Aeons in the future, the death of the sun has cast the earth into eternal night and the last vestiges of humanity remain entrenched within a colossal metal pyramid. Beyond its walls lies a wasteland rife with nightmare beings hungering for the last human souls. Yet from these dark wilds, a spiritually gifted youth hears the voice of another like him, familiar from a past life, calling out from a long-lost refuge whose defences are failing. Desperate to reunite with her before the monsters invade, the youth sets forth alone into the hellish night.

Written in a distinctive and unique style – which Ann VanderMeer unpacks in her introduction – Hodgson’s Weird Fantasy quest novel was first published in 1912 and remains a cult classic which has enthralled writers from C. S. Lewis to China Miéville, who wrote:

‘There’s no question that The Night Land is a troublesome book, a flawed book that can work against itself. And yet for all its manifold peculiarities it is, more importantly, one of the most astounding texts in English literature. Seminal and utterly sui generis, it is a singular and giddying work of visionary art beyond any compare.’

Publication date: 23/05/2024

Author: William Hope Hodgson

Brand: British Library Publishing

Number of pages: 512

Binding: Paperback

Dimensions: 190 x 130