
Titles in This Set:
The Course of the Heart
Wish I Was Here
The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again
Condition: New
Format: Paperback
Overview:
Three novels, three distinct paths into the strange and the intimate, gathered in one carefully designed paperback collection. The Course of the Heart, Wish I Was Here, and The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again showcase M. John Harrison’s rare ability to fuse psychological precision with visionary imagination. The Course of the Heart opens on a hot May night in Cambridge, where three students enact a ritual whose aftershocks bend memory, guilt, and desire across decades. Pam Stuyvesant battles epilepsy and sensual visions; her husband Lucas frets that a dwarfish stalker haunts him; a self-styled sorcerer, Yaxley, pursues a reality beyond ordinary sight; and a quiet narrator carries the moral weight of trying to help everyone escape the consequences. Wish I Was Here turns the author’s lens inward, offering a sharp, often paradoxical anti-memoir that probes memory, art, and identity with wit and candor. The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again expands the horizon again—myth, landscape, and psyche collide as memory and mythic weather shape a startling, unforgettable reading experience. This set is a doorway into Harrison’s uniquely, ceaselessly inventive world.
What Makes This Collection Worth Owning:
Owning these three novels together creates a through-line through Harrison’s exploration of memory, belief, and the uncanny. The Course of the Heart demonstrates his deft handling of guilt and desire within a tightly plotted psychological drama; Wish I Was Here adds a radical, self-aware voice that interrogates how memory informs writing and life; The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again delivers a bold, audacious blend of speculative fiction and literary storytelling that rewards patient reading. The UK paperback editions present a cohesive, shelf-friendly package that looks as good as it reads, making the set an ideal gift for fans of literary SF, brave storytelling, and books that invite long, thoughtful discussions. For collectors and new readers alike, this trio offers a complete, immersive experience that’s perfect for binge-reading sessions or reflective, slow-paced evenings.
Books Included in This Collection:
The Course of the Heart
On a sweltering Cambridge night, three students participate in a ritual whose echoes upend their later lives. Decades pass, and memory-clouded histories bind the participants in a web of guilt, desire, and fragile hopes. The narrator, perhaps the least affected by the events, bears the scent of roses as he struggles to guide his friends toward some form of relief. Harrison’s prose marries rigorous psychological insight with eerie atmosphere, inviting readers to lean into mystery and ambiguity rather than demanding certainty. This novel remains a cornerstone of his early mature voice in speculative realism. ~60–100 words.
Wish I Was Here
An anti-memoir written with sly humor and unflinching honesty, Wish I Was Here collects fragments of a life in prose that refuses tidy chronology. It roams through memory, art, and love, offering keen reflections on how stories are made and what they cost. Sharp observations, intimate revelations, and a restless wit make this volume a perfect companion for readers who appreciate the ways memory can tilt, mislead, or illuminate. It’s a daring, transportive read that rewards revisiting. ~60–100 words.
The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again
An audacious, expansive novel that blends myth with intimate human drama. A couple’s world expands and tears at the seams as landscapes and memories rearrange themselves into something eerily beautiful and strange. The book’s momentum, ambition, and resonant imagery culminate in a narrative that lingers long after the final page, offering a singular vision of how the inner and outer worlds can collide and cohere. It’s a standout work that has been recognised for its daring, prize-winning craft. ~60–100 words.
Who This Set Is Perfect For:
This collection is ideal for readers who relish literary SF and the English weird fiction tradition, and for those who enjoy novels that unfold in non-linear, contemplative, and dreamlike ways. It’s perfect for book clubs seeking bold themes to discuss—memory, guilt, identity, and the nature of reality. Fans of M. John Harrison will want the UK paperback consistency in one affordable edition, while gift buyers will find a rare, complete trio that signals serious reading and thoughtful taste. Suitable for adults and advanced YA readers drawn to densely plotted, language-rich narratives.
Key Benefits:
About the Author:
M. John Harrison is one of Britain's most influential voices in contemporary weird and speculative fiction. Born in 1945, he is renowned for the Viriconium cycle and for works that blend metaphysical speculation with precise, lucid prose. The Course of the Heart (Gollancz, 1992) helped solidify his reputation in literary SF, while The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again (Gollancz, 2020) earned recognition as a bold, prize-winning achievement. Across his career, Harrison has been celebrated for pushing boundaries between everyday life and surreal, almost mythic landscapes, delivering novels that reward patient reading and multiple rereadings. Wish I Was Here adds a self-aware, reflective counterpoint to his expansive imagination, showcasing his versatility and commitment to language-driven storytelling.
Why You’ll Love This Set:
This trio of novels offers a singular reading journey through memory’s labyrinth, ritual’s pull, and myth’s stubborn persistence. Owning the complete set provides a coherent, immersive experience that’s greater than the sum of its parts—perfect for readers who treasure depth and deliberate pacing. The collection also serves as an elegant, thoughtful gift for avid readers and collectors, reinforcing a taste for high-concept, finely crafted narratives that linger long after the last page is turned.
Please Note: The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.
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