A FanFiAddict Most Anticipated Title!
A NewScientist Best Science Fiction Book of 2026!

"A vivid, poignant, and compassionate story about our desperate search for meaning...whether on Earth or far beyond it." --Veronica Roth, New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series

"Matthew Kressel weaves tales of humor, heartbreak, and high adventure under a changing Martian sky. The Rainseekers is a stirring tribute to human resilience and ingenuity--and simply a whole lot of fun." --Jedediah Berry, author of The Naming Song

"This story reminds me why I read science fiction. The Rainseekers is unflinching and profound, shedding light (and rain) on the search for purpose and wonder." --Sarah Pinsker, Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author of A Song For A New Day and Lost Places

"Kressel's writing is simple yet rich, unspooling a vast breadth of storytelling in a small and compact package that will tug at readers' heartstrings by book's end." --Booklist

"This novella is about the journey and not the destination.... Will appeal to readers who enjoy sci-fi adventures that are about the search for marvels, wonders, and human connections among the stars." --Library Journal

"Wonderfully clear and evocative writing. I'd read more SF if there was more like this." --Jeffrey Ford, author of A Natural History of Hell and Ahab's Return

"A story that speaks to our fractured time, and leaves us with both catharsis and hope. I too would risk everything to see the first rainfall on Mars. A lovely piece of work." --Nathan Ballingrud, author of The Strange

"Matt Kressel shows his talent both for robust speculation and deep characterization. Think The Canterbury Tales meets The Martian and start reading!" --James Patrick Kelly, winner of the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards

"This sci-fi pilgrimage [is] the perfect way to end a gloomy winter." --LitHub

Praise for The King of Shards

"A surreal and exotic adventure in a unique mythological setting. Scary, exhilarating fun!" -N.K. Jemisin, multiple Hugo Award-winning author of The Broken Earth trilogy

"A radical reinvention of faith and folklore, not to mention the portal fantasy...majestic, resonant, reality-twisting madness." -NPR

"An imaginative, intelligent, and soaring debut...A hell of lot of fun." -Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World

"With surprising twists and a deep and detailed universe, King of Shards, the first in a trilogy, is likely to be remembered." -Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog

"In this prismatic tale of demons, righteous warriors, and multiple universes, Kressel plumbs the depths of Kabbalistic lore to create a unique fantasy cosmos... [An] engaging new epic fantasy." -The Huffington Post

"A robustly imagined fantasy world... pleasingly unpredictable. His skill at extrapolating traditional religious lore into the stuff of fantasy bodes well for future books in the series." -Publishers Weekly