Publishers Weekly
01/02/2023
Holborn’s thrilling sequel to Ten Low is another romp into a Mad Max–like world in outer space. Series heroine Low is now a reclusive medic on the moon Factus, avoiding prolonged human contact to keep everyone safe from the curse she carries. By all accounts, she should be dead, but her curse enables her to connect to the Ifs, which allow her to see infinite possibilities of the future during games of chance. When Low sees a vision of one possible future in which her former friends die, she chooses to return to her old life, reuniting with old allies in hopes of stopping a brewing war. They’ll have to go up against tycoon Lutho Xoon, a ruthless businessman intent on “buying up Factus one settlement at a time.” Holborn’s vision of the future is as stark and gritty as ever, leavened with flickers of hope and resilient friendships. Series fans and new readers alike will eat this up. Agent: Anne C. Perry, Ki Agency. (Mar.)
author of Chocolat and The Gospel of Loki Joanne Harris
Sharp, addictive, tightly-paced, with every word in the right place.”
author of Children of Time Adrian Tchaikovsky
A real brutal tour de force, pulse pounding action and eye-opening ideas.”
From the Publisher
"Holborn’s vision of the future is as stark and gritty as ever, leavened with flickers of hope and resilient friendships. Series fans and new readers alike will eat this up."—Publishers Weekly
"A real brutal tour de force, pulse pounding action and eye-opening ideas."—Adrian Tchaikovsky, award-winning author of 'Children of Time'
"Sharp, addictive, tightly-paced, with every word in the right place."—Joanne Harris, author of 'Chocolat', 'The Gospel of Loki' and many more
"Eerie, riveting, and scalpel-edged."—Max Gladstone, Hugo Award-winning author
"With scalpel-sharp prose, Holborn carves beauty out of a brutal world where possibilities are both a blessing and a weapon. For all the sand-blasted action and brawls against an unknowable terror, it’s ultimately the tale of a main character—a double-sided coin of grace and gruffness—on a journey for redemption. 'Hel’s Eight' holds all the grit of 'Mad Max: Fury Road' with a smoky mezcal chaser that lingers long after the final page."—Nathan Tavares, author of 'A Fractured Infinity'
"A gritty, transgressive cyberwestern adventure that feels like Sergio Leone crossed with Mad Max. Glorious!"—Paul Cornell, author of the 'Shadow Police' and Witches of Lychford series
PRAISE FOR STARK HOLBORN AND TEN LOW
I loved Ten Low. Combining the taut characterisation and clever wit of Stark Holborn’s spectacular Westerns with some splendidly inclusive and innovative sci-fi, this is a wonderful fusion of Firefly and Joanna Russ, with a Ennio Morricone soundtrack. – Joanne Harris, best-selling author of Chocolat, The Gospel of Loki and many more
Mad Max meets Firefly – and that’s awesome – Claire North, award-winning author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
A fantastic, punchy SF action story, full of blood and grit and bitter pasts – Adrian Tchaikovsky, award-winning author of Children of Time, Dogs of War and many more.
Stark Holborn continues to impress. Great characters and a blistering pace – Gareth Powell, award-winning author of the Embers of War series
The future of space westerns, TEN LOW showed me the most vibrant desert world since Dune. A stunning blend of pulp and literary exploration leaves the old guard masters in the dust. – Alex White, author of the Salvagers trilogy
Stark Holborn's writing is clever, original and thrilling - R. J. Barker, author of The Bone Ships and Age of Assassins
An action-packed SF adventure with an intriguing majority female cast? OH, HELL YES! – Stina Leicht, author of Persephone Station
I loved this from beginning to end. There are furious fight-scenes, down-and-dirty characters and incredible world-building. Stark Holborn grabs you by the throat on page one and never lets you go! – Cavan Scott, bestselling and award-winning author
A gritty space western that fans of The Mandalorian should lap up. As always, Stark Holborn makes us feel immediately for the characters to the point where we'll follow them through hell. And we do. – Paul Cornell, author of the Shadow Police and Witches of Lychford series
Holborn shows what a rich imagination she has – The Times
Packed with wildly memorable female characters and the pacey prose keeps things whip-cracking along. – SFX
Holborn has crafted a surprisingly cohesive, bad-ass space western full of adventure, tragedy and terror, that still manages to handle its mission with relentless fun. SciFi Now
This is a rich tale, an exciting story, told with admirable ease [...] the reader will remain glued to it. – British Fantasy Society
There is a great deal to admire and enjoy in this well-crafted story, with its terse present tense first protagonist. – Fantasy Hive
Ten Low delivers a fast-paced redemption story full of twists, clever ideas, and surprises. With its bleak but oh-so-cool setting and Low's haunting narration, it offers much to enjoy. Consider adding this book to your already sagging shelves - it deserves its place there. – Fantasy Book Critic
[A] hit, full force, with a lot of enjoyment. Top marks. – Swords and Spectres
Classic SF and yet fresh at the same time – a wonderful and heady mix – Peter Sutton Review
Ten Low is exactly the kind of story I hope to get when someone mentions Mad Max: Fury Road. A desert type of setting but with its unique touch, super rad gunfights / fighting scenes, non-stop action and amazing, morally-gray (queer) characters. I highly recommend reading this one. – Crini Review
Ten Low is the kind of book that has a lot more depth and character focus than you’d first think from the description, one that goes deep into some heavy themes, all whilst delivering an engaging and action packed character driven narrative. – Set the Tape
Recommended for fans of Mad Max, perhaps a bit of Stephen King’s Dark Tower but sci-fi, and yes of course Firefly. – Little Frog Scribbles
It was stunning; from the opening chapter to the final page. Gritty, intriguing sci-fi/ Western brilliance. – The Book Beard
If you want a pacey and punchy sci-fi, full of great friendships and a twisting story that will keep you guessing, I really recommend Ten Low! – Paperbacks and Pinot
The world is gritty and dry, and the action is plenty. – Susanna Reads
It's a genuinely gripping story, driven by action on almost every page and the kind of book that once picked up, you don't want to let go till you've finished. – Blue Book Balloon
