‘Chevalier & Gawayn fulfils all the requirements a reader of speculative fantasy could hope for’ Landfall Review
The earth has been ruined; plague is rife and people huddle behind city walls, underground or in remote villages. There are no animals, no birds – and no freedom. And the divide between rich and poor is growing ever greater.
Into this world comes Chevalier, an unassuming tax inspector by day but a secret law-breaker and risk-taker by night who decides to experiment with a new virtual reality headset – CIRCE. Suddenly, Chevalier finds he can dip in and out of a world long ago and far away where his deepest hopes and fears are met, where there’s magic in the air, and where his spirit and bravery can emerge.
With a collection of gods, goddesses, heroes and heroines both ancient and modern, Chevalier takes on the spirit of the legendary Gawayn; only as Gawayn in the virtual world can he save the devastated real world.
The earth has been ruined; plague is rife and people huddle behind city walls, underground or in remote villages. There are no animals, no birds – and no freedom. And the divide between rich and poor is growing ever greater.
Into this world comes Chevalier, an unassuming tax inspector by day but a secret law-breaker and risk-taker by night who decides to experiment with a new virtual reality headset – CIRCE. Suddenly, Chevalier finds he can dip in and out of a world long ago and far away where his deepest hopes and fears are met, where there’s magic in the air, and where his spirit and bravery can emerge.
With a collection of gods, goddesses, heroes and heroines both ancient and modern, Chevalier takes on the spirit of the legendary Gawayn; only as Gawayn in the virtual world can he save the devastated real world.
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
Imagine a very dystopian regime somewhere in the future and presumably somewhere on Earth. A few cultural hints suggest it could be a future Britain, but maybe not. Technology means nearly everybody can be spied on. It is mandatory to wear a 'helmask' - a combination of helmet and mask, but packed with technological systems for instant communication and surveillance ... The notion of an underground underclass and an overground elite is almost as old as science fiction itself ... But Mann makes the situation his own. The dystopian environment is presented in credible and precise detail ... Chevalier & Gawayn fulfils all the requirements a reader of speculative fantasy could hope for
A masterful book from a master storyteller. Phillip Mann creates a fully-realised world, alive with fascinating characters, vivid descriptions, historical and mythological allusions, and universal truths that touch the heart of what it is to be human
Chevalier & Gawayn gives us, yet again, what we read his novels for - its imaginative reach, its moral intensity, its linguistic brio