Vertical City

Tristan Scott's debut science fiction novel, Vertical City: Within a colossal skyscraper packed with millions of humans, one man's vendetta will expose a terrible truth, which could not only cost him his life, but also bring their mighty city and humanity's last refuge to the ground.

Winner - Los Angeles Book Festival 2023

Winner - London Book Festival 2023

Semi-Finalist - Indies Today Book Awards 2022

"A well-crafted post-apocalyptic novel...this cautionary dystopian tale will enchant and astonish..." - Indies Today (Starred Review)

"Vertical City is one of those ultra-rare and very, very special novels that remind us there are still completely engrossing and original stories to be told...Very highly recommended." - Readers' Favorite (Starred Review)

"The only way up is down, into an underground world where solitary choices can drive a man mad....[Readers] will find Vertical City a powerful interplay of emotional and social inspection." - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review (Recommend Reading)

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Edgar Pacey is alone in a world without loneliness. His home, Vertical City, a gargantuan skyscraper on the island of Tristan da Cunha, is claustrophobically packed with the last remnants of the human race. Edgar, a carbon miner and resident of the underground, awkwardly navigates his days without privacy or solitude. He often wonders - to the indifference or confusion of those around him - if their way of life is normal? But then, Edgar's quick thinking during a seemingly freak mining accident gains him widespread recognition; his newfound fame opening previously unexplored parts of the city - the revered upper floors. Guided partly by this twist of fate, partly by a selfish desire to satisfy his own misgivings, Edgar uses this freedom to search for a flaw in their esteemed city, inadvertently leading him to the frightening cost of humanity's continued survival. Risking his own life, Edgar will have to force a complacent society to reevaluate itself, with repercussions that could bring their colossal tower, and humanity's last refuge, to the ground.