Harry Bodie’s been called into the delightful fantasy world of his grandmother’s beloved children’s books. It’s not delightful here at all .

All roads lead to Underhill, where it’s always winter, and never nice.

Harry Bodie has a famous grandmother, who wrote beloved children’s books set in the delightful world of Underhill. Harry himself is a failing kids’ TV presenter whose every attempt to advance his career ends in self-sabotage. His family history seems to be nothing but an impediment.

An impediment... or worse. What if Underhill is real? What if it has been waiting decades for a promised child to visit? What if it isn’t delightful at all? And what if its denizens have run out of patience and are taking matters into their own hands?

Review

"As funny as it is thought-provoking." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review

“A richly original and humorous must-read for genre newbies and die-hard sci-fi fans alike.” -- Starburst

"Tchaikovsky delivers a comical and riotous account." -- SciFiNow

"The kind of story that hooks you, begging you to read one more chapter before bed, before work or in any spare moment you can find." -- Aurealis

"Brilliant science fiction and far out world building" -- James McAvoy on Children of Time -- James McAvoy

"This is superior stuff, tackling big themes with brio." -- Financial Times

"It's like Jerome K Jerome on a lot of acid." -- Alice James

About the Author

Adrian Tchaikovsky is the author of the acclaimed ten-book Shadows of the Apt series, the Echoes of the Fall series, and other novels, novellas and short stories including Children of Time (which won the Arthur C. Clarke award in 2016), and its sequel, Children of Ruin (which won the British Science Fiction Award in 2020). He lives in Leeds in the UK and his hobbies include entomology and board and roleplaying games.