Mordew

Experience this critically acclaimed masterpiece, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman and Ben Aaronovitch. Performed by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

Welcome to Mordew - the first in a fantastic new trilogy from the Wellcome Book Prize-shortlisted writer Alex Pheby. 

God lies defeated, his corpse hidden in the catacombs beneath Mordew. On the surface, the streets of this the sea-battered city are slick with the Living Mud and the half-formed, short-lived creatures it spawns - creatures that die and are swept down from the Merchant Quarter by the brooms of the workers and relentless rains, where they rot in the slums.

There, a young boy called Nathan Treeves lives with his parents, eking out a meagre existence by picking treasures from the Living Mud - until one day his mother, desperate and starving, sells him to the mysterious Master of Mordew.

The Master derives his power from feeding on the corpse of God. But Nathan, despite his fear and lowly station, has his own strength - and it is greater than the Master has ever known. Great enough to destroy everything the Master has built. If only Nathan can discover how to use it.

So it is that the Master begins to scheme against him - and Nathan has to fight his way through the betrayals, secrets and vendettas of the city where God was murdered and darkness reigns....

“Brilliant… Extraordinary… An extravagant and unnerving marvel.” —The Guardian

“Beautifully rendered… Immersive, tense, full of action.” —The Irish Times

“A treat… The world of Alex Pheby’s fourth novel is dizzying… a beguiling splicing of Dickensian social satire and rackety steampunk fantasy. Written with combustible verve.” —The Spectator

“Shades of Gormenghast… and with a wild magic all of its own.” —The i, summer picks

“An incredible opening to an exciting new epic fantasy trilogy.” —Locus Magazine

“Impressively ambitious, vividly imagined… [Mordew] takes the reader on a memorable journey, filled with delicious, unexpected twists.” —The Express

“Brilliantly written. … And as to the sequel? Write quickly, Mr Pheby. Write quickly.” —Book Munch

"This beautifully produced book is an absorbing and inventive addition to the genre.” —The Irish Examiner, best books for autumn

“Pheby infuses [Mordew] with a crackling, animating magic. Charismatic, delicious... This is a serious book, for serious people.” —The Big Issue

“Think Great Expectations meets Gormenghast, with a cliffhanger ending that hints at a dynamic sequel.” —Literary Review