Standalone

Escape Velocity

"Manibo (The Sleepless) ingeniously melds genres in this suspenseful sci-fi mystery set in 2089.... As in the best mysteries, Manibo never allows his plot twists to come at the expense of character development."

Publisher's Weekly, STARRED review!

"Manibo (The Sleepless) pens a novel full of twists and turns, with broad appeal. Sci-fi, dystopian, and mystery fans will all find something to enjoy, while the posh setting and elite players give an unexpected air of palace intrigue that could rival Game of Thrones."

Library Journal

"A high-stakes sci-fi mystery—Foundation if it were written by Agatha Christie—Escape Velocity is an energetic and unforgettable page-turner, deftly honoring the genres it blends together while feeling vibrant and strikingly relevant. Perfect for fans of noir and thoughtful speculative fiction."

Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret Identity

"Dancing effortlessly between present and past mysteries, Escape Velocity serves up opulent privilege with deadly secrets. A must-read."

Mur Lafferty, Hugo Award winner and author of Station Eternity

“A murder mystery by way of Karl Marx, Escape Velocity is a spicy thriller about what we all secretly wish would happen to billionaires in space. Victor Manibo has given us a delightful, disturbing gift. I really loved this novel and its exquisitely-drawn cast of villains.”

Annalee Newitz, Lambda Award-winning author of Autonomous

“Searing social commentary, expert worldbuilding, and unforgettable characters . . . Victor Manibo remains one of the most exciting new voices working in fiction today.”

Rob Hart, author of Assassins Anonymous and The Warehouse

“Victor Manibo excels at the kind of extrapolation that makes near-future science fiction so interesting. What happens when being a ‘have’ instead of a ‘have not’ entitles you to not just the Earth's resources, but also those of space? What can money and clout buy, and what can’t be bought? With intrigue, murder, and machinations aplenty, Manibo never lets his characters or his readers off the hook.”

Sarah Pinsker, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of A Song For A New Day and Lost Places

"Manibo is that rare writer who can put a reader out among the stars but keep the focus on human trauma and scandal. Escape Velocity is a scintillating reminder that in space, everyone knows who your sidepiece is."

Meg Elison, winner of the Hugo, Locus, and Philip K. Dick Awards

The Sleepless

"Manibo neatly dissects the drawbacks of capitalist demands on society in this taut near-future procedural. It’s smart, high-tech noir."

Publisher's Weekly

“Bracing pageturner. . . . blending SF and mystery/thriller tropes with social justice concerns to discuss discrimination, ambition, betrayal, family, memory as defining who we are, and capitalism’s devastating will to power.”

Library Journal

“A tale of insidious, corporate-capitalist implications . . . and the human consequences of a life without dreams.”

Booklist

"For a book about a pandemic, The Sleepless could have wallowed in misery or dystopia, yet Manibo opts for reflection and compassion. It pushes back against the pervasive idea that the future is unchangeable, that we are trapped on a path to chaos and exploitation"

Tor.com

"Within the beats of the whodunnit, The Sleepless is a deep, introspective reflection on the ways in which productivity has taken over our lives, and the novel crafts a compassionate treatise on what makes people’s lives worth living."

Gizmodo

"A thoroughly captivating journey. . . . Manibo’s sure-footed speculative mystery is ambitious and engrossing, bringing readers into an unsettling but familiar future."

Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine

"Manibo is here not only to entertain in his debut novel, but to provide a reflection and insight into what matters amid crushing capitalism."

Ancillary Review of Books

"Victor Manibo's The Sleepless is a thrilling debut with a fresh edgy voice."

Harlan Coben, #1 NYT bestselling author

"Manibo has crafted a sharp, immersive dose of speculative fiction, a potent blend of science fiction and noir. The Sleepless will prove its name: you won’t be able to put it down, even as bedtime beckons."

Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret Identity

“The Sleepless is just the beginning; Victor Manibo is an author to keep your eye on.”

Lara Elena Donnelly, author of The Amberlough Dossier and Base Notes

“Move over Minority Report, because The Sleepless has everything I want in a near-future science fiction whodunit: an irresistible ‘what if’ premise, a twisty and desperate murder investigation, and a razor-sharp examination of the inevitable and chillingly recognizable dark side behind a seemingly shiny and bright futuristic society. The Sleepless delivers; I could not close my eyes.”

Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga

"The Sleepless is an expertly crafted tale of exploitation and deceit set within the eldritch horror of a never-ending capitalist grind."

K. M. Szpara, author of First, Become Ashes

"A fascinating murder mystery set in a world plagued by an epidemic of insomnia, The Sleepless is the corporate thriller our dystopias deserve. Manibo asks not merely how such a pandemic would change our society, but how the corrupt systems would exploit and perpetuate it."

John Wiswell, Nebula Award-winning author

“A meditative near-future thriller that explores grief, meaning, and time in a world that’s terrifyingly plausible.”

Lincoln Michel, critically acclaimed author of The Body Scout

"A skillfully-executed, utterly immersive story of one man’s quest to clear his name, reclaim his soul and hopefully save the world in the process"

Sparkly Pretty Briiiiight

"One of the best novels I have read so far this year. Victor Manibo has nailed each detail to create a rich world and characters with whom we can empathize easily"

A Vueltas por los Mundos

"The Sleepless was an utter masterpiece...Manibo truly proved that he deserves to be amongst the sci-fi greats with how The Sleepless tackles the issue of the commodification and exploitation of human labor."

Your Tita Kate

"Victor Manibo’s debut novel The Sleepless is a sharp, thought-provoking science fiction mystery with an instantly compelling premise and some strong commentary on technology and corporate power....a gripping, pacy mystery with great queer and Asian rep, a world that feels well-realised and utterly real, and a speculative concept that’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining."

Track of Words