Literary agency
At the end of February, Andrew Cartmel was interviewed for Kingston Libraries. In case you missed the event, the video has now been made available online. You can watch it below.
Andrew is the author of the Vinyl Detective mystery series (Titan Books), co-author of the Rivers of London comic series (Titan Comics), and more!
Last week, Craig Laurance Gidney took part in an online conversation with P. Djèlí Clark, on ‘Writing Between Genres’. In case you missed it, the Sturgis Library — who hosted the event — has now made the video available online. We’ve embedded it above. Enjoy!
Just a very quick post to draw your attention to the latest issue of Locus Magazine: Jonathan Carroll and Aliette de Bodard are the lead interviews! The issue is out now.
In addition to his published work, and publishing in the time of COVID, Jonathan Carroll discusses his latest novel: MR. BREAKFAST, which has already been published in Italy and Poland…
It’s a kind of a combination of Borges’s ‘Garden of Forking Paths’ and that film Sliding Doors. In so many cases, so many people’s lives would have been profoundly different if they’d taken a little step to the left or to the right. We don’t think about that, because we’re so fixed on right now and this moment…
Aliette de Bodard discusses her published work — which includes, most recently, FIREHEART TIGER (Tor.com) — and also the importance of parent-child relationships in fiction, and the desire to break the moulds of certain story tropes and frameworks.
Now I think, ‘You know what? Where is it written that a story has to work that way?’ I read a book that suggested putting ‘Where is it written?’ in front of everything you think is a given. If you can pull it off, you can do anything.
The March 2021 issue of Locus Magazine is out now.
On March 16th, Ben Aaronovitch is due to take part in an online Watersones event about Fantasy Worlds. Joining Namina Forna and Patrice Lawrence, the three authors will discuss their new books and…
They’ll discuss world-building in fantasy, and what they absorb from existing stories and culture to create their universes, and you’ll even get the chance to put your own questions to these three astounding writers at this special event.
The event will be held over Zoom, and is ticketed; so you should sign up for it ASAP. One option includes a discount and a signed edition of WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER.
WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER, a novella set in his best-selling, critically-acclaimed, and fan-favourite Rivers of London universe. It is due to be published in the UK by Gollancz and in North America by Subterranean Press. Here’s the book’s synopsis…
Ghost hunter, fox whisperer, troublemaker.
It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake. While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks, chasing unicorns, Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged, the teens return home – unharmed but vague about where they’ve been.
Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real, and a posse of talking foxes that think they’re spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly – why?
We just wanted to take this opportunity to quickly draw your attention to an upcoming online event: next Wednesday (March 3rd), Nick Martell will be a guest on Brandon Sanderson‘s livestream! The event will be broadcast on Brandon’s YouTube page. Keep your eyes on Nick’s, Brandon’s, and our Twitter feeds for updates about timing, etc.
Nick’s upcoming second novel, THE TWO-FACED QUEEN is due to be published by Gollancz on March 25th (eBook) and April 8th (print). It’s the second novel in his acclaimed Legacy of the Mercenary Kings fantasy series. Here’s the synopsis…
Michael Kingman thought he was going to die by the executioner’s axe, forever labelled as a traitor.
Still alive, and under the protection of the Orbis Mercenary company, Michael and his family and friends are deeply involved in the seemingly rival conspiracies that are tearing The Hollows apart.
With the death of the King, both the Corrupt Prince and his sister Serena are vying for the throne, while the Rebel Emperor is spreading lies amongst the people, and all of them want Michael dead. This is a story of betrayal, murder, and rebellion, and in this direct sequel to the debut novel The Kingdom of Liars, also some hope for justice.
Brandon’s latest novel is the best-selling fourth novel in the Stormlight Archive series, RHYTHM OF WAR is also out now published, by Gollancz in the UK.
After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar’s crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.
Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin’s scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.
At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.
Zeno represents Nick Martell and Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.
In January, as part of LibConWest @ Home, Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel took part in an online event for the Rivers of London comic series. Also featuring artists Lee Sullivan and Paulina “Pau” Vassileva, the event was recorded and is now available to watch online!
Check out the video:
The critically-acclaimed Rivers of London comic series is published by Titan Comics.
In two weeks, on February 23rd (Tuesday), Craig Laurance Gidney will be taking part in an online event with P. Djèlí Clark: ‘Writing Between Genres’. The Zoom event will be hosted by the Sturgis Library…
We will discuss working across genres, what challenges that presents, writing and reading tips, and much much more. The authors will also read from their work. a live Q and A will follow.
If you would like to take part in the event, which will start at 6:30pm EST, email SturgisReference@comcast.net.
As part of next week’s LIBCON West @ Home, Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel are going to be taking part in an online event! ‘Peter Grant Goes Graphic: Creating the Rivers of London Comic Books’ will be hosted by Glendale Arizona Libraries, and does require registration. Here’s a quick description of the event…
Writing novels is largely a solitary enterprise, but creating a comic book can take an entire team. Author Ben Aaronovitch collaborates with a co-author, an illustrator, and a colorist to spin off his internationally bestselling “Rivers of London” urban fantasy series into a successful run of comic books, all with original storylines. How does this team of talent work together? What are the secrets to adapting the adventures of apprentice wizard/Detective Constable Peter Grant from one format to another? Does the process ever — like Peter’s own experiments — result in some explosions? Bring your questions to a fascinating and funny live Zoom panel featuring acclaimed author Ben Aaronovitch, co-author Andrew Cartmel, illustrator Lee Sullivan, and colorist Paulina “Pau” Vassileva. Moderated by Chantelle Aimée Osman.
Ben and Andrew are the co-authors of the Rivers of London comic series, which are published in English by Titan Comics. Eight story arcs have been completed so far, each now available in a collection edition: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX, WATER WEED, ACTION AT A DISTANCE, and THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS. The series is currently in the process of being published in German (via Panini), and the first couple have also been published in Czech (via Argo).
The comic series is based on the world and characters of Ben’s internationally bestselling and acclaimed Peter Grant/Rivers of London series of novels and novellas.
Today, we’re very happy to share with you a short video featuring Tobias Capwell. In ‘How Real is it?’, the curator of arms and armour at The Wallace Collection in London examines 11 memorable scenes featuring medieval weapons and armour, and gives his assessment of their used based on whether or not they are historically accurate.
Capwell takes a look at Sauron’s armour, flails and maces in The Lord of the Rings; he discusses the Corinthian and Greek influences behind the Mandalorians’ helmets; whether or not swords and shields are realistically used in Vikings and The Last Kingdom; whether or not it is possible to reforge a sword that is fit for purpose (as in Game of Thrones); and also various aspects of knightly combat.
Capwell has written a number of books and articles on weapons, armour throughout history, as well as books on knighthood and tournaments. In 2015 he had the honour of serving as one of the two fully-armoured knights who escorted the remains of King Richard III to their final resting place in Leicester Cathedral:
Back in June 2020, the Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities hosted Toby for a lecture on ‘Armour and the Knight in Life and Afterlife’, which you can watch below…
We are very happy to report that Brandon Sanderson‘s latest Stormlight Archive, RHYTHM OF WAR has entered the Sunday Times Bestseller list at #3! The fourth novel in the acclaimed fantasy series, it’s published in the UK by Gollancz. Here’s the synopsis…
After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar’s crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.
Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin’s scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.
At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.
Recently, Brandon was also hosted by Forbidden Planet to talk about the novel, and you can watch that below…
Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.
Last week, Forbidden Planet hosted Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel to talk about the latest collected edition of their Rivers of London comic series, THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS!
Published by Titan Comics on December 15th, in print and digital, here’s the synopsis…
Detective Inspector Peter Grant is back in an all-new comic miniseries from author Ben Aaronovitch!
Trouble never lies far from the race track. When a flash car belonging to a young boy racer from England washes up in the Netherlands with a bagload of unusual cargo, it’s evident there is more than meets the eye happening at street races held in an Essex car park.
Enter Detective Inspector Peter Grant. Fresh from suspension, he takes to the track in his orange ‘asbo’ Ford Focus to try and infiltrate the big leagues. But Peter soon finds himself sucked back into an Otherworld — a real-life fairyland!
Titan has published all of the Rivers of London comics to date, in the UK and North America.
This Thursday (November 26th) Ian Tregillis is taking part (virtually) in the Kara Hafta İstanbul Festivali (Blackweek Festival) in Turkey! Specifically, he’ll be hosted for a discussion about Creating a Character (Bir Kahraman Yaratmak).
The event will start at 8:30pm, Istanbul time, and last for about an hour.
THE MECHANICAL, the first novel in Ian’s latest series, the Alchemy Wars, is published in Turkey by April Yayıncılık as MEKANIK, here’s the synopsis…
Adım Jax.
Bu ismi bana efendilerim bahşetti.
Ben bir köleyim.
Şimdilik.
Spekülatif kurmacanın usta yazarı Ian Tregillis’le tanışın.
Fonda felsefi punk gösterisi var.
Karşınızdaysa simya düşleri, mekanik adamlar ve olası gelecek.
Asimov’un izinde Tregillis, robotiksle tarihi kurmacayı birleştiriyor.
Özgür irade ve insanlığı sorguluyor.
Mekanik yalnızca bir başlangıç.
To celebrate the Turkish release of the novel, Ian recorded a short introductory video, which you can watch below…
The Alchemy Wars series is out now in the UK and North America, published by Orbit Books: THE MECHANICAL, THE RISING, and THE LIBERATION. Here’s the English-language synposis for the first book…
My name is Jax.
That is the name granted to me by my human masters.
I am a slave.
But I shall be free.
Set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams, the new novel from Ian Tregillis confirms his place as one of the most original new voices in speculative fiction.
The Alchemy Wars is one of the most widely-praised fantasy series of the past decade. If, however, you’re not sure you want to dive into a full-length novel, then we recommend you check out the prequel novella — COME THE REVOLUTION — which was published in a recent issue of the Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine. (We’re pretty sure you’ll finish that and want to pick up the novels right away.)
If you’re looking for more of Ian’s novels, Orbit Books also publishes his first trilogy, the critically-acclaimed Milkweed Triptych, in the UK: BITTER SEEDS, THE COLDEST WAR, and NECESSARY EVIL.
Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK and in Translation, on behalf of Aurous, Inc.
Next week, on November 18th, Waterstones are hosting Brandon Sanderson for a virtual event to celebrate the release of RHYTHM OF WAR! The highly-anticipated fourth novel in Brandon’s acclaimed Stormlight Archive series, it is due to be published in the UK by Gollancz. Here’s the synopsis…
After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar’s crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.
Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin’s scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.
At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.
There are two options for the event, which will be held via Zoom: there is a special Ticket & Book option available to people in the UK, which includes a copy of the book as well as a ticket for the virtual event (£25). For everyone else, there is also an option for just the event ticket (£5). From Waterstones:
The Ticket & Book option is UK delivery only, please do not choose this option if you do not have a valid UK postal address as you will not receive the book and may still be charged. Books will be posted after the event, which will be after publication date.
Waterstones are also offering a limited number of signed editions of RHYTHM OF WAR, which can be ordered here.
Gollancz has published all of the Stormlight Archive books in the UK, as well as a whole host of Brandon’s other acclaimed and best-selling novels and novellas — including the fan-favourite Mistborn series.
Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.
In case you missed it, yesterday Ben Aaronovitch was interviewed by Wellington City Libraries! You can watch the wide-ranging interview above, in which he answers reader questions and discusses his novels, Doctor Who, and more. Enjoy!
Ben’s latest book is the best-selling, critically-acclaimed FALSE VALUE, the eighth novel in his Peter Grant/Rivers of London series. It is published in the UK and Commonwealth by Gollancz, in North America by DAW Books, and in a growing number of translated editions around the world. Here’s the synopsis…
Peter Grant is facing fatherhood, and an uncertain future, with equal amounts of panic and enthusiasm.
Leaving his old police life behind, he takes a job with Silicon Valley tech genius Terrence Skinner’s new London start up: the Serious Cybernetics Corporation.
Drawn into the orbit of Old Street’s famous ‘silicon roundabout’, Peter must learn how to blend in with people who are both civilians and geekier than he is. Compared to his last job, Peter thinks it should be a doddle.
But magic is not finished with the Met’s first trainee wizard in fifty years…
Because a secret is hiding somewhere in the building. A technology that stretches back to Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, and forward to the future of artificial intelligence. A secret that is just as magical as it technological – and twice as dangerous.
A few weeks ago, Lavie Tidhar was invited to take part in an online event by Chevaliers Books, to discuss his latest, acclaimed novel BY FORCE ALONE. Fellow Zeno client Ian McDonald joined him for the discussion, and you can watch the video above.
BY FORCE ALONE is out now, published by Tor Books in North America and Head of Zeus in the UK. Here’s the synopsis…
Everyone thinks they know the story of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table.
The fact is they don’t know sh*t.
Arthur? An over-promoted gangster.
Merlin? An eldritch parasite.
Excalibur? A shady deal with a watery arms dealer.
Britain? A clogged sewer that Rome abandoned just as soon as it could.
A savage and cutting epic fantasy, equally poetic and profane, By Force Alone is a magical adventure and a subversive masterwork.
Here’s just a small selection taken from the great reviews the novel has received so far…
‘Tidhar saturates this epic adventure with profanity, dark humor, sword-sharp twists, and unexpected moments of pathos. Readers who hold King Arthur dear to their hearts will be gratified by Tidhar’s attention to detail amidst the innovation. This dark, imaginative take on a classic is sure to impress.’ — Publishers Weekly
‘Sometimes while reading a Lavie Tidhar novel, there comes a point when you feel like he’s grabbed the wheel, grinning as he drives you aggressively into oncoming traffic and somehow pulls off moves that by all rights ought to be fatal… BY FORCE ALONE – a phrase that recurs like a mantra throughout the narrative, reminding us that power is never really a matter of heritage or destiny – serves as a reminder that Arthur is a moveable feast, infinitely adaptable even to the era of Brexit and Trump. If Tidhar’s version seems pretty bleak, even as its endless inventiveness makes it undeniably exhilarating, that may simply be a reflection of where we all find ourselves these days.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)
‘There are no parfit gentil knights in Lavie Tidhar’s Arthurian epic fantasy… It is a vicious, beautiful, profane and wickedly funny reimagining of the rise and fall of King Arthur without the chivalry, divine right or holy quests… This kind of retelling offers a wealth of opportunity to examine aspects of the familiar story in a completely new light, and is both exciting and enormously satisfying to read… The prose style is half of what makes the book so powerful. Tidhar is both clean and poetic, elegantly sparse but deeply evocative. Every phrase is load-bearing. The profanity serves its purpose. He switches between point-of-view characters and authorial voice seamlessly, using short almost-choppy sentences to give a sense of inevitable forward movement, events lensing into one another. The frequent references to Greek philosophy in the narration both serve to underline the post-Roman intellectual landscape of the time and to create a kind of distance between the reader and the text, which increases that slightly dreamy sense of inexorable direction. This story is going to happen; the terrible ending is going to occur, and we — and the characters — are swept along with it.’ — Washington Post
‘Lavie Tidhar’s BY FORCE ALONE gives us an Arthur for the Brexit era: A tyrant in lieu of a king, brute violence in lieu of gallant feats, undisguised venality in lieu of chivalric ideals. This is the Matter of Britain become the Matter with Britain… For all the bleakness and cynicism of his story, Tidhar’s profligate invention makes BY FORCE ALONE a joy… Lavie Tidhar’s joke on the Matter of Britain is a great one. And if the laughter catches in your throat, that just means you’ve been paying attention to the book, and to the world.’ — Tor.com
Ian McDonald’s latest series, Luna, is also out now and published by Tor Books in North America. The series is published in the UK by Gollancz (covers below). Here’s the synopsis for book one, NEW MOON…
The scions of a falling house must navigate a world of corporate warfare to maintain their family’s status in the Moon’s vicious political atmosphere.
The Moon wants to kill you.
Maybe it will kill you when the per diem for your allotted food, water, and air runs out, just before you hit paydirt. Maybe it will kill you when you are trapped between the reigning corporations-the Five Dragons-in a foolish gamble against a futuristic feudal society. On the Moon, you must fight for every inch you want to gain. And that is just what Adriana Corta did.
As the leader of the Moon’s newest “dragon,” Adriana has wrested control of the Moon’s Helium-3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family’s new status. Now, in the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation-Corta Helio-confronted by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana’s five children must defend their mother’s empire from her many enemies… and each other.
