Dystopian & Alternative History Fiction Books

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

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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.

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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

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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

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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 *

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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 *

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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 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.

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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

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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* *

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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 *

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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.

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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 * *

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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 *

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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

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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

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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

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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 *

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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 SynopsisA new Kahlan and Richard fantasy novel from bestselling author, Terry Goodkind.Trade Review‘Few writers have Goodkind’s power of creation’Publishing News ‘Goodkind’s greatest triumph: the ability to introduce instantly identifiable characters. His heroes, like us, are not perfect. Instead, each is flawed in ways that strengthen rather than weaken their impact.’SFX ‘A real born storyteller'Anne McCaffrey 'Everything one could ask for in an epic fantasy'Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisIn 1904, when she was six, Polly Flint went to live with her two holy aunts at the yellow house by the marsh - so close to the sea that it seemed to toss like a ship, so isolated that she might have been marooned on an island. And there she stayed for eighty-one years, while the century raged around her, while lamplight and Victorian order became chaos and nuclear dred. Crusoe''s Daughter, ambitious, moving and wholly original, is her story.Trade ReviewShe does fiction as it should be done, with confidence and insight -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie * Observer *

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Book SynopsisBrilliant, a definite page turner. They combine real historical events with fascinating fictional characters.The twenty-three volumes of the Morland Dynasty series has been completely repackaged in the most elegant style, using contemporaneous artwork for each period. This wonderful series opens with the back drop of the Wars of the Roses with the marriage between Eleanor Morland and a scion of the influential house of Beaufort. It is a union which establishes the powerful Morland dynasty and in the succeeding volumes of this rich tapestry of English life, we follow their fortunes through war and peace, political upheaval and social revolution, times of pestilence and periods of plenty, and through the vicissitudes which afflict every family - love and passion, envy and betrayal, birth and death, great fortune and miserable penury...The Morland Dynasty is entertainment of the most addictive kind.

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Book SynopsisThe penultimate volume of the mighty Riftwar Cycle from best selling author Raymond E. Feist.War rages in Midkemia but behind the chaos there is disquieting evidence of dark forces at work.Jim Dasher's usually infallible intelligence network has been cleverly dismantled; nowhere is safe. He feels that the world is coming apart at the seams and is helpless to protect his nation.Quiet palace coups are underway in Roldem and Rillanon; and King Gregory of the Isles has yet to produce an heir. In each kingdom a single petty noble has risen from obscurity to threaten the throne.Lord Hal of Crydee and his great friend Ty Hawkins, champion swordsman of the Masters' Court, are entrusted with the task of smuggling Princess Stephané and her lady-in-waiting, the lovely but mysterious Lady Gabriella, out of Roldem to a place of greater safety. But is there any safe haven to be found?Meanwhile, Hal's younger brothers Martin and Brendan are attempting to hold the strategic city of Ylith against an onslaught of Keshian Dog Soldiers, and a mysterious force from beneath the sea. The Kingdom might lose Crydee and recover; but if Ylith falls, all is lost.An unknown player appears to orchestrating these conflicts. Can Pug and the Conclave of Shadows track down this source before Midkemia is destroyed?Trade 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

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Book SynopsisJames Herbert's Domain imagines having to choose between nuclear radiation or horrifying, flesh-eating rats.Trade ReviewCompletes the rodent trilogy with what must be the ultimate rat novel . . . the adventure never flags. * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisThe Great Plague destroyed Europe. Now the world’s a different place … From the award-winning author of the Mars trilogy, ‘the ultimate in future history’ (Daily Mail), comes the most ambitious alternate history novel ever written.Trade Review‘One of the finest working novelists in any genre’GUARDIAN 'If I had to choose one writer whose work will set the standard for science fiction in the future, it would be Kim Stanley Robinson’NEW YORK TIMES Praise for THE YEARS OF RICE AND SALT: ‘A dazzling work of speculation with all the qualities of a great historical novel – it is by turns thrilling, tragic, funny and thoughtful’SCOTSMAN ‘A 600-year tapestry of striving, joy, unhappiness and ambiguity … this marvellous book may be the most hopeful thing you read for a long time.’EVENING STANDARD ‘Stunning’GUARDIAN ‘A huge, complex and highly enjoyable book’NEW SCIENTIST

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Book SynopsisGives us a horrifying glimpse of an alternative world - one where the Allies have lost the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisA stunning coming of age novel set in a richly imagined post-apocalyptic world. For fans of THE PASSAGE and THE ROAD this is a fantastic addition to the growing cannon of dystopian fictionTrade Review'A great, gorgeous whirlwind of a novel, boundless in its imagination. You will be swept away' * Justin Cronin, New York Times bestselling author of The Passage *'PURE is a post-apocalyptic thrill ride, filled with wildly inventive characters whose journey of struggle and revolution manifests as a fast-paced narrative full of promise and hope. As visceral and kinetic as it is socially relevant, PURE is bursting with imagination and epic adventure. Baggott is here to stay. And we are all the beneficiaries' * Steven Schneider, producer of Paranormal Activity I and II *'PURE is a dark adventure that is both startling and addictive at once. Pressia Belze is one part manga heroine and one part post-apocalyptic Alice, stranded in a surreal Wonderland where everyone and everything resonates with what has been lost. Breathtaking and frightening. I couldn't stop reading PURE' * Danielle Trussoni, bestselling author of ANGELOLOGY *

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Book Synopsis''An exceptional debut'' Sunday Telegraph''Obsessed with The Handmaid''s Tale? This brilliant book is the one for you'' Stylist''An intriguing, gorgeously realised and written novel which inexorably draws you into its dark heart'' Kate HamerOn a small isolated island, there''s a community that lives by its own rules. Boys grow up knowing they will one day take charge, while girls know they will be married and pregnant within moments of hitting womanhood. But before that time comes, a ritual offers children an exhilarating reprieve. Every summer they are turned out onto their doorsteps, to roam the island, sleep on the beach and build camps in trees. To be free. At the end of one of such summer, one of the younger girls sees something she was never supposed to see. And she returns home with a truth that could bring their island world to its knees.''A skilful novel full of suspense'' Trade ReviewAn intriguing, gorgeously realised and written novel which inexorably draws you into its dark heart -- Kate HamerIt's a richly envisioned world, the strange isolation of which Melamed is excellent at teasing out slowly * Independent *An exceptional debut * Sunday Telegraph *A skilful novel full of suspense * Guardian *An assured, lyrical and vivid debut * Irish Independent *An obvious comparison is Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, and Melamed is more than equal a writer. Her prose is exact, the premise chilling and her characters all too plausible * Daily Mail, top debuts of 2017 *Obsessed with The Handmaid's Tale? This brilliant book is the one for you * Stylist *[A] dark, compelling debut... At a time when it feels as if women's rights around the world are being slowly eroded this absorbing novel is both gripping and to-the-bone chilling. Melamed is definitely a talent to watch. * Daily Express *Gather the Daughters is an always-compelling and sometimes-shocking read as the horrific secrets of the island are slowly revealed. I read it in one sleep-deprived sitting * Red Magazine *Gather The Daughters is extraordinary, powerful, and harrowing-and yet hopeful in its portrait of the human spirit and the endurance of love. This is a visceral book on all levels and it is haunting me still -- Julie CohenA terrifying work of speculative fiction ... Melamed is a masterful writer, and she establishes a hauntingly vivid atmosphere....This is a haunting work in the spirit of The Handmaid's Tale-but Melamed more than holds her own. Fearsome, vivid, and raw * Kirkus Reviews *Melamed's haunting and powerful debut blazes a fresh path in the tradition of classic dystopian works...a searing portrayal of a utopian society gone wrong...Melamed's prose is taut and precise. Her nuanced characters and honest examination of the crueler sides of human nature establish her as a formidable author in the vein of Shirley Jackson and Margaret Atwood * Publishers Weekly *At times harrowing in its depiction of cruelty, at other times joy-filled and buoyed by the spirit of liberated girlhood, this is an exhilarating, feminist cry-out, which I hope finds a wide readership * The Big Issue *A chilling, vividly realised feminist novel that propels the reader into the dark heart of a cruelly repressive and sinister society * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisAn American short-story writer of intimidating talent'' Zadie SmithDark, concerned, confused and funny, all at the same time ... Like so much of Saunders'' brilliant, crazy writing it''s relevant, but not too relevant'' The TimesFrom the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of the 2017 Man Booker Prize winner Lincoln in the BardoA breathtaking collection of strange, surreal, and utterly human short stories from the celebrated master of the form.Talking candy bars, baby geniuses, disappointed mothers, castrated dogs, interned teenagers, and moral fables all in this hilarious and heartbreaking collection by George Saunders, this generation''s literary voice of wisdom and humour, for a time when we need it most.Trade Review‘An American short-story writer of intimidating talent' * Zadie Smith *‘Graceful, dark, authentic and funny' * Thomas Pynchon *‘Dark, concerned, confused and funny, all at the same time ... Like so much of Saunders' brilliant, crazy writing it's relevant, but not too relevant' * The Times *‘You do not read Saunders' stories so much as watch them detonate on the page in front of you, like a firecracker some joker has slipped into your pudding' * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisThe global best-selling graphic novel series – over half a million copies sold!Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files collects the adventures of the iconic British character, presented in chronological order, complete and uncut! He's judge, jury and executioner – the lawman delivering justice to the mean streets of far-future Mega-City One. This first blockbuster volume features storylines written by comic legends John Wagner (A History of Violence), Pat Mills (Marshall Law) and Alan Grant (Batman), with art by Brian Bolland (The Killing Joke), Mick McMahon (The Last American) and many more!Trade ReviewIf you want to sink your teeth into classic Judge Dredd, the best place to start. * Mental Floss *Amazing and addictive * io9 *What a collection it will be when it's complete. * Den of Geek *

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Book SynopsisAfter his unexpected journey into the land of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to his normal life with his girlfriend Kenzie. But when your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, ‘normal’ simply isn’t an option. Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, is missing and on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever. Now, as Ethan’s and Keirran’s fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan’s next choice will decide the fate of them all.

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Book SynopsisIn January 2314, Rowena Savalas – a curator of the vast archive of the twenty-first century’s primitive internet – stumbles upon a story posted in the summer of 2024. She’s quickly drawn into the mystery of the text: Is it autobiography, fantasy or fraud? What’s the significance of the recurring number 381? In the story, the protagonist Fairly walks the Horned Road – a quest undertaken by youngsters in her village when they come of age. She is followed by the “breathing man,” a looming presence, dogging her heels every step of the way. Everything she was taught about her world is overturned. Following Fairly’s quest, Rowena comes to question her own choices, and a predictable life of curation becomes one of exploration, adventure and love. As both women’s stories draw to a close, she realises it doesn’t matter whether the story is true or not: as with the quest itself, it’s the journey that matters.Trade Review“One of the most original and provocative voices in contemporary science fiction.” -- Nina Allen“Intense and consuming writing, constantly challenging expectations.” -- Adrian Tchaikovsky“Whiteley takes the reader on a cryptic journey of trust, identity and knowing your place in the world.” -- Starburst Magazine“Whiteley’s trademark subtle surrealism shines.” -- Publishers Weekly“A melancholy and compellingly weird tale of identity in crisis.” -- SFX“A unique work of literary and speculative excellence.” -- SciFiNow“Three Eight One is an extraordinary offering from one of the UK’s greatest living writers of speculative fiction – blurring genres and playing with form to produce a gripping, exciting, poetic adventure.” -- Oliver Langmead, author of Birds of Paradise and Metronome“A hero’s journey stripped back to its essence, remixed with spaceships and conspiracies, masquerade and menace. Is it an allegory pretending to be an adventure story? An adventure masquerading as a secret history of the world? A new kind of wisdom literature for the digital age? Whatever it is I loved every second of it. Truly Aliya Whiteley is one of the most original and interesting writers in the field.” -- Helen Marshall, author of The Migration“There’s nothing like a new Aliya Whiteley novel, and no Aliya Whiteley novel is like any other. Three Eight One may be her most enigmatic work to date, a parable of maturation and the milestones of life that is at once mythical and down-to-earth. I adored every moment of it, and I found it overwhelming in its scope, honesty and emotional impact. It’s certainly one of the best novels I’ve read this year.” -- Tim Major, author of You Don’t Belong Here and Snakeskins“A brain-charging voyage through the present and the future, a novel that shepherds the reader out and then brings her back in, changing her in the process. It’s like Kafka rewrote Pale Fire as a science-fictional novel. A Pilgrim’s Progress through a godless world where the pilgrim is Patrick McGoohan’s ‘Prisoner.’ A dream of a book, in several senses: enigmatic, marvellous, utterly original. Whiteley really is one of the most striking and brilliant writers working today.” -- Adam Roberts, author of The Thing Itself“Masterfully written and rich with meaning, Three Eight One confirms Aliya Whiteley as one of our most ingenious -- and important -- storytellers. Travelling the Horned Road is a wild and unique experience: funny and thoughtful, frightening and joyful. I already want to go back.” -- Matt Hill, author of Lamb and The Breach“Like watching a magic trick happen... I’m going to be thinking about Three Eight One for a long time.” -- Fiona Barnett, author of The Dark Between the Trees“Three Eight One celebrates the art of storytelling with every clever twist and turn in this exquisitely crafted, beautifully realized voyage of discovery.” -- E. J. Swift, author of The Coral Bones and Paris Adrift“Slippery and whip-smart, this is a novel profoundly perceptive of the human condition. It has a disorienting ebb and flow – elegantly elusive and dream-like at times, while also being finely-tuned and precise. A mediation, perhaps, on the fallacies of history, and the futility of searching for meaning.” -- Lucie McKnight Hardy, author of Water Shall Refuse Them and Dead Relatives“Whiteley’s self-deconstructing quest narrative is a puzzle box full of delights, perils and strange wonders. Haunting.” -- Mike Carey, author of The Girl With All the Gifts and The Book of Koli“One of the books of the year. Superb, on every level.” –Buzz Magazine“A wonderfully alienating experience.” –SFX, five star review“Brilliant in its playful inventiveness.” –The FTA “journey that slowly unpeels itself” —SciFiNow“A quirky, unsettling work from one of the most original writers of speculative fiction in Britain today.” —The Guardian“Three Eight One is a puzzle novel that is not meant to be coherently or definitively resolved.” —Skiffy and Fanty"Exceptionally clever, deep and multi-layered story(ies), leaving a lot of matter to think about. Reminds me of some of Gene Wolfe's stuff in the best way." -- Adrian Tchaikovsky

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Book SynopsisBook Two of 1Q84 ended with Aomame standing on the Metropolitan Expressway with a gun between her lips. She knows she is being hunted, and that she has put herself in terrible danger in order to save the man she loves. But things are moving forward, and Aomame does not yet know that she and Tengo are more closely bound than ever.Tengo is searching for Aomame, and he must find her before this world''s rules loosen up too much. He must find her before someone else does.Trade ReviewMurakami's magnum opus * Japan Times *1Q84 has a range and sophistication that surpasses anything else in his oeuvre. It is his most achieved novel; an epic in which form and content are neatly aligned... So like Murakami himself, I'll borrow from Orwell: 1Q84 is quite simply doubleplusgood * Independent on Sunday *1Q84 reads like a cross between Stieg Larsson and Roberto Bolaño... In its bones, this novel is a thriller * Daily Telegraph *It is a work of maddening brilliance and gripping originality, deceptively casual in style, but vibrating with wit, intellect and ambition -- Richard Lloyd Parry * The Times *Which other author can remind you simultaneously of Fyodor Dostoyevsky and JK Rowling, not merely within the same chapter but on the same page? Viewed through the "post-modern" lens, his exemplary blend of a light touch and weighty themes, of high literature and popular entertainment, ticks every box. Posh and pop, sublimity and superficiality, history and fantasy, trash and transcendence: they switch positions and then fuse -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent *

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Book SynopsisBeautifully written and compelling, About Grace is the brilliant debut novel from Anthony Doerr.Growing up in Alaska, young David Winkler is crippled by his dreams. At nine, he dreams a man is decapitated by a passing truck on the path outside his family's home. The next day, unable to prevent it, he witnesses an exact replay of his dream in real life. The premonitions keep coming, unstoppably. He sleepwalks during them, bringing catastrophe into his reach.Then, as unstoppable as a vision, he falls in love, at the supermarket (exactly as he already dreamed) with Sandy. They flee south, landing in Ohio, where their daughter Grace is born. And then the visions of Grace's death begin for Winkler, as their waterside home is inundated. Plagued by the same horrific images of Grace drowning, when the floods come, he cannot face his destiny and flees.He beaches on a remote Caribbean island, where he works as a handyman, chipping away at his doubts and hopes, never knowing whether Grace survived the flood or met the doom he foretold. After two decades, he musters the strength to find outTrade Review‘'I loved this wonderful book – its strangeness, its obsessiveness, its beautiful sentences.' Monica Ali ’Doerr's sublime renditions of Winkler's attunement to the world around him turn his story into a prolonged epiphany, a blissful parable about grace. This is a formidable literary achievement that, link Winkler's snow crystals, integrates facets and dimensions into near-perfect whole.' Independent ‘Doerr's gifts as a stylist are powerfully in evidence: his writing is crystalline, his attention to detail intense and evocative. That Doerr is a writer of exceptional gifts is not in question,and there is much to admire in this novel.' Daily Telegraph 'Doerr writes wonderfully, lyrically, of the natural world, and his observations of water, snowflakes and clouds illuminate this impressive debut.' Guardian ‘Exceptional first novel. I hesitate to say this book will take your breath away because it's such a cliché; but, really, I promise you, it will… I can't remember when a novel so entranced me. The only criticism I can really muster – and it is rather a limp one – is that About Grace is almost inhumanely faultless; almost, but, even then, not quite.' Evening Standard ’In careful, measured prose conjures a sense of awe both humbling and salutary. It has the bleak, lucid beauty of a day of midwinter light. At its best when describing the minute, disregarded miracles of the natural world, it lingers in the mind like one of the protagonist's eerie dreams.' Daily Mail ‘About Grace is an intriguing exploration of fate and chance’ The Times

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Book SynopsisAvailable for the first time in paperback, this is the pre-eminent critical study, and exploration, of how myth and legend played such a significant role in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.The Song of Middle-earth takes a fresh look at The Lord of the Rings, digging deep into the foundations of Tolkien's world to reveal the complex tapestry of history and mythology that lies behind his stories.The charge that Tolkien''s work was merely derivative that he extracted elements from other mythologies and incorporated them into his own fiction is dismissed in favour of a fascinating examination of the rich historical background to Middle-earth.From the mythic tradition of the Tales told in The Book of Lost Tales: I to the significance of oral storytelling throughout the history of Middle-earth, this book examines the common themes of mythology found within Tolkien's work.In doing so, The Song of Middle-earth demonstrates how Tolkien's desire to create a new mythology for England is not only apTrade Review.

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Book SynopsisVoyager Classics timeless masterworks of science fiction and fantasy.The classic collection of robot stories from the master of the genre.In these stories Isaac Asimov creates the Three Laws of Robotics and ushers in the Robot Age.Earth is ruled by master-machines but the Three Laws of Robotics have been designed to ensure humans maintain the upper hand:1) A robot may not injure a human being or allow a human being to come to harm2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.But what happens when a rogue robot's idea of what is good for society contravenes the Three Laws?Trade Review‘An exciting science thriller…’New York Times ‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’Carl Sagan ‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’Daily Telegraph ‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’The Times

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of THE NINJA comes the first book in Eric Van Lustbader’s CHINA MAROC series.Trade Review‘A master stoyteller’ Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisYou live in Eden. You are a member of the Family, one of 532 descendants of Angela and Tommy. You shelter beneath the Forest's lantern trees. Beyond the forest lie mountains so forbidding that no one has ever crossed them. The Oldest recount legends of a time when men and women made boats that could travel between worlds. One day, they will come back for you. You live in Eden. You are a member of the Family, one of 532 descendants of two marooned explorers. You huddle, slowly starving, in the warmth of geothermal trees, confined to one barely habitable valley of an alien, sunless world.You are John Redlantern. You will break the laws of Eden, shatter the Family and change history. You will be the first to kill another, the first to venture into the Dark and the first to discover the truth about Eden.Trade ReviewA classic theme, beautifully told * Sunday Telegraph *This is a world I'm desperate to return to -- Alison Flood * Guardian *There's no justice if Dark Eden, with its beautiful, terrifying planet, slowly revealed, fails to bring Beckett awards * Sunday Times *A captivating and haunting book * Daily Mail *A dazzlingly inventive science-fiction writer -- A. N WilsonDark Eden is stunningly written * SciFiNow *Dark Eden is an incredible novel * SFBooks *Beckett should be on the radar of anyone who professes concern for science fiction as a literary form -- Alastair Reynolds

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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 Synopsis'Spine-tingling' New York Times'A fast-paced, thrill-a-minute début novel' New Yorker'Graedon knows how to ratchet up mystery' EsquireWORDS ARE UNDER THREAT. IT'S TIME TO FIGHT BACK...Imagine a world without words. A world in which books, libraries and newspapers are things of the past. A world where personal devices provide all you could want or need.Anana Johnson and her father, Doug, are hard at work on the final edition that will ever be printed of the English Dictionary. But one evening, Doug disappears and Anana unearths a single written clue: ALICE.In the battle to save her father, Anana discovers secret societies, dark incinerator rooms and underground passages. Above all, she finds a world that faces ruin from the dark side of technology. Praise for The Word Exchange'A nervy, nerdy dystopian thriller' New York Times Book Review'A propulsive, twisty future-noir' Daily Beast'Spectacular' Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove'Dazzling' Slate'Wildly ambitious, darkly intellectual and inventive' Kirkus Reviews, starred review Trade ReviewClever, breathless and sportively Hegelian . . . THE WORD EXCHANGE combines the jaunty energy of youngish adult fiction (boyfriend trouble, parent conflicts, peer pressure and post-collegiate jitters) with the spine-tingling chill of the science-fiction conspiracy genre -- Liesel Schillinger * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW *Graedon's spectacular, ambitious debut explores a near-future America that's shifted almost exclusively to smart technologies, where print is only a nostalgia . . . it's as full of humanity as it is of mystery and intellectual prowess * PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, starred review *[A] remarkable first novel, combining a vividly imagined future with the fondly remembered past . . . exquisite * BOOKLIST, starred review *A wildly ambitious, darkly intellectual and inventive thriller about the intersection of language, technology and meaning * KIRKUS, starred review *Alena Graedon's spectacular debut is a story for our age of 'accelerated obsolescence.' A genuinely scary and funny mystery about linguistic slippage and disturbance, it's also a moving meditation on our sometimes comic, sometimes desperate struggles to speak, and to listen, and to mean something to one another.To borrow Graedon's own invention, THE WORD EXCHANGE is 'synchronic'--a gorgeous genre mashup that offers readers the pleasures of noir, science fiction, romance and philosophy. It's an unforgettable joyride across the thin ice of language -- Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon GroveImaginative, layered, and highly original, THE WORD EXCHANGE is an engagingly creepy story of technology gone wrong and a clever meditation on the enduring mysteries of language and love -- Karen Thompson Walker, author of THE AGE OF MIRACLESWow! This highly addictive future noir is also terrifyingly prescient. Set in a parallel New York filled with language viruses, pneumatic tubes, and heartbreak, Alena Graedon's book is luminous and haunting at every turn. I will never look at words in quite the same way-and neither will you. -- Reif Larsen, author of THE SELECTED WORKS OF T.S. SPIVETCan you imagine a future without books, newspapers or magazines? Alena Graedon has done just that - her debut novel conjures up a scarily plausible dystopian future, where print is dead and intuitive handheld devices are the only method of communication. * THE LADY *In Graedon's dystopian future, face-to-face interfacing is finished and even email is a fading memory; when the man working on the last-ever dictionary goes missing, his daughter sets out to find him and discovers murky anti-literate corporate forces and outposts of word-loving outlaws. * ESQUIRE MAGAZINE *The idea of technology taking over our lives to such an extent that we can no longer function without it was an interesting premise, and one that most of us will be able to relate to. -- Louise Jones * THE BOOKBAG *

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