Slow Gods: A space opera of breathtaking imagination from the most original voice in speculative fiction

‘ASTONISHING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING’ Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time

From the million-copy-bestselling Claire North – one of the most original and dazzling voices in speculative fiction – comes an intergalactic tale of conspiracy, war and the fall of empires.

***Shortlisted for the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction***
***Shortlisted for the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel***

My name is Mawukana na-Vdnaze, and I am a very poor copy of myself.

In telling my story, there are certain things I should perhaps lie about. I should make myself a hero.Pretend I was not used by strangers and gods, did not leave people behind.

Here is one truth: out there in deep-space, in the pilot’s chair, I died. And then, I was reborn. I became something not quite human, something that could speak to the infinite dark. And I vowed to become the scourge of the world that wronged me.

This is the story of the supernova event that burned planets and felled civilizations.This is also the story of the many lives I’ve lived since I died for the first time.

Are you listening?

Discover this thrilling and breathtakingly imaginative space opera from the multi-award-winning Claire North, perfect for fans of Ann Leckie, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Iain M. Banks and Arkady Martine.

Praise for Slow Gods:

‘An extraordinary novel that will surely be shortlisted for multiple awards’ SFX

‘The best kind of science fiction: mind-blowing and wildly thought-provoking’ Kirkus

‘North’s worldbuilding is dizzying and dazzling, full of fascinating and convincing characters (human, AI, and other), and thought-provoking meditations on destiny, duty, and power. Add in a doomed romance and stirring action, and this immersive, inventive space opera proves a sheer delight’ Publishers Weekly

‘Deeply imaginative and achingly human, Slow Gods lures you gently into the dark between the stars’ Megan E. O’Keefe, author of Velocity Weapon

‘A riveting and complex story . . . One of the best science fiction books of 2025‘ Locus