Author: Josiah Bancroft
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 0316517909
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 431
Book Description
The first book in the word-of-mouth phenomenon debut fantasy series about one man's dangerous journey through a labyrinthine world. "One of my favorite books of all time" -- Mark Lawrence The Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. Immense as a mountain, the ancient Tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of luxury and menace, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. Soon after arriving for his honeymoon at the Tower, the mild-mannered headmaster of a small village school, Thomas Senlin, gets separated from his wife, Marya, in the overwhelming swarm of tourists, residents, and miscreants. Senlin is determined to find Marya, but to do so he'll have to navigate madhouses, ballrooms, and burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassins, and the illusions of the Tower. But if he hopes to find his wife, he will have to do more than just endure. This quiet man of letters must become a man of action.
Arm of the Sphinx
Author: Josiah Bancroft
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 0316517976
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 443
Book Description
Senlin continues his ascent up the tower in the word-of-mouth phenomenon fantasy series about one man's dangerous journey through a labyrinthine world. "One of my favorite books of all time" -- Mark Lawrence on Senlin Ascends The Tower of Babel is proving to be as difficult to reenter as it was to break out of. Forced into a life of piracy, Senlin and his eclectic crew are struggling to survive aboard their stolen airship as the hunt to rescue Senlin's lost wife continues. Hopeless and desolate, they turn to a legend of the Tower, the mysterious Sphinx. But help from the Sphinx never comes cheaply, and as Senlin knows, debts aren't always what they seem in the Tower of Babel. Time is running out, and now Senlin must choose between his friends, his freedom, and his wife. Does anyone truly escape the Tower?
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 0316517976
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 443
Book Description
Senlin continues his ascent up the tower in the word-of-mouth phenomenon fantasy series about one man's dangerous journey through a labyrinthine world. "One of my favorite books of all time" -- Mark Lawrence on Senlin Ascends The Tower of Babel is proving to be as difficult to reenter as it was to break out of. Forced into a life of piracy, Senlin and his eclectic crew are struggling to survive aboard their stolen airship as the hunt to rescue Senlin's lost wife continues. Hopeless and desolate, they turn to a legend of the Tower, the mysterious Sphinx. But help from the Sphinx never comes cheaply, and as Senlin knows, debts aren't always what they seem in the Tower of Babel. Time is running out, and now Senlin must choose between his friends, his freedom, and his wife. Does anyone truly escape the Tower?
The Fall of Babel
Author: Josiah Bancroft
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0356510875
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 672
Book Description
THE SECRETS OF THE TOWER WILL FINALLY BE REVEALED IN THE REMARKABLE CONCLUSION TO THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOKS OF BABEL SERIES. As Marat's siege engine bores through the Tower, Senlin can do nothing but observe the mayhem from inside the belly of the beast. Edith and her crew are forced to face Marat on unequal footing, with Senlin caught in the crossfire, while Adam attempts to unravel the mystery of his fame inside the crowning ringdom. And when the Brick Layer's true ambition is revealed, neither the Tower nor its inhabitants will ever be the same again. Praise for the Books of Babel 'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe 'The Books of Babel are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade - future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes' LA Times 'It is not merely a five-star book, it's a masterpiece' Mark Lawrence 'A vibrant, wholly original and expertly crafted novel that transcends genre fantasy. It is an instant literary classic' Fantasy Book Review 'It's rare to finad a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I'm wildly in love with this book' Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising 'One of the most original, intriguing, well written, witty and wondrous fantasy fiction debuts I've ever read' Fantasy Faction The Books of Babel Senlin Ascends The Arm of the Sphinx The Hod King The Fall of Babel
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0356510875
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 672
Book Description
THE SECRETS OF THE TOWER WILL FINALLY BE REVEALED IN THE REMARKABLE CONCLUSION TO THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOKS OF BABEL SERIES. As Marat's siege engine bores through the Tower, Senlin can do nothing but observe the mayhem from inside the belly of the beast. Edith and her crew are forced to face Marat on unequal footing, with Senlin caught in the crossfire, while Adam attempts to unravel the mystery of his fame inside the crowning ringdom. And when the Brick Layer's true ambition is revealed, neither the Tower nor its inhabitants will ever be the same again. Praise for the Books of Babel 'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe 'The Books of Babel are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade - future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes' LA Times 'It is not merely a five-star book, it's a masterpiece' Mark Lawrence 'A vibrant, wholly original and expertly crafted novel that transcends genre fantasy. It is an instant literary classic' Fantasy Book Review 'It's rare to finad a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I'm wildly in love with this book' Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising 'One of the most original, intriguing, well written, witty and wondrous fantasy fiction debuts I've ever read' Fantasy Faction The Books of Babel Senlin Ascends The Arm of the Sphinx The Hod King The Fall of Babel
The Hod King
Author: Josiah Bancroft
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0356510859
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 608
Book Description
THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOKS OF BABEL SERIES, SET IN A LABYRINTHINE WORLD OF MENACE AND WONDER. 'It is not merely a 5* book, it's a masterpiece' Mark Lawrence 'A vibrant, wholly original, and expertly crafted novel that transcends genre fantasy. It is an instant literary classic' Fantasy Book Review Thomas Senlin and his crew have been separated following the orders of the mysterious Sphinx. Meanwhile, the enslaved hods climb the Black Trail and whisper secrets in the dark. As Senlin and his crew are dragged ever further into the Tower's conspiracies, everything falls to one question: who is the Hod King? Praise for the series: 'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe 'I'm wildly in love with this book' - Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising 'Brilliant' - Publishers Weekly 'I loved it' - Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names 'A universe of stars out of five' Superstar Drifter 'These books are absolutely incredible' - The Quill to Live 'Spectacular . . . fabulously gripping' - BookBag 'An impressive display of imagination and humour' - SciFiNow 'An engrossing, intoxicating delight' - Forbidden Planet
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0356510859
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 608
Book Description
THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOKS OF BABEL SERIES, SET IN A LABYRINTHINE WORLD OF MENACE AND WONDER. 'It is not merely a 5* book, it's a masterpiece' Mark Lawrence 'A vibrant, wholly original, and expertly crafted novel that transcends genre fantasy. It is an instant literary classic' Fantasy Book Review Thomas Senlin and his crew have been separated following the orders of the mysterious Sphinx. Meanwhile, the enslaved hods climb the Black Trail and whisper secrets in the dark. As Senlin and his crew are dragged ever further into the Tower's conspiracies, everything falls to one question: who is the Hod King? Praise for the series: 'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe 'I'm wildly in love with this book' - Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising 'Brilliant' - Publishers Weekly 'I loved it' - Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names 'A universe of stars out of five' Superstar Drifter 'These books are absolutely incredible' - The Quill to Live 'Spectacular . . . fabulously gripping' - BookBag 'An impressive display of imagination and humour' - SciFiNow 'An engrossing, intoxicating delight' - Forbidden Planet
It Rides a Pale Horse
Author: Andy Marino
Publisher: Redhook
ISBN: 9780316629522
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"Marino has a good eye for genuinely disturbing imagery. This novel hums with a terrifying momentum." - Kirkus The Larkin siblings are known around the small town of Wofford Falls. Both are artists, but Peter Larkin, Lark to his friends, is the hometown hero. The one who went to the big city and got famous, then came back and settled down. He's the kind of guy who becomes fast friends with almost anyone. His sister Betsy on the other hand is more... eccentric. She keeps to herself. When Lark goes to deliver one of his latest pieces to a fabulously rich buyer, it seems like a regular transaction. Even being met at the gate of the sprawling, secluded estate by an intimidating security guard seems normal. Until the guard plays him a live feed: Betsy being abducted in real time. Lark is informed that she's safe for now, but her well-being is entirely in his hands. He's given a book. Do what the book says, and Betsy will go free. It seems simple enough. But as Lark begins to read he realizes: the book might be demonic. Its writer may be unhinged. His sister's captors are almost certainly not what they seem. And his town and those within it are... changing. And the only way out is through. "Marino offers horrors both existential and visceral." - M. R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts, on The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess "Dark and fascinating . . . Not quite like anything I've ever read before. A strange, compelling, late-night page-turner. It kept me reading way past my bedtime." -T. Kingfisher, author of The Hollow Places?, on The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess Also by Andy Marino: The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess
Publisher: Redhook
ISBN: 9780316629522
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"Marino has a good eye for genuinely disturbing imagery. This novel hums with a terrifying momentum." - Kirkus The Larkin siblings are known around the small town of Wofford Falls. Both are artists, but Peter Larkin, Lark to his friends, is the hometown hero. The one who went to the big city and got famous, then came back and settled down. He's the kind of guy who becomes fast friends with almost anyone. His sister Betsy on the other hand is more... eccentric. She keeps to herself. When Lark goes to deliver one of his latest pieces to a fabulously rich buyer, it seems like a regular transaction. Even being met at the gate of the sprawling, secluded estate by an intimidating security guard seems normal. Until the guard plays him a live feed: Betsy being abducted in real time. Lark is informed that she's safe for now, but her well-being is entirely in his hands. He's given a book. Do what the book says, and Betsy will go free. It seems simple enough. But as Lark begins to read he realizes: the book might be demonic. Its writer may be unhinged. His sister's captors are almost certainly not what they seem. And his town and those within it are... changing. And the only way out is through. "Marino offers horrors both existential and visceral." - M. R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts, on The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess "Dark and fascinating . . . Not quite like anything I've ever read before. A strange, compelling, late-night page-turner. It kept me reading way past my bedtime." -T. Kingfisher, author of The Hollow Places?, on The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess Also by Andy Marino: The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess
Valley of Embers
Author: Steven Kelliher
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781535244350
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 438
Book Description
For hundreds of years, the flame-wielding Embers have been the last line of defense against the nightmare creatures from the World Apart, but the attacks are getting worse. Kole Reyna guards Last Lake from the terrors of the night, but he fears for his people's future. When Kole is wounded by a demon unlike any they have seen before, the Emberfolk believe it is a sign of an ancient enemy returned, a powerful Sage known as the Eastern Dark. Kole has never trusted in prophecy, but with his people hanging on the precipice, he reluctantly agrees to lead the Valley's greatest warriors in a last desperate bid for survival. Together, they will risk everything in search of a former ally long-thought dead, and whether Kole trusts him or not, he may be the only one capable of saving them.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781535244350
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 438
Book Description
For hundreds of years, the flame-wielding Embers have been the last line of defense against the nightmare creatures from the World Apart, but the attacks are getting worse. Kole Reyna guards Last Lake from the terrors of the night, but he fears for his people's future. When Kole is wounded by a demon unlike any they have seen before, the Emberfolk believe it is a sign of an ancient enemy returned, a powerful Sage known as the Eastern Dark. Kole has never trusted in prophecy, but with his people hanging on the precipice, he reluctantly agrees to lead the Valley's greatest warriors in a last desperate bid for survival. Together, they will risk everything in search of a former ally long-thought dead, and whether Kole trusts him or not, he may be the only one capable of saving them.
The Hexologists
Author: Josiah Bancroft
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0316443409
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 375
Book Description
The first book in a wildly inventive and mesmerizing new fantasy series from acclaimed author Josiah Bancroft where magical mysteries abound and only one team can solve them: The Hexologists. “Bancroft is a magician.” — Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe “Fantastic! The Hexologists fizzes eloquently with wit and elegance, but also has marvelous worldbuilding and an excellent plot - and a central pair of characters who I quite simply love. A cocktail of a book made with the very best champagne.” — Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library The Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, are quite accustomed to helping desperate clients with the bugbears of city life. Aided by hexes and a bag of charmed relics, the Wilbies have recovered children abducted by chimney-wraiths, removed infestations of barb-nosed incubi, and ventured into the Gray Plains of the Unmade to soothe a troubled ghost. Well-acquainted with the weird, they never shy away from a challenging case. But when they are approached by the royal secretary and told the king pleads to be baked into a cake—going so far as to wedge himself inside a lit oven—the Wilbies soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery that could very well see the nation turned on its head. Their effort to expose a royal secret buried under forty years of lies brings them nose to nose with a violent anti-royalist gang, avaricious ghouls, alchemists who draw their power from a hell-like dimension, and a bookish dragon who only occasionally eats people. Armed with a love toughened by adversity and a stick of chalk that can conjure light from the darkness, hope from the hopeless, Iz and Warren Wilby are ready for a case that will test every spell, skill, and odd magical artifact in their considerable bag of tricks. "Bancroft is a wonder as ever! The Hexologists was a joyous delight on every page— buoyantly inventive, witty, poignant, gripping, and deeply satisfying." — Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe “Josiah Bancroft’s imagination will astound you. One of the most inventive fantasy authors out there.” — Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga “Bancroft has returned to the page in force, deploying his crystal prose and razored wit around a tale that mixes whimsy and threat in equal measure. He's a gift to the genre." — Mark Lawrence, author of The Book That Wouldn't Burn
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0316443409
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 375
Book Description
The first book in a wildly inventive and mesmerizing new fantasy series from acclaimed author Josiah Bancroft where magical mysteries abound and only one team can solve them: The Hexologists. “Bancroft is a magician.” — Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe “Fantastic! The Hexologists fizzes eloquently with wit and elegance, but also has marvelous worldbuilding and an excellent plot - and a central pair of characters who I quite simply love. A cocktail of a book made with the very best champagne.” — Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library The Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, are quite accustomed to helping desperate clients with the bugbears of city life. Aided by hexes and a bag of charmed relics, the Wilbies have recovered children abducted by chimney-wraiths, removed infestations of barb-nosed incubi, and ventured into the Gray Plains of the Unmade to soothe a troubled ghost. Well-acquainted with the weird, they never shy away from a challenging case. But when they are approached by the royal secretary and told the king pleads to be baked into a cake—going so far as to wedge himself inside a lit oven—the Wilbies soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery that could very well see the nation turned on its head. Their effort to expose a royal secret buried under forty years of lies brings them nose to nose with a violent anti-royalist gang, avaricious ghouls, alchemists who draw their power from a hell-like dimension, and a bookish dragon who only occasionally eats people. Armed with a love toughened by adversity and a stick of chalk that can conjure light from the darkness, hope from the hopeless, Iz and Warren Wilby are ready for a case that will test every spell, skill, and odd magical artifact in their considerable bag of tricks. "Bancroft is a wonder as ever! The Hexologists was a joyous delight on every page— buoyantly inventive, witty, poignant, gripping, and deeply satisfying." — Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe “Josiah Bancroft’s imagination will astound you. One of the most inventive fantasy authors out there.” — Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga “Bancroft has returned to the page in force, deploying his crystal prose and razored wit around a tale that mixes whimsy and threat in equal measure. He's a gift to the genre." — Mark Lawrence, author of The Book That Wouldn't Burn
Age of Assassins
Author: RJ Barker
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 0316466530
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 371
Book Description
A young apprentice to an assassin becomes embroiled in a conspiracy that could destroy a kingdom in a brilliant epic fantasy debut by David Gemmell Award-nominated author RJ Barker To catch an assassin, use an assassin... Girton Club-foot has no family, a crippled leg, and is apprenticed to the best assassin in the land. He's learning the art of taking lives, but his latest mission tasks him with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life. Someone is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince's murder. In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies, Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire kingdom. Praise for The Wounded Kingdom: "Dead gods, dread magic, and a lead that feels like a breath of fresh air. Great fun."―Peter Newman, author of The Vagrant "Often poignant and always intriguing, Age of Assassins reveals its mysteries with the style of a magic show and the artful grace of a gifted storyteller."―Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wild "The most interesting treatment of the fantasy assassin trope in a while, and an involving narrative in its own right."―RT Book Reviews The Wounded Kingdom Age of Assassins Blood of Assassins King of Assassins For more from RJ Barker, check out: The Tide Child Trilogy The Bone Ships Call of the Bone Ships
Publisher: Orbit
ISBN: 0316466530
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 371
Book Description
A young apprentice to an assassin becomes embroiled in a conspiracy that could destroy a kingdom in a brilliant epic fantasy debut by David Gemmell Award-nominated author RJ Barker To catch an assassin, use an assassin... Girton Club-foot has no family, a crippled leg, and is apprenticed to the best assassin in the land. He's learning the art of taking lives, but his latest mission tasks him with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life. Someone is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince's murder. In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies, Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire kingdom. Praise for The Wounded Kingdom: "Dead gods, dread magic, and a lead that feels like a breath of fresh air. Great fun."―Peter Newman, author of The Vagrant "Often poignant and always intriguing, Age of Assassins reveals its mysteries with the style of a magic show and the artful grace of a gifted storyteller."―Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wild "The most interesting treatment of the fantasy assassin trope in a while, and an involving narrative in its own right."―RT Book Reviews The Wounded Kingdom Age of Assassins Blood of Assassins King of Assassins For more from RJ Barker, check out: The Tide Child Trilogy The Bone Ships Call of the Bone Ships
Munmun
Author: Jesse Andrews
Publisher: ABRAMS
ISBN: 1683352610
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 392
Book Description
In an alternate reality a lot like our world, every person’s physical size is directly proportional to their wealth. The poorest of the poor are the size of rats, and billionaires are the size of skyscrapers. Warner and his sister Prayer are destitute—and tiny. Their size is not just demeaning, but dangerous: day and night they face mortal dangers that bigger richer people don’t ever have to think about, from being mauled by cats to their house getting stepped on. There are no cars or phones built small enough for them, or schools or hospitals, for that matter—there’s no point, when no one that little has any purchasing power, and when salaried doctors and teachers would never fit in buildings so small. Warner and Prayer know their only hope is to scale up, but how can two littlepoors survive in a world built against them? A brilliant, warm, funny trip, unlike anything else out there, and a social novel for our time in the tradition of 1984 or Invisible Man. Inequality is made intensely visceral by an adventure and tragedy both hilarious and heartbreaking.
Publisher: ABRAMS
ISBN: 1683352610
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 392
Book Description
In an alternate reality a lot like our world, every person’s physical size is directly proportional to their wealth. The poorest of the poor are the size of rats, and billionaires are the size of skyscrapers. Warner and his sister Prayer are destitute—and tiny. Their size is not just demeaning, but dangerous: day and night they face mortal dangers that bigger richer people don’t ever have to think about, from being mauled by cats to their house getting stepped on. There are no cars or phones built small enough for them, or schools or hospitals, for that matter—there’s no point, when no one that little has any purchasing power, and when salaried doctors and teachers would never fit in buildings so small. Warner and Prayer know their only hope is to scale up, but how can two littlepoors survive in a world built against them? A brilliant, warm, funny trip, unlike anything else out there, and a social novel for our time in the tradition of 1984 or Invisible Man. Inequality is made intensely visceral by an adventure and tragedy both hilarious and heartbreaking.
We Were Restless Things
Author: Cole Nagamatsu
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1728216605
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 259
Book Description
From debut author Cole Nagamatsu comes an atmospheric contemporary fantasy about three teens coming of age in the wake of a mysterious death. Last summer, Link Miller drowned on dry land in the woods, miles away from the nearest body of water. His death was ruled a strange accident, and in the months since, his friends and family have struggled to make sense of it. But Link's close friend Noemi Amato knows the truth: Link drowned in an impossible lake that only she can find. And what's more, someone claiming to be Link has been contacting her, warning Noemi to stay out of the forest. As these secrets become too heavy for Noemi to shoulder on her own, she turns to Jonas, her new housemate, and Amberlyn, Link's younger sister. All three are trying to find their place—and together, they start to unravel the truth: about themselves, about the world, and about what happened to Link. Unfolding over a year and told through multiple POVs and a dream journal, We Were Restless Things explores the ways society shapes our reality, how we can learn to love ourselves and others, and the incredible power of our own desires. A great pick for readers who want: YA contemporary books with touches of YA fantasy Modern ghost stories and fairytales Young adult LGBT books with an asexual character
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1728216605
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 259
Book Description
From debut author Cole Nagamatsu comes an atmospheric contemporary fantasy about three teens coming of age in the wake of a mysterious death. Last summer, Link Miller drowned on dry land in the woods, miles away from the nearest body of water. His death was ruled a strange accident, and in the months since, his friends and family have struggled to make sense of it. But Link's close friend Noemi Amato knows the truth: Link drowned in an impossible lake that only she can find. And what's more, someone claiming to be Link has been contacting her, warning Noemi to stay out of the forest. As these secrets become too heavy for Noemi to shoulder on her own, she turns to Jonas, her new housemate, and Amberlyn, Link's younger sister. All three are trying to find their place—and together, they start to unravel the truth: about themselves, about the world, and about what happened to Link. Unfolding over a year and told through multiple POVs and a dream journal, We Were Restless Things explores the ways society shapes our reality, how we can learn to love ourselves and others, and the incredible power of our own desires. A great pick for readers who want: YA contemporary books with touches of YA fantasy Modern ghost stories and fairytales Young adult LGBT books with an asexual character