Way Down Dark (Australia, 1) - Softcover

"Way Down Dark is one of those rare books that will appeal to readers of all ages: deliciously dark, fast-paced, fun to read and teeming with real heart and soul. I loved it."
--Sarah Lotz, author of Day Four


"Sensational . . . the action-packed narrative packs a proper punch, a finely-timed wind-up, and a terrific twist."
--Niall Alexander, Tor.com


"The unpredictable narrative continually breaks the rules and presents a scary, twisted world in which no one can know what will come next. Although the work is comparable to recent dystopians, its mysteries are unique and the story is compelling. Young adults will be drawn to Chan's realistic persona and addicted to a tale that leaves them wanting to know more."--School Library Journal

"Smythe develops strong, diverse characters and a robust setting. Hand to readers looking for a grittier Hunger Games or those who loved the movie, Snowpiercer."--Booklist

"Shortlisted for the Arthur C Clarke Award 2014, this is a Frankenstein tale for our time from one of the UK's brightest new literary talents."--Fantasticfiction, on The Machine

"Savage, intimate, inexorable."--Nick Harkaway, author of Tigerman, on The Machine

The Machine is the work of a young writer with a preternaturally powerful and distinctive voice."--Guardian, on The Machine

"Phenomenal . . . simply unmissable."--Tor.com, on The Machine

"Extraordinary."--Dazed & Confused Magazine, on The Machine

"Reminiscent of Ian McEwan at his most macabre."--Will Wiles, author of Care of Wooden Floors, on The Machine

Seventeen-year-old Chan's ancestors left a dying Earth hundreds of years ago, in search of a new home. Generations later, they are still searching . . .

Every day aboard the interstellar transport ship Australia is a kind of hell, where no one is safe, no one can hide. Indeed, the only life Chan's ever known is one of endless violence. A life of survival. Fiercely independent and entirely self-sufficient, she has learned to keep her head down as much as possible, careful not to draw attention to herself amidst the mayhem. For the Australia is a ship of death, filled with murderous gangs and twisted cults, vying for supremacy in a closed environment with limited resources and no hope.

And then one day Chan makes an extraordinary discovery--there may be a way to return the Australia to Earth. But doing so will only bring her to the attention of the fanatics and murderers who control life aboard the ship, putting her and everyone she loves in terrible danger.

Is it worth endangering her life and the lives of her few friends and loved ones for an uncertain return to a home world that may be uninhabitable? Especially since to do so she must descend into the deep dark in the bowels of the ship, which is piled high with the bodies and the secrets of the dead . . .