Stephen Palmer "Urbis Morpheos"

Stephen Palmer

author of books
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Just had the final design come through from PS...



UMcover.jpg



... very pleased!

:D
 
Looks fabulous, Stephen.

Can't wait to read this (More of my hard-earned dosh going Pete's way... sigh).
 
I squinted to see who did the artwork only to find it was none other than... Stephen Palmer! Nice work, there. I've always thought images in silhouette work well on book covers and this example more than proves the point.
 
First early review in:

"Psolilai and psolilai, each dreaming of the other, seek wisdom and knowledge in a world of two ecosystems at odds; namely, the nearly forgotten natural ecosystem and the manufacturing ecosystem, which produces such horrors as narcoleptic snow. After her escape from the prison of Tall Cliff Steel, Psolilai seeks her wisdom in strange forests and searches for the ancient artifact the Constructor. Meanwhile, psolilai seeks wisdom in the haven of Mahandriana. Both eat mushrooms that provide knowledge of the world around them. When Psolilai eats from a giant mushroom that has been growing under ice for thousands of years, she begins to understand the weather patterns of a natural world. Both are aided in their quests by peripatetic mycologist Gularvhen, who knows more than he’s admitting to and rides a horse with six voices and three ears. Set in an eerie world that’s fascinating to visit, the story of Psolilai, psolilai, Gulharven, and their various companions is certainly something to savor." —Regina Schroeder, Booklist Online.
 
Stephen Palmer Urbis Morpheos

Stephen Palmer’s new novel Urbis Morpheos is now published.

Stephen first came to the attention of the SF world with his Orbit Books debut Memory Seed and its sequel Glass. Further books, including the afro-punk Muezzinland, were published by the Wildside Press and Prime Books. Now PS Publishing are publishing his new novel:-

“A million years in the future, two ecosystems stand opposed. The first, Nature, has faded, and exists only as isolated havens or, in the wider world, as biomes perverted by artifice into hideous forms. Against it stands the manufacturing ecosystem, which has evolved into a myriad lifelike shapes, yet which offers only an antiseptic brutality... The land itself has changed. It is mutable. Maps remain accurate for little more than decades in Urbis Morpheos, the great manufactured environment that once was Earth...

In a world so numinous with artificial mystery most people have forgotten their origins in nature, Psolilai and psolilai must follow their paths and find wisdom. But men and devices stand in their way. And the most powerful being in Urbis Morpheos perhaps has hidden plans...”

This is Stephen’s sixth novel under his own name. It is introduced by Gwyneth Jones.

***
Memory Seed – “The exotic horticulture is as inventive as anything in Aldiss' classic Hothouse, and parallels with present environmental concerns aren't bludgeoned home... Palmer is a find.” {Time Out}

Glass – “Blending good science fiction with an elegant exploration of the relationship between humans and their ancient electronic creations, Palmer's tale is littered with characters who behave in an ultimately believeable way... This is a brilliant second novel and makes, like its predecessor, a welcome change in a genre clogged with tat.” {SFX}

Flowercrash – “… jam-packed with powerful scenes, both uplifting and shocking (and frequently within the same chapter). It's a credit to Palmer's writing that his characters demand such investment from the reader, and with some richly peculiar scenery to boot Flowercrash makes for very satisfying reading.” {Infinity Plus}

Muezzinland –“ If you enjoy the full immersion experience of neo-magic, you'll [like] Muezzinland.” {Gwyneth Jones, New York Review Of SF}

Hallucinating – “It is [the] element of questionable reality that raises this book above simply being a fairly entertaining read . This is an intriguing book with a novel take on the alien invasion theme that raises a number of questions about what we actually mean by alien.” {Vector}
 
Nice new review here -

In the far future, warring ecosystems threaten to destroy the manufactured ecosystem of Old Earth, now known as Urbis Morpheos, as the natural world fades into oblivion. Two women, Psolilai and psolilai, who dream of each other, may hold the keys that will save the world. Palmer’s surreal setting and distinctive style create an atmosphere that is at once dreamlike and starkly real. His characters serve as both archetype and individual, populating a world that is allegorical and believable. VERDICT The author of Memory Seed and Glass offers a challenging and thoughtful future world that should satisfy readers with a love for far-future sf and New Wave fiction. – Library Journal.
 

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