Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson makes a triumphant return to science fiction with this unforgettable vision of humanity's future among the stars. A stunning new space opera from the author of Rosewater.
'Gripping and skilfully told, with an economy and freshness of approach that is all Tade Thompson's own. The setting is interstellar, but it feels as real, immediate and lethal as today's headlines' Alastair Reynolds
Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson makes a triumphant return to science fiction with this unforgettable vision of humanity's future in the chilling emptiness of space.
The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having travelled light years from home to bring one thousand sleeping souls to safety among the stars.
Some of the sleepers, however, will never wake - and a profound and sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel. Its skeleton crew are forced to make decisions that will have repercussions for all of humanity's settlements - from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet of Bloodroot, to other far flung systems and indeed Earth itself.
'A gripping space opera with characters fighting for their lives aboard a dying starship. I enjoyed it so much and can't wait to see what Thompson does next' Martha Wells, author of the Murderbot Diaries
'Simultaneously brutally grounded and wildly imaginative' Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time
'Perfectly balances inspired universe building with both high-octane action and emotional depth' Big Issue
'Readers looking for a smart sci-fi mystery should snap this up' Publishers Weekly
'First-rate space opera from one of the genre's most exciting voices' Gareth L. Powell
'Tade Thompson is a writer of enormous heart and talent. Just brilliant' Dave Hutchinson
Readers looking for a smart sci-fi mystery should snap this up
A first-rate space opera from one of the genre's most exciting voices
Gripping and skillfully told, with an economy and freshness of approach that is all Tade Thompson's own. The setting is interstellar, but it feels as real, immediate and lethal as today's headlines. Whatever he does next, it's bound to be interesting
A fascinating hybrid of taut murder mystery and a vividly-imagined, expansive science fiction future that will linger long in my mind
TADE THOMPSON is the author of the Rosewater novels, the Molly Southbourne books, and Making Wolf. He has won the Arthur C Clarke Award, the Nommo Award, the Prix Julia-Verlange and been a finalist for the John W. Campbell award, the Locus awards, the Shirley Jackson Award and the Hugo Awards among others. He lives and works on the south coast of England.