Wander

A Rucksack Universe Novel

Follow the Black Road.

No friends, no texts, no nothing. In Morocco, Wander just wants a solitary birthday walk. Instead, two strange trees lead the lone traveler to the ultimate journey. Marooned in a scarred world both different and familiar, Wander tries to make sense of an Ireland that has no Internet or Guinness, but abounds with odd companions. Wander falls in with Awen, a mysterious old woman, and Faddah Rucksack, a bewildering ragged man. He's as out of place as Wander but must confront past mistakes and a shadow threatening the future.

The unlikely trio undertakes a difficult adventure of the road—and the heart. Their only path is a place none travel: the Black Road that remains after a world-altering catastrophe. From a surprise in the Irish Sea to England's Black Cliffs of Dover, Wander confronts the promise and peril of seeking home when your heart is caught between two worlds.

The Rucksack Universe series combines alternate history, speculative fiction, myth, adventure, globetrotting, and intrigue—all with well-poured pints of beer. Library Journal says Anthony St. Clair’s storytelling has "universe building reminiscent of Terry Pratchett," and readers say they love the Rucksack Universe's unique combination of "quirk, wit, travel, and magic.”