Bird Deity

David is a scout. For ten years he has plundered the ruins of an alien civilisation about which he knows nothing. Now he’s ready to go home, a wealthy man. Except that everything seems to be slipping out of his control. His mentor Tom has vanished. Eliza and her baby are alone.

As David begins to question the choices he has made, he is visited by a researcher, who wants him to guide her on one last expedition to the rainswept wasteland of the plateau…

And he may yet lose everything, as he is drawn inexorably towards an encounter with the terrifying soul of this world.

John Morrissey’s Bird Deity is a novel like no other. At once disconcerting and eerily familiar, it’s a cosmic horror story about power, theft, love, loss, and destiny.

PRAISE:

‘An intriguing, subtle novel from the acclaimed short-story writer.’ Age

‘A brilliant novel and a powerful debut.’ Locus

‘Unsettling and incisive, Bird Deity offers an eerie glimpse at the human cost of empire.’ Guardian

‘Stunning…an absorbing and profound work of fiction.’ Australian Book Review

‘Speculative fiction at its thought-provoking, incisive best...evocative and deeply unsettling.’ Better Read Than Dead

‘Entrancing...Avoiding cliches of both sci-fi and horror, Bird Deity is a step in a new direction, showing us the potential of contemporary Australian speculative fiction – suited for our times and yet wholly unique.’ Readings

'An incredible achievement: Morrissey has created a familiar yet alien world, densely storied and dripping in dark, delicious mystery. Beautiful, gripping and grotesque.’ Mykaela Saunders

‘Firelight introduces us to a young writer with a dedication to the craft of short fiction. Each of John Morrissey’s stories is a gem, while the collection as a whole is superb.’ Tony Birch on Firelight