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Irish writers, debuts – and groundbreaking sci-fi: the Booker longlist in depth
(www.theguardian.com)
Both these sound intriguing:
Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song, scheduled for September, is a chilling study of Ireland becoming a fascist state.
It’s refreshing to see Lynch’s dystopia nominated for a prize often focused on historical fiction, and this is an impressive novel in stylistic as well as political terms, staying close to one woman’s consciousness throughout. Eilish must try to maintain normal family life after her husband is detained by the police for union activity; Lynch is brilliant at capturing people’s disbelief and denial throughout the slow slide into totalitarianism. An urgent, important read.
It’s fantastic, too, to see a slice of science fiction on the list. Scottish author Martin MacInnes is an unusual and groundbreaking writer, and with his third novel he has come into his powers. In Ascension is a tale of cosmic exploration and existential wonder, delving into both intimate family ties and the beginning of life itself, and travelling from the ocean floor to deep space.