I am returning to the world of Uglies with four new novels. The first three are OUT NOW.
You can buy them in physical bookstores or order them online here.
Perhaps you have some questions?
More of a comment than a question . . .
Ugh.
. . . watching that trailer, I thought it was a TV show or a movie!
Lol. Got you.
These are books. Four novels. We still like novels, right?
Sure. But will there be a movie?
Today’s news is about FOUR NEW NOVELS.
Okay. Are you writing them?
Of course!
I know, I’ve been doing collaborations to stretch myself lately—the Spill Zone graphic novels with Alex (read them online!) and the Zeroes series with Margo and Deb—but this is a solo project.
Where are these books set? Same world? Same time frame?
They take place in the Uglies future, after Tally’s revolution has changed everything. As she once said, “Freedom has a way of destroying things.” The Imposters series is about dealing with the consequences of ending the Pretty Regime. The story starts in a city where things did not work out well. Bad people are in charge.
Dystopian!
Correct. But we also will travel to other cities where things aren’t all bad. This new series is about all the expressions of human nature that’ve popped up after more than ten years of social upheaval.
More than ten years! Is Tally in these books? (Wouldn’t she be, like, super old?)
Lol. She’s, like, THIRTY.
Yes, she is a character in the world. But she’s not a point-of-view character (in the first book, anyway). She’s more like a famous person in the background.
What’s Impostors about then?
A girl named Frey, who’s been raised from birth to pretend to be someone else. She’s a body double. A bodyguard. An impostor!
It’s about the roles that our parents and society force upon us, and how we fight to create our own identities, to invent selves that really belongs to us.
Is that Frey in the trailer?
Not really. This was more of a “Remember Uglies? There’s more!” reveal. There will be another trailer this summer that goes into the plot and characters of Impostors.
Where’s the cover?
Coming soon. It’s lovely.
FORGET COVERS ARE THEIR HOVERBOARDS IN THIS BOOK?
WHAT A QUESTION OF COURSE THERE ARE HOVERBOARDS
Also lots of other cool new tech, never seen before in the Uglies universe.
Like?
Spy dust, suborbitals, lupine surgery, cyranos.
What do those words mean???
Read the book.
Why did you go back to the Uglies world after all this time?
The real world was, like, “Dude. Even stable-seeming democracies are built on seriously rickety underpinnings. Do you really think a bunch of recently awoken bubbleheads are going to make good choices?”
And I was, like, “Dude . . . ”
Dude.
Yeah. Also I had a bunch of science fictional ideas kicking around in my head, and once I came up with Frey’s story, they all started to click.
But you said four books. What are the other three about?
This series mostly follow the adventures of Frey. But later on in the series, Tally (and some other familiar characters) will play a bigger role. The new Uglies world will get bigger and bigger.
There will be one book a year. A book every September till 2021!
Important question here: Is there any romance in Impostors?
There is! But the Love Interest doesn’t know who Frey really is, of course, because she’s an impostor—like in the title! So everything is very tricky, and also our pair are from different sides politically.
Hang on. A guy doesn’t really know who the heroine really is, and they’re on opposite sides? Isn’t that kind of like Leviathan?
Um, Frey isn’t pretending to be a boy. But yes, I do like to play with hidden identities and complicated politics and secrets. Romeo and Juliet is a Thing for a Reason!
Also, unlike with Alek and Deryn, this guy won’t take three frickin’ books to figure it out.
Lol.
Lol.
Wait. You’re writing both sides of this dialog. So this is just you laughing at your own joke.
I slay me.
Any other questions about Impostors?
Why isn’t it call Cakes?
It’s true. “Pretty” is the last word in Uglies, “special” is the last word in Pretties, “ugly” is the last word in Specials, and “cake” is the last word in Extras. So it should be called Cakes.
But the cake is a lie.
Why do you keep spelling it “Impostors” instead of “Imposters”?
Because an “imposter” is someone who works in an impost office. DO YOU WANT TO READ YA BOOKS ABOUT CUSTOMS OFFICIALS? (If you do, there’s probably fan fic.)
Okay. One last question . . . um, IS there ever going to an Uglies movie or TV show?
¯\_(?)_/¯
I mean, who knows with Hollywood? But maybe if Impostors is a HUGE bestseller . . .
If you have any more questions, put them in the comments below.
Would love a new book about tally for those of us that grew up reading the series! Its what got me into reading and would love to learn about her life now that she is older as we grew she grew with us, Does she have a job, kids of her own?
I love Impostors and Shatter City… more I need more – please. Is it even possible that I like these better then all the Uglies?!?! Your gift of writing and telling a story is not brain missing. Thank you for sharing with me.
Ohhh when will the 3rd book be available?
I am so excited about this! I originally fell in love with the Uglies world when I was about 14 (14 years ago!) and have read the first 4 novels multiple times. I am going through the series as a 28yr old now and am still so in love with the universe. I definitely have a new perspective as an adult versus a teenager on an emotional roller coaster with Tally. I grew up with her and am excited to read the new added books and see where she is now, along with falling in love with the new characters! (where have I been?! Lol)
So I had a thought today about books that I read when I was an absolute N.E.R.D in Grade 6 primary school, which was 2005, so I typed into Google “fiction novel about a post apocalyptic world 2005” and clicked onto images…. and found the fiction novel that I was looking for and was absolutely OBSESSED with during my primary school days: Uglies.
I have never been SO SO SO excited to uncover the fact that you, dear Scott Westerfeld, are making ANOTHER new series on Uglies. I hope that this lives up to every single thing I felt during my primary school days while reading this your Uglies series.
A new book in Septemeber every year until 2021… what a dream 😀
I AM ORDERING THESE BOOKS IMMEDIATELY. Also just re read the original series. HOLLYWOOD MAKE THESE BOOKS MOVIES PLEASE
I AM ORDERING THESE BOOKS IMMEDIATELY. Also just re read the original series… HOLLYWOOD PLEASE MAKE THESE BOOKS INTO MOVIES!!!
Bahahaha! The cake is a lie. I Lol’d 🙂
I love Tally books, i wish there was more of them. i really really want to read them all day or every day, i’m so happy i found this book.
I love the imposters, it’s really the best book i ever read in my whole life.
I love this book, it makes me so happy. but plz keep writing more books like this Tally’s too!
When will the fourth book be released?
**Jan 2022
-Scott
Mr. Westerfeld, you are amazing. I love almost every single one of your books, and while I know that stories come to you as you find inspiration, uglies, midnighters, and zeroes are such great series’. Impostor is hopefully obviously included in that list. Your world and stories are so great, and full of life even outside of the main scope
Just finished Imposters on a download from the library. Immediately bought all three for my Kindle, and will buy the fourth as soon as it’s out. You’ve done it again Westerfeld – left me needing more from your stories. I never imagined connected to a character as much as Tally, yet, I feel seen in Frey too. Amazing work so far – can’t wait to finish the series!
Hello,
I have read 7 books in 3 weeks. Just went to download Imposters 4 and not on Kindle. I need to know what happens next. I want to see Tally face Rafia! Can you let me know when this book will be out? Please please say September 2021. Or just email me then new one and I can let you know if it’s any good (jokes). Love this world. Big thanks