No Man's Land

A compelling standalone dark fantasy set in a gritty post-WWI Britain that has been overrun by the fae, from the award-winning author of Altered Carbon

“One of my favorite books of the year, destined to be a classic.”—Tim Lebbon, New York Times bestselling author of Secret Lives of The Dead

The Great War was supposed to be the war to end all wars—and maybe it would have been, had an even greater, otherworldly foe not risen to extinguish the conflict. Overnight, as guns blazed in France and Flanders, village after village in the quiet British countryside was swallowed by the Forest. And within the Forest lurk the Huldu—an ancient fae race, monstrous in their inhumanity, who have decided that mankind’s ascendency over the world can endure no longer.

Enter Duncan Silver. Scarred by the war, fueled by a rage deeper than the trenches in which he once fought, Duncan is determined to show the Huldu that the world is not theirs for the taking. Armed with a deadly iron knife and a cut-down trench gun filled with iron shot, Duncan will stop at nothing to return the children the Huldu have stolen to the arms of their families. No matter how many Huldu he may have to slaughter along the way.

But when he is hired by a mother to return her four-year-old daughter, Miriam—taken by the Huldu six months past and replaced with a changeling—all hell breaks loose. Miriam is a pawn in a much bigger game for dominance than Duncan ever expected, and several long-buried secrets from his past are about to be violently resurrected.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Morgan’s prose is precise and evocative and gripping; Duncan’s story is compelling and intriguing.”—Locus

“In No Man’s Land, Morgan has created a disturbing world of deep forests, arcane spells, and haunted and haunting characters. It’s rich and vividly imagined, so much that you can smell the dank undergrowth, taste the spilled blood . . . and feel the dread in every scene. One of my favorite books of the year, destined to be a classic.”—Tim Lebbon, New York Times bestselling author of Secret Lives of The Dead

“This addictive hardboiled fantasy from Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Morgan (Altered Carbon) takes its attitude from the disillusionment triggered by WWI. . . . Morgan pits the forces of ancient magic and modern warfare against each other and studs the plot with clever clues. . . . Readers will be hooked.”—Publishers Weekly

“An absorbing, brutal read perfect for fans of C. Robert Cargill . . . this stand-alone grimdark fantasy marks a shift from Morgan’s (Thin Air) usual works, yet retains his signature hardboiled edge and gritty intrigue. Whether writing science fiction or fantasy, Morgan creates atmospheric, lived-in worlds with flawed, complex characters.”—Library Journal

“No Man’s Land comes out of the forest swinging fists and iron fury in this triumphant face-stomping, heart-clutching, milk-curdling, hard-boiled adventure of man versus Elfland, with war veterans, changelings, maidens in distress, murderous elves, and some very horny trees all in for the rush-along ride. You’ll never look at an elf the same way again.”—Lavie Tidhar, World Fantasy Award-winning author of Osama and Central Station

Always worth the wait

Richard has long had this habit of "no new series being the same as anything he's done before". Half of the anticipation of a new RKM series is "wondering what type of universe/world he'll craft THIS time". He's got a bona fide gift for creating a totally new universe, and then slipping into it to tell it's story.

About two decades ago I literally begged Richard to write another tie-in to his Altered Carbon series. His polite reply was something like: "I feel I've gone as far with the series as it wanted to go. It's done. When the story feels done, it's time to move on to the next story you want to tell."

As always, he was 100% correct. It works. It allows him to give you something unique, exciting and thought-provoking each time he starts a new series. Too many authors today simply serve up a tired and continuous rehash of 'a basic theme they came up with' after they think they've found 'a formula' that sells. It quickly becomes painfully obvious that their books are about 'the money' first and foremost, not 'the passion of telling a good story'.
I don't think Richard HAS 'a formula'... Thankfully that's a rut he's never fallen into. His books are never 'trope' or shallow. It is amazing to me how he can craft a new and unique universe, complete with it's own rules, it's own 'norms', it's own slang and idioms, and make it feel real and "Lived In' every time.

Richard seems to thrive on making a reader stretch the boundaries of their beliefs and mental comfort level. Take it from a fan of over 24 years, you're doing yourself a disservice if you go into a Morgan book with a closed mind. Just relax and enjoy the journey for the journey's sake, I promise the words and ideas won't damage you (at least not permanently) ;)

I'm hoping he'll be writing more in this awesome new series,

Well done, yet again, Richard!
(And thanks for the previews of the story on your blog as you wrote it! It's always cool to watch as you craft the next adventure!)

Welcome back RKM

It's been a minute, but worth the wait. I was entertained. Thanks mang. Stupid Audible 15 word minimum for reviews.

Action packed thrill ride

Action, high tension, and an absolutely stunning voice performance. An imaginative world and a delicately woven story round it all off. Can heartily recommend if you like Richard K Morgan's work, historic firearms and/or lots of accents.