• “The smartest historical sci-fi adventure-romance story ever written by a science Ph.D. with a background in scripting 'Scrooge McDuck' comics.”—Salon.com
  • A time-hopping, continent-spanning salmagundi of genres.”
    —ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
  • “These books have to be word-of-mouth books because they're too weird to describe to anybody.”
    —Jackie Cantor, Diana's first editor

The Space Between (Novella)

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“The Space Between” is a novella that was published in an anthology titled THE MAD SCIENTIST’S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION, edited by John Joseph Adams. This is one of the “orts”—the short stories and novellas that come from (and are part of) the overall OUTLANDER series. 

This novella deals with Joan MacKenzie (Laoghaire MacKenzie’s daughter by an earlier marriage, and Jamie Fraser’s step-daughter) and with Michael Murray (son of Ian and Jenny Fraser Murray, elder brother to Young Ian Murray), in which Michael, a young and newly-widowed wine-merchant, takes on the responsibility of seeing Joan safely to the convent where she proposes to take up her vocation as a nun. Things Happen—not least, a growing bond between two displaced people in search of home and safety.

This anthology was released in hardcover by Tor books on February 19, 2013. Authors who contributed include Alan Dean Foster, Carrie Vaughn, and many others!

Publisher’s Description

From Victor Frankenstein to Lex Luthor, from Dr. Moreau to Dr. Doom, readers have long been fascinated by insane plans for world domination and the madmen who devise them. Typically, we see these villains through the eyes of good guys. This anthology, however, explores the world of mad scientists and evil geniuses— from their own wonderfully twisted point of view.

An all-star roster of bestselling authors—including Diana Gabaldon, Daniel Wilson, Austin Grossman, Naomi Novik, and Seanan McGuire…twenty-two great storytellers all told—have produced a fabulous assortment of stories guaranteed to provide readers with hour after hour of high-octane entertainment born of the most megalomaniacal mayhem imaginable.

Everybody loves villains. They’re bad; they always stir the pot; they’re much more fun than the good guys, even if we want to see the good guys win. Their fiendish schemes, maniacal laughter, and limitless ambition are legendary, but what lies behind those crazy eyes and wicked grins? How— and why— do they commit these nefarious deeds? And why are they so set on taking over the world?

If you’ve ever asked yourself any of these questions, you’re in luck: It’s finally time for the madmen’s side of the story.


This page was last updated on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 12:15 a.m. (PDT) by the Webmaster.