About the Book
Welcome to Chilo, a planet with corrosive rain, crushing pressure, and deadly heat. Fortunately, fourteen-year-old Timas lives in one of the domed cities that float 100,000 feet above the surface, circling near the edge of a monstrous perpetual storm. Above the acidic clouds the temperature and pressure are normal. But to make a living, Timas like many other young men, is lowered to the surface in an armored suit to scavenge what he can.
Timas’s life is turned upside down when a strange man crash-lands on the city. The newcomer is fleeing an alien intelligence intent on invading the planet and discovering the secret hidden deep inside the perpetual storm — a secret that could lead to interplanetary war.
As the invaded cities fall silent one by one, Chilo’s citizens must race against time to stop the enemy. And Timas will find out what kind of man he has become in the harsh conditions of Chilo’s surface.
Translations:
German: Bastei Luebbe
Praise for Sly Mongoose:
“Buckell delivers double helpings of action and violence in a plot-driven story worthy of a good blockbuster.” Publishers Weekly
“An edgy, engaging science fiction novel… light enough for a beach novel, smart enough for bedside, this novel can be enjoyed on multiple levels.” Romantic Times
“Buckell’s world building, full of strong Aztec and Caribbean elements, is spectacular; the story, finely tuned and engrossing.” Booklist
“If the Hernandez Brothers of Love and Rockets fame could channel Arthur Clarke and Hal Clement, they’d probably write like Tobias Buckell. His multicultural protagonists and point of view, combines with his hard-SF inclinations and expertise, conspire to deliver freshly conceived and spicy-flavored space opera. Having established this unique voice from the get-go allows him to focus on plot and characterization anew with each succeeding volume. It seems to me that Buckell his prepped for a quantum leap in the next book of this series, and he can surely make good on that prospect.” Sci Fi Weekly
“I enjoyed the fast paced action and clever plot found in Sly Mongoose. This third book in Buckell’s universe is my favorite.” Midwest Book Review
“Anyone hankering for a book that is pure front-to-back action is likely to peg this as the space opera of 2008… Tobias Buckell improves by an order of magnitude with each story he tells.” SF Reviews
“An excellent sf series… don’t miss this spectacular SF offering.” BookLoons
“An outstanding book, and one I’d recommend to any science fiction fan.” Fantasy Book Spot
“Great world-building and fast action make this an excellent book to keep you diverted — but also to make you think too.” IO9.com
“After the Aztec-alien dirigible battles of CRYSTAL RAIN and the grand-scope space rebellion of RAGAMUFFIN, I initially was skeptical of SLY MONGOOSE. Could Buckell keep cranking out good books on a yearly basis? The answer is “Holy crap, yes!”… While the author does write sequels he doesn’t write the same story twice. That’s a trememdous accomplishment, and SLY MONGOOSE is hopefully a harbinger of even greater things.” Bookgasm
“Beautifully written and thoroughly engrossing.” Critical Mass
“If you enjoy science fiction, it’s hard to go wrong with Sly Mongoose and its predecessors!” Errant Dreams
“Space opera that’s full of heroes, strange alien races and cool looking spacecraft.” Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review
“Not just a very good science fiction novel, [SLY MONGOOSE] very easily borders on great. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Buckell garner another Nebula Award nomination for another terrific novel.” SFF World
“Buckell has done it again! SLY MONGOOSE is a highly entertaining and energizing story… one I highly recommend you read and give pride of place on your bookshelf.” Grasping for the Wind
“A strong and vibrant third book from Buckell… it pushes all the right buttons, delivers on all its promises, and manages to be quite gory while avoiding sensationalism. If you have never read Buckell, SLY MONGOOSE is a good place to start, and I recommend you do.” Adventures in SciFi Publishing
“You’ll enjoy this one. Buckell has once again given us a very readable adventure with excellent plot and characters.” SF Revu
“With tightly woven narrative threads, fleshed characters, thriller pacing and a bit of cosmetic steampunk thrown in for style, SLY MONGOOSE is a rollicking example of how action adventure need not be shallow.” ComicCon Magazine
“It’s been a while since I’ve read books so fast and enjoyed books so much. Buckell’s writing just gets better and better and the overall plot of his universe is building.” SF Crow’s Nest
“An entertaining space opera filled with intriguing scientific possibilities, good characterization, intricate political maneuvering, and lots of derring-do and adrenaline asskickery. Buckell keeps the action moving while providing interesting characters that the reader cares about.” SciFi Dimensions
“Another Buckell book nigh-impossible to put down once you’ve gotten into the action. Highly recommended.” Green Man Review
” If you’re new to Buckell and wondering what you’ll get between the pages then the answer is simple: an action packed, well plotted and delivered story with interesting and likable characters. Of course, that can describe many books nowadays, so why is this any different? Well, the whole setting is based on the descendants of the Caribbean Islands and the culture that comes along with it is fascinating and enjoyable. You’ve also got kick-ass characters. Oh, and space zombies.” – Walker of Worlds