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Gareth L Powell

(b.1970)

Gareth L. Powell is a science fiction author from the UK. His alternate history thriller, Ack-Ack Macaque won the 2013 BSFA Award for Best Novel, spawned two sequels, and was shortlisted in the Best Translated Novel category for the 2016 Seiun Awards in Japan. His short fiction has appeared in a host of magazines and anthologies, including Interzone, Solaris Rising 3, and The Year’s Best Science Fiction, and his story ‘Ride The Blue Horse’ made the shortlist for the 2015 BSFA Award.

He lives near Bristol with his wife and two children.

Awards: BSFA (2018) see all

Genres: Science Fiction, Horror

New and upcoming books

August 2025

Of Enchantment, Enigma, and the Infinite

September 2025

Who Will You Save?

March 2026

Jitterbug

Series

Ack-ack Macaque
   1. Ack-ack Macaque (2012)
   2. Hive Monkey (2013)
   3. Macaque Attack! (2014)

Embers of War
   1. Embers of War (2018)
   2. Fleet of Knives (2019)
   3. Light of Impossible Stars (2020)

Stars and Bones
1. Stars and Bones (2022)
2. Descendant Machine (2023)

Novels

   Silversands (2010)
   The Recollection (2011)
   Ragged Alice (2019)
   Future's Edge (2025)
   Jitterbug (2026)

Collections

   The Last Reef (2008)
   Entropic Angel (2017)
   The Last Reef: And Other Stories (2020)
   Who Will You Save? (2025)

Novellas and Short Stories

Light Chaser (2021) (with Peter F Hamilton)

Anthologies edited

Of Shadows, Stars, and Sabers (2025) (with Jendia Gammon)
Of Enchantment, Enigma, and the Infinite (2025) (with Jendia Gammon)

Series contributed to

Doctor Who: Target Collection: New Era
17. The Well (2025)

Non fiction show

Books containing stories by Gareth L Powell

Creative Futures (2025)
edited by
Allen Stroud

Fission #5 (2025)
An Anthology of Stories from the British Science Fiction Association
edited by
Eugen Bacon and Gene Rowe

Shapers of Worlds (2020)
(Shapers of Worlds, book 1)
edited by
Edward Willett

More books

Awards

	2018 BSFA Award for Best Novel : Embers of War
	2013 BSFA Award for Best Novel : Ack-ack Macaque

Award nominations

	2023 BSFA Award for Best Novel (nominee) : Descendant Machine
	2022 BSFA Award for Best Novel (nominee) : Stars and Bones
	2021 BSFA Award for Best Short Fiction (nominee) : Light Chaser
	2020 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (nominee) : Fleet of Knives
	2020 British Fantasy Award for Best Novella (nominee) : Ragged Alice
	2020 BSFA Award for Best Shorter Fiction (nominee) : Ragged Alice
	2020 BSFA Award for Best Novel (nominee) : Light of Impossible Stars
	2019 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (nominee) : Embers of War
	2019 BSFA Award for Best Novel (nominee) : Fleet of Knives
	2016 BSFA Award for Best Short Story (nominee) : Ride the Blue Horse

Gareth L Powell recommends

An Unbreakable World (2025)
Ren Hutchings
"Unmissable. Ren Hutchings is on my must-read list."

The Immeasurable Heaven (2025)
Caspar Geon
"Fearlessly creative, wildly imaginative, and wholly satisfying."

A Palace Near the Wind (2025)
(Natural Engines, book 1)
Ai Jiang
"A beautiful, heart-rending parable about the ways grief and loss feed on the vitality of the living, eventually making ghosts of us all."

Infinity Gate (2023)
(Pandominion, book 1)
M R Carey
"M.R. Carey is a master of imagination and suspense."

Full Immersion (2022)
Gemma Amor
"A brave, timely and important book."

Rosebud (2022)
Paul Cornell
"Cutting-edge science fiction from a writer at the very top of their game."

Ten Low (2021)
(Factus Sequence, book 1)
Stark Holborn
"Stark Holborn continues to impress. Great characters and a blistering pace."

Nophek Gloss (2020)
(Graven, book 1)
Essa Hansen
"A strong, rollercoaster of a debut."

Seven Devils (2020)
(Seven Devils , book 1)
L R Lam and Elizabeth May
"A thrilling ride from two of the most exciting authors in the genre."

A Pale Light in the Black (2020)
(NeoG, book 1)
K B Wagers
"Great characters and white knuckle tension. Recommended."

Rise (2019)
Kim Lakin-Smith
"A searing portrayal of redemption and compassion in the face of prejudice and brutality. Kim Lakin-Smith is one hell of a dream fine writer."

Rejoice (2018)
Steven Erikson
"A stunning novel of first contact and humanity's place in the world."

Hellcorp (2018)
(Hellcorp, book 1)
Jonathan Whitelaw
"A writer to watch."

The Synapse Sequence (2018)
Daniel Godfrey
"Daniel Godfrey continues to impress. A distinctive new voice in SF."

Adrift (2018)
(Adrift , book 1)
Rob Boffard
"An edge-of-the-seat epic of survival and adventure in deep space."

The Wolf (2018)
(Under The Northern Sky, book 1)
Leo Carew
"As bleak and brutal as the northern snows, a new voice in epic fantasy."

Everything About You (2018)
Heather Child
"A compelling, terrifying and stunningly assured debut."

Sparrow Falling (2016)
(Sparrow , book 2)
Gaie Sebold
"Fresh, entertaining fantasy from an exciting author."

Planetfall (2015)
(Planetfall , book 1)
Emma Newman
"Filled with wonders, revelations, and edge-of-the-seat suspense, Planetfall is a fascinating, heartbreaking exploration of love and loneliness set against an awe-inspiring backdrop. An instant classic of the genre."

The Promise of the Child (2015)
(Amaranthine Spectrum, book 1)
Tom Toner
"An amazing debut. Intriguing, disorientating."

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