Lotus Blue
Cat Sparks
- 388 Pages
- March 7, 2017
- ISBN: 9781940456706
- Trim Size: 6in x 9in x 0in
Description
“Imaginative and richly rendered . . . Sparks frames all of this in haunting, near-poetic detail, such that the readers can smell the toxic red sand and perhaps taste the blood. Recommended for people who crave fresh post-apocalypse chaos—because Sparks’s post-apocalyptic chaos is pretty fresh, at that.”—NK Jemisin, The New York Times
Powerful war machines of the far-future collide across a barren desert world in this post-apocalyptic debut novel from award-winning Australian author Cat Sparks.
Seventeen-year-old Star and her sister Nene are orphans, part of a thirteen-wagon caravan of nomadic traders living hard lives travelling the Sand Road. Their route cuts through a particularly dangerous and unforgiving section of the Dead Red Heart, a war-ravaged desert landscape plagued by rogue semi-sentient machinery and other monsters from a bygone age.
But when the caravan witnesses a relic-Angel satellite unexpectedly crash to Earth, a chain of events begins that sends Star on a journey far away from the life she once knew. Shanghaied upon the sandship Dogwatch, she is forced to cross the Obsidian Sea by Quarrel, an ancient Templar supersoldier. Eventually shipwrecked, Star will have no choice but to place her trust in both thieves and priestesses while coming to terms with the grim reality of her pastand the horror of her unfolding destinyas the terrible secret her sister had been desperate to protect her from begins to unravel.
Meanwhile, something old and powerful has woken in the desert. A Lotus Blue, deadliest of all the ancient war machines. A warrior with plans of its own, far more significant than a fallen Angel. Plans that do not include the survival of humanity.
Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.
Seventeen-year-old Star and her sister Nene are orphans, part of a thirteen-wagon caravan of nomadic traders living hard lives travelling the Sand Road. Their route cuts through a particularly dangerous and unforgiving section of the Dead Red Heart, a war-ravaged desert landscape plagued by rogue semi-sentient machinery and other monsters from a bygone age.
But when the caravan witnesses a relic-Angel satellite unexpectedly crash to Earth, a chain of events begins that sends Star on a journey far away from the life she once knew. Shanghaied upon the sandship Dogwatch, she is forced to cross the Obsidian Sea by Quarrel, an ancient Templar supersoldier. Eventually shipwrecked, Star will have no choice but to place her trust in both thieves and priestesses while coming to terms with the grim reality of her pastand the horror of her unfolding destinyas the terrible secret her sister had been desperate to protect her from begins to unravel.
Meanwhile, something old and powerful has woken in the desert. A Lotus Blue, deadliest of all the ancient war machines. A warrior with plans of its own, far more significant than a fallen Angel. Plans that do not include the survival of humanity.
Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.
Authors
Cat Sparks is a multi-award-winning Australian author, editor, and artist whose former employment has included: media monitor, political and archaeological photographer, graphic designer and manager of Agog! Press amongst other (much less interesting) things. She’s currently fiction editor of Cosmos Magazine while simultaneously grappling with a PhD on YA climate fiction.
Reviews
Shortlisted for the 2017 Aurealis Award
Shortlisted for the 2018 Ditmar Award
Shortlisted for the 2018 Compton Crook Award
“Imaginative and richly rendered . . . Sparks frames all of this in haunting, near-poetic detail, such that the readers can smell the toxic red sand and perhaps taste the blood. Recommended for people who crave fresh post-apocalypse chaos—because Sparks’s post-apocalyptic chaos is pretty fresh, at that.”—NK Jemisin, The New York Times
“A worthy mashup of Mad Max and Blade Runner . . . both richly atmospheric and incredibly engaging . . . more than just an action novel; there are mysteries to unpack and full-blooded characters who will keep you turning pages.”—B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog (also included on the Blog's "The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2017 So Far" list)
“Australian author Sparks’ first foray into full-length fiction is an unforgettable ride into dystopian, post-apocalyptic sci-fi storytelling. Her rich, hauntingly familiar yet desolate alien landscapes are filled with eons-old mutant soldiers, ancient war machines and extraordinarily scrappy and resilient characters. But it’s her perfect weaving of the different plot threads into one fantastic read that rocks this debut sci-fi offering.”—RT Book Reviews
“In the spirit of the Mad Max films, Australian author Spark’s debut takes reader on a journey of the intersection of human and machine. Strong characters and a vivid desert landscape bring this postapocalyptic story to life.” —Library Journal
“While there may be much that seems familiar in [Lotus Blue], with echoes not only of the Mad Max films but of Robocops, Terminators, and doomsday machines, there's also a good deal that's original . . . While this exuberance of invention is what initially draws us in to Sparks's world, her narrative energy builds admirably as we learn more about the characters' true identities and secrets . . . [A] fine first novel.”—Gary K. Wolfe, Locus
"Filled with effortless worldbuilding that will have you shaking the sand out of your shoes after each chapter, this post-apocalyptic thrill ride is not to be missed.”—B&N Sci-Fi Blog, “The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of February 2017”
“Sparks creates an uneasy and painfully suspenseful atmosphere with this sudden technological awakening, sweeping Star up in the burgeoning chaos as a long-dormant power from the Lotus Wars stirs, bringing with it only death.”—Booklist
“A wonderfully inventive story . . . It’s a great read, but it is also a fine first literary attempt which calls to mind the world of J.G. Ballard—the dystopian modernity and the somewhat pessimistic take on humanity’s inherent failings.” —Cosmos magazine
“It’s a monumental feat of imagination and the details build through the early chapters until you can see the ruin around you and understand the misery that created it. . . . an impressive piece of imaginative writing, and one you’ll enjoy from start to finish.”—Newtown Review of Books
“Lotus Blue is [Sparks’] first novel, and what an entertaining ride it is. A striking adventure story in a world of nuked cities, killer hi-tech storms and cybernetic wizardry.” —Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Shortlisted for the 2018 Ditmar Award
Shortlisted for the 2018 Compton Crook Award
“Imaginative and richly rendered . . . Sparks frames all of this in haunting, near-poetic detail, such that the readers can smell the toxic red sand and perhaps taste the blood. Recommended for people who crave fresh post-apocalypse chaos—because Sparks’s post-apocalyptic chaos is pretty fresh, at that.”—NK Jemisin, The New York Times
“A worthy mashup of Mad Max and Blade Runner . . . both richly atmospheric and incredibly engaging . . . more than just an action novel; there are mysteries to unpack and full-blooded characters who will keep you turning pages.”—B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog (also included on the Blog's "The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of 2017 So Far" list)
“Australian author Sparks’ first foray into full-length fiction is an unforgettable ride into dystopian, post-apocalyptic sci-fi storytelling. Her rich, hauntingly familiar yet desolate alien landscapes are filled with eons-old mutant soldiers, ancient war machines and extraordinarily scrappy and resilient characters. But it’s her perfect weaving of the different plot threads into one fantastic read that rocks this debut sci-fi offering.”—RT Book Reviews
“In the spirit of the Mad Max films, Australian author Spark’s debut takes reader on a journey of the intersection of human and machine. Strong characters and a vivid desert landscape bring this postapocalyptic story to life.” —Library Journal
“While there may be much that seems familiar in [Lotus Blue], with echoes not only of the Mad Max films but of Robocops, Terminators, and doomsday machines, there's also a good deal that's original . . . While this exuberance of invention is what initially draws us in to Sparks's world, her narrative energy builds admirably as we learn more about the characters' true identities and secrets . . . [A] fine first novel.”—Gary K. Wolfe, Locus
"Filled with effortless worldbuilding that will have you shaking the sand out of your shoes after each chapter, this post-apocalyptic thrill ride is not to be missed.”—B&N Sci-Fi Blog, “The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of February 2017”
“Sparks creates an uneasy and painfully suspenseful atmosphere with this sudden technological awakening, sweeping Star up in the burgeoning chaos as a long-dormant power from the Lotus Wars stirs, bringing with it only death.”—Booklist
“A wonderfully inventive story . . . It’s a great read, but it is also a fine first literary attempt which calls to mind the world of J.G. Ballard—the dystopian modernity and the somewhat pessimistic take on humanity’s inherent failings.” —Cosmos magazine
“It’s a monumental feat of imagination and the details build through the early chapters until you can see the ruin around you and understand the misery that created it. . . . an impressive piece of imaginative writing, and one you’ll enjoy from start to finish.”—Newtown Review of Books
“Lotus Blue is [Sparks’] first novel, and what an entertaining ride it is. A striking adventure story in a world of nuked cities, killer hi-tech storms and cybernetic wizardry.” —Herald Sun (Melbourne)
“Forget the Mad Max comparisons: Sparks is far more ambitious than that. Lotus Blue is A Canticle for Leibowitz by way of Neuromancer.”
—Peter Watts, author of Blindsight
"A mythic, far-future outback populated by superhuman soldiers, house-sized reptiles, and half-crazed armored vehicles: If that doesn't sound incredible to you, you have no heart. Lotus Blue is the year's most compelling science fiction novel."
—Zachary Jernigan, author of Jeroun: The Collected Omnibus
“Astonishingly rich in ideas and concepts and the world building is truly breathtaking in its breadth and originality. Lotus Blue is a revelation.”
—Isobelle Carmody, author of the Obernewtyn Chronicles
“Lotus Blue is sci-fi author Cat Sparks’s debut novel, and for a first journey it’s a hell of a ride. As intelligent and thought-provoking as it is exciting . . . From the opening paragraphs you can feel the desert heat and the sand whipping your face.”
—Starburst magazine
“Lotus Blue is SF adventure on steroids. A dystopian vision worthy of H. Rider Haggard and the Mad Max film franchise.”
—Jack Dann
“Vivid, compelling, and relentless, Cat Sparks makes you care about the soul of a mecha future as you hang onto the edge, feeling the sandy grit between your teeth.”
—Tina LeCount Myers, author of The Song of All
“Strong-minded women to root for, self-driven, sentient war mech, and a broken, raw world make Lotus Blue the latest and greatest of recent post-apocalyptic stories. An imagined future that leaves you discomfited, but an engaging read that leaves you satisfied.”
—Betsy Dornbusch, author of the Books of the Seven Eyes trilogy
“A post-apocalyptic vision from Australia. Sparks' debut is ambitious . . . but patient readers will find it ultimately rewarding.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Fascinating and grisly . . . gets strong approval for an excellent idea and a wonderful world.”—Aurealis —Peter Watts, author of Blindsight
"A mythic, far-future outback populated by superhuman soldiers, house-sized reptiles, and half-crazed armored vehicles: If that doesn't sound incredible to you, you have no heart. Lotus Blue is the year's most compelling science fiction novel."
—Zachary Jernigan, author of Jeroun: The Collected Omnibus
“Astonishingly rich in ideas and concepts and the world building is truly breathtaking in its breadth and originality. Lotus Blue is a revelation.”
—Isobelle Carmody, author of the Obernewtyn Chronicles
“Lotus Blue is sci-fi author Cat Sparks’s debut novel, and for a first journey it’s a hell of a ride. As intelligent and thought-provoking as it is exciting . . . From the opening paragraphs you can feel the desert heat and the sand whipping your face.”
—Starburst magazine
“Lotus Blue is SF adventure on steroids. A dystopian vision worthy of H. Rider Haggard and the Mad Max film franchise.”
—Jack Dann
“Vivid, compelling, and relentless, Cat Sparks makes you care about the soul of a mecha future as you hang onto the edge, feeling the sandy grit between your teeth.”
—Tina LeCount Myers, author of The Song of All
“Strong-minded women to root for, self-driven, sentient war mech, and a broken, raw world make Lotus Blue the latest and greatest of recent post-apocalyptic stories. An imagined future that leaves you discomfited, but an engaging read that leaves you satisfied.”
—Betsy Dornbusch, author of the Books of the Seven Eyes trilogy
“A post-apocalyptic vision from Australia. Sparks' debut is ambitious . . . but patient readers will find it ultimately rewarding.”
—Kirkus Reviews
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Lotus Blue
by Cat Sparks