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Science Fiction
What is Science Fiction?
Oxford Dictionary Definition:
noun
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fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.
NEW TO OUR STORE:
Earthlings, Sayaka Murata, Ginny Tapley Takemori
Mind blowing, dark and wild, the new novel from Sayaka Murata - author of bestseller Convenience Store Woman - asks: how far would you go just to be yourself?
Natsuki isn't like the other girls. She has a wand and a transformation mirror. She might be a witch, or an alien from another planet. Together with her cousin Yuu, Natsuki spends her summers in the wild mountains of Nagano, dreaming of other worlds. When a terrible sequence of events threatens to part the two children forever, they make a promise: survive, no matter what.
Now Natsuki is grown. She lives a quiet life with her asexual husband, surviving as best she can by pretending to be normal. But the demands of Natsuki's family are increasing, her friends wonder why she's still not pregnant, and dark shadows from Natsuki's childhood are pursuing her. Fleeing the suburbs for the mountains of her childhood, Natsuki prepares herself with a reunion with Yuu. Will he still remember their promise? And will he help her keep it?
Natsuki isn't like the other girls. She has a wand and a transformation mirror. She might be a witch, or an alien from another planet. Together with her cousin Yuu, Natsuki spends her summers in the wild mountains of Nagano, dreaming of other worlds. When a terrible sequence of events threatens to part the two children forever, they make a promise: survive, no matter what.
Now Natsuki is grown. She lives a quiet life with her asexual husband, surviving as best she can by pretending to be normal. But the demands of Natsuki's family are increasing, her friends wonder why she's still not pregnant, and dark shadows from Natsuki's childhood are pursuing her. Fleeing the suburbs for the mountains of her childhood, Natsuki prepares herself with a reunion with Yuu. Will he still remember their promise? And will he help her keep it?
Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
"It is the story of the Galactic Empire, crumbling after twelve thousand years of rule. And it is the particular story of psycho-historian Hari Seldon, the only man who can see the horrors the future has in store- a dark age of ignorance, barbarism and violence that will last for thirty thousand years. Gathering together a band of courageous men and women, Seldon leads them to a hidden location at the edge of the galaxy where he hopes they can preserve human knowledge and wisdom against all who would destroy them. simov went on to add numerous sequels and prequels to the trilogy, building up what has become known as the Foundation series, but it is the original three books, first published in the Forties and Fifties, which remain the most powerful, imaginative and breathtaking."
Julia, Sandra Newman
Julia is a bold feminist retelling of Nineteen Eighty-Four that goes beyond Winston Smith's story to finally reveal what life in Oceania was like for women
London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third most populous province of Oceania. It's 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic fixing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Under the ideology of IngSoc and the rule of the Party and its leader Big Brother, Julia is a model citizen - cheerfully cynical, believing in nothing and caring not at all about politics. She routinely breaks the rules but also collaborates with the regime whenever necessary. Everyone likes Julia. A diligent member of the Junior Anti-Sex League (though she is secretly promiscuous) she knows how to survive in a world of constant surveillance, Thought Police, Newspeak, Doublethink, child spies and the black markets of the prole neighbourhoods. She's very good at staying alive.
But Julia becomes intrigued by a colleague from the Records Department - a mid-level worker of the Outer Party called Winston Smith - when she sees him locking eyes with a superior from the Inner Party at the Two Minutes Hate. And when one day, finding herself walking toward Winston, she impulsively hands him a note - a potentially suicidal gesture - she comes to realise that she's losing her grip and can no longer safely navigate her world.
Seventy-five years after Orwell finished writing his iconic novel, Sandra Newman has tackled the world of Big Brother in a truly convincing way, offering a dramatically different, feminist narrative that is true to and stands alongside the original. For the millions of readers who have been brought up with Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, here, finally, is a provocative, vital and utterly satisfying companion novel.
London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third most populous province of Oceania. It's 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic fixing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Under the ideology of IngSoc and the rule of the Party and its leader Big Brother, Julia is a model citizen - cheerfully cynical, believing in nothing and caring not at all about politics. She routinely breaks the rules but also collaborates with the regime whenever necessary. Everyone likes Julia. A diligent member of the Junior Anti-Sex League (though she is secretly promiscuous) she knows how to survive in a world of constant surveillance, Thought Police, Newspeak, Doublethink, child spies and the black markets of the prole neighbourhoods. She's very good at staying alive.
But Julia becomes intrigued by a colleague from the Records Department - a mid-level worker of the Outer Party called Winston Smith - when she sees him locking eyes with a superior from the Inner Party at the Two Minutes Hate. And when one day, finding herself walking toward Winston, she impulsively hands him a note - a potentially suicidal gesture - she comes to realise that she's losing her grip and can no longer safely navigate her world.
Seventy-five years after Orwell finished writing his iconic novel, Sandra Newman has tackled the world of Big Brother in a truly convincing way, offering a dramatically different, feminist narrative that is true to and stands alongside the original. For the millions of readers who have been brought up with Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, here, finally, is a provocative, vital and utterly satisfying companion novel.
Red Side Story, Jasper Fforde
Jasper Fforde, the acclaimed SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER, invites you to imagine a world where your position in society depends on what bit of the colour spectrum you can see...
It's the UK, but not as we know it: civilisation has rebuilt after an unspoken 'Something that Happened' five hundred years before. Society is now colour-based, the strict levels of hierarchy dictated by the colours you can see, and the economy, health service and citizen's aspirations all dominated by visual colour, run by the shadowy National Colour in far-off Emerald City.
Out on the fringes of Red Sector West, Eddie Russett and Jane Grey have discovered that all is neither fair nor truthful within their cosy environment, and currently face trumped up charges that will see them die of the fatally soporific tones within the Green Room.
Negotiating the narrow boundaries of the Rules within their society, Jane and Edward must find out the truth of their world: What is it, where is it and even when it is. As they unpeel the lies that cloak their existence they come to the worrying conclusion that they may not be alone: That there might be a Somewhere Else beyond the sea, and more, Someone Else living there - and observing them all, purposefully unseen.
Red Side Story delves into the strictures of a society imposed on itself by itself, immovable dogma and the spirit of humans trying to love and survive and make sense of a world that makes no sense at all. Only it does, of course - you just have to look harder, look further, and forget everything you've ever been told.
'Fforde's books are more than an ingenious idea. They are written with buoyant zest and are tautly plotted . . . and are embellished with the rich details of a Dickens or Pratchett' Independent
'No summaries can do justice to the sheer inventiveness, wit, complexity, erudition, unexpectedness and originality' The Times
'Brilliantly inventive' Mail on Sunday
It's the UK, but not as we know it: civilisation has rebuilt after an unspoken 'Something that Happened' five hundred years before. Society is now colour-based, the strict levels of hierarchy dictated by the colours you can see, and the economy, health service and citizen's aspirations all dominated by visual colour, run by the shadowy National Colour in far-off Emerald City.
Out on the fringes of Red Sector West, Eddie Russett and Jane Grey have discovered that all is neither fair nor truthful within their cosy environment, and currently face trumped up charges that will see them die of the fatally soporific tones within the Green Room.
Negotiating the narrow boundaries of the Rules within their society, Jane and Edward must find out the truth of their world: What is it, where is it and even when it is. As they unpeel the lies that cloak their existence they come to the worrying conclusion that they may not be alone: That there might be a Somewhere Else beyond the sea, and more, Someone Else living there - and observing them all, purposefully unseen.
Red Side Story delves into the strictures of a society imposed on itself by itself, immovable dogma and the spirit of humans trying to love and survive and make sense of a world that makes no sense at all. Only it does, of course - you just have to look harder, look further, and forget everything you've ever been told.
'Fforde's books are more than an ingenious idea. They are written with buoyant zest and are tautly plotted . . . and are embellished with the rich details of a Dickens or Pratchett' Independent
'No summaries can do justice to the sheer inventiveness, wit, complexity, erudition, unexpectedness and originality' The Times
'Brilliantly inventive' Mail on Sunday
Scattered All Over The Earth, Yoko Tawada, Margaret Mitsutani
A mind-expanding, cheerfully dystopian novel about friendship, difference, and what it means to belong, by a National Book Award-winning novelist
From the author of The Last Children of Tokyo
A mind-expanding, cheerfully dystopian novel about friendship, difference and what it means to belong, by a National Book Award-winning novelist.
Welcome to the not-too-distant future. Japan, having vanished into the sea, is now remembered as 'the land of sushi'. Hiruko, a former citizen and a climate refugee herself, has a job teaching immigrant children in Denmark with her invented language Panska (Pan-Scandinavian): 'homemade language. no country to stay in. three countries I experienced. no time to learn three different languages. might mix up. insufficient space in brain. so made new language. homemade language most Scandinavian people understand'.
Hiruko soon makes new friends to join her in her travels searching for anyone who can still speak her mother tongue: Knut, a graduate student in linguistics, who is fascinated by her Panska; Akash, an Indian man who lives as a woman, wearing a red sari; Nanook, an Eskimo from Greenland, first mistaken as another refugee from the land of sushi; and Nora, who works at the Karl Marx House in Trier. All these characters take turns narrating chapters, which feature an umami cooking competition; a dead whale; an ultra- nationalist named Breivik; Kakuzo robots; uranium; and an Andalusian bull fight. Episodic, vividly imagined and mesmerising, Scattered All Over the Earth is another sui generis masterwork by Yoko Tawada.
From the author of The Last Children of Tokyo
A mind-expanding, cheerfully dystopian novel about friendship, difference and what it means to belong, by a National Book Award-winning novelist.
Welcome to the not-too-distant future. Japan, having vanished into the sea, is now remembered as 'the land of sushi'. Hiruko, a former citizen and a climate refugee herself, has a job teaching immigrant children in Denmark with her invented language Panska (Pan-Scandinavian): 'homemade language. no country to stay in. three countries I experienced. no time to learn three different languages. might mix up. insufficient space in brain. so made new language. homemade language most Scandinavian people understand'.
Hiruko soon makes new friends to join her in her travels searching for anyone who can still speak her mother tongue: Knut, a graduate student in linguistics, who is fascinated by her Panska; Akash, an Indian man who lives as a woman, wearing a red sari; Nanook, an Eskimo from Greenland, first mistaken as another refugee from the land of sushi; and Nora, who works at the Karl Marx House in Trier. All these characters take turns narrating chapters, which feature an umami cooking competition; a dead whale; an ultra- nationalist named Breivik; Kakuzo robots; uranium; and an Andalusian bull fight. Episodic, vividly imagined and mesmerising, Scattered All Over the Earth is another sui generis masterwork by Yoko Tawada.
Starter Villain, John Scalzi
Following the bestselling The Kaiju Preservation Society, John Scalzi returns with another unique sci-fi caper set in the strangest of all worlds, present-day Earth.
Inheriting your mysterious uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might imagine.
Sure, there are the things you'd expect. The undersea volcano lairs. The minions. The plots to take over the world. The international networks of rivals who want you dead.
Much harder to get used to . . . are the the sentient, language-using, computer-savvy cats.
And the fact that in the overall organization, they're management . . .
Inheriting your mysterious uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might imagine.
Sure, there are the things you'd expect. The undersea volcano lairs. The minions. The plots to take over the world. The international networks of rivals who want you dead.
Much harder to get used to . . . are the the sentient, language-using, computer-savvy cats.
And the fact that in the overall organization, they're management . . .
The Last Children Of Tokyo, Yoko Tawada, Margaret Mitsutani
Yoshiro celebrated his hundredth birthday many years ago, but every morning before work he still goes running in the park with his rent-a-dog. He is one of the many aged-elderly in Japan and he might, he thinks, live forever. Life for Yoshiro isn't as simple as it used to be. Pollution and natural disasters have scarred the face of the Earth, and even common foods are hard to come by. Still, Yoshiro's only real worry is the future of his great-grandson Mumei, who, like other children of his generation, was born frail and grey-haired, old before he was ever young.
As daily life in Tokyo grows harder, a secretive organisation embarks on an audacious plan to find a cure for the children of Japan - might Yoshiro's great-grandson, Mumei, be the key?
A dreamlike story of filial love and glimmering hope, The Last Children of Tokyo is a delicate glimpse of our future from one of Japan's most celebrated writers.
As daily life in Tokyo grows harder, a secretive organisation embarks on an audacious plan to find a cure for the children of Japan - might Yoshiro's great-grandson, Mumei, be the key?
A dreamlike story of filial love and glimmering hope, The Last Children of Tokyo is a delicate glimpse of our future from one of Japan's most celebrated writers.
The Lost Cause, Cory Doctorow
It’s thirty years from now. We’re making progress, mitigating climate change, slowly but surely. But what about all the angry old people who can’t let go?
For young Americans a generation from now, climate change isn't controversial. It's just an overwhelming fact of life. And so are the great efforts to contain and mitigate it.
Entire cities are being moved inland from the rising seas. Vast clean-energy projects are springing up everywhere. Disaster relief, the mitigation of floods and superstorms, has become a skill for which tens of millions of people are trained every year. The effort is global. It employs everyone who wants to work. Even when national politics oscillates back to right-wing leaders, the momentum is too great; these vast programs cannot be stopped in their tracks.
But there are still those Americans, mostly elderly, who cling to their red baseball caps, their grievances, their huge vehicles, their anger. To their "alternative" news sources that reassure them that their resentment is right and pure and that "climate change" is just a giant scam.
And they're your grandfather, your uncle, your great-aunt. And they're not going anywhere. And they’re armed to the teeth.
The Lost Cause asks: What do we do about people who cling to the belief that their own children are the enemy? When, in fact, they're often the elders that we love?
For young Americans a generation from now, climate change isn't controversial. It's just an overwhelming fact of life. And so are the great efforts to contain and mitigate it.
Entire cities are being moved inland from the rising seas. Vast clean-energy projects are springing up everywhere. Disaster relief, the mitigation of floods and superstorms, has become a skill for which tens of millions of people are trained every year. The effort is global. It employs everyone who wants to work. Even when national politics oscillates back to right-wing leaders, the momentum is too great; these vast programs cannot be stopped in their tracks.
But there are still those Americans, mostly elderly, who cling to their red baseball caps, their grievances, their huge vehicles, their anger. To their "alternative" news sources that reassure them that their resentment is right and pure and that "climate change" is just a giant scam.
And they're your grandfather, your uncle, your great-aunt. And they're not going anywhere. And they’re armed to the teeth.
The Lost Cause asks: What do we do about people who cling to the belief that their own children are the enemy? When, in fact, they're often the elders that we love?
The Seven Year Slip, Ashley Poston
‘This is a beautiful story Such a poignant portrayal of love, loss and finding oneself’ Reader review
‘Ashley Poston writes really beautiful love stories with just a sprinkling of magic. This story was sweet, funny, sad, charming, and lovely all in equal measure’ Reader review
‘Ashley Poston knows how to write romance . . . if you’re a true, soulmate-believing, kitchen slow dancing, and lover of romance with a bit of magical a realism, this is the one for you’ Reader Review
* * *
An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.
Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.
Six months ago, Clementine West had the worst day of her life. So, she came up with a plan to keep her heart safe: stay busy, work hard, take no risks. And it’s been working.
That is until one day she finds a strange man standing in her kitchen. A man with kind eyes, a crooked smile, and a recipe for the perfect lemon meringue pie. The kind of man that, before everything, she could have fallen for . . .
He’s perfect but for one thing: he lives in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact.
This should be impossible, but Clementine used to love impossible things. And maybe, just maybe, she will again. After all, love is never a matter of time – but a matter of timing.
* * *
Praise for Ashley Poston
‘Charming and deliciously romantic, THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP serves up a speculative twist on the idea that we might meet the right person at the wrong time’ Catriona Silvey, author of Meet Me in Another Life
‘Ashley Poston writes really beautiful love stories with just a sprinkling of magic. This story was sweet, funny, sad, charming, and lovely all in equal measure’ Reader review
‘Ashley Poston knows how to write romance . . . if you’re a true, soulmate-believing, kitchen slow dancing, and lover of romance with a bit of magical a realism, this is the one for you’ Reader Review
* * *
An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.
Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.
Six months ago, Clementine West had the worst day of her life. So, she came up with a plan to keep her heart safe: stay busy, work hard, take no risks. And it’s been working.
That is until one day she finds a strange man standing in her kitchen. A man with kind eyes, a crooked smile, and a recipe for the perfect lemon meringue pie. The kind of man that, before everything, she could have fallen for . . .
He’s perfect but for one thing: he lives in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact.
This should be impossible, but Clementine used to love impossible things. And maybe, just maybe, she will again. After all, love is never a matter of time – but a matter of timing.
* * *
Praise for Ashley Poston
‘Charming and deliciously romantic, THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP serves up a speculative twist on the idea that we might meet the right person at the wrong time’ Catriona Silvey, author of Meet Me in Another Life
The Sunlit Man, Brandon Sanderson
Years ago he had comrades in arms and a cause to believe in, but now the man who calls himself Nomad knows only a life on the run. Forced to hop from world to world in the Cosmere whenever the relentless Night Brigade gets too close, Nomad lands on a new planet and is instantly caught up in the struggle between a tyrant and the rebels who want only to escape being turned into mindless slaves-all under the constant threat of a sunrise whose heat will melt the very stones. Unable to understand the language, can he navigate the conflict and gain enough power to leap offworld before his mind or body pay the ultimate price?
From his record-breaking Kickstarter, The Sunlit Man is one of four incredible new novels by one of the world's biggest fantasy writers.
******
Praise for Brandon Sanderson
"Epic in every sense" -The Guardian on The Way of Kings
"Brandon Sanderson's reputation is finally as big as his novels" -The New York Times on Words of Radiance
"If you're a fan of fantasy and haven't read the Mistborn trilogy yet, you have no excuses" -Forbes on Mistborn
"A fresh view of how a world can grow, building new dimensions into the best of the old. Sanderson continues to show that he is one of the best authors in the genre" -Library Journal (starred review) on The Alloy of Law
"Sanderson's fresh ideas on the source and employment of magic are both arresting and original [...] Think brisk. Think fun. Enjoy" -Kirkus, on The Alloy of Law
"Mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters...Sanderson is a writer to watch" -Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Elantris
From his record-breaking Kickstarter, The Sunlit Man is one of four incredible new novels by one of the world's biggest fantasy writers.
******
Praise for Brandon Sanderson
"Epic in every sense" -The Guardian on The Way of Kings
"Brandon Sanderson's reputation is finally as big as his novels" -The New York Times on Words of Radiance
"If you're a fan of fantasy and haven't read the Mistborn trilogy yet, you have no excuses" -Forbes on Mistborn
"A fresh view of how a world can grow, building new dimensions into the best of the old. Sanderson continues to show that he is one of the best authors in the genre" -Library Journal (starred review) on The Alloy of Law
"Sanderson's fresh ideas on the source and employment of magic are both arresting and original [...] Think brisk. Think fun. Enjoy" -Kirkus, on The Alloy of Law
"Mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters...Sanderson is a writer to watch" -Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Elantris
CLASSICS:
1984, George Orwell
Renowned urban artist Shepard Fairey's new look for Orwell's classic dystopian tale
One of Britain's most popular novels, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is set in a society terrorised by a totalitarian ideology propagated by The Party.
Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101. . .
Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. The novel also coined many new words and phrases which regular appear in popular culture, such as 'Big Brother', 'thoughtcrime', 'doublethink' and 'Newspeak'.
'More relevant to today that almost any other book that you can think of' Jo Brand
'Right up there among my favourite books...I read it again and again' Margaret Atwood
George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) was an accomplished social, political and literary commentator and essayist known for his non-fiction works The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia. His most famous novels, Animal Farm and 1984 have influenced a generation of twentieth century political satirists and dystopian novelists. This edition of Orwell's seminal novel is introduced by Professor Peter Davidson.
One of Britain's most popular novels, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is set in a society terrorised by a totalitarian ideology propagated by The Party.
Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101. . .
Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. The novel also coined many new words and phrases which regular appear in popular culture, such as 'Big Brother', 'thoughtcrime', 'doublethink' and 'Newspeak'.
'More relevant to today that almost any other book that you can think of' Jo Brand
'Right up there among my favourite books...I read it again and again' Margaret Atwood
George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) was an accomplished social, political and literary commentator and essayist known for his non-fiction works The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia. His most famous novels, Animal Farm and 1984 have influenced a generation of twentieth century political satirists and dystopian novelists. This edition of Orwell's seminal novel is introduced by Professor Peter Davidson.
1984, George Orwell
Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the all-seeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with a fellow-worker Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal.
Brave New World (A Graphic Novel), Aldous Huxley, Fred Fordham
The graphic novel adaptation of the classic dystopian masterpiece. From Fred Fordham, graphic novelist behind the sensational TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD graphic novel.
Originally published in 1932, Brave New World is one of the most revered and profound works of twentieth century literature. Touching on themes of control, humanity, technology, and influence, Aldous Huxley's enduring classic is a reflection and a warning of the age in which it was written, yet remains frighteningly relevant today.
With its surreal imagery and otherworldly backdrop, Brave New World adapts beautifully to the graphic novel form. Fred Fordham's singular artistic flair and attention to detail and color captures this thought-provoking novel as never before, and introduces it to a new generation, and countless modern readers, in a fresh and compelling way.
Originally published in 1932, Brave New World is one of the most revered and profound works of twentieth century literature. Touching on themes of control, humanity, technology, and influence, Aldous Huxley's enduring classic is a reflection and a warning of the age in which it was written, yet remains frighteningly relevant today.
With its surreal imagery and otherworldly backdrop, Brave New World adapts beautifully to the graphic novel form. Fred Fordham's singular artistic flair and attention to detail and color captures this thought-provoking novel as never before, and introduces it to a new generation, and countless modern readers, in a fresh and compelling way.
Brave New World (TV-Tie-In), Aldous Huxley
Welcome to New London. Everybody is happy here. Our perfect society achieved peace and stability through the prohibition of monogamy, privacy, money, family and history itself. Now everyone belongs.You can be happy too. All you need to do is take your Soma pills.Discover the brave new world of Aldous Huxley's classic novel, written in 1932, which prophesied a society which expects maximum pleasure and accepts complete surveillance - no matter what the cost.
Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
Brave New World predicts - with eerie clarity - a terrifying vision of the future. Read the dystopian classic that inspired the Sky TV series.
EVERYONE BELONGS TO EVERYONE ELSE
Welcome to New London. Everybody is happy here. Our perfect society achieved peace and stability through the prohibition of monogamy, privacy, money, family and history itself. Now everyone belongs.
You can be happy too. All you need to do is take your Soma pills.
Discover the brave new world of Aldous Huxley's classic novel, written in 1932, which prophesied a society which expects maximum pleasure and accepts complete surveillance - no matter what the cost.
'A masterpiece of speculation... As vibrant, fresh, and somehow shocking as it was when I first read it' Margaret Atwood, bestselling author of The Handmaid's Tale
'A grave warning... Provoking, stimulating, shocking and dazzling' Observer
**One of the BBC's 100 Novels That Shaped Our World**
EVERYONE BELONGS TO EVERYONE ELSE
Welcome to New London. Everybody is happy here. Our perfect society achieved peace and stability through the prohibition of monogamy, privacy, money, family and history itself. Now everyone belongs.
You can be happy too. All you need to do is take your Soma pills.
Discover the brave new world of Aldous Huxley's classic novel, written in 1932, which prophesied a society which expects maximum pleasure and accepts complete surveillance - no matter what the cost.
'A masterpiece of speculation... As vibrant, fresh, and somehow shocking as it was when I first read it' Margaret Atwood, bestselling author of The Handmaid's Tale
'A grave warning... Provoking, stimulating, shocking and dazzling' Observer
**One of the BBC's 100 Novels That Shaped Our World**
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
The hauntingly prophetic classic novel set in a not-too-distant future where books are burned by a special task force of firemen.
Over 1 million copies sold in the UK.
Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.
The classic novel of a post-literate future, ‘Fahrenheit 451’ stands alongside Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.
Bradbury’s powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which over fifty years from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.
Over 1 million copies sold in the UK.
Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.
The classic novel of a post-literate future, ‘Fahrenheit 451’ stands alongside Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.
Bradbury’s powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which over fifty years from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.
‘The rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open…’
Victor Frankenstein’s monster is stitched together from the limbs of the dead, taken from ‘the dissecting room and the slaughter-house’. The result is a grotesque being who, rejected by his maker and starved of human companionship, sets out on a journey to seek his revenge. In the most famous gothic horror story ever told, Shelley confronts the limitations of science, the nature of human cruelty and the pathway to forgiveness.
Begun when Mary Shelley was only eighteen years old and published two years later, this chilling tale of a young scientist’s desire to create life – and the consequences of that creation – still resonate today.
‘The rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open…’
Victor Frankenstein’s monster is stitched together from the limbs of the dead, taken from ‘the dissecting room and the slaughter-house’. The result is a grotesque being who, rejected by his maker and starved of human companionship, sets out on a journey to seek his revenge. In the most famous gothic horror story ever told, Shelley confronts the limitations of science, the nature of human cruelty and the pathway to forgiveness.
Begun when Mary Shelley was only eighteen years old and published two years later, this chilling tale of a young scientist’s desire to create life – and the consequences of that creation – still resonate today.
Nineteen Eighty-Four (Graphic Novel), George Orwell
A spectacular graphic adaptation of the greatest dystopian novel ever written
Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the all-seeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with a fellow-worker, Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal.
Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the all-seeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with a fellow-worker, Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal.
The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood
NOW A SMASH-HIT CHANNEL 4 TV SERIES
WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION FROM MARGARET ATWOOD
The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire – neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs.
Brilliantly conceived and executed, this powerful vision of the future gives full rein to Margaret Atwood's irony, wit and astute perception.
‘Don’t expect to be gripped by a more potent or involving drama this year.’ Telegraph
'I can’t think of another television event that has hit quite such a nerve, and gone on resounding and resonating, worrying and creeping into your soul and into your dreams quite like The Handmaid’s Tale has … It’s as relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it, in Berlin, in 1985. And while all this continues to be real, we need The Handmaid’s Tale – to keep reminding, and resonating, and ringing. Dong, dong, dong.’ Guardian
WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION FROM MARGARET ATWOOD
The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire – neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs.
Brilliantly conceived and executed, this powerful vision of the future gives full rein to Margaret Atwood's irony, wit and astute perception.
‘Don’t expect to be gripped by a more potent or involving drama this year.’ Telegraph
'I can’t think of another television event that has hit quite such a nerve, and gone on resounding and resonating, worrying and creeping into your soul and into your dreams quite like The Handmaid’s Tale has … It’s as relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it, in Berlin, in 1985. And while all this continues to be real, we need The Handmaid’s Tale – to keep reminding, and resonating, and ringing. Dong, dong, dong.’ Guardian
The Testaments, Margaret Atwood
THE NO.1 BESTSELLER
'Gripping' Guardian
'Powerful' The Times
The Republic of Gilead maintains its repressive grip on power but it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women come together, with potentially explosive results...
'The Testaments is Atwood at her best . . . To read this book is to feel the world turning' Anne Enright
'Everything The Handmaid's Tale fans wanted and more. Prepare to hold your breath throughout, and to cry real tears at the end' Stylist
'Atwood challenges us constantly and poses the question that lies like a pearl inside the shell of this frighteningly readable novel, "Before you sit in judgement, how would you behave in Gilead?'''Sunday Telegraph
'Gripping' Guardian
'Powerful' The Times
The Republic of Gilead maintains its repressive grip on power but it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three radically different women come together, with potentially explosive results...
'The Testaments is Atwood at her best . . . To read this book is to feel the world turning' Anne Enright
'Everything The Handmaid's Tale fans wanted and more. Prepare to hold your breath throughout, and to cry real tears at the end' Stylist
'Atwood challenges us constantly and poses the question that lies like a pearl inside the shell of this frighteningly readable novel, "Before you sit in judgement, how would you behave in Gilead?'''Sunday Telegraph
ALTERNATE HISTORY:
What is Alternate History? Alternate History is a sub-genre of Science and Speculative Fiction. It includes true historical events where one aspect, event or historical figure is changed; and how in trn that affects the world as we know it. A What If? of the litterary world.
The Visitors, Jane Harrison
The most exciting debut in 2023, The Visitors is an audacious, earthy, funny, gritty and powerful re-imagining of a crucial moment in Australia's history - an unputdownable work of fiction.
On a steamy, hot day in January 1788, seven Aboriginal men, representing the nearby clans, gather at Warrane. Several newly arrived ships have been sighted in the great bay to the south, Kamay. The men meet to discuss their response to these visitors. All day, they talk, argue, debate. Where are the visitors from? What do they want? Might they just warra warra wai back to where they came from? Should they be welcomed? Or should they be made to leave? The decision of the men must be unanimous -- and will have far-reaching implications for all. Throughout the day, the weather is strange, with mammatus clouds, unbearable heat and a pending thunderstorm ... Somewhere, trouble is brewing.
From award-winning author and playwright Jane Harrison, The Visitors is an audacious, earthy, funny, gritty and powerful re-imagining of a crucial moment in Australia's history - and an unputdownable work of fiction.
'A remarkable achievement of First Nations storytelling. We live in a time when truths need to be told and heard - this is a generous offering, a story that challenges and ultimately rewards us' Tony Birch, author of The White Girl
'A work of soaring imagination and breathtaking ambition. Jane Harrison upends all our black-and-white assumptions about what happened on that fateful January day in 1788 when eleven tall ships sailed into a safe blue harbour that people already called home. Surprisingly funny, cheeky and tragic by turns, this remarkable novel is bold, brave and unforgettable' Clare Wright, author of You Daughters of Freedom
'Witty, tense, and gut-wrenching ... [it] pulled me inexorably towards a place of profound emotion' Grace Chan, author of Every Version of You
'Intimate, tense, but inviting ... the end of the book is devastating, and even though we know what's coming, we're hopeful for a different ending. The Visitors offers a deep emotional journey. Harrison has written a thoughtful and powerful reimagining of a significant moment in Australian history, from a First Nations perspective.' Books+Publishing
On a steamy, hot day in January 1788, seven Aboriginal men, representing the nearby clans, gather at Warrane. Several newly arrived ships have been sighted in the great bay to the south, Kamay. The men meet to discuss their response to these visitors. All day, they talk, argue, debate. Where are the visitors from? What do they want? Might they just warra warra wai back to where they came from? Should they be welcomed? Or should they be made to leave? The decision of the men must be unanimous -- and will have far-reaching implications for all. Throughout the day, the weather is strange, with mammatus clouds, unbearable heat and a pending thunderstorm ... Somewhere, trouble is brewing.
From award-winning author and playwright Jane Harrison, The Visitors is an audacious, earthy, funny, gritty and powerful re-imagining of a crucial moment in Australia's history - and an unputdownable work of fiction.
'A remarkable achievement of First Nations storytelling. We live in a time when truths need to be told and heard - this is a generous offering, a story that challenges and ultimately rewards us' Tony Birch, author of The White Girl
'A work of soaring imagination and breathtaking ambition. Jane Harrison upends all our black-and-white assumptions about what happened on that fateful January day in 1788 when eleven tall ships sailed into a safe blue harbour that people already called home. Surprisingly funny, cheeky and tragic by turns, this remarkable novel is bold, brave and unforgettable' Clare Wright, author of You Daughters of Freedom
'Witty, tense, and gut-wrenching ... [it] pulled me inexorably towards a place of profound emotion' Grace Chan, author of Every Version of You
'Intimate, tense, but inviting ... the end of the book is devastating, and even though we know what's coming, we're hopeful for a different ending. The Visitors offers a deep emotional journey. Harrison has written a thoughtful and powerful reimagining of a significant moment in Australian history, from a First Nations perspective.' Books+Publishing
The Frugal Wizard's Handbook For Surviving Medieval England, Brandon Sanderson
#1 New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Sanderson meshes Jason Bourne, epic fantasy, and time travel together in a standalone adventure where an amnesiac wizard's only hope of survival in medieval England lies in recovering his missing memories.
A man awakes in a clearing in what appears to be medieval England with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or why he is there. Chased by a group from his own time, his sole hope for survival lies in regaining his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts. His only help from the "real world" should have been a guidebook entitled The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, except his copy exploded during transit. The few fragments he managed to save provide clues to his situation, but can he figure them out in time to survive?
******
Praise for Brandon Sanderson
"Epic in every sense." -The Guardian on The Way of Kings
"Brandon Sanderson's reputation is finally as big as his novels." -The New York Times on Words of Radiance
"If you're a fan of fantasy and haven't read the Mistborn trilogy yet, you have no excuses." -Forbes on Mistborn
"A fresh view of how a world can grow, building new dimensions into the best of the old. Sanderson continues to show that he is one of the best authors in the genre." -Library Journal (starred review) on The Alloy of Law
"Sanderson's fresh ideas on the source and employment of magic are both arresting and original [...] Think brisk. Think fun. Enjoy." -Kirkus, on The Alloy of Law
"Mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters...Sanderson is a writer to watch." -Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Elantris
A man awakes in a clearing in what appears to be medieval England with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or why he is there. Chased by a group from his own time, his sole hope for survival lies in regaining his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts. His only help from the "real world" should have been a guidebook entitled The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, except his copy exploded during transit. The few fragments he managed to save provide clues to his situation, but can he figure them out in time to survive?
******
Praise for Brandon Sanderson
"Epic in every sense." -The Guardian on The Way of Kings
"Brandon Sanderson's reputation is finally as big as his novels." -The New York Times on Words of Radiance
"If you're a fan of fantasy and haven't read the Mistborn trilogy yet, you have no excuses." -Forbes on Mistborn
"A fresh view of how a world can grow, building new dimensions into the best of the old. Sanderson continues to show that he is one of the best authors in the genre." -Library Journal (starred review) on The Alloy of Law
"Sanderson's fresh ideas on the source and employment of magic are both arresting and original [...] Think brisk. Think fun. Enjoy." -Kirkus, on The Alloy of Law
"Mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters...Sanderson is a writer to watch." -Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Elantris
Strike The Zither, Joan He
A compelling epic fantasy, a female-focused reimagining of a Chinese classic, Strike the Zither is the first book in a duology by Joan He, New York Times-bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find
The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured and three warlordesses each hope to claim the continent for herself.
But Zephyr knows it's no contest.
Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist in the land. Now she serves under the most honourable lordesss, the last one still loyal to the empress. But honour is double-edged in a war where one must betray or be betrayed, and it's up to Zephyr to infiltrate a rival camp when their survival hinges on it. There is more than one enemy, however-and not all of them are human. Can Zephyr finally overcome her fate as written by the gods?
Strike the Zither is a brilliant, action-packed YA/crossover fantasy about found family, rivals and identity, in which Joan He reimagines Three Kingdoms, a classic from Chinese literature, with new female agency.
The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured and three warlordesses each hope to claim the continent for herself.
But Zephyr knows it's no contest.
Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist in the land. Now she serves under the most honourable lordesss, the last one still loyal to the empress. But honour is double-edged in a war where one must betray or be betrayed, and it's up to Zephyr to infiltrate a rival camp when their survival hinges on it. There is more than one enemy, however-and not all of them are human. Can Zephyr finally overcome her fate as written by the gods?
Strike the Zither is a brilliant, action-packed YA/crossover fantasy about found family, rivals and identity, in which Joan He reimagines Three Kingdoms, a classic from Chinese literature, with new female agency.
Babel, R.F. Kuang
THE #2 SUNDAY TIMES AND #1 NYT BESTSELLER
‘One for Philip Pullman fans’
THE TIMES
‘This one is an automatic buy’
GLAMOUR
‘Ambitious, sweeping and epic’
EVENING STANDARD
‘Razor-sharp’
DAILY MAIL
‘An ingenious fantasy about empire’
GUARDIAN
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
Oxford, 1836.
The city of dreaming spires.
It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world.
And at its centre is Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows.
Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian, Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift.
Until it became a prison…
But can a student stand against an empire?
An incendiary new novel from award-winning author R.F. Kuang about the power of language, the violence of colonialism, and the sacrifices of resistance.
'A masterpiece that resonates with power and knowledge. BABEL is a stark picture of the cruelty of empire, a distillation of dark academia, and a riveting blend of fantasy and historical fiction – a monumental achievement’
Samantha Shannon, author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE
‘One for Philip Pullman fans’
THE TIMES
‘This one is an automatic buy’
GLAMOUR
‘Ambitious, sweeping and epic’
EVENING STANDARD
‘Razor-sharp’
DAILY MAIL
‘An ingenious fantasy about empire’
GUARDIAN
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
Oxford, 1836.
The city of dreaming spires.
It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world.
And at its centre is Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows.
Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian, Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift.
Until it became a prison…
But can a student stand against an empire?
An incendiary new novel from award-winning author R.F. Kuang about the power of language, the violence of colonialism, and the sacrifices of resistance.
'A masterpiece that resonates with power and knowledge. BABEL is a stark picture of the cruelty of empire, a distillation of dark academia, and a riveting blend of fantasy and historical fiction – a monumental achievement’
Samantha Shannon, author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE
1984, George Orwell
Renowned urban artist Shepard Fairey's new look for Orwell's classic dystopian tale
One of Britain's most popular novels, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is set in a society terrorised by a totalitarian ideology propagated by The Party.
Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101. . .
Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. The novel also coined many new words and phrases which regular appear in popular culture, such as 'Big Brother', 'thoughtcrime', 'doublethink' and 'Newspeak'.
'More relevant to today that almost any other book that you can think of' Jo Brand
'Right up there among my favourite books...I read it again and again' Margaret Atwood
George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) was an accomplished social, political and literary commentator and essayist known for his non-fiction works The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia. His most famous novels, Animal Farm and 1984 have influenced a generation of twentieth century political satirists and dystopian novelists. This edition of Orwell's seminal novel is introduced by Professor Peter Davidson.
One of Britain's most popular novels, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is set in a society terrorised by a totalitarian ideology propagated by The Party.
Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101. . .
Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime. The novel also coined many new words and phrases which regular appear in popular culture, such as 'Big Brother', 'thoughtcrime', 'doublethink' and 'Newspeak'.
'More relevant to today that almost any other book that you can think of' Jo Brand
'Right up there among my favourite books...I read it again and again' Margaret Atwood
George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) was an accomplished social, political and literary commentator and essayist known for his non-fiction works The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia. His most famous novels, Animal Farm and 1984 have influenced a generation of twentieth century political satirists and dystopian novelists. This edition of Orwell's seminal novel is introduced by Professor Peter Davidson.
The Left-Handed Booksellers Of London, Garth Nix
This ABIA award-winning fantasy adventure set in 1980s London follows one girl's quest to find her father, leading her to a secret society of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World when it disastrously intrudes into the modern world.
WINNER: 2021 ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children
Eighteen-year-old art student Susan Arkshaw arrives in London in search of her father. But before she can question crime boss Frank Thringley he's turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin. Merlin is one of the youngest members of a secret society of booksellers with magical powers who police the mythic Old World wherever it impinges on the New World - in addition to running several bookshops, of course! Merlin also has a quest of his own: to find the Old World entity who arranged the murder of his mother. Their investigations attract attention from enemies of the Old and New Worlds. Soon they become involved in an even more urgent task to recover the grail that is the source of the left-handed booksellers' power, before it is used to destroy the booksellers and rouse the hordes of the mythic past. As the search for the grail becomes strangely intertwined with both their quests, they start to wonder... Is Susan's long-lost father a bookseller, or something altogether more mysterious?
WINNER: 2021 ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children
Eighteen-year-old art student Susan Arkshaw arrives in London in search of her father. But before she can question crime boss Frank Thringley he's turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin. Merlin is one of the youngest members of a secret society of booksellers with magical powers who police the mythic Old World wherever it impinges on the New World - in addition to running several bookshops, of course! Merlin also has a quest of his own: to find the Old World entity who arranged the murder of his mother. Their investigations attract attention from enemies of the Old and New Worlds. Soon they become involved in an even more urgent task to recover the grail that is the source of the left-handed booksellers' power, before it is used to destroy the booksellers and rouse the hordes of the mythic past. As the search for the grail becomes strangely intertwined with both their quests, they start to wonder... Is Susan's long-lost father a bookseller, or something altogether more mysterious?
The Sinister Booksellers Of Bath, Garth Nix
"Return to the enchanting world of ABIA winner The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, as a team of booksellers must fight to keep dangerous magic under cover before the stuff of legends destroys our world. From master world builder Garth Nix, this riveting urban fantasy is set in an alternate 1980s London.
'This is the book for anyone who has ever said ""I don't read fantasy"".' -- Fran Atkinson, Sydney Morning Herald, about The Left-handed Booksellers of London
There is often trouble of a mythical sort in Bath. The booksellers who police the Old World keep a careful watch there, particularly on the entity who inhabits the ancient hot spring. Yet this time it is not from Sulis Minerva that trouble starts. It comes from the discovery of a sorcerous map, leading left-handed bookseller Merlin into great danger. A desperate rescue is attempted by his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, and their friend, art student Susan Arkshaw, who is still struggling to deal with her own recently discovered magical heritage.
The map takes the trio to a place separated from this world, maintained by deadly sorcery performed by an Ancient Sovereign and guarded by monstrous living statues of Purbeck marble. But this is only the beginning, as the booksellers investigate centuries of disappearances and deaths and try to unravel the secrets of the murderous Lady of Stone, a serial killer of awesome powers.
If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal.
A wintry return to the somewhat alternate 1980s England of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London."
'This is the book for anyone who has ever said ""I don't read fantasy"".' -- Fran Atkinson, Sydney Morning Herald, about The Left-handed Booksellers of London
There is often trouble of a mythical sort in Bath. The booksellers who police the Old World keep a careful watch there, particularly on the entity who inhabits the ancient hot spring. Yet this time it is not from Sulis Minerva that trouble starts. It comes from the discovery of a sorcerous map, leading left-handed bookseller Merlin into great danger. A desperate rescue is attempted by his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, and their friend, art student Susan Arkshaw, who is still struggling to deal with her own recently discovered magical heritage.
The map takes the trio to a place separated from this world, maintained by deadly sorcery performed by an Ancient Sovereign and guarded by monstrous living statues of Purbeck marble. But this is only the beginning, as the booksellers investigate centuries of disappearances and deaths and try to unravel the secrets of the murderous Lady of Stone, a serial killer of awesome powers.
If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal.
A wintry return to the somewhat alternate 1980s England of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London."
The Adventures Of Amina Al-Sirafi, S. A. Chakraborty
Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, launches a new trilogy of magic and mayhem with this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artefacts and ancient mysteries, and one woman’s quest to seize a final chance at glory…
A pirate of infamy and one of the most storied and scandalous captains to sail the seven seas.
Amina al-Sirafi has survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.
But when she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse, she jumps at the chance for one final adventure with her old crew that will make her a legend and offers a fortune that will secure her and her family’s future forever.
Yet the deeper Amina dives the higher the stakes. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savour just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.
A pirate of infamy and one of the most storied and scandalous captains to sail the seven seas.
Amina al-Sirafi has survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.
But when she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse, she jumps at the chance for one final adventure with her old crew that will make her a legend and offers a fortune that will secure her and her family’s future forever.
Yet the deeper Amina dives the higher the stakes. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savour just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.
The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue, V. E. Schwab
In the vein of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life After Life, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab’s genre-defying tour de force.
When Addie La Rue makes a pact with the devil, she trades her soul for immortality. But there's always a price — the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.
Addie flees her tiny hometown in 18th-Century France, beginning a journey that takes her across the world, learning to live a life where no one remembers her and everything she owns is lost and broken. Existing only as a muse for artists throughout history, she learns to fall in love anew every single day.
Her only companion on this journey is her dark devil with hypnotic green eyes, who visits her each year on the anniversary of their deal. Alone in the world, Addie has no choice but to confront him, to understand him, maybe to beat him.
Until one day, in a second hand bookshop in Manhattan, Addie meets someone who remembers her. Suddenly thrust back into a real, normal life, Addie realises she can’t escape her fate forever.
When Addie La Rue makes a pact with the devil, she trades her soul for immortality. But there's always a price — the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.
Addie flees her tiny hometown in 18th-Century France, beginning a journey that takes her across the world, learning to live a life where no one remembers her and everything she owns is lost and broken. Existing only as a muse for artists throughout history, she learns to fall in love anew every single day.
Her only companion on this journey is her dark devil with hypnotic green eyes, who visits her each year on the anniversary of their deal. Alone in the world, Addie has no choice but to confront him, to understand him, maybe to beat him.
Until one day, in a second hand bookshop in Manhattan, Addie meets someone who remembers her. Suddenly thrust back into a real, normal life, Addie realises she can’t escape her fate forever.
Northern Lights, Philip Pullman
Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch clans reign and ice bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world...
Julie's Favourite:
The Left-Handed Booksellers Of London
Garth Nix
This ABIA award-winning fantasy adventure set in 1980s London follows one girl's quest to find her father, leading her to a secret society of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World when it disastrously intrudes into the modern world.
WINNER: 2021 ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children
Eighteen-year-old art student Susan Arkshaw arrives in London in search of her father. But before she can question crime boss Frank Thringley he's turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin. Merlin is one of the youngest members of a secret society of booksellers with magical powers who police the mythic Old World wherever it impinges on the New World - in addition to running several bookshops, of course! Merlin also has a quest of his own: to find the Old World entity who arranged the murder of his mother. Their investigations attract attention from enemies of the Old and New Worlds. Soon they become involved in an even more urgent task to recover the grail that is the source of the left-handed booksellers' power, before it is used to destroy the booksellers and rouse the hordes of the mythic past. As the search for the grail becomes strangely intertwined with both their quests, they start to wonder... Is Susan's long-lost father a bookseller, or something altogether more mysterious?
SPACE OPERA:
What is the Space Opera sub-genre? Space Operas usually entail stories that are action packed adventures that occur mainly in space or on a galactic scale. They usually include alien planets, space travel, war and politics with mulitple POV's (Point Of View characters) or storylines. A famous example of Space Opera is the Star Wars franchise.
Red Rising, Pierce Brown
***The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series***
Darrow is a Helldiver. A pioneer of Mars.
Born to slave beneath the earth so that one day, future generations might live above it.
He is a Red - humankind's lowest caste. But he has something the Golds - the ruthless ruling class - will never understand.
He has a wife he worships, a family who give him strength. He has love.
And when they take that from him, all that remains is revenge . . .
Darrow is a Helldiver. A pioneer of Mars.
Born to slave beneath the earth so that one day, future generations might live above it.
He is a Red - humankind's lowest caste. But he has something the Golds - the ruthless ruling class - will never understand.
He has a wife he worships, a family who give him strength. He has love.
And when they take that from him, all that remains is revenge . . .
Light Bringer, Pierce Brown
Darrow returns as Pierce Brown's New York Times bestselling Red Rising series continues in the thrilling sequel to Dark Age.
The Reaper is a legend, more myth than man: the savior of worlds, the leader of the Rising, the breaker of chains. But the Reaper is also Darrow, born of the red soil of Mars: a husband, a father, a friend.
Marooned far from home after a devastating defeat on the battlefields of Mercury, Darrow longs to return to his wife and sovereign, Virginia, to defend Mars from its bloodthirsty would-be conqueror - Lysander. Lysander longs to destroy the Rising and restore the supremacy of Gold, and will raze the worlds to realize his ambitions.
The worlds once needed the Reaper. But now they need Darrow, and Darrow needs the people he loves - Virginia, Cassius, Sevro - in order to defend the Republic. So begins Darrow's long voyage home, an interplanetary adventure where old friends will reunite, new alliances will be forged, and rivals will clash on the battlefield.
Because Eo's dream is still alive - and after the dark age will come a new age: of light, of victory, of hope.
The Reaper is a legend, more myth than man: the savior of worlds, the leader of the Rising, the breaker of chains. But the Reaper is also Darrow, born of the red soil of Mars: a husband, a father, a friend.
Marooned far from home after a devastating defeat on the battlefields of Mercury, Darrow longs to return to his wife and sovereign, Virginia, to defend Mars from its bloodthirsty would-be conqueror - Lysander. Lysander longs to destroy the Rising and restore the supremacy of Gold, and will raze the worlds to realize his ambitions.
The worlds once needed the Reaper. But now they need Darrow, and Darrow needs the people he loves - Virginia, Cassius, Sevro - in order to defend the Republic. So begins Darrow's long voyage home, an interplanetary adventure where old friends will reunite, new alliances will be forged, and rivals will clash on the battlefield.
Because Eo's dream is still alive - and after the dark age will come a new age: of light, of victory, of hope.
The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet, Becky Chambers
FIREFLY meets MASS EFFECT in this thrilling self-published debut!
***SHORTLISTED FOR THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD***
*** SHORTLISTED FOR THE KITSCHIES GOLDEN TENTACLE***
*** LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016***
The astonishing self-published debut novel that Guardian calls 'a quietly profound, humane tour de force.'
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.
But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants.
Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They'll earn enough money to live comfortably for years... if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.
But Rosemary isn't the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeedFIREFLY meets MASS EFFECT in this thrilling self-published debut!
***SHORTLISTED FOR THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD***
*** SHORTLISTED FOR THE KITSCHIES GOLDEN TENTACLE***
*** LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016***
The astonishing self-published debut novel that Guardian calls 'a quietly profound, humane tour de force.'
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.
But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants.
Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They'll earn enough money to live comfortably for years... if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.
But Rosemary isn't the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed.
***SHORTLISTED FOR THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD***
*** SHORTLISTED FOR THE KITSCHIES GOLDEN TENTACLE***
*** LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016***
The astonishing self-published debut novel that Guardian calls 'a quietly profound, humane tour de force.'
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.
But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants.
Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They'll earn enough money to live comfortably for years... if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.
But Rosemary isn't the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeedFIREFLY meets MASS EFFECT in this thrilling self-published debut!
***SHORTLISTED FOR THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD***
*** SHORTLISTED FOR THE KITSCHIES GOLDEN TENTACLE***
*** LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016***
The astonishing self-published debut novel that Guardian calls 'a quietly profound, humane tour de force.'
When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much. The Wayfarer, a patched-up ship that's seen better days, offers her everything she could possibly want: a small, quiet spot to call home for a while, adventure in far-off corners of the galaxy, and distance from her troubled past.
But Rosemary gets more than she bargained for with the Wayfarer. The crew is a mishmash of species and personalities, from Sissix, the friendly reptillian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the constantly sparring engineers who keep the ship running. Life on board is chaotic, but more or less peaceful - exactly what Rosemary wants.
Until the crew are offered the job of a lifetime: the chance to build a hyperspace tunnel to a distant planet. They'll earn enough money to live comfortably for years... if they survive the long trip through war-torn interstellar space without endangering any of the fragile alliances that keep the galaxy peaceful.
But Rosemary isn't the only person on board with secrets to hide, and the crew will soon discover that space may be vast, but spaceships are very small indeed.
System Collapse, Martha Wells
Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there's an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can't have the planet, they're sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.
But there's something wrong with Murderbot; it isn't running within normal operational parameters. ART's crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza's SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they're going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what's wrong with itself, and fast!
Yeah, this plan is. . . not going to work.
But there's something wrong with Murderbot; it isn't running within normal operational parameters. ART's crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza's SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they're going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what's wrong with itself, and fast!
Yeah, this plan is. . . not going to work.
Beyond the Reach of Earth, Ken Macleod
'IF YOU LIKE SCIENCE FICTION YOU WILL LOVE THIS. . . A ROLLICKING GOOD READ' Scotsman on Beyond the Hallowed Sky
'MACLEOD'S BEST BOOK TO DATE' SFX on Beyond the Hallowed Sky
THE FERMI ARE AWAKE.
With the invention of faster-than-light travel there is nowhere that humanity cannot go. New worlds are discovered, but with them come new dangers.
At the heart of the discovery is the Fermi, mysterious beings that have survived on alien worlds for longer than humanity has existed. But now the Fermi are awakening, and they do not seem pleased to find humans in their midst.
But for Lakshmi Nayak and the crew of the Fighting Chance, danger is a lot closer to home. Their search for answers will take them to places, and worlds, they never expected.
Science fiction legend Ken MacLeod returns with book two in the Lightspeed trilogy, a gripping tale of first contact and dark conspiracies set among the stars.
Praise for Ken MacLeod:
'An exceptional blend of international politics, hard science, and first contact' Michael Mammay, author of the Planetside series on Beyond the Hallowed Sky
'MacLeod is up there with Banks and Hamilton as one of the British sci-fi authors you absolutely have to read' SFX
'Prose as sleek and fast as the technology it describes. . . watch this man go global' Peter F. Hamilton on Star Fraction
'Ken MacLeod has an enviable track record of extrapolating from current trends to produce mind-bending novels of ideas' Guardian
Also by Ken MacLeod:
Lightspeed
Beyond the Hallowed Sky
Fall Revolution
The Star Fraction
The Stone Canal
The Cassini Division
The Sky Road
Engines of Light
Cosmonaut Keep
Dark Light
Engine City
Corporation Wars Trilogy
Dissidence
Insurgence
Emergence
Novels
The Human Front
Newton's Wake
Learning the World
The Execution Channel
The Restoration Game
Intrusion
Descent
'MACLEOD'S BEST BOOK TO DATE' SFX on Beyond the Hallowed Sky
THE FERMI ARE AWAKE.
With the invention of faster-than-light travel there is nowhere that humanity cannot go. New worlds are discovered, but with them come new dangers.
At the heart of the discovery is the Fermi, mysterious beings that have survived on alien worlds for longer than humanity has existed. But now the Fermi are awakening, and they do not seem pleased to find humans in their midst.
But for Lakshmi Nayak and the crew of the Fighting Chance, danger is a lot closer to home. Their search for answers will take them to places, and worlds, they never expected.
Science fiction legend Ken MacLeod returns with book two in the Lightspeed trilogy, a gripping tale of first contact and dark conspiracies set among the stars.
Praise for Ken MacLeod:
'An exceptional blend of international politics, hard science, and first contact' Michael Mammay, author of the Planetside series on Beyond the Hallowed Sky
'MacLeod is up there with Banks and Hamilton as one of the British sci-fi authors you absolutely have to read' SFX
'Prose as sleek and fast as the technology it describes. . . watch this man go global' Peter F. Hamilton on Star Fraction
'Ken MacLeod has an enviable track record of extrapolating from current trends to produce mind-bending novels of ideas' Guardian
Also by Ken MacLeod:
Lightspeed
Beyond the Hallowed Sky
Fall Revolution
The Star Fraction
The Stone Canal
The Cassini Division
The Sky Road
Engines of Light
Cosmonaut Keep
Dark Light
Engine City
Corporation Wars Trilogy
Dissidence
Insurgence
Emergence
Novels
The Human Front
Newton's Wake
Learning the World
The Execution Channel
The Restoration Game
Intrusion
Descent
To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars, Christopher Paolini
Action-packed SF adventure that zings along at hyperluminal speed' – Peter F. Hamilton
Goodreads Choice Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a masterful epic science fiction novel from the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of the Inheritance Cycle, Christopher Paolini.
Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds
Now she’s awakened a nightmare
During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she’s delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.
As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn’t at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.
While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity’s greatest and final hope . . .
Praise for Christopher Paolini and his work:
'Christopher Paolini is a true rarity' – Washington Post
'An authentic work of great talent' – New York Times Book Review
'A breathtaking and unheard of success' – USA Today
'Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic' – People
Goodreads Choice Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a masterful epic science fiction novel from the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of the Inheritance Cycle, Christopher Paolini.
Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds
Now she’s awakened a nightmare
During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she’s delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.
As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn’t at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.
While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity’s greatest and final hope . . .
Praise for Christopher Paolini and his work:
'Christopher Paolini is a true rarity' – Washington Post
'An authentic work of great talent' – New York Times Book Review
'A breathtaking and unheard of success' – USA Today
'Christopher Paolini make[s] literary magic' – People
Fractal Noise, Christopher Paolini
Fractal Noise is the thrilling prequel to the masterful space opera To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by internationally bestselling author of Eragon, Christopher Paolini.
On the planet Talos VII, twenty-three years before the events of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, an anomaly is detected: a vast circular pit, with dimensions so perfect that it could only have been the result of conscious design. So a small team is assembled to learn more – perhaps even who built the hole and why. Their mission will take them on a hazardous trek to the very edge of existence.
For one explorer, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. For another, a risk not worth taking. And for xenobiologist Alex Crichton, it’s a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe. But every step they take towards that mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last. Ultimately, no one is prepared for what they will encounter.
Praise for To Sleep in a Sea of Stars:
'Big and fun – the book Paolini fans have been waiting for' – John Scalzi
'A fun, fast-paced epic that science fiction fans will gobble up' – Kirkus Reviews
'An epic tale of first contact, travels to the edge of the galaxy, and just maybe the fate of all humankind' – Goodreads
On the planet Talos VII, twenty-three years before the events of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, an anomaly is detected: a vast circular pit, with dimensions so perfect that it could only have been the result of conscious design. So a small team is assembled to learn more – perhaps even who built the hole and why. Their mission will take them on a hazardous trek to the very edge of existence.
For one explorer, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. For another, a risk not worth taking. And for xenobiologist Alex Crichton, it’s a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe. But every step they take towards that mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last. Ultimately, no one is prepared for what they will encounter.
Praise for To Sleep in a Sea of Stars:
'Big and fun – the book Paolini fans have been waiting for' – John Scalzi
'A fun, fast-paced epic that science fiction fans will gobble up' – Kirkus Reviews
'An epic tale of first contact, travels to the edge of the galaxy, and just maybe the fate of all humankind' – Goodreads
Pebble In The Sky, Isaac Asimov
Caught up in an experiment gone wrong, Joseph Schwartz is transported forward in time from post-war Chicago to the heyday of the first Galactic Empire.
Earth, he soon learns, is a backwater, despised by the other two hundred million planets of the Empire because its people dare to claim it as the original home of man.
And Earth is poor, with great areas of radioactivity ruining much of its soil – so poor that everyone is sentenced to death at the age of sixty.
And Joseph Schwartz is sixty-two.
Asimov’s Galactic Empire novels are among the earliest stories by one of the twentieth century’s greatest visionaries. Filled with ideas and wonders, they are classic adventures from science fiction’s Golden Age.
Earth, he soon learns, is a backwater, despised by the other two hundred million planets of the Empire because its people dare to claim it as the original home of man.
And Earth is poor, with great areas of radioactivity ruining much of its soil – so poor that everyone is sentenced to death at the age of sixty.
And Joseph Schwartz is sixty-two.
Asimov’s Galactic Empire novels are among the earliest stories by one of the twentieth century’s greatest visionaries. Filled with ideas and wonders, they are classic adventures from science fiction’s Golden Age.
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, Douglas Adams
A phenomenon across all formats, this paperback omnibus contains the complete Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy in five parts, charting the whole of Arthur Dent's odyssey through space and time. Share and enjoy.
Collected together in this omnibus are the five titles that comprise Douglas Adams' wildly popular and wholly remarkable comedy science fiction 'trilogy', plus a bonus short story, Young Zaphod Plays It Safe, and a special undeleted scene . . .
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
One Thursday lunchtime the Earth gets unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur Dent, who has only just had his house demolished that morning, this seems already to be rather a lot to cope with. Sadly, however, the weekend has only just begun. The Galaxy may offer a mind-boggling variety of ways to be blown up and/or insulted, but it’s very hard to get a cup of tea.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
When all questions of space, time, matter and the nature of being have been resolved, only one question remains - 'Where shall we have dinner?' The Restaurant at the End of the Universe provides the ultimate gastronomic experience, and for once there is no morning after to worry about.
Life, the Universe and Everything
Following a number of stunning catastrophes, Arthur Dent is surprised to find himself living in a hideously miserable cave on prehistoric Earth. However, just as he thinks that things cannot get possibly worse, they suddenly do. An eddy in the space-time continuum lands him, Ford Prefect, and their flying sofa in the middle of the cricket ground at Lord's, just two days before the world is due to be destroyed by the Vogons. Escaping the end of the world for a second time, Arthur, Ford, and their old friend Slartibartfast embark (reluctantly) on a mission to save the whole galaxy from fanatical robots. Not bad for a man in his dressing gown.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
There is a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. It's not an easy thing to do, and Arthur Dent thinks he's the only human who's been able to master this nifty little trick - until he meets Fenchurch, the woman of his dreams. Fenchurch once realised how the world could be made a good and happy place. Unfortunately, she's forgotten. Convinced that the secret lies within God's Final Message to His Creation, they go in search of it. And, in a dramatic break with tradition, actually find it . . .
Mostly Harmless
Arthur Dent has settled down on the small planet Lamuella and has embraced his role as a Sandwich Maker. However, his plans for a quiet life are thrown awry by the unexpected arrival of his daughter. There's nothing worse than a frustrated teenager with a copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in their hands. When she runs away, Arthur goes after her determined to save her from the horrors of the universe. After all - he's encountered most of them before.
This publishing phenomenon began as a radio drama and now exists in a number of wildly contradictory versions (including a TV series, a movie and a towel) - this version, produced by Douglas Adams' original publisher, is, at least, definitively inaccurate.
Collected together in this omnibus are the five titles that comprise Douglas Adams' wildly popular and wholly remarkable comedy science fiction 'trilogy', plus a bonus short story, Young Zaphod Plays It Safe, and a special undeleted scene . . .
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
One Thursday lunchtime the Earth gets unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur Dent, who has only just had his house demolished that morning, this seems already to be rather a lot to cope with. Sadly, however, the weekend has only just begun. The Galaxy may offer a mind-boggling variety of ways to be blown up and/or insulted, but it’s very hard to get a cup of tea.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
When all questions of space, time, matter and the nature of being have been resolved, only one question remains - 'Where shall we have dinner?' The Restaurant at the End of the Universe provides the ultimate gastronomic experience, and for once there is no morning after to worry about.
Life, the Universe and Everything
Following a number of stunning catastrophes, Arthur Dent is surprised to find himself living in a hideously miserable cave on prehistoric Earth. However, just as he thinks that things cannot get possibly worse, they suddenly do. An eddy in the space-time continuum lands him, Ford Prefect, and their flying sofa in the middle of the cricket ground at Lord's, just two days before the world is due to be destroyed by the Vogons. Escaping the end of the world for a second time, Arthur, Ford, and their old friend Slartibartfast embark (reluctantly) on a mission to save the whole galaxy from fanatical robots. Not bad for a man in his dressing gown.
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
There is a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. It's not an easy thing to do, and Arthur Dent thinks he's the only human who's been able to master this nifty little trick - until he meets Fenchurch, the woman of his dreams. Fenchurch once realised how the world could be made a good and happy place. Unfortunately, she's forgotten. Convinced that the secret lies within God's Final Message to His Creation, they go in search of it. And, in a dramatic break with tradition, actually find it . . .
Mostly Harmless
Arthur Dent has settled down on the small planet Lamuella and has embraced his role as a Sandwich Maker. However, his plans for a quiet life are thrown awry by the unexpected arrival of his daughter. There's nothing worse than a frustrated teenager with a copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in their hands. When she runs away, Arthur goes after her determined to save her from the horrors of the universe. After all - he's encountered most of them before.
This publishing phenomenon began as a radio drama and now exists in a number of wildly contradictory versions (including a TV series, a movie and a towel) - this version, produced by Douglas Adams' original publisher, is, at least, definitively inaccurate.
The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy, Douglas Adams
"Introduced by Richard Dawkins and Nick Harkaway First a legendary radio series, then a sequence of bestselling books, and most recently a blockbuster movie, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of the greatest fictional enterprises of the twentieth century. Reissued in time for the first novel's thirty-fifth anniversary, this hardback omnibus edition includes all five parts of the trilogy, along with a wealth of extra material prefaced and contextualised by Jem Roberts, the official biographer of Douglas Adams, to complete the canon. This unique hardback edition is indispensable for any would-be galactic traveller, and a must-read for all Douglas Adams fans."
AI, ROBOTS, ANDROIDS AND CYBORGS:
AI = Artifical Intelligence is intelligence (the ability to observe, learn, reason and grow knowledge) shown by an artifical being (robots) or program. Robots = a programmable machine capable of doing a complex series of actions automatically. Androids = An android is a robot with a human-like appearance. Cyborgs = A human with mechanical parts, this could be a bionic limb or modifications that enchance the human's abilities beyond the normal limitations.
In The Lives Of Puppets, TJ Klune
In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees live three robots - fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled 'HAP', he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio - a past spent hunting humans.
When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.
Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: can he accept love with strings attached?
Inspired by Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful standalone fantasy adventure from the author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled 'HAP', he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio - a past spent hunting humans.
When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.
Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: can he accept love with strings attached?
Inspired by Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful standalone fantasy adventure from the author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.
I, Robot, Isaac Asimov
Voyager Classics – timeless masterworks of science fiction and fantasy.
The classic collection of robot stories from the master of the genre.
In these stories Isaac Asimov creates the Three Laws of Robotics and ushers in the Robot Age.
Earth is ruled by master-machines but the Three Laws of Robotics have been designed to ensure humans maintain the upper hand:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or allow a human being to come to harm
2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
But what happens when a rogue robot’s idea of what is good for society contravenes the Three Laws?
The classic collection of robot stories from the master of the genre.
In these stories Isaac Asimov creates the Three Laws of Robotics and ushers in the Robot Age.
Earth is ruled by master-machines but the Three Laws of Robotics have been designed to ensure humans maintain the upper hand:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or allow a human being to come to harm
2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
But what happens when a rogue robot’s idea of what is good for society contravenes the Three Laws?
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Book 1), Marissa Meyer
A forbidden romance. A deadly plague. Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation. Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.
A Psalm For The Wild-Built, Becky Chambers
In A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers's delightful new Monk & Robot series gives us hope for the future.
It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.
One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered.
But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how.
They're going to need to ask it a lot.
Becky Chambers's new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?
It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.
One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered.
But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how.
They're going to need to ask it a lot.
Becky Chambers's new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?
System Collapse, Martha Wells
Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.
Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back.
Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.
But there’s something wrong with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s wrong with itself, and fast!
Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.
Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back.
Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.
But there’s something wrong with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s wrong with itself, and fast!
Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.
TIME-TRAVEL, TIME SLIP, PARALLEL AND ALTERNATE DIMENSIONS:
What's the difference? Time-travel is when a person or persons travel through the stream of time, either to the past or future. This can change the current time line trajectory but doesn't create an alternate timeline. Alternate timelines are created in some time-travel novels, this branches more into alternate dimensions or a parallel universe. Alternate dimensions or multiverses are when there are more than one dimension or timeline present in a universe. These dimensions could be innumerable and tend to be able to be travelled through by the protagonists or antagonists. A time slip is a type of time-travel that the protagonist has no control over; it is normally controlled to one point in time and can be a ground-hog day effect or a do-over of past decisions and regrets. It can also be a portal that leads to a time in the past or future that the protagonist has no control over or no explantion of how it occurred.
Before The Coffee Gets Cold, Tales From The Cafe, Toshikazu Kawaguchi
In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time...
From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold comes a story of four new customers each of whom is hoping to take advantage of Cafe Funiculi Funicula's time-travelling offer.
Among some faces that will be familiar to readers of Kawaguchi's previous novel, we will be introduced to:
The man who goes back to see his best friend who died 22 years ago
The son who was unable to attend his own mother’s funeral
The man who went back to see the girl who he could not marry
The old detective who never gave his wife that gift...
This beautiful, simple tale tells the story of people who must face up to their past, in order to move on with their lives. Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: what would you change if you could travel back in time?
From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold comes a story of four new customers each of whom is hoping to take advantage of Cafe Funiculi Funicula's time-travelling offer.
Among some faces that will be familiar to readers of Kawaguchi's previous novel, we will be introduced to:
The man who goes back to see his best friend who died 22 years ago
The son who was unable to attend his own mother’s funeral
The man who went back to see the girl who he could not marry
The old detective who never gave his wife that gift...
This beautiful, simple tale tells the story of people who must face up to their past, in order to move on with their lives. Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: what would you change if you could travel back in time?
Before The Coffee Gets Cold, Toshikazu Kawaguchi
What would you change if you could go back in time?
In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a cafe which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.
In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the cafe's time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.
But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the cafe, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .
Toshikazu Kawaguchi's beautiful, moving story - translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot - explores the age-old question: what would you change if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?
In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a cafe which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.
In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the cafe's time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.
But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the cafe, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .
Toshikazu Kawaguchi's beautiful, moving story - translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot - explores the age-old question: what would you change if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?
Before We Say Goodbye, Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The million-copy bestselling series Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s poignant Before we say goodbye, translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot, explores the age-old question: what would you do if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?The regulars at the magical Cafe Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with its famous legend and extraordinary, secret menu time travel offering. Many patrons have reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family, and visited loved ones. But the journey is not without risks and there are rules to follow. Travellers must have visited the cafe previously and most importantly, must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to go cold. In the tradition of Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s sensational 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' series, readers will once again be introduced to a new set of visitors: The husband with something important left to say The woman who couldn’t bid her dog farewell The woman who couldn’t answer a proposal The daughter who drove her father away . . .In the hauntingly beautiful Before we say goodbye, Kawaguchi invites us to join his characters as they embark on a journey to revisit one crucial moment in time.
Before Your Memory Fades, Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The third novel in the international bestselling Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, following four new customers in a cafe where customers can travel back in time.
In northern Japan, overlooking the spectacular view Hakodate Port has to offer, Cafe Donna Donna has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.
From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Cafe comes another story of four new customers, each of whom is hoping to take advantage of the cafe's time-travelling offer. Among some familiar faces from Toshikazu Kawaguchi's previous novels, readers will also be introduced to:
A daughter who couldn't say 'You're an idiot.'
A comedian who couldn't ask 'Are you happy?'
A younger sister who couldn't say 'Sorry.'
A young man who couldn't say 'I like you.
In northern Japan, overlooking the spectacular view Hakodate Port has to offer, Cafe Donna Donna has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.
From the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Tales from the Cafe comes another story of four new customers, each of whom is hoping to take advantage of the cafe's time-travelling offer. Among some familiar faces from Toshikazu Kawaguchi's previous novels, readers will also be introduced to:
A daughter who couldn't say 'You're an idiot.'
A comedian who couldn't ask 'Are you happy?'
A younger sister who couldn't say 'Sorry.'
A young man who couldn't say 'I like you.
Dark Matter, Blake Crouch
From Blake Crouch, the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is a New York Times bestselling tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human - a relentlessly surprising thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.'Are you happy in your life?'Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakes to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before the man he's never met smiles down at him and says, 'Welcome back.'In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.Is it this world or the other that's the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined - one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.From the author of the bestselling 'Wayward Pines' trilogy, Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human - a relentlessly surprising thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.
Fairy Tale, Stephen King
Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher - for their world or ours.
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself - and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and his aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.
Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.
King's storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale about another world than ours, in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy - and his dog - must lead the battle.
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself - and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and his aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.
Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.
King's storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale about another world than ours, in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy - and his dog - must lead the battle.
Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton
On a remote jungle island, genetic engineers have created a dinosaur game park. An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true and the first dinosaurs that the Earth has seen in the time of man emerge. But, as always, there is a dark side to the fantasy and after a catastrophe destroys the park's defence systems, the scientists and tourists are left fighting for survival... With this masterful cross of science fiction and action-adventure, Michael Crichton created one of the biggest bestsellers of all time, turned by Steven Spielberg into the highest grossing blockbuster ever in 1993.
Lonely Castle In The Mirror, Mizuki Tsujimura, Philip Gabriel
For fans of BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD, fairy tale and magic are weaved together in sparse language that belies a flooring emotional punch.
'Strange and beautiful. Imagine the offspring of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle with The Virgin Suicides' GUARDIAN
Translated by Philip Gabriel, a translator of Murakami
_______________________________
How can you save your friend's life if she doesn't want to be rescued?
In a tranquil neighbourhood of Tokyo, seven teenagers wake to find their bedroom mirrors are shining.
At a single touch, they are pulled from their lonely lives to a wondrous castle filled with winding stairways, watchful portraits and twinkling chandeliers. In this new sanctuary, they are confronted with a set of clues leading to a hidden room where one of them will be granted a wish. But there's a catch- if they don't leave the castle by five o'clock, they will be punished.
As time passes, a devastating truth emerges- only those brave enough to share their stories will be saved.
Tender, playful, gripping, LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR is a mesmerizing tale about the importance of reaching out, confronting anxiety and embracing human connection.
Readers love LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR-
***** 'This book has become one of my favourite Japanese literature reads of all time . . . A magical heart felt read that will stay with you'
***** 'Unexpected, beautiful and heart-breaking . . . this is a work of fiction which reaches into the heart of a modern problem and has valuable insight'
***** 'Rich and vivid with lots of emotions . . . This book is a symbol of "hope is still there'
'Strange and beautiful. Imagine the offspring of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle with The Virgin Suicides' GUARDIAN
Translated by Philip Gabriel, a translator of Murakami
_______________________________
How can you save your friend's life if she doesn't want to be rescued?
In a tranquil neighbourhood of Tokyo, seven teenagers wake to find their bedroom mirrors are shining.
At a single touch, they are pulled from their lonely lives to a wondrous castle filled with winding stairways, watchful portraits and twinkling chandeliers. In this new sanctuary, they are confronted with a set of clues leading to a hidden room where one of them will be granted a wish. But there's a catch- if they don't leave the castle by five o'clock, they will be punished.
As time passes, a devastating truth emerges- only those brave enough to share their stories will be saved.
Tender, playful, gripping, LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR is a mesmerizing tale about the importance of reaching out, confronting anxiety and embracing human connection.
Readers love LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR-
***** 'This book has become one of my favourite Japanese literature reads of all time . . . A magical heart felt read that will stay with you'
***** 'Unexpected, beautiful and heart-breaking . . . this is a work of fiction which reaches into the heart of a modern problem and has valuable insight'
***** 'Rich and vivid with lots of emotions . . . This book is a symbol of "hope is still there'
Marvel Universe: An Atlas Of Marvel, Marvel
Explore an entire universe in this illustrated book of Marvel Maps. Marvel Universe features never-before-seen maps of the most famous Marvel locations, from Midtown Manhattan and Wakanda to Asgard and the Multiverse. Buildings, key locations and epic events are highlighted on each map, and there are pages of hero profiles to pore over, covering everyone from Spider-Man and Black Widow to Wolverine and Jean Grey. You’re about to embark on a thrilling tour of the Marvel Universe, enjoy the journey!
One More Time, Mandy Magro
Fate, hope and desire collide for one special couple in a way they never would have expected. An epic love story, in the tradition of Nicholas Sparks, from bestselling Australian author Mandy Magro.
One split-second choice. A spark of magic. What if your life could be completely different?
Grace Burrows knows her seventieth birthday celebration is going to be an enchanting affair. And she can't wait to immerse herself in an evening surrounded by family and her closest friends, to waltz across the dance floor as she used to and reminisce over shared memories gathered across the decades. But it's also the evening she'll have to finally reveal a secret that she knows will devastate her family - her time left with them is too short to be fair...
Scarred by his war-time experiences and losses, Charlie Wilson knows he's made a lot of mistakes. Too many. But none greater than ruining his marriage to Grace when they were young. Tonight, as they dance, Charlie is determined to tell her he's always loved her. But when old feelings and resentments are drawn to the surface, tempers fray and Charlie and Grace are left on opposite sides of the same old argument.
Fate, however, will give them one last chance to be truthful - and as a touch of magic sparks, everything changes...
PRAISE FOR MANDY MAGRO:
'A deliciously blissful romance that will have you hooked from beginning to end.' - Better Reading
One split-second choice. A spark of magic. What if your life could be completely different?
Grace Burrows knows her seventieth birthday celebration is going to be an enchanting affair. And she can't wait to immerse herself in an evening surrounded by family and her closest friends, to waltz across the dance floor as she used to and reminisce over shared memories gathered across the decades. But it's also the evening she'll have to finally reveal a secret that she knows will devastate her family - her time left with them is too short to be fair...
Scarred by his war-time experiences and losses, Charlie Wilson knows he's made a lot of mistakes. Too many. But none greater than ruining his marriage to Grace when they were young. Tonight, as they dance, Charlie is determined to tell her he's always loved her. But when old feelings and resentments are drawn to the surface, tempers fray and Charlie and Grace are left on opposite sides of the same old argument.
Fate, however, will give them one last chance to be truthful - and as a touch of magic sparks, everything changes...
PRAISE FOR MANDY MAGRO:
'A deliciously blissful romance that will have you hooked from beginning to end.' - Better Reading
IMMORTALITY, CRYO-SLEEP AND CLONING:
Immortality = The ability to either live forever but still be able to be killed (ie. gods and goddesses or some mythical creatures or monsters) or to live forever and the invincibility to never be harmed or to heal from wounds. Cryo-sleep = Cryogenic sleep or suspended animation. This is where the body is kept at a certain temperature (usually subzero) to slow down the metabolism and suspend or cease the ageing process of a human. This is usually used for extended space travel, preservation of life or for medical stability and healing. Cloning = Where a carbon copy is made of either a human or organic organism whether through DNA harvesting or synthetic or fantastical means.
My Murder, Katie Williams
SOMETIMES THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN SOLVE YOUR MURDER IS YOU.
'Startling and original, My Murder is a gripping speculative twist on the crime novel.' - Paula Hawkins
'Completely absorbing. A smart, speculative twist on domestic suspense.' - Ashley Audrain
'One of the most original, smart, funny and thought-provoking books you'll read this year' - Daily Mail
Lou has been murdered.
She was the fifth victim of the serial killer Edward Early. A young wife and new mother, Lou's death outraged a public breathlessly following the story of the serial murders.
Lou has been cloned.
Along with Early's other four victims, Lou has been brought back to life by the government-funded replication commission. The women gather at a weekly support group, helping each other to navigate a society obsessed with their very existence.
Lou has been lied to.
But when Lou agrees to help fellow murder victim Fern secure a visit with Edward Early, a shocking revelation causes Lou to investigate the events around her death and question everything she thought she knew about her murder.
Can she finally uncover the truth?
Praise for Katie Williams:
"Like an extended episode of 'Black Mirror' ... Williams offers a master class in not losing sight of the human element... the kind of story that - in the subtlest of ways - can instruct us, and nourish us, and make us want to live and love a little better."-Matt Haig, New York Times Book Review
"[A] vivid, clever debut." -O, the Oprah Magazine
"Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite writer." -James Hannaham, award-winning author of DELICIOUS FOODS: A Novel
"Delightfully weird and humorous...a fascinating exploration of our increasing reliance on technology and our obsession with finding a quick fix for everything." -Shondaland
"A sharp and moving novel." -Publishers Weekly
"With its clever, compelling vision of the future, deeply human characters, and delightfully unpredictable story, this novel is itself a receipe for contentment." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"My prescription for happiness is: 'Sit still, read a book that can't be classified by genre, and tell everyone.' I'm telling you, Katie Williams delivers." -Helen Ellis, New York Times-bestselling author of AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE
'Startling and original, My Murder is a gripping speculative twist on the crime novel.' - Paula Hawkins
'Completely absorbing. A smart, speculative twist on domestic suspense.' - Ashley Audrain
'One of the most original, smart, funny and thought-provoking books you'll read this year' - Daily Mail
Lou has been murdered.
She was the fifth victim of the serial killer Edward Early. A young wife and new mother, Lou's death outraged a public breathlessly following the story of the serial murders.
Lou has been cloned.
Along with Early's other four victims, Lou has been brought back to life by the government-funded replication commission. The women gather at a weekly support group, helping each other to navigate a society obsessed with their very existence.
Lou has been lied to.
But when Lou agrees to help fellow murder victim Fern secure a visit with Edward Early, a shocking revelation causes Lou to investigate the events around her death and question everything she thought she knew about her murder.
Can she finally uncover the truth?
Praise for Katie Williams:
"Like an extended episode of 'Black Mirror' ... Williams offers a master class in not losing sight of the human element... the kind of story that - in the subtlest of ways - can instruct us, and nourish us, and make us want to live and love a little better."-Matt Haig, New York Times Book Review
"[A] vivid, clever debut." -O, the Oprah Magazine
"Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite writer." -James Hannaham, award-winning author of DELICIOUS FOODS: A Novel
"Delightfully weird and humorous...a fascinating exploration of our increasing reliance on technology and our obsession with finding a quick fix for everything." -Shondaland
"A sharp and moving novel." -Publishers Weekly
"With its clever, compelling vision of the future, deeply human characters, and delightfully unpredictable story, this novel is itself a receipe for contentment." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"My prescription for happiness is: 'Sit still, read a book that can't be classified by genre, and tell everyone.' I'm telling you, Katie Williams delivers." -Helen Ellis, New York Times-bestselling author of AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE
Constance, Matthew FitzSimmons
A breakthrough in human cloning becomes one woman’s waking nightmare in a mind-bending thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Gibson Vaughn series.
In the near future, advances in medicine and quantum computing make human cloning a reality. For the wealthy, cheating death is the ultimate luxury. To anti-cloning militants, it’s an abomination against nature. For young Constance 'Con' D’Arcy, who was gifted her own clone by her late aunt, it’s terrifying.
After a routine monthly upload of her consciousness — stored for that inevitable transition — something goes wrong. When Con wakes up in the clinic, it’s eighteen months later. Her recent memories are missing. Her original, she’s told, is dead. If that’s true, what does that make her?
The secrets of Con’s disorienting new life are buried deep. So are those of how and why she died. To uncover the truth, Con is retracing the last days she can recall, crossing paths with a detective who’s just as curious. On the run, she needs someone she can trust. Because only one thing has become clear: Con is being marked for murder — all over again.
In the near future, advances in medicine and quantum computing make human cloning a reality. For the wealthy, cheating death is the ultimate luxury. To anti-cloning militants, it’s an abomination against nature. For young Constance 'Con' D’Arcy, who was gifted her own clone by her late aunt, it’s terrifying.
After a routine monthly upload of her consciousness — stored for that inevitable transition — something goes wrong. When Con wakes up in the clinic, it’s eighteen months later. Her recent memories are missing. Her original, she’s told, is dead. If that’s true, what does that make her?
The secrets of Con’s disorienting new life are buried deep. So are those of how and why she died. To uncover the truth, Con is retracing the last days she can recall, crossing paths with a detective who’s just as curious. On the run, she needs someone she can trust. Because only one thing has become clear: Con is being marked for murder — all over again.
Chance, Matthew FitzSimmons
A clone plays a dangerous game of life, death, memory, and murder in a twisting thriller by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Matthew FitzSimmons.
Cloning is a luxury for the wealthy. For Chance Harker, it’s a way of getting on with his lives. Five years ago, when he was sixteen, he and his brother, Marley, were murdered in a kidnapping gone wrong. Chance was revived—and his grieving parents met his existence with anger, neglect, and aversion. The public, though? They can’t get enough of the death-defying stunts he has parlayed into a social media spectacle.
But after Chance’s latest 'refresh,' he awakens to accusations that he’s killed Lee Conway, a stranger Chance has never met. Has one of his clones? With no memory of his previous selves, and working fast before he’s arrested, Chance digs into Conway’s background, the mysteries of his own life — and death — and the tragic abduction that tore his family apart.
All Chance has to do is stay ahead of the LAPD; his kidnappers, who are back on the hunt; and a growing mob of incensed protesters outraged that a rich clone appears to be getting away with murder.
Cloning is a luxury for the wealthy. For Chance Harker, it’s a way of getting on with his lives. Five years ago, when he was sixteen, he and his brother, Marley, were murdered in a kidnapping gone wrong. Chance was revived—and his grieving parents met his existence with anger, neglect, and aversion. The public, though? They can’t get enough of the death-defying stunts he has parlayed into a social media spectacle.
But after Chance’s latest 'refresh,' he awakens to accusations that he’s killed Lee Conway, a stranger Chance has never met. Has one of his clones? With no memory of his previous selves, and working fast before he’s arrested, Chance digs into Conway’s background, the mysteries of his own life — and death — and the tragic abduction that tore his family apart.
All Chance has to do is stay ahead of the LAPD; his kidnappers, who are back on the hunt; and a growing mob of incensed protesters outraged that a rich clone appears to be getting away with murder.
How To Stop Time, Matt Haig
The top ten bestseller from the author of The Midnight Library and The Humans.
HOW MANY LIFETIMES DOES IT TAKE TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE?
Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-yearold history teacher, but he's been alive for centuries. From Elizabethan England to Jazz-Age Paris, from New York to the South Seas, Tom has seen it all. As long as he keeps changing his identity, he can stay one step ahead of his past - and stay alive. The only thing he must not do is fall in love.
But what if the one thing he can't have just happens to be the one thing that might save him?
HOW MANY LIFETIMES DOES IT TAKE TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE?
Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-yearold history teacher, but he's been alive for centuries. From Elizabethan England to Jazz-Age Paris, from New York to the South Seas, Tom has seen it all. As long as he keeps changing his identity, he can stay one step ahead of his past - and stay alive. The only thing he must not do is fall in love.
But what if the one thing he can't have just happens to be the one thing that might save him?
The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue, V. E. Schwab
In the vein of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life After Life, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab’s genre-defying tour de force.
When Addie La Rue makes a pact with the devil, she trades her soul for immortality. But there's always a price — the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.
Addie flees her tiny hometown in 18th-Century France, beginning a journey that takes her across the world, learning to live a life where no one remembers her and everything she owns is lost and broken. Existing only as a muse for artists throughout history, she learns to fall in love anew every single day.
Her only companion on this journey is her dark devil with hypnotic green eyes, who visits her each year on the anniversary of their deal. Alone in the world, Addie has no choice but to confront him, to understand him, maybe to beat him.
Until one day, in a second hand bookshop in Manhattan, Addie meets someone who remembers her. Suddenly thrust back into a real, normal life, Addie realises she can’t escape her fate forever.
When Addie La Rue makes a pact with the devil, she trades her soul for immortality. But there's always a price — the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.
Addie flees her tiny hometown in 18th-Century France, beginning a journey that takes her across the world, learning to live a life where no one remembers her and everything she owns is lost and broken. Existing only as a muse for artists throughout history, she learns to fall in love anew every single day.
Her only companion on this journey is her dark devil with hypnotic green eyes, who visits her each year on the anniversary of their deal. Alone in the world, Addie has no choice but to confront him, to understand him, maybe to beat him.
Until one day, in a second hand bookshop in Manhattan, Addie meets someone who remembers her. Suddenly thrust back into a real, normal life, Addie realises she can’t escape her fate forever.
Victory City, Salman Rushdie
An epic tale with a message for us all- our power is fleeting, but our stories last forever. This is Salman Rushdie at his best. A magical realist feminist tale in an historical setting that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
The epic tale of a woman who breathes a fantastical empire into existence, only to be consumed by it over the centuries - from the transcendent imagination of Booker Prize-winning, internationally bestselling author Salman Rushdie.
In the wake of an insignificant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms in fourteenth-century southern India, a nine-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. After witnessing the death of her mother, the grief-stricken Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for the goddess Parvati, who begins to speak out of the girl's mouth. Granting her powers beyond Pampa Kampana's comprehension, the goddess tells her that she will be instrumental in the rise of a great city called Bisnaga - literally 'victory city' - the wonder of the world.
Over the next two hundred and fifty years, Pampa Kampana's life becomes deeply interwoven with Bisnaga's, from its literal sowing out of a bag of magic seeds to its tragic ruination in the most human of ways- the hubris of those in power. Whispering Bisnaga and its citizens into existence, Pampa Kampana attempts to make good on the task that Parvati set for her- to give women equal agency in a patriarchal world. But all stories have a way of getting away from their creator, and Bisnaga is no exception. As years pass, rulers come and go, battles are won and lost, and allegiances shift, the very fabric of Bisnaga becomes an ever more complex tapestry - with Pampa Kampana at its center.
Brilliantly styled as a translation of an ancient epic, this is a saga of love, adventure, and myth that is in itself a testament to the power of storytelling.
The epic tale of a woman who breathes a fantastical empire into existence, only to be consumed by it over the centuries - from the transcendent imagination of Booker Prize-winning, internationally bestselling author Salman Rushdie.
In the wake of an insignificant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms in fourteenth-century southern India, a nine-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. After witnessing the death of her mother, the grief-stricken Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for the goddess Parvati, who begins to speak out of the girl's mouth. Granting her powers beyond Pampa Kampana's comprehension, the goddess tells her that she will be instrumental in the rise of a great city called Bisnaga - literally 'victory city' - the wonder of the world.
Over the next two hundred and fifty years, Pampa Kampana's life becomes deeply interwoven with Bisnaga's, from its literal sowing out of a bag of magic seeds to its tragic ruination in the most human of ways- the hubris of those in power. Whispering Bisnaga and its citizens into existence, Pampa Kampana attempts to make good on the task that Parvati set for her- to give women equal agency in a patriarchal world. But all stories have a way of getting away from their creator, and Bisnaga is no exception. As years pass, rulers come and go, battles are won and lost, and allegiances shift, the very fabric of Bisnaga becomes an ever more complex tapestry - with Pampa Kampana at its center.
Brilliantly styled as a translation of an ancient epic, this is a saga of love, adventure, and myth that is in itself a testament to the power of storytelling.
SUPER HEREOS, MUTANTS AND GENETIC ENGINEERING:
Circle Of Death, James Patterson, Brian Sitts
A gripping vigilante thriller - inspired by a series of gaphic novels - featuring a powerful hero on the trail of a villain whose deadly plot could overturn the world order.
Since Lamont Cranston - known to a select few as the Shadow - defeated Shiwan Khan and ended his reign of terror over New York one year ago, the city has started to regenerate.
But there is evil brewing elsewhere. And this time the entire world is under threat.
Which is why Lamont has scoured the globe to assemble a team with unmatched talent.
Only their combined powers can foil an enemy with ambitions and abilities beyond anyone's deepest fears.
As their mission takes them across the globe and into the highest corridors of power - pushing them beyond their limits - can justice prevail?
PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON-
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'Patterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination' New York Times Book Review
'A writer with an unusual skill at thriller plotting' The Guardian
'The master storyteller of our times' Hillary Rodham Clinton
'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades' Lee Child
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' Ian Rankin
'It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer ... Simply put- nobody does it better' Jeffrey Deaver
Since Lamont Cranston - known to a select few as the Shadow - defeated Shiwan Khan and ended his reign of terror over New York one year ago, the city has started to regenerate.
But there is evil brewing elsewhere. And this time the entire world is under threat.
Which is why Lamont has scoured the globe to assemble a team with unmatched talent.
Only their combined powers can foil an enemy with ambitions and abilities beyond anyone's deepest fears.
As their mission takes them across the globe and into the highest corridors of power - pushing them beyond their limits - can justice prevail?
PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON-
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'Patterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination' New York Times Book Review
'A writer with an unusual skill at thriller plotting' The Guardian
'The master storyteller of our times' Hillary Rodham Clinton
'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades' Lee Child
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' Ian Rankin
'It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer ... Simply put- nobody does it better' Jeffrey Deaver
Scarlet, Marissa Meyer
This is not the fairytale you remember. But it's one you won't forget. Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other. Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive - when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana. As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .
Cobalt Blue, Matthew Reilly
For 35 years, the United States and Russia each had their own superhero.
Three days ago, America's hero died.
Today will be bad.
In the face of an overwhelming attack, one young woman - unassuming and anonymous - might be America's only hope. Her codename... COBALT BLUE
Three days ago, America's hero died.
Today will be bad.
In the face of an overwhelming attack, one young woman - unassuming and anonymous - might be America's only hope. Her codename... COBALT BLUE
Upgrade, Blake Crouch
Upgrade is the new mind-bending thriller from Blake Crouch, author of the bestselling Dark Matter and Recursion.
"You are the next step in human evolution. . ."
At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep. But before long, he can’t deny it: something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him, even those he loves most, in whole new ways.
The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy. Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one to inflict the same changes on humanity at large, and at a terrifying cost. Because of what Logan’s becoming, he’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution…
"You are the next step in human evolution. . ."
At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep. But before long, he can’t deny it: something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him, even those he loves most, in whole new ways.
The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy. Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one to inflict the same changes on humanity at large, and at a terrifying cost. Because of what Logan’s becoming, he’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution…
The House In The Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place – and realizing that family could be yours.
‘I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect’ – V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
He expected nothing. But they gave him everything . . .
Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages.
Then one day, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He must travel to an orphanage where six dangerous children reside, including the Antichrist. There, Linus must somehow determine if they could bring on the end of days. But their guardian, charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to protect his wards. As Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose between duty and his dreams.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is an uplifting, heart-warming fantasy tale that’s become a New York Times, USA Today and Washington Post bestseller.
‘Likely to cause heart-swelling’ – Washington Post
‘A modern fairy tale . . . It’s a beautiful book’ – Charlaine Harris, number one New York Times bestselling author
‘Touching, tender and truly delightful’ – Gail Carriger, author of Soulless
‘I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect’ – V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
He expected nothing. But they gave him everything . . .
Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages.
Then one day, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He must travel to an orphanage where six dangerous children reside, including the Antichrist. There, Linus must somehow determine if they could bring on the end of days. But their guardian, charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to protect his wards. As Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose between duty and his dreams.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is an uplifting, heart-warming fantasy tale that’s become a New York Times, USA Today and Washington Post bestseller.
‘Likely to cause heart-swelling’ – Washington Post
‘A modern fairy tale . . . It’s a beautiful book’ – Charlaine Harris, number one New York Times bestselling author
‘Touching, tender and truly delightful’ – Gail Carriger, author of Soulless
Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs
A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
Hollow City, Ransom Riggs
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011-an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike. Publishers Weekly called it "an enjoyable, eccentric read, distinguished by well-developed characters, a believable Welsh setting, and some very creepy monsters."
This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.
Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.
This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.
Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.
Library Of Souls, Ransom Riggs
A boy with extraordinary powers. An army of deadly monsters. An epic battle for the future of peculiardom.
The adventure that began with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and continued in Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he's diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.
They'll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil's Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It's a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
The adventure that began with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and continued in Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he's diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.
They'll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil's Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It's a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
A Map Of Days, Ransom Riggs
Having defeated the monstrous threat that nearly destroyed the peculiar world, Jacob Portman is back in Florida, where his story began.
Joined by Miss Peregrine, Emma and their peculiar friends, life has become carefree. But it's not meant to last. The discovery of Jacob's grandfather's subterranean bunker leads to clues about his double-life as a peculiar operative.
Jacob begins to learn more about the dangerous legacy he's inherited, and the truths that were part of him long before he walked into Miss Peregrine's time loop.
Now, the stakes are higher than ever as Jacob and his friends are thrust into the untamed landscape of American peculiardom - a world that none of them understand.
New wonders, and dangers, await in this darkly brilliant next chapter for Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, illustrated with haunting vintage photographs- in full colour.
'A Map of Days reveals Ransom Riggs at the peak of his powers, leaving loyal fans ravenous for more' New York Journal of Books
'A tasty array of chills, thrills, and chortles' Kirkus Reviews
Joined by Miss Peregrine, Emma and their peculiar friends, life has become carefree. But it's not meant to last. The discovery of Jacob's grandfather's subterranean bunker leads to clues about his double-life as a peculiar operative.
Jacob begins to learn more about the dangerous legacy he's inherited, and the truths that were part of him long before he walked into Miss Peregrine's time loop.
Now, the stakes are higher than ever as Jacob and his friends are thrust into the untamed landscape of American peculiardom - a world that none of them understand.
New wonders, and dangers, await in this darkly brilliant next chapter for Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, illustrated with haunting vintage photographs- in full colour.
'A Map of Days reveals Ransom Riggs at the peak of his powers, leaving loyal fans ravenous for more' New York Journal of Books
'A tasty array of chills, thrills, and chortles' Kirkus Reviews
The Conference Of The Birds, Ransom Riggs
Return to the extraordinary world of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children . . .
A fragile peace.
An apocryphal warning.
Chaos waiting in the heart of the storm.
With his dying words, H - Jacob's final connection to his grandfather Abe's secret life - entrusts Jacob with a mission: Deliver newly contacted peculiar Noor Pradesh to an operative known only as V.
Noor is being hunted. She is the subject of an ancient prophecy, one that foretells a looming apocalypse. Save Noor, save the future of all peculiardom. With only a few bewildering clues to follow, time is running out.
With enemies behind him and the unknown ahead, Jacob Portman's story continues as he takes a brave leap forward into The Conference of the Birds, the newest installment of the beloved, #1 bestselling Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.
A fragile peace.
An apocryphal warning.
Chaos waiting in the heart of the storm.
With his dying words, H - Jacob's final connection to his grandfather Abe's secret life - entrusts Jacob with a mission: Deliver newly contacted peculiar Noor Pradesh to an operative known only as V.
Noor is being hunted. She is the subject of an ancient prophecy, one that foretells a looming apocalypse. Save Noor, save the future of all peculiardom. With only a few bewildering clues to follow, time is running out.
With enemies behind him and the unknown ahead, Jacob Portman's story continues as he takes a brave leap forward into The Conference of the Birds, the newest installment of the beloved, #1 bestselling Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.
JAN'S FAVOURITE:
The House In The Cerulean Sea
TJ Klune
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place – and realizing that family could be yours.
‘I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect’ – V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
He expected nothing. But they gave him everything . . .
Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages.
Then one day, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He must travel to an orphanage where six dangerous children reside, including the Antichrist. There, Linus must somehow determine if they could bring on the end of days. But their guardian, charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to protect his wards. As Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose between duty and his dreams.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is an uplifting, heart-warming fantasy tale that’s become a New York Times, USA Today and Washington Post bestseller.
‘Likely to cause heart-swelling’ – Washington Post
‘A modern fairy tale . . . It’s a beautiful book’ – Charlaine Harris, number one New York Times bestselling author
‘Touching, tender and truly delightful’ – Gail Carriger, author of Soulless
CLIMATE FICTION:
Climate Fiction or Cli-Fi is normally a sub-genre to Speculative Fiction. It tackles topics like climate change, global warming, de-forestation and extinction. They are usually scientifically grounded and tend to take place in the near future.
The Hummingbird Effect, Kate Mildenhall
An epic, kaleidoscopic story of four women connected across time and place by an invisible thread and their determination to shape their own stories, from the acclaimed author of The Mother Fault.
One of the lucky few with a job during the Depression, Peggy’s just starting out in life. She’s a bagging girl at the Angliss meatworks, a place buzzing with life as well as death, where the gun slaughterman Jack has caught her eye – and she his.
How is her life connected to Hilda’s, almost a hundred years later, locked inside during a plague, or La’s, further on again, a singer working shifts in a warehouse as her eggs are frozen and her voice is used by AI bots? Let alone Maz, far removed in time, diving for remnants of a past that must be destroyed? Is it by the river that runs through their stories, eternal yet constantly changing – or by the mysterious Hummingbird Project, and the great question of whether the march of progress can ever be reversed?
Propulsive, tender and engrossing, this genre-bending novel is a feast for the heart as well as the mind and senses. For fans of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, Michelle de Kretser’s The Life to Come and Jennifer Egan’s The Candy House, it confirms Mildenhall as one of the most ambitious and dynamic writers in the country.
One of the lucky few with a job during the Depression, Peggy’s just starting out in life. She’s a bagging girl at the Angliss meatworks, a place buzzing with life as well as death, where the gun slaughterman Jack has caught her eye – and she his.
How is her life connected to Hilda’s, almost a hundred years later, locked inside during a plague, or La’s, further on again, a singer working shifts in a warehouse as her eggs are frozen and her voice is used by AI bots? Let alone Maz, far removed in time, diving for remnants of a past that must be destroyed? Is it by the river that runs through their stories, eternal yet constantly changing – or by the mysterious Hummingbird Project, and the great question of whether the march of progress can ever be reversed?
Propulsive, tender and engrossing, this genre-bending novel is a feast for the heart as well as the mind and senses. For fans of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, Michelle de Kretser’s The Life to Come and Jennifer Egan’s The Candy House, it confirms Mildenhall as one of the most ambitious and dynamic writers in the country.
Migrations, Charlotte McConaghy
'An extraordinary novel... as beautiful and as wrenching as anything I've ever read.' Emily St John Mandel
'This novel is enchanting, but not in some safe, fairytale sense. Charlotte McConaghy has harnessed the rough magic that sears our souls. I recommend The Last Migration with my whole heart.' Geraldine Brooks
For readers of Station Eleven and Everything I Never Told You, a debut novel set on the brink of catastrophe, as a young woman chases the world's last birds - and her own final chance for redemption.
A dark past. An impossible journey. The will to survive.
How far you would you go for love? Franny Stone is determined to go to the end of the earth, following the last of the Arctic terns on what may be their final migration to Antarctica.
As animal populations plummet and commercial fishing faces prohibition, Franny talks her way onto one of the few remaining boats heading south. But as she and the eccentric crew travel further from shore and safety, the dark secrets of Franny's life begin to unspool. A daughter's yearning search for her mother. An impulsive, passionate marriage. A shocking crime. Haunted by love and violence, Franny must confront what she is really running towards - and from.
The Last Migration is a wild, gripping and deeply moving novel from a brilliant young writer. From the west coast of Ireland to Australia and remote Greenland, through crashing Atlantic swells to the bottom of the world, this is an ode to the wild places and creatures now threatened, and an epic story of the possibility of hope against all odds.
'Transporting' (New York Times) 'Hopeful' (Washington Post) 'Powerful' (Los Angeles Times) 'Thrilling' (TIME) 'Tantalizingly beautiful' (Elle) 'Suspenseful' (Vogue) 'Aching and poignant' (Guardian)
'This novel is enchanting, but not in some safe, fairytale sense. Charlotte McConaghy has harnessed the rough magic that sears our souls. I recommend The Last Migration with my whole heart.' Geraldine Brooks
For readers of Station Eleven and Everything I Never Told You, a debut novel set on the brink of catastrophe, as a young woman chases the world's last birds - and her own final chance for redemption.
A dark past. An impossible journey. The will to survive.
How far you would you go for love? Franny Stone is determined to go to the end of the earth, following the last of the Arctic terns on what may be their final migration to Antarctica.
As animal populations plummet and commercial fishing faces prohibition, Franny talks her way onto one of the few remaining boats heading south. But as she and the eccentric crew travel further from shore and safety, the dark secrets of Franny's life begin to unspool. A daughter's yearning search for her mother. An impulsive, passionate marriage. A shocking crime. Haunted by love and violence, Franny must confront what she is really running towards - and from.
The Last Migration is a wild, gripping and deeply moving novel from a brilliant young writer. From the west coast of Ireland to Australia and remote Greenland, through crashing Atlantic swells to the bottom of the world, this is an ode to the wild places and creatures now threatened, and an epic story of the possibility of hope against all odds.
'Transporting' (New York Times) 'Hopeful' (Washington Post) 'Powerful' (Los Angeles Times) 'Thrilling' (TIME) 'Tantalizingly beautiful' (Elle) 'Suspenseful' (Vogue) 'Aching and poignant' (Guardian)
Once There Were Wolves, Charlotte McConaghy
From the author of the international bestseller Migrations comes a pulse-pounding new novel set in the wild Scottish Highlands
'So damn good. A page-turner that makes you think and has a huge emotional impact.'
Jeff Vandermeer, New York Times bestselling author of Annihilation (via Twitter)
'Blazing . . . Visceral . . . Stunning.'
Los Angeles Times
Inti Flynn arrives in the Scottish Highlands with fourteen grey wolves, a traumatised sister and fierce tenacity.
As a biologist, she knows the animals are the best hope for rewilding the ruined landscape and she cares little for local opposition. As a sister, she hopes the remote project will offer her twin, Aggie, a chance to heal after the horrific events that drove them both out of Alaska.
But violence dogs their footsteps and one night Inti stumbles over the body of a farmer. Unable to accept that her wolves could be responsible, she makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn't make the kill, then who did? And can she trust the man she is beginning to love when he becomes the main suspect?
Propulsive and unforgettable, Once There Were Wolves is the spellbinding story of a woman desperate to save her family, the wild animals and the natural world she loves, at any cost.
'So damn good. A page-turner that makes you think and has a huge emotional impact.'
Jeff Vandermeer, New York Times bestselling author of Annihilation (via Twitter)
'Blazing . . . Visceral . . . Stunning.'
Los Angeles Times
Inti Flynn arrives in the Scottish Highlands with fourteen grey wolves, a traumatised sister and fierce tenacity.
As a biologist, she knows the animals are the best hope for rewilding the ruined landscape and she cares little for local opposition. As a sister, she hopes the remote project will offer her twin, Aggie, a chance to heal after the horrific events that drove them both out of Alaska.
But violence dogs their footsteps and one night Inti stumbles over the body of a farmer. Unable to accept that her wolves could be responsible, she makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn't make the kill, then who did? And can she trust the man she is beginning to love when he becomes the main suspect?
Propulsive and unforgettable, Once There Were Wolves is the spellbinding story of a woman desperate to save her family, the wild animals and the natural world she loves, at any cost.
Final Storm, Deborah Abela
Isabella and her friends have settled into life in New City, attending school and making new friends--including the charming, talented, and eminently humble Aleksander Larson. Isabella quickly finds herself leaning on Aleksander's friendship, a move that distances her friends, particularly Xavier. Meanwhile, the world's weather patterns are becoming increasingly erratic, and the Bureau of Weather and Climate has been failing to predict severe weather events--a failure that endangers the lives of those in New City and plunges the city into rumor and doubt. As a massive storm of ice and snow sets in, it seems the New City can no longer be the safe home its inhabitants need. As friendships, politics, and the weather become increasingly unstable, Isabella, Griffin, Xavier, and their friends must decide where their loyalties lie, face that which seems too good to be true, and once again save this new city they've decided to call their home.
The Overstory, Richard Powers
Moving through America’s history and its landscape, this is a wondrous, exhilarating novel about nine strangers brought together by an unfolding natural catastrophe.
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2019
SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A wondrous, exhilarating novel about nine strangers brought together by an unfolding natural catastrophe
‘Really, just one of the best novels, period’ Ann Patchett
‘The best book I’ve read in ten years’ Emma Thompson
‘Dazzlingly written’ Robert Macfarlane
‘Breathtaking’ Barbara Kingsolver
An artist inherits a hundred years of photographic portraits, all of the same doomed American chestnut. A hard-partying undergraduate in the late 1980s electrocutes herself, dies, and is sent back into life by creatures of air and light. A hearing- and speech-impaired scientist discovers that trees are communicating with one another. An Air Force crewmember in the Vietnam War is shot out of the sky, then saved by falling into a banyan.
This is the story of these and five other strangers, each summoned in different ways by the natural world, who are brought together in a last stand to save it from catastrophe.
‘It’s not possible for Powers to write an uninteresting book’
Margaret Atwood
‘The best… Should be mandatory reading the world over’
Emilia Clarke
‘It’s a masterpiece’
Tim Winton
‘Radical and exciting’
Jessie Burton
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2019
SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A wondrous, exhilarating novel about nine strangers brought together by an unfolding natural catastrophe
‘Really, just one of the best novels, period’ Ann Patchett
‘The best book I’ve read in ten years’ Emma Thompson
‘Dazzlingly written’ Robert Macfarlane
‘Breathtaking’ Barbara Kingsolver
An artist inherits a hundred years of photographic portraits, all of the same doomed American chestnut. A hard-partying undergraduate in the late 1980s electrocutes herself, dies, and is sent back into life by creatures of air and light. A hearing- and speech-impaired scientist discovers that trees are communicating with one another. An Air Force crewmember in the Vietnam War is shot out of the sky, then saved by falling into a banyan.
This is the story of these and five other strangers, each summoned in different ways by the natural world, who are brought together in a last stand to save it from catastrophe.
‘It’s not possible for Powers to write an uninteresting book’
Margaret Atwood
‘The best… Should be mandatory reading the world over’
Emilia Clarke
‘It’s a masterpiece’
Tim Winton
‘Radical and exciting’
Jessie Burton
Cloud Cuckoo Land, Anthony Doerr
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST
‘A dazzling epic of love, war and the joy of books’ Guardian
‘There is magic in this place … You just have to sit and breathe and wait and it will find you’
Fifteenth-century Constantinople. Present day Idaho. The future, and humanity’s last hope.
Across time and space, five young dreamers are bound by a single ancient text. Together, they tell a story of a world in peril; of the power of words, of resilience, and of hope against all odds.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See returns with a heart-breaking, magnificent epic of human connection and a love letter to storytelling itself.
‘Wonderment and despair, love and destruction and hope – all find their place in its sumptuously plotted pages’ Observer
‘Ingenious, hopeful and totally absorbing’ Financial Times
‘This engagingly written, big-hearted book is a must-read’ Daily Mirror
‘A dazzling epic of love, war and the joy of books’ Guardian
‘There is magic in this place … You just have to sit and breathe and wait and it will find you’
Fifteenth-century Constantinople. Present day Idaho. The future, and humanity’s last hope.
Across time and space, five young dreamers are bound by a single ancient text. Together, they tell a story of a world in peril; of the power of words, of resilience, and of hope against all odds.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See returns with a heart-breaking, magnificent epic of human connection and a love letter to storytelling itself.
‘Wonderment and despair, love and destruction and hope – all find their place in its sumptuously plotted pages’ Observer
‘Ingenious, hopeful and totally absorbing’ Financial Times
‘This engagingly written, big-hearted book is a must-read’ Daily Mirror
The Last Woman In The World, Inga Simpson
AFTER THE FIRES. AFTER THE VIRUS. THEY CAME. A remarkable literary novel from the multi-award-nominated Australian writer
It's night, and the walls of Rachel's home creak as they settle into the cover of darkness. Fear has led her to a reclusive life on the land, her only occasional contact with her sister.
A hammering on the door. There stands a mother, Hannah, with a sick baby. They are running for their lives from a mysterious death sweeping the Australian countryside.
Now Rachel must face her worst fears: should she take up the fight to help these strangers survive in a society she has rejected for so long?
From the critically acclaimed author of Mr Wigg and Nest, The Last Woman in the World looks at how we treat our world and each other - and what it is that might ultimately redeem us.
'creepy and chilling, this becomes a hell-for-leather survival race through burning countryside' The Observer
'enthralling . . . a powerful allegory . . . every passage swells with the momentum of an action-flick. Each page is shaped with an impressive, world-building cinematic scope' Jessie Tu, Sydney Morning Herald
'Simpson's page-turner layers precise nature writing with a conspiratorial tone for our times, turning in a gripping apocalyptic thriller that infects the sublime features of the landscape with primal fear' The Guardian
'Chilling in its warnings. Powerful' Good Reading
'This novel is fast-paced, adrenalin-fuelled - and dramatic enough to keep me reading into the night' Sarah L'Estrange, ABC Online
'Seat-of-your-pants gripping' ArtsHub
'This book is deeply affecting. Inga Simpson writes with literary brilliance. The Last Woman in the World is an action driven novel, but it is also intensely philosophical, a clever study of character and intensely beautiful. Many fine books have been published in Australia in the last couple of years . . . This is amongst the best. It will stay with me long after the last page was turned' Living Arts Canberra
'The Last Woman in the World is heart-racing, page-turning, hiding-under-the-doona stuff. A smart and pacey thriller that is also a lament for a world we have failed to care for.' Kate Mildenhall, bestselling author of The Mother Fault
'The Last Woman in the World is a novel of fear, fire and an uncertain future. A powerful narrative in Inga Simpson's unique voice. Horrifying, yet humane and ultimately hopeful - a masterwork' Angela Slatter, World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Bitterwood Bible
It's night, and the walls of Rachel's home creak as they settle into the cover of darkness. Fear has led her to a reclusive life on the land, her only occasional contact with her sister.
A hammering on the door. There stands a mother, Hannah, with a sick baby. They are running for their lives from a mysterious death sweeping the Australian countryside.
Now Rachel must face her worst fears: should she take up the fight to help these strangers survive in a society she has rejected for so long?
From the critically acclaimed author of Mr Wigg and Nest, The Last Woman in the World looks at how we treat our world and each other - and what it is that might ultimately redeem us.
'creepy and chilling, this becomes a hell-for-leather survival race through burning countryside' The Observer
'enthralling . . . a powerful allegory . . . every passage swells with the momentum of an action-flick. Each page is shaped with an impressive, world-building cinematic scope' Jessie Tu, Sydney Morning Herald
'Simpson's page-turner layers precise nature writing with a conspiratorial tone for our times, turning in a gripping apocalyptic thriller that infects the sublime features of the landscape with primal fear' The Guardian
'Chilling in its warnings. Powerful' Good Reading
'This novel is fast-paced, adrenalin-fuelled - and dramatic enough to keep me reading into the night' Sarah L'Estrange, ABC Online
'Seat-of-your-pants gripping' ArtsHub
'This book is deeply affecting. Inga Simpson writes with literary brilliance. The Last Woman in the World is an action driven novel, but it is also intensely philosophical, a clever study of character and intensely beautiful. Many fine books have been published in Australia in the last couple of years . . . This is amongst the best. It will stay with me long after the last page was turned' Living Arts Canberra
'The Last Woman in the World is heart-racing, page-turning, hiding-under-the-doona stuff. A smart and pacey thriller that is also a lament for a world we have failed to care for.' Kate Mildenhall, bestselling author of The Mother Fault
'The Last Woman in the World is a novel of fear, fire and an uncertain future. A powerful narrative in Inga Simpson's unique voice. Horrifying, yet humane and ultimately hopeful - a masterwork' Angela Slatter, World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Bitterwood Bible
Anthem, Noah Hawley
'Epic... Apart from being the Emmy award-winning creator of the superb television series Fargo, the American author Noah Hawley is a talented deviser of high-class literary thrillers... It's a fabulous worst-of-all-fears scenario... Hawley attacks his narrative from a broad, TV drama-ish viewpoint, assembling a large, intercutting cast of characters' - The Sunday Times
'Noah Hawley taps into our existential anxiety- and transforms it into a hefty page-turner that's equal parts horrific, catastrophic and, at times, strangely entertaining' - New York Times
'Terrifyingly good... Hawley is such an experienced storyteller...this book is nothing if not art imitating life' - Irish Sunday Independent
From the visionary bestselling author of Before the Fall and The Good Father, an epic literary thriller set where America is right now . . . and the world will be tomorrow.
America spins into chaos as the last remnants of political consensus break apart. Against a background of environmental disaster and opioid addiction, debate descends into violence and militias roam the streets - while teenagers across the world seem driven to self-destruction, communicating by memes only they can understand.
Yet the markets still tick up and the super-rich, like Ty Oliver, fly above the flames in private jets.
After the death of his daughter, Ty dispatches his son Simon to an Anxiety Abatement Center. There he encounters another boy called the Prophet. And the Prophet wants him to join a quest.
Before long, Simon is on the road with a crew of new comrades on a rescue mission as urgent as it is enigmatic. Suddenly heroes of their own story, they are crossing the country in search of a young woman held in a billionaire's retreat - and, just possibly, the only hope of escape from the apocalypse bequeathed to them by their parents' generation.
Noah Hawley's epic literary thriller, full of unforgettably vivid characters, finds unquenchable lights in the darkest corners. Uncannily topical and yet as timeless as a Grimm's fairy tale, this is a novel of excoriating power, raw emotion and narrative verve, confirming Hawley as one of the most essential writers of our time.
'Hawley makes this sing by combining the social commentary of a Margaret Atwood novel with the horrors of a Stephen King book' - Publishers Weekly
* * *
PRAISE FOR NOAH HAWLEY:
'He has an intuitive understanding of human behaviour and an instinctive grasp of plot that make him a master storyteller'
Guardian
'An addictive thriller whose thematic richness is reminiscent of Franzen'
The Sunday Times
'Noah Hawley taps into our existential anxiety- and transforms it into a hefty page-turner that's equal parts horrific, catastrophic and, at times, strangely entertaining' - New York Times
'Terrifyingly good... Hawley is such an experienced storyteller...this book is nothing if not art imitating life' - Irish Sunday Independent
From the visionary bestselling author of Before the Fall and The Good Father, an epic literary thriller set where America is right now . . . and the world will be tomorrow.
America spins into chaos as the last remnants of political consensus break apart. Against a background of environmental disaster and opioid addiction, debate descends into violence and militias roam the streets - while teenagers across the world seem driven to self-destruction, communicating by memes only they can understand.
Yet the markets still tick up and the super-rich, like Ty Oliver, fly above the flames in private jets.
After the death of his daughter, Ty dispatches his son Simon to an Anxiety Abatement Center. There he encounters another boy called the Prophet. And the Prophet wants him to join a quest.
Before long, Simon is on the road with a crew of new comrades on a rescue mission as urgent as it is enigmatic. Suddenly heroes of their own story, they are crossing the country in search of a young woman held in a billionaire's retreat - and, just possibly, the only hope of escape from the apocalypse bequeathed to them by their parents' generation.
Noah Hawley's epic literary thriller, full of unforgettably vivid characters, finds unquenchable lights in the darkest corners. Uncannily topical and yet as timeless as a Grimm's fairy tale, this is a novel of excoriating power, raw emotion and narrative verve, confirming Hawley as one of the most essential writers of our time.
'Hawley makes this sing by combining the social commentary of a Margaret Atwood novel with the horrors of a Stephen King book' - Publishers Weekly
* * *
PRAISE FOR NOAH HAWLEY:
'He has an intuitive understanding of human behaviour and an instinctive grasp of plot that make him a master storyteller'
Guardian
'An addictive thriller whose thematic richness is reminiscent of Franzen'
The Sunday Times
APOCALYPTIC:
Apocalyptic fiction takes place in a time where the world as we know it is coming to an end. Usually due to climate change, global warming, war or alien invasion. They are normally action packed and are an adventure book where the protagonists are trying to stop the demise of the world they live in.
Cold People, Tom Rob Smith
From the brilliant, bestselling author of Child 44 comes a suspenseful and fast-paced novel about a colony of global apocalypse survivors seeking to reinvent civilisation under the most extreme conditions imaginable.
The world has fallen. Without warning, a mysterious and omnipotent force has claimed the planet for their own. There are no negotiations, no demands, no reasons given for their actions. All they have is a message: humanity has thirty days to reach the one place on Earth where they will be allowed to exist… Antarctica.
Cold People follows the journeys of a handful of those who endure the frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. But their goal is not merely to survive the present. Because as they cling to life on the ice, the remnants of their past swept away, they must also confront the urgent challenge: can they change and evolve rapidly enough to ensure humanity’s future? Can they build a new society in the sub-zero cold?
Original and imaginative, as profoundly intimate as it is grand in scope, Cold People is a masterful and unforgettable epic.
The world has fallen. Without warning, a mysterious and omnipotent force has claimed the planet for their own. There are no negotiations, no demands, no reasons given for their actions. All they have is a message: humanity has thirty days to reach the one place on Earth where they will be allowed to exist… Antarctica.
Cold People follows the journeys of a handful of those who endure the frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. But their goal is not merely to survive the present. Because as they cling to life on the ice, the remnants of their past swept away, they must also confront the urgent challenge: can they change and evolve rapidly enough to ensure humanity’s future? Can they build a new society in the sub-zero cold?
Original and imaginative, as profoundly intimate as it is grand in scope, Cold People is a masterful and unforgettable epic.
The Ferryman, Justin Cronin
'Next to impossible to put down . . . exciting, mysterious, and totally satisfying.'
STEPHEN KING
*****
The islands of Prospera lie in a vast ocean: in splendid isolation from the rest of humanity, or whatever remains of it. . .
Citizens of the main island enjoy privileged lives, attended to by the support staff who live on a cramped neighbouring island, where whispers begin to grow into cries for revolution.
Meanwhile, life for Prosperans is perfection - and when it's not, their bodies are sent to the mysterious third island: a facility named The Nursery, to be rebooted and restart life afresh.
Proctor Bennett is a Ferryman, who shepherds the soon-to-be retired into the unknown. He never questioned his work until the day he is delivered a cryptic message:
"The world is not the world..."
These simple words unravel something that he has secretly suspected. They seep into strange dreams - of the stars and the sea - and the unshakeable feeling that someone is trying to tell him something important.
Something greater than anyone could possibly imagine, which could change the fate of humanity itself...
*****
'A mind-bending novel full of big ideas and a rollercoaster's worth of twists and turns - so powerful and thrilling!'
ANDY WEIR, author of The Martian
STEPHEN KING
*****
The islands of Prospera lie in a vast ocean: in splendid isolation from the rest of humanity, or whatever remains of it. . .
Citizens of the main island enjoy privileged lives, attended to by the support staff who live on a cramped neighbouring island, where whispers begin to grow into cries for revolution.
Meanwhile, life for Prosperans is perfection - and when it's not, their bodies are sent to the mysterious third island: a facility named The Nursery, to be rebooted and restart life afresh.
Proctor Bennett is a Ferryman, who shepherds the soon-to-be retired into the unknown. He never questioned his work until the day he is delivered a cryptic message:
"The world is not the world..."
These simple words unravel something that he has secretly suspected. They seep into strange dreams - of the stars and the sea - and the unshakeable feeling that someone is trying to tell him something important.
Something greater than anyone could possibly imagine, which could change the fate of humanity itself...
*****
'A mind-bending novel full of big ideas and a rollercoaster's worth of twists and turns - so powerful and thrilling!'
ANDY WEIR, author of The Martian
Prophet Song, Paul Lynch
On a dark, wet evening in Dublin, scientist and mother-of-four Eilish Stack answers her front door to find the GNSB on her doorstep. Two officers from Ireland’s newly formed secret police want to speak with her husband, Larry, a trade unionist for the Teachers’ Union of Ireland. Things are falling apart. Ireland is in the grip of a government that is taking a turn towards tyranny. And as the blood-dimmed tide is loosed, Eilish finds herself caught within the nightmare logic of a collapsing society — assailed by unpredictable forces beyond her control and forced to do whatever it takes to keep her family together.
Exhilarating, terrifying, propulsive and confrontational, Prophet Song is a work of breathtaking originality and devastating insight, a novel that can be read as a parable of the present, the future and the past.
Exhilarating, terrifying, propulsive and confrontational, Prophet Song is a work of breathtaking originality and devastating insight, a novel that can be read as a parable of the present, the future and the past.
Fantastic Hope, Laurell K.Hamilton
A collection of sixteen sci-fi and fantasy stories edited by No.1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton and author William McCaskey.
A child's wish for her father comes true. The end of the world has never been so much fun. Conquering personal demons becomes all too real. It's not always about winning; sometimes it's about showing up for the fight. It's about loving your life's work, and jobs that make you question everything.
In this anthology, seventeen authors have woven together brand-new stories that speak to the darkness and despair that life brings while reminding us that good deeds, humour, love, sacrifice, dedication and following our joy can ignite a light that burns so bright the darkness cannot last.
Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey are joined by Kevin J. Anderson, Griffin Barber, Patricia Briggs, Larry Correia, Kacey Ezell, Monalisa Foster, Robert E. Hampson, John G. Hartness, Jonathan Maberry, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Jessica Schlenker, Sharon Shinn, M. C. Sumner, Patrick M. Tracy and Michael Z. Williamson in this collection.
A child's wish for her father comes true. The end of the world has never been so much fun. Conquering personal demons becomes all too real. It's not always about winning; sometimes it's about showing up for the fight. It's about loving your life's work, and jobs that make you question everything.
In this anthology, seventeen authors have woven together brand-new stories that speak to the darkness and despair that life brings while reminding us that good deeds, humour, love, sacrifice, dedication and following our joy can ignite a light that burns so bright the darkness cannot last.
Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey are joined by Kevin J. Anderson, Griffin Barber, Patricia Briggs, Larry Correia, Kacey Ezell, Monalisa Foster, Robert E. Hampson, John G. Hartness, Jonathan Maberry, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Jessica Schlenker, Sharon Shinn, M. C. Sumner, Patrick M. Tracy and Michael Z. Williamson in this collection.
Anthem, Noah Hawley
'Epic... Apart from being the Emmy award-winning creator of the superb television series Fargo, the American author Noah Hawley is a talented deviser of high-class literary thrillers... It's a fabulous worst-of-all-fears scenario... Hawley attacks his narrative from a broad, TV drama-ish viewpoint, assembling a large, intercutting cast of characters' - The Sunday Times
'Noah Hawley taps into our existential anxiety- and transforms it into a hefty page-turner that's equal parts horrific, catastrophic and, at times, strangely entertaining' - New York Times
'Terrifyingly good... Hawley is such an experienced storyteller...this book is nothing if not art imitating life' - Irish Sunday Independent
From the visionary bestselling author of Before the Fall and The Good Father, an epic literary thriller set where America is right now . . . and the world will be tomorrow.
America spins into chaos as the last remnants of political consensus break apart. Against a background of environmental disaster and opioid addiction, debate descends into violence and militias roam the streets - while teenagers across the world seem driven to self-destruction, communicating by memes only they can understand.
Yet the markets still tick up and the super-rich, like Ty Oliver, fly above the flames in private jets.
After the death of his daughter, Ty dispatches his son Simon to an Anxiety Abatement Center. There he encounters another boy called the Prophet. And the Prophet wants him to join a quest.
Before long, Simon is on the road with a crew of new comrades on a rescue mission as urgent as it is enigmatic. Suddenly heroes of their own story, they are crossing the country in search of a young woman held in a billionaire's retreat - and, just possibly, the only hope of escape from the apocalypse bequeathed to them by their parents' generation.
Noah Hawley's epic literary thriller, full of unforgettably vivid characters, finds unquenchable lights in the darkest corners. Uncannily topical and yet as timeless as a Grimm's fairy tale, this is a novel of excoriating power, raw emotion and narrative verve, confirming Hawley as one of the most essential writers of our time.
'Hawley makes this sing by combining the social commentary of a Margaret Atwood novel with the horrors of a Stephen King book' - Publishers Weekly
'Noah Hawley taps into our existential anxiety- and transforms it into a hefty page-turner that's equal parts horrific, catastrophic and, at times, strangely entertaining' - New York Times
'Terrifyingly good... Hawley is such an experienced storyteller...this book is nothing if not art imitating life' - Irish Sunday Independent
From the visionary bestselling author of Before the Fall and The Good Father, an epic literary thriller set where America is right now . . . and the world will be tomorrow.
America spins into chaos as the last remnants of political consensus break apart. Against a background of environmental disaster and opioid addiction, debate descends into violence and militias roam the streets - while teenagers across the world seem driven to self-destruction, communicating by memes only they can understand.
Yet the markets still tick up and the super-rich, like Ty Oliver, fly above the flames in private jets.
After the death of his daughter, Ty dispatches his son Simon to an Anxiety Abatement Center. There he encounters another boy called the Prophet. And the Prophet wants him to join a quest.
Before long, Simon is on the road with a crew of new comrades on a rescue mission as urgent as it is enigmatic. Suddenly heroes of their own story, they are crossing the country in search of a young woman held in a billionaire's retreat - and, just possibly, the only hope of escape from the apocalypse bequeathed to them by their parents' generation.
Noah Hawley's epic literary thriller, full of unforgettably vivid characters, finds unquenchable lights in the darkest corners. Uncannily topical and yet as timeless as a Grimm's fairy tale, this is a novel of excoriating power, raw emotion and narrative verve, confirming Hawley as one of the most essential writers of our time.
'Hawley makes this sing by combining the social commentary of a Margaret Atwood novel with the horrors of a Stephen King book' - Publishers Weekly
The Other Side Of The Sky, Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Two worlds, two hearts and a choice that will shape their fate forever.
Janus is a world divided: above the surface float the gleaming sky-cities held aloft by massive, technologically advanced engines. In the shadows beneath is an older, darker world, full of flooded byways and ancient temples governed by magic and faith.
When Prince North of Ciel falls from the sky in a terrible glider malfunction, one person sees his fiery descent like a falling star: Nimh, a goddess incarnate, searching for a way to save her struggling people. His fall fulfils an ancient prophecy in the world Below, and the two strike up a wary alliance - Nimh, so that she can fulfil her destiny and save her people, and North so that he can return to the other side of the sky and take his place as heir to the throne.
As North struggles to believe in the superstition and spellcraft rampant on the world's surface, Nimh discovers a terrifying truth about the prophecy binding them together: that North's fall may foretell the end of both worlds. With renegade magicians and fanatic cultists out for Nimh's blood, and the ever-looming question of whether North's fall was accident or betrayal, the two must stay alive long enough to seek the truth about both their worlds. Forbidden by divine law to touch, but bound together by fate and the increasingly strong pull of their own hearts, they forge a path together toward the fate of the world: to save it, or to end it.
Janus is a world divided: above the surface float the gleaming sky-cities held aloft by massive, technologically advanced engines. In the shadows beneath is an older, darker world, full of flooded byways and ancient temples governed by magic and faith.
When Prince North of Ciel falls from the sky in a terrible glider malfunction, one person sees his fiery descent like a falling star: Nimh, a goddess incarnate, searching for a way to save her struggling people. His fall fulfils an ancient prophecy in the world Below, and the two strike up a wary alliance - Nimh, so that she can fulfil her destiny and save her people, and North so that he can return to the other side of the sky and take his place as heir to the throne.
As North struggles to believe in the superstition and spellcraft rampant on the world's surface, Nimh discovers a terrifying truth about the prophecy binding them together: that North's fall may foretell the end of both worlds. With renegade magicians and fanatic cultists out for Nimh's blood, and the ever-looming question of whether North's fall was accident or betrayal, the two must stay alive long enough to seek the truth about both their worlds. Forbidden by divine law to touch, but bound together by fate and the increasingly strong pull of their own hearts, they forge a path together toward the fate of the world: to save it, or to end it.
Beyond The End Of The World, Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Compelling and magnetic, this much-anticipated sequel to New York Times bestselling authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner's The Other Side of the Sky has something for every reader: a star-crossed love full of tantalising longing, unique and immersive new worlds to explore, and nonstop thrills that escalate into an unforgettably electric conclusion.
Time to stop Inshara. Time to find a way between worlds. Time to find each other again.
Nimh still holds on to her divinity, if only by a thread. In her final confrontation with Inshara, the woman determined to take her place and rule Nimh's kingdom, both Nimh and her enemy were sent to the world above, in the cloudlands.
Now North looks to the sky, left behind on the surface world. Desperate for a chance to join the girl he loves and save his world, North will stop at nothing to find a way back to his home in the sky-city of Ciel. Before it's too late to save anyone.
But more awaits them in the world above than North or Nimh could ever expect. And as they come together and team up with allies from above and below, they face an ultimate test of their bond, their abilities, and their belief in each other in a quest to save their worlds.
PRAISE FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SKY
'A vivid and compulsive thriller set in a beautiful, perilous world of myths and treachery. You won't want to put it down.' Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
'I was left breathless by the book's twists and turns, and was unprepared for the ending - it blew me away. Stop everything and read it!' C.S. Pacat, bestselling author of Dark Rise and the Captive Prince series
Time to stop Inshara. Time to find a way between worlds. Time to find each other again.
Nimh still holds on to her divinity, if only by a thread. In her final confrontation with Inshara, the woman determined to take her place and rule Nimh's kingdom, both Nimh and her enemy were sent to the world above, in the cloudlands.
Now North looks to the sky, left behind on the surface world. Desperate for a chance to join the girl he loves and save his world, North will stop at nothing to find a way back to his home in the sky-city of Ciel. Before it's too late to save anyone.
But more awaits them in the world above than North or Nimh could ever expect. And as they come together and team up with allies from above and below, they face an ultimate test of their bond, their abilities, and their belief in each other in a quest to save their worlds.
PRAISE FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SKY
'A vivid and compulsive thriller set in a beautiful, perilous world of myths and treachery. You won't want to put it down.' Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series
'I was left breathless by the book's twists and turns, and was unprepared for the ending - it blew me away. Stop everything and read it!' C.S. Pacat, bestselling author of Dark Rise and the Captive Prince series
The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey
The 1st Wave took out half a million people. The 2nd Wave put that number to shame. The 3rd Wave lasted a little longer. Twelve weeks . . . Four billion dead.
In the 4th Wave you can't trust that people are still people. And the 5th Wave? No one knows. But it's coming. On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs. Runs from the beings that only look human, who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope. Now Cassie must choose- between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death.
'Wildly entertaining . . . the pages turn themselves.' Justin Cronin, New York Times
'Nothing short of amazing.' Kirkus Reviews
'A modern sci-fi masterpiece . . . ' USA Today
'Chilling.' Sun
'The pace is relentless.' Heat
'Action-packed.' MTV.com
In the 4th Wave you can't trust that people are still people. And the 5th Wave? No one knows. But it's coming. On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs. Runs from the beings that only look human, who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope. Now Cassie must choose- between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death.
'Wildly entertaining . . . the pages turn themselves.' Justin Cronin, New York Times
'Nothing short of amazing.' Kirkus Reviews
'A modern sci-fi masterpiece . . . ' USA Today
'Chilling.' Sun
'The pace is relentless.' Heat
'Action-packed.' MTV.com
The Infinite Sea, Rick Yancey
How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity. Cassie Sullivan and her companions lived through the Others' four waves of destruction. Now, with the human race nearly exterminated and the 5th Wave rolling across the landscape, they face a choice- brace for winter and hope for Evan Walker's return, or set out in search of other survivors before the enemy closes in. Because the next attack is more than possible - it's inevitable. No one can anticipate the depths to which the Others will sink - nor the heights to which humanity will rise . . . 'Wildly entertaining . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.' New York Times
The Last Star, Rick Yancey
"The enemy is other. The enemy is us. They're down here . . . they're up there . . . they're nowhere. They want the Earth; they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out; they came to save us. But beneath these riddles lies one truth- Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Betrayed first by the Others, and now by ourselves. In these last days, Earth's remaining survivors will need to decide what's more important- saving themselves . . . or saving what makes us human."
DYSTOPIAN/ POST-APOCALYPTIC:
The opposite of a Utopian society a Dystopia is a society in which its inhabitants live in fear, poor conditions and are normally controlled or dehumanised. A Post-Apocalyptic novel is set in a world where civilisation as we know it has ended and the characters are trying to survive in the aftermath.
The Ferryman, Justin Cronin
'Next to impossible to put down . . . exciting, mysterious, and totally satisfying.'
STEPHEN KING
*****
The islands of Prospera lie in a vast ocean: in splendid isolation from the rest of humanity, or whatever remains of it. . .
Citizens of the main island enjoy privileged lives, attended to by the support staff who live on a cramped neighbouring island, where whispers begin to grow into cries for revolution.
Meanwhile, life for Prosperans is perfection - and when it's not, their bodies are sent to the mysterious third island: a facility named The Nursery, to be rebooted and restart life afresh.
Proctor Bennett is a Ferryman, who shepherds the soon-to-be retired into the unknown. He never questioned his work until the day he is delivered a cryptic message:
"The world is not the world..."
These simple words unravel something that he has secretly suspected. They seep into strange dreams - of the stars and the sea - and the unshakeable feeling that someone is trying to tell him something important.
Something greater than anyone could possibly imagine, which could change the fate of humanity itself...
*****
'A mind-bending novel full of big ideas and a rollercoaster's worth of twists and turns - so powerful and thrilling!'
ANDY WEIR, author of The Martian
STEPHEN KING
*****
The islands of Prospera lie in a vast ocean: in splendid isolation from the rest of humanity, or whatever remains of it. . .
Citizens of the main island enjoy privileged lives, attended to by the support staff who live on a cramped neighbouring island, where whispers begin to grow into cries for revolution.
Meanwhile, life for Prosperans is perfection - and when it's not, their bodies are sent to the mysterious third island: a facility named The Nursery, to be rebooted and restart life afresh.
Proctor Bennett is a Ferryman, who shepherds the soon-to-be retired into the unknown. He never questioned his work until the day he is delivered a cryptic message:
"The world is not the world..."
These simple words unravel something that he has secretly suspected. They seep into strange dreams - of the stars and the sea - and the unshakeable feeling that someone is trying to tell him something important.
Something greater than anyone could possibly imagine, which could change the fate of humanity itself...
*****
'A mind-bending novel full of big ideas and a rollercoaster's worth of twists and turns - so powerful and thrilling!'
ANDY WEIR, author of The Martian
The Marriage Act, John Marrs
From the bestselling author of THE ONE, now an eight-part NETFLIX series. Set in the same world as THE ONE, THE MARRIAGE ACT is a dark, high-concept thriller.
‘One of the most exciting original thriller writers’ Simon Kernick
What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?
Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills – the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.
But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.
BLACK MIRROR meets thriller with a dash of Naomi Alderman’s THE POWER.
Praise for John Marrs:
‘Marrs is brilliant at twists . . . for the addicts of adrenaline-fuelled twisty rides’ – Peter James
‘Another savagely clever near-future thriller. Provocative, terrifying and compulsive. If you loved The One, you’ll love this!’ – Cara Hunter
‘A tense, thrilling read – I found it impossible to put down. It’s dark and twisted, and I loved it’ – Alex Michaelides, bestselling author of The Silent Patient
‘dark, twisted, and full of surprises’ – Mark Edwards, bestselling author of Here to Stay and The Retreat
‘One of the most exciting original thriller writers’ Simon Kernick
What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?
Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills – the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.
But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.
BLACK MIRROR meets thriller with a dash of Naomi Alderman’s THE POWER.
Praise for John Marrs:
‘Marrs is brilliant at twists . . . for the addicts of adrenaline-fuelled twisty rides’ – Peter James
‘Another savagely clever near-future thriller. Provocative, terrifying and compulsive. If you loved The One, you’ll love this!’ – Cara Hunter
‘A tense, thrilling read – I found it impossible to put down. It’s dark and twisted, and I loved it’ – Alex Michaelides, bestselling author of The Silent Patient
‘dark, twisted, and full of surprises’ – Mark Edwards, bestselling author of Here to Stay and The Retreat
The Snow Laundry (The Tower, #1), Mette Jakobsen
With the intensity of The Handmaid's Tale, the drama of Divergent and the political intrigue of The Darkest Minds series, this is a captivating, fast-paced thriller set in a dystopian world not so different from our own.
Sixteen-year-old Ally is one of 400 homeless young people who have been promised new and better lives in exchange for their votes.
The once homeless children and teenagers are now warm and fed. But they are forced to work for the new administration - and their new home is really a prison.
When Ally's boyfriend Bon vanishes into thin air, her search for him leads her to discovering that the homeless kids are really lab rats intended for scientific testing. And as Ally delves deeper into her search for Bon, she learns the frightening truth behind his disappearance.
Sixteen-year-old Ally is one of 400 homeless young people who have been promised new and better lives in exchange for their votes.
The once homeless children and teenagers are now warm and fed. But they are forced to work for the new administration - and their new home is really a prison.
When Ally's boyfriend Bon vanishes into thin air, her search for him leads her to discovering that the homeless kids are really lab rats intended for scientific testing. And as Ally delves deeper into her search for Bon, she learns the frightening truth behind his disappearance.
Fireflies In Flight (The Tower, #2), Mette Jakobsen
With the intensity of The Handmaid's Tale, the drama of Divergent and the political intrigue of The Darkest Minds series, this is a captivating, fast-paced thriller set in a dystopian world not so different from our own.
Ally is on the run.
The city is in ruins.
Her friends are in mortal danger.
Nothing about being back in the city is easy, but Ally knows that she must find the missing research before ONE does. The Administration has tight control of the capital and there are eyes everywhere.
As tension builds in the city, Ally learns that the go-ahead has already been given to start the deadly experiments on her friends who are still locked up in the Towers.
In a race against time, Ally is forced to risk everything. Will she be able to find the hidden research? Can she get back to the Towers to save her friends before it's too late?
And can she really trust Josh, the handsome resistance group leader?
This powerful conclusion to The Snow Laundry draws you into Ally's world: a dystopian tyranny not so different to our own.
Praise for The Snow Laundry
'An utterly gripping tale of strength and survival in dark times'
—Amie Kaufman
' ... a valuable addition to the Australian dystopian YA tradition'
—Books and Publishing
' ...a must-read for YA readers who love a fast-paced, futuristic read.'
—Better Reading
Highly recommended.'
—ReadPlus
Ally is on the run.
The city is in ruins.
Her friends are in mortal danger.
Nothing about being back in the city is easy, but Ally knows that she must find the missing research before ONE does. The Administration has tight control of the capital and there are eyes everywhere.
As tension builds in the city, Ally learns that the go-ahead has already been given to start the deadly experiments on her friends who are still locked up in the Towers.
In a race against time, Ally is forced to risk everything. Will she be able to find the hidden research? Can she get back to the Towers to save her friends before it's too late?
And can she really trust Josh, the handsome resistance group leader?
This powerful conclusion to The Snow Laundry draws you into Ally's world: a dystopian tyranny not so different to our own.
Praise for The Snow Laundry
'An utterly gripping tale of strength and survival in dark times'
—Amie Kaufman
' ... a valuable addition to the Australian dystopian YA tradition'
—Books and Publishing
' ...a must-read for YA readers who love a fast-paced, futuristic read.'
—Better Reading
Highly recommended.'
—ReadPlus
Some Desperate Glory, Emily Tesh
'This book is astoundingly good. An explosive and extraordinary story that I couldn't stop reading and will never forget' Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit
All her life, Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the destruction of planet Earth. Raised on Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet.
Then Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to the nursery to bear sons, and she knows she must take humanity's revenge into her own hands. Alongside her brother's brilliant but seditious friend and a lonely, captive alien, Kyr must escape from everything she's ever known. If she succeeds, she will find a universe far more complicated than she was taught and far more wondrous than she could ever have imagined
Some Desperate Glory the highly anticipated debut novel from Astounding Award and World Fantasy Award-Winner, Emily Tesh; a thrillingly told space opera about the wreckage of war, the family you find, and the path you must forge when every choice is stripped from you.
'A profoundly humane and brilliantly constructed space opera that will have you cheering, swearing, laughing, and ugly-crying. It's perfect' Alix E. Harrow, New York Times-bestselling author of The Once and Future Witches
'Masterful, audacious storytelling. Relentless, unsentimental, a completely wild ride' Tamsyn Muir, New York Times-bestselling author of The Locked Tomb series
All her life, Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the destruction of planet Earth. Raised on Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet.
Then Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to the nursery to bear sons, and she knows she must take humanity's revenge into her own hands. Alongside her brother's brilliant but seditious friend and a lonely, captive alien, Kyr must escape from everything she's ever known. If she succeeds, she will find a universe far more complicated than she was taught and far more wondrous than she could ever have imagined
Some Desperate Glory the highly anticipated debut novel from Astounding Award and World Fantasy Award-Winner, Emily Tesh; a thrillingly told space opera about the wreckage of war, the family you find, and the path you must forge when every choice is stripped from you.
'A profoundly humane and brilliantly constructed space opera that will have you cheering, swearing, laughing, and ugly-crying. It's perfect' Alix E. Harrow, New York Times-bestselling author of The Once and Future Witches
'Masterful, audacious storytelling. Relentless, unsentimental, a completely wild ride' Tamsyn Muir, New York Times-bestselling author of The Locked Tomb series
The Hunger Games Adult Edition, Suzanne Collins
Set in a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place.
Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called The Hunger Games.
There is only one rule: kill or be killed.
When sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her younger sisters place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before.
For her, survival is second nature.
Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called The Hunger Games.
There is only one rule: kill or be killed.
When sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her younger sisters place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before.
For her, survival is second nature.
Catching Fire Adult Edition, Suzanne Collins
After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta return to their district, hoping for a peaceful future.
But their victory has caused rebellion to break out ... and the Capitol has decided that someone must pay.
As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitols Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.
Then comes the cruellest twist: the contestants for the next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced into the arena once more.
But their victory has caused rebellion to break out ... and the Capitol has decided that someone must pay.
As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitols Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.
Then comes the cruellest twist: the contestants for the next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced into the arena once more.
Mockingjay Adult Edition, Suzanne Collins
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she has made it out of the bloody arena alive, she is still not safe.
The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
Who do they think should pay for the unrest?
Katniss.
And what is worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.
The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
Who do they think should pay for the unrest?
Katniss.
And what is worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.
Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi
X-Men meets The Handmaid's Tale in this first instalment in an epic and romantic YA fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Victoria Aveyard's The Red Queen, Netflix's Stranger Things and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.
A fragile young teenage girl is held captive. Locked in a cell by The Reestablishment - a harsh dictatorship in charge of a crumbling world. This is no ordinary teenager. Juliette is a threat to The Reestablishment's power. A touch from her can kill - one touch is all it takes. But not only is she a threat, she is potentially the most powerful weapon they could have. Juliette has never fought for herself before but when she's reunited with the one person who ever cared about her, the depth of the emotion and the power within her become explosive ...
'Addictive, intense, and oozing with romance. I'm envious. I couldn't put it down.' - Lauren Kate, New York Times bestselling author of Fallen
'Dangerous, sexy, romantic and intense. I dare you to stop reading!' - Kami Garcia, bestselling author of the Beautiful Creatures series
'A thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love, the Shatter Me series is a must-read for fans of dystopian young-adult literature-or any literature!' - Ransom Riggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
A fragile young teenage girl is held captive. Locked in a cell by The Reestablishment - a harsh dictatorship in charge of a crumbling world. This is no ordinary teenager. Juliette is a threat to The Reestablishment's power. A touch from her can kill - one touch is all it takes. But not only is she a threat, she is potentially the most powerful weapon they could have. Juliette has never fought for herself before but when she's reunited with the one person who ever cared about her, the depth of the emotion and the power within her become explosive ...
'Addictive, intense, and oozing with romance. I'm envious. I couldn't put it down.' - Lauren Kate, New York Times bestselling author of Fallen
'Dangerous, sexy, romantic and intense. I dare you to stop reading!' - Kami Garcia, bestselling author of the Beautiful Creatures series
'A thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love, the Shatter Me series is a must-read for fans of dystopian young-adult literature-or any literature!' - Ransom Riggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Unravel Me, Tahereh Mafi
X-Men meets The Handmaid's Tale in this second instalment in an epic and romantic YA fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Victoria Aveyard's The Red Queen, Netflix's Stranger Things and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.
It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her deadly power has left her shaken, wondering why her ultimate defense mechanism failed against the person she most needs protection from.
She and Adam were able to escape Warner's clutches and join up with a group of rebels, many of whom have powers of their own. Juliette will finally be able to actively fight against The Reestablishment and try to fix her broken world. And perhaps these new allies can help her shed light on the secret behind Adam's-and Warner's-immunity to her killer skin.
Juliette's world is packed with high-stakes action and tantalising romance, perfect for fans of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and the Darkest Minds trilogy by Alexandra Bracken.
Ransom Riggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, raved: "A thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love, the Shatter Me series is a must-read for fans of dystopian young-adult literature-or any literature!"
It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her deadly power has left her shaken, wondering why her ultimate defense mechanism failed against the person she most needs protection from.
She and Adam were able to escape Warner's clutches and join up with a group of rebels, many of whom have powers of their own. Juliette will finally be able to actively fight against The Reestablishment and try to fix her broken world. And perhaps these new allies can help her shed light on the secret behind Adam's-and Warner's-immunity to her killer skin.
Juliette's world is packed with high-stakes action and tantalising romance, perfect for fans of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and the Darkest Minds trilogy by Alexandra Bracken.
Ransom Riggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, raved: "A thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love, the Shatter Me series is a must-read for fans of dystopian young-adult literature-or any literature!"
SCI-FI CRIME/THRILLERS:
Circle Of Death, James Patterson, Brian Sitts
A gripping vigilante thriller - inspired by a series of gaphic novels - featuring a powerful hero on the trail of a villain whose deadly plot could overturn the world order.
Since Lamont Cranston - known to a select few as the Shadow - defeated Shiwan Khan and ended his reign of terror over New York one year ago, the city has started to regenerate.
But there is evil brewing elsewhere. And this time the entire world is under threat.
Which is why Lamont has scoured the globe to assemble a team with unmatched talent.
Only their combined powers can foil an enemy with ambitions and abilities beyond anyone's deepest fears.
As their mission takes them across the globe and into the highest corridors of power - pushing them beyond their limits - can justice prevail?
PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON-
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'Patterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination' New York Times Book Review
'A writer with an unusual skill at thriller plotting' The Guardian
'The master storyteller of our times' Hillary Rodham Clinton
'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades' Lee Child
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' Ian Rankin
'It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer ... Simply put- nobody does it better' Jeffrey Deaver
Since Lamont Cranston - known to a select few as the Shadow - defeated Shiwan Khan and ended his reign of terror over New York one year ago, the city has started to regenerate.
But there is evil brewing elsewhere. And this time the entire world is under threat.
Which is why Lamont has scoured the globe to assemble a team with unmatched talent.
Only their combined powers can foil an enemy with ambitions and abilities beyond anyone's deepest fears.
As their mission takes them across the globe and into the highest corridors of power - pushing them beyond their limits - can justice prevail?
PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON-
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'Patterson knows where our deepest fears are buried... there's no stopping his imagination' New York Times Book Review
'A writer with an unusual skill at thriller plotting' The Guardian
'The master storyteller of our times' Hillary Rodham Clinton
'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades' Lee Child
'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind' Michael Connelly
'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' Ian Rankin
'It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer ... Simply put- nobody does it better' Jeffrey Deaver
The Big Dark Sky, Dean Koontz
A group of strangers bound by terrifying synchronicity becomes humankind's hope of survival in an exhilarating, twist-filled novel by Dean Koontz, the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.
As a girl, Joanna Chase thrived on Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana until tragedy upended her life. Now thirty-four and living in Santa Fe with only misty memories of the past, she begins to receive pleas--by phone, through her TV, in her dreams: I am in a dark place, Jojo. Please come and help me. Heeding the disturbing appeals, Joanna is compelled to return to Montana, and to a strange childhood companion she had long forgotten.
She isn't the only one drawn to the Montana farmstead. People from all walks of life have converged at the remote ranch. They are haunted, on the run, obsessed, and seeking answers to the same omniscient danger Joanna came to confront. All the while, on the outskirts of Rustling Willows, a madman lurks with a vision to save the future. Mass murder is the only way to see his frightening manifesto come to pass.
Through a bizarre twist of seemingly coincidental circumstances, a band of strangers now find themselves under Montana's big dark sky. Their lives entwined, they face an encroaching horror. Unless they can defeat this threat, it will spell the end for humanity.
As a girl, Joanna Chase thrived on Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana until tragedy upended her life. Now thirty-four and living in Santa Fe with only misty memories of the past, she begins to receive pleas--by phone, through her TV, in her dreams: I am in a dark place, Jojo. Please come and help me. Heeding the disturbing appeals, Joanna is compelled to return to Montana, and to a strange childhood companion she had long forgotten.
She isn't the only one drawn to the Montana farmstead. People from all walks of life have converged at the remote ranch. They are haunted, on the run, obsessed, and seeking answers to the same omniscient danger Joanna came to confront. All the while, on the outskirts of Rustling Willows, a madman lurks with a vision to save the future. Mass murder is the only way to see his frightening manifesto come to pass.
Through a bizarre twist of seemingly coincidental circumstances, a band of strangers now find themselves under Montana's big dark sky. Their lives entwined, they face an encroaching horror. Unless they can defeat this threat, it will spell the end for humanity.
Dark Matter, Blake Crouch
From Blake Crouch, the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is a New York Times bestselling tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human - a relentlessly surprising thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.'Are you happy in your life?'Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakes to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before the man he's never met smiles down at him and says, 'Welcome back.'In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.Is it this world or the other that's the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined - one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.From the author of the bestselling 'Wayward Pines' trilogy, Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human - a relentlessly surprising thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.
Upgrade, Blake Crouch
Upgrade is the new mind-bending thriller from Blake Crouch, author of the bestselling Dark Matter and Recursion.
"You are the next step in human evolution. . ."
At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep. But before long, he can’t deny it: something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him, even those he loves most, in whole new ways.
The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy. Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one to inflict the same changes on humanity at large, and at a terrifying cost. Because of what Logan’s becoming, he’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution…
"You are the next step in human evolution. . ."
At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep. But before long, he can’t deny it: something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him, even those he loves most, in whole new ways.
The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy. Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one to inflict the same changes on humanity at large, and at a terrifying cost. Because of what Logan’s becoming, he’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution…
Abandon, Blake Crouch
A century-old mystery - and a desperate battle to survive. Abandon is a compulsive standalone thriller from Blake Crouch, the New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter and Recursion.
A century-old mystery, and a desperate battle to survive . . .
On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman, and child in a remote mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins, and not a single bone found.
Now, journalist Abigail Foster and her historian father have set out to explore the long-abandoned town and learn what happened. With them are two backcountry guides along with a psychic and a paranormal photographer who are there to investigate rumours that the town is haunted.
But Abigail and her companions are about to learn that the town’s ghosts are the least of their worries. Twenty miles from civilization, with a blizzard bearing down, they realize they are not alone.
The ordeal that follows will test this small team past the breaking point as they battle the elements and human foes alike and discover that the town’s secrets still have the power to kill.
Part journey into old-West history, part nail-biting survival thriller, Abandon is a bloody, darkly surprising tale as only Blake Crouch could deliver.
A century-old mystery, and a desperate battle to survive . . .
On Christmas Day in 1893, every man, woman, and child in a remote mining town disappeared, belongings forsaken, meals left to freeze in vacant cabins, and not a single bone found.
Now, journalist Abigail Foster and her historian father have set out to explore the long-abandoned town and learn what happened. With them are two backcountry guides along with a psychic and a paranormal photographer who are there to investigate rumours that the town is haunted.
But Abigail and her companions are about to learn that the town’s ghosts are the least of their worries. Twenty miles from civilization, with a blizzard bearing down, they realize they are not alone.
The ordeal that follows will test this small team past the breaking point as they battle the elements and human foes alike and discover that the town’s secrets still have the power to kill.
Part journey into old-West history, part nail-biting survival thriller, Abandon is a bloody, darkly surprising tale as only Blake Crouch could deliver.
Constance, Matthew FitzSimmons
A breakthrough in human cloning becomes one woman’s waking nightmare in a mind-bending thriller by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Gibson Vaughn series.
In the near future, advances in medicine and quantum computing make human cloning a reality. For the wealthy, cheating death is the ultimate luxury. To anti-cloning militants, it’s an abomination against nature. For young Constance 'Con' D’Arcy, who was gifted her own clone by her late aunt, it’s terrifying.
After a routine monthly upload of her consciousness — stored for that inevitable transition — something goes wrong. When Con wakes up in the clinic, it’s eighteen months later. Her recent memories are missing. Her original, she’s told, is dead. If that’s true, what does that make her?
The secrets of Con’s disorienting new life are buried deep. So are those of how and why she died. To uncover the truth, Con is retracing the last days she can recall, crossing paths with a detective who’s just as curious. On the run, she needs someone she can trust. Because only one thing has become clear: Con is being marked for murder — all over again.
In the near future, advances in medicine and quantum computing make human cloning a reality. For the wealthy, cheating death is the ultimate luxury. To anti-cloning militants, it’s an abomination against nature. For young Constance 'Con' D’Arcy, who was gifted her own clone by her late aunt, it’s terrifying.
After a routine monthly upload of her consciousness — stored for that inevitable transition — something goes wrong. When Con wakes up in the clinic, it’s eighteen months later. Her recent memories are missing. Her original, she’s told, is dead. If that’s true, what does that make her?
The secrets of Con’s disorienting new life are buried deep. So are those of how and why she died. To uncover the truth, Con is retracing the last days she can recall, crossing paths with a detective who’s just as curious. On the run, she needs someone she can trust. Because only one thing has become clear: Con is being marked for murder — all over again.
Chance, Matthew FitzSimmons
A clone plays a dangerous game of life, death, memory, and murder in a twisting thriller by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Matthew FitzSimmons.
Cloning is a luxury for the wealthy. For Chance Harker, it’s a way of getting on with his lives. Five years ago, when he was sixteen, he and his brother, Marley, were murdered in a kidnapping gone wrong. Chance was revived—and his grieving parents met his existence with anger, neglect, and aversion. The public, though? They can’t get enough of the death-defying stunts he has parlayed into a social media spectacle.
But after Chance’s latest 'refresh,' he awakens to accusations that he’s killed Lee Conway, a stranger Chance has never met. Has one of his clones? With no memory of his previous selves, and working fast before he’s arrested, Chance digs into Conway’s background, the mysteries of his own life — and death — and the tragic abduction that tore his family apart.
All Chance has to do is stay ahead of the LAPD; his kidnappers, who are back on the hunt; and a growing mob of incensed protesters outraged that a rich clone appears to be getting away with murder.
Cloning is a luxury for the wealthy. For Chance Harker, it’s a way of getting on with his lives. Five years ago, when he was sixteen, he and his brother, Marley, were murdered in a kidnapping gone wrong. Chance was revived—and his grieving parents met his existence with anger, neglect, and aversion. The public, though? They can’t get enough of the death-defying stunts he has parlayed into a social media spectacle.
But after Chance’s latest 'refresh,' he awakens to accusations that he’s killed Lee Conway, a stranger Chance has never met. Has one of his clones? With no memory of his previous selves, and working fast before he’s arrested, Chance digs into Conway’s background, the mysteries of his own life — and death — and the tragic abduction that tore his family apart.
All Chance has to do is stay ahead of the LAPD; his kidnappers, who are back on the hunt; and a growing mob of incensed protesters outraged that a rich clone appears to be getting away with murder.
My Murder, Katie Williams
SOMETIMES THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN SOLVE YOUR MURDER IS YOU.
'Startling and original, My Murder is a gripping speculative twist on the crime novel.' - Paula Hawkins
'Completely absorbing. A smart, speculative twist on domestic suspense.' - Ashley Audrain
'One of the most original, smart, funny and thought-provoking books you'll read this year' - Daily Mail
Lou has been murdered.
She was the fifth victim of the serial killer Edward Early. A young wife and new mother, Lou's death outraged a public breathlessly following the story of the serial murders.
Lou has been cloned.
Along with Early's other four victims, Lou has been brought back to life by the government-funded replication commission. The women gather at a weekly support group, helping each other to navigate a society obsessed with their very existence.
Lou has been lied to.
But when Lou agrees to help fellow murder victim Fern secure a visit with Edward Early, a shocking revelation causes Lou to investigate the events around her death and question everything she thought she knew about her murder.
Can she finally uncover the truth?
Praise for Katie Williams:
"Like an extended episode of 'Black Mirror' ... Williams offers a master class in not losing sight of the human element... the kind of story that - in the subtlest of ways - can instruct us, and nourish us, and make us want to live and love a little better."-Matt Haig, New York Times Book Review
"[A] vivid, clever debut." -O, the Oprah Magazine
"Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite writer." -James Hannaham, award-winning author of DELICIOUS FOODS: A Novel
"Delightfully weird and humorous...a fascinating exploration of our increasing reliance on technology and our obsession with finding a quick fix for everything." -Shondaland
"A sharp and moving novel." -Publishers Weekly
"With its clever, compelling vision of the future, deeply human characters, and delightfully unpredictable story, this novel is itself a receipe for contentment." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"My prescription for happiness is: 'Sit still, read a book that can't be classified by genre, and tell everyone.' I'm telling you, Katie Williams delivers." -Helen Ellis, New York Times-bestselling author of AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE
'Startling and original, My Murder is a gripping speculative twist on the crime novel.' - Paula Hawkins
'Completely absorbing. A smart, speculative twist on domestic suspense.' - Ashley Audrain
'One of the most original, smart, funny and thought-provoking books you'll read this year' - Daily Mail
Lou has been murdered.
She was the fifth victim of the serial killer Edward Early. A young wife and new mother, Lou's death outraged a public breathlessly following the story of the serial murders.
Lou has been cloned.
Along with Early's other four victims, Lou has been brought back to life by the government-funded replication commission. The women gather at a weekly support group, helping each other to navigate a society obsessed with their very existence.
Lou has been lied to.
But when Lou agrees to help fellow murder victim Fern secure a visit with Edward Early, a shocking revelation causes Lou to investigate the events around her death and question everything she thought she knew about her murder.
Can she finally uncover the truth?
Praise for Katie Williams:
"Like an extended episode of 'Black Mirror' ... Williams offers a master class in not losing sight of the human element... the kind of story that - in the subtlest of ways - can instruct us, and nourish us, and make us want to live and love a little better."-Matt Haig, New York Times Book Review
"[A] vivid, clever debut." -O, the Oprah Magazine
"Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite writer." -James Hannaham, award-winning author of DELICIOUS FOODS: A Novel
"Delightfully weird and humorous...a fascinating exploration of our increasing reliance on technology and our obsession with finding a quick fix for everything." -Shondaland
"A sharp and moving novel." -Publishers Weekly
"With its clever, compelling vision of the future, deeply human characters, and delightfully unpredictable story, this novel is itself a receipe for contentment." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"My prescription for happiness is: 'Sit still, read a book that can't be classified by genre, and tell everyone.' I'm telling you, Katie Williams delivers." -Helen Ellis, New York Times-bestselling author of AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE
The Mother Fault, Kate Mildenhall
The breakout novel called ‘a triumph’ by Jane Harper, The Mother Fault is the riveting tale of one woman taking on the world to save her own.
‘A triumph of a novel. Five stars. I loved it. Thrilling, confronting, page-turning and heartbreakingly poignant, The Mother Fault is a remarkable story.' Jane Harper, bestselling author of The Dry
You will not recognise me, she thinks, when I find you . . .
Mim’s husband is missing. No one knows where Ben is, but everyone wants to find him – especially The Department. And they should know, the all-seeing government body has fitted the entire population with a universal tracking chip to keep them ‘safe’.
But suddenly Ben can’t be tracked. And Mim is questioned, made to surrender her passport and threatened with the unthinkable – her two children being taken into care at the notorious BestLife.
Cornered, Mim risks everything to go on the run to find her husband – and a part of herself, long gone, that is brave enough to tackle the journey ahead.
From the stark backroads of the Australian outback to a terrifying sea voyage, Mim is forced to shuck off who she was – mother, daughter, wife, sister – and become the woman she needs to be to save her family and herself.
Longlisted for the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year
‘Sublime . . . a timely, riveting, warning bell of a book.’ Books+Publishing
‘Brilliant. A raw, urgent, white-knuckle ride through a world only a heartbeat away’ James Bradley, author of Ghost Species
‘Clever, political, pacy and exciting. Pure diamond-edged propulsive power.’ Chris Flynn, author of Mammoth
‘Shook me to my core. I could not put it down’ Alice Robinson, author of The Glad Shout
‘A clarion call, wrapped in vivid prose, inside a truly thrilling read’ Angela Savage, author of Behind the Night Bazaar
‘An unvarnished, beautifully written, totally authentic tribute to the everyday badassery and bullshit of motherhood, to the ordinary extraordinariness of women. It’s also a fast-paced edge-of-your-seat, heart-in-your-mouth adventure with an ending worthy of a Homeland season finale.’ Anna Downes, author of The Safe Place
'A literary thriller that speaks precisely, devastatingly, to its time.' The Monthly
'Kate Mildenhall has imagined a world as terrifying and visionary as Margaret Atwood’s Gilead, with the pace of the best thrillers – and characters I’ll never forget. This is a novel of rare insight from a rising literary star.' J.P. Pomare, author of Call Me Evie
'The true power of this novel is in its appalling plausibility. That, and the fact that it is impossible to put down.’ Readings Monthly
‘A triumph of a novel. Five stars. I loved it. Thrilling, confronting, page-turning and heartbreakingly poignant, The Mother Fault is a remarkable story.' Jane Harper, bestselling author of The Dry
You will not recognise me, she thinks, when I find you . . .
Mim’s husband is missing. No one knows where Ben is, but everyone wants to find him – especially The Department. And they should know, the all-seeing government body has fitted the entire population with a universal tracking chip to keep them ‘safe’.
But suddenly Ben can’t be tracked. And Mim is questioned, made to surrender her passport and threatened with the unthinkable – her two children being taken into care at the notorious BestLife.
Cornered, Mim risks everything to go on the run to find her husband – and a part of herself, long gone, that is brave enough to tackle the journey ahead.
From the stark backroads of the Australian outback to a terrifying sea voyage, Mim is forced to shuck off who she was – mother, daughter, wife, sister – and become the woman she needs to be to save her family and herself.
Longlisted for the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year
‘Sublime . . . a timely, riveting, warning bell of a book.’ Books+Publishing
‘Brilliant. A raw, urgent, white-knuckle ride through a world only a heartbeat away’ James Bradley, author of Ghost Species
‘Clever, political, pacy and exciting. Pure diamond-edged propulsive power.’ Chris Flynn, author of Mammoth
‘Shook me to my core. I could not put it down’ Alice Robinson, author of The Glad Shout
‘A clarion call, wrapped in vivid prose, inside a truly thrilling read’ Angela Savage, author of Behind the Night Bazaar
‘An unvarnished, beautifully written, totally authentic tribute to the everyday badassery and bullshit of motherhood, to the ordinary extraordinariness of women. It’s also a fast-paced edge-of-your-seat, heart-in-your-mouth adventure with an ending worthy of a Homeland season finale.’ Anna Downes, author of The Safe Place
'A literary thriller that speaks precisely, devastatingly, to its time.' The Monthly
'Kate Mildenhall has imagined a world as terrifying and visionary as Margaret Atwood’s Gilead, with the pace of the best thrillers – and characters I’ll never forget. This is a novel of rare insight from a rising literary star.' J.P. Pomare, author of Call Me Evie
'The true power of this novel is in its appalling plausibility. That, and the fact that it is impossible to put down.’ Readings Monthly
Cold People, Tom Rob Smith
From the brilliant, bestselling author of Child 44 comes a suspenseful and fast-paced novel about a colony of global apocalypse survivors seeking to reinvent civilisation under the most extreme conditions imaginable.
The world has fallen. Without warning, a mysterious and omnipotent force has claimed the planet for their own. There are no negotiations, no demands, no reasons given for their actions. All they have is a message: humanity has thirty days to reach the one place on Earth where they will be allowed to exist… Antarctica.
Cold People follows the journeys of a handful of those who endure the frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. But their goal is not merely to survive the present. Because as they cling to life on the ice, the remnants of their past swept away, they must also confront the urgent challenge: can they change and evolve rapidly enough to ensure humanity’s future? Can they build a new society in the sub-zero cold?
Original and imaginative, as profoundly intimate as it is grand in scope, Cold People is a masterful and unforgettable epic.
The world has fallen. Without warning, a mysterious and omnipotent force has claimed the planet for their own. There are no negotiations, no demands, no reasons given for their actions. All they have is a message: humanity has thirty days to reach the one place on Earth where they will be allowed to exist… Antarctica.
Cold People follows the journeys of a handful of those who endure the frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. But their goal is not merely to survive the present. Because as they cling to life on the ice, the remnants of their past swept away, they must also confront the urgent challenge: can they change and evolve rapidly enough to ensure humanity’s future? Can they build a new society in the sub-zero cold?
Original and imaginative, as profoundly intimate as it is grand in scope, Cold People is a masterful and unforgettable epic.
Monique's Favourite:
Upgrade
Blake Crouch
Upgrade is the new mind-bending thriller from Blake Crouch, author of the bestselling Dark Matter and Recursion.
"You are the next step in human evolution. . ."
At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep. But before long, he can’t deny it: something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him, even those he loves most, in whole new ways.
The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy. Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one to inflict the same changes on humanity at large, and at a terrifying cost. Because of what Logan’s becoming, he’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution…
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