Paul Stephenson

The lines are drawn, and sides are chosen. But the battle for humanity's future is not as it seems in the third season of The Sunset Chronicles, the epic monthly sci-fi horror serial. In the towering spires of the shattered ruins of old London, Roman races to protect a mysterious girl on the run from Sunset's relentless soldiers. Meanwhile, Judd finds himself caught in the chaos-on the opposite side of the conflict. But as secrets unravel, Roman and Judd will each face a brutal question: what if the line between ally and enemy isn't as clear as they thought? On Europa's frozen surface, Wyn and the battered crew of the Minos have finally set foot on solid ground. But the horrors they thought they'd escaped from the deep are far from gone-and the deadly creatures beneath the ice are close behind. In the heart of Texas, Jules dares to dream again, allowing herself a sliver of hope. But in Sun's unforgiving America, the outlaw life she craves is a far more perilous path than she ever anticipated-and the dangers are closing in fast. If you like breakneck action, horror-drenched science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love this exhilarating fourth episode in the third season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga, the vampire epic Darkness Rises, and the creator of the Bleakwood podcast. Pick up To The Wind today to continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters.

1988: Buried in our past is the key to humanity's future. Nine-year-old Tommy is special-he can move things with his mind. But his extraordinary psychic gift has made him the target of a corrupt military agency that wants to exploit his powers. After Tommy escapes the secret government facility holding him captive, staying alive becomes a thrilling game of cat and mouse across the wilderness and small towns of North Yorkshire. DI Ben Barker leads a quiet life in Whitby, where murder is a rare occurrence. That peace is shattered when a young boy is found murdered on the beach. Barker is drawn into a dark conspiracy that reaches far beyond the sleepy seaside town, leading him to a shadowy organisation operating outside the law. As Barker uncovers the truth, he is forced to confront not only the killer but also the dark secrets that his community has been hiding. When their paths converge, the stakes rise, revealing nightmarish truths that challenge the very fabric of reality. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things and Firestarter, this white-knuckle adventure builds to an unforgettable conclusion. Follow Tommy and Barker in this tale of unlikely friendship, sacrifice, and what we're willing to do to protect the ones we love. Walker is a standalone prequel novel in the Sunset Chronicles, the horror/sci-fi serial by Paul Stephenson, author of the apocalyptic Blood on the Motorway series, the vampire epic Darkness Rises, and the creator of the folk horror podcast Bleakwood.

The lines are drawn, and sides are chosen. But the battle for humanity's future is not as it seems in the third season of The Sunset Chronicles, the epic monthly sci-fi horror serial. In the Towers of Kingston, Roman's increasingly desperate attempts to protect the little girl who's become his ward will have deadly consequences and will lead him to a run-in with Judd, Sunset's newest weapon. By the time her lawyer comes in to see her, Jules has been through every stage of pain and is more than ready to die. But Christopher Sun isn't done with her yet. She's a symbol of rebellion and needs to be made an example of - unless the rebellion can get to her first. On the ice moon of Europa, Wyn and what's left of her crew are desperate to get off the ice, but even if they do, what will that mean for their mission to save mankind? Will they choose to save themselves or save humanity? If you like breakneck action, horror-drenched science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love this exhilarating conclusion to the third season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga and the creator of the Bleakwood podcast. Pick up Stones from the Sky today to continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters.

The lines are drawn, and sides are chosen. But the battle for humanity's future is not as it seems in the third season of The Sunset Chronicles, the epic sci-fi horror serial from the author of Blood on the Motorway. In the shadow of flooded London stand towers that house desperate humanity, and Roman's job is to look after the most vulnerable amongst them. It's a thankless task, made more difficult by indifferent bureaucracy and corporate negligence, but when a mysterious soldier turns up at his office asking for help with a missing girl, he doesn't realise how fast he'll be pulled into the battle for humanity's soul. Judd may be back with Sunset's armed forces, but no matter how much he thinks he's in control of the situation, there's always an old man in his head to disagree with him. Will they be able to put their differences aside long enough to take on the might of Christopher Sun's personal army? In the forest, Jules and Sofia are just trying to survive, too busy not dying to find much purpose in life. But a run in with local scavengers might be the tipping point toward the purpose that Jules has spent so long searching for. If you like breakneck action, horror-drenched science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love this exhilarating third episode in the third season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga and the creator of the Bleakwood podcast. Pick up Watchfire today to continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters.

The lines are drawn, and sides are chosen. But the battle for humanity's future is not as it seems in the third season of The Sunset Chronicles, the epic monthly sci-fi horror serial. Under the ice of Europa, alarms bounce off the walls of Haven, loud enough Wyn thinks they might shatter the fillings in her teeth. Above the din, the voice continues to sound. Intruder on board. Intruder on board. Back on Earth, Judd steps into a pod station. Go to Kansas City, the voice in his head said, and he obeyed. He had little choice in the matter. But he was here now, stepping out of the pod station to a street filled with swirling garbage and a smell that Judd can't quite put his finger on, and he doesn't have a clue what comes next. The only thing he knows is he's got a mythical disc, and he can't wait to see if it rids him of both his powers and the ghost taking up residency in his head. Jules is no longer on her own. She's got a gang now, the Butcher Boys, and they're all marching to the same drum. Together they're determined - they're going to take down the world's most powerful man. They look a motley crew together, but they're as prepared as can be if anything went wrong. There are four guns between them, three of which work. What could possibly go wrong? If you like breakneck action, horror-drenched science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love this exhilarating first episode in the third season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the monthly sci-fi horror ebook serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga and the creator of the Bleakwood podcast. Pick up Broken Ground today to continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters.

The lines are drawn, and sides are chosen. But the battle for humanity's future is not as it seems in the third season of The Sunset Chronicles, the epic monthly sci-fi horror serial. When Jules walked away from the League, the shadowy group of ex-terrorists trying to bring down Christopher Sun's reign of despotic horror, she had no idea where she was going, or what she would do next. But there are dangers on the road that rival even the attention of Sun's police state. She's soon betrayed by those she thought were her friends and has no idea who to trust. With the tides turning against her, Jules realises that she may not be able to rely on anyone but herself. Wyn and the remaining members of the Minos mission are busy trying to survive under the ice of Jupiter's moon, Europa. Though they hold humanity's survival in their hands, getting out from under the ice will only be the start of their struggles. Judd is running from both sides of the telepath war, and he can't escape the old man who has taken up residence in his head. Now Judd faces a battle to stay out of the war, and to claim back the real estate he never thought he'd lose - his own brain. With the tide turning against him, Judd has to wage a secret war inside his own head in order to stay alive and protect what's left of his sanity. If you like breakneck action, horror-drenched science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love this exhilarating first episode in the third season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga and the creator of the Bleakwood podcast. Pick up The Tide today to continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters.

The battle for humanity's future has begun. Which side will you be on? At the foot of a sheer cliff face, with a broken leg and no way back to the ice, things are not looking good for Wyn. And if she can't find her way back, they're not looking good for the mission that all of humanity is resting on. It'll take everything she has to make it, as long as she doesn't meet anything terrible in the depths. In the Appalachian hills, Jules feels like she might finally have found a purpose, and people to share it with. But bad news travels fast, and the unravelling of the American Dream right before their eyes will have profoundly painful consequences for her, and for the world. Deep in the moors of northern England, Judd is finally coming to terms with what Colonel Brant and his men and women in black want from him. It's a cost too high to pay, especially when they want him to be the one to pay it. Once again, Judd will have to draw on everything he has to stay alive. As they prepare to storm one of the most heavily fortified compounds in all of China, Yan and her team feel pretty good about their plans. But a plan is only as good as the information going into it, and she and her team will soon find that not everything on this job is as it seems. If you like pulse-quickening action, blood-soaked science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love this thrilling conclusion to the second season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga. Buy Genesis and continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters today.

The battle for humanity's future has begun. Which side will you be on? So far, things have not been going Judd's way. When he met up with his own kind, they left him hospitalised and half dead. When he met up with the other side of the teep war, they didn't see him as anything more than a weapon. But things might be looking up for Judd. He's got answers, he's got a mission, and he's even met someone who can stand to be in a room with him. Surely, it can't last? With no more piloting to do, Wyn's focus is on trying to work out who tried to put the most important mission in human history in jeopardy, and why. But under the ice nobody is talking, and she's no closer to the truth. But the truth is down there with her, and it won't be pretty when it comes out. Jules never thought that she'd be on her own, without the love of her life. But having walked away from everything she's ever known, she soon realises she needs something to walk toward. As she heads into the Appalachian woods to stay beyond the reach of the Sunset-run police, she runs into more than she bargained for. If Yan expected her first job on the right side of the law to get complicated, she wasn't expecting it to turn that way so quickly. And when she tries to meet an old friend of her father's she doesn't expect that she'll be running from danger so acute that it takes down more than a city block. If you like pulse-quickening action, blood-soaked science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love the second season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga. Buy Adrift to continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters today.

The battle for humanity's future has begun. Which side will you be on? In the criminal underground, Yan's reputation goes before her-a master tech thief who can handle any situation that's thrown at her. She doesn't care what the job is, nor who she's working for. But her latest job threatens all that, because this time she's working for the last people on Earth she'd expect-the police. Below the ice, Wyn and the crew of the Minos are swimming blind, with all communication to Earth severed, and more questions than answers. But as they probe the underwater world around them, they'll find much more under the ice than they expect. If no good deed goes unpunished, for Jules and her boyfriend Trent it seems there are a lot of good deeds that need accounting for. On the run from the police in an America that's slowly crumbling, their lives go tumbling off the end of a cliff... a literal one. Ever since Judd found out that he was a telepath, he's had questions. Questions about the world he never knew existed, and about the family that hid the truth from them. He's finally going to get some answers, but he might not like the truth. If you like pulse-quickening action, blood-soaked science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love the second season of Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga. Buy Lights on a Hill and continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters today.

When darkness comes, it doesn't ask permission.Paramedic Lucy Barker thinks she's seen it all, after years of responding to violent accidents and medical emergencies on the streets of York. But when she arrives on the scene of a brutal attack, Lucy finds herself drawn into a nightmare world beyond her comprehension.Inside a blood-drenched room lay two bodies; one dying from a neck wound, the other with a stake through the heart. Standing over both, a creature torn from the pages of myth: Adam, a vampire with two and a half centuries of terror in his past.And he's not the only one.Dark and terrifying secrets wait for Lucy in the gloaming, and one thing is clear - it will take all her strength and cunning to survive the coming storm when Darkness Comes Alive.

The year is 2107. Earth is dying. For Wyn, Lois, and Judd, that's the least of their problems.If Lois thought getting out of Tijuana was hard, her next mission sees her investigating the most powerful corporation on Earth over the death of her fellow Interpol officer. But the investigation has her looking a little too close to home for her liking.Wyn and the crew of the Minos are making their final approach to the ice moon of Europa, and the cure for the plague that's decimated humanity's food supplies. But tempers are fraying the closer they come to their destination.Judd's secret is out in the open, and the old man Walker has convinced him to come back to Earth, where he can be amongst others like him. But he soon finds out that not all is what it seems amongst his fellow telepaths, and that his search to belong may not yet be over.If you like pulse-quickening action, blood-soaked science fiction, revelations, and revolutions, you'll love this second episode in Paul Stephenson's Sunset Chronicles, the new monthly sci-fi horror serial from the author of the bestselling Blood on the Motorway saga.Buy Fault & Fracture to continue the epic saga of plague, conspiracy, murder, and monsters today.

The end of the world was just the start. Now see how it ends.Before the storm that ended the world brought humanity to its knees, Max worked for a bank, more concerned people might mistake him for a banker than how to survive each day. Six months later he's trying to stay ahead of a psychotic gang leader making a play for the ruined city of London.In Birmingham, Burnett's new Government is trying to stand on its own feet, while Lydia tries to find some peace. Out on the road, Tom and Mira are grieving, just trying to stay alive, when bandits come to tear them apart.But the sky is full of lights once more, and they'll need more than luck to get them through the coming storm. A Final Storm is the thrilling and emotional finale to the bestselling British apocalyptic horror Blood on the Motorway. If you love breath-taking apocalyptic action, tenterhook tension, and characters you'll be rooting for with every turn of the page, you'll love the final instalment in Paul Stephenson's thrilling trilogy.Buy A Final Storm today to find out who will survive, and who will thrive, in this heart-pounding finale to the Blood on the Motorway saga.

Surviving the end of the world was just the beginning. Now the battle for control has begun.On a flight back to her family, Lydia is too busy trying to ignore the annoying passenger next to her to notice the sky filling with lights. Three months later she is alone in a desolate world, moving from one town to the next, trying to survive. When she enters the ruined city of York, she finds more than she bargained for.Ex-student turned revolutionary hero Tom, grieving and broken, has passed the last three months trying to keep himself and his people together. Now he will have to protect them from a new government force, hellbent on rebuilding at a cost too terrible to comprehend.Jen and Mira, reeling from their encounter with a homicidal maniac, flee into the wilds to escape. Soon they find themselves running from a very different enemy.Ex-detective Burnett, separated from his friends by chance, sees himself drawn into an investigation that will take him to the heart of the fight against this new government.Sleepwalk City is the pulse-quickening sequel to the bestselling British apocalyptic horror Blood on the Motorway. If you love edge-of-the-seat action, end-of-the-world tension, and characters you'll be rooting for with every turn of the page, you'll love the second instalment in Paul Stephenson's thrilling trilogy.Buy Sleepwalk City today to find out who will prevail in the battle for humanity's future.

An apocalyptic storm. A killer on the loose. The battle for humanity's survival starts here.Tom is a layabout ex-student waiting for his life to start or the power to get cut off, whichever comes first. Jen works two jobs, hates both, and most days is too hungover to deal with either. Detective Burnett is trying to work out who the hell turned his sleepy Yorkshire village into a murder town.When the skies fill with a mysterious storm, each of them wakes to find streets filled with dead. The world they knew has gone, and their old lives with it. Tom finds himself at the mercy of a deranged soldier, Jen has to flee the fires burning her city to the ground, and Burnett must track down a killer who sees the apocalypse as an opportunity for more mayhem. If they can't band together, the fate of what remains of humanity hangs in the balance.Blood on the Motorway is the first in the British apocalyptic horror trilogy readers have called "gripping from the first page''. If you love edge-of-the-seat action, end-of-the-world tension, and characters you'll be rooting for with every turn of the page, you'll love the first instalment in Paul Stephenson's apocalyptic trilogy.Pick up Blood on the Motorway today to start the epic journey of murder at the world's end.

A Times of London Book of the Year Longlisted for the Runciman Award "The most compelling fusion yet of narrative history with the recent findings of environmental research and scientific data. It will change the way we understand key events and transformations in the Eastern Empire."--Anthony Kaldellis, author of Romanland " A] major contribution...Brings the world of New Rome alive with exceptional learning and a magnificent openness to modern scientific methods that breathe life into conventional narratives of political and social history."--Peter Brown, New York Review of Books "A sweeping survey of the disintegration of the western Roman empire and the emergence of Byzantium...This impressive chronicle offers an eye-opening perspective on a period of dramatic change."--Publishers Weekly Long before Rome fell to the Ostrogoths in 476 AD, a new city had risen to take its place as the beating heart of the empire, the glittering Constantinople, known as New Rome. In this strikingly original account of the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and emergence of Byzantium, Paul Stephenson offers a new interpretation of the forces that coalesced--dynastic, religious, climactic--to shift the center of power to the east. His novel, scientifically minded interpretation of antiquity's end presents evidence found not only in parchments and personalities, but also in ice cores and DNA. From 395 to 700 AD, the empire in the east was subjected to a series of invasions and pandemics, confronting natural disasters and outbreaks in pathogens previously unknown to the empire's densely populated, unsanitary cities. Politics, war, and religious strife sparked by the rise of Islam drove the transformation of Eastern Rome, but they do not tell the whole story. Deftly braiding the political history of the empire together with its material, environmental, and epidemiological history, New Rome offers a surprising new explanation of why Rome fell and how the Eastern Empire became Byzantium.

Shortlisted for the Polari Book Prize 2024. Shortlisted for the Gay Poetry Lammy Award 2024. When his partner suddenly died, life changed utterly for Paul Stephenson. Hard Drive is the outcome of his revisiting a world he thought he knew, but which had been upended. In poems that are affectionate, self-examining, sometimes funny and often surprised by grief in the oddest corners, the poet takes us through rooms, routines, and rituals of bereavement, the memory of love, a shared life and separation. A noted formalist, with a flair for experiment, pattern and the use of constraints, Stephenson has written a remarkable first book, moving and, despite everything, a hopeful record of a gay relationship. It is also a landmark elegy collection.