The first work by this celebrated Spanish author to appear in English, this dazzling seafaring tale spans four centuries of adventure and pays homage to literary greats such as Baudelaire, Melville, and Sebald

As the 20th century draws to a close, a ship heads for Punta Arenas on the Straits of Magellan at Chile's southern tip. On board is Oliver Griffin, a man on an unusual quest. His journey is inspired by a photograph of his grandparents embracing a strange automaton which now resides in the Punta Arenas museum. This fearsome metal warrior is a 16th-century robot, a relic of a...