Science fiction

Book SynopsisSouth Sea Tales is an assortment of eight interesting stories of imagination and experience in the South Seas. In light of Jack London's own experiences cruising in the South Pacific, South Sea Tales incorporates the accompanying short sotries: The House of Mapuhi, The Whale Tooth, Mauki, Yah! Yah! Yah!, The Heathen, The Terrible Solomons, The Inevitable White Man, and The Seed of McCoy. Perusers, everything being equal, will thoroughly enjoy these stories of nautical experience.

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

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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

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Book SynopsisAva must fight an entity locked in on taking out the crew of the Eden, a moon-sized cemetery in space, as it brings back the souls of the dead buried aboard. Called forth by a Requiem, the entity illuminates their darkest secrets, driving them mad. Ava fights her grief and must rise up before they're lost and the entity reaches Earth.

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of the epic Malazan Book of the Fallen, comes a story of mankind''s first contact and a warning about our future. An alien AI has been sent to the solar system as representative of three advanced species. Its mission is to save the Earth''s ecosystem - and the biggest threat to that is humanity. But we are also part of the system, so the AI must make a choice. Should it save mankind or wipe it out? Are we worth it?The AI is all-powerful, and might as well be a god. So it sets up some conditions. Violence is now impossible. Large-scale destruction of natural resources is impossible. Food and water will be provided for those who really, truly need them. You can''t even bully someone on the internet any more. The old way of doing things is gone. But a certain thin-skinned US president, among others, is still wedded to late-stage capitalism. Can we adapt? Can we prove ourselves worthy? And are we prepared to give up free will for a worlTrade ReviewSteven Erikson has one of the finest minds alive. Nothing less could have produced The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Now, in Rejoice: A Knife to the Heart, Erikson shows us what he sees when he considers the future of humanity. He calls it a thought experiment. I call it an important book -- Stephen DonaldsonThe aliens have come to save the Earth. From us... Steven Erikson, master of high fantasy, has delivered an SF novel with the highest of high concepts. And it's no fantasy. An El Nino of a book, dense, provocative, essential. -- Stephen BaxterThe SF book of the year, maybe the decade. Will make you long for an alien invasion. I loved it -- Justina RobsonThis is startling and thought-provoking stuff - just what science fiction should be. Read it and try to think as you once did about, well, anything. Go on. I dare you -- Ian EsslemontSteven Erikson hasn't just reinvigorated the first-contact novel, he's reinvented it. This is a wholly original book, brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed, with a fascinating central conceit related to curbing human violence. A masterpiece -- Robert J Sawyera stunning novel of first contact and humanity's place in the world -- Gareth PowellRejoice rejoices in satirising capitalism, dumb US presidents, greedy media moguls, impotent military high-ups and much more. -- Eric Brown * The Guardian *...the gags are good and the concepts fascinating -- Mat Coward * Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisThrown together in the last hellish night of an alien invasion, Marine Billie and young Wilks helped each other get out alive. Thirteen years later Wilks is in prison, and Billie in a mental institution, the nightmares of the massacre at Rim seared into her mind. Now the government has tapped Wilks to lead an expedition to the aliens' home planet to bring back a live alien, but when they depart on their mission, the team is trailed by a trained assassin.Trade Review"There are facehuggers. There are synthetics. There is corporate skullduggery and there are pulse rifles...the stakes are high" - Hey Poor Player "As entertaining and adventurous as the movies, if not more so" - Midroad Movie Review "The novels in these Omnibuses span the width and breadth of the Alien universe, stretching its boundaries and giving it a marvelous depth of detail" - BookRiot

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Book SynopsisIn the year 2301, guns are only museum pieces and benign telepaths sweep the minds of the populace to detect crimes before they happen. In 2301 murder is virtually impossible, but one man is about to change that ...Ben Reich, a psychopathic business magnate, has devised the ultimate scheme to eliminate the competition and destroy the order of his society. The Demolished Man is a masterpiece of imaginative suspense, set in a superbly imagined world in which everything has changed except the ancient instinct for murder.

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary first novel by the master of storytelling.Trade ReviewA very fine and imaginative writer * The Times *'Gaiman has a rich imagination...and an ability to tackle large themes' * Philip Pullman *

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Book SynopsisYears after a meteorite strike obliterated Washington, D.C. triggering an extinction-level global warming event Earth's survivors have started an international effort to establish homes on space stations and the Moon. The next step Mars.

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Book SynopsisThe Covenant mission is the most ambitious endeavor in the history of Weyland-Yutani. A ship bound for Origae-6, carrying two thousand colonists beyond the limits of known space, this is make-or-break investment for the corporation—and for the future of all mankind. Yet there are those who would die to stop the mission. As the colony ship hovers in Earth orbit, several violent events reveal a deadly conspiracy to sabotage the launch. While Captain Jacob Branson and his wife Daniels complete their preparations, security chief Daniel Lopé recruits the final key member of his team. Together they seek to stop the perpetrators before the ship and its passengers can be destroyed. An original novel by the acclaimed ALAN DEAN FOSTER, author of the groundbreaking Alien novelization, Origins is the official chronicle of the events that led up to Alien: Covenant. It also reveals the world the colonists left behind.Trade Review“this book really steps forward and delivers the goods. Action, suspense, organic world-building and quality dystopian sci-fi.” - Book Devil

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Book SynopsisThe third and last novel of Feist's successful collaborative series.From the endlessly inventive mind of one of fantasy's all time greats comes a spellbinding new adventure of high magic, treachery and bloody war.This time in conjunction with master of alternative history, Steve Stirling, Feist returns to tell the full tale of one of his fans' favourite most colourful Riftwar characters, pickpocket, mountebank and confidence trickster Jimmy the Hand.Trade ReviewPraise for Raymond E. Feist: 'Epic scope…vivid imagination…a significant contribution to the field of fantasy'Washington Post.

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Book SynopsisOutnumbered by the superior forces and firepower of the Syndicate Worlds, the Alliance Fleet continues its dangerous retreat across the enemy star system. Led by legendary Captain John Black Jack Geary, the Alliance is desperately trying to return home with its captured prize: the key to the Syndic hypernet.

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Book SynopsisA tense hidden movement game of bluff, strategy and avoiding getting eaten by your friends.A mysterious alien plague has crept aboard the spacestation and is transforming the human crew into horrendous monsters! The remaining crew members desperately try to save their lives by escaping from the derelict spaceship, but in the darkness the aliens are lurkingHUNGRY FOR HUMAN FLESH!This a game of strategy and bluff set on a badly damaged deep space research station. Each player's identity and position is kept secret: you will need to interpret the movements and behaviours of the other players to learn where, and what, they really are.The Ultimate Edition of this critically acclaimed game features new rules and components, including unique reusable map books, variable character powers and over 90 cards.2-8 PlayersAges 12+Playing time: 20-45 minutesContents: 90+ cards, 8 Reusable Map Books, 8 Dry-Wipe Ma

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Book SynopsisPre-empting novels such as the Booker Prize-winning Time's Arrow' by as much as twenty years, Counter-Clock world is a story of racial tensions told against the background of the year 1998 in which time flows in reverse as people are born old only to grow younger and younger.Time runs backwards in the Counter-Clock World. Old people emerge from their graves, grow to middle age, youth, adolescence and childhood to be finally unborn in their mothers wombs. The most powerful and most feared organisation in the world is the Library, in charge of expunging the written records of events, which have no longer happened.When a powerful black leader is reborn, the Library''s one concern is to eliminate him before the renewal of racial violence tears the country apart. But in this counter-clock year of 1998 it isn''t that simpleThis eerie and unforgettable premise encapsulates Philip K Dick''s ambitious and inimitable approach to fiction writing. The attempts of his characters to cope with the bizarre reality of a world that runs backwards while their minds run forwards like ours, operate as a stunning critique of the way in which we perceive our own civilization.Trade Review'One of the most original practitioners writing any kind of fiction'Sunday Times 'Dick quietly produced serious fiction in a popular form and there can be no greater praise' Michael Moorcock 'No other writer of his generation had such a powerful intellectual presence. He has stamped himself not only on our memories but in our imaginations' Brian W. Aldiss 'The most consistently brilliant SF writer in the world' John Brunner

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Book SynopsisThe first-draft Alien screenplay by William Gibson, the founder of cyberpunk, turned into a novel by Pat Cadigan, the Hugo Award-Winning “Queen of Cyberpunk.” Winner of the Scribe Award for best adapted novel. The Sulaco—on its return journey from LV-426—enters a sector controlled by the “Union of Progressive Peoples,” a nation-state engaged in an ongoing cold war and arms race. U.P.P. personnel board the Sulaco and find hypersleep tubes with Ripley, Newt, and an injured Hicks. A Facehugger attacks the lead commando, and the others narrowly escape, taking what remains of Bishop with them. The Sulaco continues to Anchorpoint, a space station and military installation the size of a small moon, where it falls under control of the military’s Weapons Division. Boarding the Sulaco, a team of Colonial Marines and scientists is assaulted by a pair of Xenomorph drones. In the fight Ripley's cryotube is badly damaged. It’s taken aboard Anchorpoint, where Ripley is kept comatose. Newt and an injured Corporal Hicks are awakened, and Newt is sent to Gateway Station on the way to Earth. The U.P.P. sends Bishop to Anchorpoint, where Hicks begins to hear rumors of experimentation—the cloning and genetic modification of Xenomorphs. The kind of experimentation that could yield a monstrous hybrid, and perhaps even a Queen. ALIEN 3 TM & © Twentieth Century Films. All rights reserved.Trade Review"Ambitious, brilliantly executed... Cadigan is a major talent."-William Gibson on Synners "Dynamic in setting and possibility, Cadigan sustains the narrative through a variety of mind-bending technologies in emotional, mental, and physical contexts."-Speculiction on Mindplayers "Fools was an incredibly fun book. I loved the humor, the flashy, grungy, world, and the characters with strong, vibrant personalities."-Worlds Without End "Cadigan's third collection of short stories shows once again her astonishing range, economy of language, perceptiveness, and uncommon emotional power."-Publishers Weekly on Patterns "For fans of Harley Quinn and comics in general, I can't stress enough how much you need this book in your life."-The BiblioSanctum on Mad Love "A perfect example of a prequel that boasts a tight connectivity to the film."-Movie Nooz on Alita" Battle Angel-Iron City

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Book SynopsisThe Lost Fleet continues its perilous journey home. Badly damaged and low on supplies, the Alliance Fleet is raiding Syndic mines for raw materials and Captain 'Black Jack' Geary hopes they can continue to remain one step ahead of their enemies.

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Book SynopsisThe second novel in Lewis's science fiction trilogy tells of Dr Ransom's voyage to the planet of Perelandra (Venus).In the second novel in C.S. Lewis''s classic science fiction trilogy, Dr Ransom is called to the paradise planet of Perelandra, or Venus, which turns out to be a beautiful Eden-like world. He is horrified to find that his old enemy, Dr Weston, has also arrived and is putting him in grave peril once more. As the mad Weston''s body is taken over by the forces of evil, Ransom engages in a desperate struggle to save the innocence of PerelandraTrade Review‘Thrilling.’ Sir Hugh Walpole ‘Remarkable … a rare power of inventive imagination.’ Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisThe Sacred Kingdom is surrounded on all sides. As the army of feral creatures closesin, the country's strongest paladin Remedios leads her exhausted troops in a valiantdefense. It will not be enough to save them. Their only chance of survival is to place alltheir bets on the King of Darkness-Ainz Ooal Gown!

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Book SynopsisInspired by Sir Arthur C. Clarke''s short story A Meeting with Medusa, this novel, with permission from the Clarke Estate, continues the story of Commander Howard Falcon over centuries of space-exploration, interaction with AI, first contact and beyond. All brought to life by two of our greatest SF authors, Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds.Howard Falcon almost lost his life in an accident . . . and a combination of human ingenuity and technical expertise brought him back. Not as himself, but as an augmented human: part man, part machine, and exceptionally capable.The Medusa Chronicles charts his journey through time, the changing interaction between humanity and our universe, and combined moments of incredible action with unparalleled exploration of and expansion into space. A compelling read from the beginning, this is classic SF which has appeal for readers who like Gravity and The Martian.Trade Review'A vivid and vital take on a pace age future that never actually happened. Clarke, you may find yourself thinking, would surely approve.' * SFX *A joy to read, it's yet another feather in Baxter and Reynolds' well-adorned hats. * SCIFINOW *With these two titans of the genre, jaw-dropping imagination and laser-sharp wordcraft are guaranteed. They have created a beautiful novel, wonderful to explore. * THE SUN *brings the strengths of both writers - a thorough grasp of scientific principles and the ability to present them in well-paced, engaging narratives * The Guardian *it certainly contains all that I love in the writing and imagination and vision of both Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds. Full justice has been done to Clarke and his original short story and I can only hope for more. My only greedy complaint is that I wish the book were longer. What there is, though, is wondrous and perfect. * For Winter's Nights *Stephen Baxter and Alistair Reynolds choose to focus instead on the characters to help pull the storyline forward and that was what I liked most about The Medusa Chronicles, it's a character driven sci-fi book, something I feel the genre needs more of. * The YA Bookshelf *Baxter and Reynolds are the ideal writers to take this on. They capture a sense of the awe of the universe and the humility of the position of humanity within it, but they also clearly have a lot of fun with some very old SF genre conventions in the process. * Geek Life *if you like a political story combined with the effects of human interplanetary space travel, this book is definitely for you. * Livingforbooks *Humanist, meditative, this is old-fashioned science fiction as evidenced by its sense of wonder and a positive attitude to scientific progress but, alongside, manages to keep the thrills on overdrive and the cosmic and planetary problems ticking along. A good read. * Lovereading.co.uk *If I'm honest, I wasn't expecting The Medusa Chronicles to be much more than a tip of the hat to Arthur C. Clarke, but Baxter and Reynolds go far farther by realising a resounding sweep of a story with rich seams of science and speculation, some unforgettable spectacle and not a few emotional moments. * TOR.COM *One of the most compelling novels of either author's career, it combines moments of incredible action with an intricately-realised depiction of an expansive universe. * GEEK SYNDICATE *

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Book SynopsisThe master of military science fiction returns. Admiral John 'Black Jack' Geary carries evidence of crimes which could destroy the Alliance he has fought so hard to save. Now his battle-weary fleet returns to Unity, the seat of the Alliance government. But instead of a hero's welcome, he faces assassination attempts and political threats. His arrival ignites a furious Senate trial, and Geary must use all his guile to ensure the guilty are brought to justice, without himself becoming judge and jury. All the while forces lurk in the shadows, poised to strike at any moment. Unsure of who he can trust, Geary is sent on a dangerous mission to lead his fleet through the shattered Syndicate Worlds, and beyond to alien-controlled space. As the Alliance faces the failures of its past, Black Jack must confront its legacy - distrust and rebellion.

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Book SynopsisEighteen brand new stories--exclusive to this collection-featuring the Colonial Marines in bloody conflict with the deadly Aliens. Aliens: Bug Hunt will send the marines into deep space, to alien worlds, to derelict space settlements, and into the nests of the universe's most dangerous monsters.

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR Out on the road, no one speaks, everything talks. Hard-drinking, foul-mouthed grandma Jean has never been good at getting on with other humans, apart from her granddaughter, Kimberly. Instead, she surrounds herself with animals, working as a guide in an outback wildlife park. Then, a strange pandemic begins sweeping the country, its chief symptom that its victims begin to understand the language of animals. Many infected people lose their minds, including Jean’s son, Lee. When he takes off with Kimberly, Jean follows, with Sue the dingo riding shotgun. As they travel, they discover a stark, strange world in which the animal apocalypse has only further isolated people from other species.Trade Review‘A fierce debut novel … Her writing about people is filthy, fresh, and funny; this is prose on high alert, hackles up and teeth bared in every sentence. The novel becomes both a stirring attempt to inhabit other consciousnesses and a wry demonstration of the limits of our own language and empathy. ’ -- Justine Jordan * The Guardian *‘This is a game-changing, life-changing novel, the kind that comes along right when you need it, and compels you to listen to its terrifying poetry. Compulsively readable and yet also pushing the boundaries of what is possible in terms of language and narrative, this is a brilliant and disturbing book that will make you rethink everything you thought you understood about non-human animal sentience and agency. I don’t think any reader can ever forget a voice like Sue the dingo’s — wise and obscene in equal measure. A triumph.’ * Ceridwen Dovey, author of Only the Animals *‘A heartfelt novel.’ * Psychologies *‘A taut exploration of loneliness and devotion, The Animals in That Country is rich with raw heartache and strange, carnal poetry.’ -- Sue Rainsford, author of Follow Me to Ground‘A powerful, uncanny tale.’ -- Justine Jordan * The Guardian *‘A hidden treasure … Read it!’ -- Foyles Bookstore‘Wow! The Animals in That Country is refreshingly original and totally bonkers, and I read it at a furious pace. Jean Bennett is one of the most memorable characters I’ve read in a long time. I loved her brass and her messiness, and when the end of times comes, most of us will be lucky to have half her loyalty and determination. The story is hugely imaginative and fully realised, with McKay in total control of her creative vision. She explores the potential of human/nonhuman communication, and the result is as poetic as it is surprising. A great debut novel.’ -- Alison Huber, Book Division Manager Readings‘This novel is one wild ride, from beginning to end. I loved Jean’s character — middle-aged, flawed, and foul-mouthed — desperately trying to keep herself together and to hold on to the family she has left. Sue the dingo is a glorious character, full of wild instinct yet all-knowing about the humans she encounters. This is one of the most unique, quirky stories I’ve read in a long time and a telling insight into how we see and relate to native wildlife. Laura Jean McKay’s is a fresh, innovative voice with a story that grabs you by the muzzle, leading you on an apocalyptic trip that you won’t forget easily.’ * Jenny Barry, Booksplus Bathurst *‘This book drips with angst and excitement … a truly original story teeming with intrigue.’ -- Suzie Bull, Farrells Bookshop‘Reminiscent of Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals, McKay offers an exciting and necessary new voice in Australian fiction. We’ve all wished we could talk to animals, but McKay teaches us that we really should be careful what we wish for. By turns bizarre and profound, this is a striking debut.’ -- Jaclyn Crupi, Hill of Content Bookshop‘In this warm, wild, and irreverent debut, Laura Jean McKay takes us into the minds of animals to reveal the complexity of their lives. The Animals in That Country avoids the trap of anthropomorphism, showing instead the absurd, intense, and shifting bonds between humans and animals.’ -- Mireille Juchau, author of The World Without Us‘McKay is a master at building tension through sparse, abrupt language that mirrors Jean’s decades of alcohol abuse, and the excellent world-building is enhanced by the exquisite chemistry between Jean and her canine companion Sue. Visceral and discombobulating yet tender, The Animals in That Country will appeal to readers who enjoyed the animal-led stories in Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals, and the foreboding road trip in Romy Ash’s Floundering.’ -- Sonia Nair * Books+Publishing *‘Deliriously strange, blackly hilarious, and completely exhilarating, The Animals in That Country is a wonderful debut from a genuinely original and exciting new voice.’ -- James Bradley, author of Clade‘Engrossing, subversive, and surprisingly profound, The Animals in That Country does something only the best fiction can do: it has the power to skew the reader’s perspective on the world. This story will stay with me for a long time, and its protagonist, Jean Bennett, will be with me even longer.’ -- J.P. Pomare, author of Call Me Evie‘Weird, wonderful and strangely moving. I will be thinking about this strange book, about Jean and Sue, for a long long time.’ -- Eloise Grills, author of Big Beautiful Female Theory‘An imaginative tour de force — assured, compelling, and utterly original, this book will change how you see the world. Laura Jean McKay's powers are in full evidence here: her singular gift for empathy, enviable storytelling chops, and deftly elegant language will shift your frame of reference and leave you altered, in the best of ways. A unique and important work that explores the bond between humans and animals — and indeed throws the whole dividing line between us into doubt.’ -- Meg Mundell, author of The Trespassers‘You know when you finish a book and you know that book will occupy your mind for a long time? The Animals in That Country is one of those. I haven’t read a book like it and I don’t think I will again ... The speech is almost poetic, full of metaphors and stunted syntax that (initially) confounds those hearing it ... This book is simultaneously laugh-out-loud funny and soul-crushingly depressing, in a way I can only describe as reminiscent of Waiting for Godot.’ FIVE STARS -- Max Lewis * Good Reading *‘If you read The Animals in That Country, it will be the wildest ride you take all year.’ -- Maria Takolander * The Saturday Paper *‘The writing is vibrant, energetic, and refreshing, and the narrative leaps off the page ... a wild, engaging ride for readers.’ -- Karen Viggers * The Australian *‘A wild and original ride of a read.’ * New Idea *‘Laura Jean McKay, an expert in animal communication, has her animals speaking in hallucinogenic haikus — it’s disturbing but compelling, and somehow totally believable. I loved every bizarre, unexpected moment.’ -- Corinna Hente * Herald Sun *‘An incredible achievement in storytelling, and absolutely worth your time ... one of the best Australian novels of the year.’ -- Nicholas Wasiliev * Booktopia *‘Eerily prescient … The Animals in That Country offers a timely take on the fraught ways animals feature in our lives, and how devastating it would be if we heard what they had to say.’ FIVE STARS -- Erin Stewart * ArtsHub *‘This is a work of not only remarkable linguistic skill but also one that brilliantly captures our relationship with the inhabitants of this wild world.’ FOUR STARS -- Mitchell Jordan * The Big Issue *‘The genius stroke of The Animals in That Country is the preternatural ‘body talk’ of its animals ... an affecting book, one that gets remarkably close to the unknowable wildness of animal sentience.’ -- Jack Callil * The Age *‘A standout debut novel of 2020 ... Original, hugely entertaining, and superbly crafted, this is one heck of a road-trip novel, whose timing and insights into human behaviour in a crisis could not be more prescient.’ -- Alison Huber * Readings Booksellers *‘Strikingly original ... It’s a tale that is at turns bizarre and surprisingly affecting, populated by a cast of richly idiosyncratic characters and posing timely questions about the ways we relate both to animals and to each other.’ -- Gemma Nisbet * The Weekend West *‘This is a beguiling, thought-provoking story penned with passion, intricate animals knowledge and great creativity ... Disturbing, challenging, and addictive, the book prompts you to wonder about what animals are really thinking.’ -- Sue Wallace * The Weekly Times *‘McKay is a master of voice-driven narrative. I never thought a substance-abusing grandmother was just who I needed to take me on an apocalyptic road trip — and that long after I gulped the book down, I'd be haunted by the words of a dingo called Sue.’ -- Sofija Stefanovic, author of Miss Ex-Yugoslavia‘This is an absorbing and affecting book, and one to which I’m able to pay the highest compliment: that, in the days after finishing it, the world felt different to me, its animals not speaking but not silent either.’ -- Ben Brooker * Australian Book Review *‘The beauty of this book is that it never quite goes where the reader expects it to go. McKay zigs when the reader expects her to zag. And the whole builds to a kind of slow-moving climax ... The Animals in That Country takes an intriguing premise and absolutely runs with it. While delivering one of the strangest road trips ever, McKay considers the nature of family, the human response to the unknown and our relationship with the animals kingdom, among other things.’ -- Robert Goodman * The Blurb *‘[A] compelling and haunting debut … Scattered with dark humour and driven by a compelling plot, The Animals in That Country is an outstanding and timely examination of human morality. It will change the way you view both animals and the world.’ -- Chloë Cooper * Audrey Magazine *‘McKay has written a searing dystopian critique of our relationship with the natural world … Through poetic projections of what the animals might say if they could, McKay highlights our limited capacity to communicate with language, and our human-centric view of the natural order … Earthy, visceral, at-times obscene, and all-too-real, The Animals In That Country is nevertheless compelling and oddly buoying … McKay is a masterful storyteller, and her talent truly shines in this quest for family and belonging.’ -- Sheree Strange * Primer *‘As we grapple with a worldwide pandemic, Australian author McKay’s novel is incredibly timely and feels all the more real for it … filled with humour, optimism, and grace: a wild ride worth taking. An eye-opening glimpse into a world that’s turned upside down and eventually becomes its own version of whole.’ -- Carol Gladstein * Booklist *‘Part pandemic novel and part beast fable, McKay’s novel, which takes its title from a Margaret Atwood poem, imagines a disease that causes humans to understand animal language, down to the lowliest insect. Acerbic wildlife guide Jean and a dingo named Sue set off through the Australian Outback in pursuit of the former’s son, who has absconded south after losing his mind, like so many others, due to the new voices that now seemingly occupy every space.’ * Publishers Weekly, ‘Going Viral: New Science Fiction and Fantasy 2020’ *‘A bravura investigation of the relations between humans and animals.’ -- Lara Freigel * The Guardian *‘Disturbingly timely, The Animals In That Country chronicles the journey of one no-bullshit woman and her half-wild dingo as they race against a deadly pandemic. Jean is brilliantly crafted — unapologetically rough and yet filled with hidden vulnerability. McKay's tale pulled me in with its entertaining nature then dragged me under with its profound nuance.’ -- Laura Graveline * Brazos Bookstore *‘Surprising and surprisingly-convincing characters, and a well-realised, inventive premise.’ -- Kate Evans * ABC News *‘A gritty and innovative wonder about an animal-borne virus (yep) that cracks opens channels between interspecies communication. The result is a raucous fever dream of a road story, evocative of Kenneth Cook, Hunter S. Thompson, and Ceridwen Dovey – but ultimately, McKay defies comparison.’ * Josephine Rowe *‘A timely dystopian novel in which a dangerous flu sweeps across Australia, giving those infected the power to speak with animals, with dark, disturbing results.’ -- Maxine Beneba Clarke‘A wildly inventive dystopian adventure … Both a hell of a ride and a revealing thought experiment about our place in the natural world.’ -- Dan Kois * Slate *‘The Animals in That Country is an uncanny book, in no small part because it was released in March and has a pandemic is at its centre … McKay’s book is madcap and poetic by turns; concerned about exactly what constitutes the relationships between humans and animals, and how we see each other and interact in this world we share.’ -- Fiona Wright * The Guardian *‘This book changed the way I look at the relationship between humans and animals, and it has one of the most wonderful dingo protagonists in Sue.’ -- Krissy Kneen * Broadsheet *‘Bold and strikingly inventive.’ -- Gemma Nisbet * The Weekend West Australian *‘The Animals in That Country is not a philosophical or moral tale. An experiment, rather than a lecture, the book invites readers to reflect on the fact that we belong to Mother Nature, instead of the other way around. And we are not her only child … A wildly imaginative and adventurous story that challenges the boundaries of both our language and our empathy for other creature surviving, living and thriving in this world.’ -- Christine Sun * Upper Yarra Mail *‘McKay does not offer us anthropomorphised cartoons, but a vocabulary formed by scent and breath … As the novel progresses, and more animals are introduced, it becomes impossible not to believe in McKay’s creative choices. In the arrangement and the rhythms and the personalities of each animal she translates, it is obvious McKay withheld nothing … McKay has not written a white lie about how lovely it would be to speak with a dog. Instead, she has asked that necessary, and uncomfortable question: Do we really want to know what the rest of the planet thinks of us?’ * Necessary Fiction *‘It was an absorbing read. Really inventive storytelling.’ -- Kate Miller-Heidke * Sydney Morning Herald *‘The Animals in that Country is that rare thing: an intellectually ambitious, formally innovative Australian novel that is accessible to a broad readership. It’s also wonderfully macabre … This is a work of fiction utterly capable of swaying the cultural imaginary … well-researched, impeccably crafted, and, above all, intelligent.’ -- Julienne van Loon * The Conversation *‘Amazing.’ -- Pip Adam * Stuff *‘The exploration of kinship, the untrusting nature of people and how different animal species view humans are stand-out aspects of this novel. The ‘rough as guts’ Jean is a loveable and humorous narrator and her relationship with Sue makes for great comedic relief during the times in the story when they are in unwelcoming company and ‘animal free’ zones … [B]eing offered glimpses into animals’ minds was one of the most powerful offerings of this novel. This is a book for anyone who has ever wanted to talk to animals, or even just looked at their pet and wondered what they were thinking.’ -- Nelya Valamanesh * InDaily *‘[The Animals in That Country] is disturbing and darkly comic, disrupting anthropocentric assumptions, revealing how animals might see our often violent intrusion into their lives … McKay’s innovation lies in the startlingly newness of the plot and the innovations in form in conveying animal voices as agentic and different … The Animals in that Country marks a striking new moment in animal representation in Australian fiction.’ * ALS Gold Medal Judge's' Citation *‘[A] bravura investigation of the relations between humans and animals.’ -- Lara Feigel * The Guardian *‘A cross between Thelma & Louise and Doctor Doolittle ... I really enjoyed this book.’ -- Andy Miller * BBC Radio 4 A Good Read *‘A stunning and disquieting account of a virus which gives infected humans the ability to understand animals.’ * Massey University *‘Delves into relationships, how we communicate, and our often complicated relationships with family members. A book that explores more than your typical road trip, with a certainly less than typical sidekick, the book is fresh, funny, and full of characters.’ * Forbes *‘While humour is rampant, [The Animals in That Country] is all too disturbingly believable. By them being given a voice, a set of languages humans can understand, animals’ intelligence— and rights—are recognised. [This novel] is a barking, squawking, roaring, brawling free-for-all. And considering it was written pre-corona, yes, preposterous in its prescience, too.’ -- Craig Pearce * Wild Magazine *‘[Laura Jean McKay's] book is like two novels sandwiched together: one about an outback road-chase involving a hard-living, middle-aged woman, the other a dystopian tale of a pandemic, the main symptom of which causes societal collapse. What is admirable is how the excitement of the first and the significance of the second intertwine so that both become part of a whole, where the philosophical questions raised by the power shift between animals and humans are present without overburdening the action of the chase. Darkly funny, this engrossing novel has a surprisingly affecting end.’ -- Janet Newman * Landfall Review Online *‘The winner of the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Prize for Fiction, among many other accolades, sees a pandemic (coincidentally) raging through Australia, in which those infected with ‘zooflu’ can understand the various languages of animals. The big question, and the one McKay handles beautifully, is what, exactly, those animals are saying and what effect that has on the people who can’t help but listen.’ -- Paul Dalgarno, Herald Sun's Top 50 Summer Reads 2022

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Book SynopsisA Master Chief story and original full-length novel set in the Halo universe-based on the New York Times bestselling video game series! 2526. It has been more than a year since humanity first encountered the hostile military alliance of alien races known as the Covenant, and several weeks after the United Nations Space Command's devastating counterattack of Operation: SILENT STORM was deemed an overwhelming success. The UNSC has put its faith in the hands of the Spartans, led by the legendary Master Chief, John-117: enhanced super-soldiers raised and trained from childhood via a clandestine black ops project to be living weapons. But the Covenant-enraged and fearful of their enemy's unexpected strategies and prowess-is not taking its recent defeat lightly, and is now fully determined to eradicate humanity from existence, brutally overrunning the ill-fated planets of the Outer Colonies faster than retreats can be ordered. If the UNSC has any chance of stemming the tide of the war, the Master Chief and Blue Team must drop onto an empty, hellish world in order to capture a disabled Covenant frigate filled with valuable technology. It has all the makings of a trap, but the bait is far too tempting to ignore-and this tantalizing prize is being offered by a disgraced and vengeful Covenant fleetmaster, whose sole opportunity for redemption lies in extinguishing humanity's only hope of survival...

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Book SynopsisThe time: 200 years after man''s first landing on the Moon. There are permanent populations established on the Moon, Venus and Mars. Outer space inhabitants have formed a new political entity, the Federation, and between the Federation and Earth a growing rivalry has developed. EARTHLIGHT is the story of this emerging conflict.Two centuries from now there may be men who do not owe allegiance to any nation on Earth, or even to Earth itself. This brilliant story tells of a time when man stands upon the moon and the planets, tells of men now divided by the vast stretches of the Solar System but once again torn by jealousy and fear. With vaulting imagination Arthur C. Clarke describes life on the strange, awe-inspiring surface of the moon, scene of a most fantastic and exciting contest of arms.

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Book SynopsisA stunning space adventure from the bestselling author of A GAME OF THRONES.Trade ReviewIt's the Wild West in outer space, complete with a chase that will keepyou awake . . . Slick science fiction - Los Angeles TimesGrabs hold and won't let go. It's brilliant.George R. R. Martin has the voice of a poet and a mind like a steel trap.The best pure storyteller in the field. - Science Fiction Review

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Book SynopsisNight Without Stars is the epic follow-up to The Abyss Beyond Dreams, and the stunning conclusion of the Chronicle of the Fallers duology from Peter F. Hamilton.'Hamilton in peak form' – Kirkus ReviewsTo prevent an invasion, she must start a revolution.Part of the Commonwealth, the planet of Bienvenido is in crisis. They are battling the Fallers, a fearsome alien race who have now infiltrated every level of human society. Nowhere is safe – and no one can be trusted. Known as the ‘Warrior Angel’, a mysterious individual is leading a desperate resistance, aided by forbidden technology. Yet the technophobic government obstructs the Angel’s efforts at every turn. As Fallers prepare to attack from the skies, the odds seem impossible on the ground. However, astronaut Ry Evine has made a discovery. It could unlock powerful secrets of the Commonwealth – and prevent their annihilation. But time isn’t on humanity’s side . . .Trade ReviewA thrilling, multi-viewpoint ride . . . ties all the loose ends together in a satisfying denouement * Guardian *Roars relentlessly along in utterly mesmerizing style, with edge-of-the-seat plotting, thrilling action and knife-edge tension that will leave readers gasping. An atomic blast of a yarn. Hamilton in peak form and absolutely not to be missed * Kirkus Reviews *Hamilton delivers on all the expectations set by The Abyss Beyond Dreams . . . pacing and exciting concepts keep the momentum fast and tensions high until a satisfying resolution * Publishers Weekly *A very entertaining read which, like all of Hamilton’s novels, seems to whip by * Locus *A fine book, the kind of epic space opera that Hamilton seems to turn out effortlessly * SFX *An action-packed page-turner. Highly recommended * SFFWorld *Night without Stars is a tremendous novel. It is vast, ambitious and wondrous * ForWinterNights *

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Book SynopsisFrom New York Times bestseller and Hugo Award-winner John Scalzi, comes Fuzzy Nation, an extraordinary retelling of the SF classic Little Fuzzy.They're small. They're fuzzy. They'll change his life.On the planet Zarathustra, Jack Holloway is about to strike it rich. A contractor for intergalactic behemoth ZaraCorp, he’s just discovered a mining seam worth billions. It would make the corporation a fortune, and set Jack up for life. Everyone wins – then he discovers the Fuzzies.Small, intelligent and cat-like, the Fuzzies are the cutest creatures this side of the galaxy. They’ve set up home in Jack’s cabin, and have become best friends with his dog. They’re also standing in the way of ZaraCorp’s profits. For the planet’s resources can only be exploited if it’s free of native sentients. ZaraCorp’s solution: to eliminate the Fuzzies for good. And they’ll permanently silence anyone who interferes – including Jack.Praise for John Scalzi:‘John Scalzi is the most entertaining, accessible writer working in SF today’ – Joe Hill‘Scalzi is one of the slickest writers that SF has ever produced’ – Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisThis is volume 2 of the complete collection of tales set in the Revelation Space universe, by British Science Fiction Award-winner Alastair Reynolds. The ''mastersinger of Space Opera'' (The Times) created the astonishing Revelation Space universe - one of the most vivid and original SF universes ever written. Alongside the award-winning novels is a galaxy of superb short fiction, collected and published here, in two volumes, in chronological order.This volume includes:Turquoise DaysWeatherGrafenwalder''s BestiaryNightingaleMonkey SuitThe Last Log of the LachrimosaNight PassageOpen and ShutPlague Music

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Book SynopsisA breakneck adventure for the Serenity crew in the seventh original novel tying into the much-missed Firefly series from creator Joss Whedon. A simple job Serenity is bound for the planet Kerry with a hold full of sealed, unidentified cargo for the planet's highest-ranking nobleman. The duke is a surprisingly genial man whose court brings all the fanciness and fun of Persephone's high society but little of the pretension and, most importantly, he's got the promise of more work. Some fine hospitality Obliged to stick around while Inara is with a client and hoping to score future employment the crew settles in. The liquor flows freely at court, and there's food, entertainment, and comfortable lodgings to enjoy. Everyone is thrilled but Zoe. Her gut says something is off. A vicious massacre When the duke's estate is attacked in the middle of the night, Mal sends Serenity to safety while he and Zoe investigate. What they find turns the whole story of Kerry upside-down. Revolution is brewing, and each of them will have to decide where to make their stand, even if it lands them on opposite sides...

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Book SynopsisThe Essential Judge Dredd series is the perfect introduction to the Lawman of the Future - in the second volume of Tour of Duty, Dredd is forced to investigate corruption within the Judges'' council, in a mission that confines him to the Cursed Earth!The essential Judge Dredd graphic novel series - this is the ultimate introduction to the Lawman of the Future! After Dredd and Hershey’s decision to restore mutant access to Mega-City One is confronted with widespread criticism, Dan Francisco - a reality TV star who holds the people’s favour - challenges Hershey’s leadership as Chief Judge. Under his rule, the conditions of mutants across the Big Meg would be worse than ever. But when Judge Francisco is gunned down on camera in an alleged mutant attack, Dredd begins to suspect someone else might be masterminding the rushed election…

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Book Synopsis''I can honestly say I can''t think of another book that ever made me laugh this much. Ever'' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the WindEnsign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It''s a prestige posting, and Andrew is even more delighted when he''s assigned to the ship''s Xenobiology laboratory. Life couldn''t be better ... although there are a few strange things going on:(1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces(2) the ship''s captain, the chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these encounters(3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed. Suddenly it''s less surprising how much energy is expended below decks on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned an Away Mission. Andrew''s fate may have bee

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Book SynopsisWith the lyricism of Ishiguro's NEVER LET ME GO, and the world building brilliance of Atwood, Emmi Itäranta's effortless and poignant debut novel is a coming of age story full of emotional drama and wonderment.Some secrets demand betrayal.''You're seventeen, and of age now, and therefore old enough to understand what I'm going to tell you,' my father said. This place doesn't exist.'I'll remember,' I told him, but didn't realise until later what kind of promise I had made.When Noria Kaitio reaches her seventeenth birthday, she is entrusted with the secret of a freshwater spring hidden deep within the caves near her small rural village. Its preservation has been the responsibility of her family for generations.Apprenticed to her father, one of the last true tea masters, when Noria takes possession of the knowledge, she become much more than the guardian of ancestral treasure; soon, she will hold the fate of everyone she loves in her hands.Trade Review‘(A) poetic and melancholy debut’Guardian ‘Itäranta’s lyrical style makes this dystopian tale a beautiful exploration of environmental ethics and the power of ritual’ Washington Post ‘Gorgeous and delicate’ Library Journal, starred review. ‘Itäranta’s steady piling on of pressure on her protagonist grips, even as her prose soothes’ SFX 'Where Itäranta shines is in her understated but compelling characters' Red Star Review, Publishers Weekly ‘Gorgeous and delicate’ Library Journal, Starred Review. ‘Brilliant, lyrical prose’ Tor.com

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Book SynopsisJourney through time and space with this graphic novel history of the science fiction genre, from Jules Verne, Jonathan Swift, and Mary Shelley to William Gibson and Philip K. Dick to Ken Liu and Ted Chiang, and beyond. Trace the progress of SF through modern times and learn why key figures and inventors like Thomas Edison have looked to science fiction to predict the future.For the first time in illustrated form, this comprehensive history of science fiction traces its origins and, in fascinating detail, charts its history from its beginnings as a “schlock” genre to its respected status today. Join author/historian Xavier Dollo and artist Djibril Morissette-Phan (All-New Wolverine, X-Men: Gold, Star-Lord) in their visual journey into the expansive universe of science fiction. Who is considered the world’s first science fiction author? How did American science fiction begin? What sci-fi novel is the alltime best-seller? What were the “Pulps” and how did they predict with uncanny accuracy the 21st century world around us? The answers are here, along with detailed chapters dedicated to the founders of the genre and their modern-day successors. Discover the origins of your favorite page-to-screen science fiction movies. Marvel at the behind-the-scenes stories of some of literature’s most imaginative writers. Find out why science fiction so effortlessly captures our imaginations and makes us dream of new worlds. Far more than just a list of facts, The History of Science Fiction is a roaring analytical reflection on the genre that continues to shape our world, presented in a stunning 8” x 11” hardcover sure to stand out on any bookshelf or serve as the coffee-table conversation starter for all things sci-fi!

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Book SynopsisIt's been a month since Kirito and Asuna returned from the Underworld. Together again with Alice, who managed to secure a life in the real world, it should've been happily ever after...But, as luck would have it, the three find themselves involved in a VRMMO by the name of Unital Ring, and all their stats have been reset to level one! It's time for Kirito to put his experience to the test in a genuine Survival MMO!

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Book SynopsisThrill once more to stories of galaxy-spanning conflict and inspiring heroism-shards of an ever-expanding universe where human and alien alike face their greatest challenges with their finest hours. Spanning the age of the ancient custodial race known as the Forerunners to the aftermath of the Covenant's holy war and the Great Schism between its people, and continuing to the shocking events surrounding the resurrection of the Guardians and the subsequent artificial intelligence takeover of the Mantle of Responsibility, Fractures explores the legendary tales of bravery and sacrifice that are the very essence of the Halo universe.

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Book SynopsisRoman thought he''d found the perfect opportunity to rebel. He may have been wrong.He awakens strapped to a set of parallel bars in a richly appointed sitting room, and begins a conversation with a masked man which will change his life. His world has been a facade - one which the mysterious Brahma is about to tear away.A stunning novel about the real world, and about the hidden chanels of power behind the scenes, EMPIRE V is a post-modern satirical novel exploring the cults and corruption of politics, banking and power. And not only are these cults difficult to join - it turns out they may be impossible to leave . . .Trade ReviewPelevin's all-out attack on contemporary culture satirises oppressive society, consumerism and the desire for power * The Guardian *There are some excellent vignettes and fine image, such as vampires decanting the memories and experiences of their human livestock, and the conceptual beauty of the revealed world will have some readers purring with pleasure...the superb translation means it's always exquisitely written * SFX *Pelevin's tale is a smart, witty, and politically motivated * Film in Words *Trust me, Empire V is unlike anything else you'll read this year. Pelevin creates this complex vampire mythology in order to skewer modern-day corruption, cruelty, greed, and authoritarianism. * SF Signal *

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Book SynopsisI've been waiting, all this time, for my life to begin. Maybe it's time to stop waiting. Maybe it's time to start living.Chance. Misfortune. Coincidence. These are the weapons of choice for the Doctor's latest enemies. And those enemies are very, very hungryFor Ruby Sunday, this Christmas Eve is a birthday she'll never forget. It's the day she joins the Doctor onboard a Goblin ship. The day she learns of dangers from beyond the universe. The day her life really begins or, perhaps, the day it ends. The Target novelisation of the first full adventure featuring the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and the introduction of his new best friend, Ruby Sunday played by Millie Gibson. Russell T Davies' original script has been novelised by up-and-coming literary talent Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson.

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Book SynopsisA thrilling new Star Trek “movie era” novel from New York Times bestselling author Greg Cox!Three Eras. Three Mysteries. One Ancient Enemy? 2024: Almost forty years ago, marine biologist Gillian Taylor stormed away from her dream job at Sausalito’s Cetacean Institute—and was never seen or heard from again. Now a new true crime podcast has reopened that cold case, but investigator Melinda Silver has no idea that her search for the truth about Gillian’s disappearance will ultimately stretch across time and space—and attract the attention of a ruthless obsessive with his own secret agenda. 2268: The U.S.S. Enterprise’s five-year mission is interrupted when Captain James T. Kirk and his crew set out to recover an abducted Federation scientist whose classified secrets are being sought by the Klingons as well. The trail leads to a barbaric world off limits to both Starfleet and the K

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Book SynopsisStranded for millions of years on an asteroid is hard work - especially when you only have a sewage droid for company! Joe Pineapples, the hotshot robotic sniper who never misses and former member of the A.B.C. Warriors - a team of war robots sent to first conquer and then protect Mars - looks back over his life as he seeks to unravel the mystery behind an I.D. plate that he has carried around since his days as an X-terminator fighting in the Volgan War. This brand-new, stand-alone A.B.C. Warriors story marks the return of Simon Bisley (Lobo, Batman/Dredd: Judgement on Gotham) to the characters for the first time with 1988''s classic Black Hole story, which kickstarted his comic career, but now in glorious painted colour reminiscent of Bisley''s work on Slaine: The Horned God. Clint Langley, who has drawn A.B.C. Warriors stories for the last 15 years, completes this final tale of Joe Pineapples in his own unique style.

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