Books by Ray Nayler

“The premise of this book is very neat: mammoths have been recreated, but they are also being hunted for their ivory, in a future where elephants have already gone extinct. We see a few different perspectives, including a boy dragged along with an illegal hunting party, a disgusted husband brought along on a luxury hunting trip – and a mammoth. Specifically, the mammoth has a previously-human consciousness. I won’t say more on that, as part of the enjoyment is slowly piecing together how the puzzling first few perspectives can all hang together.” Read more...

Award-Winning Sci Fi Novels of 2025

Sylvia Bishop,

“It’s got octopus, so what more does anyone need to know? There’s a hint of the film Arrival in the depiction of the attempts to make first contact with a very alien species – octopus anatomy and psychology is so alien to ours and there’s been some speculation that they come from a very different origin to us. They are incredibly talented at escaping from captivity and seeking revenge on their human keepers. The book encourages us to see humanity through their eyes and this isn’t always pretty. Meanwhile, we’ve got side-plots with robotic monks and assassination attempts, and it all comes together in a satisfying way.” Read more...

The Best Science Fiction: The 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award Shortlist

Andrew M. Butler, Film Critics & Scholar