The Transition

`The sort of book that cuts you off from your family and has you walking blindly through seven lanes of traffic with your face pressed obliviously to the page' The Times

`Richly enjoyable . . . what really makes this novel stand out is not the Black Mirror-style black comedy but the tenderly devastating portrait of mental illness. The dystopia turns out to be a love story after all' Guardian

'To read Luke Kennard is to experience the gleeful rush that comes with encountering a writer who has an uncanny ability to scoop the contents of your head directly onto the page' Shortlist

`Uncomfortably familiar . . . gripping' Financial Times

`That a dark technological dystopia should emanate from the suburban home of a charming and progressive middle-aged couple who love kite boarding and balanced political discourse at breakfast now seems inevitable. Luke Kennard's brilliant first novel offers a fresh, funny and gripping vision of the near-future that rings frighteningly true' Joe Dunthorne, author of Submarine

'Disquieting and witty but with such tenderness at its core that it's often heart-stopping. Gorgeous stuff. I devoured it' Lisa McInerney, author of The Glorious Heresies

`Extremely smart and extremely funny, Luke Kennard's first novel is a brilliant dismantling of our corporatized century. It also features one of the most endearingly hapless heroes since Lucky Jim. In a world where everything real has been outsourced if it can't be demolished, a book like The Transition is not just a ray of light - it's utterly vital' Paul Murray, author of Skippy Dies

`Essential reading for generation rent. Funny, necessary and all too close to the bone' Jenn Ashworth, author of The Friday Gospels

`Completely gripping - a unique idea executed with verve, confidence and razor sharp wit' Isy Suttie

`Black Mirror with a lighter touch. A day-after-tomorrow novel that defines a generation' Matthew De Abaitua, author of The Red Men

Luke Kennard is the author of five collections of poetry. He won an Eric Gregory Award in 2005 and was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection in 2007. He lectures at the University of Birmingham. In 2014 he was selected by the Poetry Book Society as one of the Next Generation Poets. His latest poetry book, Cain, was published by Penned in the Margins in June 2016. The Transition is his first novel.