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|title=The Lost Art

|sort=Lost Art

|buy=Maybe

|borrow=Yes

|pages=528

|publisher=David Fickling Books

|date=July 2007

|isbn=978-0385609647

}}

''The Lost Art'' takes place in a post-apocalyptic world a millennium or so in the future. The Earth has turned on its axis and the technological civilisation is gone, replaced by a set up reminiscent of ours ca. 14th-15th century. It's not clear if the Reversal was actually caused by the destroyed technical civilisation or has it just happened but the Users, as they are called now, have caused the seas to rise and destroyed their own land and substantial parts of others and are now universally reviled. Who were the Users? It's not said, but their ruined cities lie beyond the Outer Ocean, to the east (and remember, the world is upside down).

We are introduced to this world a few hundred years after the Reversal. The story will take us throughout the new-Old world, from Maghreb to Moskva and from the Aeire to New Nairobi, the capital of the mighty Kenyan empire. The civilisation of the Users is gone, and machinery and science are viewed with suspicion though not necessarily universally: the Kenyans are building industry and developing technology already: from windmills to projectile weapons (not identical to ones known from our past!). Old religion survived and appear to be thriving, Islam, Christianity and its Orthodox version in Mother Russia has returned.

A set of indestructible User books is stolen in a bloodily murderous raid at the Siberian monastery. A fanatic ex-assassin monk who believes that if used, the books will bring on the destruction of the world sets off to find them, aided by a princess bound to him by an irrational and unrequited love.

Published by David Fickling Books, ''The Lost Art'' is probably aimed at older teen/young adult market, but there is no reason why it shouldn't be enjoyed by anybody from about 12 years old onwards (or even younger if happy to read 500+ pages of large type). Yes, it's largely a combination of old tropes, but it's done professionally, skilfully, with enthusiasm and grace. The resulting book works really well and I haven't that much fun with a novel for a while. Highly recommended as a summer read for all s-f fans, and might inspire the younger ones to ask deeper-probing questions.

Those ready for a truly grown up space opera of awesome complexity should try [[The Algebraist by Iain M Banks|The Algebraist]] by [[:Category:Iain M Banks|Iain M Banks]].

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