Austral by Paul McAuley

Austral

Paul McAuley

Astraul, is young, female, brave and not entirely human, living in an Antarctica which has been drastically altered by climate change and who is seeking to escape to another country. This science-fiction novel and adventure story is exciting, fast moving and inventive with kidnapping, murder and mayhem. Definitely worth a try.

Extract
It was a little past 1700 now, growing dark, the weather settling in. A constant hail of white pellets, the kind of snow called graupel, rattled on the ute's canopy. Visibility was down to a couple of hundred metres and I was driving as fast as I dared, wondering how much time I had before the girl's disappearance was discovered... Before what I'd done came out...The snow and darkness would help to obscure my trail, but not by much.
I wasn't frightened, though. I was elated. I was free and I was on the move and nothing seemed impossible.
Parallels
  • Europe in Autumn by Dave Hutchinson
  • Cowboy Angels by Paul McAuley