The Oracle
Ben Mauro

The first prequel book in the HUXLEY universe telling of Max’s early days in the Ronin army. As he fights in the AI wars he finds himself amidst an empire-crushing conspiracy.

Overview

HUXLEY’s original run of six digital-first comics took the internet by storm and changed the landscape of graphic novels forever. But it was just the beginning. Ben Mauro’s epic decade-long franchise quickly expanded into prequels that build out the universe's deep lore and rich history further, its next step is taken here in: HUXLEY: The Oracle.

Delve deeper into the people, politics and horrors of FURY-7; a scorching desert planet that humanity abandoned to an empire of sacred machines known as Oracles after a devastating nuclear holocaust. These powerful machine emperors control the planet’s resources and have genetically engineered human clones to serve their needs. The most advanced of these soldiers are the Ronins; elite enforcers who maintain order for the Oracles in Machine City. Among them, Max – one of the heroes from the original graphic novels earlier in his career– discovers a conspiracy that threatens to upend the empire and his own understanding of the world.

This brand new entry in the HUXLEY series features a captivating storyline with richly-weaved characters – some fan-favourites and others that are new to the saga – and another fascinating chapter in the franchise's sprawling lore. Ben Mauro brings the burgeoning universe to life with hundreds of pages of characteristically intricate artwork.

Get ready to embark on an epic new expedition in the HUXLEY universe, where every page promises adventure, intrigue and breathtaking artistry.

Specification

267 × 292mm
160 pages
Hardcover

Hardback Edition
Quarter bound with textured material featuring metallic Pantone ink

Deluxe Edition
Slipcase and book both bound in textured material with foil-stamped typography

Welcome to the progress area for The Oracle. Check back soon for development updates.

Estimated delivery
Autumn 2025

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Select this online-only edition

The Oracle: The Book

£35.00

Quarter-bound hardback
Online-only edition
Exclusive development updates

Unlimited online-only edition 155 backers

Select this online-only edition

The Oracle: Deluxe Edition

£75.00

Slipcased hardback
Online-only edition
Includes print signed by Ben Mauro
Exclusive development updates

Limited online-only edition
828 of 1000 remaining

Select this online-only edition

HUXLEY: The Book

£35.00

Quarter-bound hardback
Online-only edition
Exclusive development updates

Unlimited online-only edition 149 backers

Select this online-only edition

HUXLEY: Deluxe Edition

£75.00

Slipcased hardback
Online-only edition
Included print signed by Ben Mauro
Exclusive development updates

Limited online-only edition
824 of 1000 remaining

How it works

This book will be on general release in autumn 2025. These online-only editions are available only from Volume and will ship ahead of the general release version.

Estimated delivery

Autumn 2025

Shipping

Tracked worldwide

Publisher

Read-Only Memory

Profile

Founded in 2012 by Darren Wall, Read-Only Memory publishes beautiful books on videogames and their surrounding subcultures.

The Book

The Oracle is the first new entry into the HUXLEY canon since the trailblazing graphic novel series and the Hardback Edition is as spectacular as the event warrants. The edition features a textured quarter-binding with distinctive red and burnished gold Pantone inks.

The long-awaited next chapter of Ben Mauro’s imaginative storyscape will be delivered to customers before The Oracle goes on release to the general public in Autumn 2025. This online-only hardback is designed to pair perfectly on your bookshelf with Mauro’s first entry in the HUXLEY Saga, now also available to pre-order above.

As HUXLEY expanded it was exciting to work with some of my favorite artists to help bring this epic prequel story to life as I started shaping the first trilogy of stories in the HUXLEY universe. Telling bigger stories with the characters I created in the original graphic novel, really getting into their backstories and fleshing out every little detail in the lore and how it came to be has been exciting.

Ben Mauro

The Deluxe Edition

Limited to 1000 copies, the Deluxe Edition of The Oracle is adorned with an image of an Oracle, one of FURY-7’s enigmatic technological rulers. The slipcase and book are printed in black and gold inks respectively, both enhanced by striking foil-stamped typography.

Each Deluxe Edition copy includes an exclusive print of the book’s dramatic cover artwork, printed on 300gsm Munken Lynx Smooth Natural White and personally signed by visionary creator Ben Mauro. Like our quarter bound hardback edition, the Deluxe Edition will reach customers before the general release.

The Ronin army, the Oracle empire and Max’s experiences surviving all of this were such a fascinating setting to explore for this book as I added new characters and layers to the series in this book. How does humanity survive, thrive and have purpose in a machine dominated world post artificial intelligence taking over the planet. As we approach early moments of this in our everyday lives it is a fascinating setting to tell stories of what humanity might experience in our possible futures.

Ben Mauro

Meet the author

Ben Mauro is a world-renowned art director and concept designer, who has forged a stellar career in the entertainment industry with his contributions to major film and video game franchises such as ELYSIUM, Chappie, The Hobbit, Call of Duty and Halo, among many others. Mauro has garnered an unrivalled reputation for creating intricate concept art, breathing life into detailed characters, and constructing expansive environments and futuristic designs over his fifteen years in the industry. He is the visionary creator of the post-apocalyptic sci-fi epic HUXLEY and spends most of his time overseeing the sprawl of his creation's universe into books, stories and experiences across the media landscape.