100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Auckland Bookstore open weekends (8:30am - 5pm) for browsing and Pick Ups! 🎉

Orfeo

By Richard Powers
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.66 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 6,770 ratings, 1,114 reviews)
Brief Description
From the Booker-shortlisted author of The Overstory and Bewilderment Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2014 'A magnificent and moving novel' - Los Angeles Times Seventy-year-old avant-garde composer Peter Els opens the door one evening to find the police on his doorstep. His home microbiology lab... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2300
Elsewhere:
$2600
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

From the Booker-shortlisted author of The Overstory and Bewilderment

Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2014

'A magnificent and moving novel' - Los Angeles Times

Seventy-year-old avant-garde composer Peter Els opens the door one evening to find the police on his doorstep. His home microbiology lab - where he is conducting the latest experiment in his lifelong attempt to find musical patterns in surprising places - has aroused the suspicions of Homeland Security.

Panicked by the raid, Els turns fugitive, earning him the moniker 'Bioterrorist Bach'. He hatches a daring plan to transform this disastrous collision with the security state into an unforgettable work of art that will reawaken its audience to the sounds all around it.

A gripping escape narrative filled with lyrical wonder, Orfeo is both a portrait of a creative, obsessive man, and a reflection on finding melodies in everyday life.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781804951767

Publisher: Cornerstone

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 June 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin (Cornerstone)

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 267g

Pages: 384

Collections

2025 Best Sellers Best Sellers at Book Hero Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books New Release Fiction Penguin Books Richard Powers Sci-Fi & Fantasy Science Fiction

About the Author

Richard Powers has published fourteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory. He lives in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Also by Richard Powers

View all
  • The Overstory
    The Overstory THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER THE MILLION-COPY GLOBAL BESTSELLER AND WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION Radical and exciting Jessie Burton Breathtaking Barbara Kingsolver It changed how I thought about the Earth and our place in it Barack Obama Really, just one of the best novels, period Ann Patchett A wondrous, exhilarating novel about nine strangers brought together by...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Playground
    Playground is a new novel from the Booker-shortlisted author Richard Powers. A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024 The powerful new novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Booker-shortlisted author of The Overstory and Bewilderment. “Is there anything Richard Powers cannot write? The world here is complete, seductive, and promising. The writing feels like the ocean. Vast,...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $3200
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance
    An outstanding novel Observer A writer of blistering intellect Los Angeles Times Unexpected and richly imaginative London Review of Books A first novel of intricate merit ... A rich imagination glitters throughout Mail on Sunday In the spring of 1914, German photographer August Sander captures a haunting image: three young men on their way to a country dance, themselves unknowingly...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $2699
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Playground
    A new novel from the Booker-shortlisted author A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024 THE POWERFUL NEW NOVEL FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AND BOOKER-SHORTLISTED AUTHOR OF THE OVERSTORY AND BEWILDERMENT 'Powerful, mesmerically beautiful' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'One long, clever magic trick' OBSERVER 'Magisterial, moving and thought-provoking ... a beautiful love letter to our oceans' NEW SCIENTIST...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    17% off
    Operation Wandering Soul
    From the Booker-shortlisted author of The Overstory and Bewilderment If you have children or will have children, if you know children or can remember being a child, dare to read Operation Wandering Soul ... it is bedtime reading for the future USA TODAY In the paediatrics ward of a public hospital, a group of sick children gather, their lives brightened...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Echo Maker
    A brand new edition of the thrilling novel from one of the most celebrated literary writers. 'A psychological thriller, a flawed love story, a study of authenticity in emotions, a commentary on America's relations with itself and the world, humanity and ecology... undoubtedly magnificent' The Times On a winter night, Mark Schluter's truck turns over in a near-fatal accident. His...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Bewilderment
    The Sunday Times Bestseller Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022 From the Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Extraordinary – The New York Times Remarkable – Observer Heartfelt – The Guardian Bewilderment tells the story of Theo Byrne, a promising young scientist who has discovered a way to search for life on planets dozens of light years away. However, his greatest challenge is...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Bewilderment
    The breathtaking new novel from the million-copy bestselling author of The Overstory. THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2021 AN OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB SELECTION The breathtaking new novel from the million-copy bestselling author of The Overstory. 'Heart-rending' Oprah Winfrey Theo Byrne is a promising young scientist who has found a way to search...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Galatea 2.2
    A brand new edition of the thrilling novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory. Read this thrilling and timely novel of the human soul from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory. After many years of living abroad, a young writer returns to the United States to take up a position at his former college. There he encounters...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Plowing the Dark
    A brand new edition of the kaleidoscopic novel from the author of The Overstory Part of the joy of reading Powers over the years has been his capacity for revelation — Colson Whitehead On the west coast of America, virtual reality researchers race to complete the Cavern, a plain white room that can become a jungle, a painting, or a...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Time of our Singing
    From the Booker-shortlisted author of The Overstory and Bewilderment 'There is no contemporary American writer quite like Richard Powers ... It is rare to find a novel as intellectually and emotionally engaging as this' GUARDIAN Jonah, Ruth, and Joseph are the children of mixed-race parents who aspire to raise them beyond the constraints of time and identity, immersing them in...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Gold Bug Variations
    From the Booker-shortlisted author of The Overstory and Bewilderment. 'A love story of charm and substance, brimming over with ideas, yet anchored in emotional truth.' — SUNDAY TELEGRAPH In 1957, brilliant biologist Stuart Ressler sets out to crack the genetic code. Yet his efforts are sidetracked by other, more complex codes — social, moral, musical, and spiritual — as he...
    By Richard Powers
    Paperback
    $2800
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Sci-Fi & Fantasy

View all
  • The Strength of the Few
    The highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Many—one of 2023's most lauded and bestselling fantasy novels. The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the...
    By James Islington
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    By Andy Weir
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (4)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Red Rising
    The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...
    By Pierce Brown
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Crossroads of Ravens
    THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON RETURNS... Every legend has an origin - and Geralt of Rivia's begins here. In this brand-new chapter of Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series, follow Geralt in his earliest days as a Witcher, as he faces monsters and humans alike. Discover the untold stories and encounters that shaped the iconic character known today. Crossroads of Ravens brings readers into...
    By Andrzej Sapkowski
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Will of the Many
    Phenomenal! One of the best high fantasy novels I've read in years—think Red Rising meets The Name of the Wind. I couldn't put it down. - LYNETTE NONI This new edition of book one in the Hierarchy series features never-before-seen bonus materials, including a full-colour map by the author, a note to the reader, and new cover art. AUDI. VICE....
    By James Islington
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Wind and Truth
    The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the Number One New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson sees Dalinar Kholin challenge the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare, and the sudden ascension of the...
    By Brandon Sanderson
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Ministry of Time
    One of the 18 best novels of the year for the Sunday Times A book of the year for the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Spectator, Red, NPR, Vanity Fair, People, Slate, Advocate, Sydney Morning Herald, Globe and Mail, Den of Geek, Good Housekeeping, Goodreads, NetGalley and Smithsonian Magazine 'A sparkling delight' Observer 'Make room on your bookshelves...
    By Kaliane Bradley
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Assassin’s Apprentice
    Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...
    By Robin Hobb
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • I Who Have Never Known Men
    A haunting, heartbreaking tale of female friendship and intimacy that evokes the chilling atmospheres of The Handmaid's Tale and the desolate landscapes of The Road, I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman is a story that lingers long after the last page is turned. This gripping narrative takes us deep underground, where thirty-nine women are held in isolation...
    By Jacqueline Harpman
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Colour Illustrated Hobbit
    The Colour Illustrated Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is a timeless classic that has enchanted readers for generations. This beloved tale follows Bilbo Baggins, a peace-loving hobbit from the quaint and picturesque Shire, who finds himself thrust into an epic journey far from the comforts of his cosy home. Charming and lively illustrations by Jemima Catlin breathe new life...
    By J. R. R. Tolkien
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Blood Over Bright Haven
    A riveting dark academia fantasy about the limits of truth and power, from the author of The Sword of Kaigen. The first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages unravels a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever, in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of The Sword of Kaigen. For twenty years, Sciona...
    By M. L. Wang
    Paperback
    $3400
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Great Dune Trilogy
    Frank Herbert's The Great Dune Trilogy plunges readers into an evocative and grandiose saga set on the desert planet of Arrakis. This richly detailed landscape becomes the focal point for a complex tapestry of political intrigue, military conflict, and galaxy-wide repercussions. Arrakis, also known as Dune, is the sole source of the spice melange, a valuable and highly sought-after substance...
    By Frank Herbert
    Paperback
    $3900
    Elsewhere:
    $4499
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all