Prophets of the Ghost Ants (The Antasy Series, 1)

Both familiar and fantastic, Clark T. Carlton begins the epic Antasy saga with Prophets of the Ghost Ants, exploring a world in which food, weapons, clothing, art—even religious beliefs—are derived from Humankind’s profound intertwining with the insect world. In a savage landscape where humans have evolved to the size of insects, they cannot hope to dominate. Ceaselessly, humans are stalked by night wasps, lair spiders, and marauder fleas. And just as sinister, men are still men. Corrupt elites ruthlessly enforce a rigid caste system. Duplicitous clergymen and power-mongering royalty wage pointless wars for their own glory. Fantasies of a better life and a better world serve only to torment those who dare to dream. One so tormented is a half-breed slave named Anand, a dung-collector who has known nothing but squalor and abuse. Anand wants to lead his people against a genocidal army who fight atop fearsome, translucent Ghost Ants. But to his horror, Anand learns this merciless enemy is led by someone from his own family: a religious zealot bent on the conversion of all non-believers . . . or their extermination.A mix of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadow of the Apt, Katherine Addison’s The Goblin Emperor, and Phillip Pullman’s Golden Compass, this is a powerful new addition to the genre.

Kirkus Reviews

“A gripping read ... a fascinating, enjoyable sci-fi yarn.”

io9

“I’m fascinated by the world building in Clark Carlton’s Prophets of the Ghost Ants.”

Galaxy's Edge Magazine

“I had my proverbial socks knocked off…extraordinary scope of imagination…a perfect example of very skillful storytelling, something the field could use more of. The novel never flags, every word counts…I simply could not put this book down.”

Aaron Pounds, Dreaming of Other Worlds

“An engaging piece of fiction built upon an imaginative idea. Even though everything takes place on a very small scale, the scope of the conflict remains epic and the nature of the conflict remains quintessentially human.”

Lawrence Bender, producer of Inglourious Basterds, Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, An Inconvenient Truth

“One of the most engrossing, original and powerful novels I have read in years...a monumental cross-genre book, an allegory like Animal Farm, as well as a thrilling adventure into a whole new world. Exciting, visionary, a tour de force.”

From the Back Cover

Both familiar and fantastic, Clark T. Carlton’s Prophets of the Ghost Ants explores a world in which food, weapons, clothing, art—even religious beliefs—are derived from Humankind’s profound intertwining with the insect world. In a savage landscape where humans have evolved to the size of insects, they cannot hope to dominate. Ceaselessly, humans are stalked by night wasps, lair spiders, and marauder fleas. And just as sinister, men are still men. Corrupt elites ruthlessly enforce a rigid caste system. Duplicitous clergymen and power-mongering royalty wage pointless wars for their own glory. Fantasies of a better life and a better world serve only to torment those who dare to dream. One so tormented is a half-breed slave named Anand, a dung-collector who has known nothing but squalor and abuse. Anand wants to lead his people against a genocidal army who fight atop fearsome, translucent Ghost Ants. But to his horror, Anand learns this merciless enemy is led by someone from his own family: a religious zealot bent on the conversion of all non-believers . . . or their extermination.A mix of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt, Katherine Addison’s The Goblin Emperor, and Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, this is a powerful new addition to the genre.

About the Author

Clark Thomas Carlton is an award-winning novelist, playwright, journalist, screen and television writer, and producer of reality TV. He was born in the South, grew up in the East, went to school in the North, and lives with his family in the West. As a child he spent hours observing ants and their wars and pondered their similarity to human societies.

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