Chain-Gang All-Stars

FIGHT FOR FREEDOM. FIGHT FOR LOVE. WELCOME TO THE KILLING GROUND. Enter a world where, livestreamed to millions, prisoners fight like gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. 'America's new Hunger Games ' SUNDAY TIMES 'So good. This one is from the heart' STEPHEN KING **SHORTLISTED FOR THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD** **SHORTLISTED FOR THE TIKTOK BOOK AWARDS** Fan-favourite female stars Loretta Thurwar and Hamara ‘Hurricane Staxxx’ Stacker are teammates and lovers. Thurwar is nearing the end of her time on the circuit, free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. But as protestors clash with the baying crowds and the programme’s corporate owners stack the odds against her – will the price be simply too high? ‘Brutal, thrilling, devastating and beautiful’ THE TIMES ‘So compelling – right up to the final, fatal blow’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ‘Defiant, awe-inspiring’ JESSAMINE CHAN ‘Vividly imaginative and startling’ ELLE ‘The new maestro of dystopian lit’ WIRED ‘A pure fire page turner’ MAX PORTER Shortlisted for the TikTok Book Awards, International Book of the Year, 2024

FIGHT FOR FREEDOM. FIGHT FOR LOVE. WELCOME TO THE KILLING GROUND. Enter a world where, livestreamed to millions, prisoners fight like gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. 'America's new Hunger Games ' SUNDAY TIMES 'So good. This one is from the heart' STEPHEN KING **SHORTLISTED FOR THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD** **SHORTLISTED FOR THE TIKTOK BOOK AWARDS** Fan-favourite female stars Loretta Thurwar and Hamara ‘Hurricane Staxxx’ Stacker are teammates and lovers. Thurwar is nearing the end of her time on the circuit, free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. But as protestors clash with the baying crowds and the programme’s corporate owners stack the odds against her – will the price be simply too high? ‘Brutal, thrilling, devastating and beautiful’ THE TIMES ‘So compelling – right up to the final, fatal blow’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ‘Defiant, awe-inspiring’ JESSAMINE CHAN ‘Vividly imaginative and startling’ ELLE ‘The new maestro of dystopian lit’ WIRED ‘A pure fire page turner’ MAX PORTER Shortlisted for the TikTok Book Awards, International Book of the Year, 2024

A NEW YORK TIMES TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR - FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION - A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK - NATIONAL BESTSELLER - Two top women gladiators fight for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America's own in this explosive, hotly-anticipated debut novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Friday Black - LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE "This book is so good. Brutal subject matter, beautiful writing. This one is from the heart." -- Stephen King A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Elle, Esquire, Chicago Tribune, Lit Hub, Kirkus Reviews "Like Orwell's 1984 and Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale , Adjei-Brenyah's book presents a dystopian vision so...illuminating that it should permanently shift our understanding of who we are and what we're capable of doing." -- The Washington Post She felt their eyes, all those executioners... Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker are the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, the cornerstone of CAPE, or Criminal Action Penal Entertainment, a highly popular, highly controversial profit-raising program in America's increasingly dominant private prison industry. It's the return of the gladiators, and prisoners are com­peting for the ultimate prize: their freedom. In CAPE, prisoners travel as Links in Chain-Gangs, competing in death matches before packed arenas with righteous protestors at the gates. Thur­war and Staxxx, both teammates and lovers, are the fan favorites. And if all goes well, Thurwar will be free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. As she prepares to leave her fellow Links, Thurwar considers how she might help preserve their humanity, in defiance of these so-called games. But CAPE's corporate own­ers will stop at nothing to protect their status quo, and the obstacles they lay in Thurwar's path have devastating consequences. Moving from the Links in the field to the protestors, to the CAPE employees and beyond, Chain-Gang All-Stars i s a kaleidoscopic, excoriating look at the American prison system's unholy alli­ance of systemic racism, unchecked capitalism, and mass incarceration, and a clear-eyed reckoning with what freedom in this country really means from a "new and necessary American voice" (Tommy Orange, The New York Times Book Review ).

A NEW YORK TIMES TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR - FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION - A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK - NATIONAL BESTSELLER - Two top women gladiators fight for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America's own in this explosive, hotly-anticipated debut novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Friday Black - LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE "This book is so good. Brutal subject matter, beautiful writing. This one is from the heart." -- Stephen King A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Elle, Esquire, Chicago Tribune, Lit Hub, Kirkus Reviews "Like Orwell's 1984 and Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale , Adjei-Brenyah's book presents a dystopian vision so...illuminating that it should permanently shift our understanding of who we are and what we're capable of doing." -- The Washington Post She felt their eyes, all those executioners... Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker are the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, the cornerstone of CAPE, or Criminal Action Penal Entertainment, a highly popular, highly controversial profit-raising program in America's increasingly dominant private prison industry. It's the return of the gladiators, and prisoners are com­peting for the ultimate prize: their freedom. In CAPE, prisoners travel as Links in Chain-Gangs, competing in death matches before packed arenas with righteous protestors at the gates. Thur­war and Staxxx, both teammates and lovers, are the fan favorites. And if all goes well, Thurwar will be free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. As she prepares to leave her fellow Links, Thurwar considers how she might help preserve their humanity, in defiance of these so-called games. But CAPE's corporate own­ers will stop at nothing to protect their status quo, and the obstacles they lay in Thurwar's path have devastating consequences. Moving from the Links in the field to the protestors, to the CAPE employees and beyond, Chain-Gang All-Stars i s a kaleidoscopic, excoriating look at the American prison system's unholy alli­ance of systemic racism, unchecked capitalism, and mass incarceration, and a clear-eyed reckoning with what freedom in this country really means from a "new and necessary American voice" (Tommy Orange, The New York Times Book Review ).

She felt their eyes, all those executioners... Enter a world where, watched by millions, prisoners fight like gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2023 'The new maestro of dystopian lit has arrived' WIRED 'America's new Hunger Games' SUNDAY TIMES 'Criminally entertaining' GUARDIAN Welcome to Chain-Gang All-Stars, the popular and highly controversial programme inside America's private prison system. In packed arenas, live-streamed by millions, prisoners compete as gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. Fan favourites Loretta Thurwar and Hamara 'Hurricane Staxxx' Stacker are teammates and lovers. Thurwar is nearing the end of her time on the circuit, free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. As she prepares for her final encounters, as protestors gather at the gates, and as the programme's corporate owners stack the odds against her - will the price be simply too high? 'A pure fire page turner' MAX PORTER 'Electrifying' GEORGE SAUNDERS --------- READERS CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK OF SUMMER 2023 'I've waited my whole life for a sapphic Hunger Games!' 'An explosive page-turner that's also a chilling social commentary.' 'This novel is alive and glorious. Give it all the awards.' 'Had me cheering and weeping, unable to tear my eyes from the page.' 'A masterpiece that packs a mighty punch.'

She felt their eyes, all those executioners... Enter a world where, watched by millions, prisoners fight like gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2023 'The new maestro of dystopian lit has arrived' WIRED 'America's new Hunger Games' SUNDAY TIMES 'Criminally entertaining' GUARDIAN Welcome to Chain-Gang All-Stars, the popular and highly controversial programme inside America's private prison system. In packed arenas, live-streamed by millions, prisoners compete as gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. Fan favourites Loretta Thurwar and Hamara 'Hurricane Staxxx' Stacker are teammates and lovers. Thurwar is nearing the end of her time on the circuit, free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. As she prepares for her final encounters, as protestors gather at the gates, and as the programme's corporate owners stack the odds against her - will the price be simply too high? 'A pure fire page turner' MAX PORTER 'Electrifying' GEORGE SAUNDERS --------- READERS CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK OF SUMMER 2023 'I've waited my whole life for a sapphic Hunger Games!' 'An explosive page-turner that's also a chilling social commentary.' 'This novel is alive and glorious. Give it all the awards.' 'Had me cheering and weeping, unable to tear my eyes from the page.' 'A masterpiece that packs a mighty punch.'