Ink (novel)

Ink: The Book of All Hours 2

Ink first edition cover.
Author	Hal Duncan
Cover artist	Art direction and design Neil Lang; Illustration Christopher Gibbs
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Series	The Book of all Hours
Genre	Speculative fiction
Publisher	Pan Macmillan
Publication date	2007
Media type	Print
Pages	600 pp
ISBN
Preceded by	Vellum

Ink: The Book of All Hours 2 is a speculative fiction novel by Hal Duncan.

It is Duncan's second novel and a sequel to Vellum: The Book of All Hours. It was first published in the United Kingdom by Pan Macmillan in February 2007 and, later that same month, in the USA by Del Rey, an imprint of Random House.

The Vellum is a reality of which Earth is only a small part. It can be reprogrammed using something called the Cant, and this is what some deities from ancient myths, called the Unkin, have done. One group of Unkin see themselves as Angels, and have set up a Covenant promising to reject any ancient deity looking to regain his or her past glory; they are at the time of the narration getting ready for a final war. A group of newly born Unkin (one can become an Unkin through certain unspecified events in his or her life) who refuse to take part in such war are the main characters: Thomas Messenger, an homosexual young man who’s trying to disappear into the Vellum where he’ll never be found; Jack Carter, a Covenant spear-carrier sent to kill Thomas but in love with him; Joey Pechorin, a Russian Army officer and torture expert; also present, although less than in Vellum, are Seamus Finnan, an Irish angel hiding out in the desert; Phreedom Messenger, Thomas's sister and a trailer park biker trying to avoid conscription and Don MacChuill, a brash Scotsman.

Besides the myths and legends referred to, there are also several very vivid references to history, with some of the characters living through events such as the Glasgow 1919 Battle of George Square.