Here’s an really interesting premise: the world has been seeded with spheres - perfectly round gems in a variety of colours. Where they come from no-one is sure, but when paired they bestow different special abilities, from ambidexterity, to increased intelligence. No wonder they are in such demand, particularly the rarer colours which change hands for millions. Sully supports himself and his mother through dealing in spheres and with his new partner the gorgeous if intimidatingly tough Hunter, finds the rarest. The discovery puts not only them, but the entire human race in danger as the provenance of the spheres is finally revealed. Fast-moving, with a cast of interesting teen characters, and that clever idea, this is first-rate sci-fi with a cool heist set-up too.
For fans of The Maze Runner and The 5th Wave, this debut YA novel from Hugo Award-winner Will McIntosh pits four teens against an evil billionaire in the race of a lifetime.
Sully is a sphere dealer at a flea market. It doesn't pay much - Alex Holliday's stores have muscled out most of the independent sellers - but it helps him and his mum make the rent. No one knows where the brilliant-coloured spheres came from. One day they were just there, hidden all over the earth like huge gemstones. Burn a pair and they make you a little better: an inch taller, skilled at maths, better-looking. The rarer the sphere, the greater the improvement - and the more expensive the sphere. When Sully meets Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres, the two start searching together. What they find will change more than just their lives ...Because the entire world fights over spheres, but no one knows why they're here or what their powers are ...until now.
Will McIntosh's debut novel, Soft Apocalypse, was a finalist for both a Locus Award and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. He is a frequent contributor to Asimov's, where his story 'Bridesicle' won the 2010 Readers' Award, as well as the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Short Story. His third novel, Love Minus Eighty (based on 'Bridesicle'), published by Orbit books in June 2013, was named best Science Fiction novel of the year by the American Library Association and was optioned for film by Film4. His recently published novel, Defenders, has been optioned by Warner Brothers for a feature film. Will was a psychology professor for two decades before turning to writing full-time. He lives in Williamsburg with his family. You can follow him on Twitter @willmcintoshSF, or on his website, www.willmcintosh.net.
