An extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, in the time of a dying sun, when our present culture is no longer even a memory. Severian, a torturer's apprentice, is exiled from his guild after falling in love with one of his prisoners. Ordered to the distant city of Thrax, armed with his ancient executioner's sword, Terminus Est, Severian must make his way across the perilous, ruined landscape of this far-future Urth. But is his finding of the mystical gem, the Claw of the Conciliator, merely an accident, or does Fate have a grander plans for Severian the torturer . . . ? This edition contains the first two volumes of this four volume novel, The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator .
Now stunningly repackaged, the original uncut edition of STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Hugo Award winner Robert A Heinlein - one of the most celebrated science-fiction novels of all time.
When Kris Kelvin arrives at the planet Solaris to study the ocean that covers its surface he is forced to confront a painful, hitherto unconscious memory embodied in the physical likeness of a long-dead lover. Others suffer from the same affliction and speculation rises among scientists that the Solaris ocean may be a massive brain that creates incarnate memories, but its purpose in doing so remains a mystery . . . Solaris raises a question that has been at the heart of human experience and literature for centuries: can we truly understand the universe around us without first understanding what lies within?
The human race faces extinction. Under the despotic rule of Xan Lyppiat, the Warden of England, the old are despairing and the young cruel. Theo Faren, a cousin of the Warden, lives a solitary life in this ominous atmosphere. Suddenly his life is changed irrevocably as he faces agonising choices which could affect the future of mankind.
B>THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER/b>From the acclaimed author of Stories of Your Life and Others - the basis for the Academy Award nominated film Arrival - comes a groundbreaking second collection of short fiction: nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories.In 'The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate', a portal through time forces a fabric-seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past mistakes and the temptation of second chances. In the epistolary 'Exhalation', an alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications not just for his own people, but for all of reality. And in 'The Lifecycle of Software Objects', a woman cares for an artificial intelligence over twenty years, elevating a faddish digital pet into what might be a true living being. Also included are two previously unpublished stories: 'Omphalos' and 'Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom'.In Exhalation, Ted Chiang wrestles with the oldest questions on earth - What is the nature of the universe? What does it mean to be human? - and ones that no one else has even imagined. And, each in its own way, the stories prove that complex and thoughtful science fiction can rise to new heights of beauty, meaning, and compassion.
With an introduction by David Mitchell Isserley spends most of her time driving. But why is she so interested in picking up hitchhikers? And why are they always male, well-built and alone? An utterly unpredictable and macabre mystery, Under the Skin is a genre-defying masterpiece.
In this stunning follow-up to Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Marlon James draws on a rich tradition of African mythology, fantasy and history to imagine an ancient world, a lost child, an extraordinary hunter, and a mystery with many answers...br>Marlon James weaves a tapestry of breathtaking adventure through a world at once ancient and startlingly modern. And, against this exhilarating backdrop of magic and violence, he explores the fundamentals of truth, the limits of power, the excesses of ambition, and our need to understand them all.>
From the author of the thrilling science-fiction epic Children of Time , winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award. ''One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction'' - Christopher Paolini Shards of Earth is the first high-octane instalment in the Final Architecture trilogy. The war is over. Its heroes forgotten. Until one chance discovery . . . Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade his mind in the war. And one of humanity''s heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers. Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed by an alien enemy. Many escaped, but millions more died. So mankind created enhanced humans such as Idris - who could communicate mind-to-mind with our aggressors. Then these ''Architects'' simply disappeared and Idris and his kind became obsolete. Now, Idris and his crew have something strange, abandoned in space. It''s clearly the work of the Architects - but are they really returning? And if so, why? Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy as they search for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, and many would kill to obtain it. Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky: ''Enthralling, epic, immersive and hugely intelligent'' - Stephen Baxter on Shards of Earth ''He writes incredibly enjoyable sci-fi, full of life and ideas'' - Patrick Ness ''Brilliant science fiction'' - James McAvoy on Children of Time
The Sunday Times bestseller, from the bestselling author of The Bone Season and The Priory of the Orange Tree Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and consigned to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between those factions that seek Scion''s downfall and those who would kill to protect the Rephaim''s puppet empire.
The mysterious Domino Programme has plans for Paige, but she has ambitions of her own in this new citadel. With Arcturus Mesarthim - her former enemy - at her side, she embarks on an adventure that will lead her from the catacombs of Paris to the glittering hallways of Versailles. Her risks promise high reward: the Parisian underworld could yield the means to escalate her rebellion to outright war.
As Scion widens its bounds and the free world trembles in its shadow, Paige must fight her own memories after her ordeal at the hands of Scion. Meanwhile, she strives to understand her bond with Arcturus, which grows stronger by the day. But there are those who know the revolution began with them - and could end with them...>
Soon to be a major Amazon Prime TV series The eighth novel in the Wheel of Time series - one of the most influential and popular fantasy epics ever published. Rand al''Thor, the Dragon Reborn, has conquered the city of Illian, struck down Sammael the Forsaken and shattered the armies of the invading Seanchan. Nynaeve, Aviendha and Elayne have broken the Dark One''s hold on the world''s weather and are poised to retake the throne of Andor. And Egwene al''Vere, leader of the exiled Aes Sedai, marches her army towards the White Tower. But Rand and the Asha''man that follow him are slowly being corrupted by the madness that comes to the male wielders of the One Power. If they cannot remove the Dark One''s taint from the True Source then none will survive to fight the Last Battle against the Shadow. And as Rand struggles to maintain his sanity the Seanchan launch their counter-strike. ''Epic in every sense'' Sunday Times ''With the Wheel of Time, Jordan has come to dominate the world that Tolkien began to reveal'' New York Times '' [The] huge ambitious Wheel of Time series helped redefine the genre'' George R. R. Martin ''A fantasy phenomenon'' SFX The Wheel of Time The Eye of the World The Great Hunt The Dragon Reborn The Shadow Rising The Fires of Heaven Lord of Chaos A Crown of Swords The Path of Daggers Winter''s Heart Crossroads of Twilight Knife of Dreams The Gathering Storm Towers of Midnight A Memory of Light New Spring (prequel) The Wheel of Time Companion
Introduced by Carmen Maria Machado, the radical dystopian classic, lost for forty years: in a nightmarish through-a-glass-darkly Britain, they are coming closer . ''I remembered how they began, a parody for the newspapers. No one wrote about them now.'' Life on the windswept Sussex coast goes on as it has for centuries. But this is England through-a-glass-darkly. They are coming closer. It begins with a dead dog, shadowy footsteps, confiscated books. The National Gallery is cleared; motorway checkpoints demarcate Areas; the Art Centres are raided. The surviving writers, artists, and thinkers become cultural refugees. They preserve their crafts, create, love, and remember. But as subversives are gleaned by military surveys, cured of identity, desensitised in retreats, they make it easier to forget ... Lost for over forty years, Kay Dick''s They is an electrifying literary artefact. As enigmatic as a nightmare, it is a cry from the soul against censorship and conformity, a radical celebration of queerness and self-expression - and a warning.
'A storytelling assurance rare for a debut . . . Fans of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson will find much to admire' Guardian AS DESTINY CALLS, A JOURNEY BEGINS It has been twenty years since the god-like Augurs were overthrown and killed. Now, those who once served them - the Gifted - are spared only because they have accepted the rebellion's Four Tenets, vastly limiting their own powers. As a young Gifted, Davian suffers the consequences of a war lost before he was even born. He and others like him are despised. But when Davian discovers he wields the forbidden powers of the Augurs, he sets in motion a chain of events that will change everything. To the west, a young man whose fate is intertwined with Davian's wakes up in the forest, covered in blood and with no memory of who he is . . . And in the far north, an ancient enemy long thought defeated, begins to stir. The Licanius trilogy: The Shadow of What Was Lost An Echo of Things to Come The Light of All That Falls (coming 2019) 'Wonderful worldbuilding and terrific characters' Boingboing.net 'Will appeal to anybody looking for a coming-of-age fantasy tale with likeable characters and strong worldbuilding' Fantasy Faction 'Love the Wheel of Time? This is about to become your new favourite series' Barnes & Noble SF and Fantasy Blog
The highly anticipated sequel to the beloved worldwide bestseller Ready Player One, the "ridiculously fun and large-hearted" (NPR) near-future adventure that inspired the blockbuster Steven Spielberg film. Praise for Ready Player One "Enchanting . . . Willy Wonka meets The Matrix."- USA Today "An addictive read . . . part intergalactic scavenger hunt, part romance, and all heart."- CNN "Delightful . . . the grown-up's Harry Potter."- HuffPost "As one adventure leads expertly to the next, time simply evaporates."- Entertainment Weekly "Gorgeously geeky, superbly entertaining, [and] spectacularly successful."- Daily Mail (UK) "A smart, funny thriller that both celebrates and critiques online culture."- San Francisco Chronicle "A geek fantasia, '80s culture memoir and commentary on the future of online behavior all at once."- Austin American-Statesman
