James Smythe’s tense, claustrophobic and gripping science fiction thriller THE EXPLORER is on sale now!

When journalist Cormac Easton is selected to document the first manned mission into deep space, he dreams of securing his place in history as one of humanity’s great explorers. But as soon as the crew emerge from hypersleep, things start to go terribly wrong and soon Cormac finds himself alone and spiraling towards his own inevitable death … unless he can do something to stop it.

Here’s just some of the praise so far:

“Beautifully written, creepy as hell. The Explorer is as clever in its unravelling as it is breathlessly claustrophobic.”
— Lauren Beukes, author of Zoo City

“This is a remarkable book: a state-of-the-art spacecraft constructed from ideas, and propelled by a powerful story. Gripping, terrifying and audacious–an exploration in every sense of the word.”

— Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

“A challenging and stimulating read.”
— Booklist

“The Explorer is essentially exemplary: a short, sharp shock of a story from an author who deserves to do as well for himself as he does by us. It’s perfectly plotted, smartly characterized and rife with insight and excitement.”
— Tor.com

“Science fiction is best when it does what we least expect, when it transforms narrative into something you don’t see coming. Smythe guides this tale with a sure hand, leading readers along a non-linear path where anything might happen and what does happen will make you reconsider all that happened before. It’s a trick not every writer can master, but Smythe makes a marvel of this world, and these characters, and makes this reader want the sequel now.”
— Romantic Times BOOKclub (Top Pick!)

“The Explorer is smart, scary and seductive. Like its protagonist, it explores the queasy strangeness of space-time, and puts the reader at the heart of a tale of watching and fearing that comes off like a collaboration between Hitchcock and Heinlein. Excellent stuff.”
— Lloyd Shepherd, author of The English Monster