A stunning science fiction debut, The Space Between Worlds is both a cross-dimensional adventure and a powerful examination of identity, privilege, and belonging.
‘Profound’ Max Gladstone
‘Complex’ Guardian
‘It remained two steps ahead of my imagination’ The New York Times
‘A strong new voice in science fiction’ The Sunday Times
Born in the dirt of the wasteland, Cara has fought her entire life just to survive. Now she has done the impossible, and landed herself a comfortable life on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, she’s on a sure path to citizenship and security – on this world, at least.
Of the 380 realities that have been unlocked, Cara is dead in all but 8.
Cara’s parallel selves are exceptionally good at dying – from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun – which makes Cara wary, and valuable. Because while multiverse travel is possible, no one can visit a world in which their counterpart is still alive. And no one has fewer counterparts than Cara.
But then one of her eight doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, and Cara is plunged into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and future in ways she never could have imagined – and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her earth, but the entire multiverse.
‘Profound’ Max Gladstone
‘Complex’ Guardian
‘It remained two steps ahead of my imagination’ The New York Times
‘A strong new voice in science fiction’ The Sunday Times
Born in the dirt of the wasteland, Cara has fought her entire life just to survive. Now she has done the impossible, and landed herself a comfortable life on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, she’s on a sure path to citizenship and security – on this world, at least.
Of the 380 realities that have been unlocked, Cara is dead in all but 8.
Cara’s parallel selves are exceptionally good at dying – from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun – which makes Cara wary, and valuable. Because while multiverse travel is possible, no one can visit a world in which their counterpart is still alive. And no one has fewer counterparts than Cara.
But then one of her eight doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, and Cara is plunged into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and future in ways she never could have imagined – and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her earth, but the entire multiverse.
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Reviews
Gorgeous writing, mind-bending worldbuilding, razor-sharp social commentary, and a main character that demands your attention - and your allegiance
Micaiah Johnson's debut is a punk album, presenting a world where even our possibilities are colonized. I loved every twisting minute of it
A gritty, riveting, and ultimately hopeful novel about the people, choices, and relationships who make us who we are - in this world, and in those we can only imagine
A strong new voice in science fiction
Johnson's debut is a rare bird in any reality: a novel that is twisting, suspenseful, and profound
A riveting story filled with adventures and emotions
Johnson excels at contrasting lives of privilege and poverty, and at drip-feeding information that gradually reveals Cara's complex character
A dark, provocative read that's both challenging and satisfying
An imaginative tale of multiverses and doppelgangers
Clever characters, surprise twists, plenty of action, and a plot that highlights social and racial inequities in astute prose
Profoundly satisfying . . . [it] remained two steps ahead of my imagination, rattling it out of complacency and flooding it with color and heat
Johnson bursts onto the scene with this thought-provoking, high-concept sci-fi debut that impresses with exceptional worldbuilding and a distinctive protagonist
Fascinating, complicated, compelling . . . this is a jewel of a novel, all the more impressive for being Johnson's debut
A witty, deep and savvy tale . . . Fresh and interesting
Sliding Doors meets Mad Max . . . a fast-paced, compelling read
Micaiah Johnson's debut is a punk album, presenting a world where even our possibilities are colonized. I loved every twisting minute of it
Johnson's world-hopping debut uses science fictional tools and an exciting plot to address urgent questions of privilege and position. . . . A compelling stand-alone debut that will leave readers thrilled, thoughtful, and anticipating the author's next book
50 Best Sci-fi and Fantasy Books of the Past Decade
At a time when I was really struggling with the cognitive demands of reading anything for work or pleasure, this book flooded me with oxygen and lit me on fire. I can't say for certain that it enabled me to read again, but in its wake, I could
A dark, provocative read... The social commentary is hard-hitting, delivered with plenty of gripping, well-crafted storytelling
Johnson, while never neglecting the necessity for story, has taken the opportunity to treat with profound questions if you read closely
