by Geoff Ryman
First published 1986
Third grew up in a peaceful nation where customs ran deep and life followed ancient patterns. The Unconquered Country lived up to its name, secure in its traditions and untouched by outside forces. Then the Neighbours arrived. They carried weapons supplied by the Big People, and they brought the Sharks with them. The invasion shattered everything Third had known. Her homeland fell under occupation, and with it came suffering and fear that transformed the country beyond recognition. What had once been serene and stable became a place of upheaval and anguish. Third must navigate this new reality where the old ways no longer protect her people and the future looks nothing like the past she remembers.
Genres: dystopia, historical-fiction, adventure, alternate-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: The Unconquered Country
Period: 20th-century
134 pages · Paperback · Unwin Paperbacks
Content warnings: violence