"Carey writes with compassion and fire - strange and surprising and humane."
--Lauren Beukes, author of The Shining Girls on The Boy on the Bridge

"Carey crafts an empathetic portrait of a medieval monster as a young man in this revelatory dark fantasy... Wit and compassion, building to a wonderfully satisfying climax. Powerful, captivating, and occasionally stomach-churning, this quintessential tale of good and evil is sure to win fans."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on Once Was Willem

"An immense achievement, an impeccably crafted book without a single word out of place."--The New York Times on Infinity Gate

"A wild fever dream of a novel - complicated, monstrous, and beautiful."--Seanan McGuire, Hugo Award-winning author on Once Was Willem

"It's been a long time since a book has reached out and just entirely enveloped me in its world the way Once Was Willem did. Astounding, and I loved every moment of it - it had me absolutely rapt."--RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships on Once Was Willem

"It's so absurdly fun and readable, you nearly miss the incredible use of language and lore. Lovable grotesques and ghastly villains populate a compelling folk-tale. Absolutely wonderful."--Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Sword Unbound on Once Was Willem

"A delicious blend of horror, fantasy and historical fiction, Once Was Willem gave me exactly what I crave most as a reader - the unexpected. That, and a main character I would fight to the undeath for. A unique and brilliant book"--Jen Williams, British Fantasy Award-winning author of The Ninth Rain on Once Was Willem

"An incredible masterwork of medieval fantasy-horror, dark and twisted and burning bright with humanity. Once Was Willem is packed with magic, folklore, superstitious fear, and horrors that bring hope." --Cameron Johnston, author of the Maleficent Seven on Once Was Willem

"A master storyteller." --io9 on Infinity Gate

"M.R. Carey hefts astonishing storytelling power with plainspoken language, heartbreaking choices, and sincerity like an arrow to the heart." --Locus on The Book of Koli

"A thought-provoking and deeply engaging story ... profoundly and doggedly humane."--C. A. Fletcher on The Book of Koli

"Heartfelt, remorseless and painfully human...as fresh as it is terrifying. A jewel."--Joss Whedon on The Girl With All the Gifts

"This is a beautiful book. Gripping, engaging, and absolutely worth the time it takes to burrow yourself into its reality. I can't recommend it highly enough."--Seanan McGuire on The Book of Koli

"The cadence and pacing of [Koli's] voice adds a depth and richness to the strange and malevolent world."--Booklist on The Book of Koli

"In a grey age of violence and greed, Carey's tale strikes a spark of kindness, humanity, and hope." --Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons

"The Tinder Box sparks with wonder and peril, unleashing a tale that feels both fresh and familiar, old and new. It holds all the magic of a fable and all the complex kindness and cruelty of a human heart. Prepare to be enchanted!"--Melissa Caruso, author of The Last Hour Between Worlds

"A marvelous dark fable. Echoes of The Brothers Grimm and Faust do not detract from the originality on display in The Tinder Box; indeed, Carey's craft manages to feel at once familiar and startling, which for me is a hallmark of exceptional writing. *Of course* that elegant sentence rolled out that way--how could it have done otherwise? This novel, along with last year's Once Was Willem, confirms M.R. Carey's place among the best living writers in horror and fantasy."--Christopher Buehlman, author of Between Two Fires

"A compelling exploration of the brutality of the social divide, the hypocrisy of rulers, and the futility of war. Surprising and redemptive; Carey masters yet another subgenre of speculative fiction."

"Carey deftly handles issues of morality, religion, and justice while still keeping this fantasy adventure moving. Shifting points of view allow readers to see the ambiguities in the usually binary battle of good versus evil. Fantasy fans--especially of Joe Abercrombie's The Devils--will love Carey's updated version of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale."

"Carey writes a fabulous fantasy novel that will delight fans of the horror-comedy show Grimm, giving those who love old-fashioned stories with a modern twist a lot to enjoy."