The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to The Wastelands

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What to expect

The breathtaking historical fantasy set onboard the Great Trans-Siberian Express



'Imagine a crossover between Murder on the Orient Express, Game of Thrones and Paradise Lost . . . Brooks has serious talent' SUNDAY TIMES

'I was completely transported by this book . . . I urge everybody to pick up a copy' STUART TURTON

'Breathtaking . . . Abounding with mysteries and marvels' SAMANTHA SHANNON

'Exceptional. Strange, addictive, immersive, it's a steampunk Piranesi meets His Dark Materials' JENNIE GODFREY

'Mysterious and clever and brilliant' NATASHA PULLEY


It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.

It is the end of the nineteenth century and the world is awash with marvels. But there is nothing so marvellous as the Wastelands: a terrain of terrible miracles that lies between Beijing and Moscow.

Nothing touches the Wastelands except the Great Trans-Siberian Express: an impenetrable train built to carry cargo across continents, but which now transports anyone who dares.

Onto the platform steps a curious cast of characters: Marya, a grieving woman with a borrowed name; Weiwei, a famous child born on the train; and Henry Grey, a disgraced naturalist.

But there are whispers that the train isn't safe. As secrets and stories begin to unravel, the passengers and crew must survive their journey together, even as something uncontrollable seems to be breaking in . . .

Critics Review

Brooks's vivid, impressive debut is a turn-of-the-last-century steampunk fantasy set aboard the Great Trans-Siberian Express
Financial Times Book of the Year
I was completely transported by this book, lost in its world and mysteries, astounded by its beauty, and full of admiration for its humanity. I loved every second I spent with it, and urge everybody to pick up a copy. It's an astonishing journey
STUART TURTON, bestselling author of THE SEVEN DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE
A journey both unnerving and powerful, which thunders along at breathtaking speed, abounding with mysteries and marvels. Be warned - once you step into The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands, you'll never want to disembark
SAMANTHA SHANNON, author of THE BONE SEASON
This is a wild and wonderful journey; gloriously imaginative and completely captivating. Rich in allure, intrigue and suspense, it's a ride that readers will never want to end
JENNIFER SAINT, #1 bestselling author of ARIADNE
The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wasteland is mysterious and clever and brilliant
NATASHA PULLEY, bestselling author of THE WATCHMAKER OF FILIGREE STREET
Exceptional. Strange, addictive, immersive, it's a steampunk Piranesi meets His Dark Materials
JENNIE GODFREY, author of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS
I hugely enjoyed The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands; it's like a steampunk Solaris
LAWRENCE NORFOLK, author of JOHN SATURNALLu2019S FEAST
Asks us to reconsider our place within the natural world amid a backdrop of capitalism and empire. . . thrilling and transcendent
RITA CHANG-EPPIG, author of DEEP AS THE SKY, RED AS THE SEA
Richly imaginative, profoundly allegorical, and utterly propulsive, I loved THE CAUTIOUS TRAVELLER'S GUIDE TO THE WASTELANDS. With impeccable pacing and elegant storytelling, this novel is pure delight. Though all on the same train, each character takes a different journey and it is most marvellous to join in as they travel the Wastelands to reach their final destinations. Bravo! All aboard for a captivating and transformative adventure!
MELISSA FU, author of PEACH BLOSSOM SPRING
A spellbindingly original and totally engrossing book; I so much want to ride that train!
SHARON BOLTON, author of THE FAKE WIFE
I loved this book . . . deserves to become an instant classic
EMMA KAVANAGH, author of TO CATCH A KILLER
Exciting . . . Imagine a crossover between Murder on the Orient Express, Game of Thrones and Paradise Lost . . . Brooks has serious talent
Sunday Times
If you haven't got it at the top of your pile yet, we suggest you move it on up. You'll be thinking about this one long after you've put it down
Glamour
With its light handling of serious themes, this is a vivid and imaginative trip rather than a weighty one. But then inessential journeys are often the most fun
Guardian
The very best of speculative fiction
Stylist
Beautifully imagined . . . there are philosophical parables and scientific parallels to unpick, but meanings are deliciously elusive and dance away, just out of reach. Sit back and enjoy the ride
Daily Mail
A ride worth taking
Financial Times
Brooks's crisp style and striking visual imagination make the Wastelands a hypnotic blend of menace and beauty, and she builds tension with a light touch
SFX Magazine
This is pitched as historical fantasy, but it is also being compared to a steampunk Solaris and a steampunk Piranesi by early readers, so I think there will be plenty here for sci-fi fans to enjoy
New Scientist

User Reviews

Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
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5.0
Beautiful and captivating.

I stumbled across the book because I was looking for things read by Kobna, and loved every minute. Katie Leung is brilliant, too. The world building is enchanting and incredibly creative
fluentindothraki 23/10/2024

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