Set against the backdrop of a haunting past, storyteller Nate uncovers unsettling secrets in the woods where women once perished from a mysterious illness. The discovery of peculiar mushrooms marks the emergence of an enigmatic presence, hinting at a deeper mystery. Enhanced by a new introduction from M. R. Carey and accompanied by a bonus novella, this tale explores themes of loss, nature's secrets, and the intertwining of past and present.
“Feels like a major collection” – The Washington Post A short fiction collection to stand with Ted Chiang's Exhalation and Kelly Link's Magic for Beginners. The new collection of beautiful, strange and disarming short stories from the award-winning author of The Beauty, Clarke Award nominee The Loosening Skin and The Arrival of Missives, Aliya Whiteley. In 16 stories Whiteley deftly unpeels the strangeness of everyday life through beguiling gardens, rebellious bodies and journeys across familiar worlds, with her trademark wit and compassion. Witness the future of farming in a new Ice Age, or the artist bringing life to glass; the many-eyed monsters we carry and the secret cities inside our bodies; the alien invasion through our language to the Chantress and her twists on the fairy tale. Fascinating and always unexpected, Whiteley is unlike any other writer working today.
Fifteen predictions, seventy years in the future. By 2084 the world we know is gone. These are stories from our world seven decades later. In 1948 George Orwell looked at the world around him and his response was 1984, now a classic dystopian novel. Here eleven writers asked themselves the same question as Orwell did – where are we going, and what is our future? Visit the dark corners of the future metropolis, trek the wastelands of all that remains. See the world through the eyes of drones. Put humanity on trial as the oceans rise. Say goodbye to your body as humanity merges with technology. Warnings or prophesies? Paradise or destruction? Will we be proud of what we have achieved, in 2084? Our future unfolds before us.
From Aliya Whiteley, author of the critically-acclaimed The Beauty, comes a genre-defying story of fate, free-will and the choices we make in life. The Arrival of Missives is a unique work, deftly marrying literary and genre influences, heralding the arrival of a major new voice in speculative fiction.
Penelope lives a small life until the mysterious and charming Horticulturalist arrives in her garden, talking of a terrible plague sweeping the universe.He whisks her away on an intergalactic adventure, but her daughter Lily is still on Earth, trying to track her down, trying to survive the terrible events unfolding there...
From fields, feasts and fairy rings to death caps, puffballs and ambrosia beetles, this is an intoxicating journey into the life of extraordinary organism, one that we have barely begun to understand.
Nominated for the Shirley Jackson and Saboteur awards, this game-changing story was chosen by Adam Nevill as one of his favourite horror short stories: “What a refreshing gust of tiny spores this novella explodes into, and I inhaled them all with glee”. Somewhere away from the cities and towns, in the Valley of the Rocks, a society of men and boys gather around the fire each night to listen to their history recounted by Nate, the storyteller. Requested most often by the group is the tale of the death of all women. They are the last generation. One evening, Nate brings back new secrets from the woods; peculiar mushrooms are growing from the ground where the women’s bodies lie buried. These are the first signs of a strange and insidious presence unlike anything ever known before… Discover the Beauty.
From the author of The Loosening Skin and The Beauty, Aliya Whiteley, Skein Island is a powerful and disturbing look at the roles we play, and how they form and divide us. This new edition features a brand new novelette set in the same world as Skein Island.
Skyward Inn, within the high walls of the Western Protectorate, is a place of safety, where Jem and Isley, veterans of the war with alien Qita, offer warmth, stories and good brew. Their peace is disturbed when a visitor known to Isley comes to the Inn asking for help, bringing reminders of an unnerving past and triggering an uncertain future.
Shocking and heartbreaking yet infused with humor, this collection offers a unique reading experience that captivates and surprises. It showcases exceptional writing that resonates with fans of Aimee Bender and Etgar Keret. The blend of emotional depth and wit promises to engage readers, making it a standout work in contemporary literature.