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Massif

A thrilling military sci-fi standalone novel from the beloved multimillion copy bestseller perfect for fans of Andy Weir and Pierce Brown

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Massif

By: Garth Nix
Narrated by: Ray Porter
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RIDE A MASSIF TO THE NEXT STAR SYSTEM.
FIGHT THE ENEMY.
REPEAT.

It's business as usual for Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the United Earth Government Navy ship Sassafras. For more than two hundred years humans have been hitching rides into space on vast sentient mountain ranges called Massifs in an endless interstellar war between the forces of Earth and Mars.

But the same unanswered questions burn behind every battle, every conquered world, every new colony.

Why do the Massifs carry humans to the stars?
Why do they help us export our wars?
What's in it for them?

Ship crews aren't supposed to ask these questions - and they definitely aren't supposed to speak to the all-powerful avatars piloting the mountains. But when Parnell's deputy, Kaz, is stranded on an enemy planet, he needs the Massif's help to rescue her . . . and that means figuring out how to talk to it.

Nothing could ever have prepared him for what he learns of the secrets fuelling their voyages across the galaxy. The only certainty amidst the dread is that there is far more at stake than the lives of his crew.

Military sci-fi meets cosmic horror in this epic space opera from the multimillion-copy bestseller behind many globally beloved fantasy series including The Old Kingdom and The Left-Handed Booksellers of London - unmissable for fans of Andy Weir and Pierce Brown.

PRAISE FOR GARTH NIX

'You are in for a treat' GEORGE R.R. MARTIN
'One of the best world-builders' BRANDON SANDERSON
'Nix sets the standard' LEIGH BARDUGO
'I will never get enough' SARAH J MAAS
'A swashbuckling adventure' JOE ABERCROMBIE
'A world with the same four dimensional authority as our own' PHILIP PULLMAN©2026 Garth Nix (P)2026 HarperCollins Audio US Adventure Science Fiction Space Opera Solar System Fiction War Interstellar
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Critic reviews

Strange galaxy-faring mountain ranges, a loyal renegade spaceship crew, plenty of military action, and a creepy interstellar mystery combine to make a compelling science fiction epic set in an inventive new universe
Bestselling YA fantasist Nix (Sabriel) showcases his worldbuilding prowess in his first adult sci-fi novel, a riveting space opera set in the 24th century . . . The result is a staggering adventure that should win Nix a whole new set of fans
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I usually love all Garth Nix books but with this one, I just could visualise the scenes, vessels or avatars which at times made it difficult to follow

Saved by the amazing narrator

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I blitzed my way through this in a few days while working, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Ray Porter performs excellently and lends brilliant characterisation to the cast and other elements.

In my experience, Garth Nix is always excellent with his worldbuilding and Massif is no exception. There is immediate intrigue about something going wrong which is threaded through the story and makes you wonder what it will be, and what you are not being told.

Fascinating and gripping concept

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I had credits to use and this had a great write up from SFX magazine. I've heard of Nix but never read any of his work. I was expecting an epic sweeping space-opera similar to Peter F Hamilton or A Reynolds...the start was intriguing but then it chugged along promising to take off, but never did until the last hour or so.

Barely any character development, or world-building....I made it until the end, which was abrupt..but wish I hadn't bothered.

If the start and final chapter was the tone for the whole book, this could have been good ...but that didn't happen.

Decent start..then, meh until hurried end

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I’m a great fan of Garth Nix and I was looking forward to this. But made it to chapter 12 but giving up. Boring still no story is emerging. So far a run of the mill sci-fi with no tension or story.

Disappointing

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