Slow Gods - by Claire North (Paperback)

About the Book

"My name is Mawukana na-Vdnaze, and I am a very poor copy of myself ling 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?"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

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

Best of the Year at Gizmodo, Library Journal, and more!

"An astonishing, thought-provoking and above all touching story of found meaning and lost humanity." --Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time

"A fascinating and mind-blowing adventure that will scratch your itch for great space opera." --Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series

Slow Gods is the galaxy-spanning tale ​of one man's impossible life charted against the fate of humanity amongst the stars--a powerfully imaginative space opera from multi-award-winning author Claire North.

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?

Review Quotes

"A fascinating and mind-blowing adventure that asks important questions and explores the humanity of our characters while challenging readers to think about their own nature and morals. A book that whispers to you, is voraciously curious, and may haunt your dreams." --Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series

"A journey through a spacefaring society via the eyes of an immortal man, Slow Godsis a deliberate and expansive mediation on time and consciousness."
--BookPage

"A richly detailed space opera and a must-read for those who enjoy Adrian Tchaikovsky and Ann Leckie." --Library Journal

"Alongside a riveting and complex story, North is exploring significant political issues... I hope Slow Gods will appear on awards bal­lots, best-ofs, and many to-be-read piles. I expect it to prove to be one of the best science fiction books of 2025."--Locus

"North captivates us with the beauty of their writing and the apparent limitlessness of their imagination. Another brilliant novel from a stunning storyteller."--Booklist

"An extraordinary novel." --SFX

"A gloriously inventive story with a protagonist as unique and compelling as Martha Wells Murderbot or Anne Leckie's Justice of Toren. A wide-ranging enthralling, resonant and cathartic fable." --Fantasy Hive

"[An] epic and enthralling galactic adventure. North's worldbuilding is dizzying and dazzling, full of fascinating and convincing characters, 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

"A deeply philosophical standalone SF epic that brilliantly and subtly utilizes elements of cosmic horror to complement its metaphysical speculations. The best kind of science fiction: mind-blowing and wildly thought-provoking."

--Kirkus

"Claire North's latest is a dark and intricate space opera with a highly intelligent narrator, which makes for a satisfying and mind-boggling read." --Reactor Magazine

"Deeply imaginative and achingly human, Slow Gods lures you gently into the dark between the stars." --Megan E. O'Keefe, author of The Blighted Stars

"An astonishing, thought-provoking and above all touching story of found meaning and lost humanity."

--Adrian Tchaikovsky, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of Children of Time

About the Author

Claire North is a pseudonym for Catherine Webb, who wrote several novels in various genres before publishing their first major work as Claire North, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. It was a critically acclaimed success, receiving rave reviews and becoming a word of mouth bestseller. They have since published several hugely popular and critically acclaimed novels, won the World Fantasy Award and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and been shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Philip K. Dick Award. They live in London.