The third instalment in Hutchinson's brilliant Fractured Europe futuristic series confirms the appeal and strength of his vision of a continent that has politically fragmented and is at odds with a parallel world with unknown intentions and a railway line that runs across it and is a country in its own right. Widespread terrorist acts, the return of cook and involuntary spy Rudi and the slow revelation of the truth behind his father's once derided plans, all conjugate to keep you guessing throughout and expand the sheer scope of the singular vision Hutchinson has of his intriguing near future. Witty, suspenseful, puzzling, with a pervasive feeling that with every page you are witnessing another brick in the wall of a massive new world of the imagination where new questions are asked as soon as any previous ones are answered, like peeling an onion, in the true classic tradition of the thriller genre, albeit in a low-key science fictional setting. Quite unique. ~ Maxim Jakubowski
Union has come. The Community is now the largest nation in Europe; trains run there from as far afield as London and Prague. It is an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity. So what is the reason for a huge terrorist outrage? Why do the Community and Europe meet in secret, exchanging hostages? And who are Les Coureurs des Bois? Along with a motley crew of strays and mafiosi and sleeper agents, Rudi sets out to answer these questions - only to discover that the truth lies both closer to home and farther away than anyone could possibly imagine.
Dave Hutchinson was born in Sheffield in 1960. After reading American Studies at the University of Nottingham, he became a journalist. He s the author of five collections of short stories and one novel, and his novella The Push was shortlisted for the 2010 BSFA award for short fiction. He has also edited two anthologies and co-edited a third. His short story The Incredible Exploding Man featured in the first Solaris Rising anthology, and appeared in the 29th Year s Best Science Fiction collection. He lives in north London with his wife and several cats.
