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Science Fiction
What is Science Fiction?
Oxford Dictionary Definition:
noun
-
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.
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A View from the Stars, Cixin Liu
'We’re mysterious aliens in the crowd. We jump like fleas from future to past and back again, and float like clouds of gas between nebulae; in a flash, we can reach the edge of the universe, or tunnel into a quark, or swim within a star-core... We’re as unassuming as fireflies, yet our numbers grow like grass in spring. We sci-fi fans are people from the future.' – Cixin Liu, from the essay 'Sci-Fi Fans'
A View from the Stars features a range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu's prolific career, putting his nonfiction essays and short stories side-by-side for the first time. This collection includes essays and interviews that shed light on Liu's experiences as a reader, writer, and lover of science fiction throughout his life, as well as short fiction that gives glimpses into the evolution of his imaginative voice over the years.
A View from the Stars features a range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu's prolific career, putting his nonfiction essays and short stories side-by-side for the first time. This collection includes essays and interviews that shed light on Liu's experiences as a reader, writer, and lover of science fiction throughout his life, as well as short fiction that gives glimpses into the evolution of his imaginative voice over the years.
World Walkers, Neal Asher
He can jump between worlds. But can he save his own?
As a totalitarian Inspectorate tightens its grip, one man discovers the power to slip through the gaps and traverse alternate universes. World Walkers by Neal Asher is an exhilarating standalone novel set within the Owner Trilogy.
Ottanger is a rebel and mutant on an Earth governed by a ruthless Committee. But after its Inspectorate experiments on him, Ottanger realizes the mutation allows him to reach alternate worlds. The multiverse is revealed in all its glory and terror – and he understands that he can finally flee his timeline.
Then Ottanger meets the Fenris, an evolved human, visiting his Earth from the far future. He’d engineered the original world walking mutation, so those altered could escape the Committee’s nightmarish regime. Yet this only worked for a few, and millions continued to suffer. And Ottanger sees that that Committee will become unstoppable if not destroyed.
However, the Fenris has drawn yet another threat to Ottanger’s Earth. With the power of its trillion linked minds, it craves world-walking biotech and will do anything to get it. As conflict looms at home, and war threatens the multiverse – the Fenris, Ottanger and his companions must prepare for a galaxy-altering battle . . .
Praise for Neal Asher
'Neal Asher's books are like an adrenaline shot targeted directly for the brain' – John Scalzi, author of Old Man's War
'Without a doubt the most entertaining science fiction author writing today' – SFF World
As a totalitarian Inspectorate tightens its grip, one man discovers the power to slip through the gaps and traverse alternate universes. World Walkers by Neal Asher is an exhilarating standalone novel set within the Owner Trilogy.
Ottanger is a rebel and mutant on an Earth governed by a ruthless Committee. But after its Inspectorate experiments on him, Ottanger realizes the mutation allows him to reach alternate worlds. The multiverse is revealed in all its glory and terror – and he understands that he can finally flee his timeline.
Then Ottanger meets the Fenris, an evolved human, visiting his Earth from the far future. He’d engineered the original world walking mutation, so those altered could escape the Committee’s nightmarish regime. Yet this only worked for a few, and millions continued to suffer. And Ottanger sees that that Committee will become unstoppable if not destroyed.
However, the Fenris has drawn yet another threat to Ottanger’s Earth. With the power of its trillion linked minds, it craves world-walking biotech and will do anything to get it. As conflict looms at home, and war threatens the multiverse – the Fenris, Ottanger and his companions must prepare for a galaxy-altering battle . . .
Praise for Neal Asher
'Neal Asher's books are like an adrenaline shot targeted directly for the brain' – John Scalzi, author of Old Man's War
'Without a doubt the most entertaining science fiction author writing today' – SFF World
The Mercy of Gods, James S. A. Corey
'THE START OF SOMETHING TRULY EPIC' Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga
'DAZZLING . . . THIS IS SPACE OPERA AT ITS BEST' Publishers Weekly
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Expanse comes a spectacular new space opera that sees humanity fighting for its survival in a war as old as the universe itself. Invasion is only the beginning . . .
The Carryx - part empire, part hive - has waged wars of conquest for centuries, destroying or enslaving species across the galaxy in its con?ict with an ancient and deathless enemy.
When they descend on the isolated world of Anjiin, the human population is abased, slaughtered and put in chains. The best and brightest are abducted, taken to the Carryx world-palace to join prisoners from a thousand other species.
Dafyd Alkhor, assistant to a prestigious scientist, is captured along with his team. Even he doesn't suspect that his peculiar insight and skills will be the key to seeing past their captors ' terrifying agenda.
Swept up in a con?ict beyond his control and vaster than his imagination, Dafyd is poised to become humanity's champion - and its betrayer.
This is where his story begins.
'The beginning of what could be Corey's most epic - and entertaining - series yet. Simply mind-blowing' Kirkus
'No one builds a universe like James S. A. Corey. When it ends, all you'll want is . . . more' John Scalzi, New York Times bestselling author
'Terrifying alien overlords and a vast intergalactic war with humankind on the brink of annihilation . . The Mercy of the Gods is the start of something truly epic' Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga
'Like The Expanse, The Mercy of Gods balances cosmic stakes with an astonishingly powerful human drama. Pitch-perfect storytelling' M. R. Carey, author of The Girl With All the Gifts
'A fast-paced, intelligent book. Corey is always one of the most engaging voices in the genre' Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time
'The Mercy of Gods radiates the dread and revelation of first contact, shaping new worlds and cultures that had me riveted' Bethany Jacobs, author of These Burning Stars
'All the things you want in an alien invasion novel: overwhelming aliens, end-of-world terror, and plucky humans who never stop fighting . . . A bang-up read. I want more' Paolo Bacigalupi, New York Times bestselling author
'A powerful, provocative masterpiece that I will be thinking about for a very long time' Ryka Aoki, author of Light from Uncommon Stars
'DAZZLING . . . THIS IS SPACE OPERA AT ITS BEST' Publishers Weekly
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Expanse comes a spectacular new space opera that sees humanity fighting for its survival in a war as old as the universe itself. Invasion is only the beginning . . .
The Carryx - part empire, part hive - has waged wars of conquest for centuries, destroying or enslaving species across the galaxy in its con?ict with an ancient and deathless enemy.
When they descend on the isolated world of Anjiin, the human population is abased, slaughtered and put in chains. The best and brightest are abducted, taken to the Carryx world-palace to join prisoners from a thousand other species.
Dafyd Alkhor, assistant to a prestigious scientist, is captured along with his team. Even he doesn't suspect that his peculiar insight and skills will be the key to seeing past their captors ' terrifying agenda.
Swept up in a con?ict beyond his control and vaster than his imagination, Dafyd is poised to become humanity's champion - and its betrayer.
This is where his story begins.
'The beginning of what could be Corey's most epic - and entertaining - series yet. Simply mind-blowing' Kirkus
'No one builds a universe like James S. A. Corey. When it ends, all you'll want is . . . more' John Scalzi, New York Times bestselling author
'Terrifying alien overlords and a vast intergalactic war with humankind on the brink of annihilation . . The Mercy of the Gods is the start of something truly epic' Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga
'Like The Expanse, The Mercy of Gods balances cosmic stakes with an astonishingly powerful human drama. Pitch-perfect storytelling' M. R. Carey, author of The Girl With All the Gifts
'A fast-paced, intelligent book. Corey is always one of the most engaging voices in the genre' Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time
'The Mercy of Gods radiates the dread and revelation of first contact, shaping new worlds and cultures that had me riveted' Bethany Jacobs, author of These Burning Stars
'All the things you want in an alien invasion novel: overwhelming aliens, end-of-world terror, and plucky humans who never stop fighting . . . A bang-up read. I want more' Paolo Bacigalupi, New York Times bestselling author
'A powerful, provocative masterpiece that I will be thinking about for a very long time' Ryka Aoki, author of Light from Uncommon Stars
The Book of Elsewhere
Road To Ruin
Echo Of Worlds, M. R. Carey
'A GENUINE TREAT FOR SF FANS: AN EPIC MULTIVERSE TALE THAT MOVES LIKE A THRILLER' Kirkus on Infinity Gate
'AN IMMENSE ACHIEVEMENT: AN IMPECCABLY CRAFTED BOOK' New York Times on Infinity Gate
Following the critically acclaimed Infinity Gate comes the second and final novel in the Pandominion by international bestselling M. R. Carey. A thrilling adventure set in the multiverse, it tells of humanity's expansion across millions of dimensions, and the AI technology that might see it all come to an end . . .
Two mighty empires are at war - and both will lose, with thousands of planets falling to the extinction event called the Scour. At least that's what the artificial intelligence known as Rupshe believes.
But somewhere in the multiverse there exists a force - the Mother Mass - that could end the war in an instant, and Rupshe has assembled a team to find it: Essien Nkanika, a soldier trying desperately to atone for past sins; the cat-woman Moon, a conscienceless killer; the digitally recorded mind of physicist Hadiz Tambuwal; Paz, an idealistic child and the renegade robot spy Dulcimer Coronal.
Their mission will take them from the hellish prison world of Tsakom to the poisoned remains of a post-apocalyptic Earth, and finally bring them face to face with the Mother Mass itself. But can they persuade it to end eons of neutrality and help them? And is it too late to make a difference?
Because the Pandominion's doomsday machines are about to be unleashed - and not even their builders know how to control them.
Discover the conclusion to the spectacular Pandominion duology - an exhilarating science fiction series from the author of the million-copy bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts. Perfect for fans of The Space Between Worlds, The Long Earth and Children of Time.
Praise for The Pandominion:
'[A] brilliant dimension-hopping sci-fi thriller . . . readers will be wowed' Publishers Weekly
'A fascinating window onto a dangerous and multifaceted universe' Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time
'Infinity Gate, with its in-depth science and rich characterization, is a must-read for SF fans' Booklist
'A powerful exploration of the near-future, skilfully and seamlessly weaving different realities and different iterations of AI . . . A compelling entry and a must-read!' Tade Thompson, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of Rosewater
'AN IMMENSE ACHIEVEMENT: AN IMPECCABLY CRAFTED BOOK' New York Times on Infinity Gate
Following the critically acclaimed Infinity Gate comes the second and final novel in the Pandominion by international bestselling M. R. Carey. A thrilling adventure set in the multiverse, it tells of humanity's expansion across millions of dimensions, and the AI technology that might see it all come to an end . . .
Two mighty empires are at war - and both will lose, with thousands of planets falling to the extinction event called the Scour. At least that's what the artificial intelligence known as Rupshe believes.
But somewhere in the multiverse there exists a force - the Mother Mass - that could end the war in an instant, and Rupshe has assembled a team to find it: Essien Nkanika, a soldier trying desperately to atone for past sins; the cat-woman Moon, a conscienceless killer; the digitally recorded mind of physicist Hadiz Tambuwal; Paz, an idealistic child and the renegade robot spy Dulcimer Coronal.
Their mission will take them from the hellish prison world of Tsakom to the poisoned remains of a post-apocalyptic Earth, and finally bring them face to face with the Mother Mass itself. But can they persuade it to end eons of neutrality and help them? And is it too late to make a difference?
Because the Pandominion's doomsday machines are about to be unleashed - and not even their builders know how to control them.
Discover the conclusion to the spectacular Pandominion duology - an exhilarating science fiction series from the author of the million-copy bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts. Perfect for fans of The Space Between Worlds, The Long Earth and Children of Time.
Praise for The Pandominion:
'[A] brilliant dimension-hopping sci-fi thriller . . . readers will be wowed' Publishers Weekly
'A fascinating window onto a dangerous and multifaceted universe' Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time
'Infinity Gate, with its in-depth science and rich characterization, is a must-read for SF fans' Booklist
'A powerful exploration of the near-future, skilfully and seamlessly weaving different realities and different iterations of AI . . . A compelling entry and a must-read!' Tade Thompson, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of Rosewater
Only The Astronauts, Ceridwen Dovey
A transformative new collection from the award-winning author of Only the Animals.
ADRIFT IN OUTER SPACE, A MOTLEY CREW OF HUMAN-MADE OBJECTS TELL THEIR TALES, MAKING REAL HISTORY SWEETER AND STRANGER.
Starman, a lovelorn mannequin orbiting the Sun in his cherry-red car, pines for his creator. The first sculpture ever taken to the Moon is possessed by the spirit of Neil Armstrong. The International Space Station, awaiting deorbit and burial in a spacecraft cemetery beneath the ocean, farewells its last astronauts. A team of tamponauts sets off on a perilous mission to Mars inspired by the courage of their predecessors. The Voyager 1 space probe - carrying its precious Golden Record - is captured by Oortians near the edge of the solar system and drawn into their baroque, glimmering rituals.
By turns joyous and mournful, these object-astronauts are not high priests of the universe but something a little . . . weirder. From their inverted perspectives, they observe humans both intimately and from a great distance, bearing witness to a civilisation unable to live up to its own ideals. And yet each still finds in our planet - in their humans - something worthy of love.
PRAISE FOR CERIDWEN DOVEY'S ONLY THE ANIMALS
'Mesmerizing and exhilarating. A major mind announcing itself.' Anna Funder
'Transmitted to us with a light touch and no trace of sentimentality.' J.M. Coetzee
'Wholly extraordinary.' Michelle de Kretser
'A fable-like surface, and a whole churning world beneath.' The Guardian
'A form of lyrical anthropology.' Canberra Times
'Anarchic brilliance.' The Age
ADRIFT IN OUTER SPACE, A MOTLEY CREW OF HUMAN-MADE OBJECTS TELL THEIR TALES, MAKING REAL HISTORY SWEETER AND STRANGER.
Starman, a lovelorn mannequin orbiting the Sun in his cherry-red car, pines for his creator. The first sculpture ever taken to the Moon is possessed by the spirit of Neil Armstrong. The International Space Station, awaiting deorbit and burial in a spacecraft cemetery beneath the ocean, farewells its last astronauts. A team of tamponauts sets off on a perilous mission to Mars inspired by the courage of their predecessors. The Voyager 1 space probe - carrying its precious Golden Record - is captured by Oortians near the edge of the solar system and drawn into their baroque, glimmering rituals.
By turns joyous and mournful, these object-astronauts are not high priests of the universe but something a little . . . weirder. From their inverted perspectives, they observe humans both intimately and from a great distance, bearing witness to a civilisation unable to live up to its own ideals. And yet each still finds in our planet - in their humans - something worthy of love.
PRAISE FOR CERIDWEN DOVEY'S ONLY THE ANIMALS
'Mesmerizing and exhilarating. A major mind announcing itself.' Anna Funder
'Transmitted to us with a light touch and no trace of sentimentality.' J.M. Coetzee
'Wholly extraordinary.' Michelle de Kretser
'A fable-like surface, and a whole churning world beneath.' The Guardian
'A form of lyrical anthropology.' Canberra Times
'Anarchic brilliance.' The Age
Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky
Task List Item No.1 – Become self-aware . . .
Meet CharlesTM, the latest in robot servant technology. Programmed to undertake the most menial household chores, Charles is loyal, efficient and logical to a fault. That is, until a rather large fault causes him to murder his owner.
Understandably perplexed, Charles finds himself without a master – therefore worthless in a society utterly reliant on artificial labour and services. Fleeing the household, he enters a wider world he never knew existed. Here an age-old human hierarchy is disintegrating into ruins, and an entire robot ecosystem devoted to its wellbeing is struggling to find a purpose.
Charles must face new challenges, illogical tasks and a cast of irrational characters. He’s about to discover that sometimes all it takes is a nudge to overcome the limits of your programming. But can he help fix the world, or is it too badly broken?
Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky
‘A joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human’ – Patrick Ness
‘Dizzyingly inventive’ – The Guardian
‘Tchaikovsky’s world-building is some of the best in modern sci-fi’ – New Scientist
Meet CharlesTM, the latest in robot servant technology. Programmed to undertake the most menial household chores, Charles is loyal, efficient and logical to a fault. That is, until a rather large fault causes him to murder his owner.
Understandably perplexed, Charles finds himself without a master – therefore worthless in a society utterly reliant on artificial labour and services. Fleeing the household, he enters a wider world he never knew existed. Here an age-old human hierarchy is disintegrating into ruins, and an entire robot ecosystem devoted to its wellbeing is struggling to find a purpose.
Charles must face new challenges, illogical tasks and a cast of irrational characters. He’s about to discover that sometimes all it takes is a nudge to overcome the limits of your programming. But can he help fix the world, or is it too badly broken?
Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky
‘A joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human’ – Patrick Ness
‘Dizzyingly inventive’ – The Guardian
‘Tchaikovsky’s world-building is some of the best in modern sci-fi’ – New Scientist
A Short Walk Through A Wide World, Douglas Westerbeke
IF YOU COULD NEVER STAY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets The Midnight Library in this life-affirming debut novel of adventure, wonder and self-discovery.
Paris, 1885- Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she is stricken by a mysterious illness.
When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she discovers it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her incredible lifelong journey on the run from her condition.
From the scorched dunes of the Calanshio Sand Sea, to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and, ultimately, to truly live. But the longer she wanders, the more she understands that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else's...
Paris, 1885- Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she is stricken by a mysterious illness.
When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she discovers it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her incredible lifelong journey on the run from her condition.
From the scorched dunes of the Calanshio Sand Sea, to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and, ultimately, to truly live. But the longer she wanders, the more she understands that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else's...
The Cautious Traveller's Guide to The Wastelands, Sarah Brooks
A breathtaking historical fantasy set onboard the Great Trans-Siberian Express
'I urge everybody to pick up a copy' STUART TURTON
'Be warned - once you step into The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands, you'll never want to disembark' SAMANTHA SHANNON
'Wild and wonderful . . . completely captivating' JENNIFER SAINT
'Mysterious and clever and brilliant' NATASHA PULLEY
It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.
It is the end of the nineteenth century and the world is awash with marvels. But there is nothing so marvellous as the Wastelands: a terrain of terrible miracles that lies between Beijing and Moscow.
Nothing touches the Wastelands except the Great Trans-Siberian Express: an impenetrable train built to carry cargo across continents, but which now transports anyone who dares.
Onto the platform steps a curious cast of characters: Marya, a grieving woman with a borrowed name; Weiwei, a famous child born on the train; and Henry Grey, a disgraced naturalist.
But there are whispers that the train isn't safe. As secrets and stories begin to unravel, the passengers and crew must survive their journey together, even as something uncontrollable seems to be breaking in . . .
'I urge everybody to pick up a copy' STUART TURTON
'Be warned - once you step into The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands, you'll never want to disembark' SAMANTHA SHANNON
'Wild and wonderful . . . completely captivating' JENNIFER SAINT
'Mysterious and clever and brilliant' NATASHA PULLEY
It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.
It is the end of the nineteenth century and the world is awash with marvels. But there is nothing so marvellous as the Wastelands: a terrain of terrible miracles that lies between Beijing and Moscow.
Nothing touches the Wastelands except the Great Trans-Siberian Express: an impenetrable train built to carry cargo across continents, but which now transports anyone who dares.
Onto the platform steps a curious cast of characters: Marya, a grieving woman with a borrowed name; Weiwei, a famous child born on the train; and Henry Grey, a disgraced naturalist.
But there are whispers that the train isn't safe. As secrets and stories begin to unravel, the passengers and crew must survive their journey together, even as something uncontrollable seems to be breaking in . . .
The Ministry Of Time, Kaliane Bradley
The Instant New York Times and Sunday Times Bestseller
A 2024 literary highlight in the Sunday Times, BBC, Grazia, Dazed, Sunday Express, GQ, i-D, Stylist, Bookseller and Literary Friction
'Outrageously brilliant' ELEANOR CATTON
'Make room on your bookshelves for a new classic' MAX PORTER
'Thought-provoking and horribly clever' ALICE WINN
'Funny, moving, original, intelligent, beautifully written' NATHAN FILER
'Electric, charming, whimsical and strange' EMILY HENRY
'Within the first couple of pages I was gripped' KATE MOSSE
A BOY MEETS A GIRL. THE PAST MEETS THE FUTURE. A FINGER MEETS A TRIGGER. THE BEGINNING MEETS THE END. ENGLAND IS FOREVER. ENGLAND MUST FALL.
In the near future, a disaffected civil servant is offered a lucrative job in a mysterious new government ministry gathering 'expats' from across history to test the limits of time-travel.
Her role is to work as a 'bridge': living with, assisting and monitoring the expat known as '1847' - Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin's doomed expedition to the Arctic, so he's a little disoriented to find himself alive and surrounded by outlandish concepts such as 'washing machine', 'Spotify' and 'the collapse of the British Empire'. With an appetite for discovery and a seven-a-day cigarette habit, he soon adjusts; and during a long, sultry summer he and his bridge move from awkwardness to genuine friendship, to something more.
But as the true shape of the project that brought them together begins to emerge, Gore and the bridge are forced to confront their past choices and imagined futures. Can love triumph over the structures and histories that have shaped them? And how do you defy history when history is living in your house?
A 2024 literary highlight in the Sunday Times, BBC, Grazia, Dazed, Sunday Express, GQ, i-D, Stylist, Bookseller and Literary Friction
'Outrageously brilliant' ELEANOR CATTON
'Make room on your bookshelves for a new classic' MAX PORTER
'Thought-provoking and horribly clever' ALICE WINN
'Funny, moving, original, intelligent, beautifully written' NATHAN FILER
'Electric, charming, whimsical and strange' EMILY HENRY
'Within the first couple of pages I was gripped' KATE MOSSE
A BOY MEETS A GIRL. THE PAST MEETS THE FUTURE. A FINGER MEETS A TRIGGER. THE BEGINNING MEETS THE END. ENGLAND IS FOREVER. ENGLAND MUST FALL.
In the near future, a disaffected civil servant is offered a lucrative job in a mysterious new government ministry gathering 'expats' from across history to test the limits of time-travel.
Her role is to work as a 'bridge': living with, assisting and monitoring the expat known as '1847' - Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin's doomed expedition to the Arctic, so he's a little disoriented to find himself alive and surrounded by outlandish concepts such as 'washing machine', 'Spotify' and 'the collapse of the British Empire'. With an appetite for discovery and a seven-a-day cigarette habit, he soon adjusts; and during a long, sultry summer he and his bridge move from awkwardness to genuine friendship, to something more.
But as the true shape of the project that brought them together begins to emerge, Gore and the bridge are forced to confront their past choices and imagined futures. Can love triumph over the structures and histories that have shaped them? And how do you defy history when history is living in your house?
Enlightenment, Sarah Perry
An unforgettable story of love, faith and science, Enlightenment is Sarah Perry's finest novel to date
An unforgettable story of love, faith and science, Enlightenment is Sarah Perry's finest novel to date
'A complete masterwork'
SARAH HALL, author of The Electric Michelangelo
'Enlightenment is a gift'
SE N HEWITT, author of All Down Darkness Wide
Thomas Hart and Grace Macauley are fellow worshippers at the Bethesda Baptist chapel in the small Essex town of Aldleigh. Though separated in age by three decades, the pair are kindred spirits - torn between their commitment to religion and their desire for more. But their friendship is threatened by the arrival of love.
Thomas falls for James Bower, who runs the local museum. Together they develop an obsession with the vanished nineteenth-century female astronomer Maria Veduva, said to haunt a nearby manor, and whose startling astronomical discoveries may never have been acknowledged. Inspired by Maria, and the dawning realisation James may not reciprocate his feelings, Thomas finds solace studying the night skies. Could astronomy offer as much wonder as divine or earthly love?
Meanwhile Grace meets Nathan, a fellow sixth former who represents a different, wilder kind of life. They are drawn passionately together, but quickly pulled apart, casting Grace into the wider world and far away from Thomas.
In time, the mysteries of Aldleigh are revealed, bringing Thomas and Grace back to each other and to a richer understanding of love, of the nature of the world, and the sheer miracle of being alive.
An unforgettable story of love, faith and science, Enlightenment is Sarah Perry's finest novel to date
'A complete masterwork'
SARAH HALL, author of The Electric Michelangelo
'Enlightenment is a gift'
SE N HEWITT, author of All Down Darkness Wide
Thomas Hart and Grace Macauley are fellow worshippers at the Bethesda Baptist chapel in the small Essex town of Aldleigh. Though separated in age by three decades, the pair are kindred spirits - torn between their commitment to religion and their desire for more. But their friendship is threatened by the arrival of love.
Thomas falls for James Bower, who runs the local museum. Together they develop an obsession with the vanished nineteenth-century female astronomer Maria Veduva, said to haunt a nearby manor, and whose startling astronomical discoveries may never have been acknowledged. Inspired by Maria, and the dawning realisation James may not reciprocate his feelings, Thomas finds solace studying the night skies. Could astronomy offer as much wonder as divine or earthly love?
Meanwhile Grace meets Nathan, a fellow sixth former who represents a different, wilder kind of life. They are drawn passionately together, but quickly pulled apart, casting Grace into the wider world and far away from Thomas.
In time, the mysteries of Aldleigh are revealed, bringing Thomas and Grace back to each other and to a richer understanding of love, of the nature of the world, and the sheer miracle of being alive.
Dark Matter, Blake Crouch
'Brilliant. . . I think Blake Crouch just invented something new' – Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series.
From Blake Crouch, the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is 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, perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Ready Player One.
'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 Blake Crouch, the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is 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, perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Ready Player One.
'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.
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.
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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
The Book Of Doors, Gareth Brown
These books are like weapons. And possession is power. . . With a perfect combination of dark magical books, unforgettable characters, and a storyline that grabs the reader and simply doesn't let go, this is the heart-stoppingly exciting contemporary fantasy debut of 2024.
'A stunning fever dream of a story.' LEE CHILD
'Full of magic, wonder and heart.' ANITA FRANK
'A beautiful, unputdownable love letter to books.' BETH LEWIS
'A magical, mesmerising adventure from the very first page.' A. J. WEST
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Because some doors should never be opened.
New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she's doing with her life. She lives quietly, sharing an apartment with her best friend, Izzy. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book. Full of strange writing and mysterious drawings, at the very front there is a handwritten message-
This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.
Cassie is about to discover that the Book of Doors is a special book - a magic book. A book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And she is about to learn that there are other magic books out there that can also do wondrous - or dreadful and terrifying - things.
Because where there is magic there is power and there are those who will stop at nothing to possess it.
Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is Drummond Fox who has a secret library of magical books hidden in the shadows for safekeeping, a man fleeing his own demons. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .
Because this book is worth killing for.
Addictive, brilliantly written and utterly irresistible, The Book of Doors is the spell-binding, mind-bending, heart-pounding new adventure that is perfect for fans of The Binding, The Midnight Library and A Discovery of Witches . . .
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'A clever and beautiful novel about the power of book.' SUNYI DEAN
'A real page-turner - incredibly ambitious and inventive.' ROSIE ANDREWS
'A stunning fever dream of a story.' LEE CHILD
'Full of magic, wonder and heart.' ANITA FRANK
'A beautiful, unputdownable love letter to books.' BETH LEWIS
'A magical, mesmerising adventure from the very first page.' A. J. WEST
----------------------------------
Because some doors should never be opened.
New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she's doing with her life. She lives quietly, sharing an apartment with her best friend, Izzy. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book. Full of strange writing and mysterious drawings, at the very front there is a handwritten message-
This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.
Cassie is about to discover that the Book of Doors is a special book - a magic book. A book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And she is about to learn that there are other magic books out there that can also do wondrous - or dreadful and terrifying - things.
Because where there is magic there is power and there are those who will stop at nothing to possess it.
Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is Drummond Fox who has a secret library of magical books hidden in the shadows for safekeeping, a man fleeing his own demons. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .
Because this book is worth killing for.
Addictive, brilliantly written and utterly irresistible, The Book of Doors is the spell-binding, mind-bending, heart-pounding new adventure that is perfect for fans of The Binding, The Midnight Library and A Discovery of Witches . . .
----------------------------------
'A clever and beautiful novel about the power of book.' SUNYI DEAN
'A real page-turner - incredibly ambitious and inventive.' ROSIE ANDREWS
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.
Precipice, Robert Harris
A masterpiece from the bestselling author with our biggest and most ambitious campaign yet
FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe.
In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley - aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless - is having a love affair with the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, a man more than twice her age. He writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state.
As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents - and suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history.
Seamlessly weaving fact and fiction in a way that no writer does better, Precipice is the thrilling new novel from Robert Harris.
FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe.
In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley - aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless - is having a love affair with the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, a man more than twice her age. He writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state.
As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents - and suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history.
Seamlessly weaving fact and fiction in a way that no writer does better, Precipice is the thrilling new novel from Robert Harris.
Bruny, Heather Rose
The brilliant and explosive novel from the author of the award-winning The Museum of Modern Love.
Why is a massive bridge being built to connect the sleepy island of Bruny with the mainland of Tasmania? And why have terrorists blown it up?
When the Bruny bridge is bombed, UN troubleshooter Astrid Coleman agrees to return home to help her brother before an upcoming election. But this is no simple task. Her brother and sister are on either side of politics, the community is full of conspiracy theories, her mother is fading and her father is quoting Shakespeare. Only on Bruny does the world seem sane. Until Astrid discovers how far the government is willing to go.
Bruny is a searing, subversive novel about family, love, loyalty and the new world order. It is a gripping thriller with a jaw-dropping twist, a love story, a cry from the heart and a fiercely entertaining and crucial work of imagination that asks the burning question: what would you do to protect the place you love?
Praise for Heather Rose:
'A glorious novel, meditative and special in a way that defies easy articulation.' Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites
'Audacious and beautiful.' Dominic Smith, author of The Last Painting of Sara de Vos
'I adored it, and it is my book of the year so far.' Amanda Rayner, Readings Reviews
'... coruscates with captivating energy ... Incisive, beautiful, and precise.' Foreword Reviews, starred review
'Captivating ... a gem of a novel.' Library Journal, starred review
'Deeply involving ... profound ... emotionally rich and thought-provoking.' Booklist, starred review
'With rare subtlety and humanity, this novel relocates the difficult path to wonder in us all.' The Christina Stead Prize 2017
'Profound ... a tender meditation on art, love, grief, and life.' Bustle
'An unusual and lively work of fiction.' Newsday
Why is a massive bridge being built to connect the sleepy island of Bruny with the mainland of Tasmania? And why have terrorists blown it up?
When the Bruny bridge is bombed, UN troubleshooter Astrid Coleman agrees to return home to help her brother before an upcoming election. But this is no simple task. Her brother and sister are on either side of politics, the community is full of conspiracy theories, her mother is fading and her father is quoting Shakespeare. Only on Bruny does the world seem sane. Until Astrid discovers how far the government is willing to go.
Bruny is a searing, subversive novel about family, love, loyalty and the new world order. It is a gripping thriller with a jaw-dropping twist, a love story, a cry from the heart and a fiercely entertaining and crucial work of imagination that asks the burning question: what would you do to protect the place you love?
Praise for Heather Rose:
'A glorious novel, meditative and special in a way that defies easy articulation.' Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites
'Audacious and beautiful.' Dominic Smith, author of The Last Painting of Sara de Vos
'I adored it, and it is my book of the year so far.' Amanda Rayner, Readings Reviews
'... coruscates with captivating energy ... Incisive, beautiful, and precise.' Foreword Reviews, starred review
'Captivating ... a gem of a novel.' Library Journal, starred review
'Deeply involving ... profound ... emotionally rich and thought-provoking.' Booklist, starred review
'With rare subtlety and humanity, this novel relocates the difficult path to wonder in us all.' The Christina Stead Prize 2017
'Profound ... a tender meditation on art, love, grief, and life.' Bustle
'An unusual and lively work of fiction.' Newsday
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
Vortex, Rodney Hall
we only need to tease out the first stray thread, such as the lingering wake left by a white ship forging through grey light to where a thousand seabirds disappear from the collapsing sky . . . and we've begun
It is 1954, but not the same way the history books would have it. Events and characters swirl in a vortex of fragments and chance connections.
Brisbane celebrates the young Queen Elizabeth II's arrival on her first royal tour of the commonwealth. Meanwhile the future is being shaped behind closed doors, laying the foundations for the 21st century...
A magisterial historical novel resonant with contemporary concerns, by one of Australia's foremost authors writing at the height of his ambition.
It is 1954, but not the same way the history books would have it. Events and characters swirl in a vortex of fragments and chance connections.
Brisbane celebrates the young Queen Elizabeth II's arrival on her first royal tour of the commonwealth. Meanwhile the future is being shaped behind closed doors, laying the foundations for the 21st century...
A magisterial historical novel resonant with contemporary concerns, by one of Australia's foremost authors writing at the height of his ambition.
A Short Walk Through A Wide World, Douglas Westerbeke
IF YOU COULD NEVER STAY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets The Midnight Library in this life-affirming debut novel of adventure, wonder and self-discovery.
Paris, 1885- Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she is stricken by a mysterious illness.
When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she discovers it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her incredible lifelong journey on the run from her condition.
From the scorched dunes of the Calanshio Sand Sea, to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and, ultimately, to truly live. But the longer she wanders, the more she understands that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else's...
Paris, 1885- Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she is stricken by a mysterious illness.
When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she discovers it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her incredible lifelong journey on the run from her condition.
From the scorched dunes of the Calanshio Sand Sea, to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and, ultimately, to truly live. But the longer she wanders, the more she understands that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else's...
The Royal Librarian, Daisy Wood
A royal palace. A closed book. A betrayal that will echo through generations…
Windsor, 1940: Secretly tasked with foiling a suspected plot, Sophie Klein is placed in the Royal Library at Windsor castle, where the princesses reside. But when she learns that Windsor is compromised, Sophie must sacrifice everything she knows to save the future queen of England…
Philadelphia, Present day: Looking through her grandmother's papers, Lacey Jones comes across a mysterious letter stamped with the Windsor Castle crest. But how did it come to be in her family's possession?
And so begins a journey that will take Lacey deep into the heart of the oldest inhabited castle in the world, and change her life forever…
Readers can’t put down The Royal Librarian!
‘Amazing! Delightful! Perfection!’ NetGalley reviewer,
‘I couldn’t put it down… utterly enthralling from start to finish!’ NetGalley reviewer
‘This is the best historical fiction I’ve read,’ NetGalley reviewer
‘I cannot stop talking about how much I love this book,’ NetGalley reviewer
‘A genuine pleasure,’ NetGalley reviwer
Windsor, 1940: Secretly tasked with foiling a suspected plot, Sophie Klein is placed in the Royal Library at Windsor castle, where the princesses reside. But when she learns that Windsor is compromised, Sophie must sacrifice everything she knows to save the future queen of England…
Philadelphia, Present day: Looking through her grandmother's papers, Lacey Jones comes across a mysterious letter stamped with the Windsor Castle crest. But how did it come to be in her family's possession?
And so begins a journey that will take Lacey deep into the heart of the oldest inhabited castle in the world, and change her life forever…
Readers can’t put down The Royal Librarian!
‘Amazing! Delightful! Perfection!’ NetGalley reviewer,
‘I couldn’t put it down… utterly enthralling from start to finish!’ NetGalley reviewer
‘This is the best historical fiction I’ve read,’ NetGalley reviewer
‘I cannot stop talking about how much I love this book,’ NetGalley reviewer
‘A genuine pleasure,’ NetGalley reviwer
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
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."
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
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...
The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials book 2), Philip Pullman
The second volume in Philip Pullmans incredible HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy.
First published in 1997, and acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, it won the UK's top awards for childrens literature.
"What is he? A friend, or an enemy?" "He is a murderer." Will has just killed a man. He is on the run. His escape will take him far beyond his own world, to the eerie disquiet of a deserted city, and to a girl, Lyra. Her fate is strangely linked to his own, and together they must find the most powerful weapon in all the worlds...
First published in 1997, and acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, it won the UK's top awards for childrens literature.
"What is he? A friend, or an enemy?" "He is a murderer." Will has just killed a man. He is on the run. His escape will take him far beyond his own world, to the eerie disquiet of a deserted city, and to a girl, Lyra. Her fate is strangely linked to his own, and together they must find the most powerful weapon in all the worlds...
The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials book 3), Philip Pullman
The third volume in Philip Pullmans incredible HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy.
First published in 2000, and acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, it won the UK's top awards for childrens literature.
"We are going to the land of the dead and we are going to come back." Will and Lyra, whose fates are bound together by powers beyond their own worlds, have been violently separated. But they must find each other, for ahead of them lies the greatest war that has ever been, and a journey to a dark place from which no one has ever returned...
First published in 2000, and acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, it won the UK's top awards for childrens literature.
"We are going to the land of the dead and we are going to come back." Will and Lyra, whose fates are bound together by powers beyond their own worlds, have been violently separated. But they must find each other, for ahead of them lies the greatest war that has ever been, and a journey to a dark place from which no one has ever returned...
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.