Gollancz secures high-concept SF thriller from remarkable new British voice

Gollancz secures high-concept SF thriller from remarkable new British voice

Gollancz is delighted to announce their acquisition of World Rights to a science fiction crime crossover novel with a love story at its core, From Darkest Skies. In the vein of blockbuster films Chappie, Her and Ex Machina, Sam Peter’s first novel explores artificial intelligence  and the complexities of mankind’s relationship with it.

Gollancz Commissioning Editor, Marcus Gipps, brought the rights to the three book deal from Robert Dinsdale at AM Heath & Co.

Marcus Gipps said: “We’re delighted to have acquired Sam’s debut novel, which is a gripping and timely exploration of what it means to be human mixed with a twisting criminal investigation. The relationships at the core of the book are unforgettable and all too easily imagined’”

Sam Peters said “I was more than delighted when Gollancz decided to publish these books. They’ve been with me for a long time in one form or another and I’m really pleased to know they’ll soon be out there under the banner of one of my favourite pushers of AIs and spaceships, elves and dragons.”

Written by a remarkable new talent in genre fiction, From Darkest Skies follows an Intelligence Service Agent, Keon, and his search for the truth about his dead wife. Using every digital trace she left behind, Keon creates an artificial intelligence version of his wife to help him solve the case, but as they work together, their relationship grows into something more, something frighteningly dependent, and something that verges on love.

A fast-paced yet moving thriller, From Darkest Skies is a commercial novel that will appeal to readers of cyberpunk and crime noir.

From Darkest Skies by Sam Peters will be published in trade paperback and eBook on the 20th April 2017.

 Sam Peters is a mathematician, part-time gentle-person adventurer and occasional screenwriter who has seen faces glaze over at the words ‘science fiction’ once too often. Inspirations include Dennis Potter, Mary Doria Russell, Lynda La Plante, Neal Stephenson, and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.