Dystopian and utopian fiction

Book Synopsis________________________''A terrifying thriller ... Visceral'' - Entertainment Weekly''An emergency from its very first sentence ... A literary thriller that summons the survivalist terror of The Road'' - Patrick Somerville, author of This Bright River ________________________WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THE WATER RAN DRY?On a searing summer evening, Eddie Chapman has been stuck in a traffic jam for hours. There are accidents along the highway, but ambulances and police are conspicuously absent. When he decides to abandon his carand run home, he sees that the trees have been burned and the water in the stream bed is gone. Something is very wrong.When he arrives home, there is a power cut and no running water. The pipes everywhere, it seems, are dry. Eddie and his wife, Laura, find themselves thrust together with their neighbours while a sense of unease thickens in the stifling night air.Thirst takes place in the immediate aftermathTrade ReviewA terrifying thriller ... Visceral * Entertainment Weekly *A timely, necessary, character-driven meditation on morality, society, and responsibility. Thirst presses us, accuses and implicates us in the failures of its characters * Chicago Review of Books *A tense, prescient journey into a collective environmental nightmare — one that’s not very hard to imagine actually happening. This book tapped into fears I didn’t know I had. Warner has given us a worthy, shocking, and poetic debut * Patrick Somerville, author of This Bright River and The Cradle *Thirst mirrors the deep anxiety so many feel about modern life: that its complexity makes it fragile and that we're all living on the edge of disaster * Mary Doria Russell, author of The Sparrow and Epitaph *A gripping parable of love and survival as well as a harrowing exploration of our darkest selves. Thrilling and thought-provoking, and dazzling in scope, Benjamin Warner's debut is a surprising, profound portrait of desperation and humanity — and who we are when we are stripped down to our most basic needs * Catherine Chung, author of Forgotten Country *Warner’s devastating and breathtaking debut is a novel about water. But it’s also about what it means to be in love, what it means to share — or to think you are sharing — your life with another person. This is a story about community (that ever slippery union) and, further still, about humanity ... Warner taps into a universal: Even at our lowest, our loneliest, and in our most desperate hour, we are still human, still connected ... Read this book. It will make you a better person * Hannah Pittard, author of Reunion *

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Book SynopsisThe critically acclaimed team of writer GEOFF JOHNS and artist GARY FRANK unites with superstar colorist BRAD ANDERSON to bring their first creator-owned hero to Image Comics!Set in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of radioactive chaos. Out past the poisoned wasteland lives a man even the Nightcrawlers and Organ People fear. Some name him Joe Glow, others call him the Meltdown Man. But his name...is Geiger.Collects GEIGER #1-6.Trade Review“Character to plot to setting, everything in GEIGER clicks into place, making for a superb story that just radiates excellence.” -Multiversity Comics“Describing the book in five words or less, Frank and Johns stated, 'Walking X-ray kicks ass!' and 'Radioactive family man;' after reading the first issue, I can confirm that both descriptions are more than correct.” -Comic Crusaders“A clever twist on post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland warring tribes.” -Comicon.com“The story and art are both fantastic.” -Forces of Geek

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Book SynopsisVisionary illustrator and author SIMON STÅLENHAG (THE ELECTRIC STATE, TALES FROM THE LOOP) presents a tense, dark tale of ruin and vengeance set among a stunning sci-fi apocalypse like you’ve never seen before.An eight-wheeled vehicle trundles across a barren landscape of ash and ruined buildings toward a lone bunker deep in the wilderness. Inside the vehicle are three passengers: two scientists—who plan to use the outpost as a home base for the study of world-ending phenomena—and a boy named Charlie.As the work unfolds, the isolation and claustrophobia of the compound threatens each member of the expedition with madness. Forced to confront their own dark history and the struggles of the haves and have-nots, the members of the expedition find themselves hurtling toward ruin.

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Book SynopsisA first entry in a new trilogy set 10 years after the events of Morning Star finds Darrow and the Rising battling the remaining Gold loyalist forces in order to abolish the color-coded caste system only to be challenged by dangerous new enemies. Movie tie-in.

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Book Synopsis 'THE ENVIRONMENTAL NOVEL OF OUR TIMES.' Lemn Sissay, Booker Prize judge From a critically acclaimed author comes a searing novel about maternal love pushed to the brink by environmental crisis 'Brutal and beautiful in equal measure' (Emily St. John Mandel) Bea's daughter, Agnes, is slowly wasting away, her lungs ravaged by the smog and pollution of the overpopulated metropolis they call home. The only alternative is to build a life in the vast expanse of untamed land known as The Wilderness State. No one has been allowed to venture here before. That is all about to change. But as Bea soon discovers, saving her daughter's life might mean losing her in ways she hadn't foreseen. Passionate and exhilarating, The New Wilderness is the story of a mother's fight to save her daughter in a world she can no longer call her own. Longlisted for the DUBLIN Literary Award 2022 * A Guardian Best Science Fiction Book of the Year * A 'Best Book of the Year 2020' according to BBC Culture * An Irish Times Best Debut Fiction of 2020 Trade Review'The New Wilderness is a virtuosic debut, brutal and beautiful in equal measure.' Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel'Soulful, urgent... Supremely well-crafted... What lingers, though, beyond the awesome power of Bea and Agnes as heroines, is pure wonderment at all in this world of ours that is not human.' Observer'Wonderfully imagined and written, this is a tense future-shock novel that's also a tender exploration of a mother-daughter relationship under extreme pressure... An urgent novel reflective of what is happening in society right now.' Booker Prize judges'A wildly imaginative and terrifying dystopian story... Touching on humanity and our contempt for nature, this is a timely and compelling novel.' Independent'This Booker-longlisted novel's driving questions – who will live and who will die? And which kind of leadership will triumph along the way? – remind us, in a compelling fashion, why we read at all: to learn how better to survive.' New Statesman'A visceral, elemental performance... Dense with believable detail.' The Sunday Times'Riveting... Bleakly compelling, and leavened by wry, sparkling humour that Cook combines seamlessly with existential dread.' Daily Telegraph'This gut-wrenching story of survival, danger, power, control and, most importantly, love is one you won’t want to put down.' CNN'This Booker-longlisted novel’s driving questions – who will live and who will die? And which kinds of leadership will triumph along the way? – remind us, in a compelling fashion, why we read at all: to learn how better to survive.' New Statesman'It is the anthropological acuity in Cook's writing that makes it so persuasive… The chief power of The New Wilderness, and what distinguishes it from less successful environmental dystopian fiction, is Cook’s talent for world-building.' TLS'Cook leavens her satire with sly wit and real wisdom, expertly deconstructing the borderline separating human beings and other animals.' Guardian, 'Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books 2020' 'Cook's is a fresh and vivid voice; it's unsurprising the likes of Miranda July and Roxane Gay are fans.' Observer'Cook has a keen eye for the relentless weigh-ups of parenthood... The tale of a hazardously self-denying lifestyle pursued on health grounds, it has uncanny resonance.' Metro'Urgent and inventive... This quietly raging novel deserves its place on the Booker longlist. People who switch off when they hear the phrase "climate change" should read it. And so should everyone else.' Irish Times'As close to experiencing a Picasso as literature can get.' Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger's Wife (on Man V. Nature)'A big book full of characters and rich in imagination... The only debut novel on the shortlist that never feels like one.' Irish Times'5 of 5 stars. [A] gripping, fierce, terrifying examination of what people are capable of when they want to survive in both the best and worst ways. Loved this.' Roxane Gay'A damning piece of horror cli-fi, but it's also a gripping and profound examination of love and sacrifice.' BuzzFeed'The New Wilderness left me as stunned as a deer in headlights. Gut-wrenching and heart-wrecking, this is a book that demands to be read, and urgently.' Rachel Khong, author of Goodbye, Vitamin‘Propulsive... The New Wilderness is a well-formed and powerful piece of writing.’ The Times

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Book SynopsisRebellion. Rebirth. Retaliation. Revenge. The year is 2121, and the apocalypse has been and gone. Amidst the ruins of the old world, what is left of the human race fights for survival against the gigantic, hyper-evolved Kaiju. Humanity's most effective weapons against the monsters are the colossal Mechs developed by the Guardian Programme. YOU are Commander Oishi, a Samurai-class mech-pilot and leader of Phoenix Squad, operating out of Ako Base in the Philippine Sea. When an act of appalling betrayal condemns your fellow warriors to death, it is up to you to pursue the traitor and avenge them. But with the Earth now under the dominion of the colossal Kaiju, what hope do you have? RONIN 47 is an interactive science fiction novel, inspired by the Legend of the Forty-Seven Ronin from Japan. YOU decide which route to take, which perils to risk, and which of the monstrous creatures and rogue robots you will meet along the way to fight. But whether you succeed in your quest and avenge the deaths of your fellow Samurai-pilots, or succumb to the rampaging kaiju, will be down to the choices YOU make. YOU are RONIN 47!

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Book SynopsisAward-winning writer Inga Simpson terrifies and enthralls with this truly remarkable novel of a woman who must face her worst fears to survive and find beauty in the Australian bush.Fear is her cage. But what''s outside is worse...It''s night, and the walls of Rachel''s home creak in the darkness of the Australian bush. Her fear of other people has led her to a reclusive life as far from them as possible, her only occasional contact with her sister. A hammering on the door. There stand a mother, Hannah, and her sick baby. They are running for their lives from a mysterious death sweeping the Australian countryside - so soon, too soon, after everything.Now Rachel must face her worst fears to help Hannah, search for her sister, and discover just what terror was born of us. . . and how to survive it.For fans of STATION ELEVEN, BIRDBOX and A QUIET PLACE, this remarkable, frightening yet ultimately hopeful novel holds a mirror up toTrade ReviewThe Last Woman in the World layers precise nature writing with a conspiratorial tone for our times, turning in a gripping apocalyptic thriller that infects the sublime features of the landscape with primal fear * Guardian *Creepy and chilling * Observer *Each page is shaped with an impressive, world-building cinematic scope so that I was reminded of the thrilling paralysis I felt as I watched The Quiet Place, mixed with the frightening torment of the creepiest scenes in I Am Legend * Sydney Morning Herald *Inga Simpson deftly combines horror and hope in this necessary read that is sure to set the literary world on fire. The Last Woman in the World will grab you and not let go * Christina Dalcher *As terrifying as Bird Box or A Quiet Place but full of the most beautiful writing about nature. An absolute must-read * Mark Edwards *The Last Woman in the World is a novel of fear, fire and an uncertain future. A powerful narrative in Inga Simpson's own unique voice. Horrifying, yet humane and ultimately hopeful - a masterwork * Angela Slatter *A heart-racing, page-turning, hiding under the doona stuff. Will read anything this woman writes, did not expect to be so terrified * Kate Mildenhall *Chilling . . . powerful * Good Reading Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA chilling dystopian novel filled with dark humour, for fans of Andrew Hunter Murray''s THE LAST DAY or Christina Dalcher''s Q.She went willingly to the hospital. She couldn''t have anticipated how difficult it would be to leave...Mr and Mrs Sincope are anticipating the birth of their first child. On the way to the hospital for Mrs Sincope''s induction their squabbling over their daughter''s name betrays an unquestioning trust that everything will go to plan. And why wouldn''t it?But as the hours pass and Mrs Sincope''s labour doesn''t begin, the couple start to worry. And as the hours bleed into days and there is still no sign of progress, it becomes clear that there is something far more sinister going on behind the white hospital doors...

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Book SynopsisOne of the manga world's most intriguing artists returns with a re-release of his breakthrough work BLAME!

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Book SynopsisBook two of the thrilling new series by internationally bestselling author of The Nevernight Chronicle and the Illuminae FilesEvery kind of badass' Laini TaylorAfter a battle that broke hearts, minds, and bodies, two friends find themselves on opposite sides of the same quest.Shattered by the discovery that she is not at all who or what she believed, Eve joins forces with her new siblings'. Meanwhile, Lemon finds a sense of belonging perhaps even love in an enclave of other genetic deviates.But with friends and enemies, heroes and villains, wearing interchangeable faces, nothing is as it seems. Soon, Eve and Lemon are racing against each other to find a missing girl whose DNA may hold the key to saving or destroying their broken world.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR LIFEL1K3: ‘Hey, you. Yes, you. Put this grimy, beautiful, devastating, hilarious, screaming, writhing, all-out post-apocalyptic girl-buddy-road-warrior-lost-princess-techno-thriller in your face and read it right now. It is every kind of badass’Laini Taylor, bestselling author of STRANGE THE DREAMER and the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy ‘Kristoff's vivid world of grit, metal, and technology evokes all the senses, and his characters every emotion. This is a breathless, action-packed exploration of what humanity really means’Marie Lu, #1 NYT Bestselling Author of WARCROSS and THE YOUNG ELITES ‘Fierce friendships, brutal heartbreak, and the question of what makes us who we are–in the midst of a seriously awesome and terrifying post-apocalyptic world–make LIFEL1K3 your next favorite book. Trust me’Kiersten White, NYT Bestselling Author of AND I DARKEN ‘I'd like to live in the vivid and raw world of LIFEL1K3, if only I wasn't certain it would kill me. Jay Kristoff delivers an utterly unique and entirely brilliant story with his signature punch-to-the-gut writing that will leave you bruised but longing for more’Beth Revis, NYT bestselling author of STAR WARS: REBEL RISING and the Across the Universe trilogy

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Book SynopsisA young woman returns home with her child, to her ghost-haunted father, while a religious extremist hunts the storm-ridden territory to find the girl who may hold the key to the region's apocalyptic future. At once elegiac and profound, Salvage This World asks how we keep going - what do we hold onto - in a land where God has...Trade ReviewWith a cast of fierce, masterfully drawn characters set loose in gorgeous, hurricane-blasted landscapes, Salvage this World by Michael Farris Smith is riveting: I couldn't put it down -- Laird Hunt * Author of Zorrie and Neverhome *Audaciously prophetic. Here's a near-future and all too plausible southern noir in which the lawlessness already creeping into American democracy has become the norm and in which preachers have abandoned Christ and instead are searching for the new climate Messiah, and the line between good and evil is not only very thin but completely effaced. A rollicking good (dark) read -- Brian Evenson * Author of LAST DAYS *An exceptional storyteller in top form * Kirkus *Smith (Nick) melds fire and brimstone with the ravages of hurricanes in this evocative noir of the Mississippi Delta * Publishers weekly *Man, did I like this one. Southern, wet and gritty. Storm-filled and laced with fear and tension, as well as realistic and engaging characters, this world is grimly enticing. -- Joe Landsdale

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Book SynopsisThis is a novel so caustic it should be printed with hydrochloric acid. Berg, a Swiss writer and social activist, sprays her fury across the whole landscape of technological and economic manias that are rendering the 21st century intolerable. And Tim Mohr has done a remarkable job of translating Berg's hilarious, hectoring, hyperbolic prose, which isn't so much propulsive as relentless...No other book has so thoroughly rattled me about where we're headed. Ron Charles, the Washington PostThe first English translation of iconic Swiss-German novelist Sibylle Berga ruthless indictment of contemporary society and a strikingly creative manifesto for rebellion.Rochdale is a town in post-industrial Britain, but it could be anywhere on the digitalized, environmentally-decimated planet: a place devoid of hope, where poverty, violence, and squalor are the near-future consequences of decisions being made at this very moment. Grime is the dazzling multi-voice

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Book SynopsisFrom notorious kink writer TINA HORN and featuring a diverse group of artists comes SFSX (SAFE SEX), a social thriller about sex, love, and torture. It's SEX CRIMINALS in Gilead, Hustlers with a SUNSTONEtwist. In a draconian America where sexuality is strictly bureaucratized and policed, a group of queer sex workers keep the magic alive in an underground club called the Dirty Mind. Using their unique talents for bondage and seduction, they resolve to infiltrate the mysterious government Pleasure Center, free their incarcerated friends, and fight the power! Collects SFSX (SAFE SEX) #1-7Trade Review“Deeply relevant.” -The Los Angeles Review of Books“In Tina Horn's racy sci-fi thriller, sex workers are the heroes we always needed. It asks us: What does society look like when sexuality is policed and monitored with the full weight of a fascist dragnet?” -Playboy"SFSX shoves its sparkly stiletto heel right in the face of anyone who has ever tried to keep sex workers down. Tina Horn's work reminds us how important sexual freedom is to the American spirit." -Stormy Daniels“A celebration of the way queer people, sex workers, and other sexual outsiders are always at the forefront of advancing our cultural ideas about sex and pleasure.” -Teen Vogue“Handmaid's Tale, 1984, and Vonnegut, all filtered through the sensibilities of queer punk.” -The Hollywood Reporter “The action-filled story of an anti-sex dystopia, but with heart. NSFW as heck.” -Polygon

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Book SynopsisDanger descends in the second book of The Internment Chronicles, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Chemical Garden trilogy.Trade ReviewPraise for The Chemical Garden series: A 'harrowing debut … DeStefano has an observant and occasionally pitiless eye, chronicling the cruelties, mercies, and inconsistencies of her young characters… ' Publisher's Weekly starred review 'Lauren DeStefano crafts an all too believable future. I loved the world, the romance, the writing – exactly the kind of book I've been craving to read' Carrie Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH '[A] thought-provoking debut, reminiscent of THE HANDMAID’S TALE with a touch of Big Love … Rhine's fight for freedom against the clock-and the dissecting table-will leave readers eager for the sequel. Give this one to fans of THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy or Ally Condie's MATCHED' Kirkus

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WRITERS'' GUILD FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2020ELLE ONES TO WATCH 2019''Terribly moving. A clear-sighted, poignant rumination on loneliness, love, the melancholy of age and of youth'' China Mieville ''An imaginative, atmospheric and original novel that lingers in the memory long after reading'' Bernadine Evaristo ''A sad, funny, highly original novel'' Blake Morrison''Wholeheartedly enjoy(able)'' Lauren Wilkinson, The Millions ''Season Butler is an extraordinary writer. Like Colson Whitehead, her work is fearless in its inventiveness'' Julia Bell__________________________________________________________It''s too hot for most of the clothes I packed to come here, when I thought this would only be for a week or two. My mother kissed me with those purple-brown lips of hers and said, we''ll be back, hoTrade 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 SynopsisShe spends her days tending plants, slogging through high school and imagining what life could be if she had been born to a different family.Then she meets Peter - a charming, troubled college student from the East Coast - who launches his teaching career by initiating her into the world of art.

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***SHORTLISTED FOR THE SCOTTISH FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR***'This horrendously claustrophobic, utterly absorbing debut. The fiercely controlled narrative beautifully translates the horrendous grip of dismal routines and tiny, stolen pleasures' DAILY MAIL'There are shades of George Orwell in this stunning writing debut, but Rachelle Atalla's voice is highly original. And wholly her own' THE HERALD'A compulsive, claustrophobic but wonderfully compassionate read, beautifully written and set within a brilliantly realised world. Rachelle Atalla is a major talent and I can't wait to see where her mind goes next' KIRSTIN INNES, AUTHOR OF SCABBY QUEEN'Atalla's speculative literary thriller debut draws you in with its mounting sense of tension, disquiet and desperation' CULTUREFLYTHE BUNKER IS DESIGNED TO KEEP THEM ALL SAFE. In the end, very few people made it to the bunker. Now they wait there for the outside world to heal. Wolfe is one of the lucky ones. She's safe and employed as the bunker's pharmacist, doling out medicine under the watchful eye of their increasingly erratic and paranoid leader.BUT IS IT THE PLACE OF GREATEST DANGER? But when the leader starts to ask things of Wolfe, favours she can hardly say no to, it seems her luck is running out. Forming an unlikely alliance with the young Doctor Stirling, her troubled assistant Levitt, and Canavan - a tattooed giant of a man who's purpose in the bunker is a mystery - Wolfe must navigate the powder keg of life underground where one misstep will light the fuse. The walls that keep her safe also have her trapped.How much more is Wolfe willing to give to stay alive?Beautifully written and utterly gripping, The Pharmacist will be a guaranteed conversation starter when it is published.'An unflinching portrayal of what we might all be capable of, Atalla's stunning debut is essential reading for our times' HELEN SEDGWICK'Though set in a speculative future, The Pharmacist is very much a book for our own broken times. Its story grips and never lets go, unflinching in its portrayal of abused power, moral confusion and betrayal, but also fully alive to the redemptive possibilities of compassion, resistance and love. This is a powerful and memorable debut from an exciting new voice' WAYNE PRICE'A triumph of a book. Character-led but taut and purposeful with action' LIAM MURRAY BELL

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Book Synopsis'We have a new The Handmaid's Tale... an exciting new literary voice with a dazzling imagination' EMMA KENNEDY'Compelling, menacing and ultimately uplifting, I fell headlong into the world of Body of Stars' SARAH WARD'Rapturously written and wildly original, Laura Maylene Walter's debut novel maps the dreams and nightmares of girlhood' EMILYY SCHULTZ'What a gift Laura Maylene Walter has given us in Body of Stars' ANNE VALENTENo future, dear reader, can break a woman on its ownA bold and dazzling exploration of fate and female agency in a world where women own the future but not their own bodies. Like every woman, Celeste Morton holds a map of the future in her skin, every mole and freckle a clue to unlocking what will come to pass. With puberty comes the changeling period - when her final marks will appear and her future is decided.The possibilities are tantalising enough for Celeste's excitement to outweigh her fear. Changelings are sought after commodities and abduction is rife as men seek to possess these futures for themselves.Celeste's marks have always been closely entwined with her brother, Miles. Her skin holds a future only he, as a gifted interpreter, can read and he has always considered his sister his practice ground. But when Celeste's marks change she learns a devastating secret about her brother's future that she must keep to herself - and Miles is keeping a secret of his own. When the lies of brother and sister collide, Celeste determines to create a future that is truly her own.Body of Stars is an urgent read about what happens when women are objectified and violently stripped of choice - and what happens when they fight back.'Part allegory, part warning, and part celebration of the female body, this is a thrilling and flawlessly crafted debut about the potential women have to hold magic, make magic, and change the course of history with the underestimated weapons of intelligence and love.' Courtney Maum, , author of Touch and Costalegre'Body of Stars sparks with tenderness and beauty, and Walter's writing on the female body is genuine art. A thought-provoking exploration of fate and forced binaries, this is a book that lingers.' Erika Swyler, author of Light from Other Stars and The Book of Speculation'Laura Maylene Walter's Body of Stars will be enjoyed as a novel that employs the fantastic to inventively explore both the victimization and the power of women in a world very much like our own, but its central pleasure and achievement may be its depiction of a complicated and extraordinarily moving sibling relationship. In Walter's generous and capable hands, Miles and Celeste remind us that love often means damage, and that the true test of love is not avoiding that damage, but repairing it when we've caused it.' Karen Shepard, author of Kiss Me Someone'A tender rebuke to the idea that biology is destiny, Body of Stars explores the boundaries of family, identity, and predestination. Through the lens of a complex coming-of-age story, Laura Maylene Walter asks us to consider how we can make the future matter when it seems like we already know its outlines, and what the difference is between the destiny of an individual and the fate of a society.' Adrienne Celt, author of Invitation to a Bonfire

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Book SynopsisTHE THRILLER THAT EVERYONE IS RAVING ABOUT THIS SUMMER'Absolutely show-stopping' JANICE HALLETT'Unputdownable' SOPHIE HANNAH'So intense! So gripping!' B.P. WALTER'A tour-de-force' CHRIS WHITAKER'Wow!' CHRISTINA DALCHER'Enthralling and incredibly clever' C.J. TUDOR'Blew my mind' JANE CORRY'A drop-the-book twist' TAMMY COHENYOU KNOW HOW THIS STORY BEGINS. Once upon a time, there was a writer named Fern. She was a bestseller. An award-winner. Loved by readers and critics alike. With her words, she changed the world.Until her story took a turn. Now Fern is a cleaner in a hospital. Condemned to anonymity. Because reading books is now a crime. Only, Fern doesn't plan on going down without a fight. She'll keep writing, no matter the consequences. She will make her voice heard. Because Fern's story is only beginning. BUT CAN YOU GUESS HOW IT WILL END?A white-knuckle ride of a thriller set in an all-too-believable near-future with a shocking twist, perfect for fans of Gillian McAllister and Catriona Ward.___________________READERS LOVE END OF STORY . . .'It's actually hard to find words for how brilliant End of Story is' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5*'What a fantastic book, I really didn't see the twist coming but oh my gosh!' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5*'Without question one of my books of the year' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5*'I'm a bit flabbergasted after reading this. It wasn't what I was expecting; it was so much more' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5*'Wow, what have I just read? I honestly could not put this book down, I read it in one sitting.' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5*Trade ReviewAs much a ride as a read, this tense, paranoid thriller expands into something absolutely show-stopping. End of Story is a rare find indeed! Louise Swanson takes every expectation and defies it - to tell a breath-taking tale of humanity and redemption. -- Janice HallettWow. Swanson gives us what few writers can- a thriller with heart. END OF STORY will undoubtedly be the hit of 2023! -- Christina DalcherA vast, playful, ingenious piece of literary legerdemain . . . It's a book as much about writing as about loss and hope . . . but Louise Swanson takes that idea to audacious extremes, finding real soul amongst the dream logic and textural trickery . . . Read it and make your own mind up, because the ride is certainly fun * SFX *An unforgettable tour-de-force. Imaginative, terrifying, beautiful. Do not miss this one -- Chris WhitakerAbsolutely enthralling, incredibly clever, brutal and heartbreaking. This deserves to be the book everyone is talking about in 2023. I loved it. -- C.J. TudorThis dystopia is as disturbing as it is fascinating -- Deirdre O'Brien * Best *This richly imagined dystopian novel is an unsettling read * Woman's Own *A compelling slice of chilling dystopia * Heat *Unsettling, twisty, emotional, and so expertly written that you live every dark, discomforting moment with its protagonist. Not just a highlight of March, expect this book to be a highlight of the year. -- CultureflyCompelling -- Crime MonthlyThis is a book about the importance of storytelling, and it's little bit magic, a little bit dark, and a lot emotional. I adored it -- Amanda ProwseInventive, original, moving. END OF STORY has a unique premise and a heart-wrenching drop-the-book twist. -- Tammy CohenThis beautifully-written book blew my mind. Takes 'What if' to a new level. -- Jane CorryA sensually startling dystopia . . . unsettling - in the best possible sense! - the novel had me hooked from start to finish. Wonderfully original. -- Susannah WiseHaunting, intriguing and dazzlingly original. This book will break your heart. -- Emma HaughtonShocking, powerful, topical, and utterly compelling. -- John MarrsA chilling and moving tale that will strike fear into the heart of every book lover. The ending blew me away. -- Mark EdwardsA shocking portrayal of a world undone. Swanson's writing is powerful and thought-provoking. A compelling read. -- Lauren NorthA compelling novel with an intriguing premise and a genuine didn't-see-it-coming twist. It made me think about how we tell stories, how we occupy them and how stories can ultimately change us. -- Araminta HallA propulsive and incredibly creepy dystopian premise - I was hooked from the outset, and every twist was perfectly executed. A fantastic thriller -- Heather DarwentAbsolutely engrossing from the first page, END OF STORY pulled me in and held me there like the best stories do. Utterly compelling, chilling, and heartbreaking, Louise Swanson has achieved something very rare and very special with this book, it'll stay with me for a long time. I loved it. -- Beth LewisA masterpiece of storytelling, with a plot that relentlessly draws you in, and then twists and evolves into something utterly unexpected. Wrapped in one of the most original and deeply-realised storylines I have read in a long time, this genre-blending book hits breathtaking new heights in contemporary fiction -- Philippa EastJust finished this and oh wow... I could not put it down! Intriguing, captivating and utterly heartbreaking - such a brilliant book. -- Susi HollidayEnd of Story is an infusion of dystopia and very real magic. It reaches straight for your heart, cast in a velvet glove and tears it out in an iron fist. Thunderous devastating. I loved every minute of it. -- Matt WesolowskiSimply devastatingly good - I may need some time to recover -- Claire AllanA story that shocks, enchants and terrifies, End of Story lures you in to its darkly captivating world then rips the rug out from under you and breaks your heart. Loved it. -- Eve SmithPowerful and thought-provoking and quite unlike anything I've read before. Louise Beech is a fearless writer -- Laura PearsonCompelling and engrossing dystopian fiction, with much food for thought -- S.E. LynesA terrifying portrait of a near future . . . Both thought-provoking and heartfelt, END OF STORY is a unique dystopian mystery about human connection amidst automation, renewal amidst defeat, and the power of writing -- Winnie M LiA beautifully written dystopian tale which had me enthralled from the start with its terrifying vision of a world without fiction. Hugely imaginative, original, and ultimately incredibly moving, End of Story is a wonderful book with a cast of fascinating characters. Loved it. -- Amanda JenningsA taut thriller with characters that are both heartbreakingly, and in some instances frighteningly real, and the twist at the end left me bereft, if not a little relieved. A remarkable, thought-provoking story that will stay with me for a long time. -- Eva JordanA bewitching and heartbreaking story about the power of fiction and redemption. Unlike anything else I've read - utterly breathtaking. -- Catherine CooperWill sear itself into your heart . . . A brilliant, original idea, powerfully executed and terrifyingly plausible. Prepare to be left speechless!

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Book SynopsisCole Turner thought he joined the right side of the war for the Truth. But now that he's learning more about Lee Harvey Oswald's tenure leading the Department, he's not so sure. And as Tulpas start to gain a stronger foothold in the real world, Cole's time to decide where he stands is running out...The second arc of the smash-hit DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH from James Tynion IV (Batman) and Martin Simmonds (Dying is Easy) is collected here!Collects THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #8-13Trade Review“Hickmanian conspiracy games, Burroughsian crime, Sienkiewiczian style. The Truth: you want it.” -Kieron Gillen"The hype on this is real."-Brian Michael Bendis"A new conspiracy thriller comic that should appeal to anyone with a fondness for The X-Files."-IGN"A wonderfully dizzy mixture of Men in Black, John Carpenter, Stephen King, The Matrix, and 1970s conspiracy thrillers."-Forbes“A story for our zeitgeist. SIMMONDS' art invokes Bill Sienkiewicz.”-Entertainment Weekly"Genuinely one of the best comics you'll read this year. Do not miss it."-Scott Snyder

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Book SynopsisThe city of Fontainebleau, situated on the banks of the Detroit River, is undergoing growing pains and strange things are happening. There's something poisonous in the water, something menacing in the sky, and the soil, laced with an ancient curse, is yielding up unidentified bones along with corn.&nbspIn this collection of linked stories (part surreal picaresque, part dark comedy, and part murder mystery) magic meets the mundane as misfits and miscreants struggle to free themselves from untenable situations. A girl with mermaid syndrome disappears into a field, a fugitive boy dreams of finding anonymity in Toronto while his abandoned pregnant girlfriend hallucinates his second coming, and a nostalgic chambermaid finds her memories vanish when she puts on a stranger's wig.&nbspThere's a rash of killings in the city that attract a lovesick police officer.&nbspNo one knows who's responsible for the crimes, but the city has plenty of candidates, like the crazy son of a judge who murdered a man in Disney World and the grieving vandal who's obsessed with the idea of cutting a woman in half.&nbspThen there are the abusive husbands, snuff film producers, inconspicuous con women, and pederasts who live secret double lives. Are the characters in this oddly probable world masters or victims of their own fate? How do their lives intersect? Is it likely that destruction will ultimately prevail over this desolate land, or will consciousness, like a flaming firebird, lead at least some of the city's inhabitants to self-acceptance, redemption, or escape? Praise: "A darkly engrossing and artfully composed sequence of stories from a contemporary master of the form - Sonik's fearsome prose shines sublime light on the plain-sight secrets of modern life." -Lee Henderson, author of The Man Game and The Road Narrows as You Go

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Trade Review"Futurist as provocateur! The world is sheer bat-shit genius...a truly hallucinatorily envisioned environment." -- William Gibson, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author "Tropic of Kansas is the tale of a politically desperate USA haunted by a sullen, feral teen who is Huck Finn, Conan and Tarzan. Because it's Chris Brown's own imaginary America, this extraordinary novel is probably more American than America itself will ever get." -- Bruce Sterling, award winning author of Islands in the Net and Pirate Utopia "This stunning novel of a time all too easily imaginable as our own highlights a few of the keen-voiced, brave-souled women and men who balance like subversive acrobats on society's whirling edges...Read it to burn with the joy of realistic hope." -- Nisi Shawl, Tiptree-award winning author of EVERFAIR and WRITING THE OTHER "A unique blend of Philip K. Dick, Kafka (just a smidgen), and a whole lot of Christopher Brown. Adventure novel meets political satire and the finest elements of realistic sci-fi, and it's so well written it goes down like a greased eel. It's hopeful dystopia. What a book." -- Joe R. Lansdale, author of the Hap and Leonard series "Tropic of Kansas is savvy political thriller meets ripping pulp adventure-a marriage made in page-turning, thought-provoking heaven. It's a vision both frighteningly prescient and already too real, and a story of valiant heart and brain up against the worst architectures of greed and power." -- Jessica Reisman, SESFA award-winning author of SUBSTRATE PHANTOMS "[A] real page turner." -- Gavin J. Grant, Bram Stoker Award-winning editor and author

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Book Synopsis On the battlefields of America, even our children will have to fight. In his most powerful novel to date, acclaimed author Craig DiLouie presents a near future in which America is entrenched in civil war. After his impeachment, the president of the United States refuses to leave office, and the country erupts into a fractured and violent war. Orphaned by the fighting and looking for a home, 10-year-old Hannah Miller joins a citizen militia in a besieged Indianapolis. In the Free Women militia, Hannah finds a makeshift family. They''ll teach her how to survive. They''ll give her hope. And they''ll show her how to use a gun. An instant classic that will join the ranks of dystopian futures that at times feel all too real. - Nicholas Sansbury Smith, USA Today Bestselling Author

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Pierce Brown’s relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. “Red Rising ascends above a crowded dys­topian field.”—USA TodayONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—Entertainment Weekly, BuzzFeed, Shelf Awareness“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.” “I live for you,” I say sadly. Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

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