Dystopian & Alternative History Fiction Books

Book SynopsisCarbo returns in an unputdownable novel of murder and mystery in ancient RomeAfter years of captivity and torture by German barbarians, former legionary Cicurinus’ ordeal should be over.Hearing of the legendary Carbo, he returns to Rome to seek out this hero who might help to bring him balance. Instead he finds Carbo descending into alcoholism and gambling, a broken man who brutally rebuffs him.Devastated and disgusted by the immoral city around him, Cicurinus, embarks on a rampage of slaughter through Rome’s poor and downtrodden. And to hide his tracks, he frames Carbo for the crimes.With everything at stake, can Carbo master his demons, clear his name, and stop the Killer of Rome?This latest from Alex Gough, a master of the genre, is a Roman thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for readers of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and Ben Kane.

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Book Synopsis'A twisted masterpiece' Guardian 1939. In a grotty corner of London, in a flat above a shop, a private eye known as Wolf keeps his office. The city is in the throes of a very British Fascism, and Wolf is far from the life he left behind in Germany, before the Fall. Business hasn't been good, so when a glamorous Jewish heiress comes through his door, he has no choice but to take on her case. It's a decision Wolf will soon regret. For in another time and place, a man lies dreaming. Once a Yiddish pulp writer, but now imprisoned in a hell of humanity's making, Shomer creates lurid tales of revenge in his sleep... Prescient, darkly funny and wholly original, the award-winning A Man Lies Dreaming is a modern fable for our time.Trade ReviewA twisted masterpiece... A Holocaust novel like no other, Lavie Tidhar's A Man Lies Dreaming comes crashing through the door of literature like Sam Spade with a .38 in his hand. This is a shocking book as well as a rather brilliant one' * Guardian *Tidhar tightropes between fantasy, farce, and historical fiction, all while grounding things in brisk, gritty noir. Parallels to our current state of affairs abound, but if anything, they're simply symptoms of how the past can recycle itself in frightening new ways – a process that Dreaming compellingly picks apart and rewires. History isn't written by the winners or the losers, Tidhar illustrates, but by those who know how to shroud it and spin it the most entertainingly. Which only makes Dreaming all the more chilling * NPR *Tidhar knows how to say a great deal in very little. There is eloquence and gravitas in the sparseness and brevity of noir fiction when it is good, and Tidhar's is quite incredible * TOR.com *Tidhar truly is one of the key literary voices of the modern age... A Man Lies Dreaming is a masterpiece' * The Fantasy Hive *

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Book Synopsis'When the rains fell, the world burned...' After a childhood spent in the foster care system, failed PhD student Amy Weston attracts trouble wherever she goes. Acid rain is destroying London's trees, brain lesions are turning once-harmless pets into killer dogs, and her new work colleague, Professor Joel Harket, is the most infuriating man she has ever met. But when the media continue to insist that autumn has simply come early, and humans begin to experience the same symptoms as the killer dogs, Amy must work alongside Joel in order to convince the world of the seriousness of the situation, before it is too late. From the UN Air Health summit in Beijing to the abandoned tunnels beneath the city of London, Amy and Joel search for answers to prevent the end of the world, and as Nelson's Column crumbles and zombie-like 'howlers' wreak havoc worldwide, they discover that the only way to survive the apocalypse is to set aside their differences... and learn to trust each other.

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'A thrilling blend of noir and fantasy.'Guardian.In an unnamed city - a hardboiled pre-Civil Rights New York sort of city -heroine Lila Mae has succeeded in becoming the very first Black female elevator inspector. In Whitehead's darkly comic otherworld, this is a job imbued with an almost mystical significance. But the illustrious Department of Elevator Inspectors is in crisis, bitterly divided between the Empiricists (check the machinery) and the Intuitionists (tune in to the vibes). Lila is an Intuitionist and so much better at her job than anyone else that surely it must be those 'good-old-boy' Empiricists who have set up the serious accident which occurs on her watch - and just before the Departmental elections, too. Lila sets out to clear her name (and discover the secret formula of the Perfect Elevator at the same time), and the author keeps us on our toes guessing the outcome as he cleverly tweaks and twists his plot, catching everybody out. At the same time the story is almost certainly an allegory but of what, exactly, readers may work out for themselves. A teasing, challenging and entertaining read.

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Book Synopsis‘An eerie masterpiece’ Christina Dalcher ‘Think Black Mirror with a comic twist’ OK! When everyone is watching you can run, but you can’t hide… 2051. Marlow and her mother, Floss, have been handpicked to live their lives on camera, in the closed community of Constellation. Unlike her mother, who adores the spotlight, Marlow hates having her every move judged by a national audience. But she isn’t brave enough to escape until she discovers a shattering secret about her birth. Now she must unravel the truth around her own history in a terrifying race against time… An explosive and unsettling novel set in the near-future, perfect for fans of Station Eleven, Black Mirror, The Circle and Friend Request. Everyone is talking about Followers ‘A first-rate dystopian tale’ The I ‘A compelling look at the power of technology and social networks. You won’t be able to put it down’ Vogue.com ‘Megan Angelo’s debut novel will have you hooked…think Black Mirror with a comic twist’ OK! ‘Suspenseful, thought-provoking and terrifying’ Daily Mail ‘One of 2020’s most anticipated books. Looking for a razor-sharp take on the future of humanity and social media? Meet Followers’ Entertainment WeeklyTrade Review‘A compelling look at the power of technology and social networks. You won’t be able to put it down’ Vogue.com ‘Suspenseful, thought-provoking and terrifying’ Daily Mail ‘One of 2020’s most anticipated books. Looking for a razor-sharp take on the future of humanity and social media? Meet Followers’ Entertainment Weekly ‘Social media, celebrity and tech are explored with biting wit in MEgan Angelo’s fiction debut’ SciFi Now ‘An addictive treat’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Witty dialogue, thoughtful observations and a pacy, gripping plot’ SFX Magazine ‘Spectacular. A fascinating debut that builds to a terrifyingly believable climax’ Publishers Weekly ‘An intricate and brave story’ Booklist

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022.Nephthys Kinwell is a taxi driver of sorts in Washington, DC, ferrying ill-fated passengers in a haunted car: a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere with a ghost in the trunk. Endless rides and alcohol help her manage her grief over the death of her twin brother, Osiris, who was murdered and dumped in the Anacostia River.Unknown to Nephthys when the novel opens in 1977, her estranged great-nephew, ten-year-old Dash, is finding himself drawn to the banks of that very same river. It is there that Dash-reeling from having witnessed an act of molestation at his school, but still questioning what and who he saw-has charmed conversations with a mysterious figure he calls the "River Man," who somehow appears each time he goes there.When Dash arrives unexpectedly at Nephthys's door one day bearing a cryptic note about his unusual conversations with the River Man, Nephthys must face both the family she abandoned and what frightens her most when she looks in the mirror.Creatures of Passage beautifully threads together the stories of Nephthys, Dash, and others both living and dead. Morowa Yejidé's deeply captivating novel shows us an unseen Washington, D.C., filled with otherworldly landscapes, flawed super-humans, and reluctant ghosts, and brings together a community intent on saving one young boy in order to reclaim themselves.Trade ReviewIn this beautifully written and gloriously conceived novel, Morowa Yejide reveals her mastery yet again. This novel is both contemporary and ancient, frightening and stirring, playful and wise, an unforgettable blurring of reality and genres from its haunted Plymouth automobile to the mysteries in the fog in this alternate America and hidden Washington, DC. With its lyricism and bold imagination, Creatures of Passage is unlike anything you've ever read. * Tananarive Due, author of Ghost Summer: Stories *Comparisons will be made to Toni Morrison and they will be well founded, but Morowa Yejide is in a class of her own with Creatures of Passage, a mesmerizing tale about love, loss, revenge, death, and restoration that hovers close to the edge of fantasy yet is deeply grounded in history and in a reality easily recognizable in the contemporary world. * Elizabeth Nunez, author of Even in Paradise *Although set in our recent past, Creatures of Passage is at heart a powerful ghost story about people haunted by the shadows of time and the shadows of blood. In the pages of this novel we discover a world that is fully recognizable, as concrete and real as Toni Morrison's Ohio, but also as fantastic and mythical as Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Macondo. That said, make no mistake: Morowa Yejide is a masterful storyteller in her own right, able to spin and sustain an inventive tale illuminated by a singular truth, that death is 'another form of living. * Jeffery Renard Allen, author of Song of the Shank *

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Book SynopsisOn the eve of the Occupy Wall Street protests, C is flat broke. Once a renowned textile artist, she's now the sole proprietor of an arts supply store in Lower Manhattan. Divorced, alone, at loose ends, C is stuck with a struggling business, a stack of bills, a new erotic interest in her oldest girlfriend, and a persistent hallucination in the form of a rogue garden gnome with a pointed interest in systems collapse . . . C needs to put her medical debt and her sex life in order, but how to make concrete plans with this little visitor haunting her apartment, sporting a three-piece suit and delivering impromptu lectures on the vulnerability of the national grid? Moreover, what's all this computer code doing in the story of her life? And do the answers to all of C's questions lie with an eco-hacktivist cabal threatening to end modern life as we know it? Replaying recent history through a distorting glass, The Visitors is a mordantly funny tour through a world where not only civic infrastructure but our darkest desires (not to mention our novels) are vulnerable to malware; where mythical creatures talk like Don DeLillo; where love is little more than a blip in our metadata. It peers into How We Got Here and asks What We Do Next, charting the last days of a broken status quo as the path is cleared for something new.Trade Review‘It’s as if The Big Short were set in the dreamworld of Rachel Ingalls's Mrs. Caliban . . .’ Audrey Wollen, New York Times ---- ‘The Visitors addresses it subjects through a blurry, somewhat hypnotic dance of symbols and signifiers.’ Wall Street Journal ---- ‘It’s both a bold, imaginative play on very recent history and a trenchant prophecy of the terrifying times we’re collectively staring down the barrel of.’ Anna Cafolla, The Face Summer Reads 2022 ---- ‘[A]s its semi-fictional world frays at every edge, we stay close with C., a deeply written character who could be any of us: beset by the stresses of debt, anxious about decisions made and decisions to come, yet filled with all the rich longing, desire, and tenderness that renews our humanity, even at the worst of times.’ Lithub, included in ‘35 Novels You Need to Read This Summer’ ---- ‘Here is a refreshing novel by an author willing to take chances...The Visitors stands as a pensive and important work...rare and exciting company.’ Necessary Fiction ---- ‘“Is it possible to imagine something so fully that it takes on a life of its own? So many systems run only on belief.” It's possible that a novel, like this one, does, too.’ Star Tribune ---- '[A] mordantly funny requiem for the early 21st century . . . The odd touch of magic does nothing to diminish the story's uneasy relevance to the contemporary state of affairs. Fans of such paranoia masters as DeLillo and Pynchon should give this a look.' Publishers Weekly ---- 'The Visitors is a slim book with a lot going on. . . The book accepts, and even delights in, the strenuous absurdity of its characters' efforts to index the relationship between the virtual and the material, or to locate the source of reality in imagination.' Daisy Hildyard, The Guardian ---- 'The Visitors is conceptually bold. Stevens threads through needles of political theory so deftly you barely feel them piercing the brain. Her work calmly suggests this: the apocalypse is coming for us all, baby - so, what are you doing about it?' Annie Hayter, The Big Issue ---- 'Jessi Jezewska Stevens's frighteningly brilliant new novel The Visitors is both a bold reimagining of the recent past and an all-too-likely prophecy of what's to come. Caustic, intimate, and consistently surprising, this novel cements Stevens's place as one of the great chroniclers of our cruel and terrifying times.' Andrew Martin ---- 'In Jessi Jezewska Stevens' timeless novel, The Visitors, nothing is as it seems, everything is in motion, and progress and decay are simultaneous. Amidst credit scores and talking spectres, revolutionary impulses and the indissoluble truths found in a lifelong friendship, Stevens paints a brilliant and richly captivating portrait of an artist teetering between her own past and an American collapse happening in real time. Stevens' intimacy with history borders on the telepathic. The Visitors is transcendent and astounding in every way.' Michael Zapata ---- 'Jessi Jezewksa Stevens' scalpel-fine prose - slicing with wit and pathos - belies the bewildering scope of The Visitors, which lays bare everything from the audacity of modern finance to the visceral costs of debt, love, and success. Yet while collapse looms nigh, every page beams with defiant jubilance and gut-punch insights. Equal parts revelatory and moving, The Visitors cuts to the core of the delusion and disillusionment of our era.' Jakob Guanzon ---- 'The Visitors is such a unique gem of a novel-an intimate and affecting character study that is somehow also a DeLillo-esque container for diamond-sharp insights into big data, eco-terrorism, and the subprime mortgage crisis-that, like the garden gnome who haunts its protagonist, I'm half-convinced it couldn't possibly exist. But it does, and it is dazzling, and Stevens' readers are incredibly lucky to have it.' Adam Wilson ---- 'This book is a speedball, with lines as beautifully sad and weary as John Berryman's lines, and a premise as wild and lit as one of Philip K. Dick's premises. Stevens is a writer who makes you want to slow down and read each sentence carefully, even as you want to race forward and see what happens.' Benjamin Nugent ---- 'One of my favorite writers has written another imaginative and attentive marvel. The Visitors is about business: the business of staying alive, the business of being with others, the business of staying sane, and the business of business.' Rivka Galchen ---- 'An orgy of synaptic firing and flourish, The Visitors is a novel of longing, lostness, and late capitalism told with roving imagination and warmth.' Tracy O'Neill Bookseller Praise ---- 'Jessi Jezewska Stevens has created a parallel timeline as tumultuous and dread-inducing as our own, yet somehow this distorted reality reveals more about the preoccupations of existing than it's lived counterpart ever could. Part time capsule, part user manual, and part hallucinatory malware, The Visitors will still be with you long after the lights have gone out.' Josie Smith, Greenlight Bookstore ---- 'What would you do if an interrogating gnome appeared in your apartment one morning and never left? If you are C, the artist-protagonist of Jessi Jezewska Stevens' enthralling novel, The Visitors, you constantly question whether your gnome is real or imagined, all while operating a NYC art supply store, mourning the end of your marriage and your fertility, hiding from personal bankruptcy, and longing for a romantic relationship with your oldest friend, Zo. Apart from C's personal troubles, a terrorist group called GoodNite is destroying city power grids and staging protests around the world. Stevens fully immerses readers into C's world, exploring the artist's relationship to her craft, how loneliness exploits our deepest fears and vulnerabilities, the affection and jealousy between childhood girlfriends, and the permanent scar of immigrant trauma. A clever, thought-provoking novel that is as surprising as it is satisfying.' Lori Feathers, Interabang Books ---- 'Stevens' writing is vicious and cerebral, an enthralling combination. she has a lovely knack of hinting and alluding to goings-on elsewhere (the best kind of narration, imho). a cynical sophomore novel that deserves all the praise it will no doubt receive.' Doug Riggs, Bank Square Books

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Book SynopsisValentine Weis is a salvager in the future wastelands of Utah. Wrestling with body dysphoria, he dreams of earning enough money to afford citizenship in Salt Lake City – a utopia where the testosterone and surgery he needs to transition is free, the food is plentiful, and folk are much less likely to be shot full of arrows by salt pirates. But earning that kind of money is a pipe dream, until he meets the exceptionally handsome Osric. Once a powerful AI in Salt Lake City, Osric has been forced into an android body against his will and sent into the wasteland to offer Valentine a job on behalf of his new employer – an escort service seeking to retrieve their stolen androids. The reward is a visa into the city, and a chance at the life Valentine’s always dreamed of. But as they attempt to recover the “merchandise”, they encounter a problem: the android ladies are becoming self-aware, and have no interest in returning to their old lives. The prize is tempting, but carrying out the job would go against everything Valentine stands for, and would threaten the fragile found family that’s kept him alive so far. He’ll need to decide whether to risk his own dream in order to give the AI a chance to live theirs. File Under: Science Fiction [ Finding Your Way Everybody Hurts Body Bound City Dreams ]Trade Review“Full of adventure, charm, and deeply human insights, the world in Hess’s World Running Down is an apocalypse you won’t want to leave.”“A piercing mix of relevant social commentary braided into a riveting scifi adventure.""Books, like Hess's characters, still dare to love""A rousing and touching read.""It poured warmth and light into my chest""playful and lovingly crafted romp.""A profoundly charming, funny, romantic, and endearing read.""wildly fun trans sci-fi adventure""World Running Down is a Valentine’s Day release in the vein of Becky Chambers’ cozy, progressive science fiction.""I'm still buzzing with excitement.""Engaging prose and compelling dialogue make this novel an easy read""should please those looking for a diverting and fun queer-sf read."

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Book Synopsis“These creatures know human nature better than anyone. They’ve studied it for thousands of years. They know what methods to use to deceive, divide and cajole. They know what percentage of the population will believe anything they’re told, and what percentage will resist. They know who is susceptible to manipulation. Most importantly, they know the power of fear.” In this highly anticipated sequel to Fangs of Deception, T.K. Orbelyan provides a shocking exposé of the world the globalist elites are seeking to bring about. From a cashless economy to digital IDs and programmable money, Masks of Illusion explores a dystopian world in which mass surveillance, 15-minute communities and artificial food are the norm. By offering a glimpse into the evil strategy of enslavement that’s currently being implemented across the globe, Orbelyan shows that through a mass awakening of the public, the dark future that’s being designed for us can be stopped.

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Book SynopsisOne jump to save all time Life is progressing normally for sixteen-year-old Dan Renfrew when he accidentally transports himself to England in the year 1066. He soon realizes that he’s trapped there, and that’s not his only astonishing discovery. Dan learns that he’s descended from a long line of time jumpers—secret heroes who travel to the past and resolve glitches in the time stream that threaten to alter subsequent history. The only way Dan can return home is to set history back on its proper course in the Anglo-Saxon age. This is no easy task. A Viking horde is ravaging England in the north while a Norman army threatens to invade from the south. In between and desperately struggling to hold on to his throne is Harold Godwinson, the newly-crowned English king. Dan is fighting to ensure that events play out correctly when he finds himself plunged into an even more lethal conflict. To save history, Dan must battle a band of malevolent time jumpers whose lust for wealth and power threatens the entire future of the world.Trade Review“Andrew Varga has successfully blended a compelling historical fiction story with a sci-fi/ fantasy tale to create a novel that includes the best of both genres."—Jeffrey Westbrook, editor of the Altavista Journal and the Union Star “The Last Saxon King is a riveting story. Well researched and beautifully written, you can practically sense the sights, sounds and smells of 11th century England. A unique take on the momentous events of 1066, the reader finds themselves egging the characters on. This is edge-of-the-seat time traveling historical fiction.”—Historian Sharon Bennett Connolly is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and the author of Heroines of the Medieval World, Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest, Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England and Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey"The interplay of modern and early Medieval culture is fun, and I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense and time travel.”—Simon Spalding, historian and author of Food at Sea: Shipboard Cuisine from Ancient to Modern TimesA thrilling adventure and a wonderful introduction to the history of pre-Conquest England.”—Annie Whitehead, is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and author of Women of Power in Anglo-Saxon England, Mercia: The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom, To Be A Queen, Tales of the Iclingas Series, and Alvar the Kingmaker“As a historical fiction writer and as a homeschool parent, I loved every page of The Last Saxon King.”—Lynn Dean, Hands-On Homeschool ResourcesThe Last Saxon King is a gripping, faced paced read, perfect for readers who love a clever blending of history and fantasy.”—Cryssa Bazos, author of Honor of Thieves, Severed Knot and Betrayal: Historical Stories“A rollicking action/adventure of time travel with both male and female heroes! A modern day tale of love and sacrifice to save the world. I couldn’t put it down.” —Tom Taylor, author of Brock’s Assassin, Brock’s Traitor, Brock’s Railroad and Brock’s Agent

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Book SynopsisHEAVEN HELP US.Abdul Alhazred is an Arab-American folklore professor turned soldier whose fear of death stems from uncertainty about the existence of an afterlife. Then he joins THE GODKILLERS, a special forces unit tasked with fighting insurgents who use mythological creatures as weapons of mass destruction. Now that he knows the supernatural exists, he'll have to decide which is worse death or the nightmarish monsters he thought were mere legends.From writer Mark Sable (Graveyard of Empires, Grounded, Fearless, Supergirl) and newcomer artist Maan House (Spencer & Locke), GODKILLERS is a monster story for the modern age.

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Book SynopsisAfter a grueling and dangerous trip, Maki and Shota finally make it to Tokyo Dome, the largest refugee camp in the entire Kanto region and one of the last places to survive the zombie outbreak that has overwhelmed the whole world. Maki, who brings with her the remaining doses of the vaccine developed at the Gunma pharmaceutical center where she woke up in the first volume, is taken care of by the structure in power in the Dome, where a handful of privileged people, under the leadership of Colonel Shimamoto, live in luxury, while the majority of the rest of the survivors are reduced to survive in appalling conditions. Shota and Miura are thrust into the difficult daily lives of survivors who do not have the chance to be privileged. Miura is assigned to a work team while Shota befriends the leader of a gang of children who say they can help locate her father... Inspired by Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), The Walking Dead, Romero classics, and new zombie films like 28 Day Later, Crueler Than Dead delights in the meticulous detail of decomposed flesh, with a wicked and hungry eye...evoking a modern vision of a zombie world that is terrifying and tension filled. Trade Review"This first volume is a great beginning to an ambitious zombie manga. I had a surprisingly good time with this one, and can't wait for the next one soon! 4 out of 5" --gamingtrend.com

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Book SynopsisYouko and Airi’s next stop is Umihotaru, a rest stop in the middle of Tokyo Bay famous for its nighttime view. But with the Aqua-line tunnel from Kawasaki flooded, they’re forced to take a huge detour all the way to Chiba. On the way, they make a stop in Akihabara to investigate a mysterious radio signal. Could someone still be alive there…?

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Book SynopsisA world where everything has been lost. A boy and a girl, alone together. A spark of hope, kindled between them. All they can do is move forward. But against broken adults and devastating despair, how long will they be able to keep going...? Find out in this poignant tale from JH, author of the acclaimed Korean comic The Boxer.

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WRITERS'' GUILD FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2020ELLE ONES TO WATCH 2019''Not since Holden Caulfield have I been so captivated by a first-person voice as the one Season Butler creates in Cygnet'' Blake Morrison''A bright new voice in literature'' Bernardine Evaristo''Terribly moving'' China Miéville''A beautiful book, a meander through the fluid anxiety of youth'' Uzodinma Iweala''[A] potent debut . . . A strange, promising beginning'' Observer The Kid doesn''t know where her parents are. They left with a promise to come back months ago, and now their seventeen-year-old daughter is stranded on Swan Island. Swan isn''t just any island; it''s home to an eccentric old age separatist community who have shunned life on the mainland for a haven which is rapidly sinking into the ocean. The Kid''s arrival threatens to burst the Trade ReviewComing-of-age fiction is a well-established genre but I doubt there's ever been a novel in which the narrator turns 18 on an island exclusively occupied by oldsters. And not since Holden Caulfield have I been so captivated by a first-person voice as the one Season Butler creates in Cygnet: 'kiddo' or 'small-fry' as the Wrinklies call her is super-bright but also naive, tough-minded but also vulnerable, self-reliant but also adrift. How long will she remain on the island? How long will the island itself remain, increasingly eroded by the ocean as it is? Will her parents arrive in time to celebrate her birthday? We don't know, but this sad, funny, highly original novel keeps us turning the pages to find out * Blake Morrison, Author of Things my Mother Never Told Me *Season Butler is an extraordinary writer. In this wonderful novel the narrative voice is rhythmic and compelling, telling a coming of age story which resonates with our times. Like Colson Whitehead, her work is fearless in its inventiveness. I've always thought Season was the real deal, this book proves that she has arrived * Julia Bell, Author, The Dark Light *Terribly moving. A clear-sighted, poignant rumination on loneliness, love, the melancholy of age and of youth - and, in its quiet way, the end of the world * China Miéville *Season Butler has written an imaginative, atmospheric and original novel that lingers in the memory long after reading . . . A bright new voice in literature * Bernardine Evaristo *An original novel with a memorable narrator * Elle (Eight Books to Devour) *An uncanny meditation on mortality and intergenerational distrust * Metro *[A] potent debut . . . A strange, promising beginning * Observer *[A] vivid, poetic debut * Daily Mail *As sixteen-year old environmental activist Greta Thunberg has shown us, teenagers are the ideal candidates for raising consciousness about our planetary plight. Kid's ardent voice powers Cygnet. Her expression of the loneliness, boredom and rage she feels at her circumstances is reminiscent of Holden Caulfield . . . the characters have real emotional depth . . . Cygnet is both very funny and convincingly tragic, its young narrator memorably charismatic and self-aware * Literary Review *Season Butler (in her novel Cygnet) describ[es] an island occupied, with one exception, by geriatrics - the exception being the narrator, whose wise reflections on age, race, class and global warming belie her tender youth -- Blake Morrison * New Internationalist *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINING AUTHOR OF VERNON GOD LITTLE''Pierre''s high-risk prose explores and expands the cartoonish, taboo-busting outer edges of literary possibility.'' -- Independent***It's a big bad world out there, in Dopamine City.All Lonnie Cush wants is to keep his kids safe.But Shelby-Ann his little girl, the maddening apple of his eye has other ideas: Shelby-Ann wants her first smartphone.So new realities are rocketing their way to 37 Palisade Row, where everything will change, every day, and at mortal speed. Until Lonnie finds himself in a stitch: he'll have to join this new world, or wither in it. Or can he mastermind a vanishing act?The story of a hapless father's love and loss, and a speedball, starburst satire, Meanwhile in Dopamine City is a passionate, freewheeling work from the winner of the Booker Prize: a riotous cry for the soul and the flesh and the heart in t

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Book SynopsisKings of a Dead World is Jamie Mollart's latest dystopian novel. The Earth’s resources are dwindling. The solution is The Sleep: periods of hibernation imposed on those who remain with only a Janitor to watch over the sleepers. In the sleeping city, elderly Ben struggles with his limited waking time and the disease which is stealing his wife from him. Outside, lonely Janitor Peruzzi craves the family he never knew. Around them both, dissatisfaction is growing. The city is about to wake.

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Book SynopsisStrange and speculative, this 1934 pan-Africanist novel conveys the complexities of Black internationalism in the interwar yearsTrade Review'Bilbija and Lubin have made an outstanding contribution to literary Pan-Africanism by reintroducing the obscure Pan-African novel of Duse Mohamed Ali. This once influential Pan-Africanist ... a significant influencer, introduced Islam and the history of Africa to members of the UNIA. His novel and the accompanying essays make a welcome addition to the field.' -- Rey Bowen, University of Chichester'A compelling addition to the canon of Pan-African creative writing from the 1930s. The engaging, informative essays by the editors show how Ali brought to life core themes of African American literature for readers in colonial Africa.' -- Stephanie Newell, George M. Bodman Professor of English, Yale University'Ali's creative intellectual productivity was a major force in early twentieth-century pan-Africanism. The introductory material by Alex Lubin and Marina Bilbija offer essential tools for today's readers to appreciate this extraordinary, yet previously inaccessible, novel and its author. Reading this text through the multi-continental circuits of both its author's travels and the novel's protagonists, we recalibrate our own grid of pan-African literary productivity.' -- Dr. Leslie James, Queen Mary University of London'In recovering this daringly speculative serial novel by Duse Mohamed Ali, Lubin and Bilbija have excavated a landmark of literary Pan-Africanism while capturing the vibrancy of transatlantic Black periodical networks in the 1930s.' -- Brent Hayes Edwards, author of 'The Practice of Diaspora: Literature, Translation, and the rise of Black Internationalism'Table of Contentsi. Duse Mohamed Ali, West African print culture and an emergent pan-African literary formation ii. Duse Mohamed Ali in the history of pan-Africanism, pan-Islamism, and the Third World movement 1. Ere Roosevelt Came Appendix of other writings by Ali

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of the BBC's 100 Novels that Shaped the World “Orwell saw, to his credit, that the act of falsifying reality is only secondarily a way of changing perceptions. It is, above all, a way of asserting power.”—The New Yorker “1984 is a profound, terrifying, and wholly fascinating book. It is a fantasy of the political future, and like any such fantasy, serves its author as a magnifying device for an examination of the present.”—Lionel Trilling —

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Book SynopsisNaomi Novik's stunning series of novels follow the global adventures of Captain William Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire as they are thrown together to fight for Britain during the turbulent time of the Napoleonic Wars.Convicted of treason and stripped of rank and standing, Temeraire and Lawrence are transported to the prison colony at New South Wales. With them travel three dragon eggs destined to be handed over to second-rate officers willing to accept so remote an assignment including one former acquaintance, Captain Rankin, whose cruelty once cost a dragon its life.They arrive at a young Australian colony in turmoil after the overthrow of the military governor, William Bligh formerly Captain Bligh, late of HMS Bounty. Eager to escape the political quagmire, Laurence and Temeraire accept a mission to pioneer a route through the forbidding Blue Mountains and into the interior of Australia. But when one of the dragon eggs is stolen, the surveying expedition becomes a despeTrade Review‘These are beautifully written novels, not only fresh, original and fast-paced, but full of wonderful characters with real heart.’Peter Jackson ‘Novik won me over with her first novel… the combination of military history, sympathetic characters, and engaging style makes this series great, intelligent fun.’The Times ‘Plenty of intrigue, swordplay, exotic locations, plausible invention. In short a treat.’The Telegraph ‘Novik has stirred the passions with a genre-busting historical fantasy of the first order.'Sunday Sport 'In the best tradition of fantasy, historical fiction and nautical novels.'Guardian

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Book SynopsisNaomi Novik's stunning series of novels follow the global adventures of Captain William Laurence and his fighting dragon Temeraire as they are thrown together to fight for Britain during the turbulent time of the Napoleonic Wars.Former Aerial Corps captain Will Laurence and his faithful dragon, Temeraire, have been put out to pasture in Australia and it seems their part in the war has ended just when they are needed most.The French have invaded Spain, forged an alliance with Africa's powerful Tswana empire, and brought revolution to Brazil. With Britain's last desperate hope of defeating Napoleon in peril, the government that sidelined Laurence swiftly offers to reinstate him, convinced that he's the best man to enter the fray and negotiate peace. So the pair embark for Brazil, only to meet with a string of unmitigated disasters that forces them to make an unexpected landing in the hostile territory of the Incan empire.With the success of the mission balanced on a razor's edge, an oldTrade Review‘These are beautifully written novels, not only fresh, original and fast-paced, but full of wonderful characters with real heart.’Peter Jackson ‘Novik won me over with her first novel… the combination of military history, sympathetic characters, and engaging style makes this series great, intelligent fun.’The Times ‘Plenty of intrigue, swordplay, exotic locations, plausible invention. In short a treat.’The Telegraph ‘Novik has stirred the passions with a genre-busting historical fantasy of the first order.'Sunday Sport 'In the best tradition of fantasy, historical fiction and nautical novels.'Guardian

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2023 Hugo Award for Best NovelJurassic Park meets Parks & Recreation in The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set on an alternate Earth – perfect for fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky and Michel Crichton.‘John Scalzi is the most entertaining, accessible writer working in SF today’ – Joe Hill, author of The FiremanA Financial Times Book of the YearThey're big, they're bad and they're about to become extinct . . .Jamie’s dream was to hit the big time at a New York tech start-up. Jamie’s reality was a humiliating lay-off, then a low-wage job as a takeaway delivery driver. During a pandemic too. Things look beyond grim, until a chance delivery to an old acquaintance. Tom has an urgent vacancy on his team: the pay is great and Jamie has debts – it’s a no-brainer choice. Yet, once again, reality fails to match expectations. Only this time it could be fatal.It seems Tom’s ‘animal rights organization’ is way more than it appears. The animals aren’t even on Earth – or not our Earth, anyway. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures roam a tropical, human-free world. And although Kaiju are their universe’s largest and most dangerous animal, they need support to survive.Tom’s ‘Kaiju Preservation Society’ wants to help. However, others want to profit. Unless they’re stopped, the walls between our worlds could fall – and the consequences would be devastating.Trade ReviewA more ethical Jurassic Park meets the camaraderie of Parks and Recreation in this wonderfully witty and refreshingly earnest adventure yarn . . . Sure to delight -- Publishers WeeklyBubbles with . . . banter and snarky humour -- Kirkus ReviewsAn escapist delight -- The TimesSheer geeky pleasure from start to finish -- Financial TimesHugely enjoyable, intelligent and good-humoured fun -- GuardianHis most entertaining [novel] . . . a huge success -- SFXJohn Scalzi is the most entertaining, accessible writer working in SF today -- Joe Hill on Old Man's WarScalzi is one of the slickest writers that SF has ever produced -- Wall Street Journal on Old Man's WarRousing storytelling and satisfying intrigue . . . an engaging, well-crafted sci-fi drama -- SFX on The Collapsing EmpireScalzi is not producing didactic fiction; he’s telling a great story -- Huffington Post on Lock InClever dialogue, fast-paced story and strong characters -- The Times on the Old Man's War seriesAn incredible imagination -- LA Times on The Consuming Fire

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Book Synopsis''A highly original, electrifying read'' The Times''A stylish, riveting thriller'' Daily Mail''An assured page-turner ... it combines action and foreign locations with big ideas a la Dan Brown'' Sunday TimesThe US President Thompson has been dreaming of his own death. A repeating nightmare that hounds him night after night that he can''t ignore: something tells him it''s not just a dream, it feels too real.Thompson''s doctor, military psychiatrist Josh Cain, is summoned to a church tower near the White House. He thinks he is there to talk down another suicidal ex-Marine. But the man he finds tells him of a plot to kill Thompson, revealing secrets he can''t possibly have known - just seconds before a sniper''s bullet takes him out . . .Battles have been fought man to man, then machine to machine, and even in cyberspace. But now there is a different battlefield emerging: human consciousness and the fight for Trade ReviewA vividly drawn, propulsive thriller, that also probes the effects of grief and trauma * The Times, Books of the Year *This stylish, riveting thriller explodes into a world of 'psychic spies' and dark plots to undermine the world * Daily Mail *An assured page-turner ... it combines action and foreign locations with big ideas a la Dan Brown * Sunday Times *This is a highly original, electrifying read ... In less assured hands this could have seemed absurd, but Cook’s crisp, hard-boiled prose makes the outlandish feel alarmingly plausible. * The Times *Frightening in its subject matter and brilliantly written. It’s a book you will not want to put down * Crime Review *

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Book Synopsis''A book that shifted my life... Epic, game-changing, moving and brilliant'' VIOLA DAVIS on Wild Seed''In the ongoing contest over which dystopian classic is most applicable to our time... for sheer peculiar prescience, Butler''s novel may be unmatched'' NEW YORKERA PATTERNIST NOVEL: BOOK FOURThe Patternmaster is all powerful. His every thought can control, heal or destroy.The only threat to his command are the Clayarks, a society of people born out of terrible disease, who now live enslaved by the ruling Patternists or in the wild.Coransee, son of the Patternmaster, wants the throne and will stop at nothing to succeed his father, even if it means killing every one of his siblings.But when one brother - his rival and his equal - takes refuge amongst the Clayarks, a war ensues that will change the world forever.Trade ReviewOne of the most significant literary artists of the twentieth century. One cannot exaggerate the impact she has had -- Junot DiazButler's prose, always pared back to the bone, delineates the painful paradoxes of metamorphosis with compelling precision * Guardian *A dark, compelling and still horribly resonant time travel story * Independent *[Her] evocative, often troubling, novels explore far-reaching issues of race, sex, power and, ultimately, what it means to be human * New York Times *No novel I've read this year has felt as relevant, as gut-wrenching or as essential... If you've ever tweeted "All Lives Matter", someone needs to shove Kindred into your hand, and quickly * The Pool *Kindred is that rare magical artifact . . . the novel one returns to, again and again * Harlan Ellison *One cannot finish Kindred without feeling changed. It is a shattering work of art * Los Angeles Herald-Examiner *[A] must-read novel * BBC *Everyone should read at least one novel by the grand dame of science fiction, and Kindred is a perfect (and harrowing and disturbing and brilliant) place to start * Refinery 29 *The immediate effect of reading Octavia Butler's Kindred is to make every other time travel book in the world look as if it's wimping out... This is a brilliant book, utterly absorbing, very well written, and deeply distressing. It's very hard to read, not because it's not good but because it's so good * Tor *A searing, caustic examination of bizarre and alien practices on the third planet from the sun * Kirkus *One of the most original, thought-provoking works examining race and identity * Los Angeles Times *Impossible to turn away from once you've devoured the first few pages * Starburst *If you haven't read Butler, you don't yet understand how rich the possibilities of science fiction can be * Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction *Butler's books are exceptional * Village Voice *Few writers in our field are so good at blending page-turners with philosophical questions so seamlessly -- Cory Doctorow

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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

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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 *

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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"

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Book Synopsis‘Julie Kagawa is a strong new voice’ The Sunday Express How do you face the end of eternity? In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: blood calls to blood. Allie has done the unthinkable – died so that she might continue to live. Cast out and separated from the boy she dared to love, she follows the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin. But when the trail leads to Allie’s birthplace, what she finds there could change the world forever… There’s a new plague on the rise – a new strain of the disease that wiped out most of humanity generations ago – and this one is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries. Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and vampire will blur even further. Return to Julie Kagawa’s dark and twisted world as an unforgettable dystopian journey continues. Perfect for fans of Holly Black, Sarah J Maas and Tomi Adeyemi. *********************************************** Readers adore The Eternity Cure! ‘I love love love this series!’ ‘You will love this book – read it!’ ‘What an ending!’ ‘I was so enthralled by this book I finished it in a day!’ ‘I couldn't put it down’ ‘Stop what you are doing and buy these books!’ *********************************************** The Blood of Eden series Book One: The Immortal Rules Book Two: The Eternity Cure Book Three: The Forever SongTrade Review‘A genuine page-turner… Julie Kagawa is a strong new voice in the young adult world.’ The Sunday Express on The Iron King ‘We think we've found the next crossover hit…’ The Sunday Times on The Iron King ‘Allie is a terrific heroine-tough, pragmatic, yet sympathetic-and readers will be hungry to see where her story goes. Kagawa wraps excellent writing and skillful plotting around a well-developed concept and engaging characters, resulting in a fresh and imaginative thrill-ride that deserves a wide audience.’ *Starred* Publishers Weekly review ‘Action packed, rife with drama and moral quandaries, and laced with an impossible romance, this first in the Blood of Eden series will hit the mark with readers who like some supernatural in their dystopias and don't mind a bloody sword fight.’ Booklist ‘Allie's a smart, strong and compelling heroine, and readers will gladly join her for this adrenaline-rich ride.’ Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe smash hit series written by New York Times bestselling writers Scott Snyder (Dark Nights: Death Metal, Wytches) and Charles Soule (Star Wars, Curse Words) with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli (The Amazing Spider-Man, Darth Vader, Hellblazer), newcomer Leonardo Marcello Grassi and Eisner-award winning colorist Matt Wilson (The Wicked and the Divine, Paper Girls) continues!Collects UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY #13-18

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Book SynopsisIn hell, everyone can hear you scream, but only one person listens.Hell can get you down. It’s big, hot, often painful, and a hard place to get creative projects done. But something else is bothering inmate PKRx354—something beyond the unrelenting and often absurd torture routines, the demons, or the tormenting trio of his mother, father, and girlfriend also consigned to the Underworld. Luckily there’s help: Fred Greenberg—Hell’s only psychotherapist. With Fred’s stoic and perceptive guidance, the “talking cure” proves productive. That is until a dastardly terrorist act by a mysterious faction threatens the very nature of the Underworld. Will our self-deprecating hero get to the cause of his nagging “ennui?” Will Fred find his own redemption? And will our hero ever find peace, or at least a vacation?Combining Dante, Douglas Adams, and Freud, Damnation Diaries is equal parts horror comedy and character-driven drama, uniquely converging the look of bronze-age comics with sharp literary satire. The book’s imaginative and surreal landscape serves as a perfect backdrop for caustic social commentary fit for our equally surreal times. The setting may be imaginary, but the urgent issues addressed are not: growing economic inequality, student debt, political crisis, terrorism, and the attempt to find peace under the most hostile of circumstances.Trade Review"In fine-arts painter Rostovsky’s scabrously funny debut, an ordinary guy visits an ordinary therapist in an extraordinary place: Hell. […] This is the rare high-concept satire that lives up to its premise."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

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Book SynopsisThe epic battle concludes, with the LAST SIX VOLUMES of manga that inspired Attack on Titan: The Final Season! Includes an EXCLUSIVE book of Attack on Titan short stories never published in English! Includes Vol. 29-34 of the Attack on Titan manga, plus a book of new short stories. As a Marleyan invasion dangles like a guillotine blade over the island of Paradis, allies have become enemies, and former friends are at each other's throats. The Yeagerists are in all-out revolt, fighting to dismantle military rule before the potential for world war explodes into certain doom. Meanwhile, deep in the forest, the sides' most ruthless, fanatical killers are locked in single combat, but triumph is elusive where Titans are involved...

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Book SynopsisDespite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit’s peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones—and that this enemy just might succeed.Trade Review"Pretty princess + dangerous spy, that's Gemma Ripley. She does both with equal panache. Tracking a missing batch of magical tearstone leads Gemma into the heart of a hostile kingdom, the presence of a mortal enemy, and heart-pounding danger. This is action at its finest." — #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris on Capture the Crown “Bestseller Estep returns to the world of gargoyles, mind magiers, and political intrigue first conjured in the Crown of Shards series with this romantic and exciting fantasy adventure, the first in her Gargoyle Queen Trilogy…the gripping romp flies, like Grimley, Gemma’s beloved gargoyle, at a breakneck speed that will keep readers turning pages.” — Publishers Weekly on Capture the Crown “Estep’s new series takes readers back to the world she built in Crown of Shards, filled once again with exciting machinations and a slow burn of romance.” — Library Journal on Capture the Crown “Capture the Crown is an exciting, strong series starter that fans and new readers alike will enjoy.” — Booklist "Action, magic, danger, and romance—a thrilling read from start to finish! Gemma Ripley is my favorite kind of heroine—smart, courageous, fierce, spirited, flawed, and full of heart. The Gargoyle Queen will capture yours!" — Amanda Bouchet, USA Today bestselling author of The Kingmaker Chronicles "Hold onto your hearts, fantasy romance lovers! Because you’re going to lose them to the deliciously smexy new bad boy prince in Capture the Crown. Jennifer Estep has outdone herself in penning my new favorite book of hers. Prince Leonidas is everything I could ask for—and Princess Gemma as a spy in a deadly waltz with him had me devouring the pages." — Jeffe Kennedy, author of the Forgotten Empires, Heirs of Magic and Bonds of Magic romantic fantasy series. “Kill the Queen is the definition of epic fantasy: exciting, original, and filled with characters who jump off the page. Jennifer Estep enters the arena and takes no prisoners. Long live the Winter Queen.” — Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Imaginative.” — Wall Street Journal "Betrayal put Everleigh Blair on the throne and treachery threatens to take her off. But Queen Everleigh survives the dangerous and vindictive courtly world and emerges a true Winter Queen - this is a gripping tale of one woman's survival and triumph." — Julia London, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Princess Plan “Jennifer Estep’s Kill the Queen is the fierce, feminist kick-off of a great new fantasy series... a sweeping, addictive adventure with a tiny hint of romance that will leave readers clamoring for more of this universe as soon as they reach the last page.” — culturess.com

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Book SynopsisRobert Graves''s controversial historical novel is a bold reworking of the story of Christ. Here Jesus is not the son of God, but the result of a secret marriage - the descendant of Herod and true King of the Jews. Written from the perspective of a lowly official at the end of the first century AD, King Jesus recounts Jesus''s birth, youth, life as a charismatic ''wonder worker'' and the unorthodox, bitter nature of his death and resurrection. Portraying Jesus not as divine but as a flawed human bent upon his own doom, this retelling of the gospels is a compelling blend of research, imagination and narrative power.Trade ReviewThe knowledge of a scholar and the imagination of a poet are brought to bear upon Jesus as a child, boy and man * Guardian *Written with simplicity and reverence * Time *

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Book SynopsisThe destinies of three mysterious lost children entwine in this James Tait Black Memorial Prize-winning fable by the radical Nobel Laureate and author of Lord of the Flies, introduced by Nicola Barker.A figure had condensed out of the shuddering backdrop of the glare.He is born in fire: a naked child in the blood-red flames of London's Blitz. Miraculously saved but grotesquely burned, this mysterious orphan is named Matty. Doomed to a life of torment, he becomes a wanderer, a spiritual seeker after unknown redemption. They are also lost children: neglected twins, as exquisitely beautiful as they are loveless and sinful. Toni explores political terrorism; Sophy, sexual dominance and violent criminality. But their destinies will soon collide in an apocalyptic climax - one that illuminates the inner and outer darkness of modern humanity. 'Exceptional ... Irresistibly transcendent ... Golding seduces us

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Book Synopsis''The forerunner of an entire school of African literary art.' Sunday TimesThose men who are history now; did they feel like this? A 1950s Hampstead pub; a freezing night. Lois can''t tear her eyes away from the haunted, restless African man in the corner. Over brandy and stew, she discovers he is in awe of her friend, Panafrica''s greatest political writer and fighter. Their meeting inducts this stranger, Udomo, into London''s revolutionary community of exiled African activists: the start of a life-changing journey. Amidst the internal politics and love affairs, Udomo is inspired by other leaders'' independence uprisings; but when he returns to his native land to overthrow the colonial oppressors, his idealism is put to the ultimate test ... Inspired by Peter Abrahams'' befriending of future African heads of state in mid-century London, A Wreath for Udomo (1956) is a radical lost classic, unforgettably expTrade Review'An African writer, a writer of the world, who opened up in South Africa a path of exploration for us, the writers who have followed the trail he bravely blazed.' - Nadine Gordimer'Abrahams explored with sensitivity and passion, the injustices of apartheid and the complexities of racial politics . An important literary voice.' - New York Times'He writes with vividness and great dignity . The forerunner of an entire school of African literary art.' - Sunday Times'With all that has been written about Africa, hardly anything has been said about the most significant people of all - the African leaders, revolutionaries one moment, Prime Ministers the next. This unusual novel, written with a close and sympathetic knowledge, gives a fascinating insight into these men.' - Observer'Intelligent and exciting . Written with skill and sympathy.' - TLS

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Book SynopsisFrom renowned theoretical physicist, broadcaster and author Jim Al-Khalili, comes this thrilling debut novel drawing on cutting-edge science and set in a near-future full of dazzling technologies. 2041 and the world as we know it grinds to a halt. Our planet seems to be turning against itself - it would appear that the magnetic field, that protects life on Earth from deadly radiation from space, is failing . . . Desperate to quell the mass hysteria that would surely follow, world governments have concealed this rapidly emerging Armageddon. But a young Iranian hacktivist stumbles across the truth, and it becomes a race against time to reactivate the earth''s core using beams of dark matter. As a small team of brave and brilliant scientists battle to find a way of transforming theory into practice, they face a fanatical group intent on pursuing their own endgame agenda: for they believe mankind to be a plague upon this earth and will do anything, commit Trade ReviewExcellent, exactly how good science fiction should be: gripping story, beautifully told, while at the same time being scientifically well-informed. -- PROFESSOR RICHARD DAWKINSReminiscent of vintage Arthur C. Clarke . . . has a chilling, nail-biting authenticity. -- James Lovegrove * FINANCIAL TIMES *The Day After Tomorrow meets Neuromancer . . . When the planet's magnetic field fails, the naked sun threatens to deliver an extinction level event now – and every century – unless a high-tech near future humanity can save itself. Sunfall is sizzling stuff. And the best informed techno-thriller you are ever likely to read. -- STEPHEN BAXTER, author of the Xeelee sequenceWith its well-crafted world-building, cutting-edge science, and believable, engaging characters caught in a desperate race to stave off the end of the world, this fast-paced near-future thriller is an impressive debut novel from one of our foremost science communicators. Brilliant! -- Professor IAN STEWART, co-author of The Science of Discworld seriesA thrilling futuristic page-turner of a novel in which the future of science, and the technology that underpins it, is as gripping as the plot. -- Professor MARK MIODOWNIK, author of Stuff Matters

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