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Trying to get her muddled life back in order, Molly faces a series of setbacks, including an encounter with a now-immortal Elvis, an abduction by aliens, and neighbors who are in reality demons hiding from the devil.

Hardcover Published on 1st December 2003 by Thorndike Press
ISBN: 0786260157 (Large print edition)

Hardcover Published in August 2003 by Five Star Western
ISBN: 0786253339

Paperback Published in November 2003 by Five Star Trade
ISBN: 1410401561

It's 1999, and most of the world's computers, according to common belief, are set to regard the coming year as "Year Zero" rather than 2000. The Devil certainly appears to think so, and is planning an apocalypse of evil for New Year's Eve.

Unfortunately, Molly, who's having a hard enough time just trying to stay clean and get her kids back from Social Services, becomes accidentally entangled in the Devil's scheme. Her potential allies--Elvis, various fallen angels, little gray men, Britain's Men in Black, the masterminds of Peaslee Pharmaceuticals, and "sanity"--all prove impotent to help her out.

It looks as if Molly's going to have to frustrate the Devil's plans all by herself--but it certainly won't be easy! A grand science-fantasy adventure!

Paperback Published in December 2012 by Borgo Press
ISBN: 978-1434445643

Review by Ian Braidwood

Cast of Characters:
Molly, Elvis (ahuhuh), the Greys, Christine, Angie, Mephistopheles,Lilith, Beelzebub, His Satanic Majesty the Archetype of Evil, Dean, Thomas the Rhymer, Torquemadam, The Queen of Fays, Dr Nathanael Wingate, Mr Wilson, Marjorie De'Ath and not a cephalopod at all, really.

The first thing to be said here is that it is a total absurdity that Sarob Press should have produced this novel. That is no slur on Robert Morgan, he has produced a beautifully made object on bright, white paper; not the grey muck we're used to.

The slur is on the major publishers, who have overlooked Brian's most promising commercial book since The Empire of Fear and I mean Terry Pratchett type commercial. Why not? Terry's a good author, but Brian's a fine one who could teach him a thing or two.

The Pratchett comparison is inevitable, because both have mixed the sublime and the ridiculous, but the two authors have approached the mixture from completely different directions. Terry has built Discworld and introduces mundane elements to juxtapose; whereas Year Zero is set on Earth and it is the fantastic, which invades. The affect is darker and more cynical than a Discworld novel, but I feel wiser, more Socratic.

On the way we meet Elvis, an angel, the host of Hell and a poor schmendrik, who's trying hard to be something that isn't worth being anyway.

Interzone readers will have already had a taste of Year Zero, because three Molly stories were published in the magazine under Brian's Francis Amery pseudonym. However, don't be mislead into thinking Year Zero is just a collection of linked stories, this is a proper novel, which develops and has a proper ending.

In an earlier version of this review, I questioned whether it was worth spending £25 on this book. If like me, you're willing to spend neary £20 on the hardback edition of The Fountains of Youth, then there's no question that Year Zero is worth it.

Comparing the two books reveals a quality of workmanship, which is in a different league to the Tor book. The paper is brighter, the text is crisper and it feels much more solid. Picking this book up feels personal, like a special occasion.

I don't regret buying this at all and I don't think you will either, but you're going to have to hurry...

Kieth Brooke's review of Year Zero is online at Infinity +.
Another review is online at SFSite.

The Brian Stableford Website