Thomas D. Lee believes all sorts of things about how art and literature can be used as tools to fight for a better future, but mostly he just wants to make his readers laugh. He holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester, where he is currently studying for a PhD specializing in queer interpretations of the Arthurian mythos. He frequently considers emulating Merlin and becoming a hermit in the woods who speaks only in riddles. Perilous Times is his first novel.
[A] hugely entertaining yet thought-provokingcli-fi novel . . . the book [is] properly hilarious; that kind of whimsical and observational humor that Fforde and Pratchett fans are going to love. Lee has brought Arthur's legends into these modern, perilous, times. -The Fantasy Hive [Lee] maintains a steady faith in humanity's ability to bring itself back from the brink; swords can do more than cleave if they become rallying symbols for folks who do not recognize their own heroism. -Publishers Weekly Wow, what a book. Hilarious, heartwarming, and harrowing all at once, with such a fun, fresh twist on Arthurian legend. All great fantasy is escapist, but this one offers a hard-and quite necessary-dose of reality as well. -Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld An angry, funny novel, grounded in a vital, urgent reality and soaring with joyous fantasy-a needful delight of a book. -Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August Enormous fun, combining razor-sharp wit with savage political commentary, propulsive action, and near-endless Arthurian Easter Eggs, this is a brilliant collision of ancient mysticism with modern madness. -Robert Jackson Bennett, USA Today bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy I howled my way through this book! Smart, funny, refreshing fantasy, full of vivid characters who will bring a lot of joy to a lot of people-it carves out a place for ancient legends in a brand-new world. -Natasha Pulley, author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street Funny, weird, wise, lovely, and full of mad shit . . . You've never read anything like it before. -Stuart Turton, author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Thomas D. Lee has written a gloriously fun book, easily the best I've read this year. It's relentlessly entertaining, deadpan hilarious, and full of heart. Give it five pages and you'll be hooked. -Scott Hawkins, author of The Library at Mount Char A glorious experiment of a folklorist's 'what-if?' trounced by the dual-headed dragon of climate change and capitalism . . . It takes a keen writer to play with legends and come out with raw, evolving characters and Lee has done just that. -A. J. Hackwith, author of the Hell's Library series One of my very favorite books of the year-a magical, profane, and hilarious adventure . . . I raced through Perilous Times and finished it thinking about all the people I could buy it for. -Rosie Andrews, author of The Leviathan A deft evisceration of the state of modern Britain and the broader Western world. Lee has a maestro's eye for satire. -Richard Swan, bestselling author of The Justice of Kings Lee's tale of the Knights of the Round Table versus climate change grabs hold and won't let go. Forget the once-and-future-king; this is a once-and-future classic. -Jackson Ford, author of The Frost Files series