Featuring notable winners of Hugos and Nebulas alongside debut authors. Has science fiction become science fact?
Science Fiction Sci-Fi Books
Starscape Peace
Book SynopsisMesmerizing sci-fi from the author the Denver Post calls "one of the literary giants of science fiction". The melancholy memoir of Alden Dennis Weer, an embittered old man living in a small midwestern town, reveals a miraculous dimension. For Weer's imagination has the power to obliterate time and reshape reality, transcending even death itself.
£14.37
Orb Books THE Voyage of the Space Beagle
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£14.39
Disney Book Publishing Inc. The Amulet of Samarkand
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£10.44
Belvedere Publishing Schrodinger's Cottage
£14.02
Open Court Publishing Co ,U.S. The Man in the High Castle and Philosophy
Book Synopsis The Man in the High Castle is an Amazon TV show, based on the Philip K. Dick novel, about an alternate present (beginning in the 1960s) in which Germany and Japan won World War II, with the former Western US occupied by Japan, the former Eastern U.S. occupied by Nazi Germany, and a small neutral zone between them. A theme of the story is that in this alternative world there is eager speculation, fueled by the illicit newsreel, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, about how the world would have been different if America had won the war.In The Man in the High Castle and Philosophy, twenty-two professional thinkers look at philosophical issues raised by this ongoing enterprise in alternative history. One question is whether it really made a profound difference that the Allies won the war, and exactly what differences in everyday life we may expect to arise from an apparent historical turning point. Could it be that some dramatic historical events have only superfi
£14.24
Large Print Press The Time Traveler's Wife
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£17.09
Little, Brown & Company Baccano!, Vol. 11 (light novel)
Book SynopsisThe year 1705, in a town on the coast of Italy. All 15-year-old Huey Laforet feels towards his life is tedium and despair, and he dreams of the day when he can destroy the world he despises. Meanwhile, there are rumors of a strange string of murders performed by a figure in a white mask-and whoever witnesses the killing is doomed to be the next target. As the serial killer shakes the town of Lotto Valentino, Huey's life is about to change, too...
£15.19
Random House USA Inc Light Years
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£13.29
Night Shade Books The Soldier: Rise of the Jain, Book One
£15.68
Random House USA Inc A Dance with Dragons
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£9.99
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc Star Wars Slave Ship
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£8.54
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc Bounty Hunter Wars 03 Hard Merchandise
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£8.54
William Morrow & Company Beacon 23
Book SynopsisNOW A SERIES ON MGM+ FEATURING LENA HEADEY AND STEPHAN JAMESFrom the author of THE SILO SERIES comes a thrilling space adventure that Locus calls a raw exploration of what it means to really be a human and why that matters, following a man struggling to keep the darkness at bay in the wake of a devastating warFor centuries, men and women have manned lighthouses to ensure the safe passage of ships. It is a lonely job, and a thankless one for the most part. Until something goes wrong. Until a ship is in distress. In the twenty-third century, this job has moved into outer space. A network of beacons allows ships to travel safely across the Milky Way at many times the speed of light.These beacons are built to be robust. They never break down. They never fail.At least, they aren''t supposed to.With Beacon 23 bestselling author Hugh Howey delivers white-knuckle suspense with aliens, war, and madness all combining in a story of one man’s battle against the solitary blackness of space.
£16.14
Sterling Jules Verne Seven Novels Barnes Noble
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£34.00
Orion Publishing Co Truth and Fear
Book SynopsisAlready compared to China Mieville by Richard Morgan, Peter Higgins makes an explosive return to his alternate Russia.Trade ReviewPeter Higgins once again delivers some truely luminous prose * Tor.com *Higgin's has increased the world building to fever pitch * Upcoming 4 Me *This picks up from WOLFHOUND CENTURY, seamlessly capturing the atmosphere and excitement that made Higgins first novel in the series so enjoyable * Fantasy Book Review *
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co Hull Zero Three
Book SynopsisTrapped on a mysterious spaceship, the only way to escape is to survive. A thrilling novel from the Hugo and Nebula award-winning Greg Bear.A starship hurtles through the emptiness of space. Its destination - unknown. Its purpose? A mystery. Its history? Lost.Now, one man wakes up. Ripped from a dream of a new home, a new planet and the woman he was meant to love in his arms, he finds himself wet, naked, and freezing to death. The dark halls are full of monsters but trusting other survivors he meets might be the greater danger.All he has are questions: Who is he? Where are they going? What happened to the dream of a new life? What happened to the woman he loved? What happened to Hull 03?All will be answered, if he can survive. Uncover the mystery. Fix the ship. Find a way home.HULL ZERO THREE is an edge of your seat thrill-ride through the darkest reaches of space, from one of the genre''s biggest names. Perfect for fans of Arthur C. Clarke''s RAMA or the film EVENT HORIZON.
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Stainless Steel Rat Returns
Book SynopsisJames Bolivar ''Slippery Jim'' diGriz, Special Corps agent, master conman and interstellar criminal (retired), is living high on the hog with his lovely, vivacious wife Angelina on the luxury planet Moolaplenty when long-lost Cousin Elmo arrives. And Cousin Elmo''s not alone: he''s got a ship full of porcuswine and their keepers, and they''re all looking for a new home. And before he''s even finished his first cocktail, his bank account''s been drained and he and Angelina are off wandering the stars on a sabotaged ship.In this darkly satiric work Harry Harrison brings his most famous character out of retirement for a grand tour of the galaxy, cocktail in hand, his luscious wife by his side, a smile on his lips and larceny in his heart. He''s in search of adventure, gravitons, and a way to get the porcuswine out of his life ... for ever!
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co The Smoke
Book SynopsisNominated for the 2019 Kitschie Awards for best novel, Simon Ings' The Smoke is about love, loss and loneliness in an incomprehensible world.Trade Review...a thrilling thought-experiment on social schisms, technology and the ethics of immortality. -- Liz JensenSimon Ings has created a distinctive world and style that captures the weirdness of what might have been * SFcrowsnest *an intriguing story set in an inventive, disturbing version of the world we know * YA Under My Skin *
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co Proxima Proxima 1
Book SynopsisHow would you survive on a planet that doesn''t spin?An awe-inspiring Planetary Romance from Terry Pratchett''s co-author on the Long Earth BooksThe very far future: The Galaxy is a drifting wreck of black holes, neutron stars, chill white dwarfs. The age of star formation is long past. Yet there is life here, feeding off the energies of the stellar remnants, and there is mind, a tremendous Galaxy-spanning intelligence each of whose thoughts lasts a hundred thousand years. And this mind cradles memories of a long-gone age when a more compact universe was full of light ...The 27th century: Proxima Centauri, an undistinguished red dwarf star, is the nearest star to our sun - and (in this fiction), the nearest to host a world, Proxima IV, habitable by humans. But Proxima IV is unlike Earth in many ways. Huddling close to the warmth, orbiting in weeks, it keeps one face to its parent star at all times. The ''substellar point'', wit
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co The Rediscovery of Man SF MASTERWORKS
Book SynopsisWelcome to the strangest, most distinctive future ever imagined by a science fiction writer. An interstellar empire ruled by the mysterious Lords of the Instrumentality, whose access to the drug stroon from the planet Norstrilia confers on them virtual immortality. A world in which wealthy and leisured humanity is served by the underpeople, genetically engineered animals turned into the semblance of people. A world in which the great ships which sail between the stars are eventually supplanted by the mysterious, instantaneous technique of planoforming. A world of wonder and myth, and extraordinary imagination.Trade ReviewRead this. Cordwainer Smith is timeless. - Terry Pratchett.Smith's instrumentality is the most complex and lyrical of all future histories, redolent with future antiquity. It is a history of a mankind transformed, oddly convincingly, by a relentless series of changes - war, genetic engineering, interstellar travel, immortality - and Smith's remarkable, rich prose gives shivery hints of a darkly imagined universe extending far beyond the boundaries of the stories. Lush, strange, unique, a treasure. - Stephen Baxter.
£10.44
Orion Publishing Co Cantata140
Book SynopsisBy the author of MINORITY REPORT and BLADE RUNNER.Trade Reviewa great read * SFBOOK.COM *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Transmigration of Timothy Archer
Book SynopsisThe final work of a master of SF.
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co The Zap Gun Gollancz
Book SynopsisScaldingly sarcastic yet enduringly empathetic, THE ZAP GUN is Dick''s remarkable novel depicting the insanity of the arms race. Lars Powderdry and Lilo Topchev are counterpart weapons fashion designers for a world divided into two factions - Wes-bloc and Peep-East. Since the Plowshare Protocols of 2002, their job has been to invent elaborate weapons that only seem massively lethal. But when alien satellites hostile to both sides appear in the sky, the two are brought together in the dire hope that they can create a weapon to save the world, a task made all the more difficult by Lars falling in love with Lilo, even as he knows she''s trying to kill him.
£11.22
Broadview Press Ltd The Man in the Moone
Book SynopsisArguably the first work of science fiction in English, Francis Godwin's The Man in the Moone was published in 1638, pseudonymously and posthumously. The novel, which tells the story of Domingo Gonsales, a Spaniard who flies to the moon by geese power and encounters an advanced lunar civilization, had an enormous impact on the European imagination for centuries after its initial publication. With its discussion of advanced ideas about astronomy and cosmology, the novel is an important example of both popular fiction and scientific speculation.This Broadview Edition includes a critical introduction that places the text in its scientific and historical contexts. The rich selection of appendices includes related writings by Godwin and his predecessors and contemporaries on magnetism, human flight, voyages to real and unreal lands, and the possibility of extra-terrestrial life.Trade Review“A remarkable tale of lunar travel and utopian vision, The Man in the Moone was written by an English bishop sometime around 1630. Drawing on the latest news of travel and warfare from the Atlantic to China and on the latest theories in magnetism, astronomy, and navigation, the story offers an unparalleled window onto its intellectual and cultural world. It also had an impressive afterlife, inspiring celebrated works on imaginative travel and comic satire, earning a mention on some lunar maps, and inspiring writers such as Verne and Wells. This splendid edition by William Poole offers newly authoritative commentary with indispensable annotations on the novel’s sources and significance. Poole’s cleverly chosen appendices add rich materials from contemporary and subsequent texts.” — Simon Schaffer, University of Cambridge“William Poole’s edition of The Man in the Moone offers a scholarly, accessible, and thoroughly contextualized presentation of this under-appreciated science fiction classic. First published in 1638 and influential for more than a century, The Man in the Moone absorbed a variety of literary, historical, religious, and scientific traditions. It playfully blends the new cosmological lore of the scientific revolution and the new geographical knowledge of the age of discovery with the artful fancy of an inventive imagination. This authoritative edition, with well chosen notes and appendices, presents the Bishop of Hereford’s fancy as the founding text of English science fiction.” — David Cressy, The Ohio State University“Poole’s footnotes throughout are detailed and insightful, pointing the reader to Godwin’s source material and to appropriate scholarship. The introduction, footnotes, and bibliography engage the history of science, politics, literature, and many other fields. As such, this scholarly edition lends itself to use in courses and to scholarly work in a number of arenas. For scholars of [science fiction], this book will help further the ongoing investigation of [science fiction]’s colonial origins and narrative structures. It will also stir the old debate about when [science fiction] began and what textual elements qualify a text to be labeled as [science fiction].” — Patrick B. Sharp, Science Fiction Studies (July 2011)Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroductionFrancis Godwin and his Contemporaries: A Brief ChronologyA Note on the TextThe Man in the MooneTextual NotesAppendix A: Francis Godwin, Nuncius Inanimatus (1629)Appendix B: From Lucian of Samosata, The True HistoryAppendix C: From William of Newburgh, “On the Green Children” (1196-98)Appendix D: Arguments about Aliens (Philip Melanchthon, Tommaso Campanella, John Wilkins)Appendix E: From Jan Huygen van Linschoten, Discours of Voyages into the Easte and West Indies (1596)Appendix F: From Mark Ridley, A Short Treatise of Magneticall Bodies and Motions (1613)Appendix G: From Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621, 1628)Appendix H: From John Wilkins, Mathematicall Magick (1648)Bibliography and Works Cited
£19.90
Amazon Publishing Lines of Departure
Book SynopsisVicious interstellar conflict with an indestructible alien species. Bloody civil war over the last habitable zones of the cosmos. Political unrest, militaristic police forces, dire threats to the solar systemHumanity is on the ropes, and after years of fighting a two-front war with losing odds, so is Commonwealth Defense Corps officer Andrew Grayson. He dreams of dropping out of the service one day, alongside his pilot girlfriend, but as warfare consumes entire planets and conditions on Earth deteriorate, he wonders if there will be anywhere left for them to go.After surviving a disastrous spaceborne assault, Grayson is reassigned to a ship bound for a distant colonyand packed with malcontents and troublemakers. His most dangerous battle has just begun.In this sequel to the bestselling Terms of Enlistment, a weary soldier must fight to prevent the downfall of his speciesor bear witness to humanity's last, fleeting breaths.Trade Review“Much like Scalzi’s Old Man’s War and its sequels, Terms of Enlistment and Lines of Departure are combat-grade military SF, and should come with an addiction warning.” —io9 “Frontlines is earnest, optimistic, and fun, even as it deals with subject matter that’s intrinsically grim. It’s a story that strikes the perfect balance between escapism and serious reflection, and it’s the perfect military sci-fi series to escape into for a week or two.” —The Verge
£999.99
Little, Brown Book Group Halting State
Book SynopsisIt was called in as a robbery at Hayek Associates, an online game company. So you can imagine Sergeant Sue Smith's mood as she watches the video footage of the heist being carried out by a band of orcs and a dragon, and realises that the robbery from an online game company is actually a robbery from an online game.Just wonderful. Like she has nothing better to do. But online entertainment is big business, and when the bodies of real people start to show up, it's clear that this is anything but a game. For Sue, computer coding expert Jack Reed, and forensic accountant Elaine Barnaby, the walls between the actual and the virtual are about to come crashing down. There is something very dangerous and very real going on at Hayek Associates, and those involved are playing for keeps. No cheats, no back doors, no extra lives - make a wrong call on this one and it's game over.Trade ReviewA great read, and a fascinating look at the future of security in a massively networked world. * Bruce Schneier, CTO, BT Counterpane *The first couple of pages had me hooked, and I didn't touch another book until I finished it. * John Carmack, Technical Director, iD Software and creator of Doom and Quake *As keenly observant of our emergent society as it is our emergent technologies, Halting State is one extremely smart species of fun. * William Gibson *Charles Stross is the most spectacular science-fiction writer of recent years. In Halting State, he has written a near-future story that is at once over-the-top and compellingly believable. * Vernor Vinge *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Battlecry: Sten Omnibus 1: Numbers 1, 2, & 3 in
Book SynopsisVulcan is a factory planet, centuries old, Company run, ugly as sin, and unfeeling as death. Vulcan breeds just two types of native - complacent or tough. Sten is tough. When his family is killed in a mysterious accident, Sten rebels, harassing the Company from the metal world's endless mazelike warrens. It's a fool's errand, of course - no man can stand against the might of the Company and expect to live. But Sten isn't just any man. From the corrupt and brutal factories of Vulcan to the plots and intrigues of the Imperial Court, the galaxy is about to come face-to-face with the ultimate warrior. Sten's already learned how to survive - now he wants more; he wants control of his own destiny. And he'll do whatever it takes to get it. No compromise, no retreat, no surrender. Only Sten.This omnibus edition contains: STEN, THE WOLF WORLDS and THE COURT OF A THOUSAND SUNS.
£14.24
Little, Brown Book Group Earth Ascendant: Book Two of Astropolis
Book SynopsisImre Bergamasc's life has been nothing if not interesting. Returning from the grave to rule the galaxy, one might be tempted to say that he's taken the worst the universe could throw at him and emerged triumphant. But Imre's problems are only beginning...Caught between saboteurs, spies and assassins, his personal quest remains unchanged: to find the people responsible for the Slow Wave that killed the most advanced minds in the galaxy and bring them to justice. Could it be the Luminous, enigmatic entities who played a role in his own liberation, years ago? Or the shadowy secret organisation calling themselves the Barons? His search for answers will lead him along the darkest, most dangerous byways of human civilisation - shadowed always by the mysterious entity known only as Himself. Could it be that the original Imre Bergamasc still exists and is pursuing the end game of a centuries-long strategy? Only one thing is clear: the decisions he makes now will not only unlock the secrets of his past, but decide the fate of the galaxy...Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR SEAN WILLIAMS: 'Splendid fun, brimming with heroes, villains, chicanery, neat imaginative details, some seriously cool space battles, and one of the most mind-twisting alien artifacts ever imagined.' Alastair Reynolds 'Chock full of marvelous events, cosmic significance, mysterious alien motivations, and the wonder of outer space.' Science Fiction Chronicle
£22.52
Amazon Publishing Orders of Battle
Book SynopsisThe battle against the Lankies has been won. Earth seems safe. Peacetime military? Not on your life. It’s been four years since Earth threw its full military prowess against the Lanky incursion. Humanity has been yanked back from the abyss of extinction. The solar system is at peace. For now. The future for Major Andrew Grayson of the Commonwealth Defense Corps and his wife, Halley? Flying desk duty on the front. No more nightmares of monstrous things. No more traumas to the mind and body. But when an offer comes down from above, Andrew has to make a choice: continue pushing papers into retirement, or jump right back into the fight? What’s a podhead to do? The remaining Lankies may have retreated in fear, but the threat isn’t over. They need to be wiped out for good before they strike again. That’ll take a new offensive deployment. Aboard an Avenger warship, Andrew and the special tactics team under his command embark on the ultimate search-and-destroy mission. This time, it’ll be on Lanky turf. No big heroics. No unnecessary risks. Just a swift hit-and-run raid in the hostile Capella system. Blow the alien seed ships into oblivion and get the hell back to Earth. At least, that’s the objective. But when does anything in war go according to plan?Trade ReviewAn Amazon Best Book of the Month: Science Fiction & Fantasy
£8.54
Pan Macmillan Rabbits
Book Synopsis'Murakami meets Ready Player One' – Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld'A twisted trip through a cool digital wilderness of a mystery. This book sticks to your brain' – Norman Reedus, star of The Walking DeadWhat happens in the game, stays in the game . . . Rabbits is a secret, dangerous and sometimes fatal underground game. The rewards for winning are unclear, but there are rumours of money, CIA recruitment or even immortality. Or it might unlock the universe’s greatest secrets. But everyone knows that the deeper you get, the more deadly the game becomes – and the body count is rising. Since the game first started, ten iterations have taken place . . . and the eleventh round is about to begin.K can’t get enough of the game and has been trying to find a way in for years. Then Alan Scarpio, reclusive billionaire and alleged Rabbits winner, shows up out of nowhere. And he charges K with a desperate mission. Something has gone badly wrong with the game and K needs to fix it – before Eleven starts – or the world will pay the price.Five days later, Scarpio is declared missing.Two weeks after that Eleven begins, so K blows the deadline.And suddenly, the fate of the entire universe is at stake.Rabbits by Terry Miles is an electrifying, compulsive read based on the hit podcast from the Public Radio Alliance – perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Black Mirror.Trade ReviewA twisted trip through a cool digital wilderness of a mystery. This book sticks to your brain. Just read it already -- Norman Reedus, star of The Walking DeadA taut mystery play for a time of conspiratorial madness, a frightening romp that forcefully reminds us of the terrible plausibility of conspiratorial thinking -- Cory Doctorow, author of WalkawayRabbits is a remarkably assured debut, deftly written and laced with intrigue. It combines Haruki Murakami’s slice-of-life surrealness with the thrilling pace and pop-culture throwbacks of Ready Player One. I loved it -- Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the WyldRabbits chases the mysteries at the heart of gaming and popular culture. Cancel your evening plans and follow Terry Miles down the rabbit hole -- Max GladstoneRabbits is an addictive puzzle box of a book that'll have you obsessing over every little detail. Do not start this if you have plans that day – you'll just end up cancelling them -- Rob Hart, author of The WarehouseA fascinating blend of paranoia and plausibility, Rabbits takes gaming to the next level. This ambitious and intricate novel will have you looking over your shoulder – and questioning the results of your next Google search -- Alexandra Oliva, author of The Last OneMiles masterfully combines mystery, danger, and scientific theory to bring the game to life until readers are just as caught up in searching for the next clue as the characters themselves. It’s a wild ride and it proves impossible to put down -- Publishers Weekly starred reviewA twisty, timey-wimey roller coaster that morphs seamlessly from treasure hunt to conspiracy thriller to escape room. -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Brilliant, breathless, and full of madness, Terry Miles makes you feel like you’re the one playing the game . . . and facing the consequences if you lose! -- Christopher Golden
£15.29
Tor Books Xenocide
Book SynopsisThe war for survival of the planet Lusitania will be fought in the heart of a child named Gloriously Bright.On Lusitania, Ender found a world where humans and pequininos and the Hive Queen could all live together; where three very different intelligent species could find common ground at last. Or so he thought.Lusitania also harbors the descolada, a virus that kills all humans it infects, but which the pequininos require in order to become adults. The Starways Congress so fears the effects of the descolada, should it escape from Lusitania, that they have ordered the destruction of the entire planet, and all who live there. The Fleet is on its way, a second xenocide seems inevitable.Xenocide is the third novel in Orson Scott Card''s The Ender Saga.
£9.49
Random House USA Inc Star Wars Light of the Jedi the High Republic
Book Synopsis
£16.85
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Stargrave The Last Prospector
Book SynopsisThe second supplement for Stargrave offers a host of new scenarios and rules for gaining political backing as you fight across the ravaged galaxy.The Dahlgren Belt was once a vast asteroid mining operation that supplied the entire sector with rare metals and various elemental fuels. However, the isolation of the last war caused the corporation to wither, and the various outposts and colonies were eventually left to look after themselves. Some became true collectives, or limited democracies, while others have fallen to the rule of gangsters, warlords, and despots. In all cases, the limited resources of air and organic material has made life difficult. In this supplement for Stargrave, the crews must travel from asteroid-to-asteroid, and even down to the system's single, barely inhabitable planet, searching for a man who claims to have discovered a big score'. During their journey, players will fight through numerous different environments including aster
£17.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Fantasy Fiction
Book SynopsisThe first fantasy-writing textbook to combine a historical genre overview with an anthology and comprehensive craft guide, this book explores the blue prints of one of the most popular forms of genre fiction. The first section will acquaint readers with the vast canon of existing fantasy fiction and outline the many sub-genres encompassed within it before examining the important relationship between fantasy and creative writing, the academy and publishing. A craft guide follows which equips students with the key concepts of storytelling as they are impacted by writing through a fantastical lens. These include: - Character and dialogue - Point of view - Plot and structure - Worldbuilding settings, ideologies and cultures - Style and revision The third section guides students through the spectrum of styles as they are classified in fantasy fiction from Epic and high fantasy, through Lovecraftian and Weird fiction, to magical realism and hybrid faTrade ReviewA thorough take on the Fantasy genre by someone who clearly loves the genre, and a welcome addition to an academic field that deserves more scholarship. * Nicole Peeler, Director of the Writing Popular Fiction Program, Seton Hill University, USA *Jennifer Pullen’s Fantasy Fiction: A Writer’s Guide and Anthology is the book students and teachers of not only Fantasy fiction but also fiction writ large have been waiting for. Capacious, generous, and wise, it deftly embraces history, inhabits our current cultural moment, and enables the future. An instant classic. * Stephanie Vanderslice, Professor of Creative Writing and Co-Director Arkansas Writers MFA Workshop, University of Central Arkansas, USA *Table of ContentsTable of Contents Section 1: An Introduction to Fantasy Writing Introduction Chapter 1: Fantasy and Its Evolution Chapter 2: Fantasy Genres (a mostly comprehensive review) Chapter 3: Fantasy Fiction, Publishing, and Creative Writing in the Academy Section 2: The Craft of Fantasy Writing Chapter 4: Character and Dialogue Chapter 5: Point of View Chapter 6: Structure and Plot Chapter 7: Worldbuilding Part 1 Chapter 8: Worldbuilding Part 2 Chapter 9: Worldbuilding Part 3 Chapter 10: Style and Revision Discussion Questions and Writing Activities Section 3: Genres and Styles of Fantasy Writing Chapter 11: Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, and Sword and Sorcery Fantasy Chapter 12: Historical Fantasy Chapter 13: Weird Fiction, Lovecraftian Fantasy, Gothic Fantasy, and Cosmic Horror Chapter 14: Contemporary and Urban Fantasy Chapter 15: Fabulism and Magical Realism Chapter 16: Mythic, Fairy Tale, Folkloric, and Fairy Fantasy Chapter 17: Hybrid Fantasy Conclusion Anthology Cooney—Martyr’s Gem Donaldson—The Albatrosses Goss—England Under the White Witch Jones—The Night Bazaar for Women Becoming Reptiles Le Guin—The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Liu—Good Hunting Miéville—The Condition of New Death Murray—La Llorona Roanhorse—Harvest Samatar—Meet Me in Iram Singh—A Handful of Rice Ulmer—Red Valentine— From the Catalogue of the Pavilion of the Marvelous, Scheduled for Premiere at the Great Exhibition (Before the Fire) Notes and References
£24.69
Random House USA Inc Star Wars The Eye of Darkness The High Republic
Book SynopsisOne year after the tragic events of The Fallen Star, the Jedi fight to break the Nihil’s control over the galaxy. The galaxy is divided. Following the shocking destruction of Starlight Beacon, the Nihil have established an impenetrable barrier called the Stormwall around part of the Outer Rim, where Marchion Ro rules and his followers wreak havoc at his every whim. Jedi trapped behind enemy lines, including Avar Kriss, must fight to help the worlds being pillaged by the Nihil while staying one step ahead of the marauders and their Nameless terrors. Outside the Nihil’s so-called Occlusion Zone, Elzar Mann, Bell Zettifar, and the other Jedi work alongside the Republic to reach the worlds that have been cut off from the rest of the galaxy. But every attempt to breach the Stormwall has failed, and even communication across the barrier is impossible. The failures and losses weigh heavily upon both Elzar and Bell as they search desperately
£22.88
Grove Atlantic Orbital
£19.20
Rebellion Publishing Ltd. Three Eight One
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
£17.09
AK Press Inversion
Book Synopsis
£13.50
Prentice Hall (a Pearson Education company) Perelandra A Novel Scribner Classics
Book Synopsis
£22.50
Gallery Books The Deep
Book Synopsis
£16.19
Forgotten Books The Coming Race Classic Reprint
£21.01
Hodder & Stoughton The Three
Book SynopsisThe extraordinary, unforgettable new thriller for fans of The Shining Girls, The Passage and Lost.Trade ReviewTHE THREE is really wonderful. A cross between Michael Crichton and Shirley Jackson, hard to put down and vastly entertaining. -- Stephen KingSarah Lotz is a ferociously imaginative storyteller whose twisty plots will kick the stairs out from under you. She's a talent to watch. -- Lauren BeukesThe finest thriller I've read in years. Dark, subtle and completely unputdownable, I was enthralled from the opening line to the last. -- Sarah PinboroughCompulsive reading * Marie-Claire *Sarah Lotz has just written the perfect horror story. This will be undoubtedly one of the best horror stories published in 2014. * The Book Plank *It's reminiscent of Stephen King's CARRIE and THE THREE comes preloaded with praise from the master of horror himself. It deserves it: this high-concept thriller is a blast. * The Guardian *Tiptoeing the tightrope between fantasy and horror * Daily Mail *One of the finest, freakiest horror novels I've read. -- Chuck WendigThe author's use of the oral-history format, with its shifting voices and points of view, is a stroke of genius: the reader is in a state of near-constant confusion at the beginning, which is slowly replaced by unease and then dread as the various commentators start to see the bigger picture. A very creepy, very effective novel. -- David Pitt * Booklist *
£9.49
Orion Publishing Co Fish Tails
Book SynopsisAn extraordinary new novel from one of the masters of science fiction.Trade ReviewThis lyrical, beautifully written novel transcends the sum of its parts to become a parable of survival and hope in hopeless times - GUARDIANSheri S. Tepper takes the mental risks that are the lifeblood of science fiction and all imaginative fictionSheri S. Tepper is one of SF's most distinctive voices - LOCUS
£7.49
Orion Publishing Co Down Station
Book SynopsisAward-winning author Simon Morden joins Gollancz with a stunning SF quest across a vast world that mirrors every London ever built.Instead of fire, there was water.A wave slapped through the open doorway, and a gust of wind blew into the smoke-filled corridor, dragging a spiral of soot outwards and away.MARY. One slip away from prison, fighting to build herself a future from nothing.DALIP. The gentle son of a warrior tradition. A young man who must fight for independence from his family.STANISLAV. A fierce and capable man carrying the wounds of a brutal war.They left London in flames for a place where everything was different. A place that can uncover your secrets.A place haunted by a man called Crows . . .Trade ReviewThis is a very fast paced book, with intense moments of danger as well as being full of wonder. There are so many things to discover in Down not only geographically but historically...Morden has written a book full of mysteries that are just waiting to be discovered. * Fantasy Book Review *Down Station is a fun and interesting read which I zipped through in no time at all! * Books By Proxy *The world is an interesting and well realised one. The central characters are believable and feel entirely human (though I would like to see more of the supporting cast in the sequel). The plot rattles along nicely, and kept me enthralled to the last page * Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews *Once again Simon Morden takes the fantasy genre and moulds it wonderfully...What makes Down Station so great is the immaculate pacing and the way character shapes fate for each of the well-drawn main characters * The Sun *It's the character's experiences that make this a fresh take on the "cut off from civilisation" subgenre...we're drawn in by their responses to this world * SFX *there are horrors that surprise as well as moments of wonder. The story is patient, and every sequence is both a physical battle and philosophical teaching that merge with well-placed hooks * Sci-Fi Now *amazingly original mindblowing ideas that completely rewrote and reconfigured a familiar London into something much more sinister and post-apocalyptic. * The Digital Fix *This is an interesting read with a great new world to immerse yourself in, it is fantastical and thrilling, a great book to add to your fantasy/sci-fi shelf. * Red Heather Duff Blogspot *Down Station is one of the most intriguing novels I've read in a fair while and I doubt I'll forget it. * For Winter's Nights *an engaging story * The Daily Mail *an exiting adventure, full of fine writing * Morning Star *This is a story about finding acceptance within yourself so that you can locate the strength to become who you need to be. Morden has written a book full of mysteries that are just waiting to be discovered. * Fantasy Book Review *The story is patient, and every sequence is both a physical battle and philosophical teaching that merge with well-paced hooks. * Sci-Fi Now *
£9.99
Orion Publishing Co Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea
Book SynopsisA sequel to Jules Verne's classic novel? Or something else entirely? A wonderful collaboration between Adam Roberts and illustrator Mahendra Singh.Trade Review"Wears a big grin...packed with sly jokes, puns and farcical moments. Blending the best of modern and older styles his prose is never less than an a delight. There's no one else writing material quite like this." 4.5 star review -- Guy Hadley * SFX *A sinuously clever homage to the godfather of the scientific romance, enhanced by Mahendra Singh's lovely engraving-style illustrations. -- James Lovegrove * FINANCIAL TIMES *He wryly riffs upon Verne's original prose, before slipping into his own accomplished contemporary style packed with humour, adventure and menace-providing the best of both underwater worlds. -- Brody Rossiter * Filminwords *The very detailed and intense drawings help bring the prose to life...the words are a splendid, exciting voyage into the blue deep -- Mark Watkins * Blast 1386 *The science is meticulous, and the fiction articulate. Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea may have in the manner of smarts than heart, but I for one very much enjoyed the voyage -- Niall Alexander * Tor.com *trippy, thought provoking science fiction with classic heritage...a whale of a tale indeed -- Paul Holmes * The Eloquent Page *One of the few things you can be certain of when booking up a book by Adam Roberts is that it will be clever, quirky and a little strange. Twenty Trillion Leagues Under the Sea doesn't disappoint in any of the regards. * Starburst Magazine *an eye-popping and mind-blowing exploitative technique, and our author outdoes himself -- Paul De Fliippo * Locus *Twenty Trillion League Under the Sea combines the authors serious novels with his parodies. The result is something that is not quite different and British in style but utterly compelling from beginning to end * SF Book *
£9.99
Orion Publishing Co Sweet Dreams
Book SynopsisDreamhacking. The ability to enter someone's dreams and influence them. Charlie uses her power for good, to help people - but not everyone is as nice as Charlie.
£11.24
Orion Publishing Co Summerland
Book Synopsis I burned through it . . . Great book: Tinker Tailer Soldier Spook'' Ian McDonaldLoss is a thing of the past. Murder is obsolete. Death is just the beginning. ***** How do you catch a spy who''s already dead? In 1938, death is no longer feared but exploited. Since the discovery of the afterlife, the British Empire has extended its reach into Summerland, a metropolis for the recently deceased. But Britain isn''t the only contender for power in this life and the next. The Soviets have spies in Summerland, and the technology to build their own god. When SIS agent Rachel White gets a lead on one of the Soviet moles, blowing the whistle puts her hard-earned career at risk. The spy has friends in high places, and she will have to go rogue to bring him in.Trade ReviewHe's switched subgenres while retaining his trademark conceptual high jinks and impressive world-building... an impressive plot reminiscent of John le Carré. * GUARDIAN *Calls to mind John Le Carre . . . clever, subtle and . . . has a rich emotional centre * SFX MAGAZINE *Eerily plausible, beautifully pitched on the cusp between wonder and horror, and thoroughly engrossing from the first page to the last * Alastair Reynolds *Summerland: As if Alfred Hitchcock had made a movie with HP Lovecraft . . . A vision so original it deserves its own subgenre. And all worked out with the diamond-hard logic of a great SF writer. After Summerland, the thriller has a new geometry * Stephen Baxter *An excellent slice of genre-bending fiction that thrills and intrigues in equal measure. * SCIFINOW *I burned through it in two days. Great book: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spook. [on SUMMERLAND] * Ian McDonald *One of SF's leading lights. * SFX MAGAZINE *A beautifully written, well realised supernatural spy thriller, John le Carré as a ghost story. * Gavin G Smith, author of The Bastard Legion *Engaging writing, tight plotting and fantastic imagination. * Ed McDonald, author of Blackwing *An intricate and vivid world of technological and spiritual wonder. * KIRKUS *A jaw-dropping, knowing, hyperintelligent yarn * Locus Magazine *With boundless imagination, Rajaniemi invents a mortal realm with a steampunk flair... Sci-fi and fantasy readers longing to immerse themselves in a fascinating new world will love exploring Summerland. * SHELF AWARENESS *A tense and twisting tale full of delightful allusions and ingenious * Ken MacLeod *Clever, subtle and... has a rich emotional centre. * SFX MAGAZINE *Summerland is in its own way as persuasive as example of Rajaniemi's disciplined inventiveness as his better-known hard SF. * LOCUS *A solid and enjoyable book and does much to demonstrate Hannu Rajaniemi's versatility and potential. * SF CROWSNEST *It reads like John Le Carré if Le Carré ate a ton of acid before writing Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy * NPR *This is not a run of the mill tale of rogue agents, secrets and danger but instead uses this narrative framework as a guide to explore the deeper secrets of the human heart and the power of our own mortality * TheBookBag *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Seeker Alex Benedict Book 3
Book SynopsisThe Nebula-Award winning novel from the multi-award winning SF master Jack McDevitt. Also a Campbell Award finalist. Third in the acclaimed Alex Benedict series.When Alex Benedict, interstellar dealer of antiquities, examines a seemingly unremarkable artefact, he is convinced it is from the infamous Seeker - a transport ship which fled the religious dictatorship in 27th century America. With the help of his pilot, Chase Kolpath, he follows a deadly trail to the Seeker, now strangely adrift in a system barren of habitable worlds. But their discovery raises far more questions than it answers, drawing Alex and Chase into the very heart of danger.Trade ReviewJack McDevitt is that splendid rarity, a writer who is a storyteller first and a science fiction writer second. In his ability to absolutely rivet the reader, it seems to me that he is the logical heir to Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke -- Stephen KingA marvellously constructed novel. If McDevitt never writes another word, his reputation is assured * Science Fiction Chronicle *Delivers everything it promises with a gigantic wallop * Publisher's Weekly *Combines hard science fiction with mystery and adventure in a wild tour of the distant future. Stellar plotting, engaging characters, and a mastery of storytelling (starred review) * Library Journal *Features personal drama as well as fast-paced action. Combines hard science fiction with superb storytelling * Library Journal *The pleasures of a McDevitt tale lie as much in the telling as in the springing of the climax * Locus *
£10.44
