Once Was Willem - by M R Carey (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the international bestselling author of The Girl with All the Gifts comes a wildly original and enthrallingly dark medieval fantasy unlike anything you've read before - a fable of twisted folklore, macabre magic, and the strangest of found families.

"A masterpiece of medieval dark fiction." - Christopher Buehlman, author of Between Two Fires

"A wild fever dream - monstrous and beautiful." - Seanan McGuire, author of Every Heart a Doorway

Eleven hundred and some years after the death of Christ, in the kingdom that had but recently begun to call itself England, I, Once Was Willem, rose from the dead to defeat a great evil facing the humble village of Cosham. The words enclosed herein are true.

I speak of monsters and magic, battle and bloodletting, and the crimes of desperate men. I speak also of secret things, of that which lies beneath us and that which impends above. By the time you come to the end of this account you will know the truth of your own life and death, the path laid out for your immortal soul, your origin and your inevitable end.

You will not thank me.

"It's been a long time since a book has reached out and just entirely enveloped me in its world the way Once Was Willem did. Astounding, and I loved every moment of it." - RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships

Review Quotes

"Author Carey demonstrates again that he contains multitudes, jumping from subgenre to subgenre. Also as always, he uses a fantastical setting to consider societal and moral quandaries; in this instance, he explores complex issues of compassion and forgiveness in the wake of (literally) murderous prejudice and intolerance. Despite the story's high body count, its take on those issues is weirdly optimistic and heartwarming. A dark and hopeful fable with obvious contemporary resonance."

--Kirkus (Starred Review)

"Told through a distinctive narrative voice... An original and expertly written medieval fantasy [that] touches upon the emotional and heartbreaking themes found in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein."

--Library Journal

"Carey crafts an empathetic portrait of a medieval monster as a young man in this
revelatory dark fantasy... Wit and compassion, building to a wonderfully satisfying climax.
Powerful, captivating, and occasionally stomach-churning, this quintessential tale of good
and evil is sure to win fans."
--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"A delicious blend of horror, fantasy and historical fiction, Once Was Willem gave me exactly what I crave most as a reader - the unexpected. That, and a main character I would fight to the undeath for. A unique and brilliant book"--Jen Williams, British Fantasy Award-winning author of The Ninth Rain

"An incredible masterwork of medieval fantasy-horror, dark and twisted and burning bright with humanity. Once Was Willem is packed with magic, folklore, superstitious fear, and horrors that bring hope." --Cameron Johnston, author of the Maleficent Seven

"In Once Was Willem, M. R. Carey's gorgeous prose weaves a fable full of dread and wonder, a deeply intelligent and emotionally gripping story boasting one of the nastiest sorcerers you'll ever meet, and a narrator as inwardly gentle as he is outwardly monstrous. A masterpiece of medieval dark fiction. I love this book. Highest recommendation."
--Christopher Buehlman, author of The Blacktongue Thief

"A wild fever dream of a novel - complicated, monstrous, and beautiful."--Seanan McGuire, Hugo Award-winning author

"It's been a long time since a book has reached out and just entirely enveloped me in its world the way Once Was Willem did. Astounding, and I loved every moment of it - it had me absolutely rapt."--RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships

"It's so absurdly fun and readable, you nearly miss the incredible use of language and lore. Lovable grotesques and ghastly villains populate a compelling folk-tale. Absolutely wonderful."--Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Sword Unbound

"A highly imaginative fable."--Nerd Daily on the Book of Koli

"A master storyteller." --io9 on Infinity Gate

"A thought-provoking and deeply engaging story ... profoundly and doggedly humane."--C. A. Fletcher on The Book of Koli

"An immense achievement, an impeccably crafted book without a single word out of place."--The New York Times on Infinity Gate

"Carey writes with compassion and fire - strange and surprising and humane."
--Lauren Beukes, author of The Shining Girls on The Boy on the Bridge

"Heartfelt, remorseless and painfully human...as fresh as it is terrifying. A jewel."--Joss Whedon on The Girl With All the Gifts

"M.R. Carey hefts astonishing storytelling power with plainspoken language, heartbreaking choices, and sincerity like an arrow to the heart." --Locus on The Book of Koli

"The cadence and pacing of [Koli's] voice adds a depth and richness to the strange and malevolent world."--Booklist on The Book of Koli

"This is a beautiful book. Gripping, engaging, and absolutely worth the time it takes to burrow yourself into its reality. I can't recommend it highly enough."--Seanan McGuire on The Book of Koli

About the Author

M. R. Carey has been making up stories for most of his life. His novel The Girl With All the Gifts was a USA Today bestseller and is a major motion picture based on his BAFTA-nominated screenplay. Under the name Mike Carey he has written for both DC and Marvel, including critically acclaimed runs on X-Men and Fantastic Four, Marvel's flagship superhero titles. His creator-owned books regularly appear in the New York Times bestseller list. He also has several previous novels, two radio plays, and a number of TV and movie screenplays to his credit.