For a thousand years the mages of the Empire have flourished through sorcery. But an ancient spell, forged by the semi-divine Simurgh, is draining magic from the world. They call it the BAN.This does not much matter to two clueless shepherds, Zanthred and Millie, who arrive at the capital ready do their civic service for the Emperor. Zanthred immediately disgraces himself with foolish romantic gestures and is soon the butt of every joke in the town.But as mages start rebell...

Sex and death are two of the most powerful, exhilarating and terrifying forces that define and shape the human experience.In this provocative and haunting collection of short stories edited by two masters of the form, some of today's most compelling writers from around the globe - including Kevin Barry, Yiyun Li, Ben Marcus, Jon McGregor, Taiye Selasi and Ali Smith - explore these challenging themes with honesty, empathy and psychological acuity, in stories that are utterly dazzlin...