Bestselling YA author Garth Nix publishes his first sci-fi novel for adults. 'Massif' is a military sci-fi novel blended with cosmic horror.

Massif

It's business as usual for Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the United Earth Government Navy ship Sassafras. For more than two hundred years humans have been hitching rides into space on vast sentient mountain ranges called Massifs in an endless interstellar war between the forces of Earth and Mars.

But the same unanswered questions burn behind every battle, every conquered world, every new colony.

Why do the Massifs carry humans to the stars?

Why do they help us export our wars?

What's in it for them?

Ship crews aren't supposed to ask these questions - and they definitely aren't supposed to speak to the all-powerful avatars piloting the mountains. But when Parnell's deputy, Kaz, is stranded on an enemy planet, he needs the Massif's help to rescue her . . . and that means figuring out how to talk to it.

Nothing could ever have prepared him for what he learns of the secrets fuelling their voyages across the galaxy. The only certainty amidst the dread is that there is far more at stake than the lives of his crew.

Garth Nix

Garth Nix was born in Melbourne, Australia, and spent his childhood in Canberra. Before attended the University of Canberra from 1984-1986 he spent time travelling in the UK. In 2002, Nix became a full-time writer. He has worked as a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving four years in an Assault Pioneer platoon, and as a bookseller, book sales representative, publicist, editor, marketing consultant and literary agent. His books are published around the world and have been translated into 36 languages.

'Massif' is his first foray into adult science fiction.

Natasha Pulley

Natasha Pulley is the author of really quite a lot of books. An international bestseller, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street won a Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award, the Locus Awards, and remained on the Sunday Times bestseller list for much of summer 2016. The Bedlam Stacks was longlisted for the Walter Scott Award and shortlisted for the Encore Award.

'The Salt King' will be published in August.

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