Beyond the Burn Line

In the future, a plague has wiped out humanity, and city-states of intelligent bears have fallen. Pilgrim Saltmire, a scholar, seeks to discover if visitors and their sky crafts are real, risking his reputation and life. His search takes him to the former home of his tribe and the gathering of a dangerous cult. McAuley's far future explores and reflects our own challenges, telling a fast-paced story of discovery and adventure.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 28 September 2023
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

In a world far beyond the Anthropocene and the extinction of humanity, the city-states of an intelligent species of bear face a devastating plague that has left them in a state of mind-wrecking confusion. The bears, once enslaved by humanity, are a peaceful, industrious, and endlessly curious people who believe that they have inherited the bountiful beauty of their beloved Mother Earth. However, they are not alone in their quest for answers.

After the death of his master, a renowned scholar named Pilgrim Saltmire vows to complete his research into sightings of so-called visitors and their sky craft. Determined to uncover the truth, Pilgrim embarks on a perilous journey that takes him from his comfortable home in the shadow of a great library to his tribe's former home on the chilly coast of the far south, and to the gathering of a dangerous cult in the high desert.

As Pilgrim delves deeper into his research, he begins to realize that the visitors may not be a mere delusion created by the stresses of an industrial revolution. They could be a remnant population of bears that survived the plague, or even a completely unknown intelligent species. The more he learns, the more his world and everything he thought he knew about his people's history are utterly transformed.

McAuley's fabulous far future, influenced by the consequences of global warming, colonization, and historical injustices, explores and reflects our own challenges while telling a fast-paced story of discovery and adventure. The novel takes readers on a journey through a world that is both familiar and unfamiliar, challenging their perceptions and inspiring them to think critically about the future.

In the end, Pilgrim's search for the truth leads him to a place where he must confront his own beliefs and the legacy of his people. He learns that the past is not always as simple as it seems, and that the future holds endless possibilities for both destruction and redemption. The novel leaves readers with a sense of hope and wonder, as they contemplate the fate of humanity and the potential for a brighter future.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 128 x 199 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399603720