Industry Reviews
"To call The Promise of the Child one of the most accomplished debuts of 2015 so far is to understate its weight--instead, let me moot that it is among the most significant works of science fiction released in recent years."
--Tor.com "The Promise of the Child is an extraordinary book in many ways . . . It is gorgeous. The ideas are breathtaking . . . I love gobsmacking moments in science fiction, moments that make me sit up with a jolt and see everything around me with fresh and curious eyes. Wonder is vital. There are times when The Promise of the Child is truly wondrous. Without doubt, it is innovative, complex, ambitious and original, throwing down the gauntlet to the reader. I'm so pleased I accepted the challenge . . . If I could have bought the author a drink I would have."--For Winter Nights "One of the most ambitious and epic-scale pieces of worldbuilding I've read. Reading The Promise of the Child, you feel you're in the presence of an author at the height of his powers. If this is what Toner is like when he's just getting started, I think we can expect great things from him. Utterly absorbing; a tremendous adventure."
--Karl Schroeder, author of Lockstep and Sun of Suns
"Bold and intense from start to finish, The Promise of the Child is a master-class in innovative, evocative world-building. The entire book buzzes with imagination."
--Michael J. Martinez, author of The Daedalus Incident
"An amazing debut--a colorful space opera in the post-human tradition of Iain M. Banks, combined with the razor-sharp plotting of Alastair Reynolds. It left me feverish with delight."
--Loren Rhoads, author of The Dangerous Type
"Humming with energy, this is space opera like you've never seen it before. Absolutely brilliant."
--Adam Roberts, author of Salt and Jack Glass
"A gorgeously-written, wildly imaginative book. It's like no space opera I've ever read-compelling and addictive."
--Will McIntosh, Hugo-award winning author of Soft Apocalypse and Defenders
"An amazing debut. Intriguing, disorientating. Like Hannu Rajaniemi's The Quantum Thief or Moorcock's Dancers At The End OF Time, it's told with the heightened vibrancy of a fable, and the melancholic sense of age and decadence so prevalent in Jack Vance's Emphyrio."
--Gareth Powell, BSFA Award-winning author of Ack-Ack Macaque
"A dizzying mash-up of science fiction and fantasy themes that are both mystifying and entertaining. . .will appeal to readers who enjoy the offbeat end of far-future sf. This is the kind of novel that could develop a cult following."
--Booklist Reviews
"Ambitious. . .The several 147th-century cultures on display are fascinating. . .The pace picks up as the tale moves toward its end, but this is the kind of book that will most appeal to cerebral readers who can appreciate its characters' many verbal interactions."
--Publisher's Weekly
"This is the purest example of space opera we've seen in some time. . . .The book is challenging, ambitious, and rewarding, and it's impossible not to admire Toner's wild imagination and carefully constructed world. This thing is bonkers, no question. It's also one helluva debut."
--Barnes & Noble, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog
"Marvelous. . .a space opera of surpassing gracefulness, depth, complexity, and well, all-round weirdness."
--Paul Di Filippo, Locus
"First rate ... a clever and interesting world, with something new always coming across the horizon, more wonders as yet unreached. I ate it up with a spoon."
--Paul Weimer, SFSignal
"Incredibly rewarding . . . a truly epic space opera that is told in an unconventional way with lots of characters and even more originality."--Fantasy Book Review, reviewed by Sean Barrs To call The Promise of the Child one of the most accomplished debuts of 2015 so far is to understate its weightinstead, let me moot that it is among the most significant works of science fiction released in recent years.
Tor.com
One of the most ambitious and epic-scale pieces of worldbuilding I ve read. Reading The Promise of the Child, you feel you re in the presence of an author at the height of his powers. If this is what Toner is like when he s just getting started, I think we can expect great things from him. Utterly absorbing; a tremendous adventure.
Karl Schroeder, author of Lockstep and Sun of Suns
Bold and intense from start to finish, The Promise of the Child is a master-class in innovative, evocative world-building. The entire book buzzes with imagination.
Michael J. Martinez, author of The Daedalus Incident
An amazing debuta colorful space opera in the post-human tradition of Iain M. Banks, combined with the razor-sharp plotting of Alastair Reynolds. It left me feverish with delight.
Loren Rhoads, author of The Dangerous Type
Humming with energy, this is space opera like you've never seen it before. Absolutely brilliant.
Adam Roberts, author of Salt and Jack Glass
A gorgeously-written, wildly imaginative book. It s like no space opera I ve ever readcompelling and addictive.
Will McIntosh, Hugo-award winning author of Soft Apocalypse and Defenders
An amazing debut. Intriguing, disorientating. Like Hannu Rajaniemi s The Quantum Thief or Moorcock s Dancers At The End OF Time, it's told with the heightened vibrancy of a fable, and the melancholic sense of age and decadence so prevalent in Jack Vance s Emphyrio.
Gareth Powell, BSFA Award-winning author of Ack-Ack Macaque
A dizzying mash-up of science fiction and fantasy themes that are both mystifying and entertaining. . .will appeal to readers who enjoy the offbeat end of far-future sf. This is the kind of novel that could develop a cult following.
Booklist Reviews
Ambitious. . .The several 147th-century cultures on display are fascinating. . .The pace picks up as the tale moves toward its end, but this is the kind of book that will most appeal to cerebral readers who can appreciate its characters many verbal interactions.
Publisher's Weekly
This is the purest example of space opera we ve seen in some time. . . .The book is challenging, ambitious, and rewarding, and it s impossible not to admire Toner s wild imagination and carefully constructed world. This thing is bonkers, no question. It s also one helluva debut.
Barnes & Noble, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog
Marvelous. . .a space opera of surpassing gracefulness, depth, complexity, and well, all-round weirdness.
Paul Di Filippo, Locus
First rate ... a clever and interesting world, with something new always coming across the horizon, more wonders as yet unreached. I ate it up with a spoon.
Paul Weimer, SFSignal" To call "The Promise of the Child" one of the most accomplished debuts of 2015 so far is to understate its weightinstead, let me moot that it is among the most significant works of science fiction released in recent years.
"Tor.com"
One of the most ambitious and epic-scale pieces of worldbuilding I ve read. Reading "The Promise of the Child," you feel you re in the presence of an author at the height of his powers. If this is what Toner is like when he s just getting started, I think we can expect great things from him. Utterly absorbing; a tremendous adventure.
Karl Schroeder, author of "Lockstep" and "Sun of Suns"
Bold and intense from start to finish, "The Promise of the Child" is a master-class in innovative, evocative world-building. The entire book buzzes with imagination.
Michael J. Martinez, author of "The Daedalus Incident"
An amazing debuta colorful space opera in the post-human tradition of Iain M. Banks, combined with the razor-sharp plotting of Alastair Reynolds. It left me feverish with delight.
Loren Rhoads, author of "The Dangerous Type"
Humming with energy, this is space opera like you've never seen it before. Absolutely brilliant.
Adam Roberts, author of "Salt" and "Jack Glass"
A gorgeously-written, wildly imaginative book. It s like no space opera I ve ever readcompelling and addictive.
Will McIntosh, Hugo-award winning author of "Soft Apocalypse" and "Defenders"
An amazing debut. Intriguing, disorientating. Like Hannu Rajaniemi s "The Quantum Thief" or Moorcock s "Dancers At The End OF Time," it's told with the heightened vibrancy of a fable, and the melancholic sense of age and decadence so prevalent in Jack Vance s "Emphyrio."
Gareth Powell, BSFA Award-winning author of "Ack-Ack Macaque"
A dizzying mash-up of science fiction and fantasy themes that are both mystifying and entertaining. . .will appeal to readers who enjoy the offbeat end of far-future sf. This is the kind of novel that could develop a cult following.
"Booklist Reviews"
Ambitious. . .The several 147th-century cultures on display are fascinating. . .The pace picks up as the tale moves toward its end, but this is the kind of book that will most appeal to cerebral readers who can appreciate its characters many verbal interactions.
"Publisher's Weekly"
This is the purest example of space opera we ve seen in some time. . . .The book is challenging, ambitious, and rewarding, and it s impossible not to admire Toner s wild imagination and carefully constructed world. This thing is bonkers, no question. It s also one helluva debut.
"Barnes & Noble, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog"
Marvelous. . .a space opera of surpassing gracefulness, depth, complexity, and well, all-round weirdness.
Paul Di Filippo, "Locus"
First rate ... a clever and interesting world, with something new always coming across the horizon, more wonders as yet unreached. I ate it up with a spoon.
Paul Weimer, "SFSignal"" One of the most ambitious and epic-scale pieces of worldbuilding I ve read. Reading "The Promise of the Child," you feel you re in the presence of an author at the height of his powers. If this is what Toner is like when he s just getting started, I think we can expect great things from him. Utterly absorbing; a tremendous adventure.
Karl Schroeder, author of "Lockstep" and "Sun of Suns"
Bold and intense from start to finish, "The Promise of the Child" is a master-class in innovative, evocative world-building. The entire book buzzes with imagination.
Michael J. Martinez, author of "The Daedalus Incident"
An amazing debuta colorful space opera in the post-human tradition of Iain M. Banks, combined with the razor-sharp plotting of Alastair Reynolds. It left me feverish with delight.
Loren Rhoads, author of "The Dangerous Type"
Humming with energy, this is space opera like you've never seen it before. Absolutely brilliant.
Adam Roberts, author of "Salt" and "Jack Glass"
A gorgeously-written, wildly imaginative book. It s like no space opera I ve ever readcompelling and addictive.
Will McIntosh, Hugo-award winning author of "Soft Apocalypse" and "Defenders"
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