YA Novel (suitable for all adults, 13yrs+) – Science Fantasy – ISBN: 9781922858627
Stay out of sight. Stay hidden under the lake. Even as giant water-ants scout the surface, and deadly trees slop their hungry roots along the shoreline. For unrest surges in the swamps, getting closer and closer… Sala will only be safe for as long as their ship’s location remains a secret.
But when a horrifying threat ignites close to home, and the lakeside hillfarms are forced to reveal a desperate truth, it unleashes a wreckage of terror and destruction on the world of Palude. What Sala fears most becomes irrelevant. All she can do is run, and make one irrevocable choice after another. If she’s to have any kind of future, she must fight to accept the collapse of her past.
Hiding from it was never an option.
Book Launch Invitation!
You’re invited to celebrate the pre-release launch of When Dark Waters Burn on:
Saturday 31 May, 5.30pm at Harry Hartog, Warringah Mall.
Please book your seat here: https://events.humanitix.com/book-launch-zena-shapter-s-when-dark-waters-burn
Pick Up A Copy!
WORLD BUY IT HERE: print – MidnightSun Publishing | ebook – to come
AUSTRALIANS BUY IT HERE: print & ebook – Booktopia | Amazon.com.au | print – to come
BOOKSELLERS & SCHOOLS BUY IT HERE: please order from your usual distributor!
Jump to:
What They’re Saying…
Readers’ Gallery – to come!
Teachers’ Notes
Book Club Notes
Video Clips
What They’re Saying…
‘When Dark Waters Burn held me captive from page one! This engaging, action-packed fantasy world will appeal equally to lovers of fantasy and science fiction. Five out of five stars.’ USA Today Bestselling Author Dionne Lister
‘A timely epic futuristic quest, fast paced and absorbing, with a slow burn romance that will leave readers wanting more. Readers will be gripped by this thrilling and immersive tale from one of Australia’s most exciting and inventive writers.’ CBCA Notable author Pip Harry
‘A fascinating and utterly original world; a great adventure.’ Ian Irvine, bestselling author of the Three Worlds fantasy sequence.
“Get ready for crumbling politics and sci-fi romance! When Dark Waters Burn is Zena Shapter’s follow-up to When Dark Roots Hunt. Some call it speculative fiction for young adults. To me it’s got serious adult bite and cements Shapter’s reputation as a master of immersive worlds.
We are plunged back into the vividly realised world of Sala, a fiercely independent young woman who’s hiding on an alien ship beneath a toxic lake and grappling with everything from forbidden love to social collapse.
Sala’s story unfolds against a backdrop of crumbling politics, environmental decay, and high-stakes tech with a sci-fi romance simmering under the surface. Sala’s world, Palude, has everything from keei fish oil fuelling the planet to trees that spear prey with their roots. This ecosystem is lush and lethal. Sala’s ship isn’t just a hiding place – it’s a character. So is the lake and every pulse-pounding scene where water-ants clack their mandibles a little too close.
Beneath the spectacle is a deeply human narrative. Sala’s struggle to belong – half Ittan, half swamper – mirrors every person’s yearning to find their place.
Shapter’s future world echoes today’s fractures: political distrust, climate catastrophe, inequality, cultural blind spots. Sala’s fight isn’t just for survival – it’s for meaning, for connection, for agency. Somehow, amidst mutant ants and telepathic tech, Shapter still gives us relatable grief, loyalty, betrayal, and courage.
When you surface from this book, you’ll feel like you’ve survived something. Like Sala, you’ll feel a little stronger for it. Shapter doesn’t just tell stories – she pulls you under and dares you to come back changed.” The Tawny Frogmouth Magazine, p.44
“An original world shoots head-on into a web of tension, intrigue, and human survival to create an emotional read which doesn’t let go… As [Sala’s] world tumbles into destruction, she must turn away from everything she held dear and become so much more than she was before… From the very first pages, this read grabs… tension hooks and doesn’t let go the entire way through as [Sala] faces terrifying ants and more. It’s no problem to fever for her as she does her best to battle through, and her hesitancy to move on is more than understandable. This makes it a tale, which doesn’t only embrace action and danger but also includes a row of emotions, which make her a character to enjoy.
Nothing is predictable as the quick-paced read heads from one dangerous moment into the next. It’s a rich world with terrors to delight the imagination, while letting just enough hope shine through to touch the heart and make it ache. While the romance offers glimpses of warmth, it stays enough away to let the danger keep hold. All the while, whispers surrounding the meaning of humanity work their way in to add depth and thought.
It’s an intriguing read, which is sure to delight readers who enjoy fantastical elements, deadly danger, edges of darkness, and questions surrounding the meaning behind it all.” Bookworm for Kids
Readers’ Gallery
Teachers’ Notes
DOWNLOAD HERE – Teachers’ Notes:
• cover the key curriculum areas of English, Humanities and Social Sciences
• analyse literary techniques, narrative form and worldbuilding
• examine speculative fiction writing
• offer Analytical, Imaginative, Discursive, Multimodal and EALD task options to cater for different ability levels and learning styles, along with marking criteria suggestions.
• engage in discussion around contemporary issues and themes:
- –> Misinformation
- –> Political Mistrust & Alienation
- –> Community Apathy
- –> Cultural Rivalries
- –> Technology
- –> Sustainability
- –> Value of Life
- –> Courage
- –> Love (Family, Friendship, Relationships)
- –> Identity and Belonging
Introduction to Text
Set on a planet of carnivorous tree swamps and giant water-ants, When Dark Waters Burn portrays a world where land and resources are alarmingly scarce, and societal distrust is rife. Survival depends on the various cultural groups of Palude putting aside their conflicting ideologies and cooperating to transfer their limited resources between communities established on a saltwater lake, in freshwater swamps, and the only dry farmland atop towering ‘hillfarms’. However, most remain resentful of what other groups have and have not, resulting in constant intercultural tensions and rivalries.
Speculating on how individual inaction can negatively impact communities, the story draws subtle parallels with contemporary society to expose a deep collective apathy about the future. While the novel’s protagonist, Sala, is anxious about the short-sighted environmental and wellbeing policies of Palude, her mistrust of its political systems alienates her from getting involved. A worldwide disaster looms, she is a trainee engineer with access to advanced technology, yet she chooses to remain secluded in safety… Until a series of events force her to reevaluate. A thought-provoking page-turning adventure, the story champions the power of doing what you can to help others, empathy, and cultural tolerance. As Sala faces the consequences of her own complacency – as well as the worldwide misinformation inciting a violent individual and collective desperation for technology – When Dark Waters Burn also explores themes of belonging, identity, and courage. Its dramatic climax not only challenges Sala with deep personal betrayals and issues of responsibility, but raises questions about the value of human life and the future of political power.
Book Club Notes
DOWNLOAD HERE – Book Club Notes invite readers to enjoy this exhilarating science fantasy adventure with personal growth at its heart, while also discussing narrative form and worldbuilding, examining speculative fiction writing, and engaging in discussion around contemporary issues and themes.
When Dark Waters Burn is an accessible read that will appeal to contemporary and speculative readers alike, adults and young adults, exploring topics such as misinformation, societal rivalries, political mistrust & alienation, family, identity, and community apathy.
Why not make your book club meeting even more special and arrange a chat with the author?
Find out more about the author too, with her FAQ, About Zena, and pages on Movies, Potatoes, Chocolate, Frogs, Ants, and Driving.
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