'Reminiscent of Ian McEwan at his most macabre, it is fiction that demands to be taken seriously. The Machine uses violence and unshielded emotion to precise and devastating effect, reeling the reader towards a conclusion that feels both utterly shocking and grimly inevitable' Will Wiles, author of Care of Wooden Floors 'A book about memory, about the impossibility of making the future match the past, and the danger of following a desire too far' Matt Haig, author of The Radleys 'Like Ballard, Smythe understands, and ruthlessly demonstrates, the nightmare that results when our fantasies are realised. The result is at once terrifying and moving' Sam Byers, author of Idiopathy 'Part Twilight Zone, part Iain Banks, Smythe has confirmed he is a versatile and brilliant writer' Nikesh Shukla, author of Coconut Unlimited

James Smythe was born in London in 1980. Since completing a PhD at Cardiff University he has worked as a computer game writer/narrative designer and currently teaches creative writing. He lives on the grounds of a boarding school in West Sussex.He can be found on Twitter @jpsmythe