120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

We're Moving! ๐Ÿšš Our bookstore is closed today and this weekend. Open and Shipping again on Monday ๐ŸŽ‰

Anti-State

Brief Description
Anti-State is a standalone story set in The Fractal series world, which began with the much-lauded Fearless and Resilient, hard-sf masterpieces which Analog called "Rigorous hard SF with a powerful but flawed protagonist." 2121 AD. Three years after the first Mars conflict, the colony is still... Read More
Format: Hardback
$5999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 1 week

Found a better price? Request a price match

2121 AD. Three years after the Mars conflict, the colony is struggling to recover. Commodore Ellisa Shann returns, but when a ship is stolen, she is drawn into a deadly duel.ย 

A standalone story set in The Fractal series world, which began with the much lauded Fearless and Resilient, hard-sf masterpieces which Analog called "Rigorous hard SF with a powerful but flawed protagonist."

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

Anti-State is a standalone story set in The Fractal series world, which began with the much-lauded Fearless and Resilient, hard-sf masterpieces which Analog called "Rigorous hard SF with a powerful but flawed protagonist."

2121 AD. Three years after the first Mars conflict, the colony is still struggling to recover. Corporations fight to hold on to their investments. Old secrets resurface and new faces appear.

Magnus Sirocco should never have been allowed to come here. He is a vigilante turned revolutionary who has been given a cause. He doesn't lose. Ever.

Peter Iskander leads a new religious mission to deliver the promised land to their people. And after being investigated, exonerated, and promoted, Commodore Ellisa Shann returns. But when a ship is stolen, she is drawn into another deadly duel.

AUTHOR: Allen Stroud (PhD) is a university lecturer and Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror writer, best known for his work on the computer games Elite Dangerous and Phoenix Point. He was the 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023 Chair of Fantasycon and was Chair of the British Science Fiction Association from 2019 to 2025.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781805520290

Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 21 April 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Flame Tree Press

Edition: New edition

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 198g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Allen Stroud is a lecturer and researcher at Coventry University. Stroud completed a Ph. D. at the University of Winchester entitled 'An Investigation and Application of Writing Structures and World Development Techniques in Science Fiction and Fantasy'. He has worked in computer games, roleplaying games, novels, short stories and scripts. He currently runs the Creative Futures research project with the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL). Stroud was a founding host of Lave Radio, an Elite: Dangerous fan podcast that started in February 2013 and ran the annual convention Lavecon. His novel set in the Elite: Dangerous game world, called Elite: Lave Revolution was successfully funded on Kickstarter and published in late 2014, with a second edition published in 2015. Stroud then supported Spidermind Games in developing the Elite Dangerous Roleplaying Game. Stroud worked on Chaos Reborn with Snapshot Games and has worked on Phoenix Point, released in 2019. Stroud was the 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2023 chair of Fantasycon, the annual convention of the British Fantasy Society, which hosts the British Fantasy Awards. He was also Chair of the British Science Fiction Association from 2019 to 2025. Stroud continues to write academic papers, reviews, articles and fiction in science fiction, fantasy and horror. He lives in a messy house with three cats and his partner, Karen.

Also by Allen Stroud

View all
  • Creative Futures
    Inspirational and thought-provoking collection of short stories imagining future crises and solutions, uniting the spheres of creative storytelling and real-life resilience building. We're going to change the world. Science Fiction writers spend their lives thinking about what will happen in the future. In this anthology, a select group bring imaginative thinking to the challenges the world will face in the...
    Hardback
    $4999
    Available
    Ships in 1 week
  • Vigilance
    The stirring finale of The Fractal series, which began with the much-lauded Fearless and Resilient hard-sf masterpieces. "Stroud raises fascinating questions about the politics of space exploration." โ€” Publisher's Weekly In the aftermath of Phobos Station's destruction, sinister forces fight to control humanity's fragile first steps in colonising other worlds. There are competing agendas at work. Some seek to overthrow...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Sci-Fi & Fantasy

View all
  • He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    New Release
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer Book Two in Shirtaloon's wildly popular LitRPG series. The path from retail middle management to interdimensional wizard adventurer wasn't easy, but Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone, competing for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Scion
    โ€˜Scionโ€™ is an electrifying sci-fi thriller that follows a contract killer tasked with protecting a scientist from assassination, only to find himself in the crosshairs. My nameโ€™s Azure. I kill rich idiots for a living. All completely legal, of course, even if it does still make the old-fashioned crowd a bit uncomfortable. Once the ultra-wealthy realised they had a way...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Massif
    New Release
    Massif
    Caught me a mountain Rode it to the stars It's business as usual for Ship Leader Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the corvette Sassafras. Ride a Massif to a new system, fight the enemy, repeat. For more than two hundred years, humans have been hitching rides on these sentient, starfaring mountain ranges, colonising planets and exporting an on-again, off-again...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (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...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Strength of the Few
    The highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Manyโ€”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 happenedโ€”with what I fear is comingโ€”I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    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...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    10% off
    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...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    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...
    Paperback
    (1)
    Sold Out
  • 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...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Assassinโ€™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...
    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...
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    19% off
    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...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    (1)
    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!