Classic science fiction

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 *

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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

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Book Synopsis'Deft and supple ... a truly superb tale' Theodore Sturgeon

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.After a long war which saw the First Foundation emerge victorious, the Second Foundation is now believed to be extinct, and all records of planet Earth's existence have been erased.No one suspects that the Second Foundation could still exist. None, except Council member Golan Trevize, who finds himself ordered to leave Terminus, accompanied by historian Janov Pelorat, in order to find it.Yet this quest will lead an unsuspecting Golan further than he could have possibly imagined closer than ever to Earth, where the fate of the whole galaxy awaits him.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

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Book SynopsisA phenomenon across all formats, this 42nd anniversary paperback omnibus contains the complete Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy in five parts, charting the whole of Arthur Dent's odyssey through space and time. Share and enjoy.Collected together in this omnibus are the five titles that comprise Douglas Adams' wildly popular and wholly remarkable comedy science fiction 'trilogy', introductions to each book, expanded material from the Douglas Adams archives plus a bonus short story, Young Zaphod Plays It Safe, and a special undeleted scene . . .The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyOne Thursday lunchtime the Earth gets unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur Dent, who has only just had his house demolished that morning, this seems already to be rather a lot to cope with. Sadly, however, the weekend has only just begun. The Galaxy may offer a mind-boggling variety of ways to be blown up and/or insulted, but it’s very hard to get a cup of tea. The Restaurant at the End of the UniverseWhen all questions of space, time, matter and the nature of being have been resolved, only one question remains - 'Where shall we have dinner?' The Restaurant at the End of the Universe provides the ultimate gastronomic experience, and for once there is no morning after to worry about.Life, the Universe and EverythingFollowing a number of stunning catastrophes, Arthur Dent is surprised to find himself living in a hideously miserable cave on prehistoric Earth. However, just as he thinks that things cannot get possibly worse, they suddenly do. An eddy in the space-time continuum lands him, Ford Prefect, and their flying sofa in the middle of the cricket ground at Lord's, just two days before the world is due to be destroyed by the Vogons. Escaping the end of the world for a second time, Arthur, Ford, and their old friend Slartibartfast embark (reluctantly) on a mission to save the whole galaxy from fanatical robots. Not bad for a man in his dressing gown.So Long, and Thanks for All the FishThere is a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. It's not an easy thing to do, and Arthur Dent thinks he's the only human who's been able to master this nifty little trick - until he meets Fenchurch, the woman of his dreams. Fenchurch once realised how the world could be made a good and happy place. Unfortunately, she's forgotten. Convinced that the secret lies within God's Final Message to His Creation, they go in search of it. And, in a dramatic break with tradition, actually find it . . .Mostly HarmlessArthur Dent has settled down on the small planet Lamuella and has embraced his role as a Sandwich Maker. However, his plans for a quiet life are thrown awry by the unexpected arrival of his daughter. There's nothing worse than a frustrated teenager with a copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in their hands. When she runs away, Arthur goes after her determined to save her from the horrors of the universe. After all - he's encountered most of them before.This publishing phenomenon began as a radio drama and now exists in a number of wildly contradictory versions (including a TV series, a movie and a towel) - this version, produced by Douglas Adams' original publisher, is, at least, definitively inaccurate.Trade ReviewOne of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius -- David WalliamsDazzlingly inventive -- Caitlin MoranFizzing with ideas . . . Brilliant -- Charlie BrookerReally entertaining and fun -- John CleeseMuch funnier than anything John Cleese has written -- Terry JonesI know for a fact that John Cleese hasn’t read it -- Graham ChapmanWho is John Cleese? -- Eric IdleReally entertaining and fun -- Michael PalinI 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 GaimanHitchhiker’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 Who

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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

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Book SynopsisA classic science fiction tale of artifical worlds by one of the great American writers of the 20th centuryGlen Runciter is dead.Or is he?Someone died in the explosion orchestrated by his business rivals, but even as his funeral is scheduled, his mourning employees are receiving bewildering messages from their boss. And the world around them is warping and regressing in ways which suggest that their own time is running out.If it hasn't already.Readers minds have been blown by Ubik:'Sheer craziness, a book defying any straightforward synopsis . . . a unique time travel adventure that could only be concocted from the fertile psychedelic imagination of the incomparable PKD' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This pre-cyberpunk gigglefest was an absolute joy to behold . . . I would bill it as a Truman Show-Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-Barbarella-type of sci-fi' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'If you have not read PKD before I highly recommend Ubik as the gateway into his wonderfully weird fiction. I kind of envy you' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'UBIK is much stranger and more darkly humorous than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep . . . although there are many humorous elements, overall the story is dark, philosophical, and just plain disorienting. I found the book impossible to put down' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A darkly humorous blurring of lines between reality and illusion and a concomitant degree of paranoia' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'About eighty decades ahead of its time, only Ubik can help to process the overwhelmingness of the contemporary age. Chock full of post-death theology, psionics, proto-cyberpunk, and retro-retro-retro future nostalgia' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'We spend a great deal of it unsure of what is real and what isn't and some of the ideas Dick manages to throw in as the story progresses had me grinning and shaking my head at the crazy logic of it all' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Trade ReviewMy 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 *One 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 *

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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

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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

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Book SynopsisA deep and meaningful masterpiece of science fiction, full of heart and mind-bending ideas. A true classic, Vonnegut will make you laugh and have you contemplating the meaning of lifeWhen Winston Niles Rumfoord flies his spaceship into a chrono-synclastic infundibulum he is converted into pure energy and only materializes when his waveforms intercept Earth or some other planet. As a result, he only gets home to Newport, Rhode Island, once every fifty-nine days and then only for an hour.But at least, as a consolation, he now knows everything that has ever happened and everything that ever will be. He knows, for instance, that his wife is going to Mars to mate with Malachi Constant, the richest man in the world. He also knows that on Titan - one of Saturn's moons - is an alien from the planet Tralfamadore, who has been waiting 200,000 years for a spare part for his grounded spacecraft . . .Readers love The Sirens of Titan:'A truly exceptional work by a truly exceptional author expressing some exceptionally powerful ideas' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Vonnegut uses the absurd to explore what makes us human . . . I recommend this book for any fan of Vonnegut or [Douglas] Adams' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'The Sirens of Titan is primarily a parody of trashy pulp science fiction novels, a boisterous, chucklesome book . . . In this sense, The Sirens of Titan, twenty years early, precedes and foreshadows (and, I would say, is superior to) Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'There are plenty of space travels in The Sirens of Titan but it isn't a space opera . . . It is a spaced out satire, a cosmic comedy of manners' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I went into this expecting a science fiction/satire but instead I got an emotionally moving story about the meaning of life by none other than one of the greatest writers that ever lived. Period' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Funny until it suddenly becomes creepy, to tell you why would be a spoiler though . . . Vonnegut is only using sci-fi as a platform to tell an allegorical story about life, together with an anti-war and anti-religion themes' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This is not just one of Vonnegut's best books. It's one of the best books I've ever read' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Trade ReviewThe Sirens of Titan is a tour-de-force of sci-fi literature * Empire *

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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

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.

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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

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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 *

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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.

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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

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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 *

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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.How could robots be used in a time of war? Could a robot be raised like a child? Could we allow them to have children of their own? Is there any human profession that could never be performed by a robotic replacement?In The Rest of the Robots, robopsychologist Dr. Susan Calvin and engineers Powell and Donovan return to investigate many more puzzling anomalies and catastrophic malfunctions.With characteristic wit, foresight and imagination, Asimov's stories uncover the practical and ethical issues humanity will encounter in a robotic future.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

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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 *

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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 *

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Book Synopsis''You talk as if a god had made the Machine, cried the other. I believe that you pray to it when you are unhappy. Men made it, do not forget that.''E.M. Forster is best known for his exquisite novels, but these two affecting short stories brilliantly combine the fantastical with the allegorical. In ''The Machine Stops'', humanity has isolated itself beneath the ground, enmeshed in automated comforts, and in ''The Celestial Omnibus'' a young boy takes a trip his parents believe impossible.This book contains The Machine Stops and A Celestial Omnibus.

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Book SynopsisENTER THE ADMINISTRATIONPeretz spends his days navigating the bureaucracy of the Administration, the institute tasked with governing the Forest below. Except no one ever seems to go there, and his attempts only trap him further within the workings of this strange organisation.ENTER THE FORESTCandide cannot remember how he got to the Forest, and he is certain he belongs somewhere else. Determined to escape, he finds that all paths lead him round strange bends and into encounters with bizarre creatures.NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMSThis classic SF novel sees Boris and Arkady Strugatsky meditate on how little man can understand of the wider world, and in doing so produce one of the great literary works to come out of Soviet Russia.Trade ReviewA marvellous, subtle, funny book -- Eric Korn * Sunday Times *A fantastic vision of extraordinary power, a difficult, demanding but rewarding work * The Times Literary Supplement *The Snail on the Slope may be the most dizzyingly concentrated dose of the Strugatskys' strange and powerful medicine -- Jonathan Letham[Arkady and Boris Strugatsky] open windows in the mind and then fail to close them at all, so that, putting down one of their books, you feel a cold breeze still lifting the hairs on the back of your neck * New York Times *Approached as a meditation on the human inability to comprehend more than a very small part of the universe, this is a surprisingly satisfying, if often perplexing, work * Publisher's Weekly *

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Book SynopsisMary Shelley’s timeless gothic classic accompanied by the art of legendary illustrator Bernie Wrightson live on in this gorgeous illustrated adaptation of Frankenstein—featuring an introduction by Stephen King.Few works by comic book artists have earned the universal acclaim and reverence that Bernie Wrightson’s illustrated version of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein was met with upon its original release in 1983, which vividly presented the timeless, terrifying tale of one man’s obsession to create life—and the monster that became his legacy. A generation later, this magnificent pairing of art and literature is still considered to be one of the greatest achievements made by any artist in the field. This book includes the complete text of the original groundbreaking novel and approximately fifty original full-page illustrations by Bernie Wrightson—created over a period of seven years—that continue to stun the world with their monumental beauty and uniqueness. This edition also contains introductions by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King and author Mary Shelley, as well as supplemental material including a history of the novel, a chronology of Mary Shelley’s life and work, and the historical context of Frankenstein for readers.

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Book SynopsisA classic collection of stories all told on the skin of a man from the author of Fahrenheit 451.If El Greco had painted miniatures in his prime, no bigger than your hand, infinitely detailed, with his sulphurous colour and exquisite human anatomy, perhaps he might have used this man's body for his artYet the Illustrated Man has tried to burn the illustrations off. He's tried sandpaper, acid, and a knife. Because, as the sun sets, the pictures glow like charcoals, like scattered gems. They quiver and come to life. Tiny pink hands gesture, tiny mouths flicker as the figures enact their stories voices rise, small and muted, predicting the future.Here are sixteen tales: sixteen illustrations the seventeenth is your own future told on the skin of the Illustrated Man.Trade Review‘Ray Bradbury has a powerful and mysterious imagination which would undoubtedly earn the respect of Edgar Allan Poe’ Guardian ‘It is impossible not to admire the vigour of his prose, similes and metaphors constantly cascading from his imagination’ Spectator ‘The sheer velocity of his words is an apocalyptic torrent which sweeps the reader on’ Independent ‘As a science fiction writer, Ray Bradbury has long been streets ahead of anyone else’ Daily Telegraph ‘Readers unfamiliar with what Bradbury at his best can do should look to The Illustrated Man.’ Washington Post ‘No other writer uses language with greater originality and zest. he seems to be a American Dylan Thomas – with dsicipline’ Sunday Telegraph

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Book SynopsisProfessor Persikov, an eccentric zoologist, stumbles upon a new light ray that accelerates growth and reproduction rates in living organisms. In the wake of a plague that has decimated the country's poultry stocks, Persikov's discovery is exploited as a means to correct the problem. As foreign agents, the state and the Soviet media all seize upon the red ray, matters get out of hand... Set in 1928 but written four years earlier, during Stalin's rise to power, The Fatal Eggs is both an early piece of science fiction reminiscent of H.G. Wells and a biting, brilliant satire on the consequences of the abuse of power and knowledge.Trade ReviewThe exuberance of it... has to enliven the reader, and make us laugh. -- Doris Lessing Bulgakov was not merely a brilliant observer of what was going on around him, but had an uncanny ability to pick out the particular manifestations of folly and discord which would set the tone of the era to follow. * The Guardian * Cockrell's self-effacing, fluent prose restores the elegant irony of the original, while rising to the challenge of Bulgakov's occasionally abstruse medical lexicon. * TLS *

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Book SynopsisMostly Harmless is the fifth and final part in Douglas Adams' much-loved cult classic series, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.This edition includes exclusive bonus material from the Douglas Adams archives, and an introduction by Dirk Maggs, co-producer of BBC Radio 4's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tertiary, Quandary and Quintessential Phases.Arthur Dent hadn't had a day as bad as this since the Earth had been blown up.After years of galactic wanderings, Arthur finally settles on the small planet Lamuella and becomes a sandwich maker. Looking forward to a quiet life, his plans are thrown awry by the unexpected arrival of his daughter.There's nothing worse than a frustrated teenager with a copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in their hands. When she runs away, Arthur goes after her determined to save her from the horrors of the universe.After all – he's encountered most of them before . . .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 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 *

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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

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Book SynopsisOne of Russian SF's most important novels, available uncensored for the first time, in a new translation by Andrew Bromfield.

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Book SynopsisWhen an army of invading Martians lands in England, panic and terror seize the population. As the aliens traverse the country in huge three-legged machines, incinerating all in their path with a heat ray and spreading noxious toxic gases, the people of the Earth must come to terms with the prospect of the end of human civilization and the beginning of Martian rule. Inspiring films, radio dramas, comic-book adaptations, television series and sequels, The War of the Worlds is a prototypical work of science fiction which has influenced every alien story that has come since, and is unsurpassed in its ability to thrill, well over a century since it was first published.Trade ReviewI personally consider the greatest of English living writers [to be] H.G. Wells. -- Upton Sinclair

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Book SynopsisIntroduced by Jeff VanderMeer - ''a classic: stunning, dangerous, darkly beautiful'' - welcome to the post-apocalyptic White Lotus: a luxury hotel at the end of the world in this lost 1967 dystopia ...''Chilling and prescient.'' Andrew Hunter Murray ''Elemental and true.'' Kiran Millwood Hargrave ''Mesmerizing.'' Sandra Newman ''Like someone from the future screaming to us.'' Salena GoddenThe day we came up from the shelters four people were found dead on the steps of the hotel. Welcome to Termush: a luxury coastal resort like no other. All the wealthy guests are survivors: preppers who reserved rooms long before the Disaster. Inside, they embrace exclusive radiation shelters, ambient music and lavish provisions; outside, radioactive dust falls on the sculpture park, security men step over dead birds, and a reconnaissance party embarks.Despite weathering a nuclear apocalypse, their problems are only j

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.''The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides.''Scientist Pierre Aronnax and his colleagues set out on an expedition to find a strange sea monster and are captured by the infamous and charismatic Captain Nemo and taken abroad the Nautilus submarine as his prisoners. As they travel the world''s oceans, they become embroiled in adventures and events beyond their wildest dreams. Visionary in its outlook, Vern''s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a legendary science fiction masterpiece.

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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

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Book Synopsis''As we saw it first it was the wildest and most desolate of scenes. We were in an enormous amphitheatre, a vast circular plain, the floor of the giant crater. Its cliff-like wall closed us in on every side''Thanks to the discovery of an anti-gravity metal, Cavorite, two Victorian Englishman decide to tackle the most prestigious goal - space travel. They construct a sphere that will ultimately take them to the moon. On landing, they encounter what seems like an utterly barren landscape but they soon find signs that the planet was once very much alive. Then they hear curious hammering sounds from beneath the surface, and come face to face with the Selenites, a race of insect-like aliens living in a rigidly organised hive society.Trade ReviewWells's scientific romances were works of art with unique relevance for our timesA classic study of scientific hubris brought to destruction - THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTIONThe Prospero of all the brave new worlds of the mind, and the Shakespeare of science fiction

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Book Synopsis''Ingenious, horrifying'' - Guardian It started with fireballs raining down from the sky and crashing into the oceans'' deeps. Then ships began sinking mysteriously and later ''sea tanks'' emerged from the deeps to claim people . . . For journalists Mike and Phyllis Watson, what at first appears to be a curiosity becomes a global calamity. Helpless, they watch as humanity struggles to survive now that water - one of the compounds upon which life depends - is turned against them. Finally, sea levels begin their inexorable rise . . . The Kraken Wakes is a brilliant novel of how humankind responds to the threat of its own extinction and, ultimately, asks what we are prepared to do in order to survive.Trade ReviewIngenious, horrifying * Guardian *

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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

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Book SynopsisThe second novel in Lewis's science fiction trilogy tells of Dr Ransom's voyage to the planet of Perelandra (Venus).In the second novel in C.S. Lewis''s classic science fiction trilogy, Dr Ransom is called to the paradise planet of Perelandra, or Venus, which turns out to be a beautiful Eden-like world. He is horrified to find that his old enemy, Dr Weston, has also arrived and is putting him in grave peril once more. As the mad Weston''s body is taken over by the forces of evil, Ransom engages in a desperate struggle to save the innocence of PerelandraTrade Review‘Thrilling.’ Sir Hugh Walpole ‘Remarkable … a rare power of inventive imagination.’ Times Literary Supplement

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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 *

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Book SynopsisEdward Prendick is shipwrecked and finds himself stranded on an island in the Pacific. Here he meets the sinister Dr Moreau, a vivisectionst driven out of Britain in disgrace. And soon strange events cause Prendick to uncover the full horror of Dr Moreau''s activities on the island.THE ISLAND OF DR MOREAU mixes discussion on the divide between humans and the animal kingdom and chilling macabre horror in an unrivalled fashion. Its question on how far science should go is one that rings true today as it did when it was first published.Trade ReviewThe Prospero of all the brave new worlds of the mind, and the Shakespeare of science fiction - Brian W. AldissWells' scientific romances were . . . works of art with unique relevance for our times - Arthur C. Clarke

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Book SynopsisWith an Introduction and Notes by Dr Emily Alder, Lecturer in Literature and Culture at Edinburgh Napier University 'Each time I dip a living creature into the bath of burning pain, I say: this time I will burn out all the animal, this time I will make a rational creature of my own!' declares Doctor Moreau to hapless narrator Edward Prendick. Moreau's highly controversial methods and ambitions conflict with the religious, moral and scientific norms of his day and Wells later called The Island of Doctor Moreau 'a youthful exercise in blasphemy'. Today his vivid depictions of the Beast People still strike modern readers with an uncanny glimpse of the animal in the human, while the behaviour of humans leave us wondering who is the most monstrous after all. This volume unites four of Wells' liveliest and most engaging tales of the strange evolution and behaviour of animals - including human beings. The Island of Doctor Moreau is followed by three fantastic yet chillingly plausible short stories of human-animal encounters. The Empire of the Ants is a darkly humorous account of intelligent Amazonian ants threatening to displace humans as 'the lords of the future and masters of the earth'. In The Sea Raiders, the south coast of England is terrorized by an unwelcome visit from deep-sea predator Haploteuthis ferox, while Æpyornis Island provides a marooned egg collector with an unusual companion.

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Book Synopsis''No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man''s...''So begins H. G. Wells'' classic novel in which Martian lifeforms take over planet Earth. As the Martians emerge, they construct giant killing machines - armed with heatrays - that are impervious to attack. Advancing upon London they destroy everything in their path. Everything, except the few humans they collect in metal traps.Victorian England is a place in which the steam engine is state-of-the-art technology and powered flight is just a dream. Mankind is helpless against the killing machines from Mars, and soon the survivors are left living in a new stone age.Trade ReviewGroundbreaking ... A true classic that has pointed the way not just for science-fiction writers, but for how we as a civilisation might think of ourselves * GUARDIAN *[Wells' work is] astonishingly rich in human and historical interest ... he foresaw the invention of, among other things, television, tanks, aerial warfare and the atom bomb -- David LodgeI personally consider the greatest of English living writers [to be] H. G. Wells -- Upton Sinclair

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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

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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.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.Welcome to Utopia.When Mr. Barnstaple, an Earthling, is accidentally transported to Utopia with a group of others, he begins an adventure that will change how he views the world forever.Utopia has no government. Utopia has no religion. People are governed only by their own conscience and desires, and Barnstaple is drawn into what he sees as a perfect society. But when a disease brought by the Earthlings threatens the existence of the Utopians, Barnstaple must make a choice: take over Utopia, or betray his own people to save a world he has grown to admire

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Book SynopsisThe Worlds of Dune presents a deep dive into the many different strands of inspiration, from Zen Buddhism to Indigenous American tribal ritual, that Frank Herbert wove into Dune and its sequels – collectively the world's bestselling science-fiction epic. Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Maker Part One ARRAKIS Chapter One: Desert Planet Chapter Two: The Fremen Chapter Three: The Spice Part Two CALADAN Chapter Four: House Atreides Chapter Five: Paul Muad’dib Chapter Six: Lady Jessica and the Bene Gesserit Part Three GIEDI PRIME Chapter Seven: House Harkonnen Chapter Eight: Piter De Vries and the Mentats Chapter Nine: The CHOAM Corporation Part Four KAITAIN Chapter Ten: House Corrino and the Padishah Emperor Chapter Eleven: The Landsraad Chapter Twelve: The Spacing Guild Epilogue: Dune World Endnotes Bibliography Index Picture Credits About the Author & Acknowledgements

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