The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. (The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., Book 1)

You think you know how the world works? Think again. 21st Century America Magic has faded from the minds of mankind, until an encounter between Melisande Stokes, linguistics expert at Harvard, and Tristan Lyons, shadowy agent of government, leads to the uncovering of a distant past. After translating a series of ancient texts, Melisande and Tristan discover the connection between science, magic and time travel and so the Department of Diachronic Operations – D.O.D.O. – is hastily brought into existence. Its mission: to develop a device that will send their agents back to the past, where they can stop magic from disappearing and alter the course of history. But when you interfere with the past, there’s no telling what you might find in your future… Written with genius and complexity, this vividly realised novel will make you believe the impossible, and question the very foundations of the modern world. Stephenson's The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. is a masterful blend of urban fantasy and historical fiction, where fairy tales and legends come alive in the most unexpected of places. It's a testament to his storytelling prowess that such an epic tale can feel so grounded and real. For fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky (The Tiger and the Wolf), Dan Simmons (The Terror), Peter F. Hamilton (Exodus), Andy Weir (Artemis), and Hugh Howey (Across the Sand).