“A masked terrorist has brought London to its knees – there are bombs inside books, and nobody knows which ones. On the day of the launch of the first expedition to Mars, by giant cannon, he outdoes himself with an audacious attack. For young poet Orphan, trapped in the screaming audience, it seems his destiny is entwined with that of the shadowy terrorist, but how? Like a steam-powered take on V for Vendetta, rich with satire and slashed through with automatons, giant lizards, pirates, airships and wild adventure, The Bookman is the first of a series.”

So states the cover intro to the new novel “The Bookman” by Lavie Tidhar, to be released in the UK in January from Angry Robot Books.

James P. Blaylock, author of Lord Kelvin’s Machine and  Homunculus, states:

” Lavie Tidhar’s The Bookman is simply the best book I’ve read in a long time, and I read a lot of books.  If you’re worried that Steampunk has turned into a mere fashion aesthetic, then you’d better read this one.  It’s a stunningly imaginative remix of history, technology, literature, and Victorian adventure that’s impossible to put down.  The book is immensely smart and readable at the same time.  I very much hope that it’s the first of many such books.  Buy it. “