A Twenty-First Century Hamlet.

Hayden Lichfield's life is ripped apart when he finds his father murdered in their lab, and the camera logs erased. The killer can only have been after one thing: the Sisyphus Formula the two of them developed together, which might one day reverse death itself. Hoping to lure the killer into the open, Hayden steals the research. In the process, he uncovers a recording his father made in the days before his death, and a dying wish: Avenge me...

With the lab on lockdown, Hayden is trapped with four other people-his uncle Charles, lab technician Gabriel Rasmussen, research intern Felicia Xia and their head of security, Felicia's father Paul-one of whom must be the killer. His only sure ally is the lab's resident artificial intelligence, Horatio, who has been his dear friend and companion since its creation. With his world collapsing, Hayden must navigate the building's secrets, uncover his father's lies, and push the boundaries of sanity in the pursuit of revenge.

Paperback edition of 2023's "Compellingly readable and unreservedly commendable" (Financial Times) queer sci-fi retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet

About the Author

Em X. Liu is a writer and recent biochemistry graduate, which means they love stories about artificial intelligence and Shakespeare in equal measure. Since immigrating to Canada, they never go long without hopping on a plane to wander new places. But out of all the cities they've been to, they still love their home in Toronto the most.

Reviews

"Ingenious ... This is a nail-biter."-Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Clever in structure and reinterpretation - very nearly too clever, but it finds a tense, riveting balance."-GQ

"This is a fantastic and innovative retelling."-Library Journal

"A bludgeoningly emotional read."-The Fantasy Hive

"A fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing at every turn."-Them

"Compellingly readable and unreservedly commendable."-The FT

"Solid and smartly-drawn, The Death I Gave Him shines."-Set The Tape

"Addictive and nuanced... an intelligent evolution of a classic."-SciFiNow

"A powerful reading experience."-Reactor (Tor.com)

"A layered puzzle of a novel." -- SFBook Reviews

"A story of science, ambition, AI, and betrayal." -- Locus

"The novel's multiple-viewpoint structure and coolly sophisticated style make it compellingly readable and unreservedly commendable." -- Financial Times

"Hamlet through the lens of a locked room sci-fi thriller, with plenty of murder, gore, and body horror to satisfy any horror reader." -- BookRiot

"Instantly intriguing... Beautifully gothic." -- Buzz Magazine

Awards
Short-listed for The Astounding Award for Best New Writer 2024.



Book Information
ISBN 9781837860012
Author Em X. Liu
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Solaris
Publisher Rebellion Publishing Ltd.