Description: In January 2314, Rowena Savalas--a curator of the vast archive of the twenty-first century's primitive internet--stumbles upon a story posted in the summer of 2024. She's quickly drawn into the mystery of the text: Is it autobiography, fantasy, or fraud? What's the significance of the recurring number 381?
In the story, the protagonist Fairly walks the Horned Road--a quest undertaken by youngsters in her village when they come of age. She is followed by the "breathing man," a looming presence, dogging her heels every step of the way. Everything she was taught about her world is overturned. Following Fairly's quest, Rowena comes to question her own choices, and a predictable life of curation becomes one of exploration, adventure, and love. As both women's stories draw to a close, she realizes it doesn't matter whether the story is true or not: as with the quest itself, it's the journey that matters.Brief description: Aliya Whiteley is one of the most exciting talents in the UK. She is the author of six books of speculative fiction, including the Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlisted Skyward Inn and The Loosening Skin, and also The Beauty, which was shortlisted for both a Shirley Jackson Award and the Otherwise Award. She lives in Sussex with her husband and daughter.