The Second Sleep
A gripping exploration of faith in a post-apocalyptic world.
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Cornerstone
Published:9th Jul '20
Should be back in stock very soon
In a world where society has collapsed, a young priest's journey leads to dangerous revelations in The Second Sleep, exploring themes of faith and civilization.
In The Second Sleep, the narrative unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world where society has reverted to a medieval-like existence. The story follows a young priest, Christopher Fairfax, as he embarks on a journey to a remote village in Exmoor. As dusk settles, he navigates through a landscape littered with remnants of a long-lost civilization, unaware of the profound challenges that await him. The atmosphere is thick with suspense, and the reader is drawn into a world where faith and reality are put to the ultimate test.
As Fairfax delves deeper into the mysteries of his surroundings, he encounters secrets that threaten to unravel everything he holds dear. The tension escalates as he grapples with a revelation that could change the course of humanity. Themes of religion, science, and the fragility of civilization are intricately woven throughout the narrative, prompting readers to reflect on the implications of their own beliefs and the world they inhabit.
The Second Sleep is not just a thrilling tale; it serves as a cautionary reflection on the consequences of technological advancement and societal choices. Robert Harris masterfully blends historical fiction with speculative elements, creating a gripping storyline that keeps readers engaged while encouraging them to ponder the deeper meanings behind the narrative. This thought-provoking work stands as a testament to Harris's skill as a storyteller and his ability to provoke meaningful discourse through fiction.
A thoroughly absorbing, page-turningnarrative in which the author, with his customary storytelling skills, pulls us ever deeper into the imaginative world he has created. It [also] poses challenging questions about the meaning of the past, the idea of progress and the stability of civilisation. It is a fine addition to Harris’s diverse body of work. * Sunday Times *
A return to the type of high-concept novel that made his name . . . [T]he writing is elegant and pacy. The characters are fleshed out and the plot zips along. * The Times *
A truly surprising future-history thriller. Fabulous, really. * Evening Standard *
Harris is rightly praised as the master of the intelligent thriller. Genuinely thrilling, wonderfully conceived and entirely without preaching, it probes the nature of history, of collective memory and forgetting, and exposes the fragility of modern civilisation. * Daily Telegraph, 5 stars ***** *
Harris's bleak imagined world issues a clarion call to the present, urging us to recognise the value of progress, the importance of woolly concepts like liberalism and the rule of law, and all the other ideals we’ve spent generations fighting for yet seem prepared to sacrifice on the altar of populism. For make no mistake, this novel [is] very much about the here and now . . . Harris is a master of plotting and, in elegant, understated third-person prose, he ratchets the tension ever upwards . . . this is nothing if not a page-turner. * Observer *
ISBN: 9781787460966
Dimensions: 197mm x 129mm x 26mm
Weight: 298g
432 pages