A Hackwith - The Library of the Unwritten

“This book is so much fun, and you should be reading it. Trust me. Stories about story are some of my favorite kinds. This book definitely makes the list. I am so glad I read this.”

“A muse, an undead librarian, a demon, and a ghost walk into Valhalla…. What follows is a delightful and poignant fantasy adventure that delivers a metric ton of found-family feels and reminds us that the hardest stories to face can be the ones we tell about ourselves.”

“ The Library of the Unwritten is a tiered dark chocolate cake of a book. The read is rich and robust, the prose has layers upon layers, and the characters melt like ganache upon the tongue. A saturated, decadent treat. An unforgettable, crave-worthy experience. A book lovers’ book; a supreme and masterful concoction that makes fresh fiction out of dusty Dante and boring Bible bits. An erudite and engaging pleasure cruise through Hell. A new voice rises in the jewel-toned arena of Valente, Gaiman, and Funke. A baroquely imagined and totally unexpected original take on such well-worn topics as Hell, libraries, and the difference between what never was and what never will be. Put coins over your eyes and climb aboard with your library card in hand; this book will take you where you need to go. With a masterful sense of the canon that is and the canon that never was, Hackwith has presented the world with a flashing, flaming jewel of a book. It’s as unforgettable as your first taste of chocolate or your first glimpse of Hell. Unmissable and unforgettable; prepare to read the Unwritten.”

“ The Library of the Unwritten is a story about stories: ones we tell ourselves, the ones we tell others, and the ones buried so deep we hope no one ever finds them. Hackwith has artfully penned a love letter to books and readers alike and filled it with lush, gorgeous prose; delightfully real characters; a nonstop, twisty, and heart-wrenching plot; and an explosive ending that gave me chills.”

“A delightful romp through Heaven, Hell, and everything in between, which reveals itself in layers: an exploration of the nuances of belief, a demonstration of the power of the bonds that connect us, and a love letter to everybody who has ever heard the call of their own story.”

“ The Library of the Unwritten is like Good Omens meets Jim Hines’s Ex Libris series, a must-read for any book lover. If you love the smell of freshly printed books, the comfort of walking along tall shelves filled with new adventures, or the feeling of returning to an old favorite read, then grab The Library of the Unwritten and join Claire’s dimension-hopping team for a Hellishly good time. Hackwith has penned a tale filled with unforgettable characters fighting with the power of creativity against a stunning array of foes from across the multiverse. The Library of the Unwritten rocks!”

“The only book I’ve ever read that made the writing process look like fun. A delight for readers and writers alike!”

“A wry, high-flying, heartfelt fantasy, told with sublime prose and sheer joy even at its darkest moments (and there are many). I want this entire series on my shelf yesterday.”

Copyright © 2019 by A. J. Hackwith

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hackwith, A. J., author.

Title: The library of the unwritten / A. J. Hackwith.

Description: First edition. | New York : Ace, 2019. | Series: Hell’s library ; 1

Identifiers: LCCN 2019012345| ISBN 9781984806376 (paperback) | ISBN 9781984806383 (ebook)

Subjects: | BISAC: FICTION / Fantasy / Contemporary. | FICTION / Fantasy / General. | GSAFD: Fantasy fiction.

Classification: LCC PS3608.A254 L53 2019 | DDC 813/.6--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019012345

First Edition: October 2019

Cover art: image of book page by Ryan Jorgensen/Arcangel; image of arm by Samantha Pugsley/Arcangel

Cover design by Faceout Studio/Jeff Miller

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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