Cirrus@Austlit

'Worlds within. Worlds without end. Seven novellas from Australia’s #1 New York Times-bestselling “Emperor of Sci-fi” that take the reader on journeys deep and wide: through space- and time-bending labyrinths; via machines that challenge our very notions of reality; to the very ends of humanity and the furthest reaches of the human heart.

'THESKYINSIDE collects work by Sean Williams set in his TWINMAKER, ASTROPOLIS and STRUCTURE series that have been recognised by the Aurealis, Ditmar and Locus Awards, along with new work that spans the decades of his writing career' (Publication summary)

'A suspenseful middle-grade fantasy full of mystery, twists and skulduggery from the author of the critically acclaimed Her Perilous Mansion.

'When Athelbert Fan is thrown in jail for thievery, his daughter, Penny, is convinced he has been framed. Someone else must have stolen the gold cup from the crabby magistrate's home and put it in with her father's tools. But who could it be? Setting out to prove his innocence, Penny forms an unlikely foursome with the magistrate's son, a young traveller and a magical scribe's apprentice. Soon they discover even more crimes - and it's always the rich being burgled and the poor being blamed. Before long the whole town is in uproar, until a mysterious inspector arrives ... but can he be trusted? It's up to the young quartet to untangle the truth and put things right.' (Publication summary)

'Nothing takes flight without something solid to push against. And flying looks easy until you take that leap of faith into the arms of gravity and try to soar.

'These fourteen stories from New York Times bestselling author Sean Williams explore the limits of human experience through the lenses of romance, horror, humour, speculation and mystery, giving the reader glimpses of worlds they’ve never seen before — worlds haunting, memorable and seductive.

'Each is a unique take on the familiar; a step deeper into the unknown.'  (Publication summary)

'Matter transporters, dead worlds, and ghostly encounters. Parallel worlds, time-travel, and dangers that lurk in the shadows. 

'Little Labyrinths brings together 17 vignettes and microfictions from one of Australia’s premier authors of science fiction and fantasy. Collected together for the first time, these brief tales and startling asides cover territory that is playful, experimental, and infused with speculative wonder. Once dubbed Australia’s King of Genre Fiction, Williams’ work will remind you of the strange, exciting, and mysterious pleasures that come from losing yourself in the smallest stories.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

A group of hikers planning on using d-mat (transport) technology to 'climb' a mesa in Venezuela are stranded when the technology's headquarters is sabotaged and the platforms become inoperative.

'Someone from the Heavy Armor Squad comes down to rescue a few illegal colonists, and while they’re all hiding from the local wildlife he/she tells them some stories.'

Source: Rocket Stack Rank (http://www.rocketstackrank.com/2019/09/Mutata-Superesse-Jason-Fischer-Sean-Williams.html).

'A man tracks down the last surviving Martian in the wastes of Antarctica, hidden away since the original invasion, far from the bacteria which doomed its kind. The purpose of his quest is to understand the mystery - the 'why' of the Martian invasion - and to learn the identity of the true invaders. A satisfying conclusion to this collection, which builds upon and adds to Wells' great novel, as all good sequels should.'

Source: Foreword.

'Music is Simon's life—which is why he is devastated when a mini-stroke obliterates his hearing. He resists attempts to help him adjust to his new state, refusing to be counselled, refusing to learn sign language, refusing to have anything to do with deaf culture. Refusing, that is, until he meets G, a tough-as-nails girl dealing with her own hearing loss. In an emotionally compelling tale crackling with originality, Simon's quest to create an entirely new form of music forces him into a deeper understanding of his relationship to the hearing world, of himself, and of the girl he meets along the way.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Odo, Eleanor and their trusty and talkative swords, Biter and Runnel, are plunged into a quest that will take them (as all good quests must) to unfamiliar lands, where they will fight unseen enemies and unlock unbelievable secrets in order to prevent an unbearable imposter from taking the crown. Also, they will need to keep an eye out for dragons.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.