, there is a psychic complexity to Suzuki's fiction ... Terminal Boredom is a reason for celebration. -- Jason Parham * WIRED *No matter how strange the fictional worlds of the future she manufactures, her reader would find something deeply familiar in the simple conversations of her characters. -- Xiaochen Su * The News Lens *Although they were written in the 70s and 80s, some of [the stories in Terminal Boredom] feel so fresh that it would be easy to mistake them as new ... For its time, the writing is subversive, defiant, and unapologetic, and for our time, it is poignant and prescient. -- Leah Binns * Full Stop *Gets under the skin ... The groundlessness of life, the absence of the big Other, is a disconcerting theme and a feminist perspective is explored in a highly speculative and punkish way -- Sean Sheehan * The Prisma *Wildly imaginative ... Psychologically this book is not an easy read, but intellectually it is fascinating -- Kerryn Goldsworthy * Syndey Morning Herald *Izumi Suzuki was a wonderful writer who should've been published in English much sooner. Like the protagonist of 'Women and Women', we've been deprived of some good jams. -- Lloyd Markham * New Welsh Review *Sucks you with its darkness. -- Eugen Bacon * Aurealis *Darkly irreverent ... such well-written anatomies of anxiety and dissatisfaction are both timeless and of obvious relevance today. -- Rhian E. Jones * New Humanist *Intriguing from start to finish, rife with bitter truths about relationships, imaginative haunting worlds, and-buried beneath it all-some insightful commentary on the human condition. -- Ethan Wescoatt * International Examiner *Suzuki's science fiction isn't neatly categorisable ... Her voice is fiercely unique and her stories linger in the corner of the mind's eye long after reading - devour them. -- Jennifer Brough * Lucy Writers Platform *The truths, beauty and strangeness [Suzuki] gave the world throughout her career are hard-fought, rewarding, and demanding. -- Josh Wilson * The Fabulist *Startlingly prescient ... Part of what makes Suzuki's storytelling so engrossing is her ability to depict existential boredom and grim, sometimes terrifying, futures without falling into fatalism. -- Julia Shiota * The Ploughshares Blog *Terminal Boredom is a subtle but sharp collection ... and a worthwhile introduction to Izumi Suzuki's work. -- Juliet Jacques * Tribune *These are brash, clever, odd works of science fiction, propelled by an irreverent kind of up yours! energy, and yet also a deep worry for the state of life in twentieth-century Japan and also the planet itself. -- Rhian Sasseen * The Baffler *
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co The Tombs of Atuan
Book SynopsisThe second book of Earthsea in a beautiful hardback edition. Complete the collection with A Wizard of Earthsea, The Furthest Shore and TehanuWith illustrations from Charles Vess''[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I''d encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking'' Neil Gaiman''Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it'' David MitchellIn this second novel in the Earthsea series, Tenar is chosen as high priestess to the ancient and nameless Powers of the Earth, and everything is taken from her - home, family, possessions, even her name. She is now known only as Arha, the Eaten One, and guards the shadowy, labyrinthine Tombs of Atuan.Then a wizard, Ged Sparrowhawk, comes to steal the Tombs'' greatest hidden treasure, the Ring of Erreth-Akbe. Tenar''s duty is to pTrade ReviewThe magic of Earthsea is primal; the lessons of Earthsea remain as potent, as wise, and as necessary as anyone could dream -- Neil GaimanDrink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it -- David Mitchell, author of CLOUD ATLASThe Earthsea trilogy . . . is a memorable exploration of the relationship between life and death. . . Ged, its hero, must face his shadow self before it devours him. Only then will he become whole. In the process, he must contend with the wisdom of dragons: ambiguous and not our wisdom, but wisdom nonetheless -- Margaret Atwood
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd We
Book Synopsis''The best single work of science fiction yet written'' Ursula K. Le GuinThe dystopian masterwork that inspired George Orwell''s Nineteen Eighty-Four, We depicts a futuristic totalitarian society, ''OneState'', where humans have become numbers. Suppressed in Russia for decades, it is a chilling vision of a world enslaved by technology.''Zamyatin''s parable looked forward to climate change and surveillance culture ... to peer into its future is to see modernity''s reflection gazing darkly back'' EconomistTrade ReviewThe best single work of science fiction yet written -- Ursula K. Le GuinWe is a shapely work of the imagination. As the first major anti-utopian fiction it famously stood both the Soviet Union and the Wellsian scientific romance upside down. * Kirkus *
£8.54
Walker Books Ltd The Search for Our Cosmic Neighbours
£11.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Paper Menagerie
Book SynopsisKen Liu is one of the most original, thought-provoking and award-winning short-story writers of his generation. This is the first collection of his work – sixteen stories that invoke the magical within the mundane, by turns profound, beguiling and heartbreaking. Included here are: The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary (Finalist for Hugo, Nebula, and Sturgeon Awards), Mono No Aware (Hugo Award winner), The Waves (Nebula Award finalist), The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species (Nebula and Sturgeon award finalists), All the Flavors (Nebula Award finalist), The Litigation Master and the Monkey King (Nebula Award finalist) ,and the most awarded story in the genre's history, The Paper Menagerie (the only story ever to win the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards).Trade ReviewEach of the fifteen stories in this collection is a jewel of fantastical storytelling, written by a man who not only knows how to convey complex and fascinating scientific and philosophical ideas but who is also able to transform those ideas, and use them to highlight the beauty and fragility of the human condition. It is a genuine work of art, a complete joy to read, and very very highly recommended * Starburst Magazine *The Paper Menagerie is distinguished not only by its inventive imagination and emotional acuity – it has, as a whole, an impressive and cumulative coherence... The glittering wit on the surface of these pieces belies their righteous anger and profound melancholy... The finale is a revelation... It is a wrenching, ethically complex and deeply uncomfortable story, with the subtle balance of testimonies and arguments never compromising its horror' * TLS *Now and then along comes a writer who can create a mood so evocative the length of the tale has no bearing on how long you live with its cast, and linger, curled up, inside its bubble... Ken Liu is such a writer... By the end of this collection, you return, blinking, into the sharp light of the here and now, and mourn those few short days when you were floating in Liu, heady with the thrill of a life in which your senses were sparked up like phosphorescent antennae to the wonders of our existence on this "boat in space"' * The Big Issue *When he's good, Liu is very very very good indeed * SFX *Liu's imagery never ceases to impress; he combines interesting backdrops to accentuate a whole host of intricate reactions, making him a true master of emotion and authenticity... The Paper Menagerie will cement Liu as a once-in-a-lifetime author. Certainly his work is both stimulating and intoxicating and is the catalyst that sees contemporary Chinese fiction propelled to the forefront of sci-fi, 10/10' * SciFiNow *Some of the stories are head-spinningly fantastic and almost surreal in their inventiveness * Irish Times *This captivating collection of award-winning short stories is full of wonder and magical realism * Buzzfeed *There is plenty of evidence here to justify Liu's status as a new writer with great potential. This is the best book I have read so far this year. Highly recommended. -- Mark Bilsborough, ConcatenationAn exquisite collection of work. More layers of meaning await its readers who can't fail to find something moving and intelligent in the writing of Ken Liu -- Allen Stroud, Concatenation.Ken Liu isn't just an entertaining and original author – though he is certainly that – he is an important one. Here is an author using his life experience, his talent and skill as an author and every genre and literary tradition at his disposal to make the case that we are humans and individuals before we are ethnic groups or nationalities, and that multiculturalism is our future. * Shoreline of Infinity magazine. *A truly wonderful selection from a first-rate storyteller... an excellent volume; entertaining, questioning, with mind-stretching ideas and places' * New Books Magazine *The title story might break your heart a little. But that can never be such a bad thing. It's beautiful * Jackie Morris *Glorious... The perfect anthology' * A Dragon in Space *
£9.49
Faber & Faber Mrs Caliban Faber Editions
Book SynopsisAs heard on BBC Radio 4''s ''A Good Read: the amphibious cult classic: a magical tale of a suburban housewife''s affair with a frogman ...''Disturbing but seductive ... Wonderful.'' Margaret Atwood''Perfect.'' Max Porter''Still outpaces, out-weirds, and out-romances anything today.'' Marlon James''A feminist masterpiece: tender, erotic, singular.'' Carmen Maria Machado''''Genius ... A broadcast from a stranger and more dazzling dimension.'' Patricia Lockwood''Kind of weird and cool. '' Irvine Welsh''Genius ... Like Revolutionary Road written by Franz Kafka ... Exquisite.'' The Times''Incredibly liberates readers from the awfulness of convention to a state where weirdness and otherness are beautiful.'' Sarah Hall''A devastating fable of mythic proportions ... Wondrously peculiar.'' Irenosen Okojie (foreword)Dorothy is a grieving housewife in the Calif
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Prelude to Foundation Foundation 1 The greatest
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST ALL-TIME SERIESThe Foundation series is Isaac Asimov's iconic masterpiece. Unfolding against the backdrop of a crumbling Galactic Empire, the story of Hari Seldon's two Foundations is a lasting testament to an extraordinary imagination, one that shaped science fiction as we know it today.In a time before the Foundations, psychohistory's creator Hari Seldon is made to stand before the Emperor of the crumbling Galactic Empire to present how his scientific theory of predicting the future might be applied to the real world.However, Hari refuses to deploy his theory for political gain, setting off instead with reporter Chetter Hummin in quest of a place to safely apply his theory: Earth, the original home of humanity.All records of Earth have been lost to time. Hari will therefore have to look back into the past, in order to seal the future of humanity for ever.Trade Review‘One of the most staggering achievements in modern SF’The Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers Dandelion Wine Ray Bradbury
Book SynopsisAn endearing classic of childhood memories of an idyllic midwestern summer from the celebrated author of Farenheit 451'.He stood at the open window in the dark, took a deep breath and exhaled.The street lights, like candles on a black cake, went out.He exhaled again and again and the stars began to vanish.Douglas smiled. He pointed a finger.There, and there. Now over here, and hereYellow squares were cut in the dim morning earth as house lights winked slowly on. A sprinkle of windows came suddenly alight miles off in dawn country.''Everyone yawn. Everyone up.''In the backwaters of Illinois, Douglas Spaulding''s grandfather makes an intoxicating brew from harvested dandelions. Dandelion Wine' is a quirky, breathtaking coming-of-age story from one of science fiction''s greatest writers. Distilling his experiences into Rites & Ceremonies and Discoveries & Revelations, the young Spaulding wistfully ponders over magical tennis shoes, and machines for every purpose from time travel to happinTrade Review'Bradbury has a remarkable range of intensity and vision' Sunday Times ‘A haunting, nostalgic novel… DANDELION WINE is among the best of his earthbound works… He wrote about life on this planet in a richly poetic style that often makes the familiar world seem as fantastic and mysterious as the distant future or outer space.’Washington Post ‘Bradbury at his best.’Washington Post Book World 'It is impossible not to admire the vigour of his prose, similes and metaphors constantly cascading from his imagination' Spectator ‘No other writer uses language with greater originality and zest. he seems to be a American Dylan Thomas – with dsicipline’ Sunday Telegraph
£7.99
Pan Macmillan One Yellow Eye
Book SynopsisLeigh Radford trained as a broadcast journalist. She produced and presented arts and entertainment content and documentaries for UK commercial radio, BBC Radio, Time Out, The Times and The Sun. A former book publicist, she is a 2023 graduate of Faber Academy. She is currently developing content for film and television through her production company, Kenosha Kickers. One Yellow Eye is her debut novel.
£18.70
HarperCollins Publishers Forward the Foundation The greatest science
Book SynopsisDISCOVER THE SAGA BEHIND THE APPLE TV+ ORIGINAL SERIESFrom a grand master of science fiction comes the long awaited final novel of one of the greatest series ever told. Completed just before his death, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is a crowning achievement and stirring testament to the creative genius of Isaac Asimov.As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the once-mighty Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistoryand with it the future of the galaxy.Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life''s work from their grasp as he Trade Review‘One of the most staggering achievements in modern SF’The Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£8.99
Penguin Books Ltd The War of the Worlds
Book SynopsisTrade Review“For the past decade, Penguin has been producing handsome hardcover versions of their classics (…) both elegant and quirky in shocks of bright color” –The New York Times
£15.29
Vintage Publishing The Big Book of Cyberpunk Vol. 1
Book SynopsisVOLUME ONE OF TWO''A huge, eye-opening, mind-blowing surprise'' Lisa Tuttle, Guardian A genre-defining-and redefining-collection of fiction''s boldest, most rebellious, and most prescient genre, featuring a smorgasbord of stories from across the globeIn The Big Book of Cyberpunk, award-winning anthologist Jared Shurin brings together over a hundred stories from more than twenty-five different countries. Here are tales that both establish and subvert the classic Cyberpunk tropes and aesthetic from gritty, near-future noir to pulse-pounding action. Urban rebels undermine their monolithic corporate overlords, daring heists are conducted through back alleys and the darkest parts of the online world, and dangerous new technology, cybernetic enhancements, scheming AIs, corporate mercenaries, improbable weapons and roguish hackers all collide into rich, thrilling entertainment. Set across two volumes, these are stories that examine the n
£21.25
HarperCollins Publishers Foundation and Earth Foundation 7
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST ALL-TIME SERIESThe Foundation series is Isaac Asimov's iconic masterpiece. Unfolding against the backdrop of a crumbling Galactic Empire, the story of Hari Seldon's two Foundations is a lasting testament to an extraordinary imagination, one that shaped science fiction as we know it today.Faced with determining the fate of the galaxy, Golan Trevizehesitantly chose to hand over the rule of the galaxy to planet Gaia. Two mysteries now remain: who has erased the records of Earth and why?Determined to ensure his choice was right, Golan sets off withJanov Pelorat and Bliss, to answer these questions once and for all. But nothing could prepare them for the secrets which await them on Earth. Secrets which predate history as they know it, and will change its significance foreverTrade Review‘One of the most staggering achievements in modern SF’The Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£7.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Robots of Dawn
Book SynopsisIsaac Asimov's Robot series from the iconic collection I, Robot to four classic novels contains some of the most influential works in the history of science fiction. Establishing and testing the Three Laws of Robotics, they continue to shape the understanding and design of artificial intelligence to this day.On Aurora, the first and greatest of the Spacer planets, Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw investigate yet another seemingly impossible crime this time, a roboticide.Someone has destroyed the positronic mind of R. Jander Panell, a humanoid twin to Daneel. His creator, the master roboticist Han Fastolfe, denies all involvement. So does Gladia Delmarre, the robot's owner. And lover.Working in the heart of Spacer politics and civilisation, Baley and Daneel soon realise that their decisions will have profound consequences not only on relations between Earth and the Outer Worlds, but on mankind's place in the galaxy.Trade Review‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times
£8.99
Hodder & Stoughton Starship Troopers
Book Synopsis5,000 years in the future, humanity faces total extermination. Our one defence: highly-trained soldiers who scour the metal-strewn blackness of space to hunt down a terrifying enemy: an insect life-form known only as ''Bugs.'' This is the story of trooper Johnny Rico, from his idealistic enlistment in the infantry of the future through his rigorous training to the command of his own platoon. And his destiny is a war that will span the galaxy. Robert A. Heinlein announced himself as a master of modern science fiction with Starship Troopers, his controversial take on modern military politics. His best-known novels include The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land.
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Machine Stops and Other Stories
Book SynopsisA new selection of E. M. Forster''s exquisite short stories, now in the beautifully designed Penguin English Library Series''We created the Machine, to do our will, but we cannot make it do our will now. It has robbed us of the sense of space and of the sense of touch, it has blurred every human relation and narrowed down love to a carnal act, it has paralyzed our bodies and our wills, and now it compels us to worship it.''Like his much-loved novels, E. M. Forster''s short stories are rich in irony and alive with sharp observations on the surprises life holds. Telling tales of violent events, discomforting coincidences, and other disruptive happenings, his sharp and vivid prose has the ability to throw the characters'', and reader''s, perceptions and beliefs off balance.Selected to appeal to a new generation of readers around the world, this new selection of short stories in the Penguin English Library series celebrates E. M. Forster''s unparalleled skill for storytelling, beginning with his masterful work of science fiction, The Machine Stops.
£7.99
Penguin Books Ltd The Man in the High Castle
Book SynopsisGives us a horrifying glimpse of an alternative world - one where the Allies have lost the Second World War.
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd We
Book SynopsisYevgeny Zamyatin (Author) Yevgeny Zamyatin (1884-1937) was a naval engineer by profession and writer by vocation, who made himself an enemy of the Tsarist government by being a Bolshevik, and an enemy of the Soviet government by insisting that human beings have absolute creative freedom. He wrote short stories, plays and essays, but his masterpiece is We, written in 1920-21 and soon thereafter translated into most of the languages of the world.Clarence Brown (Introducer, Translator) Clarence Brown was a pioneer of Russian literature studies and translation. His brilliant translation of We was based on the corrected text of the novel, first published in Russia in 1988 after more than sixty years' suppression.Trade Review“Zamyatin . . . did more than predict some of the specific characteristics of totalitarianism―he predicted its defining condition: the destruction of the individual. . . . [He] found the word for it: We.” ―Masha Gessen, from the Foreword“The best single work of science fiction yet written.” —Ursula K. Le Guin“[Zamyatin’s] intuitive grasp of the irrational side of totalitarianism—human sacrifice, cruelty as an end in itself—makes [We] superior to Huxley’s [Brave New World].” —George Orwell “At this dystopian moment in world politics, everyone’s talking about 1984, but take a look at the novel that inspired it (or, at least, which George Orwell reviewed soon before he wrote 1984)—Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We. . . . The dystopia Zamyatin painted has, alas, many echoes with today’s surveillance society—just think of China’s budding ‘social credit’ program, which monitors citizens’ movements. Big Brother was a piker, compared to Xi Jinping. Zamyatin saw it coming.” —Lit HubTable of ContentsWe Introduction: Zamyatin and the RoosterNotes to IntroductionSuggestions for Further ReadingWERecord 1AnnouncementThe Wisest of LinesAn Epic PoemRecord 2BalletHarmony SquaredXRecord 3JacketWallThe TableRecord 4Savage with BarometerEpilepsyIfRecord 5SquareRulers of the WorldPleasant and Useful FunctionRecord 6AccidentDamned "Clear"24 HoursRecord 7An EyelashTaylorHenbane and Lily of the ValleyRecord 8The Irrational RootR-13TriangleRecord 9LiturgyIambs and TrocheesCast-Iron HandRecord 10LetterMembraneHairy MeRecord 11No, I Can't...Skip the ContentsRecord 12Limitation of InfinityAngelReflections on PoetryRecord 13FogFamiliar "You"An Absolutely Inane OccurrenceRecord 14"Mine"ForbiddenCold FloorRecord 15BellMirror-like SeaMy Fate to Burn ForeverRecord 16YellowTwo-Dimensional ShadowIncurable SoulRecord 17Through GlassI DiedHallwaysRecord 18Logical LabyrinthWounds and PlasterNever AgainRecord 19Third-Order InfinitesimalA Sullen GlareOver the ParapetRecord 20DischargeIdea MaterialZero CliffRecord 21An Author's DutySwollen IceThe Most Difficult LoveRecord 22Frozen WavesEverything Tends to PerfectionI Am a MicrobeRecord 23FlowersDissolution of a CrystalIf OnlyRecord 24Limit of FunctionEasterCross It All OutRecord 25Descent from HeavenHistory's Greatest CatastropheEnd of the KnownRecord 26The World ExistsA Rash41 CentigradeRecord 27No Contents - Can'tRecord 28Both WomenEntropy and EnergyOpaque Part of the BodyRecord 29Threads on the FaceShootsUnnatural CompressionRecord 30The Final NumberGalileo's MistakeWouldn't It Be Better?Record 31The Great OperationI Have Forgiven EverythingA Train WreckRecord 32I Do Not BelieveTractorsThe Human ChipRecord 33(No Time for Contents, Last Note)Record 34Those on LeaveA Sunny NightRadio-ValkyrieRecord 35In a HoopCarrotMurderRecord 36Blank PagesThe Christian GodAbout My MotherRecord 37InfusorianDoomsdayHer RoomRecord 38(I Don't Know What Goes Here, Maybe Just: A Cigarette Butt)Record 39The EndRecord 40FactsThe BellI Am CertainTranslator's Notes
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