Zeno Agency Ltd.

We currently have a vacancy for an Agent’s Assistant / Junior agent position. For further details please visit this link.

Updated 28th January 2014 : Closed - In order to give existing clients and the manuscripts we called in during 2013 proper attention, we are currently closed for submissions. Please keep an eye out for news regarding re-opening.

Please refer to our submission guidelines page for further information.

Yesterday saw the release of Brandon Sanderson‘s much-anticipated WORDS OF RADIANCE, the second novel in the Stormlight Archive epic fantasy series. If you are new to the author, though, and the prospect of reading a 1,000+ page novel is a bit daunting as a first try, then today is your lucky day!

Amazon UK have selected THE FINAL EMPIRE, the first in the Mistborn trilogy, as one of their Kindle Daily Deals! The offer runs until 11:59pm tonight, so be sure to check it out quickly! Here’s the novel’s synopsis…

What if the Dark Lord won? An acclaimed epic commercial fantasy comes to the UK for the first time. Unabridged edition for download only.

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields. But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy – the magic that lies in all metals.

The Mistborn series continues with THE WELL OF ASCENSION, THE HERO OF AGES and THE ALLOY OF LAW. At the time of writing, THE FINAL EMPIRE was also the #1 bestseller in Epic Fantasy!

It’s never been a better time to try Brandon’s work! The Mistborn series and also the Stormlight Archive novels are all published in the UK by Gollancz.

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Today sees the UK publication of Brandon Sanderson‘s highly anticipated WORDS OF RADIANCE, the second novel in his Stormlight Archive epic fantasy series. Brandon is the bestselling author who completed Robert Jordan’s epic Wheel of Time series, and also the Mistborn saga (currently four novels, with more on the way!). The second book in the Stormlight Archive exhibits Brandon’s gift for epic storytelling, wonderous magic systems, and sheer addictive writing.

Here is the synopsis for WORDS OF RADIANCE…

The Knights Radiant must stand again.

The ancient oaths have at last been spoken; the spren return. Men seek that which was lost. I fear the struggle will destroy them.

It is the nature of the magic. A broken soul has cracks into which something else can be fit.  Surgebindings, the powers of creation themselves.  They can brace a broken soul; but they can also widen its fissures.

The Windrunner, lost in a shattered land, balanced upon the boundary between  vengeance and honor. The Lightweaver, slowly being consumed by her past, searching for the lie that she must become. The Bondsmith, born in blood and death, striving to rebuild what was destroyed. The Explorer, straddling the fates of two peoples, forced to  choose between slow death and a terrible betrayal of all she believes.

It is past time for them to awaken, for the Everstorm looms.

And the Assassin has arrived.

A couple of advance, non-spoilery reviews have managed to find their way online (it’s so huge, it’s not surprising there haven’t been more). Here are some choice quotes…

‘Does Book 2 live up to the expectations? My answer is a resounding, “Yes!”’  –  Tor.com (1)

‘… worth the wait… WORDS OF RADIANCE is excellent, which was a tremendous relief to me. Love or hate this book, I was wedded to it long before I read it, and I’m fortunate to say that I continue to love it. So to you, lucky reader, who have the choice of whether or not to buy this book, I give this advice. Sanderson’s experiment is working, and he gets better with every book. The journey will be worth it. Yes, you should buy this book. Yes, this is a series worth following to the end. I’m so glad to be taking this journey, and I hope you will as well.’  –  Tor.com (2)

‘WORDS OF RADIANCE is truly an achievement. It expands on its predecessor, fulfilling the promises it sets up, and manages to surpass it. There is no question about it: this is my favorite Brandon Sanderson novel. When I read THE WAY OF KINGS, I had thought that while it was (at the time) Brandon’s best written novel, it wasn’t my favorite, but that The Stormlight Archive series absolutely had the potential to be Brandon’s best series. Well, that was entirely right. There’s no doubt about it. If you adored THE WAY OF KINGS, you will be blown away by WORDS OF RADIANCE. Even if book one didn’t thrill you, however, I can’t see how you won’t be enthralled by this volume. It really is that good. You’ll be sold on the entire series with this.’  –  17th Shard

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Lavie Tidhar‘s most recent novel is the critically-acclaimed THE VIOLENT CENTURY, which was published by Hodder Books late last year. A re-telling of the 21st Century if super-heroes existed, it blends a Watchman-like comics noir feel with a tense, intimate espionage tale akin to John le Carre. He is also the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning OSAMA (PS Publishing, Solaris), a daring, boundary-pushing alternative reality thriller featuring the eponymous character as a private detective.

‘The most interestingly adventurous writer of the year was Lavie Tidhar, who came into 2013 with a fresh World Fantasy Award for OSAMA and extended his gonzo explorations of history, textuality, and pop culture with the relatively little-seen MARTIAN SANDS and the more widely hyped super-hero fantasia THE VIOLENT CENTURY, each of which took decided risks with the question of how freely SF methods can appropriate sensitive historical material… Tidhar plots like a mad paintballer, sometimes missing the mark but always making a splash, but since his Bookman novels he’s perhaps done more than any recent author to liberate the interdisciplinary steampunk aesthetic form…’ – LOCUS Recommended Reading List 2013

Speaking of steampunk, we thought we’d draw your attention to Lavie’s debut trilogy – the steampunk Bookman Histories, published by Angry Robot Books – and also some of her novellas. Certain rights are available, so please inquire for details. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s that time of year again! Voting for the Gemmell Awards long-lists has now opened, and there are a handful of Zeno clients in the mix!

In the Legend Category, for best fantasy novel of the year, we have…

• Peter V. Brett‘s THE DAYLIGHT WAR (published in the UK by Voyager)
• Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan’s A MEMORY OF LIGHT (published in the UK by Orbit Books)

In the Ravenheart Category, for best book artwork, we have…

• Peter V. Brett‘s THE DAYLIGHT WAR
• Brandon Sanderson‘s STEELHEART (published in the UK by Gollancz)

Readers can vote for their favourite novel from the long-lists (nominated by publishers), and the results of the first round of voting will be revealed at this year’s Eastercon, in Glasgow. (Voting for the first round closes on the 13th April.) The Shortlist will then be open for voting until the end of April, and the winner will be announced at the Gemmell Award ceremony at the Magic Circle, London, on June 13th, 2014. Voting is open to all, so get yourself over there and VOTE (… for our clients…)!

Zeno represents Peter V. Brett and Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

How great is this cover for Randall Garrett‘s LORD DARCY? The book has been selected for the Gollancz Fantasy Masterworks series, and is due to be published March 13, 2014. Here’s the synopsis…

In a world where the Plantagenets never fell, Lord Darcy is Chief Investigator for the Duke of Normandy…

Welcome to a world where the Plantagenet kings survived, the laws of magic were discovered and the physical sciences never pursued. In the resulting Anglo-French Empire, a detective like Lord Darcy needs more than a keen mind and an observant eye. Luckily, Darcy can call on the aid of Master Sean O’Lochlainn, forensic sorcerer.

This omnibus contains all of the Lord Darcy stories as well as the only Lord Darcy novel, TOO MANY MAGICIANS, and has a new introduction by Michael Dirda.

Here is a selection of reviews for Garrett’s work…

‘Some of the finest fantasy ever written … will certainly guarantee him a lasting place in the genre.’ – SF Chronicle (a Best Fantasy of 2002)

‘Garrett’s writing style is as elegant and charming as his setting, and his mastery of atmosphere is admirable … Garrett’s series is in fact one of the best of the genre-benders, which have proliferated so madly since these tales were first published. The stories deftly combine elements of mystery, espionage, suspense, Tolkienesque fantasy, science fiction, the techno-thriller, CSI-style forensic mystery, and swashbuckling historical romance.’ – National Review

‘He has combined the best of the fantasy and detective genres — and made them work as science fiction.’ – Marion Zimmer Bradley

‘Randall Garrett’s most satisfying and enduring literary accomplishment is the Lord Darcy series.’ – Robert Silverberg

Zeno represents Randall Garrett in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Check out this cover for Elizabeth Moon‘s upcoming CROWN OF RENEWAL! It is the final installment in her Paladin’s Legacy series, a fantasy epic of kingdoms under threat, politics and magic by a true science fiction and fantasy legend! The book is due to be published in the UK by Orbit Books, on May 27 2014. Here is the synopsis…

Eight kingdoms in danger, an enemy that cannot die…

Count Jeddrin has received a grisly message. His son, Filis, is dead, brutally killed by Alured the Black – the first move in his plan to take the eight kingdoms.

But Filis managed to send his own message, telling of the dark forces that control Alured, warning of something more than human behind the man’s eyes…

Meanwhile, Dorrin Verrakai, last of a long line of magelords, must forever leave the home she loves in order to protect powerful magic relics created by her ancestors. For their power is desired both by Alured, and by the dark elves infesting the kingdoms. Searching for answers, her friend and King, Kieri, considers waking the magelords from their ancient slumber…

CROWN OF RENEWAL is the fifth and final novel in the series, which also includes: OATH OF FEALTY, KINGS OF THE NORTH, ECHOES OF BETRAYAL, and LIMITS OF POWER – all published in the UK by Orbit.

Zeno represents Elizabeth Moon in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

We are delighted to report that Aliette de Bodard has received another (very well-deserved) Nebula Award nomination!

This year, Aliette has been nominated in the Best Novelette category, for THE WAITING STARS . The novelette was first featured in THE OTHER HALF OF THE SKY anthology, published by Candlemark & Gleam. Here is the anthology’s synopsis…

Women may hold up more than half the sky on earth, but it has been different in heaven: science fiction still is very much a preserve of male protagonists, mostly performing by-the-numbers quests. In The Other Half of the Sky, editor Athena Andreadis offers readers heroes who happen to be women, doing whatever they would do in universes where they’re fully human.

THE WAITING STARS is available to read for free on Aliette’s website - on screen, or to download in Mobi, ePub, or PDF. It’s a perfect opportunity to try Aliette’s work (if you shamefully have no yet done so…). Here is the first paragraph, to whet your appetite…

The derelict ship ward was in an isolated section of Outsider space, one of the numerous spots left blank on interstellar maps, no more or no less tantalising than its neighbouring quadrants. To most people, it would be just that: a boring part of a long journey to be avoided–skipped over by Mind-ships as they cut through deep space, passed around at low speeds by Outsider ships while their passengers slept in their hibernation cradles…

Jennifer Fallon‘s latest fantasy series, The Rift Runners Trilogy, is now available in audio! THE UNDIVIDED, THE DARK DIVIDE, and REUNION are published by Audible, and are available in both the UK and US.

Here is the synopsis for the first book in the series…

The Undivided are divided. The psychic twins, Ronan and Darragh, have been separated by the traitor Druid, Amergin, who has kidnapped Ronan and thrown him through a rift into another reality.

Now time is running out for Darragh. If Ronan isn’t found soon, they will both die. But his twin brother is lost in a reality where Druids are legend, and there is no magic. Somehow, before the Autumn Equinox, they must find one young man in a world of six billion people…

Meanwhile, Ren Kavanaugh has no notion of where he comes from. He is plagued by strange injuries that appear from nowhere and everyone is convinced he is deliberately harming himself for attention. Then he meets the enticing and mysterious Trasa, and before he can figure out how it happened, he is in serious trouble – arrested for arson and possibly murder.

Rescue will come from a completely unexpected direction. Ren is about to discover more about his origins than he bargained for, meet the twin brother he never knew he had, and discover nobody is what they seem, especially his new friend, the half-faerie, half-human Trasa… Amergin’s daughter.

Given the popularity of Big Books in the science fiction and fantasy genres, trying out a new author can sometimes be rather daunting proposition. Thankfully, these genres are also ripe with short story publications, anthologies, magazines, and so forth – all of which offer a perfect avenue through which you can try an author’s work.

On Wednesday, we featured the Table of Contents for the upcoming SPACE OPERA anthology from Prime Books, which featured five of our authors. This has, however, been one of the few times anthologies have been featured on the website. So, starting now, we are going to start sharing news of other collections that feature our clients’ work. Today, we have two more…

First up, and also from Prime Books, we have THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY 2014, edited by Rich Horton, which includes work by two of our authors:

• “The Oracle” by Lavie Tidhar (Analog)
• “The Discovered Country” by Ian R. MacLeod (Asimov’s)

Here’s the official synopsis of the book, which is due to be published in June 2014…

This sixth volume of the year’s best science fiction and fantasy features over thirty stories by some of the genre’s greatest authors, including Yoon Ha Lee, James Patrick Kelly, Ken Liu, Robert Reed, Lavie Tidhar, Carrie Vaughn, and many others. Selecting the best fiction from Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, F&SF, and other top venues, The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy is your guide to magical realms and worlds beyond tomorrow.

Secondly, we have Shawn Speakman’s UNFETTERED, which was published in the UK yesterday by Orbit Books. This anthology also includes stories by two of our authors…

• “Mudboy” by Peter V. Brett
• “River of Souls” by Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan

Here’s the synopsis of the anthology…

Unfettered is an anthology of original fantasy fiction by some of the very biggest names in fantasy fiction, and it also features deleted scenes from A MEMORY OF LIGHT, the final book in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series.

This collection is not only a fantastic anthology in its own right, but it’s a testament to the generosity found in the science fiction and fantasy community. When author Shawn Speakman fell seriously ill and was unable to pay his medical bills, that’s when New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks offered to donate a short story that Shawn could sell to help alleviate those bills. He also suggested he ask the same of his other writer friends, and Unfettered is the incredible result.

Twenty-four tales comprise this superb collection, and as the title suggests, the writers were free to contribute whatever they wished.

Zeno represents Peter V. Brett and Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

The wait is finally over! E.J. Swift‘s CATAVEIRO, the sequel to her critically-acclaimed debut, OSIRIS, is published today by Del Rey UK! The novel is due to be published sometime later this year by Night Shade Books. Here is the synopsis…

An intense, politically engaged dystopian thriller.

A shipwreck.

And one lone survivor.

For political exile Taeo Ybanez, this could be his ticket home. Relations between the Antarcticans and the Patagonians are worse than ever, and to be caught on the wrong side could prove deadly.

For pilot and cartographer Romana Callejas, the presence of the mysterious stranger is one more thing in the way of her saving her mother from a deadly disease.

All roads lead to Cataveiro, the city of fate and fortune, where their destinies will become intertwined and their futures cemented for ever…

OSIRIS was a critical success when it was first released in the US in 2012 and the UK in 2013. Here’s just a fraction of the praise that has been lavished on Swift’s novel and writing…

‘Marvelously well done. A glittering first novel: a kind of flooded Gormenghast treated with the alienated polish of DeLillo’s Cosmopolis. The result is a gripping novel, beautiful, politically engaged and wholly accomplished. Swift is a ridiculously talented writer… the fact that it’s her first novel is belied by how accomplished and well-written it is.’  –  Adam Roberts

‘At a time when writing the far future novels is harder and harder Swift does it with style, brains and heart. OSIRIS is a fine mix of mystery and apocalyptic intrigue on a human scale.’  –  Richard Kadrey (author of Sandman Slim)

‘With a plot as slick and tangled as drifted seaweed and phrases like ‘an empty foyer that smelled of decomposing ideas,’ this is a terrific debut. Grade A‘  –  Cleveland Plain Dealer

‘Swift’s first novel, with its brilliant near-future vision of an ecologically and socially devastated world and characters who resonate with life and passion, marks her as an author to watch.’  –  Library Journal

‘… Swift’s writing is exceptional, vivid and compelling… I found OSIRIS to be a novel that deserves to be read. Swift’s talent as a writer can’t be questioned, and it’s clear to me that there exists an intent behind her work. It lends a depth that helped me persevere, not only to finish, but to anticipate the sequel. I’m hopeful that other patient readers will take the time to find the beauty in it that I ultimately did.’  –  Staffer’s Book Review

Along with their novels, many of our clients also ply their craft in the form of short stories. This April, Prime Books will be publishing SPACE OPERA, a new anthology of science-fiction stories, edited by Rich Horton. Prime Books is perhaps best known for the Year’s Best anthologies, released across genres.

Included in the anthology’s 22 stories are five from our clients. The stories are (original source in parentheses)…

• “Cracklegrackle” by Justina Robson (The New Space Opera 2)
• “Isabel of the Fall” by Ian R. MacLeod (Interzone)
• “Two Sisters in Exile” by Aliette de Bodard (Solaris Rising 1.5)
• “Lode Stars” by Lavie Tidhar (The Immersion Book of SF)
• “The Tear” by Ian McDonald (Galactic Empires)

Here’s the book’s official description:

More than five-hundred pages, over one-quarter of a million words… Space Opera spans a vast range of epic interstellar adventure stories told against a limitless cosmos filled with exotic aliens, heroic characters, and incredible settings. A truly stellar compilation of tales from one of the defining streams of science fiction, old and new, written by a supernova of genre talent.

We are delighted to announce that Festa Verlag has acquired German rights for Ian Tregillis‘s superb Milkweed Triptych – BITTER SEEDS, THE COLDEST WAR, and NECESSARY EVIL! The trilogy has been published in the UK by Orbit Books, the US by Tor Books, and in Spain by DeBolsillo.

Here’s the synopsis for BITTER SEEDS…

The year is 1939. Raybould Marsh and other members of British Intelligence have gathered to watch a damaged reel of film in a darkened room. It appears to show German troops walking through walls, bursting into flames and hurling tanks into the air from afar.

If the British are to believe their eyes, a twisted Nazi scientist has been endowing German troops with unnatural, unstoppable powers. And Raybould will be forced to resort to dark methods to hold the impending invasion at bay.

But dealing with the occult exacts a price. And that price must be paid in blood.

The Milkweed novels have been a huge critical hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Here is just a small taste of the praise…

‘Tregillis… has created a unique, unsettling, and deeply atmospheric setting; populated it with a diversity of grimly fascinating characters; and turned up the heat with the sort of plot that requires those characters to keep shoveling frantically if they are ever to stay in advance of the needs of the firebox… These are the book’s strengths – its atmosphere, its setting, the vividly imagined consequences of immoral and desperate actions… All in all, this is an excellent first book…’  –  Tor.Com

‘You should read BITTER SEEDS because of the brutal effect of this concocted mix of science, magic and grey characters. If you are looking for a new and exciting voice in fantasy and science-fiction or a voice that rings true on the tolls of war, then look no further than Ian Tregillis.’  –  Ranting Dragon

‘… engrossing… Tregillis ably mixes cold war paranoia with his mythology, also nicely expanding characters (particularly Gretel)… The monstrous, extra-dimensional Eidolons add a genuinely convincing menace that transcends the more banal evil motivations of the political game players, although Gretel’s more complicated motivations really drive the action. A few nice twists keep things interesting, and the cliffhanger ending sets up the concluding volume quite well…’  –  Publishers Weekly on THE COLDEST WAR

‘… something like a cross between the devious, character-driven spy fiction of early John le Carré and the mad science fantasy of the X-Men… Despite the jaw-dropping backdrop and oblique plotting, the narrative is driven by character and personal circumstance, the only possible drawback being certain important developments that annoyingly take place offstage. Grim indeed, yet eloquent and utterly compelling.’  –  Kirkus (Starred Review, “Best of 2012”) on THE COLDEST WAR

‘With NECESSARY EVIL… Ian Tregillis triumphantly concludes his astonishing, brilliant, pulse-pounding debut trilogy… This is a book that veers precipitously from unexpected and chilling ruminations on the inherent evil of precognition; to the questions of loyalty and betrayal so thorny that they need a time-travel loop to really be explored; to spy-thriller action sequences that will keep you up under the covers with a flashlight, turning pages and unable to sleep. This is a remarkable set of books, and with all three in hand, would make a fabulous spring read.’  –  BoingBoing

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK/Commonwealth and in Translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Naomi Foyle‘s latest novel, ASTRA, was recently published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books. Not only has it already been garnering praise, but JFB are also running a giveaway for three copies of the novel! (Ends February 21st, so get your skates on and enter!)

But wait, there’s more! You can also get a taste for the novel’s audio edition, below…

We’re delighted to report that Marie Brennan‘s A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS is published today in the UK by Titan Books. The book, the first in Brennan’s Memoirs of Lady Trent series of fantasy bestiaries, was a hit in the US when it was published last year, by Tor Books. Here’s the synopsis…

Everyone knows Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her
reputation, prospects, and her life to satisfy scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the mountains of Vystrana, where she made discoveries that would change the world…

The second book in the series, TROPIC OF SERPENTS, is due to be published by Tor Books in the US this year. Here’s what just a small sample of critics have said in praise for A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS…

‘Brennan’s world-building is wonderfully subtle, rendering a familiar land alien with casual details. Fans of fantasy, science, and history will adore this rich and absorbing tale of discovery.’  —  Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Lady Isabella Trent is a wonderfully charming female-lead who is willing to break from the gender roles of the era and do as her heart desires, study dragons.’  –  Fantasy Faction

‘Told in the style of a Victorian memoir, courageous, intelligent and determined Isabella’s account is colorful, vigorous and absorbing. A sort of Victorian why-what-whodunit embellished by Brennan’s singular upgrade of a fantasy bromide and revitalizingly different viewpoint.’  –  Kirkus

‘Downton Abbey, but with dragons! … [A] mellow and agreeable memoir, an absorbing and entertaining novel, and I want more.’  –  Tor.com

‘What’s truly great about this novel is the seamless merging of fantasy themes and incredibly realistic scientific and social details. Come for the dragon adventure — because there’s a lot of it. But stay for characters whose stories feel as real as Marie Curie’s.’  –  io9

Zeno represents Marie Brennan in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Marie Brennan‘s highly-anticipated THE TROPIC OF SERPENTS has a cover for the UK!

Due to be published by Titan Books on June 20th 2014, THE TROPIC OF SERPENTS is the sequel to THE NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS, the first in Brennan’s Memoirs of Lady Trent series. Here’s the synopsis for the second novel…

Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, in which she lost her husband, the widowed Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the savage, war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics.

The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella must brave oppressive heat, merciless fevers, palace intrigues, gossip, and other hazards in order to satisfy her boundless fascination with all things draconian, even if it means venturing deep into the forbidden jungle known as the Green Hell – where her courage, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity will be tested as never before.

Both novels are (or will be) published in the US by Tor Books.

Zeno represents Marie Brennan in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.