Swiftly by Adam Roberts is an inventive and thought-provoking science fiction novel that reimagines the world of Gulliver’s Travels with a darkly satirical edge. Set in 1848, the British Empire has entrenched its power by exploiting enslaved Lilliputians, whose tiny hands enable feats of astonishing miniature engineering. Even Charles Babbage’s fabled analytical engine finally functions in this altered timeline, thanks to their delicate craftsmanship.
But the balance of power is shifting. Across the Channel, the French have enlisted a regiment of Brobdingnagian giants—once peaceful, now poised for invasion. Roberts expands Jonathan Swift’s vision into a vast, multilayered universe where beings both infinitely small and unimaginably large coexist, raising unsettling questions about scale, power, and humanity’s place in the cosmos. A rich blend of alternate history, speculative fiction, and literary homage, Swiftly stands as a singularly original continuation of Swift’s classic satire.
Perfect for readers who enjoy clever reimaginings of literary classics and speculative fiction that challenges perception and scale, Swiftly is an audacious and intelligent addition to modern sci-fi literature.
