Air

Author: Geoff Ryman

Science fiction

Published on 14 May 2026 by Orion Publishing Co (Gateway) in the United Kingdom as part of 'the S.F. Masterworks' series.

Paperback | 400 pages
197 x 130 x 27 | 280g

'AIR is wonderful...Ryman is a true, graceful writer and this is a novel you move into and inhabit for as long as you can make it last' - Kit Reed'This book constantly surprised me ... great for a lot of seriously original ideas and a deep dive into the consequences' - Goodreads ReviewerMae Chung lives in the rice-farming village Kizuldah, in Karzistan. She's a self-styled fashion expert, guiding the village women in dress, make-up and hairstyle, which makes her an informal village leader.

When the UN decides to test Air - a radical new technology that works without power lines or machines - Mae finds herself with the memories of a deceased village elder, Mrs Tung. Struggling with information overload, the resentment of much of the village, and a complex family situation, Mae works fiercely to learn what she needs to ride the tiger of change.

Geoff Ryman's triumphant return to science fiction is a powerful, evocative story of information technology in a changing world.