All the Birds in the Sky

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What a magnificent novel—a glorious synthesis of magic and technology, joy and sorrow, romance and wisdom. Unmissable.” — Lev Grossman( The Magicians) Anders has created an utterly convincing and affecting central friendship, with all its highs and lows, flaws and triumphs… This is a wonderful read.” — Jonathan Hatfull, SciFiNow (5 Stars) The craziest thing about Charlie Jane Anders’ book is how it remains so intimate and accessible despite genre jumping… All that magic and science only highlights how special it is to find that someone whose companionship feels like it could defy tragedy.” — Cesar R. Bustamante, Jr.,New York Daily News The craziest thing about Charlie Jane Anders’ book is how it remains so intimate and accessible despite genre jumping. All the Birds in the Sky moves from a coming of age story to a millennial romance and then a dystopia — and it’s filled with so much of the uncanny. That includes, but is not limited to, a shapeshifting teacher, talking birds and an anti-gravity gun...A truly fun read.” — New York Daily News

An exploration of the stories we tell ourselves about why we act the way we do… highly absorbing and enjoyable - 4 stars.” — SFX Magazine But now they’re both adults, living in the hipster mecca San Francisco, and the planet is falling apart around them. Laurence is an engineering genius who’s working with a group that aims to avert catastrophic breakdown through technological intervention into the changing global climate. Patricia is a graduate of Eltisley Maze, the hidden academy for the world’s magically gifted, and works with a small band of other magicians to secretly repair the world’s every-growing ailments. Little do they realize that something bigger than either of them, something begun years ago in their youth, is determined to bring them together–to either save the world, or plunge it into a new dark ages. We can’t let that cat know where the Parliament is,” Dirrp whispered. “If he follows us, he could find the Tree. That would be a disaster. We should wander in circles, as though we are lost.”Something rustled in the low bushes just beyond the biggest tree, and for a second the moonlight glinted off a pair of eyes, framed by white fur, and a collar tag. At school, the other kids called him Larry Barry or Larry Fairy. Or, when he got mad, Scary Larry, except that this was a rare display of irony among his troglodyte classmates, since, in fact, Larry was not scary at all. Usually, this was preceded by an “Ooh,” just to drive the joke home. Not that Laurence wanted to be scary. He just wanted to be left alone and maybe have people get his name right if they had to talk to him.

Their time at school, however, does not last long and they soon become separated. Patricia runs away after being accused of witchcraft, and with the help of a bird, becomes one and flies away; she is intercepted by a magician who enrolls her in a school for witches. Laurence is sent to a military reform school by his parents for his non-conforming behavior. A fairy tale and an adventure rolled into one, All the Birds in the Skyis a captivating novel that shows how science and magic can be two sides of the same coin.” — Nancy Hightower, Washington Post Nebula Awards 2017". Science Fiction Awards Database. Locus Science Fiction Foundation. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017 . Retrieved May 24, 2017. Everything you could ask for in a debut novel — a fresh look at science fiction’s most cherished memes, ruthlessly shredded and lovingly reassembled.” —Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing Tommington had landed on his toes, his fur all spiked and his ears like arrowheads. “Give me that bird!” he shrieked.James Tiptree, Jr. Award: Gender-bending SF". Internet Speculative Fiction Database . Retrieved April 10, 2017.

Patricia vowed with all her heart to do everything in her power to save this bird. This was what led to Patricia being asked a question with no good answer, which marked her for life.Earlier drafts of the novel included aliens and an evil wizard. Anders recalled she "overstuff[ed] it with genre elements" to the extent that it became "a kind of genre spoof". [5] But it was around the sixth draft she decided to make it about a witch and a mad scientist, Patricia and Laurence. [5] Initially they were to be rivals, using science and magic to fight each other, but Anders realized it would work better if they were friends. She said it was the relationship she had created in "Six Months, Three Days" that made her decide to make All the Birds in the Sky a "relationship story". [6] Anders cited Cory Doctorow's Little Brother (2008) and Jo Walton's Among Others (2011) as inspiration for the Patricia and Laurence coming of age sections of the novel. [7] Reception [ edit ] When wizards meet scientists who have created time machines, one is left with no option but to expect wonders of the best kinds.” —The New Indian Express Well,” the bird chirped. “I mean, you could take me to the Parliament of Birds. They can fix a wing, no problem. And if you’re going to be a witch, then you should meet them anyway. They’re the smartest birds around. They always meet at the most majestic tree in the forest. Most of them are over five years old.” So I can talk to all animals now?” Patricia could see this coming in useful, like if she could convince Mary Fenchurch’s poodle to bite her the next time Mary was mean to Patricia. Or if the next nanny her parents hired owned a pet.

Tech culture’s strange relationship with nature takes centre stage in All the Birds in the Sky, a vivid, genre-blending novel from a writer who is clearly one to watch.” — Rowland Manthorpe, Wired The next thing Patricia knew, her father scooped her up in his arms. He was wearing his sandpaper shirt and his red beard was in her face and he kept half-dropping her, because he was trying to draw complicated valuation formulas with his hands while carrying her. But it was still so warm and perfect to be carried home by her daddy that Patricia didn’t care. The cat, who’d probably had lots of practice climbing one of those carpeted perches at home, ran up the side of the tree, pounced on one branch and then a higher branch. Before Patricia and Dirrp even knew what was going on, the cat was halfway up.Ward, Timothy C. (January 22, 2016). "[Interview] Charlie Jane Anders on All the Birds in the Sky, Publishing and More". SF Signal. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022 . Retrieved April 6, 2017. Patricia decided there was nothing to do but climb the nearest tree and see if she could see anything from it. Like a road. Or a house. Or some landmark that Dirrp might recognize. With All the Birds in the Sky, Anders has given us a fresh set of literary signposts — and a new bundle of emotional metaphors — for the 21st century, replacing the so many of the tired old ones. Oh, and she’s gently overturned genre fiction along the way.” — Jason Heller, NPR