Created as an experiment by the time-traveling goddess Pallas Athene, the Just City is a planned community, populated by over ten thousand children and a few hundred adult teachers from all eras of history, along with some handy robots from the far human future - all set down together on a Mediterranean island in the distant past. The student Simmea, born an Egyptian farmer's daughter sometime between 500 and 1000 A.D, is a brilliant child, eager for knowledge, ready to strive to be her best self. The teacher Maia was once Ethel, a young Victorian lady of much learning and few prospects, who prayed to Pallas Athene in an unguarded moment during a trip to Rome - and, in an instant, found herself in the Just City with grey-eyed Athene standing unmistakably before her. Meanwhile, Apollo - stunned by the realization that there are things mortals understand better than he does - has arranged to live a human life, and has come to the City as one of the children. He knows his true identity, and conceals it from his peers. For this lifetime, he is prone to all the troubles of being human. Then, a few years in, Sokrates arrives - the same Sokrates recorded by Plato himself - to ask all the troublesome questions you would expect. What happens next is a tale only the brilliant Jo Walton could tell.--Provided by publisher.
Created as an experiment by the time-traveling goddess Pallas Athene, the Just City is a planned community, populated by over ten thousand children and a few hundred adult teachers from all eras of history, along with some handy robots from the far human future - all set down together on a Mediterranean island in the distant past. The student Simmea, born an Egyptian farmer's daughter sometime between 500 and 1000 A.D, is a brilliant child, eager for knowledge, ready to strive to be her best self. The teacher Maia was once Ethel, a young Victorian lady of much learning and few prospects, who prayed to Pallas Athene in an unguarded moment during a trip to Rome - and, in an instant, found herself in the Just City with grey-eyed Athene standing unmistakably before her. Meanwhile, Apollo - stunned by the realization that there are things mortals understand better than he does - has arranged to live a human life, and has come to the City as one of the children. He knows his true identity, and conceals it from his peers. For this lifetime, he is prone to all the troubles of being human. Then, a few years in, Sokrates arrives - the same Sokrates recorded by Plato himself - to ask all the troublesome questions you would expect. What happens next is a tale only the brilliant Jo Walton could tell.--Provided by publisher.
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Find The Just City Jo Walton in PDF, EPUB, ebook, audiobook, print, or library editions.
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2 books in catalog
Explorations of speculative fiction across fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history have redefined how traditional tropes interact with literary form and historical pastiche. Welsh-Canadian author Jo Walton established a distinct presence in speculative literature by crafting narrative worlds where Victorian manners merge with dragon society, classical philosophy shapes mythical cities, and intimate coming-of-age stories double as tributes to genre fandom. Her novel Among Others achieved widespread critical recognition by winning both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.
Born in Aberdare, Wales, in 1964, Walton began publishing genre fiction in the late 1990s following early novel projects such as The Rebirth of Pan. Her debut published novel, The King's Peace (2000), launched the Tir Tanagiri sequence, a fantasy reworking of Arthurian legends set in early medieval times. She received the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2002, the same year she relocated to Canada. Settling in Montreal, Walton expanded her bibliography across multiple subgenres, publishing the World Fantasy Award–winning novel Tooth and Claw in 2003, as well as the Small Change alternate-history trilogy comprising Farthing, Ha'penny, and Half a Crown.
In addition to her narrative fiction, Walton has contributed extensive criticism, essays, and reviews to Tor.com and other genre venues. Her essay collection What Makes This Book So Great earned the Locus Award for Non-Fiction in 2014. Over her career, Walton has produced fifteen novels along with collections of poetry, short stories, and plays, establishing a reputation for genre versatility and literary analysis.
Walton's writing style is characterized by the blending of distinct literary genres, historical periods, and speculative premises. Her narratives frequently examine social hierarchies, ethics, religion, and the influence of literature on human lives. Whether constructing an alternate history through the framework of mid-century cozy murder mysteries or building a city governed by classical Greek philosophy, Walton emphasizes character-focused perspectives and domestic settings over epic conflict. Her work regularly incorporates meta-fictional elements and homage to the history of science fiction and fantasy literature.
2 books in catalog
Explorations of speculative fiction across fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history have redefined how traditional tropes interact with literary form and historical pastiche. Welsh-Canadian author Jo Walton established a distinct presence in speculative literature by crafting narrative worlds where Victorian manners merge with dragon society, classical philosophy shapes mythical cities, and intimate coming-of-age stories double as tributes to genre fandom. Her novel Among Others achieved widespread critical recognition by winning both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.
Born in Aberdare, Wales, in 1964, Walton began publishing genre fiction in the late 1990s following early novel projects such as The Rebirth of Pan. Her debut published novel, The King's Peace (2000), launched the Tir Tanagiri sequence, a fantasy reworking of Arthurian legends set in early medieval times. She received the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2002, the same year she relocated to Canada. Settling in Montreal, Walton expanded her bibliography across multiple subgenres, publishing the World Fantasy Award–winning novel Tooth and Claw in 2003, as well as the Small Change alternate-history trilogy comprising Farthing, Ha'penny, and Half a Crown.
In addition to her narrative fiction, Walton has contributed extensive criticism, essays, and reviews to Tor.com and other genre venues. Her essay collection What Makes This Book So Great earned the Locus Award for Non-Fiction in 2014. Over her career, Walton has produced fifteen novels along with collections of poetry, short stories, and plays, establishing a reputation for genre versatility and literary analysis.
Walton's writing style is characterized by the blending of distinct literary genres, historical periods, and speculative premises. Her narratives frequently examine social hierarchies, ethics, religion, and the influence of literature on human lives. Whether constructing an alternate history through the framework of mid-century cozy murder mysteries or building a city governed by classical Greek philosophy, Walton emphasizes character-focused perspectives and domestic settings over epic conflict. Her work regularly incorporates meta-fictional elements and homage to the history of science fiction and fantasy literature.
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