2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of James Kelman being the first Scot to scoop a Booker. It took another 26 years for literature’s most vaunted prize to reach Caledonia with Douglas Stuart picking up the award for his debut Shuggie Bain. This year, Martin MacInnes took a firm stride in his career (sales and publicity-wise) by being longlisted with his third publication, In Ascension. But he perhaps shares less in common with those gritty, social-realist authors and more with a fellow Invernesian, Ali Smith, who has made the shortlist on four occasions with a highly ambitious and innovative set of books. 

Epic and intimate are words that have also been used to capture the breadth and depth of MacInnes’ science-fiction tale (he’s fine with that genre definition), in which a Rotterdam marine biologist escapes the memories of her difficult childhood and plunges into the Atlantic depths where a previously unexplored vent is causing some fascination among scientists. Later, she becomes involved in exploration of a different kind, this time at the far end of the solar system where life beyond Earth takes on new shades, forms and meaning.

Admitting to being fairly astonished but extremely grateful for the Booker judges’ longlisting nod, MacInnes has been reluctant to say too much about further projects. But there’s little doubt that this singular talent will be one to watch. 

Discover who else made the cut in the The List Hot 100 on our site or in our latest issue, available from all good stockists across Glasgow and Edinburgh.