From Huxley's Brave New World in 1932 to The Hunger Games, our fascination with the speculative & extreme never dwindles
Dystopian & Alternative History Fiction Books
Birlinn General Animal Farm: New Edition
Book SynopsisIntroduced by Alan Johnson. ‘All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others.’ Mr Jones of Manor Farm is so lazy and drunken that one day he forgets to feed his livestock. The ensuing rebellion under the leadership of the pigs Napoleon and Snowball leads to the animals taking over the farm. Vowing to eliminate the terrible inequities of the farmyard, the renamed Animal Farm is organised to benefit all who walk on four legs. But as time passes, the ideals of the rebellion are corrupted, then forgotten. And something new and unexpected emerges . . . First published in 1945, Animal Farm – the history of a revolution that went wrong – is George Orwell’s brilliant satire on the corrupting influence of power.
£6.99
HarperCollins Publishers Rise of a Merchant Prince Book 2 The Serpentwar
Book SynopsisThe second book in Raymond Feist's bestselling quartet: The Serpentwar Saga.It's hard to build a business empire in the midst of magic and murderAfter a harrowing brush with the armies of the Emerald Queen Roo Avery is now free to choose his own destiny. His ambition is to become one of the most powerful merchants in Midkemia.But nothing can prepare him for the dangers of the new life he has chosen, where the repayment of a debt can be as deadly as a knife in the shadows and betrayal is always close at hand.But the war with the Emerald Queen is far from over and the inevitable confrontation will pose the biggest threat yet to Roo''s newfound wealth and power.Trade ReviewPraise for Raymond E. Feist: ‘Fantasy of epic scope, fast-moving action and vivid imagination’ Washington Post ‘A fine yarn . . . vivid . . . suspenseful . . . the action is non-stop’ Booklist ‘File under guilty pleasure’Guardian ‘Well-written and distinctly above average… intelligent… intriguing.’Publishers Weekly
£9.49
Cornerstone Making History
Book SynopsisMichael Young is a brilliant young history student whose life is changed when he meets Leo Zuckerman, an ageing physicist with a theory that can change worlds. Together they realise that they have the power to alter history and eradicate a great evil. But tinkering with timelines is more dangerous than they can imagine and nothing - past, present or future - will ever be the same again. ''The tensions and resolutions are intrinsically comic, made still more enjoyable by [Fry''s] sinuous invention and cleverness at caricature'' Spectator ''Sprightly and entertaining'' TelegraphTrade ReviewStephen Fry at his twinkling best * Sunday Times *His best novel yet ... an extravagant, deeply questioning work of science fiction * GQ *A sci-fi comedy that is also a time-travel thriller, constantly topical and always surprising... packed with the author's personal enthusiasm and hatreds, the former red-hot and the latter icy-black * Literary Review *A powerful imaginative pull that keeps the pages turning while the tea goes cold and the cat gets the goldfish * The Independent *A sprightly and entertaining read * Daily Telegraph *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers I Robot
Book SynopsisVoyager Classics timeless masterworks of science fiction and fantasy.A beautiful clothbound edition of I, Robot, 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
£17.00
Penguin Books Ltd Blonde Roots
Book SynopsisFROM THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER LONGLISTED FOR THE ORANGE PRIZE FOR FICTION 2009 WINNER OF THE ORANGE YOUTH PANEL AWARD 2009 FINALIST FOR THE HURSTON WRIGHT LEGACY AWARD 2010 ''A phenomenal book. It is so ingenious and so novel. Think The Handmaid''s Tale meets Noughts and Crosses with a bit of Jonathan Swift and Lewis Carroll thrown in. This should be thought of as a feminist classic.'' Women''s Prize for Fiction Podcast Welcome to a world turned upside down. One minute, Doris, from England, is playing hide-and-seek with her sisters in the fields behind their cottage. The next, someone puts a bag over her head and she ends up in the hold of a slave-ship sailing to the New World . . . In this fantastically imaginative inversion of the transatlantic slave trade - in which ''whytes'' are enslaved by black people - Bernardine Evaristo has created a thought-provoking satire that is as accessible and readable as it is intelligent and insightful. Blonde Roots brings the shackles and cries of long-ago barbarity uncomfortably close and raises timely questions about the society of today.''A bold and brilliant game of counterfactual history. Evaristo keep[s] her wit and anger at a spicy simmer throughout'' Daily Telegraph ''So human and real. Re-imagines past and present with refreshing humour and intelligence'' Guardian ''A brilliant satire whose flashes of comedy make the underlying tragedy all the more poignant'' Scotland on SundayTrade ReviewA hugely imaginative tale that invites important debates, challenging fundamental perceptions of race, culture and history * Independent on Sunday *This brilliant novel will fulfil [Evaristo's] purpose of making readers view the transatlantic slave trade with fresh eyes * The Times *A phenomenal book. It is so ingenious and so novel. Think The Handmaid's Tale meets Noughts and Crosses with a bit of Jonathan Swift and Lewis Carroll thrown in. This should be thought of as a feminist classic. * Women's Prize for Fiction Podcast *Reimagines past and present with refreshing humour and intelligence . . . human and real * Guardian *[Blonde Roots] is a powerful gesture of fearless thematic ownership by one of the UK's most unusual and challenging writers * Independent *As with a Swiftean satire, Evaristo's novel is powerful not for its fantastical elements but for its ability to bring home the horror of historical events * Financial Times *
£9.49
Duckworth Books Closure Limited and other Zombie Tales
Book SynopsisA terrifying collection of short stories from the master of zombie fiction, Max Brooks. Written in his trademark style, these tales combine horror, drama, and socio-political commentary to explore the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse.Trade Review'Brooks infuses his writing with such precise detail and authenticity, one wonders if he knows something we don't' Simon Pegg'When the zombie apocalypse arrives, we'll be at Max Brooks house... As a horror story, its exciting. As a parable, it's terrifying' Empire Magazine (praise for World War Z)'A welcome continuation to the world that Max Brooks created, and subsequently destroyed, in his previous fictional outings. Brooks writes with an intelligence and poise that elevates his work above the rest of the genre. Brooks shows incredible knowledge of a wide variety of topics, including geography, military procedures and socio-political factors, throughout his work. The level of care and detail he puts into settings and characters make for stories that are nothing short of compelling and, perhaps even better, are entirely convincing. If George A. Romero is revered as the king of zombie films then Max Brooks must surely be dubbed the king of zombie fiction' This Is Horror
£5.99
Faber & Faber In the Country of Last Things
Book SynopsisPaul Auster''s dystopian future from the author of contemporary classic The New York Trilogy: ''a literary voice for the ages'' (Guardian) ''That is how it works in the City. Every time you think you know the answer to a question, you discover that the question makes no sense . . .''This is the story of Anna Blume and her journey to find her lost brother, William, in the unnamed City. Like the City itself, however, it is a journey that is doomed, and so all that is left is Anna''s unwritten account of what happened.Paul Auster takes us to an unspecified and devastated world in which the self disappears amidst the horrors that surround us. But this is not just an imaginary, futuristic world: like the settings of Kafka stories, it is one that echoes our own, and in doing so addresses some of our darker legacies. In the Country of Last Things is a tense, psychological take on the dystopian novel. It continues Auster''s deep
£9.49
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Sisterhood
Book Synopsis‘Frightening and timely, Bradley’s The Sisterhood is the book everyone should read this year. If you thought it ended with Orwell, think again . . .' CHRISTINA DALCHERVox meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this feminist reimagining of 1984 In Oceania, whoever you are, Big Brother is always watching you and trust is a luxury that no one has. Julia is the seemingly perfect example of what women in Oceania should be: dutiful, useful, subservient, meek. But Julia hides a secret. A secret that would lead to her death if it is discovered. For Julia is part of the underground movement called The Sisterhood, whose main goal is to find members of The Brotherhood, the anti-Party vigilante group, and help them to overthrow Big Brother. Only then can everyone be truly free. When Julia thinks she’s found a potential member of The Brotherhood, it seems like their goal might fin
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Lighthousekeeping
Book SynopsisFrom one of Britain's best-loved literary novelists comes a magical, lyrical tale of the young orphan Silver, taken in by the ancient lighthousekeeper Mr. Pew, who reveals to her a world of myth and mystery through the art of storytelling.Motherless and anchorless, Silver is taken in by the timeless Mr. Pew, keeper of the Cape Wrath lighthouse. Pew tells Silver ancient tales of longing and rootlessness, of the slippages that occur throughout every life. One life, Babel Dark's, a nineteenth-century clergyman, opens like a map that Silver must follow, and the intertwining of myth and reality, of storytelling and experience, lead her through her own particular darkness.A story of mutability, talking birds and stolen books, of Darwin and Stevenson and of the Jekyll and Hyde in all of us, Lighthousekeeping is a way into the most secret recesses of our own hearts and minds. Jeanette Winterson is one of the most extraordinary and original writers of her generation, and this shows her at her lyrical best.Trade Review‘The importance of stories, the urge to create ourselves through stories, is one of Winterson’s abiding themes, along with the supremacy, the redemptive power of love.’ Daily Telegraph ‘A marvelously skilful juggling act of ideas and emotion … Winterson’s prodigious talent brings the book alive.’ Evening Standard ‘The power of Lighthousekeeping is in … the pared-down precision of its language, each word smoothed into a finely polished pebble.’ Observer
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Great and Secret Show
Book SynopsisIn the little town of Palomo Grove, two great armies are amassing; forces shaped from the hearts and souls of America.In this New York Times bestseller, Barker unveils one of the most ambitious imaginative landscapes in modern fiction, creating a new vocabulary for the age-old battle between good and evil. Carrying its readers from the first stirring of consciousness to a vision of the end of the world, The Great and Secret Show is a breathtaking journey in the company of a master storyteller.Trade ReviewPraise for Clive Barker: ‘An invocation of both magic and the imagination… A majestic maze of mythmaking’WASHINGTON TIMES ‘Passionate and ingenious… A ride with remarkable views’TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT ‘A fabulous, engrossing war of the worlds’PEOPLE MAGAZINE ‘Barker dislocates your mind’MAIL ON SUNDAY
£11.69
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc Children of the Whales Vol. 4
Book SynopsisIn this postapocalyptic fantasy, a sea of sand swallows everything but the past.
£8.54
Pan Macmillan The Marriage Act: The unmissable speculative
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Goodreads Awards 2023.From the bestselling author of The One, now an eight-part NETFLIX series. Set in the same world as The One, The Marriage Act is a dark, high-concept thriller.‘One of the most exciting original thriller writers’ - Simon KernickWhat if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?Britain. The near future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills – the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is supervising every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.'Black Mirror' meets thriller with a dash of Naomi Alderman’s The Power.Praise for John Marrs:'Clever, compelling and terrifyingly plausible . . . And talk about a page-turner. This one will leave you with paper cuts!' - C. J. Tudor, author of A Sliver of Darkness'A brilliantly tricksy read' Liz Nugent, author of Strange Sally Diamond'Dark, immersive speculative fiction at it’s very best!' - Sarah Pearse, author of The Retreat and The SanatoriumTrade ReviewClever, compelling and terrifyingly plausible. A near future nightmare that grips from the first page and never let’s go. The Marriage Act is a brilliant examination of relationships and the power we let others have over us. And talk about a page-turner. This one will leave you with paper cuts! -- C. J. Tudor, author of A Sliver of DarknessA scarily plausible alternative future with a truly twisted narrative. Tensely plotted and terrifyingly imagined - it’ll put you off marriage and modern technology for life! -- Harriet Tyce, author of Blood OrangeThe king of near-future what ifs is back with a smart and chilling page-turner. Twisty, unsettling, scarily believable and thought provoking, this is his best yet. -- Ellery Lloyd, author of The ClubOne of the most exciting original thriller writers -- Simon Kernick, author of Good Cop Bad CopJohn’s creative, high-concept thrillers never fail to keep me furiously turning the pages and The Marriage Act is no exception. Pacy and packed full of tension, the book kept me constantly guessing as the thought-provoking plot about marriage and everything that comes with it unfolded in the most sinister of ways . . . dark, immersive speculative fiction at it’s very best! -- Sarah Pearse, author of The Retreat and The SanatoriumJohn Marrs can do no wrong. Like Huxley and Orwell before him, Marrs manages to take real life sanctities and twist them into something terrifyingly plausible. All hail the master of the speculative thriller! -- Jack Jordan, author of Sunday Times bestseller Do No HarmAn absolute blinder of a book . . . another gripping page turner. -- Claire Allan on The Marriage ActI really loved it… a plot that had me guessing all the way through. A triumph. -- Justin Myers on The Marriage ActClever, original, and impossible to put down. The Marriage Act had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. John Marrs is a master of suspense. -- Jeneva Rose, international bestselling author of The Perfect MarriageMarrs is brilliant at twists . . . for the addicts of adrenaline-fuelled twisty rides -- Peter James, author of Picture You DeadA page-turning and thought-provoking read * Daily Mirror *Skilfully evokes a future Britain . . . Marrs also excells when it comes to worldbuilding . . . a socially aware novel packed with thought-provoking questions * SFX Magazine *Another savagely clever near-future thriller. Provocative, terrifying and compulsive. If you loved The One, you'll love this! -- Cara Hunter, author of Hope to DieA tense, thrilling read – I found it impossible to put down. It’s dark and twisted, and I loved it -- Alex Michaelides, bestselling author of The Silent PatientOriginal thriller with lots of surprises * My Weekly *Dark, twisted, and full of surprises -- Mark Edwards, bestselling author of Her to Stay and The RetreatFour couples navigate an increasingly claustrophobic world in this razor sharp and chillingly plausible tale from the masterful John Marrs * Woman's Own Magazine *
£9.49
Canelo Emperor's Spear
Book SynopsisAn intense novel of war at the Roman frontier.On the Empire's Northern border trouble is stirring. For decades the barbarians have been at the gates. Now, facing threats from within as well as outside, the Emperor is provoking war.When his friend Atius goes missing in Germania, Imperial Assassin Silus is sent into the heart of the battle-torn region.Plunged into a deadly intrigue and a brutal conflict, can Silus find out who is betraying Rome? Or will the legions start falling, one by bloody one?One of the standout new voices in historical fiction, bestseller Alex Gough is on riveting form in this brilliant novel, perfect for readers of Ben Kane and Conn Iggulden.
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Waste Tide
Book SynopsisA Guardian Science Fiction Book of the Year. Mimi is drowning in the world's trash. She's a 'waste girl', a scavenger picking through towering heaps of hazardous electronic detritus. Along with thousands of other migrant workers, she was lured to Silicon Isle, off the southern coast of China, by the promise of steady work and a better life. But Silicon Isle is where the rotten fruits of capitalism and consumer culture come to their toxic end. The land is hopelessly polluted, the workers utterly at the mercy of those in power. And now a storm is gathering, as ruthless local gangs skirmish for control, eco-terrorists conspire, investors hunger for profit, and a Chinese-American interpreter searches for his roots. As these forces collide, conflict erupts – a war between rich and poor, a battle between past and future. Mimi must decide if she will remain a pawn... or change the rules of the game altogether. 'An accomplished eco-techno-thriller with heart and soul' DAVID MITCHELL. 'Waste Tide is a work of spoiled and toxic beauty... It's more than a timely eco-thriller; it's a dark mirror held up to our selves' SIMON INGS. Trade ReviewAn accomplished eco-techno-thriller with heart and soul as well as brain. Chen Qiufan is an astute observer, both of the present world and of the future that the next generation is in danger of inheriting -- David MitchellThe pinnacle of near-future SF writing -- Cixin LiuSomething startlingly new... an action-packed story that's full of moral complexity' -- Charlie Jane AndersA hard-hitting, uncompromising look at the near future -- Adrian TchaikovskyA stunning tale of greed [that] deftly exposes all the hidden contours of the human heart -- Maggie Shen KingA work of spoiled and toxic beauty... It's more than a timely eco-thriller; it's a dark mirror held up to our selves' -- Simon IngsChinese author Chen Quifan's debut novel Waste Tide is all too true to life * SFX *A cracking science fiction novel by Chen Qiufan suggests humanity's future may be even stranger than its past * New Scientist *Chen's portrait of industry and society alike is caustically bleak – life is short and cheap – and the cultural impact of his future tech well thought through * SFX. *A crop of younger writers are now emerging in the duo's wake [Cixin Liu and Han Song]. Waste Tide takes place on an island devoted to electronics refuse in a fictionalised South China Sea... The setting is not too far divorced from parts of real-life China, in which the by-products of the electronics industry create uninhabitably toxic environments' * Economist. *This chilling eco-techno tale, well translated by Ken Liu, illustrates that the eternal conflict of good and evil remains alive in our "brave new world" * The Tablet *There's an old school cyberpunk quality to the book, a compelling reflection on a world defined by its waste * Guardian *
£8.54
Footnote Press Ltd A Darker Shade: New Stories of Body Horror from
Book Synopsis'Will burrow under your skin and live forever in your darkest dreams' BustJoyce Carol Oates assembles a spectacular cast to explore, subvert and reinvent one of horror's most visceral of subgenres. Focusing on distortions of the human body, the fifteen short stories of A Darker Shade will delight, disgust and shock you.From the metaphysical horror of a snail trapped in body of a young office worker, to a women cursed to dance endlessly, her body ravaged and torn, these are stories that confront the inextricable link between physical and mental terror.Featuring brand-new stories by: Margaret Atwood, Raven Leilani, Lisa Tuttle, Tananarive Due, Joyce Carol Oates, Megan Abbott, Aimee Bender, Cassandra Khaw, Lisa Lim, Elizabeth Hand, Valerie Martin, Sheila Kohler, Joanna Margaret and Aimee LaBrie, and Yumi Dineen Shiroma.Trade ReviewA bold collection of horror stories that flies in the face of both gender and genre conventions * Kirkus Reviews *Will burrow under your skin and live forever in your darkest dreams * Bust *A provocative and incisive collection . . . Prepare yourself for some truly unsettling stories * CrimeReads *For this chilling anthology, Oates brings together 15 stories exploring body horror through women's experiences . . . the thematic probe into bodily autonomy makes this a must-read for fans of feminist horror * Publishers Weekly *
£11.69
Humanoids, Inc Weapons of the Metabaron
Book SynopsisThe seminal series' spin-off story recounting how the mightiest warrior in the universe built his arsenal of war. The creative trio of Jodorowsky, Charest, and Janjetov bring us a tale of how No Name, the most ruthless mercenary in the Caste of the Metabarons, assembled the galaxy’s most powerful and destructive weapons in an effort to secure his position as the universe’s ultimate warrior. This limited edition collects the entire story in Deluxe Oversized format for the first time ever, allowing a closer look at the iconic, cinematic art styles of both Travis Charest and Zoran Janjetov. This edition is limited to its first printing.
£21.24
Kodansha America, Inc Tsugumi Project 1
Book SynopsisIn the western Pacific Ocean floats an island archipelago, cut off from the world and full of mysteries: scientific secrets that some believe are best forgotten, decaying monuments to an era of human decadence two centuries gone, and strange, radioactive monsters that tear apart any human beings foolish enough to set foot there. Its name, spoken only in whispers: Japan. It's illegal to go near this dangerous place-but, after being torn from his family and convicted on a false charge, that's exactly where Leon has been sent. An experienced soldier of fortune, Leon is tasked with retrieving a powerful weapon called Tsugumi. Can they stay alive long enough to find this Tsugumi? Just what the hell is it, anyway, if that's even the right question? And does it have anything to do with the quiet, brutal girl with taloned feet who swoops in to save Leon's life?
£11.69
Flame Tree Publishing Alternate History Short Stories
Book SynopsisWhat if the course of history had been changed by a different decision, a different victor, a different invention? Utopian stories and alternative history stories by H.G. Wells, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Castello Holford and others are combined here with new stories by new writers from open submissions, exploring the variety and delight of alternative history to reimagine the world around us: What if the Ancient Egyptians had conquered Rome? What if World War II had been won by the loser, not the victors? What if women had ruled the world for 4000 years not men? New, contemporary and notable writers featured are: Essa Bah, Rebecca Buchanan, Monica Butler, Jay Caselberg, Jonathan Davidson, Evan A. Davis, C.R. Hobson, Vylar Kaftan, Richard Kigel, Andrea Kriz, Adam Lawson, Kwame M.A. McPherson, Eve Morton, Chiamaka Muoneke, Maureen O'Leary, Jennifer R. Povey, Guy Prevost, Matias F. Travieso-Diaz, Rebecca E. Treasure, DJ Tyrer, Iris Whelan, Cameron Wise-Maas, Alex Woodroe, James Young, and Elizabeth Zuckerman. These appear alongside classic stories by authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Castello Holford, H.G. Wells, and John Wyndham. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.
£16.00
Canongate Books We
Book SynopsisThe One State is the perfect society, ruled over by the enlightened Benefactor. It is a city made almost entirely of glass, where surveillance is universal and life runs according to algorithmic rules to ensure perfect happiness. And D-503, the Builder, is the ideal citizen, at least until he meets I-330, who opens his eyes to new ideas of love, sex and freedom.A foundational work of dystopian fiction, inspiration for both Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxley's Brave New World, WE is a book of radical imaginings - of control and rebellion, surveillance and power, machine intelligence and human inventiveness, sexuality and desire. In this brilliant new translation, it is both a warning and a hope for a better world.Trade ReviewThe best single work of science fiction yet written -- URSULA K. LE GUINTwo of the most iconic novels in the English language - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell - owe an enormous debt to Zamyatin. We is the ur-text of science-fiction dystopias . . . the product of a powerful imagination * * Wall Street Journal * *The prototype . . . Zamyatin is a major artist * * New York Times * *This new edition, which contains Orwell's review as well as an introduction by Margaret Atwood, an afterword by Ursula Le Guin and an absorbing comment by the translator Bela Shayevich, who grew up in the former Soviet Union, will be the definitive version in English for the foreseeable future * * New Statesman * *[A] fine new translation . . . In a market of competing editions . . . Shayevich's stands out, and for very good reason . . . truly excellent . . . Shayevich's [translation] retains the novel's bold, jagged, elemental energy [and] remains true to the spirit of the work in a way that the author himself would have applauded * * Times Literary Supplement * *A seminal dystopian classic . . . This timely and thoughtful edition is a fitting tribute to book of lasting influence * * Irish Times * *It is in effect a study of the Machine, the genie that man has thoughtlessly let out of its bottle and cannot put back again -- GEORGE ORWELL
£8.54
Little, Brown Book Group The Rage of Dragons
Book Synopsis''A captivating epic fantasy from a major new talent'' Anthony Ryan, author of Blood Song***ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE''S 100 BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF ALL TIME*** IN A WORLD CONSUMED BY ENDLESS WAR ONE YOUNG MAN WILL BECOME HIS PEOPLE''S ONLY HOPE FOR SURVIVAL.The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable war for generations. The lucky ones are born gifted: some have the power to call down dragons, others can be magically transformed into bigger, stronger, faster killing machines. Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Tau Tafari wants more than this, but his plans of escape are destroyed when those closest to him are brutally murdered.With too few gifted left, the Omehi are facing genocide, but Tau cares only for revenge. Following an unthinkable path, he will strive to become the greatest swordsman to ever live, willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill three of his own people.THE RAGE OF DRAGONS LAUNCHES AN UNMISSABLE EPIC FANTASY SERIES. ''Intense, inventive and action-packed from beginning to end - a relentlessly gripping, brilliant read'' James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost''Stunning debut fantasy'' Publishers Weekly''Intense, vivid and brilliantly realised - a necessary read'' Anna Smith Spark, author of The Court of Broken Knives''Fans of Anthony Ryan''s Blood Song will love this'' Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names''A Xhosa-inspired world complete with magic, dragons, demons and curses, The Rage of Dragons takes classic fantasy and imbues it with a fresh and exciting twist'' Anna Stephens, author of GodblindTrade ReviewThe stultifying and dehumanising effects of a caste-based society and the seductive but ultimately destructive nature of vengeance lie at the heart of Evan Winter's tale . . . Expertly structured with a keen eye for action and character, The Rage of Dragons is a captivating epic heroic fantasy from a major new talent. -- Anthony Ryan, author of BLOOD SONGIntense, inventive and action-packed from beginning to end - a relentlessly gripping, brilliant read -- James Islington, author of THE SHADOW OF WHAT WAS LOSTWinter's stunning debut fantasy epic is rich in complex characters and a well-wrought world with both European and African influences . . . This impressive series launch holds tremendous promise -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLYA thrilling, explosive read -- STARBURSTPeople ask the last book I couldn't put down, and I tell them The Rage of Dragons. The tension rises with every page until you fear it will break you in two -- Peter V. Brett, bestselling author of THE PAINTED MANThe Rage of Dragons takes the best parts of epic fantasy and sets them in a refreshing and inventive new world, a gripping tale that makes clear the true cost of war and colonialism with one of the most enthralling hero's journeys I've read -- S. A. Chakraborty, author of CITY OF BRASSA refreshingly brutal and imaginative tale of survival and revenge. Evan Winter's battles are visceral, bloody masterpieces, and Tau's climb from exiled Lesser to Igonyama is earned in a way few writers could ever match -- David Dalglish, author of A DANCE OF CLOAKSIntense, vivid and brilliantly realized - a necessary read -- Anna Smith Spark, author of THE COURT OF BROKEN KNIVESCompelling, expansive and rich. Winter has created an exciting and immersive world of magic, vengeance and wonder -- Micah Yongo, author of LOST GODSA Xhosa-inspired world complete with magic, dragons, demons and curses, The Rage of Dragons takes classic fantasy and imbues it with a fresh and exciting twist -- Anna Stephens, author of GODBLINDFast-paced, incredibly engaging, and brimming with tension . . . Evan Winter is another new fantasy voice to watch out for; his voice deserves to be heard and his book deserves to be read . . . The Rage of Dragons is a breathtaking fantasy debut -- NOVEL NOTIONSThe Rage of Dragons is an uncompromisingly brutal fantasy in a unique, fascinating world . . . Fans of Anthony Ryan's Blood Song will love this -- Django Wexler, author of THE THOUSAND NAMESWow. This book hits the ground with stunning action and danger and it barely lets up as the pages fly by. I loved the African-influenced culture, the unique use of dragons and demons, the complex martial and class hierarchy, and it has a magic system unlike anything I've seen before. What a terrific set up for a series! -- David Anthony Durham, author of The Acacia TrilogyUtter and complete perfection. Winter has created an absolute masterpiece of a novel . . . rich and powerful, with complex characters and an intricate plot and battle scenes that will blow your mind -- THE BOOKBAGA powerful tale . . . Winter's debut will draw strong comparisons to George R. R. Martin and Brandon Sanderson, and the strong African influences and ties create a singular, exciting epic with intriguing characters and culture. Readers will be clamoring for the next installment -- LIBRARY JOURNALThe Rage of Dragons is an excellent high-octane thrill ride of a fantasy debut that I devoured in one day. Highly recommended -- GRIMDARK MAGAZINEDistinguishes itself by its setting, a fantasy world inspired by Africa, but truly impresses with its storytelling . . . an impressive fantasy debut -- B&N SCI-FI AND FANTASY BLOGA fierce revenge story set in a distinctive world . . . A sequel's a must. Meanwhile can Hollywood option this? It'd make a Gladiator-like film we'd gladly queue up for -- SFXThe Rage of Dragons explodes at a breakneck pace. Complex characters, dragons, revenge . . . I adored everything about this book! . . . What a brilliant debut! -- FANTASY BOOK REVIEWEvan Winter lures you into his world with blazing action then weaves compelling characters and emotional angst into a captivating world. It's a most welcome addition to the epic hero's journey . . . This is hands down one of my favorite books of the year -- FIYAH
£10.44
Faber & Faber They Faber Editions
Book SynopsisAs performed by Maxine Peake (''visionary''): the radical dystopian classic, lost for forty years: in a nightmarish Britain, THEY are coming closer''A creepily prescient tale ... Insidiously horrifying!'' Margaret Atwood''A masterpiece of creeping dread.'' Emily St. John MandelThis is Britain: but not as we know it. THEY begin with a dead dog, shadowy footsteps, confiscated books. Soon the National Gallery is purged; eerie towers survey the coast; mobs stalk the countryside destroying artworks - and those who resist.THEY capture dissidents writers, painters, musicians, even the unmarried and childless in military sweeps, curing' these subversives of individual identity.Survivors gather together as cultural refugees, preserving their crafts, creating, loving and remembering. But THEY make it easier to forget ...Lost for half a century, newly introduced by Carmen Maria Machado, Kay Dick''s They (1977) is a re
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Wild and Wicked Things
Book SynopsisIn the aftermath of the First World War, a young woman gets swept into a glittering world filled with illicit magic, romance, blood debts and murder in this lush and decadent debut novel.On Crow Island, people whispered, real magic lurked just below the surface. But Annie Mason never expected her enigmatic new neighbour to be a witch.When she witnesses a confrontation between her best friend Bea and the infamous Emmeline Delacroix at one of Emmeline''s extravagantly illicit parties, Annie is drawn into a glittering, haunted world. A world where magic can buy what money cannot; a world where the consequence of a forbidden blood bargain might be death.''Brimming with romance and gilded with danger, Wild and Wicked Things is a heady, lyrical gem of a book'' Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf''A lush and evocative story that transports readers far away from reality and into a witchy worlTrade ReviewBrimming with romance and gilded with danger, Wild Wicked Things is a heady, lyrical gem of a book -- Hannah Whitten, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of FOR THE WOLFViciously enchanting, with a spell woven onto every page. Francesca May has given us a cast of wild and wicked women who dare to hold a mirror to the darkest, and most tender, parts of our souls. I couldn't get enough! -- Heather Walter, author of MALICEWild and Wicked Things ticked all my boxes. . . . I couldn't put it down -- Genevieve Gornichec, author of THE WITCH'S HEARTAn intoxicating blend of secrets and glamour, romance and scandal, blood magic and dark pasts. If you've ever thought the Jazz Age would have been better with witchcraft, this book is for you -- H. G. Parry, author of THE UNLIKELY ESCAPE OF URIAH HEEPHaunting, immersive and seething with dark magic, Wild and Wicked Things cast it's spell on me -- Alexis Henderson, author of THE YEAR OF THE WITCHINGEven after the last page is turned, this intoxicating story lingers like a deep dark wine. Sparkling and deadly, Wild and Wicked Things enchanted me, and if you're feeling dangerous, it will enchant you too -- Lucy Holland, author of SISTERSONGEntrancing, seductive, and decadently beautiful, Francesca May weaves an intoxicating spell. Here is a deep, sensuous exploration of the bonds between three very different, complex women that readers won't soon forget -- Gwenda Bond, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling authora lush and evocative story that transports readers far away from reality and into a witchy world full of damning secrets, unbreakable bargains, intoxicating love and found family. Add to this a little murder cover-up and you've got yourself the perfect Spring/Summer read -- CULTUREFLYThe extravagance and extremes of the Roaring Twenties combines with witchcraft, corruption and violence in this heady, absorbing read -- LoveReading
£11.69
Rebellion Publishing Ltd. New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People
Book SynopsisWinner of the 2020 Locus, World Fantasy, British Fantasy, Ignyte, and Brave New Words Awards.“There’s nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns,” proclaimed Octavia E. Butler.New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color showcases emerging and seasoned writers of many races telling stories filled with shocking delights, powerful visions of the familiar made strange. Between this book’s covers burn tales of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and their indefinable overlappings. These are authors aware of our many possible pasts and futures, authors freed of stereotypes and clichés, ready to dazzle you with their daring genius.Unexpected brilliance shines forth from every page.Includes stories by Kathleen Alcala, Minsoo Kang, Anil Menon, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Alex Jennings, Alberto Yanez, Steven Barnes, Jaymee Goh, Karin Lowachee, E. Lily Yu, Andrea Hairston, Tobias Buckell, Hiromi Goto, Rebecca Roanhorse, Indrapramit Das, Chinelo Onwualu and Darcie Little Badger.Trade Review“This book’s wide range of stories is its greatest strength; though no reader will love them all, every reader will find something worth rereading.” -- Publishers Weekly, starred review“Powerful” -- Locus“Varied, rich, and delightful” -- Los Angeles Review of Books“A great choice for people entirely new to genre fiction and a solid read for anybody” -- Book Riot“A celebration of people of color” -- Lightspeed Magazine“An earnest compilation of voices from many ethnicities and backgrounds, exploring their experiences as people of colour, and as marginalised people.” -- Tor.com“New Suns does more than offer a diverse group of writers of colour from different backgrounds: it also offers a diversity of the futures that can be possible in the speculative canon.” -- Strange HorizonsTable of Contents Foreword, LeVar Burton The Galactic Tourist Industrial Complex, Tobias S. Buckell Deer Dancer, Kathleen Alcalá The Virtue of Unfaithful Translations, Minsoo Kang Come Home to Atropos, Steven Barnes The Fine Print, Chinelo Onwualu unkind of mercy, Alex Jennings Burn the Ships, Alberto Yanez The Freedom of the Shifting Sea, Jaymee Goh Three Variations on a Theme of Imperial Attire, E. Lily Yu Blood and Bells, Karin Lowachee Give Me Your Black Wings Oh Sister, Silvia Moreno-Garcia The Shadow We Cast Through Time, Indrapramit Das The Robots of Eden, Anil Menon Dumb House, Andrea Hairston One Easy Trick, Hiromi Goto Harvest, Rebecca Roanhorse Kelsey and the Burdened Breath, Darcie Little Badger Afterword, Nisi Shawl
£9.49
Pan Macmillan Mindstar Rising
Book SynopsisIn a ravaged near-future England, a private detective with psychic powers might be the last hope standing between mankind and total collapse. Mindstar Rising is the first cyberpunk thriller in Peter F. Hamilton's hugely popular Greg Mandel series. For fans of James S.A. Corey.It's the 21st century and global warming is here to stay, so forget the way your country used to look. And get used to the free market, too – the companies possess all the best hardware, and they're calling the shots now.In a world like this, a man open to any offers can do just fine. A man like Greg Mandel for instance, who's psi-boosted, wired into the latest sensory equipment and carrying state-of-the-art weaponry. He's also been part of the English Army's Mindstar Battalion.As the cartels battle for control of a revolutionary new power source, and corporate greed outstrips national security, tension is mounting to boiling point. And Greg Mandel is about to face the ultimate test.Mindstar Rising is followed by A Quantum Murder and The Nano Flower to complete the Greg Mandel trilogy.Trade ReviewA pacey traditionally styled adventure yarn in which the reader can revel . . . Hamilton doesn’t mess about . . . the story races ahead with verve and flair -- StarburstThe plotting is tight and ingenious -- InterzoneHamilton appears as a full-fledged SF technician, able to manage the demands of the genre without working up a sweat -- LocusA stunning new debut novel . . . possibly the best since Bester, incorporating future predictions of climate, social, social, business, and political behaviour, completing this with hard science, believable scenarios, excellently balanced characters, and a good well-told story. What more do you want? Not to be missed -- Critical Wave
£9.89
Pan Macmillan A Quantum Murder
Book SynopsisA morbid assassination – or something even darker? A Quantum Murder is the thrilling second book featuring Greg Mandel, the cyberpunk detective with psychic powers, from Peter F. Hamilton. Dr Edward Kitchener was a brilliant researcher into quantum cosmology. When he is found dead, lungs spread on either side of his open chest, his employers, Event Horizon, want to know what happened – and fast. Many were anxious to stop Kitchener's work, and could have paid an assassin’s fee. And only a mercenary could’ve breached Launde Abbey’s premier-grade security system. Yet why would a professional waste time ritually slaughtering the target?Greg Mandel, the psi-boosted ex-private eye, is enticed out of retirement to track the killer. He launches himself on a convoluted trail which will mean confronting the past. But – according to Kitchener's theories – this past might never have happened . . .A Quantum Murder is followed by The Nano Flower to complete the Greg Mandel trilogy.Trade ReviewThoroughly engrossing . . . immensely satisfying. An excellent book. One that engages the intellect as well as the emotions. A tale that drags the reader on a corkscrew rollercoaster ride of dazzling imagination and electrifying excitement -- StarburstA genuine unalloyed pleasure: I really cannot recommend this too highly, apart from dragging you out into the bookshops and sticking it under your nose -- Ian McDonald, author of New MoonA genuinely fresh talent -- Stan Nicholls, author of OrcsPeter Hamilton manages a very neat trick, combining deft scientific and social speculation with the page-turning appeal of the best thrillers -- Tad Williams, author of The Dragonbone ChairHard SF at its best . . . Get this and read it -- Critical Wave
£9.49
DC Comics Frank Millers Ronin
Book Synopsis
£18.40
Vintage Publishing Welcome to the Monkey House
Book SynopsisA MASTERFUL COLLECTION OF TWENTY-FIVE SHORT STORIES FROM THE INIMITABLE AUTHOR OF SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5, KURT VONNEGUT 'Vonnegut is George Orwell, Dr Caligari and Flash Gordon compounded into one writer...a zany but moral mad scientist' Time A diabolical government asserts control by eliminating orgasms. A scientist discovers the secret to unlocking instant happiness, with unexpected consequences. In an America where everyone is equal every which way, a tennage boy plans to overthrow the system. Welcome to the Monkey House gathers together twenty-five of Kurt Vonnegut's short stories from the 1950s and 1960s. Shot through with Vonnegut's singular humour, wit and bewilderment at humanity, this is a collection that celebrates a true master of short-form fiction.Trade ReviewA joyous ragbag of a collection * Observer *After Vonnegut, everything else seems a bit tame * Spectator *One of the master alchemists of modern American fiction * Sunday Times *A cool writer, at once throwaway and passionate and very funny * Financial Times *A brilliant wacky ideas-monger * Guardian *
£9.49
Pan Macmillan The Doors of Eden: An exhilarating voyage into
Book SynopsisThey thought we were safe. They were wrong.Lee and Mal went looking for monsters on Bodmin Moor four years ago, and only Lee came back. She thought she’d lost Mal forever, now miraculously returned. But what happened that day on the moors? And where has Mal been all this time? Mal's reappearance hasn’t gone unnoticed by MI5 either, and their officers have questions.Julian Sabreur is investigating an attack on top physicist Kay Amal Khan. This leads Julian to clash with agents of an unknown power – and they may or may not be human. His only clue is grainy footage, showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.Dr Khan’s research was theoretical. Then she found cracks between our world and parallel Earths. Now these cracks are widening, revealing extraordinary creatures. And as the doors come crashing open, anything could come through . . .Adrian Tchaikovsky brought us far-future adventure with Children of Time. Now The Doors of Eden takes us from Bodmin Moor to London and alternate versions of earth. This is an extraordinary feat of the imagination and a page-turning adventure.'Inventive, funny and engrossing, this book lingers long after you close it' - Tade Thompson, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of RosewaterTrade ReviewFull of sparking, speculative invention . . . The Doors of Eden is a terrific timeslip / lost world romp in the grand tradition of Turtledove, Hoyle, even Conan Doyle. If you liked Primeval, read this book -- Stephen Baxter, author of The Thousand EarthsThe Doors of Eden shows a combination of tight, evocative prose combined with erudition. In a story whose scope is the broad canvas of the history of all life in the universe, Tchaikovsky manages to zoom in on human moments without breaking a sweat. Inventive, funny and engrossing, this book lingers long after you close it -- Tade Thompson, author of Rosewater and Far From the Light of HeavenWhat a ride . . . talks like big-brained science fiction and runs like a fleet-footed political thriller -- John Scalzi, author of Starter VillainWith The Doors of Eden, Tchaikovsky has created a fantastic and highly imaginative new genre: evolution SF -- Peter F. Hamilton, author of Salvation and The Reality DysfunctionUnlike anything I've read in a very long time, and all the better for it . . . Tchaikovsky is clearly at the top of his game right now -- James Oswald, author of the Inspector McLean novelsAs all right thinking people know, Adrian is the best . . . But this, my friends, is the best of the best -- Ian McDonald, author of LunaTchaikovsky’s world-building is some of the best in modern sci-fi and now he has made an enchanting multiverse of parallel Earths -- New ScientistYou know you’re in for a ride. . . This book thoroughly engaged me. Children of Ruin is a humdinger of a book I enjoyed immensely -- Neal Asher, author of War Bodies, on Children of RuinIf you only ever take one book recommendation from me, take this one. It is an astounding book. The breadth of Adrian's imagination is ASTONISHING. I literally cannot stop telling people about it -- RJ Barker, author of the Tide Child trilogy, on Children of RuinBreathtaking scope and vision. Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of our finest writers -- Gareth Powell, author of the Embers of War series, on Children of RuinBrilliant science fiction and far-out world-building -- James McAvoy on Children of TimeChildren of Time is a joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human -- Patrick Ness, author of The Knife of Never Letting Go and A Monster Calls, on Children of TimeAddictively brilliant! -- John Gwynne, author of The Shadow of the Gods, on The Tiger and the Wolf
£10.44
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc Children of the Whales, Vol. 18
Book SynopsisIn this postapocalyptic fantasy, a sea of sand swallows everything but the past.In an endless sea of sand drifts the Mud Whale, a floating island city of clay and magic. In its chambers a small community clings to survival, cut off from its own history by the shadows of the past.The Mud Whale has been overrun with tárichos, a virulent parasitic growth that turns everyone it touches into mindless husks controlled by the Nous Geráki. The only way to stop the spread of the tárichos is to destroy the Nous, but that won’t be an easy task—or one without sacrifice.
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Hummingbird Salamander
Book Synopsis'Frankly superb. This pummelling eco-thriller camouflages the true understory' of societal collapse, and glows in the dark with original thinking' David Mitchell, author of Utopia AvenueA speculative thriller about the end of all things, set in the Pacific Northwest. A harrowing descent into a secret world.''Jane Smith'' receives an unexplained envelope containing the key to a storage unit. And inside that storage unit is a taxidermy hummingbird and directions to a taxidermy salamander. Somehow, this bizarre treasure hunt, that Jane never expected or asked for, sets in motion a series of events that quickly put her and her family in danger.As she desperately seeks answers, she discovers time is running out for her and possibly for the world.This is climate fiction at its most urgent and gripping' The New York TimesVisionary, dark, beautiful, and strange, that rare novel that coaxes you into imagining the unimaginable' Kristen Roupenian, author of You Know You Want This: Cat Person andTrade Review Praise for Hummingbird Salamander: ‘Every now and again a writer reimagines noir fiction for their generation. Now it’s the turn of Jeff VanderMeer… He proves more than up to the task … a gripping kick-the-door-down investigation of wildlife smuggling that expands maniacally to include all that our planet has lost as the sixth extinction gathers pace … This is natural history as police procedural; and life on Earth as the scene of a crime’ The Times ‘An enigmatic eco-thriller that delivers on the subject of worlds – inner worlds such as the biosphere – that are coming apart’ Observer ‘VanderMeer is utterly confident and convincing in his storytelling… The action is delivered in short, punchy prose that builds up its own irresistible rhythm as the book progresses to a climax that deals with the possible end of the world, yet does so with nuance and thought-provoking speculation … A terrific piece of work’ Big Issue ‘A violent, darkly witty adventure, haunted by the threat of looming environmental apocalypse … while there's an urgency and a justified anger here, there's also a necessary glimmer of hope, a suggestion that perhaps we're not all completely doomed. Well, not yet, anyway.’ Will Salmon, SFX Magazine ‘An existential mindfuck cleverly disguised as a thriller … Visionary, dark, beautiful, and strange, that rare novel that coaxes you into imagining the unimaginable’ Kristen Roupenian, author of You Know You Want This: Cat Person and Other Stories ‘Quirky, compelling … The engine that drives it is speculation about the future not only of civilisation, but of all life on this planet.’ Guardian ‘Harrowing, gripping, and profound. It's both a thriller and a requiem for a disappearing world. I expect this novel will haunt me for a long time’ Emily St. John Mandel, author of The Glass Hotel
£8.99
Orion Publishing Co Nineteen EightyFour
Book SynopsisWAR IS PEACEFREEDOM IS SLAVERYIGNORANCE IS STRENGTH Winston Smith is a good worker. He supports the Party. He is good at his job rewriting history to Government specification. Big Brother watches him, but there is nothing to see.Winston''s struggle against the totalitarian world he inhabits is a closely guarded secret. It exists only in his mind until he begins a secret love affair with Julia, a fellow worker. Is this enough to push him to revolution? Or is it the beginning of his downfall?A masterwork of dystopian fiction, Nineteen Eighty-Four is harrowingly prescient, and its impact has stretched around the globe.With a new introduction by political editor and writer Ian Dunt, this brand new edition of a science fiction classic is a must-have for any collector.
£7.49
Image Comics Paper Girls: The Complete Story
Book SynopsisBrian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang’s Eisner Award winning series Paper Girls is coming Amazon Prime Video in July 2022! Finally, the entire Eisner Award-winning epic in one complete volume, with a new cover from co-creator CLIFF CHIANG! Four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls from the year 1988 uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this critically acclaimed series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood. Collects PAPER GIRLS #1-30
£40.49
HarperCollins Publishers Femlandia The gripping and provocative new
Book SynopsisThe gripping thriller from the bestselling author of VOX and QA compelling, fast paced read.' GuardianThe queen of dystopia' Nina Pottell, PrimaExplosive' Heat''Provocative, sinister, and fascinating'' Stephanie Wrobel, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Recovery of Rose GoldClever and chilling and all too plausible' Carole Johnstone, author of Mirrorland* * * * * * * * * * *Miranda Reynolds has lost her home, her job and her husband all thanks to an economic collapse that has brought America to its knees.The shops are empty; the streets no longer safe. Miranda and her daughter Emma have nowhere left to turn.There is one final hope, a self-sufficient haven for women who want to live a life free from men. Femlandia.For Miranda, the secluded Femlandia is a last resort. Life outside the gates is fraught with danger, but there's something just as sinister going on within.Welcome to Femlandia It's no place like home.* * * * * * * * * * *What readers are saying about FEMLANDIA''I felt Trade Review‘Dalcher is adept at writing genuinely scary high-concept fiction’ SFX ‘The queen of dystopia.’ Nina Pottell, PRIMA ‘[Dalcher] knows how to hit the emotional buttons…this is a compelling, fast paced read.’ GUARDIAN ‘ I read it with my breath held, unable to stop until I'd reached the explosive ending. You will definitely want to discuss this one with your book club.’ STEPHANIE WROBEL, author of THE RECOVERY OF ROSE GOLD ‘Equally as chilling and gripping as her debut, VOX’ RED ‘Clever and chilling – and all too plausible – Femlandia is a timely story about survival and the corruptive nature of power. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it!’ CAROLE JOHNSTONE, author of MIRRORLAND 'Shocking, provocative, subversive, FEMLANDIA is a fantasy of female empowerment that curdles into a nightmare.' KIA ABDULLAH, author of NEXT OF KIN ‘A real page-turner’ BELLA 'Another superb novel from the author of VOX and Q’ BELFAST TELEGRAPH 'Both gripping and terrifyingly disturbing in equal measures.' LISA HALL, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS ‘A no-holds-barred thriller and thought-provoking read for fans of Margaret Atwood’s THE HANDMAID’S TALE, NaomiAlderman’s THE POWER, and Kim Liggett’s THE GRACE YEAR.’ Library Journal ‘Engrossing. Dalcher’s novel is imaginative, urgent, and compulsively readable, not mention incredibly cool.’ AMANDA MONTELL, author of CULTISH ‘This wildly provocative glimpse into the future is sure to spark lively discussions…Dalcher remains a writer to watch’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
£8.54
Atlantic Books Mother of Eden
Book SynopsisMother of Eden has been shortlisted for the British Science Fiction Association Novel of the Year Award, 2015.'We speak of a mother's love, but we forget her power. Power over life. Power to give and to withhold.' Generations after the breakup of the human family of Eden, the Johnfolk emphasise knowledge and innovation, the Davidfolk tradition and cohesion. But both have built hierarchical societies sustained by violence and dominated by men - and both claim to be the favoured children of a long-dead woman from Earth that all Eden knows as Gela, the mother of them all. When Starlight Brooking meets a handsome and powerful man from across Worldpool, she believes he will offer an outlet for her ambition and energy. But she has no idea that she will be a stand-in for Gela herself, and wear Gela's ring on her own finger. And she has no idea of the enemies she will make, no inkling that a time will come when she, like John Redlantern, will choose to kill...Trade ReviewEvery bit as compelling as Dark Eden was... Eden is building into one of most vivid and fascinating places in modern SF -- Eddie Robson * SFX *Mother of Eden is a masterpiece * Guardian *A classic theme, beautifully told * Sunday Telegraph on DARK EDEN *This is a world I'm desperate to return to * Guardian on DARK EDEN *There's no justice if Dark Eden, with its beautiful, terrifying planet, slowly revealed, fails to bring Beckett awards * The Sunday Times on DARK EDEN *A captivating and haunting book * Daily Mail on DARK EDEN *
£8.99
Atlantic Books Reamde
Book SynopsisAcross the globe, millions of computer screens flicker with the artfully coded world of T'Rain - an addictive internet role-playing game of fantasy and adventure. But backstreet hackers in China have just unleashed a contagious virus called Reamde, and as it rampages through the gaming world spreading from player to player - holding hard drives hostage in the process - the computer of one powerful and dangerous man is infected, causing the carefully mediated violence of the on-line world to spill over into reality. A fast-talking, internet-addicted mafia accountant is brutally silenced by his Russian employers, and Zula - a talented young T'Rain computer programmer - is abducted and bundled on to a private jet. As she is flown across the skies in the company of the terrified boyfriend she broke up with hours before, and a brilliant Hungarian hacker who may be her only hope, she finds herself sucked into a whirl of Chinese Secret Service agents and gun-toting American Survivalists; the Russian criminal underground and an al-Qaeda cell led by a charismatic Welshman; each a strand of a connected world that devastatingly converges in T'Rain. An inimitable and compelling thriller that careers from British Columbia to South-West China via Russia and the fantasy world of T'Rain, Reamde is an irresistible epic from the unique imagination of one of today's most individual writers.Trade ReviewFantastic * Sunday Times *Like Stephenson's most critically acclaimed novel, Cryptonomicon, Reamde combines meticulous observation of the stranger socio-economic effects wrought by technology with rousing fusillade adventure... Outrageously entertaining... a joyride * Guardian *Sometimes when you're reading Neal Stephenson, he doesn't just seem like one of the best novelists writing in English right now; he seems like the only one * Time *
£22.50
Pan Macmillan The Sin Eater
Book SynopsisAn old adage says there are really only two stories: a man goes on a voyage, and a stranger arrives in town. This is the third: a woman breaks the rules . . .Can you uncover the truth when you’re forbidden from speaking it?A Sin Eater’s duty is a necessary evil: she hears the confessions of the dying, eats their sins as a funeral rite. Stained by these sins, she is shunned and silenced, doomed to live in exile at the edge of town.Recently orphaned May Owens is just fourteen, only concerned with where her next meal is coming from. When she’s arrested for stealing a loaf of bread, however, and subsequently sentenced to become a Sin Eater, finding food is suddenly the last of her worries.It’s a devastating sentence, but May’s new invisibility opens new doors. And when first one then two of the Queen’s courtiers suddenly grow ill, May hears their deathbed confessions – and begins to investigate a terrible rumour that is only whispered of amid palace corridors.Set in a thinly disguised sixteenth-century England, Megan Campisi's The Sin Eater is a wonderfully rich story of treason and treachery; of women, of power, and the strange freedom that comes from being an outcast – because, as May learns, being a nobody sometimes counts for everything . . .Trade ReviewA dark and thrilling page-turner that turns a dystopian eye on the past in an unnervingly contemporary way. All hail Megan Campisi -- Emma Donoghue, author of Room and The WonderRich with imaginative and historical details, The Sin Eater is ultimately a timeless story of one woman regaining her power. I loved it from beginning to end -- Christina Dalcher, author of VoxA riveting description of hardwon female empowerment that weaves together meticulous research, unsolved murder -- and an unforgettable heroine. Exhilarating . . . great storytelling . . . reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale * The Washington Post *Magnificent . . . Hillary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies brought new vividness and insight to the court of Henry VIII; in The Sin Eater, Megan Campisi brings as much or more energy to the court of Elizabeth I . . . The only disappointment it offers is the absence of a massive body of work waiting for the reader to devour when this first book ends * New York Journal of Books *The atmospheric, historical fantasy setting combined with May’s jarringly eccentric personality creates a novel as strange as it is captivating * BuzzFeed *Captivating . . . An original melding of mystery and alternate history * Booklist *Richly imaginative and strikingly contemporary [and] very much reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale * Kirkus *[A] rousing, impressive debut . . . Spellbinding -- Publisher's WeeklyDark and evocative * Pop Sugar *
£13.49
Simon & Schuster Tender Is the Flesh
Book SynopsisWorking at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore.His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing. Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.
£15.29
Simon & Schuster Ltd Rouge
Book SynopsisFrom the critically acclaimed author of Bunny comes a horror-tinted, gothic fairy tale about a lonely dress shop clerk whose mother’s unexpected death sends her down a treacherous path in pursuit of youth and beauty. Can she escape her mother’s fate and find a connection that is more than skin deep?A Most Anticipated Book of 2023 in The Guardian, i newspaper, The New York Times, Time, Globe and Mail, Bustle, The Millions, LitHub, TOR, Good Housekeeping, Our Culture Mag, and more! 'You think, “She’s not going to go there…yes, she is.' Margaret Atwood 'The trancelike, rhapsodic language and deepening atmosphere of unreality make for a narrative that oozes with unease.' The Guardian &lsq
£15.29
Vintage Publishing Civilisations: From the bestselling author of
Book SynopsisIt's world history. But not as we know it.c.1000AD: Erik the Red's daughter heads south from Greenland1492: Columbus does not discover America1531: the Incas invade EuropeFreydis is the leader of a band of Viking warriors who get as far as Panama. Nobody knows what became of them. Five hundred years later, Christopher Columbus is sailing for the Americas, dreaming of gold and conquest. Even when captured, his faith in his mission is unshaken. Thirty years after that, Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor, arrives in a Europe ready for revolution. Fortunately, he has a recent guidebook to acquiring power - Machiavelli's The Prince. So, the stage is set for a Europe ruled by Incas and, when the Aztecs arrive on the scene, for a great war that will change history forever.'Binet's best book yet: the work of a major writer just hitting his stride. A delightful counterfactual novel' ***** - Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewGlorious, funny and profound * Daily Telegraph *A wild romp of a book that turns history on its head * Guardian *A bold and thrilling experiment in counter-factual history from a masterful storyteller * Financial Times *Characteristically ambitious, brilliant...Combining all the pleasure of a period romp with vital questions about our shared origin stories...a triumph * i *A propulsive 'counter-factual' romp...both dizzying and fun -- Claire Allfree * Metro, *Summer Reads of 2021* *
£9.49
Pan Macmillan The End We Start From: Now a Major Motion Picture
Book SynopsisNow a Major Film Starring Jodie Comer (Killing Eve)As flood waters close over London, a woman gives birth to a child. Heartfelt and urgently original, The End We Start From is the compulsive debut novel from Megan Hunter.'Engrossing, compelling and hopeful' – Naomi Alderman, author of The Power'Stunning' – Benedict CumberbatchDays after giving birth, mother and child are forced to leave home in search of safety. The journey north with be dangerous – but new life and fresh hope push them on . . .A startlingly beautiful story of a family's survival, The End We Start From is a haunting but hopeful dystopian vision of a familiar world made dangerous and unstable.'Virginia Woolf does cli-fi . . . tremendous' – Independent'I was moved, terrified, uplifted – sometimes all three at once' - Tracy Chevalier'Beautifully spare and haunting' - Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station ElevenTrade ReviewThe End We Start From is strange and powerful, and very apt for these uncertain times. I was moved, terrified, uplifted – sometimes all three at once. It takes skill to manage that, and Hunter has a poet’s understanding of how to make each word count. -- Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With a Pearl EarringThe End We Start From is a beautifully spare, haunting meditation on the persistence of life after catastrophe. I loved it. -- Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station ElevenA shot of distilled story . . . engrossing, compelling and finally hopeful -- Naomi Alderman, author of The Power, winner of the 2017 Baileys Women's Prize for FictionI can’t remember ever having read a novel quite as sparing or as daring as Megan Hunter’s The End We Start From, or one that delivers so mighty an impact from such delicate materials. It is a moving, wistful and compelling debut. -- Jim Crace, author of HarvestAn exceptional, alarming and beautiful book, which still echoes months after I finished reading it. Megan Hunter is a writer of unnerving power. -- Evie Wyld, author of All the Birds, SingingI'll be recommending this book for years to come. Utterly brilliant, hugely important. Here's the thing: it's perfect. -- Nathan Filer, author of Costa Prize-winning The Shock of the FallExtraordinary. Megan Hunter's prose is exquisite, her depiction of a world descending into chaos is frighteningly real, and yet, it is her portrayal of motherhood - that tender-terrifying experience of bringing a child into a world - that has remained with me. The End We Start From is an incredible, original exploration of all that beauty, boredom and bewilderment. I read it in one sitting, and was deeply moved. -- Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites and The Good PeopleThe End We Start From is relentlessly, achingly personal. Hunter reminds us that disasters are rarely experienced in panorama. Instead, we live bone-deep inside our narrator. This book is fierce, sorrowful, and spiked with moments of bright joy. -- Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of Harmless Like YouThe End We Start From is so good and clever: a beautiful, timely book about survival (both domestic and global) shot through with hope and humanity -- Lisa Owens, author of Not WorkingBeautiful . . . Water isn't the thing here, love is. And how we survive as the level of love rises -- Cynan Jones, author of The Dig and The CoveExceptional, stunning. I devoured it -- Megan Bradbury, author of Everyone is WatchingA dystopia that feels utterly convincing as our narrator gives birth to her son in a London under threat of advancing flood waters. She lives in the gulp zone so must head off into a familiar territory that has become terrifying in search of shelter and safety. This slender take on new motherhood has stayed with me – not least in making me think about the UK as a place to flee from rather than to, and to imagine Londoners turned refugees. -- Cathy Rentzenbrink * Stylist *Spellbinding . . . a debut [that] packs a punch that belies its brevity, with the author's background in poetry shining through . . . The End We Start From is a slender novel, but more profoundly moving than novels six times as long. It is perfectly balanced between fear and wonder. The world around them may be falling apart in the most extraordinary way, but ordinary life goes on and, as Hunter makes us understand, what a beautiful life it is. * The Bookseller *Powerful . . . an uplifting celebration of the reality of motherhood in the face of terrifying global disaster * Daily Mail *I held my breath reading this beautiful and timely novel. With precise yet lyrical language Megan Hunter gets to the centre of who we are, where we are, and why it matters. The End We Start From is a work of art -- Christie Watson, author of Tiny Sunbirds Far AwayThis debut is a story of a new mother and her baby who are turned into refugees after a mysterious environmental crisis. The End We Start From is a relevant story of our times which shrewdly ponders the meaning of survival and humanity in desperate times * Wales Arts Review *Startling . . . beautiful and insightful. Everyone who reads this will come away feeling renewed * Elle Magazine *Megan Hunter's slender, startling debut shimmers with light, even as the novel heads into dark territory . . . tender and profound -- Psychologies Book of the MonthExtraordinary . . . The End We Start From is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, in that it shares the same narrative detachment, and the same precise poetry. It is of course told from the perspective of a mother, rather than a father, and is set in a world that is only beginning to fall into chaos. And in the midst of it all, each parent cradles their child, enchanted by their breathing. “Sometimes he sleeps so quietly it seems that he has gone.” Megan Hunter’s remarkable debut novel feels like the other half of the story * Financial Times *In a future London, a mysterious environmental crisis is causing flooding. On the day a woman gives birth to her first child, Z, her home and the city is submerged, and she and her husband R are forced to leave in search of safety. In a scant 127 pages, Megan Hunter creates a powerful and painful story of love and endurance, and of the experiences of being a mother and a refugee * Stylist *A haunting dystopian tale unlike any you’ve read before. In the aftermath of an environmental disaster, London is submerged by floodwater and the narrator, who remains unnamed, is forced to flee with her newborn baby. Despite the world as they know it crumbling around them, mother and son grow and thrive in this dangerous new Britain, where they’ve been recast as refugees. Poetic, precise, and surprisingly full of warmth, this is a beautiful story about the first months of motherhood and the places where hope springs, even in the darkest of times * AnOther *Brilliant . . . Hunter traces - with expert precision and such lyricism - who we are when life is minimised . . . an echo of Jenny Offill's Dept of Speculation . . . a visceral, poetic confession -- Sinéad Gleeson * Irish Times *Fans of Station Eleven will love this. * Red magazine *The End We Start From is an effective, unusual and ambitious debut, which keeps the reader pinned to the page * Guardian *Set in a post-apocalyptic Britain, Megan Hunter's debut is lyrical, uplifting and unmissable * Stylist *A stunning tale of motherhood. Megan has crafted a striking and frighteningly real story of a family fighting for survival that will make everyone stop and think about what kind of planet we are leaving behind for our children -- Benedict CumberbatchStrange and haunting . . . This isn’t a novel in which exposition is a problem; it’s more Virginia Woolf does cli-fi . . . Good news then that film rights have already been snapped up, by Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company SunnyMarch and Hera Pictures. Let’s just hope they do it justice; the dystopian elements are the easy sell, the beating heart of this tender and tremendous story is without doubt Hunter’s portrait of early motherhood, an all-encompassing world of its own * Independent *Megan Hunter uses words sparingly. In her startlingly poetic debut, The End We Start From, she even rations her letters. She calls her characters R and Z and each paragraph is only a sentence or two long. Hunter tangles the delight and disorientation of new motherhood with scenes of societal collapse. As everything seems to be ending, as London floods, a new life begins, hot and pink and hungry. Hunter writes with delicacy and precision; her imagery is pearlescent in places. It’s a sliver of a novel, but it shimmers. * Observer *Natural disasters and climate-related catastrophes might make for a compelling setting, but to really catch a reader's interest, you need to have the personal touch. And this is a novel that takes that principle down to its sparsest, simplest best, focusing on one woman and her child through a year of turmoil . . . best read in one sitting to fully absorb the haunting, brutal yet loving atmosphere of the narrator's journey . . . does a great job of capturing the intensity of early parenthood . . . a tale of survival in extreme conditions * SFX *Hunter's spare, drumskin-tight prose zings off the page, and ingenious descriptions abound . . . It may only consist of 127 pages of impressionistic, staccato sentences, but this is a book of wide horizons and big ideas, and it's no surprise that Benedict Cumberbatch's company have just acquired movie rights. For Hunter the future looks very bright indeed. * Scotland on Sunday *A story of sheer catastrophe, peppered with endearing experiences and milestones of new motherhood. The element which defines this short piece of dystopian fiction is the unique, elegant writing style . . . The End We Start From is beautiful, thought-provoking and most of all, hauntingly believable. It is a tale of hope at a time when the country truly needs it. A stunning debut. * Manchester Evening News *
£9.49
Nan A. Talese The Handmaids Tale Graphic Novel
Book SynopsisIllustrated with high-contrast artwork, a graphic-novel adaptation of Margaret Atwood''s modern classic depicts the terrifying realities of women consigned to childbirth roles in the occupied Republic of Gilead.
£21.56
Canongate Books Anna
Book SynopsisIt is four years since the virus came, killing every adult in its path. Not long after that the electricity failed. Food and water started running out. Fires raged across the country. Now Anna cares for her brother alone in a house hidden in the woods, keeping him safe from 'the Outside'. But, when the time comes, Anna knows they must leave their world and find another. By turns luminous and tender, gripping and horrifying, Anna is a haunting parable of love and loneliness; of the stories we tell to sustain us, and the lengths we will go to in order to stay alive.Trade ReviewAmmaniti sets a new standard in post-apocalyptic fiction . . . This story of children running wild in Sicily brilliantly manipulates the usual models even as it transcends their limits . . . In the midst of wonderfully detailed disorder, one girl named Anna struggles to survive, fighting off feral dogs and crazed children and enduring one of recent literature's most nightmarish visions of hell on earth as she tries to feed and protect her young brother, Astor -- John Burnside * * Guardian * *From The Lord of the Flies to The Road, we do love a dystopian tale of survival. And it's apt that in these uncertain modern times, here comes arguably the best one yet . . . Complex, moving and scary, this one will stay with you long after the last page * * Sunday Telegraph * *Ammaniti's Italian bestseller has been compared to . . . Lord Of The Flies and The Road . . . It's a powerfully disturbing and thought-provoking read * * Daily Mail * *One of Italy's foremost literary talents . . . Combines the wayward fantasy of J.G. Ballard with comic-strip adventure . . . Ammaniti has lost none of his gift for landscape description -- Ian Thomson * * Times Literary Supplement * *Brave and uncompromising writing . . . A brutal but moving post-apocalyptic tale set in a world where adults have all been wiped out . . . reminiscent of Lord of the Flies or Cormac McCarthy's The Road . . . written with such heart and compassion for the plight of the characters that you can't help but get sucked in and root for them. Compelling and moving writing -- Doug Johnstone * * Big Issue * *Unbeatable storytelling - an immediate and engaging study of humanity at its best and worst * * Financial Times * *A gripping tale of resilience, friendship and sibling love in a brutal and dangerous world. I loved it! -- MEGAN BRADBURY, author of EVERYONE IS WATCHINGAmmaniti won the Italian Strega Prize for I'm Not Scared, and Anna has the same taut narrative, with straight-from-the-bow suspense, but its mark is philosophical . . . concerned not only with the will to live but also with what makes us alive * * Irish Times * *Ammaniti has an enviable ability to keep readers thoroughly absorbed * * The Herald * *Anna has pretty much everything you could hope for from a post-apocalyptic picaresque adventure story * * London Review of Books * *
£8.99
Little, Brown Book Group 84K An eerily plausible dystopian masterpiece
Book Synopsis''AN EERILY PLAUSIBLE DYSTOPIAN MASTERPIECE'' Emily St. John Mandel, author of STATION ELEVEN''AN EXTRAORDINARY NOVEL . . . with echoes of The Handmaid''s Tale'' Cory Doctorow***SHORTLISTED FOR THE PHILIP K. DICK AWARD***From one of the most original new voices in modern fiction comes a startling vision of a world where you can get away with anything . . .Theo Miller knows the value of human life - to the very last penny. Working in the Criminal Audit Office, he assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full. But when his ex-lover is killed, it''s different. This is one death he can''t let become merely an entry on a balance sheet. Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don''t add up.From the award-winning Claire North comes an electrifying and provocative new novel which Trade ReviewAn eerily plausible dystopian masterpiece * Emily St. John Mandel, author of STATION ELEVEN *An extraordinary novel that stands with the best of dystopian fiction, with echoes of The Handmaid's Tale -- Cory Doctorow on 84KAbsolutely breath-taking... An early and compelling candidate for best novel of 2018. Read it * Sci Fi Magazine *Another captivating novel from one of the most intriguing and genre-bending novelists * BOOKLIST on 84K *Claire North goes from strength to strength . . . A tense, moving story set in drawing from current political trends to present a draconian future similar to that of Nineteen Eighty-Four * GUARDIAN on 84K *Absolutely breath-taking... An early and compelling candidate for best novel of 2018. Read it * Sci Fi Magazine *[A] gut-punch of a novel . . . a story that is rare - one of those that is so good I didn't want it to end . . . Painted in shades of Fahrenheit 451, of Children of Men, Soylent Green and Brave New World * NPR *[North] demonstrates again that her imaginative energy is as prodigious as her output. * SUNDAY TIMES *Absorbing and timely; a book to wrestle and argue with, but first and foremost, to read * NEW YORK TIMES on 84k *84K is a furious, confrontational book that's extremely smart . . . .its energy is infectious and its ideas are fiercely provocative * SCIFINOW *This is a dystopian anthem for the modern activist, a warning of an all too near future and a wake-up call for anyone who believes justice should not come with a price tag. 84K is an important book but also a cracking thriller and a great bit of near-future speculative fiction. Quite simply, North's best book so far, and given how brilliant The Sudden Appearance of Hope and The Fifteen Lives of Harry August are, that is saying a lot. * STARBURST *North is an original and even dazzling writer, and fans of her work will enjoy this grim tale of capitalism taken to a terrifying extreme * KIRKUS on 84K *The truly scary thing about 84K is how convincing this dark, brutal class-divided Britain is * SFX (4 1/2 stars) *North demonstrates skill in creating a terrifying setting that feels rooted to the present day . . . Every aspect of life in Theo's Britain is imbued with a menace that feels both recognizable and urgent, and the decisions the characters make as a result feel uncomfortably real. * RT BOOK REVIEWS on 84K *One of the most distinct and compelling SF novels of the year thus far * THE TORONTO STAR on 84K *It's exciting to read a genre novel that's willing to be this bold with language . . . 84K opens with a simple "what if," but it quickly develops into a structurally inventive, sharply observed thought experiment about the gradual disappearance of our basic liberties and human rights * LOCUS *A fascinating look at the decisions society is taking now * THE BOOKBAG on 84K *North's talent shines out * SUNDAY TIMES *Claire North is a true original, a master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination * Alex Marwood, author of THE WICKED GIRLS *Claire North's writing is terrific, smart and entertaining * Patrick Ness *
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Rides A Dread Legion
Book SynopsisThe first book in a brand new series by the master of epic fantasy, Raymond E. Feist. Ten years after the cataclysmic events of Wrath of a Mad God took place, Midkemia now faces a new danger thought buried in myth and antiquity.A lost race of elves, the taredhel or people of the stars', have found a way across the universe to reach Midkemia. On their current home world, these elves are hard pressed by a ravaging demon horde, and what was once a huge empire has been reduced to a handful of survivors. The cornerstone of taredhel lore is the tale of their lost origins in the world they call simply Home', a place lost in the mists of time. Now they are convinced that Midkemia is that place, and they are coming to reclaim it.Ruthless and arrogant, the taredhel intend to let nothing stand in their way; but before long, Pug and the Conclave realise that it''s not necessarily the elves, but the demon horde pursuing them where the true danger lies. And hanging over Pug always is the prophecy thTrade ReviewPraise for Raymond E. Feist: ‘File under guilty pleasure’Guardian ‘Get in at the start of a master’s new series’Daily Sport ‘Well-written and distinctly above average… intelligent… intriguing.’Publishers Weekly ‘ Epic scope…vivid imagination…a significant contribution to the growth of the field of fantasy.’Washington Post
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers THE MALACIA TAPESTRY notUS The Brian Aldiss Collection
Book SynopsisIn Malacia, a city where change is forbidden and radical ideas are crushed, a war like no other is about to commence… The Brian Aldiss collection includes over 50 books and spans the author’s entire career, from his debut in 1955 to his more recent work.Trade Review‘Britain’s finest science-fiction writer.’ Tribune ‘Once again he demonstrates the power of his imagination.’ Daily Mail ‘It’s a terrific yarn, but more than that; as Aldiss casually throws out ideas and speculations, it’s a reminder of why he’s one of the giants of the field.’ SFX Magazine ‘One of our best novelists.’ William Boyd ‘A rattling good yarn’ Daily Telegraph ‘Brian Aldiss is one of those writers who can stand back and look out across the vast fictional landscape of sciences fiction, and consider himself both a creator and a destroyer of worlds; a mortal God if you will.’ Starburst Magazine 'For decades, Brian Aldiss has been among our most prolific and consistently stylish writers.' Telegraph ‘Frightening, gripping… not one for the squeamish’ Illustrated London News ‘The best of British science fiction writers’ Scotsman
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Boneland From the author of the 2022 Booker
Book SynopsisThe crowning achievement of an astonishing career, Boneland' concludes the story that began over fifty years ago in The Weirdstone of Brisingamen'.If the sleeper wakes, the dream diesProfessor Colin Whisterfield spends his days at Jodrell Bank, using the radio telescope to look for his lost sister in the Pleiades. At the same time, and in another time, the Watcher cuts the rock and dances, to keep the sky above the earth and the stars flying.Colin can't remember; and he remembers too much. Before the age of twelve years and nine months is a blank. After that he recalls everything: where he was, what he was doing, in every minute of every hour of every day.But Colin will have to remember what happened when he was twelve, if he wants to find his sister. And the Watcher will have to find the Woman. Otherwise the skies will fall, and there will be only winter, wanderers and moonTrade Review‘From Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, adults have been enthusiastically been reading children’s books over recent years. Garner predates the cross over phenomenon by decades, but he has never been just a children’s writer: he’s far richer, odder and deeper than that’ Guardian ‘He deploys short, accurate words better than anyone else writing in English today, and he makes it look simple. Boneland is the strangest, but also the strongest of Garner’s books. It feels like a capstone to a career that has taken him, as a writer, to remarkable places, and returned him to the same place he started, to the landscape of Alderley Edge and to the sleepers under the hill’ The Times ‘Boneland hooks into the mind, haunting, provoking…This novel functions like a dream, containing hints at insights that, once we wake, we yearn to grasp again’ Telegraph ‘There is much left unexplained. However, this is a novel for all the children who loved ‘The Weirdstone Of Brisingamen’ but who have now grown up.’ Four out of Five stars. Sarah Kingsford, Express
£8.54
Pan Macmillan Never: A Globe-spanning, Contemporary
Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Thriller of the MonthExpertly researched and visionary in scale, international number one bestseller Ken Follett’s Never is more than a thriller. It imagines a scenario we all hope never comes true, one which will keep you transfixed until the final page . . .'Stunning . . . one of the most compelling reads of the year' – Daily ExpressA stolen US army drone.A shrinking oasis in the Sahara Desert.A secret stash of deadly chemicals.Each is a threat to global stability. Each can be overcome with only the highest levels of diplomacy. But when those in charge disagree and refuse to back down, an international chain reaction kicks off with potentially catastrophic consequences: a world edging closer to war . . .Now three people must work with the utmost skill to stop that from happening:A spy working undercover with jihadis.A brilliant Chinese spymaster.A US president beleaguered by a populist rival for the next election.The only question is – in a game of brinksmanship, can the inevitable ever be stopped?'Bold in scale and meticulously researched' – Sunday Times'Probably his best yet' - Stephen King'Urgent and fiercely compelling’ – Washington PostMore than 175 million copies sold worldwide. Published in over eighty territories and thirty-seven languages. The international no.1 bestselling phenomenon returns.Trade ReviewProbably his best yet -- Stephen King, author of 'Salem's Lot, Misery and HollyKen Follett has never been short of ambition. And it’s the global scope and vast multinational cast that chiefly impress in Never, his return to contemporary storytelling . . . Bold in scale and meticulously researched, Never makes other international spy novels appear timid, lazy and parochial -- Sunday Times Thriller of the Month November 2021I couldn't put it down . . . terrifying read . . . masterful detail . . . It's a stunning thriller and one of the most compelling reads of the year. It's not quite The Godfather, but it comes pretty close -- Daily ExpressA master storyteller, Follett has created a tale vast in scale, yet richly detailed, exploring the consequences of international power plays and the chilling imminence of global catastrophe. * The i *An ambitious and compelling narrative, exploring the consequences of international power plays and the chilling imminence of global catastrophe -- Press Association syndicated reviewUrgent and fiercely compelling . . . Never is first-rate entertainment that has something important to say. It deserves the popular success it will almost certainly achieve * Washington Post *Superstar novelist Ken Follett’s what-if political thriller . . . is so exciting – and so plausible – you won’t want to look away -- Apple Books Best Book of the MonthSettle in for a thrilling ride * CNN.com *Follett’s story captivates * Christian Science Monitor *A complex, scary thriller that feels too plausible for comfort. You’ll be so absorbed in the story threads that you’ll follow them anywhere – and you’ll suddenly realize you’ve read hundreds of pages . . . On one level, it’s great entertainment; on another, a window into a sobering possibility -- Kirkus Reviews starred reviewAbsolutely compelling . . . A smart, scary, and all-too-plausible thriller * Booklist *Terrific . . . A powerful, commanding performance from one of the top writers in the genre -- Publishers Weekly starred reviewFollett] weaves a web of intrigue . . . Shocking to the very last page * Sunday Express *Taking readers on a thrilling, rollercoaster ride through 800 pages of dazzling storytelling, Follett brings his extraordinary visionary talents to this powerful and far-reaching novel * Lancashire Evening Post *A pacey, character-driven thriller set against the backdrop of an imminent Third World War * Choice Magazine *Told in Follett's hallmark widescreen style, the blockbuster thriller is packed with memorable characters and global politics, it's a nail-biting ride! * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *
£9.49
Atlantic Books Anathem
Book SynopsisErasmas, 'Raz', is a young avout living in the Concent, a sanctuary for mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers. Three times during history's darkest epochs, violence has invaded and devastated the cloistered community. Yet the avout have always managed to adapt in the wake of catastrophe.But they now prepare to open the Concent's gates to the outside world, in celebration of a once-a-decade rite. Suddenly, Erasmas finds himself a major player in a drama that will determine the future of his world - as he sets out on an extraordinary odyssey that will carry him to the most dangerous, inhospitable corners of the planet...and beyond.Trade Review"'The only catch to reading a novel as imposingly magnificent as this is that for the next few months, everything else seems small and obvious by comparison.' Christopher Brookmyre, Guardian 'Anathem is a brilliant, playful tour of the terrain where logic, mathematics, philosophy and quantum physics intersect, a novel of ideas par excellence, melding wordplay and mathematical theory with a gripping, human adventure.' The Times 'I think this novel is wonderful... Anathem is a call to move into the world.' Andrew McKie, Daily Telegraph 'Neal Stephenson's vertiginous new novel [holds], for me, a boundlessly engaging fascination that comes at the price of being made to feel infinitesimally small: not merely as a human being, but as a writer, too... The only catch to reading a novel as imposingly magnificent as this is that for the next few months, everything else seems small and obvious by comparison.' Christopher Brookmyre, Guardian 'You find yourself enveloped in the atmosphere of a good library, one populated by a cast of characters whose talking is anything but annoying - and often illuminating. Fabulous.' Jonathan Wright, SFX Magazine"
£20.90