The Devourers

For readers of Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, China Mieville, and David Mitchell comes a striking debut novel by a storyteller of keen insight and captivating imagination. LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD WINNER - NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST On a cool evening in Kolkata, India, beneath a full moon, as the whirling rhythms of traveling musicians fill the night, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger with a bizarre confession and an extraordinary story. Tantalized by the man's unfinished tale, Alok will do anything to hear its completion. So Alok agrees, at the stranger's behest, to transcribe a collection of battered notebooks, weathered parchments, and once-living skins. From these documents spills the chronicle of a race of people at once more than human yet kin to beasts, ruled by instincts and desires blood-deep and ages-old. The tale features a rough wanderer in seventeenth-century Mughal India who finds himself irrevocably drawn to a defiant woman--and destined to be torn asunder by two clashing worlds. With every passing chapter of beauty and brutality, Alok's interest in the stranger grows and evolves into something darker and more urgent. Shifting dreamlike between present and past with intoxicating language, visceral action, compelling characters, and stark emotion, The Devourers offers a reading experience quite unlike any other novel. Praise for The Devourers "A chilling, gorgeous saga that spans several centuries and many lands . . . The all-too-human characters--including the nonhuman ones--and the dreamlike, recursive plot serve to entrance the reader. . . . There's no escaping The Devourers. Readers will savor every bite."--N. K. Jemisin, The New York Times Book Review "The Devourers is beautiful. It is brutal. It is violent and vicious. . . . [It] also showcases Das's incredible prowess with language and rhythm, and his ability to weave folklore and ancient legend with modern day loneliness."--Tor.com "A wholly original, primal tale of love, violence, and transformation."--Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Red Rising Trilogy "Astonishing . . . a narrative that takes possession of you and pulls you along in its wake."--M. R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts "Every sentence of this ferocious and extraordinary book pulses with life. An absolute masterpiece."--Daniel Jose Older, author of Half-Resurrection Blues "Das's brutal, intoxicating, and gorgeously visceral debut merges an often mythic sensibility with an appreciation for the coarse beauty of the everyday."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A sensual tale of violence and desire . . . for fans of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire but with a fascinating setting beautifully described."--Library Journal (starred review) "Das's narrative is lush, imaginative, and hypnotic, bringing to life scenes of savagery and moments of wonder. . . . Das's debut is an ambitious, unsettling trip into our own capacity for violence."--Kirkus Reviews "[An] extraordinary piece of meta-fiction: stories within stories . . . trans-genre, transgender and transgressive . . . Who gets what he or she wants and, above all, who has the moral right to their desires, is the heart of this remarkable, multi-layered novel."--Maclean's

About the Author :
Indra Das is an Octavia E. Butler Scholar and graduate of the 2012 Clarion West Writers Workshop. He completed his MFA at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, where he wore many hats, including freelance editor, writing tutor, occasional illustrator, environmental newswriter, and dog-hotel night-shift attendant. His short fiction has been published in many fiction magazines and anthologies. The Devourers is his first published novel. He divides his time between India and North America and is hard at work on his next novel.

Review :
"A chilling, gorgeous saga that spans several centuries and many lands . . . The all-too-human characters--including the nonhuman ones--and the dreamlike, recursive plot serve to entrance the reader. . . . There's no escaping The Devourers. Readers will savor every bite."--N. K. Jemisin, The New York Times Book Review "The Devourers is beautiful. It is brutal. It is violent and vicious. . . . [It] also showcases Das's incredible prowess with language and rhythm, and his ability to weave folklore and ancient legend with modern day loneliness."--Tor.com "A wholly original, primal tale of love, violence, and transformation . . . I've never read anything quite like it."--Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Red Rising Trilogy "Astonishing . . . a narrative that takes possession of you and pulls you along in its wake."--M. R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts "Every sentence of this ferocious and extraordinary book pulses with life. An absolute masterpiece."--Daniel Jose Older, author of Half-Resurrection Blues "Profoundly moving and endlessly inventive."--Ken Liu, World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Grace of Kings "The Devourers tears the throat out of the traditional shapeshifter tale. With a story that spans cultures, generations, and mythologies, and characters that make your heart both pound and ache, this book will leave you breathless. You've never read anything like it, and you won't forget it anytime soon."--Mallory O'Meara, filmmaker "Das's brutal, intoxicating, and gorgeously visceral debut merges an often mythic sensibility with an appreciation for the coarse beauty of the everyday."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A sensual tale of violence and desire . . . for fans of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire but with a fascinating setting beautifully described."--Library Journal (starred review) "Das's narrative is lush, imaginative, and hypnotic, bringing to life scenes of savagery and moments of wonder. . . . Das's debut is an ambitious, unsettling trip into our own capacity for violence."--Kirkus Reviews "[An] extraordinary piece of meta-fiction: stories within stories . . . trans-genre, transgender and transgressive . . . Who gets what he or she wants and, above all, who has the moral right to their desires, is the heart of this remarkable, multi-layered novel."--Maclean's "Intense and thrilling . . . Indra Das's writing is powerful and precise."--Kim Stanley Robinson, author of Red Mars "Lush, dark, deep, and truly extraordinary, The Devourers is a transformative and spellbinding story like no other."--Lila Bowen, author of Wake of Vultures (RT Book Reviews Fantasy Novel of the Year) "The Devourers is a hallucination disguised as a novel. One moment its vision spans centuries and a thousand lives; the next you're transfixed by the sound of an insect in flight, or a jewel of blood dripping from an open wound. Sorrow and compassion and bone-crunching violence coexist in equal measure here. The Devourers is sheer poetry with its guts hanging out."--Peter Watts, author of Blindsight "Like no other imaginary realm I've visited, the land of The Devourers shimmers with rapturously visceral details. Its proud monsters and stubborn humans enact a heart-stirring tale of loss, error, repetition, and redemption. Prepare to be overcome with delight."--Nisi Shawl, James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award-winning author "Lush, visceral, and queer to the core, The Devourers is like nothing else I've read. Postmodern and historical, massive in scale and heartbreakingly intimate, fragmented and a powerful whole, it's so many marvelous things, all at once."--Carmen Maria Machado, Nebula and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author A chilling, gorgeous saga that spans several centuries and many lands . . . The all-too-human characters including the nonhuman ones and the dreamlike, recursive plot serve to entrance the reader. . . . There s no escaping The Devourers. Readers will savor every bite. N. K. Jemisin, The New York Times Book Review The Devourersis beautiful. It is brutal. It is violent and vicious. . . . [It] also showcases Das s incredible prowess with language and rhythm, and his ability to weave folklore and ancient legend with modern day loneliness. Tor.com A wholly original, primal tale of love, violence, and transformation . . . I ve never read anything quite like it. Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Red Rising Trilogy Astonishing . . . a narrative that takes possession of you and pulls you along in its wake. M. R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts Every sentence of this ferocious and extraordinary book pulses with life. An absolute masterpiece. Daniel Jose Older, author of Half-Resurrection Blues Profoundly moving and endlessly inventive. Ken Liu, World Fantasy Award winning author of The Grace of Kings The Devourers tears the throat out of the traditional shapeshifter tale. With a story that spans cultures, generations, and mythologies, and characters that make your heart both pound and ache, this book will leave you breathless. You ve never read anything like it, and you won t forget it anytime soon. Mallory O Meara, filmmaker Das s brutal, intoxicating, and gorgeously visceral debut merges an often mythic sensibility with an appreciation for the coarse beauty of the everyday. Publishers Weekly(starred review) A sensual tale of violence and desire . . . for fans of Anne Rice s Interview with the Vampire but with a fascinating setting beautifully described. Library Journal (starred review) Das s narrative is lush, imaginative, and hypnotic, bringing to life scenes of savagery and moments of wonder. . . . Das s debut is an ambitious, unsettling trip into our own capacity for violence. Kirkus Reviews [An] extraordinary piece of meta-fiction: stories within stories . . . trans-genre, transgender and transgressive . . . Who gets what he or she wants and, above all, who has the moral right to their desires, is the heart of this remarkable, multi-layered novel. Maclean s Intense and thrilling . . . Indra Das s writing is powerful and precise. Kim Stanley Robinson, author of Red Mars Lush, dark, deep, and truly extraordinary, The Devourers is a transformative and spellbinding story like no other. Lila Bowen, author of Wake of Vultures (RT Book Reviews Fantasy Novel of the Year) The Devourers is a hallucination disguised as a novel. One moment its vision spans centuries and a thousand lives; the next you re transfixed by the sound of an insect in flight, or a jewel of blood dripping from an open wound. Sorrow and compassion and bone-crunching violence coexist in equal measure here. The Devourers is sheer poetry with its guts hanging out. Peter Watts, author of Blindsight Like no other imaginary realm I ve visited, the land of The Devourers shimmers with rapturously visceral details. Its proud monsters and stubborn humans enact a heart-stirring tale of loss, error, repetition, and redemption. Prepare to be overcome with delight. Nisi Shawl, James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award winning author Lush, visceral, and queer to the core, The Devourersis like nothing else I ve read. Postmodern and historical, massive in scale and heartbreakingly intimate, fragmented and a powerful whole, it s so many marvelous things, all at once. Carmen Maria Machado, Nebula and Shirley Jackson Award nominated author" Praise for "The Devourers" "The Devourers"is beautiful. It is brutal. It is violent and vicious. . . . [It] also showcases Das s incredible prowess with language and rhythm, and his ability to weave folklore and ancient legend with modern day loneliness. "Tor.com" A wholly original, primal tale of love, violence, and transformation . . . I ve never read anything quite like it. Pierce Brown, #1 "New York Times" bestselling author of The Red Rising Trilogy Astonishing . . . a narrative that takes possession of you and pulls you along in its wake. M. R. Carey, author of "The Girl with All the Gifts" Every sentence of this ferocious and extraordinary book pulses with life. An absolute masterpiece. Daniel Jose Older, author of "Half-Resurrection Blues" " " Profoundly moving and endlessly inventive. Ken Liu, World Fantasy Award winning author of "The Grace of Kings" "The Devourers" tears the throat out of the traditional shapeshifter tale. With a story that spans cultures, generations, and mythologies, and characters that make your heart both pound and ache, this book will leave you breathless. You ve never read anything like it, and you won t forget it anytime soon. Mallory O Meara, filmmaker Das s brutal, intoxicating, and gorgeously visceral debut merges an often mythic sensibility with an appreciation for the coarse beauty of the everyday. "Publishers Weekly"(starred review) A sensual tale of violence and desire . . . for fans of Anne Rice s "Interview with the Vampire" but with a fascinating setting beautifully described. "Library Journal" (starred review) Das s narrative is lush, imaginative, and hypnotic, bringing to life scenes of savagery and moments of wonder. . . . Das s debut is an ambitious, unsettling trip into our own capacity for violence. "Kirkus Reviews" Intense and thrilling . . . Indra Das s writing is powerful and precise. Kim Stanley Robinson, author of "Red Mars" Lush, dark, deep, and truly extraordinary, "The Devourers "is a transformative and spellbinding story like no other. Lila Bowen, author of "Wake of Vultures "("RT Book Reviews "Fantasy Novel of the Year) "The Devourers "is a hallucination disguised as a novel. One moment its vision spans centuries and a thousand lives; the next you re transfixed by the sound of an insect in flight, or a jewel of blood dripping from an open wound. Sorrow and compassion and bone-crunching violence coexist in equal measure here. "The Devourers" is sheer poetry with its guts hanging out. Peter Watts, author of "Blindsight" Like no other imaginary realm I ve visited, the land of "The Devourers" shimmers with rapturously visceral details. Its proud monsters and stubborn humans enact a heart-stirring tale of loss, error, repetition, and redemption. Prepare to be overcome with delight. Nisi Shawl, James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award winning author Lush, visceral, and queer to the core, "The Devourers"is like nothing else I ve read. Postmodern and historical, massive in scale and heartbreakingly intimate, fragmented and a powerful whole, it s so many marvelous things, all at once. Carmen Maria Machado, Nebula and Shirley Jackson Award nominated author" Advance praise for "The Devourers" A wholly original, primal tale of love, violence, and transformation . . . I ve never read anything quite like it. Pierce Brown, #1 "New York Times" bestselling author of The Red Rising Trilogy Astonishing . . . a narrative that takes possession of you and pulls you along in its wake. M. R. Carey, author of "The Girl with All the Gifts" Every sentence of this ferocious and extraordinary book pulses with life. An absolute masterpiece. Daniel Jose Older, author of "Half-Resurrection Blues" " " Profoundly moving and endlessly inventive. Ken Liu, World Fantasy Award winning author of "The Grace of Kings" "The Devourers" tears the throat out of the traditional shapeshifter tale. With a story that spans cultures, generations, and mythologies, and characters that make your heart both pound and ache, this book will leave you breathless. You ve never read anything like it, and you won t forget it anytime soon. Mallory O Meara, filmmaker Das s brutal, intoxicating, and gorgeously visceral debut merges an often mythic sensibility with an appreciation for the coarse beauty of the everyday. "Publishers Weekly"(starred review) Intense and thrilling . . . Indra Das s writing is powerful and precise. Kim Stanley Robinson, author of "Red Mars" Lush, dark, deep, and truly extraordinary, "The Devourers "is a transformative and spellbinding story like no other. Lila Bowen, author of "Wake of Vultures "("RT Book Reviews "Fantasy Novel of the Year) "The Devourers "is a hallucination disguised as a novel. One moment its vision spans centuries and a thousand lives; the next you re transfixed by the sound of an insect in flight, or a jewel of blood dripping from an open wound. Sorrow and compassion and bone-crunching violence coexist in equal measure here. "The Devourers" is sheer poetry with its guts hanging out. Peter Watts, author of "Blindsight" Like no other imaginary realm I ve visited, the land of "The Devourers" shimmers with rapturously visceral details. Its proud monsters and stubborn humans enact a heart-stirring tale of loss, error, repetition, and redemption. Prepare to be overcome with delight. Nisi Shawl, James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award winning author Lush, visceral, and queer to the core, "The Devourers"is like nothing else I ve read. Postmodern and historical, massive in scale and heartbreakingly intimate, fragmented and a powerful whole, it s so many marvelous things, all at once. Carmen Maria Machado, Nebula and Shirley Jackson Award nominated author" Advance praise for "The Devourers" Astonishing . . . a narrative that takes possession of you and pulls you along in its wake. M. R. Carey, author of "The Girl with All the Gifts" Intense and thrilling . . . Indra Das s writing is powerful and precise. Kim Stanley Robinson, author of "Red Mars""