Wishhobbler by Francis O'Dowd

Somewhere in the damp, twisting alleyways of an alternate 19th Century slum there lives a hideous freak of nature. Driven by poverty, Spin and her makeshift family move to the Songwynds in search of work. There they share a tiny, rat-infested tenement room with their adoptive Ma: a ferocious wishhobbler. A monster of a mother, and the mother of all monsters, the wishhobbler’s viciousness has caused fear and mayhem among the slum dwellers. Unable to hit back at the wishhobbler, her victims turn their attention to Spin. An outsider wherever she goes - haunted by thugs and bullies - Spin finds a way to enter the carefully guarded and lethal world of Victorian Racing Televisions. When the wishhobbler disrupts the carefully laid plans of the mysterious Racers, Spin finds herself at the centre of a deadly confrontation. But it’s with the revelation of a centuries old Knight of the Implicate Order that things really take a turn for the worse ... Featuring over 50 stunning illustrations, this dark urban fairy tale is a must for anyone who's ever been bored, bullied or lived with a monster.

Unnatural Selection by Robert P. Edwards

SPSFC 2024

At the end of the 21st Century, humanity is enjoying a renaissance—or so it seems. For the wealthy, a quantum biotechnology called Stem has eliminated disease and seamlessly integrates with The Web. So why are people dying? Amongst us live the Quants, a meld of robotics, AI, and quantum computing. They carry out vital work in a world dependent on technology. Personal Quants can be built to order for the privileged few. Sophie and her marine biologist father, Chris, live in one of the few habitable zones left in the southern hemisphere. Kazumi is the son and heir of Mashimoto Corporation, a leading manufacturer of quantum technology. Mackenzie is the gifted daughter of technology billionaire Alistair ‘Ace’ Abernathy. Love and loss will drive them together. Across a world scarred and divided by climate change. Only together will they discover the terrifying truth about who is really behind the death of their loved ones.

Genefire by JAMES FLANAGAN

SPSFC 2023 SPSFC 2024

***** WINNER of Firebird Book Awards 2023 - in 3 Categories (New Author, Genetics, Time Travel)***** near-future SciFi novel crossing space and time. In a future where genetic engineering is becoming the norm, even the simplest mistakes could be devastating.Sometimes it feels as though the world will end if you don’t finish your PhD. For Larry Milton, it’s true.Larry has discovered a dire warning from the future about Earth’s destruction — written in the DNA of a young girl. With the destruction of the planet at stake, and no one believing him, he goes to extraordinary lengths to help the messenger from the future save the world… and try to finish his PhD at the same time.