Few and Far Between

by Jan Carson

From the award-winning author of The Raptures and The Fire Starters.

'A stunningly original novel... should further cement Carson's reputation as one of the most imaginative and talented Irish writers at work today' Roisín O’Donnell, author of Nesting

'A joy to read…No writer captures the absurdity and beauty of life quite like [Jan Carson] does' Sara Baume, author of Spill Simmer Falter Wither

‘Warm, sharp and gloriously funny, Jan Carson writes exuberant prose about difficult people in interesting times' Sarah Moss, author of Ripeness

‘Jan Carson's understanding of, and love for, complicated human people is unmatched in contemporary literature... her best book yet’ Heather Parry, author of Carrion Crowe
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It’s summer 2017 and the last few residents of the Lough Neagh Archipelago are facing imminent eviction. The flood planned to combat a devastating algae outbreak will submerge their homes, forcing them back to the Mainland for the first time in fifty years.

Robert-John and Marion Connolly came to the islands as children in the 1970s, following their mercurial father, an anthropologist studying the unique society that had developed there. For many, the Neagh Archipelago represented a utopia, a chance to be free of the prejudices and history of Troubles era Northern Ireland. But perhaps this utopia wasn’t all that it seemed.

Marion and Robert-John have grown accustomed to their haunted existence on the Ark, monitoring the mysterious Far Side, where ghostly figures linger and the land swallows secrets whole. How will they cope with a new life on the Mainland? Is it possible to leave the past behind? And will the Ark ever let them go...

_____


Praise for Jan

'Jan Carson is a born her work is so imaginative, whimsical, mischievous and brave, but tender and curious too — you never know where she's going to take you next, so reading her is always an adventure.' Lisa McInerney, author of The Glorious Heresies

'Jan Carson is a unique and very special writer, one of the greatest of the modern fabulists' Donal Ryan, author of Heart be at Peace

'[The Fire Starters] blew me away with its power, anger and wit' Joseph O'Connor, Books of the Year

'One of the most exciting and original Northern Irish writers of her generation.' Sunday Times

'Absolutely magnificent: dark, witty, charming' Marian Keyes, author of My Favourite Mistake

'Heart-rending, hilarious . . . It's a belter.' Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses

Genres: Ireland, Literary Fiction, Irish Literature, Speculative Fiction, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 9, 2026

About the author

Jan Carson is a writer and community arts development officer currently based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She has a BA in English Literature from Queen’s University Belfast and an MLitt. In Theology and Contemporary Culture from St. Andrew’s University, Scotland. Jan has had short stories published in literary journals on both sides of the Atlantic, has had two of her plays produced for the Belfast stage and is a current recipient of the Arts Council NI’s Artist’s Career Enhancement Bursary. Her first novel, “Malcolm Orange Disappears” will be published by Liberties Press, Dublin on June 2nd 2014.

Reviews

[The Speculative Shelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant alternate history and a cracking read. An archipelago of small islands emerges from the depths after a local politician’s gambit to drain the largest lough in Northern Ireland in order to create more habitable space for those seeking sanctuary during the Troubles. The drainage scheme never got off the ground, but Jan Carson explores what might have happened if it had.

There’s such intriguing lore surrounding The Ark, this archipelago of islands. Each island has a unique flavor and distinct inhabitants—some grounded and wholly human, others suspended between worlds, ghostly apparitions caught between life and death. There’s an air of mystery among the residents, especially our sibling protagonists, Marion and Robert-John, who call The Ark home.

Carson paints a vivid picture of the setting and her characters, plumbing the depths of their psyches and the collective traumas that shape them. Marion and Robert-John are suspended in a state of arrested development. They can’t escape their past while they remain on The Ark, yet they can’t leave The Ark because they remain firmly tethered to that past. A rising tide will force their hand.

I had such a wonderful time with this novel. Between the dry humor, the family drama, and the unique island setting, Carson hits all the right notes.

My thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

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[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan Carson just gets better and better.