On the Merits of Unnaturalness

‘Be aware, my good Reader, that this Pamphlet, no matter how controversial its Content, must never fall into enemy Hands. It details all known Types of Unnaturalness, divides them into seven Orders, and details the Merits of each.’ — Jaxon Hall

Good afternoon! I'm delighted to announce that Bloomsbury will be publishing On the Merits of Unnaturalness, the first pamphlet by the infamous Jaxon Hall, as an exclusive, limited-edition print run. I've been hoping on hope that readers would have the chance to see this little project in the flesh, as it's such an important part of the Bone Season universe.

Within Scion's empire, illegal pamphlets are a popular means of spreading ideas within the clairvoyant underworld. Scion blacklists all literature about clairvoyance, fantasy, and the spirit world, and over the decades, it has held many book-burnings to destroy all such forbidden knowledge. Only one publishing house – the Spiritus Club – has made an effort to fight back. Founded by a voyant in 1908, the Club has published many seminal texts, such as The Vamps of Vauxhall and Love at First Sight; or, the Seer's Delight. Their work is printed in Grub Street and distributed by the couriers of the Penny Post, who carry and sell their stories and pamphlets all over the citadel. But none of their texts are more famous, or more controversial, than On the Merits of Unnaturalness.

On the Merits of Unnaturalness was first published in 2031, before Jaxon became a mime-lord. It explains Jaxon Hall's groundbreaking theory on the Seven Orders of Clairvoyance, in which he divided clairvoyants into seven groups – some of which were superior to others. The pamphlet goes into detail regarding the particular gifts of each order and sub-type of clairvoyant that Jaxon had discovered at that time. (So if you're been wondering what a botanomancer or a crystallist is, this is your chance to find out.) The release of the pamphlet, which was written under a pseudonym, brought widespread knowledge of the Seven Orders system to London and eventually spread to other citadels in Europe. However, it also caused a spate of brutal gang wars between the newly identified categories and the imprisonment of one group of voyants – the vile augurs – in the slum of Jacob’s Island, Bermondsey. 

How can I get one? 

There are 500 pamphlets, available on a first come first served basis to readers in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and India. You won't receive a confirmation email, but you can direct queries to @TheBoneSeason. 

• Step 1: Pre-order The Mime Order. Pre-order links are here. (If you've already pre-ordered, that's fine! Onward to Step 2). 

• Step 2: Send evidence of your pre-order, e.g. a receipt or confirmation email, to themimeorder@bloomsbury.com. Make sure you include your postal address, and write ‘The Mime Order pre-order’ in the subject line.  

This pamphlet was great fun to write, and I loved inhabiting Jaxon's mind for a while. I hope very much that you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.