War of the Maps

On a giant artificial world surrounding the remains of our sun, a disgraced lawkeeper, the lucidor, has set out to find an old and fearsomely treacherous enemy. The man has been drafted into the war against a strange invasion that infiltrates the genetic maps of people and animals and transforms them into soldiers of a monstrous army, but the lucidor knows that his quarry is equally monstrous, and must be returned to captivity before he commits further horrors.

The way is long and dangerous, across an unknown country haunted by ancient histories and transformed by war. The lucidor's government has arrested his allies and sent hunters after him. He has no friends, no resources, no plan. But he does have a mission, and his belief that nothing is more important than justice.

McAuley is without peer ― The Times

The underrated McAuley is in top form in this hard science fiction novel with heart ― Washington Post Book World

Narrative drive and a sense of wonder come together in McAuley's graceful prose ― Guardian

The spectacle is undeniable, but it's that rich cast of characters who give their world texture and resonance, and who finally turn War of the Maps into a fine, compelling novel ― Locus

Following on from the extraordinary climate change novel Austral, this is further evidence that Paul McAuley may just be the best SF writer we have ― SFX