S&S UK pre-empts Ober's 'astonishing' SFF novel

Simon & Schuster UK has pre-empted the science fiction and fantasy novel Voidverse by TV writer and novelist Damien Ober. 

Charlotte Trumble, commissioning editor for adult fiction, acquired the rights in a joint acquisition for world English rights with Tim O’Connell, vice-president and editorial director at Simon & Schuster US. The deal was made with Peter Steinberg and Brandi Bowles at the United Talent Agency. It will publish in 2025.

“Voidverse is an extraordinary novel which blends science fiction and fantasy,” S&S US said. “It features an epic world in the spirit of Dune, with entirely new yet functional laws of physics, blending high stakes action with the mind-bending speculation of Rendezvous with Rama.  

“Set in a universe where different communities live on rocks sinking through an endless void, the novel follows an unnamed mercenary known as ‘the sinker’ and the wayward son of a king in their attempts to protect a magical anomaly from a destructive, and most unexpected, enemy.  

“Voidverse combines a propulsive, imaginative quest with an exploration of deeper allegories about storytelling and mythmaking and will appeal to fans of N K Jemisin, Paolo Bacigalupi and Neal Stephenson.” 

Trumble said: “I am delighted to have acquired Voidverse and I can’t wait to publish this genuinely astonishing novel in the UK, alongside Tim and the brilliant Saga Press team. This is one of the most unforgettable books I’ve read in a while: it is fast-paced yet beautifully written with a breathtakingly original concept and setting.  

“Fundamentally, it is about civilizations and cultures, and how people use stories to make sense of the world around them, whatever kind of world that may be. It is the most intelligent and moving kind of SFF.” 

Ober said: "I’m beyond thrilled that readers will get to experience the world of Voidverse. I wanted to create an entirely new place, an existence completely different than anything we’ve seen, but at the same time somehow familiar, filled with humans with human cares and desires and regrets. Most of all, I’m excited for people to meet the sinker. I hope she is as fun to read as she was to write."

An American novelist and screenwriter, he is a writer for the Netflix series “The OA” and has written scripts and developed TV shows for Paramount, AMC, Netflix and Warner Brothers.