XX

A hugely ambitious mix of text and graphic design, in which typography is used in bold and disarming ways. It is also a genuinely compelling sci-fi novel about very, very, big ideas. Filled with meta-narratives, in-jokes, artistic references, and mixed media, it’s an interesting alternative to that other oft-cited cult classic House of Leaves. As someone who has worked as both designer and editor, I was blown away by Hughes’s ability to combine a good story with such avant-garde design. The themes communicated will give you much to contemplate – or ramble on about to any friends you successfully… show more.

This was my favorite book from the last year. It’s breathtaking in its ambition, narratively, conceptually, and in media terms. The author has a sideline as a very respected graphic designer and various parts of the book collapse form and function, turning words into graphic art into literature. At the heart, it’s a science fiction novel of ideas, a story about stories and how they create the world. Ideas can be helpful or harmful but the only thing that makes them successful is how well they continue to replicate. This is one of my favorite kinds of novel, crafting philosophy… show more.