Cello's Gate : the exhilarating first book in an action-packed, must-read fantasy adventure (Sky Pirates of Imperia 1) - Maurice Africh

Cello's Gate : the exhilarating first book in an action-packed, must-read fantasy adventure (Sky Pirates of Imperia 1) - Maurice Africh

Maurice Africh

£25.00
Pre-order

Published 3 November 2026

Order now and we’ll post it on publication day. We take payment today and hold your order until then; if the publisher moves the date we’ll email you, and you can cancel for a full refund at any point before it ships.

  • Pages · 592 pages, N/A
  • Publication Date · 03/11/2026
  • Genre · Adventure
Collect in store Pick it up free from the shop in Oxford's Covered Market, usually quicker than the post.
Delivery Standard tracked £1.99, free on orders over £20. Express tracked £2.99.
Book Lovers' Happy Hour Three cocktails matched to your taste, three books chosen for you, an hour and a half at the bar. £60 per person. Book a place →
THIS ONE'S A MUST-READ' NICHOLAS EAMES'THE VERY DEFINITION OF RIP-ROARING' RICHARD SWAN'A LITTLE FIREFLY, A LITTLE DUNE, A HELL OF A RIDE' DAVE RUDDENONE CREW OF SKY PIRATESSEVEN MYTHOLOGICAL STONESA RACE TO FIND THEM ALLCaptain Grey and his crew of sky pirates have a reputation for doing the impossible. From breaking into high-security military research facilities, to conning the iCity elite - there isn't a lock they can't pick, a safe they can't break, or a hidden treasure they can't find. Until now. Returning from a harrowing heist, Grey and his crew are approached by Dalia, the immortal daughter of the infamous ArchGovernor - and she has an offer. The job? Locate and steal the Stones of Indigo, seven fabled rocks invested with godlike power. The search for the first stone is a bona fide treasure hunt, guided by an ancient map to a deadly, uncharted island that's protected by a mysterious guardian. The score? One million credits per crew member, per stone. The catch? Well, that's where things get a little complicated. The stones don't exist. They're a myth. A bedtime story told to little pirates to make them believe that power and wealth are attainable if you just work hard enough. To make matters infinitely worse, Grey's never trusted immortals, and Dalia's definitely hiding something. Something bad. And if they don't figure out what it is, it might cost them their lives. JOIN THE CREW WHO LOVE CELLO'S GATE'The most fun I've had reading this year.' Smitty (Smitty1423)'Cello's Gate truly was the wickedly wild and uniquely imaginative adventure I didn't know I needed in my life. It's epic yet intimate, dark yet light-hearted, playful yet emotional, and it's got a fun factor that just soars higher than the sky. Ghandammit frens, this is how you write one hell of a debut!'- Esmay Rosalyne, Grimdark Magazine'My absolute favorite book of the year. Africh is a lyrical wordsmith, a poet who can turn a phrase into a strand of gold.' Phoenix McDonald, Author of The Talent Continuum'The world-building is dense and rich, a fusion of tech and magic; cities ruled by immortal tyrants, knights who fight like the wind, and monsters. The magic system is sparse, just enough to salt the story. The prose is witty. Occasionally poetic. Frequently unhinged. It feels like (Africh) dared you to laugh at tragedy, and then made you cry in the next paragraph.' Florian Armas, author of Chronicle of the Seer'From the start, this book gripped me.' Jonathan Neves Mayers, author of Vevin Song'I swear I've been WAITING for someone to write this book.' Ash, Readers Quadrant Art

Only at Gulp Fiction

Book Lovers' Happy Hour

An hour and a half at the bar, with three cocktails matched to your taste and three books chosen for you. Tell us what you like when you book, and we'll have them waiting when you arrive.

  • 1½ hours
  • £60 per person
  • 3 cocktails, 3 books
Book Happy Hour

Up to four of you can come — book a place each and choose the same time slot, then tell us who you're with. For larger groups, email gulpfictionbooks@gmail.com and we'll arrange it.

Three customers at the window table in Gulp Fiction, cocktails in hand beside a stack of books, with Oxford's Covered Market visible through the glass

Collect in store

Order online and pick it up from the shop. It's free, and usually quicker than the post.

Find us

Units 28–29, Covered Market, Oxford OX1 3DU. Mon–Wed 10–5, Thu–Sat 10–10, Sun 11–4.

Book a table

The bar is open late Thursday to Saturday. Reserve a table for a drink among the books.