Will Wiles
@willwiles.bsky.social
"The Anechoic Chamber & other weird tales" (Salt) is out now! Author of several novels, most recently "The Last Blade Priest" (Angry Robot), which won best novel at the 2023 Kitschies. Its sequel, "The Dead Man's Empire", coming 2026. He/him
Pinned
Will Wiles
@willwiles.bsky.social
· Dec 8
If you are still looking for a "stocking filler" please bear in mind that "The Anechoic Chamber" is a slimline A-format paperback, so it fits snugly in a standard men's sock or the pocket of a winter coat. This also means savings on wrapping paper, postage, etc. and it's only £9.99.
Reposted by Will Wiles
It exists in the world. Released worldwide in English on April 7th. Something is coming…
February 10, 2026 at 5:17 PM
It exists in the world. Released worldwide in English on April 7th. Something is coming…
So nice of my colleagues to rally round and insist I stay in my job. After all, I have important work to do! Such as opening this heavy, ticking package while my colleagues all watch. No one else will do it! Even though they're 200 yards away I can still see the supportive smiles on their faces.
February 11, 2026 at 9:10 AM
So nice of my colleagues to rally round and insist I stay in my job. After all, I have important work to do! Such as opening this heavy, ticking package while my colleagues all watch. No one else will do it! Even though they're 200 yards away I can still see the supportive smiles on their faces.
The reviews are flooding in and they're unanimous
February 9, 2026 at 11:00 PM
The reviews are flooding in and they're unanimous
These people have had their heads boiled by social media. Quite, quite mad.
A Labour MP tells The House’s Sienna Rodgers McSweeney’s resignation will mean “full speed ahead to uber-woke, net-zeroist, rejoinerism”.
Which sounds good to me, but is also very telling of the beliefs of the faction McSweeney championed.
Which sounds good to me, but is also very telling of the beliefs of the faction McSweeney championed.
February 9, 2026 at 9:24 AM
These people have had their heads boiled by social media. Quite, quite mad.
Reposted by Will Wiles
See my comment from earlier this week that most of the "hustle" economy comes down to either being one of the lucky few who strike it big, or the vast number of grifters pretending they can sell you the means to strike it big.
To be very clear, that lady in the NYT article is not making any money with her hundreds of AI slop books.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
February 8, 2026 at 10:56 PM
See my comment from earlier this week that most of the "hustle" economy comes down to either being one of the lucky few who strike it big, or the vast number of grifters pretending they can sell you the means to strike it big.
If you review, blog, booktok or cover books in any way, now's the time to request your copy of "The Dead Man's Empire"! I can't wait for people to get their hands on this book.
A new epic fantasy by @willwiles.bsky.social?
Click if you'd like the chance to see if you agree...
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Click if you'd like the chance to see if you agree...
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
February 5, 2026 at 5:53 PM
If you review, blog, booktok or cover books in any way, now's the time to request your copy of "The Dead Man's Empire"! I can't wait for people to get their hands on this book.
Reposted by Will Wiles
A new epic fantasy by @willwiles.bsky.social?
Click if you'd like the chance to see if you agree...
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Click if you'd like the chance to see if you agree...
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
February 5, 2026 at 5:08 PM
A new epic fantasy by @willwiles.bsky.social?
Click if you'd like the chance to see if you agree...
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Click if you'd like the chance to see if you agree...
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
At a crowded party for a product launch, I took a step backwards to let someone past and accidentally bumped into someone else. It was Sir Paul McCartney. I said sorry. No harm was done. Very low impact.
One of my academic colleagues looks a bit like Bob Mortimer. One time near our labs I saw him walking towards me and I warmly said Hey Kevin. It was Bob Mortimer.
Please share your very low impact celebrity encounters here.
Please share your very low impact celebrity encounters here.
Fun low level anecdote: I once sat near Peter Mandelson in a theatre but I had a name blank and said rather too loudly ‘ooh look it’s Michael Portillo!’
He was visibly unamused.
He was visibly unamused.
February 5, 2026 at 12:36 PM
At a crowded party for a product launch, I took a step backwards to let someone past and accidentally bumped into someone else. It was Sir Paul McCartney. I said sorry. No harm was done. Very low impact.
The British press bringing down Mandelson:
February 5, 2026 at 8:24 AM
The British press bringing down Mandelson:
Reposted by Will Wiles
Can humans keep making art in an alien world? Will they want to? @willwiles.bsky.social watches ‘Pluribus’ and gets some bracing answers.
In Pluribus, art holds up a mirror to a hollow world
The dystopian series asks whether creativity has any value when everyone thinks the same way, writes Will Wiles
apollo-magazine.com
February 1, 2026 at 8:30 AM
Can humans keep making art in an alien world? Will they want to? @willwiles.bsky.social watches ‘Pluribus’ and gets some bracing answers.
Reposted by Will Wiles
This is ticking along nicely still, would love to have you on board. I don't feel bad promoting it because I'm comfortably making a loss on it. Trailer from @matryer.bsky.social once more.
January 30, 2026 at 1:51 PM
This is ticking along nicely still, would love to have you on board. I don't feel bad promoting it because I'm comfortably making a loss on it. Trailer from @matryer.bsky.social once more.
Reposted by Will Wiles
‘We often hear trite arguments for the value of art, its power of healing and joy. It’s very refreshing – a joy, in fact – to have the final say fall to a depressed misanthrope.’ – Will Wiles finds reasons to be cheerful watching Vince Gilligan’s dystopian TV series ‘Pluribus’
In Pluribus, art is a mirror of a hollow world
The dystopian series asks whether creativity has any value when everyone thinks the same way, writes Will Wiles
buff.ly
January 30, 2026 at 5:30 AM
‘We often hear trite arguments for the value of art, its power of healing and joy. It’s very refreshing – a joy, in fact – to have the final say fall to a depressed misanthrope.’ – Will Wiles finds reasons to be cheerful watching Vince Gilligan’s dystopian TV series ‘Pluribus’
Reposted by Will Wiles
It's no secret but Ian McQue really does rock.
January 28, 2026 at 3:36 PM
It's no secret but Ian McQue really does rock.
What does art mean when humanity becomes something ... alien? I wrote about "Pluribus" for @apollo-magazine.com :
‘We often hear trite arguments for the value of art, its power of healing and joy. It’s very refreshing – a joy, in fact – to have the final say fall to a depressed misanthrope.’
Will Wiles finds reasons to be cheerful watching Vince Gilligan’s dystopian TV series ‘Pluribus’
Will Wiles finds reasons to be cheerful watching Vince Gilligan’s dystopian TV series ‘Pluribus’
In Pluribus, art is a mirror of a hollow world
The dystopian series asks whether creativity has any value when everyone thinks the same way, writes Will Wiles
buff.ly
January 28, 2026 at 3:37 PM
What does art mean when humanity becomes something ... alien? I wrote about "Pluribus" for @apollo-magazine.com :
Reposted by Will Wiles
Last Blade Priest was a terrific fantasy book. Very much looking forward to the sequel.
Here it comes! "The Dead Man's Empire", the long-awaited second book in the Holy Mountain series! Is it a sequel to "The Last Blade Priest"? Yes! But in theory you could read it without reading TLBP!
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
January 27, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Last Blade Priest was a terrific fantasy book. Very much looking forward to the sequel.
Reposted by Will Wiles
I'm reading book 2 THE DEAD MAN'S EMPIRE right now and it is great- the first book THE LAST BLADE PRIEST is one of my favourite fantasy novels of the last few years, utterly original, some of the imagery has been etched indelibly on my brain in a way few books manage 🐦
@willwiles.bsky.social
@willwiles.bsky.social
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
January 28, 2026 at 8:24 AM
I'm reading book 2 THE DEAD MAN'S EMPIRE right now and it is great- the first book THE LAST BLADE PRIEST is one of my favourite fantasy novels of the last few years, utterly original, some of the imagery has been etched indelibly on my brain in a way few books manage 🐦
@willwiles.bsky.social
@willwiles.bsky.social
Reposted by Will Wiles
Could you read the second book without reading THE LAST BLADE PRIEST?
Sure, but why deny yourself. Yes you can watch a sunset without watching a sunrise. Do both, be happier. Ingest more good things. Your brain deserves it.
Sure, but why deny yourself. Yes you can watch a sunset without watching a sunrise. Do both, be happier. Ingest more good things. Your brain deserves it.
Here it comes! "The Dead Man's Empire", the long-awaited second book in the Holy Mountain series! Is it a sequel to "The Last Blade Priest"? Yes! But in theory you could read it without reading TLBP!
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
January 28, 2026 at 9:08 AM
Could you read the second book without reading THE LAST BLADE PRIEST?
Sure, but why deny yourself. Yes you can watch a sunset without watching a sunrise. Do both, be happier. Ingest more good things. Your brain deserves it.
Sure, but why deny yourself. Yes you can watch a sunset without watching a sunrise. Do both, be happier. Ingest more good things. Your brain deserves it.
Here it comes! "The Dead Man's Empire", the long-awaited second book in the Holy Mountain series! Is it a sequel to "The Last Blade Priest"? Yes! But in theory you could read it without reading TLBP!
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
January 27, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Here it comes! "The Dead Man's Empire", the long-awaited second book in the Holy Mountain series! Is it a sequel to "The Last Blade Priest"? Yes! But in theory you could read it without reading TLBP!
Reposted by Will Wiles
That @willwiles.bsky.social with his fancy fantasy hat on.
"I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
Francis Spufford
"Fantasy is rarely as smart, immersive or scintillant."
Adam Roberts
"Vivid, vital, humane."
Paul McAuley
"Epic in every sense...refreshing, subversive and wonderfully realised."
M.T. Hill
January 27, 2026 at 3:06 PM
That @willwiles.bsky.social with his fancy fantasy hat on.
Reposted by Will Wiles
Coming soon…
11 short ghostly, weird and folk horror stories by, erm, me
Draft cover design by @raynewman.bsky.social Newman, fantastic author of Municipal Gothic and Intervals of Darkness
#ShortStories #Fiction #Publishing
11 short ghostly, weird and folk horror stories by, erm, me
Draft cover design by @raynewman.bsky.social Newman, fantastic author of Municipal Gothic and Intervals of Darkness
#ShortStories #Fiction #Publishing
January 27, 2026 at 10:34 AM
Coming soon…
11 short ghostly, weird and folk horror stories by, erm, me
Draft cover design by @raynewman.bsky.social Newman, fantastic author of Municipal Gothic and Intervals of Darkness
#ShortStories #Fiction #Publishing
11 short ghostly, weird and folk horror stories by, erm, me
Draft cover design by @raynewman.bsky.social Newman, fantastic author of Municipal Gothic and Intervals of Darkness
#ShortStories #Fiction #Publishing
Reposted by Will Wiles
Reposted by Will Wiles
Paging @willwiles.bsky.social
Engineer here. I've stayed in 14 Travelodges over the past couple of years for work. In every room I've stayed in, I've unscrewed the bland corporate art over the bed and rehung it upside down.
January 22, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Paging @willwiles.bsky.social
The Pingheritors by William Golding
Head canon:
Pingu is clearly seen interacting with a polar bear. Pingu therefore can only be a northern hemisphere penguin - aka the great auk, aka the OG penguin.
Pingu is amongst the last survivors of a species thought to be extinct.
Pingu is clearly seen interacting with a polar bear. Pingu therefore can only be a northern hemisphere penguin - aka the great auk, aka the OG penguin.
Pingu is amongst the last survivors of a species thought to be extinct.
January 21, 2026 at 5:32 PM
The Pingheritors by William Golding
Q: How do I unlock Sunglasses Macron?
A: It's very difficult to unlock Sunglasses Macron in the course of a normal game because it requires a specific and unlikely sequence of events. While default Macron is ruler of France, the USA must choose the monarchy path and then lay claim to Greenland.
A: It's very difficult to unlock Sunglasses Macron in the course of a normal game because it requires a specific and unlikely sequence of events. While default Macron is ruler of France, the USA must choose the monarchy path and then lay claim to Greenland.
January 20, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Q: How do I unlock Sunglasses Macron?
A: It's very difficult to unlock Sunglasses Macron in the course of a normal game because it requires a specific and unlikely sequence of events. While default Macron is ruler of France, the USA must choose the monarchy path and then lay claim to Greenland.
A: It's very difficult to unlock Sunglasses Macron in the course of a normal game because it requires a specific and unlikely sequence of events. While default Macron is ruler of France, the USA must choose the monarchy path and then lay claim to Greenland.
The words "auto-brewery syndrome" draw you in and you find you cannot stop reading and then it's too late, you read the words "super donor"
A man with auto-brewery syndrome, a rare condition in which gut microbes produce intoxicating levels of alcohol, has been successfully treated with faeces from a super donor
Man whose gut made its own alcohol gets relief from faecal transplant
A man with auto-brewery syndrome, a rare condition in which gut microbes produce intoxicating levels of alcohol, has been successfully treated with faeces from a super donor
www.newscientist.com
January 19, 2026 at 9:15 AM
The words "auto-brewery syndrome" draw you in and you find you cannot stop reading and then it's too late, you read the words "super donor"