British sci-fi writer Ian McDonald has finished writing his latest book, The Dervish House, and has handed the manuscript in to his publisher Pyr.

“Just this minute delivered The Dervish House. Man, that was intense,” wrote McDonald on his LiveJournal page this week. According to Amazon, the book is scheduled for publication in mid-2010. It’s set in Istanbul, according to a blurb Pyr has published along with the cover art:

“In the sleepy Istanbul district of Eskiköy stands the former whirling dervish house of Adem Dede.

Over the space of five days of an Istanbul heatwave, six lives weave a story of corporate wheeling and dealing, Islamic mysticism, political and economic intrigue, ancient Ottoman mysteries, a terrifying new terrorist threat, and a nanotechnology with the potential to transform every human on the planet.”

McDonald has made a name for himself in modern science fiction for what Wikipedia describes as his focus on post-cyberpunk visions and the impact of technological change on society. Broadly, he is part of a new wave of British sci-fi writers which also includes Charles Stross.

In late August McDonald wrote on his LiveJournal that he liked the cover art for The Dervish House. “Just seen advance artwork from Stephan Martiniere for Pyr’s edition of The Dervish House,” he said. “Of course, I couldn’t possibly show you anything, but it is surely awesome.

Commentary
I haven’t personally read any of McDonald’s books yet, but I plan to shortly. His first novel, Desolation Road, has been recommended to me by a number of people, and it has won quite a few awards. McDonald has a reputation out there for good writing and I am keen to explore his stuff. Look out for some reviews soon.