Promotional Information

Dark, powerful and compelling, from the award-winning author of the Oracle.

About the Author

CATHERINE FISHER is an award-winning fantasy writer. The Oracle was shortlisted for the Whitbread Award 2003, The Conjuror's Game for the Smarties Award, The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Mind Boggling Award, The Candle Man won the Tir-Na-n'Og Award, and Corbenic was shortlisted. Author of 16 books for children and two volumes of award-winning poetry, she is particularly well-known in Wales.

Reviews

'... imaginatively drawn and vividly described. ... an exciting adventure story.' -- School Librarian '... stands out above all others ! It's imaginative scale and gobsmacking finale make it one of the best fantasy novels written for a long time.' -- Times, Amanda Craig 'a deliciously dark and scary ride.' -- Nicholas Tucker, The Independent 'a deep and sophisticated adventure story' -- Write Away 'one of today's best fantasy writers ... a deliciously dark and scary ride.' -- Independent '... imaginative, rich in texture and vividly realised. Catherine Fisher writes with consummate skill and depth of feeling.' -- The Bookseller 'One of this year's most striking fantasy novels' -- Amanda Craig, The Times '... a riveting book that keeps you turning pages. There are plenty of plot twists, mysteries, excitement, and secrets to hold your attention from the beginning to the very end. Even things that seem obvious may not be as they seem; there's enough ambiguity to keep you guessing.' -- Wands and Worlds PRAISE FOR THE ORACLE SEQUENCE:'... a rich, resonant conclusion to the series.' -- Booklist - May 06 'Vivid, complicated, and thoroughly engrossing, this fast paced adventure keeps readers avidly turning pages until the majestic conclusion.' -- Horn Book Review May/June 06 '... an intoxicating world reminiscent of the Arabian Nights. Highly recommended.' -- The Bookseller 'suspense is constantly built ... rattles along at a dizzying pace ... next volume please.' -- School Librarian 'A crisp, quick-moving narrative and fully fleshed out characters will keep readers hooked' -- Publisher's Weekly 'A powerful and very exciting adventure story.' -- School Library Journal '... one of the most skilled and original writers currently working in young adult fantasy' -- New Welsh Review 'Beautifully imagined and realised, this novel of future regression is rich with strong characters, big issues and a compelling plot. It is a barnstorming piece of serious fantasy that doesn't put a foot wrong.' -- The Bookbag 'Catherine Fisher is an artist with words ... An engrossing, intricate story of an extraordinary journey undertaken by richly imaginative characters' -- Carousel '... wholly engaging and rushes along as a breathless and nail-biting pace ... a gripping read that should enthral both young and old fans' -- Buzz

Fisher (the Oracle Prophesies series) scores a resounding success in this beautifully imagined science fantasy set in a far future where, many years earlier, civilization was artificially frozen at late-medieval levels in order to save the world from dangerous technologies. Simultaneously, all of the world's malcontents and madmen were sealed into an unimaginably vast, sentient prison named Incarceron, where a dedicated group of social engineers intended to create utopia. Claudia, the brilliant daughter of the cold-blooded warden of Incarceron, has been raised from birth to marry and eventually control Caspar, the simpleminded heir to the throne. Finn, a young man without a past, is a prisoner in Incarceron, which has become a hideous dystopia, an "abyss that swallows dreams." When Claudia and Finn each gain possession of a high-tech "key" to the prison, they exchange messages, and Finn asks Claudia to help him attempt an escape. While he negotiates the hideous maze of the prison, Claudia makes her way through the equally deadly labyrinth of political intrigue. Complex and inventive, with numerous and rewarding mysteries, this tale is certain to please. Ages 12-up. (Jan.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.