Backwards cover

Backwards

by Rob Grant

Dave Lister has finally found his way back to the planet Earth. Which is good. What's bad is that time isn't running in quite the right direction. And if he doesn't get off the planet soon, he's going to have to go through puberty again. Backwards. Still, his crewmates have come to rescue him. Which is good. What's bad is that they consist of a robot with a hyperactive guilt chip, a creature who evolved from cats, and a dead man. And if they fail, Lister will carry on growing younger until he becomes a baby, then an embryo... And finally, he'll meet a very sticky end indeed. Rejoin the trepid band of space zeroes from RED DWARF and BETTER THAN LIFE -- Lister, Rimmer, Kryten, Holly and the Cat -- as they continue their epic journey through frontal-lobe-knotting realities where none dare venture but the bravest of the brave, the boldest of the bold or the feeblest of the feeble-minded.

More by Rob Grant

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?