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UK AND US RIGHTS SOLD IN 2-BOOK DEALS IN 4-WAY AUCTIONS!
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A group of teenage criminals on an intergalactic cruise spaceship must compete for a literal ‘get out of jail free card’, the reluctant stars of a reality TV show where nothing and no one is quite what they seem…
Hacker. Thief. Terrorist. Killer.
These are the labels given to loner Desmadeira “Dez” Okora-Andromeda, amiable liar Ishaan Viswanathan, pit fighter Carlito “Cutter” Azevedo, and heiress Lane Holland as they compete on the hit reality show Redemption Ark. Along with twenty-one other teenage criminals, they have just ten days until the starship Redemption Ark arrives at the most secure prison in the galaxy: the Vault. The Vault is the end of the line for most of the contestants, but one of them will win a literal get-out-of-jail-free card if they can prove to viewers that they’ve had the most authentic “redemption arc” of any contestant on the ship.
Winning won’t be easy, though, especially when, like Ishaan, you’re distracted by your hot arsonist roommate; ready to punch anyone who gets in your way, like Cutter; sure the show’s host is up to something nefarious, like Dez; or keeping a secret from the whole galaxy, like Lane. And after the unexpected arrival of new contestant Warrick Vektor, son of a notorious space gangster, it’s increasingly clear that the show isn’t what it appears to be…
Jump back onboard the Redemption Ark spaceship and pick up right where you left off with your four favourite teenage criminals in a bit of a hot spot on an intergalactic reality show that is definitely not what it seems. Buckle up because this season is about to be the most out-of-this-world one yet!
Lane Holland, Dez Okoro, Ishaan Viswanathan, and Cutter Azevedo were just beginning to figure out how to survive (and maybe even win) the hit reality show Redemption Ark in outer space. Play into your role as the criminal—but not too much, lest the audience turn on you. Open up to the cameras, even if spilling your guts to the entire galaxy makes you want to hurl yourself into the void. And remember: you’re supposed to be earning your redemption arc, so at least try to make it look like you’re behaving redemptively.
But they’ve just seen Damian Scorpio, Redemption Ark’s showrunner, brutally murdered by Warrick Vector. Warrick was this season’s twist—a surprise contestant, the icy son of an intergalactic crime lord. The rules that the unlikely friends thought they understood are spacedust now. Instead, they must set aside their differences and band together to save not only their lives, but also the lives of their fellow contestants. Because now, Warrick is taking over the ship. And he’s taking Lane, too.
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‘Completely addictive. O’Neal never slows the pace, peeling back the layers on a twisty, complex tale. Read this one—you won’t regret it.’ —Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Red Star Rebels and Illuminae
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‘The twists and turns don’t stop coming, and readers will have no shortage of complicated and compelling characters to root for. Redemption Ark is THE next great dystopian novel.’ —Kass Morgan, New York Times bestselling author of The 100
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‘Here's your next obsession: teen criminals in a deadly cosmic reality show—bold, raw, gripping, and wicked.’ – Soyoung Park, New York Times bestselling author of Snowglobe
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‘Deep dark secrets, forbidden romance, and an action-packed, life-changing competition in space—I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and can’t wait for more!’ – Joelle Charbonneau, New York Times bestselling author of The Testing
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US Publisher: Bloomsbury, March 2027
US Editors: Mary Kate Castellani, Meghan McCullough
UK Publisher: S&S, March 2027
UK Editor: Louisa Cusworth (Previously Carla Hutchinson)
Primary Agent: Christabel McKinley
Film/ TV agent: DHA (Clare Israel)
Extent: 105,000 words, 398 pages
Co-agents: Chinese Bardon Chinese Media; Japanese Japan Uni
Rights sold: German - Ullstein; Polish - Media Rodzina
US Publisher: Bloomsbury, August 2027
US Editors: Mary Kate Castellani, Meghan McCullough
UK Publisher: Simon & Schuster, March 2028
UK Editor: Louisa Cusworth
Primary Agent: Christabel McKinley
Film/TV Rights: DHA (Clare Israel)
Extent: 110,000 words
Co-agents: Chinese Bardon Chinese Media Japanese Japan Uni
Rights Sold: German Ullstein Polish Media Rodzina
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‘An ambitious and thrilling tale set amid a high-stakes futuristic game, centered around a compelling and diverse cast of fascinating characters with amazing chemistry. With high stakes, romance and surprises at every turn, Redemption Ark will keep you glued to the page.’ – S.J. Kincaid, New York Times bestselling author of The Diabolic
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‘Sharp and cinematic, Redemption Ark is a whip-smart thrill ride with as much action as there is heart. O’Neal balances an intricate plot and four richly drawn POVs alongside a searing examination of the prison industrial complex. Utterly stellar!’ – Jenna Voris, author of Every Time You Hear That Song and Say a Little Prayer
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‘This story digs into the voyeuristic side of reality television and society’s appetite for spectacle. But O’Neal flips the typical reality competition formula on its head with the inclusion of multiple protagonists and no predictable winner. The cast of flawed, sometimes self-destructive teens is diverse in background, appearance, and sexuality. Readers will appreciate the quippy dialogue, romantic intrigue, and fast pace of this suspenseful duology opener. VERDICT A quick-moving, sharp adventure story that explores mistakes, redemption, and what comes next. Highly recommended.’ – Liz Overberg for the School Library journal
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‘From the opening pitch, I was heavily invested in these five irresistible young criminals and the psychotic yet fascinating gameshow they find themselves starring in. On the surface, the show is a slick production that many of us could probably imagine tuning into – but underneath that lies much deeper questions about crime and punishment, guilt and blame, accountability and, of course, redemption. Eilis tells these characters’ complex, layered stories with such tight pacing and intrigue, such perfectly believable characterisation, and with such heart and humour that you will be entertained from the word ‘go’ and find yourself thinking about these teens and this world long after you finish reading.’ - Christabel McKinley
‘I have been hopeful for a dystopian YA with a twist and Eilis has delivered just that with Redemption Ark. It’s fresh, thrilling and propulsive – exactly what we want in a YA that absolutely makes you lose your breath! Eilis has written a book that’s got everything you want – mystery, love triangles, devious traps! – tightly packed in a captivating hook, an equally addictive plot, and a powerfully paced story that uniquely merges sci-fi and dystopian genres together to create a high-octane, edge-of-your-seat book that you can’t put down. Slick, compulsive and skillfully atmospheric.’ - Carla Hutchinson, S&S UK
Eilis O’Neal wrote her first story when she was three years old (though it was only four sentences long), and her middle name is Arwen, which is what sometimes happens when Tolkien-obsessed parents name children. She is an avid reader, hiker, puzzle-worker, board-gamer, and general geek. Her debut novel, The False Princess, was an American Library Association YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, among other honours, and she also worked at the literary magazine Nimrod International Journal for many years. She lives with her husband and two very silly dogs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she is always trying to find space for more bookcases in her house.