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Enter deep space as a faceless assassin from a rogue planet wreaks havoc while a plague runs rampant in Pulitzer Prize winning author Daniel Kraus' newest sci-fi body horror book, The Sixth Nik.
Prepare to launch into the darkest depths of deep space! Join us online as we sit down with master storyteller Daniel Kraus, winner of the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, to celebrate the release of his breathtaking new novel, The Sixth Nik.
Deep into space, far past the triworld outposts, beyond range of the lethal trollbot internet, soars The Sickness: a ship woven from biomatter and capable of reacting to every need of its human crew. Sisilla, a nine-year-old cultist with a brain enhanced by arcane tech known as “niks,” has boarded to investigate the enigma of Fém—a plague-riddled planet that has abruptly gone rogue.
The mysterious crew includes a faceless assassin, a beautiful engineer jigsawed by plastic surgery, a peyote-addicted medic, and—most lethal of all—a rugged, NonModded captain with a score to settle with Sisilla. Other dangers abound. A hacked robot begins to believe Sisilla is its daughter. The Sickness itself is mutating, possibly even pregnant. And the secret of Fém is more horrific than anyone could have imagined. To survive, Sisilla will need to forsake her predetermined fate and embrace the unknown.
Register now to gain exclusive insight from one of the most visionary voices in modern fiction.
About the Author:
Daniel Kraus is a Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Angel Down was the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2025, and a national bestseller. His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in the New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an L.A. Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, the New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more.
With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water and Trollhunters, both adapted to screen. He co-wrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, and two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler).
This program is brought to you through the generosity of the Friends of the Reading Public Library. Thank you, Friends!
Check out more upcoming virtual author talks and enjoy recordings from past events by exploring our Friends Speaker Series page.
AGE GROUP: | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Virtual Event | Friends Sponsored Program | Friends Speaker Series | Brochure | Author Event |
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To ask questions about accessibility or request accommodations, please contact the library at rdgadmin@noblenet.org.
If the Reading Public schools are closed due to snow, all Children's programming will be canceled.
