Hermetica

The debut novella from Alan Lea.

When Dase finds an old news article behind the wall panel of their module—an article from a different world—everything starts to unravel. Who's going to believe Dase, when everyone knows they're a little crazy? And who is even in charge of Hermetica? In a universe of total surveillance and parallel worlds, consensus reality isn't what you think.

“Hermetica is a rare book, at once readable and thought-provoking. At once a useful metaphor and entertaining. It sits well among the classics of social science fiction but also says something new, tells a story I’ve never read before. Alan Lea is a writer to watch. To put it plainly, this book is really fucking good.” —Margaret Killjoy, author of The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion

“A compelling thought experiment about the day after tomorrow and the universe next door, Hermetica offers neither hope nor escape, but instead something more important: preparation.”

—Nick Mamatas, author of The Second Shooter

“Through the eyes of an unusual, neurodivergent protagonist, Alan Lea creates a meticulously well crafted interstellar society still scarred by a pandemic and a troubled past. A vital story that carves an area uniquely its own in deep space literature, Hermetica is at once a tale for our times, a warning for a future that may be upon us, and a gripping mystery.”

—Adi Callai, author of The Sodomites