by Tim Powers
First published 1986
Gregorio Rivas thought his days as a redeemer were over. In the ruins of twenty-second century Los Angeles, he had traded rescuing victims from the Jaybirds cult for playing music in a band. The nuclear wasteland of California offered few safe careers, but at least music kept him away from Norton Jaybush and his soul-devouring followers. Then a powerful official arrives with a desperate request. His daughter Urania has fallen into Jaybush's hands. Urania was also Gregorio's first love. The official offers rich rewards for her rescue, but Gregorio knows the true cost. He must venture back into the cult's territory, where blood-sucking hemogoblins and worse creatures roam the devastated landscape. As Gregorio prepares for the mission, he faces more than physical dangers. The Jaybirds don't simply recruit followers. They consume souls, leaving empty shells behind. To save Urania, Gregorio must confront Jaybush directly and uncover the dark secrets that drive this neo-Californian world. The redeemer who walked away from his calling discovers that some bonds cannot be severed, even in a world where love itself has become a weapon.
Genres: dystopia, adventure, 21st-century, apocalyptic
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, redemption, rescue-mission
Setting: Los Angeles
Period: 22nd Century
294 pages · Paperback · Chatto & Windus
Content warnings: death, violence