Close Up Books: 27 books

Adventure? Check. Magic? Check. Sarcasm? You bet. After years of running down dead-end clues, the rogue Never has nearly given up his quest for answers; his blood is cursed and his true name a mystery, yet no library, no healer and none who claim to know dark magics have ever been able to help. Until...

Never's quest for a name is becoming more deadly... Armed with disturbing news about Snow, his unpredictable brother, Never picks up a cold trail on the rivers of Hanik. There he must face both new dangers and demons from his past, all the while doing his best to avoid becoming entangled in a brewing civil war.

The Book of Never (1-3) brings together Never's first three adventures as he searches for the truth behind his mysterious heritage and the curse on his blood. The Amber Isle Roguish Never is on a quest to lift a curse on his blood and to learn his true name; but upon joining a group...

The Book of Never (4-5) brings together Never's final two adventures as he searches for the truth behind his mysterious heritage and the curse on his blood. The Peaks of Autumn At Snow's urging, Never climbs into the Folhan Mountains to search for the Altar of Stars, which he must reach...

After years of running down dead-end clues, the rogue Never has nearly given up his quest for answers; his blood is cursed and his true name a mystery, yet no library, no healer and none who claim to know dark magics have ever been able to help. Until he steals a map to the mysterious Amber...

Only one thing stands between Never and answers – his brother. Driven toward the enemy-occupied Imperial City, Never’s doubts grow. Even with new knowledge about his powers, can he truly keep his friends safe in a warzone? Or, like too many times before, will he end up responsible for the...

From the moment a fairy wren drops his lost wedding ring at his feet, Paul realises there's more magic to the world than he thought... When Paul Fischer receives a strange phone call asking for help, from a woman who might be his estranged wife Rachel, he's drawn into a mysterious search that...

Michael cannot sleep and it's ruining his life - but when the March Hare pops out of a picture book and offers to help him cut a deal with Somnus, the Roman God of Sleep, Michael has no choice but to accept.   A short story set in Australia for fans of magic-realism and contemporary fantasy.

Stepping Over Seasons artfully depicts the finer details of life, encapsulating change within people and places as the seasons unfurl.   Ashley Capes explores subtle links between human nature and the natural world. Using spare and evocative language, these graceful poems display a...

Deep in the Australian bush, something dark is stirring. When wildlife ranger Lisa Thomas finds a pile of animal entrails on her doorstep she immediately suspects her abusive ex, but the sudden spate of deaths that follow seem beyond even Ben’s vindictiveness. Worse, her father’s...

In Magpie Tales Australian poet SB Wright reveals a keen eye for capturing both people and places, his deft imagery transports the reader effortlessly from rural Australia and beyond. The pieces within explore a changing inner landscape too, where the contested terrain of small town identities and...

“Listen, friend. If you think a vat of flesh like you can find her you’re stupider than you are hideous. She’s off-line and you can’t even Glide.” In a synthetic society obsessed with endless augmentation, Leo struggles to find something meaningful - turning to powerful hallucinogenic...

Rejoin Never as he searches for his father's legacy and the sister he hadn't known existed. In The Phoenix of Kiymako Never must navigate a secretive new culture ruled by warrior monks. Distrusted and hunted for his blood, he must forge new alliances while following the dark trail his father...

Darkness is gathering deep within the land of Vadiya as the Red Seed Cult perform twisted experiments on human flesh. Never has already tangled with the foul creatures and knows no-one else can stop them... but if he charges into enemy territory now, he will have to face old flame Sacha, who...