An evocative and thought-provoking novel to kick off 2025.
The Ancients takes us to an ambiguous future, in a world irrevocably altered by the changing climate. We follow the journey of several different protagonist characters, all with the common goal of survival in this rapidly shifting world.
The woven narratives come together for a beautifully written story that feels like a modern myth or fable: a blend of profound cautionary tale and a quest for humanity, glimmering with hope.
A richly imagined, sweeping novel set in the climate-changed world of our own descendants, by the acclaimed author of WHISKEY WHEN WE’RE DRY
‘This richly imagined journey into a dystopian future is at once cautionary and provocative, inviting us to heed the lessons of the Ancients’ – Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass
A young boy and his older sisters find themselves suddenly and utterly alone, orphaned in an abandoned fishing village. Their food supplies dwindling, they set out across a breathtaking yet treacherous wilderness in search of the last of their people.
Down the coast, raiders deliver the children’s mother, along with the rest of their human cargo, to the last port city of a waning empire. Determined to reunite with her family, she plots her escape-while her fellow captives plan open revolt.
At the center of power in this crumbling city, a young scholar inherits his father’s business and position of privilege, along with the burden of his debts. As the empire’s elite prepare to flee to new utopia across the sea, he must decide where his allegiance lies.
With a rapidly changing climate shifting the sands beneath their feet, these three paths converge in a struggle for the future of humanity-who will inherit what remains and who gets to tell its story. At once a sweeping survival story; an epic of the distance future; and a post-apocalyptic vision of hope and optimism, THE ANCIENTS weaves a multilayered narrative about human resilience, hope, and stewardship of our world for future generations.