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Zelazny’s CHRONICLES OF AMBER available in Italian Audio!

Posted on Tuesday, April 7th, 2020

We are very happy to report that all ten of Roger Zelazny‘s Chronicles of Amber novels are available as audiobooks in Italy! Published by Audible, here’s the synopsis for the first book, NOVE PRINCIPI IN AMBRA…

Ambra è il mondo perfetto, l’universo dal quale tutti gli altri sono stati generati. Luogo celestiale e al contempo demoniaco, Ambra si trova adesso nel mezzo dello scontro tra le forze del bene e del male. Pur coesistendo con tutti gli altri mondi, Ambra può divenire una mèta irraggiungibile, niente più che il ricordo di un sogno per chi ne è stato allontanato: Corwin, Signore d’Ambra, si risveglia in un ospedale della Terra, confuso e privo di certezze sulle proprie origini e sulla propria identità. Chi lo ha separato dalla sua casa, relegandolo in quel lontano esilio? Qual è la vera natura di Ambra? A cosa ambiscono i principi e le principesse che lottano per raggiungere il trono più desiderato tra quelli su cui si possa sedere negli universi conosciuti?

Mentre oscure forze del male avanzano, terribili armate al comando dei Principi delle Tenebre, Corwin inizierà un viaggio fantastico ed eroico, verso la riconquista del proprio mondo e della propria eredità. Le sorti di Ambra non sono mai state così incerte e da esse può dipendere il destino di tutti gli universi.

Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Awakening in an Earth hospital unable to remember who he is or where he came from, Corwin is amazed to learn that he is one of the sons of Oberon, King of Amber, and is the rightful successor to the crown in a parallel world.

Amber, the one real world, wherein all others, including our own Earth, are but Shadows. Amber burns in Corwin’s blood. Exiled on Shadow Earth for centuries, the prince is about to return to Amber to make a mad and desperate rush upon the throne. From Arden to the blood-slippery Stairway into the Sea, the air is electrified with the powers of Eric, Random, Bleys, Caine, and all the princes of Amber whom Corwin must overcome. Yet, his savage path is blocked and guarded by eerie structures beyond imagining; impossible realities forged by demonic assassins and staggering horrors to challenge the might of Corwin’s superhuman fury.

Here’s the series list…

NINE PRINCES IN AMBER — NOVE PRINCIPI IN AMBRA
THE GUNS OF AVALON — LE ARMI DI AVALON
SIGN OF THE UNICORN — IL SEGNO DELL’UNICORNO
THE HAND OF OBERON — LA MANO DI OBERON
THE COURTS OF CHAOS — LE CORTI DEL CAOS
TRUMPS OF DOOM — RITORNO AD AMBRA
BLOOD OF AMBER — IL SANGUE DI AMBRA
SIGN OF CHAOS — IL SEGNO DEL CAOS
KNIGHT OF SHADOWS — IL CAVALIERE DELLE OMBRA
PRINCE OF CHAOS — IL PRINCIPE DEL CAOS

The novels are published in print and eBook in Italy by Mondadori.

Zeno represents Roger Zelazny in Translation, on behalf of the Zelazny Estate.

The LIES SLEEPING audiobook is on sale in Australia (today only)!

Posted on Tuesday, January 21st, 2020

The audiobook edition of LIES SLEEPING, the seventh novel in Ben Aaronovitch‘s widely-acclaimed Peter Grant series, is on sale via Audible Australia! Published by Orion Audio, and read by Olivier Award-winning Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, here’s the synopsis…

Martin Chorley, aka the Faceless Man, wanted for multiple counts of murder, fraud and crimes against humanity, has been unmasked and is on the run.

Peter Grant, Detective Constable and apprentice wizard, now plays a key role in an unprecedented joint operation to bring Chorley to justice.

But even as the unwieldy might of the Metropolitan Police bears down on its foe, Peter uncovers clues that Chorley, far from being finished, is executing the final stages of a long term plan.

A plan that has its roots in London’s two thousand bloody years of history, and could literally bring the city to its knees.

To save his beloved city Peter’s going to need help from his former best friend and colleague – Lesley May – who brutally betrayed him and everything he thought she believed in. And, far worse, he might even have to come to terms with the malevolent supernatural killer and agent of chaos known as Mr Punch…

Ben’s series is published in the UK and Commonwealth by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey and DAW Books, and widely elsewhere in translation.

The highly-anticipated next novel in the series, FALSE VALUE, is due to be published next month by Orion (UK) and DAW Books (North America).

Here are just a few reviews that LIES SLEEPING has received since it was first published…

‘[F]unny… laugh-out-loud prose… fans will delight in this outing.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘[R]ecounted with deadpan British wit and irony… packed with fascinating historical detail… Lively and amusing and different.’ — Kirkus

‘Peter Grant’s London has depth, breadth, and a complex array of recurring characters, and every one of the novels can be relied on to start with a bang… Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant has a distinctive voice, one that makes even the bureaucracy of regular police work engaging and compelling… Aaronovitch writes a tense, compelling police procedural with magic. As usual, Grant’s voice is striking, and the action gripping and intense.’ — Tor.com

‘[S]till as fresh as ever… Aaronovitch melds the magical and mundane extremely well. There’s a good mix of ‘London practicality’ and ‘unimaginable terror’ here; this isn’t a world where everyone can take the idea that magic is a real thing in their stride. Fear of the unknown keeps things in the margins, which provides a backdrop for the main characters’ struggles… The plot dives straight into strands from the previous titles, tying up plots going all the way back to book one whilst fraying new threads to keep the intrigue going. The pace is solid and steady, the action is as thrilling as ever and the whole thing ticks along like an old yet exciting friend… A must for fans of the series so far and, as always, we can’t wait to read the next one.’ — Starburst

‘Things build to a peak with thrilling confrontations, an impressively weird final battle, and a big surprise at the end… Aaronovitch has a way with surprising developments, and I’m looking forward to seeing how things play out.’ — Locus (Carolyn Cushman)

‘[T]hose wondering if we’ll ever get to see the end of this Faceless Man’s saga will be pleased to know, LIES SLEEPING has the final showdown and answers you’re looking for. After seven books, this resolution was a long time coming, and it was awesome… those who have always appreciated this series’ attention to the history and mythology associated with London will find lots of like about this book…’ — Bibliosanctum

New, cast production of EIN WISPERN UNTER BAKER STREET out next week!

Posted on Friday, November 22nd, 2019

Audible Germany continues its range of cast productions for Ben Aaronovitch‘s acclaimed, best-selling Peter Grant series with a new edition of WHISPERS UNDER GROUND! Published in Germany as EIN WISPERN UNDER BAKER STREET, on November 28th, here’s the synopsis…

Die Urban-Fantasy-Reihe des britischen Erfolgsautors Ben Aaronovitch geht weiter: Nach dem Erfolg von “Die Flüsse von London” und “Schwarzer Mond über Soho” ermittelt Peter Grant in seinem dritten magischen Fall in den mystischen Katakomben des Londoner Untergrunds. Ein Audible Original Hörspiel mit den Sprechern Leonard Hohm, Victoria Mayer und Tim Schwarzmaier, der schon Harry Potter seine Stimme lieh, uvm.

Ein Toter im U-Bahn-Tunnel der legendären Baker Street hinterlässt magische Spuren und ruft damit Peter und seine Kollegen von der Drei-Mann-Spezialeinheit für Übernatürliches auf den Plan. Als wären Ermittlungen in Abwasserkanälen nicht schon schrecklich genug, bekommt das Team Verstärkung durch FBI-Agentin Kimberley Reynolds.

Als sich herausstellt, dass der Vater des ermordeten Kunststudenten ein hohes Tier im US-Senat ist, werden mit amerikanischer Autorität sämtliche Register gezogen. Peter muss all sein diplomatisches Geschick aufbringen, um die Völkerfreundschaft durch unkonventionelle und leicht magische Ermittlungsmethoden nicht zu gefährden. Aber das Wispern der gequälten Geister unter Baker Street macht es ihm nicht leicht alles unter Kontrolle zu behalten…

The first two novels are also available in cast production editions, published by Audible.

WHISPERS UNDER GROUND is published in print and audio in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey; and is available in print in Germany, published by DTV.

Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Peter Grant is learning magic fast. And it’s just as well – he’s already had run-ins with the deadly supernatural children of the Thames and a terrifying killer in Soho. Progression in the Police Force is less easy. Especially when you work in a department of two. A department that doesn’t even officially exist. A department that if you did describe it to most people would get you laughed at. And then there’s his love life. The last person he fell for ended up seriously dead. It wasn’t his fault, but still.

Now something horrible is happening in the labyrinth of tunnels that make up the tube system that honeycombs the ancient foundations of London. And delays on the Northern line is the very least of it. Time to call in the Met’s Economic and Specialist Crime Unit 9, aka ‘The Folly’. Time to call in PC Peter Grant, Britain’s Last Wizard.

Here are just a few of the reviews the novel has received since it was first published…

‘One of the most refreshing things about former Doctor Who writer Aaronvitch’s Rivers of London series of magical procedurals is that they are blessedly free of manufactured rivalries. Instead, Police Constable (and freshly minted wizard) Peter Grant works for a supernatural branch of the London police department that is more interested in solving crimes than creating drama. In Grant’s third outing (after Moon over Soho), he gets called in to help with a magic-linked murder at an Underground station. The victim turns out to be the son of a U.S. senator, with a sketchy, not-quite-human roommate. To solve the murder, Grant and his associates, including disfigured fellow magician Lesley May and trigger-happy FBI agent Kimberley Reynolds, plumb the city’s depths as well as its secret history. This fast, engrossing novel is enjoyable, cheerful, and accessible to new readers.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘… the Peter Grant novels by Ben Aaronovitch are a great way to feel like you’re actually visiting the city by the Thames… Ben Aaronovitch writes some of the funniest prose in current fantasy. These books are extremely entertaining, mainly because narrator Peter Grant has a hilarious voice and a sly sense of humor… quirkily effective prose and dry humor, making it a pure pleasure to read… I’m usually not a big fan of urban fantasy, but this series is so much fun that I always look forward to the next installment. If you’re looking for a fast-moving, entertaining urban fantasy that’ll make you feel like you’re visiting London vicariously this summer, pick up series opener MIDNIGHT RIOT / RIVERS OF LONDON. And if you’ve already read the first two books, you’ll probably be glad to hear that the newest installment WHISPERS UNDER GROUND is just as good.’ — Tor.com

‘The voice is persuasive and funny as all get-out, and the reader is engaged with the narrative from the very first page. Aaronovitch has written a diverse cast of characters who all feel like real people with their own specific motivations. This book is simply wonderful.’ — RT Book Reviews

‘Aaronovitch… improves with each novel he does; this is the best so far, and the previous books were a lot of fun as well.’ — Starburst

‘The quality of the writing is superb with an instantly engaging style and subtle humour that makes reading the novel a real joy and almost impossible to resist… The ending is pretty dramatic and very much a seat-of-your-pants cliff hanger that really does leave you wanting more, I can’t wait to read more in the life of Peter Grant.’ 5/5 — SF Book Reviews

‘The prose is witty, the plot clever and the characters incredibly likeable…’ — Time Out

Czech Audiobook edition of WHISPERS UNDERGROUND now available via Audible!

Posted on Friday, October 11th, 2019

The Czech audiobook edition of Ben Aaronovitch‘s third Peter Grant novel, WHISPERS UNDERGROUND is available now through Audible! Published by Tympanum as ŠEPOT PODZENÍ, and read by Tomáš Kobr, here’s the synopsis…

Další případ ze světa nejúspěšnější městské fantasy uplynulého desetiletí! Peter Grant na cestě do labyrintem londýnského metra. Jmenuji se Peter Grant. Není to tak dávno, co jsem byl obyčejný četnický zelenáč v řadách londýnské Metropolitní policie. Teď jsem policejní detektiv a čarodějnický učeň. Jenže inspektor Nightingale má plné ruce práce s pátráním po Muži bez tváře, takže stojím nad mrtvolou amerického studenta na stanici metra Baker Street sám. Vlastně ne sám, FBI mi poslala na pomoc nějakou mladou ambiciózní křesťanku. No, hezká je, ale veškerá kouzla jsou pro ni jasné dílo ďáblovo. Je na čase ponořit se strašidelné hlubiny nejstarší, největší a nyní i nejvražednější podzemní dráhy na světě.

The print edition of the novel is published in Czechia by Argo. The Peter Grant series is published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-), and widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis for WHISPERS UNDERGROUND…

Peter Grant is learning magic fast. And it’s just as well – he’s already had run-ins with the deadly supernatural children of the Thames and a terrifying killer in Soho. Progression in the Police Force is less easy. Especially when you work in a department of two. A department that doesn’t even officially exist. A department that if you did describe it to most people would get you laughed at. And then there’s his love life. The last person he fell for ended up seriously dead. It wasn’t his fault, but still.

Now something horrible is happening in the labyrinth of tunnels that make up the tube system that honeycombs the ancient foundations of London. And delays on the Northern line is the very least of it. Time to call in the Met’s Economic and Specialist Crime Unit 9, aka ‘The Folly’. Time to call in PC Peter Grant, Britain’s Last Wizard.

Here are just a handful of the reviews the novel has received…

‘One of the most refreshing things about former Doctor Who writer Aaronvitch’s Rivers of London series of magical procedurals is that they are blessedly free of manufactured rivalries. Instead, Police Constable (and freshly minted wizard) Peter Grant works for a supernatural branch of the London police department that is more interested in solving crimes than creating drama. In Grant’s third outing (after Moon over Soho), he gets called in to help with a magic-linked murder at an Underground station. The victim turns out to be the son of a U.S. senator, with a sketchy, not-quite-human roommate. To solve the murder, Grant and his associates, including disfigured fellow magician Lesley May and trigger-happy FBI agent Kimberley Reynolds, plumb the city’s depths as well as its secret history. This fast, engrossing novel is enjoyable, cheerful, and accessible to new readers.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘… the Peter Grant novels by Ben Aaronovitch are a great way to feel like you’re actually visiting the city by the Thames… Ben Aaronovitch writes some of the funniest prose in current fantasy. These books are extremely entertaining, mainly because narrator Peter Grant has a hilarious voice and a sly sense of humor… quirkily effective prose and dry humor, making it a pure pleasure to read… I’m usually not a big fan of urban fantasy, but this series is so much fun that I always look forward to the next installment. If you’re looking for a fast-moving, entertaining urban fantasy that’ll make you feel like you’re visiting London vicariously this summer, pick up series opener MIDNIGHT RIOT / RIVERS OF LONDON. And if you’ve already read the first two books, you’ll probably be glad to hear that the newest installment WHISPERS UNDER GROUND is just as good.’ — Tor.com

‘The quality of the writing is superb with an instantly engaging style and subtle humour that makes reading the novel a real joy and almost impossible to resist… The ending is pretty dramatic and very much a seat-of-your-pants cliff hanger that really does leave you wanting more, I can’t wait to read more in the life of Peter Grant.’ 5/5 — SF Book Reviews

‘The voice is persuasive and funny as all get-out, and the reader is engaged with the narrative from the very first page. Aaronovitch has written a diverse cast of characters who all feel like real people with their own specific motivations. This book is simply wonderful.’ — RT Book Reviews

The next novel in the series, FALSE VALUE, is due to be published in February 2020.

Anne Griffin interviewed for Audible Sessions! WHEN ALL IS SAID also a Waterstones Book of the Month!

Posted on Friday, July 12th, 2019

Anne Griffin — the author of the critically-acclaimed, best-selling debut WHEN ALL IS SAID — has been interviewed for Audible’s Sessions series of author interviews. You can get the interview, for free, direct from Audible (UK, US).

Joining us at Audible Studios is Anne Griffin, debut author of the next great Irish novel, When All Is Said.

Griffin’s novel depicts an Irish farmer who orders five drinks over the course of one night to toast each of the five most important people in his life. His life is laid bare, in its loves and feuds, regrets and triumphs, all through the five people who have left him behind.

We spoke about her inspiration for the book, her literary career so far and what her plans are for the future.

WHEN ALL IS SAID was recently released in paperback in the UK and Ireland (Sceptre), and is a Waterstones Book of the Month!

It is also available in hardcover in the US (St. Martin’s Press). It is also, of course, available in audiobook formats in both territories. The novel has also been conquering other territories, and has been released in a number of translated editions (with more on the way!).

Here’s the synopsis…

Five toasts. Five people. One lifetime.

‘I’m here to remember – all that I have been and all that I will never be again.’

At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He’s alone, as usual -though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.

Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories – of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice – the life of one man will be powerfully and poignantly laid bare.

Heart-breaking and heart-warming all at once, the voice of Maurice Hannigan will stay with you long after all is said.

Here are just some of the great responses to the novel so far…

‘Anne Griffin’s debut novel is a must read. Beautifully observed, masterful story telling – stunning!’ — Graham Norton

‘An extraordinary novel, a poetic writer, and a story that moved me to tears… There is something special here.’ — John Boyne

‘Beautiful. Intimate. Tearful. Aching and lyrical. So simply and beautifully told.’ — Louise Penny

‘Beautifully written, unhurried and thoughtful, a lonely man truthfully wrought and a character you love from the off, in spite of his flaws or maybe because of them… a terrific debut.’ — Kit de Waal, award-winning author of My Name is Leon

‘Griffin’s portrait of an Irish octogenarian provides a stage for the exploration of guilt, regret, and loss, all in the course of one memorable night.’ — Kirkus

‘Maurice’s humor, his keen observations on class and family, and his colloquial language, as well as Griffin’s strong sense of place, create the feeling of a life connected to many others by strands of affection and hatred.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘A hugely enjoyable, engrossing novel, a genuine page-turner. Maurice is a fabulous character, wonderfully flawed and completely engaging; his voice is familiar and real, full of sadness and regret and defiance, and unexpected tenderness.’ — Donal Ryan, award-winning author of The Spinning Heart

‘[An] impressively confident debut … Maurice Hannigan emerges as an engaging, compassionate creation’ — Guardian

‘Pitch-perfect prose… Moving and beautifully written, this is a wonderfully assured debut.’ — Mail on Sunday

‘It’s all beautifully done; a tale told in the plain but poetic prose of a man who recognises the tragic truths gleaned from a life of love and loss. A gem of a book.’ 5* — Sunday Express

‘A proper tear-jerker, but one that will ultimately leave you feeling hopeful.’ — Grazia

Full Cast Production of SCHWARZER MOND ÜBER SOHO now available!

Posted on Friday, May 10th, 2019

We’re very happy to report that there is a new German audiobook version of Ben Aaronovitch‘s MOON OVER SOHO! Produced using a full cast, SCHWARZER MOND ÜBER SOHO is out now, published by Audible. Here’s the synopsis…

Nach seinem Audible-Bestseller “Die Flüsse von London” endlich der zweite Teil der Hörspiel-Reihe um Peter Grant und seiner ausgeprägten Begabung fürs Magische.

Kurzinhalt: Police Constable Peter Grant ist nicht nur ein relativer Neuling bei der Metropolitan Police, sondern auch der letzte Zauberlehrling Londons. Sollte er aber ernsthaft gedacht haben, dass sein frisch überstandenes Abenteuer in die Kategorie “heftig” fällt, so kann er sich für sein nächstes schon mal eine neue, noch aufregendere Vokabel aussuchen.

In “Schwarzer Mond über Soho”, Ben Aaronovitchs Fortsetzung der “Flüsse von London”, sieht sich Peter Grant fantastischen Kriminalfällen und Gefahren einer völlig neuen Qualität gegenüber, die selbst den hartgesottensten Polizeibeamten in Angst und Schrecken versetzen würden. Definitiv ein Punkt auf der “lieber-nicht-Haben” Seite. Allerdings tritt auch Simone Fitzwilliam in sein Leben — verführerisch, sexy und voller Lebensfreude wird sie bald Peters Fels in der Schreckens-Brandung. Ein klarer Punkt für die “Haben” Seite.

Doch gerade als die Treffen zwischen Peter und Simone eine aufregend-angenehme Regelmäßigkeit annehmen, überschlagen sich die Ereignisse: London wird von einem mysteriösen Serienkiller heimgesucht, der es offenbar auf junge Jazzmusiker abgesehen hat. Als ob das allein für ein junges Polizistenherz nicht schon Aufregung genug wäre, tritt auch noch ein mächtiger und geheimnisvoller Schwarz-Magier ins Bild, der sich an Peters Fersen heftet. Peter erkennt schmerzhaft schnell, dass er kurz davor steht sein Zauberlehrling Gesellenstück abliefern zu müssen…

Mit einmaligen, britischen Humor erzählt Ben Aaronovitch die Fälle um Constable und Zauberlehrling Peter Grant weiter.

MOON OVER SOHO and the other Peter Grant novels are published by DTV in Germany, Gollancz in the UK, Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-) in the US, and widely in translation.

Here’s the English-language synopsis for MOON OVER SOHO…

I was my dad’s vinyl-wallah: I changed his records while he lounged around drinking tea, and that’s how I know my Argo from my Tempo. And it’s why, when Dr Walid called me to the morgue to listen to a corpse, I recognised the tune it was playing. Something violently supernatural had happened to the victim, strong enough to leave its imprint like a wax cylinder recording. Cyrus Wilkinson, part-time jazz saxophonist and full-time accountant, had apparently dropped dead of a heart attack just after finishing a gig in a Soho jazz club. He wasn’t the first.

No one was going to let me exhume corpses to see if they were playing my tune, so it was back to old-fashioned legwork, starting in Soho, the heart of the scene. I didn’t trust the lovely Simone, Cyrus’ ex-lover, professional jazz kitten and as inviting as a Rubens’ portrait, but I needed her help: there were monsters stalking Soho, creatures feeding off that special gift that separates the great musician from someone who can raise a decent tune. What they take is beauty. What they leave behind is sickness, failure and broken lives.

And as I hunted them, my investigation got tangled up in another story: a brilliant trumpet player, Richard ‘Lord’ Grant – my father – who managed to destroy his own career, twice. That’s the thing about policing: most of the time you’re doing it to maintain public order. Occasionally you’re doing it for justice. And maybe once in a career, you’re doing it for revenge.

In related, exciting news: the series was recently optioned for television by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s Stolen Pictures production company!

Czech edition of RIVERS OF LONDON now available from Audible

Posted on Friday, May 3rd, 2019

The Czech translation of Ben Aaronovitch‘s RIVERS OF LONDON is now available as an audiobook from Audible! Published by Tympanum as ŘEKY LONDÝNA, here’s the synopsis…

Jmenuji se Peter Grant. Ještě nedávno jsem byl obyčejný četnický zelenáč v řadách londýnské Metropolitní policie. Jedné noci jsem se ale při vyšetřování jisté vraždy pokusil získat svědeckou výpověď od muže, který byl sice mrtvý, ale jinak znepokojivě výřečný, což mi zajistilo pozornost vrchního inspektora Nightingalea, posledního čaroděje Anglie. A právě tehdy začal můj příběh.

Nyní jsem policejní detektiv a čarodějův učeň, první učedník za padesát let, a můj svět už není zdaleka tak jednoduchý, jak býval. Jedna z nejúspěšnějších městských fantasy uplynulého desetiletí vás zavede do Londýna, ve kterém u policie slouží čarodějové a po ulicích se prohánějí zlovolní duchové či božstva na válečné stezce.

The novel is also published in print in Czechia by Argo, as are books 2-6 in the series (more to come!).

RIVERS OF LONDON and the other novels in the Peter Grant/Rivers of London series are published in the UK by Gollancz; in the US by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas); and widely in translation around the world.

In case you haven’t had the chance to read RIVERS OF LONDON, yet, here’s the English-language synopsis…

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit – we do paperwork so real coppers don’t have to – and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I’m a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden… and there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos – or die trying.

And last but by no means least: don’t miss the news that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have option the Rivers of London series!

Listen to Michael Cobley’s SPLINTERED SUNS now!

Posted on Thursday, December 27th, 2018

The audio edition of Michael Cobley‘s latest space opera, SPLINTERED SUNS is out now! Published by Audible, it is the fifth novel set in the author’s Humanity’s Fire universe. Here’s the synopsis…

For Pyke and his crew it should have been just another heist. Travel to a backwater desert planet, break into a museum, steal a tracking device then use it to find a ship buried in the planet’s vast and trackless sandy wastes.

Except that the museum vault is a bioengineered chamber, and the tracking device is sought after by another gang of treasure hunters led by an old adversary of Pyke’s, the devious Raven Kaligara. Also, the ship is a quarter of a million years old and about two kilometres long, and somewhere aboard it is the Essavyr Key, a relic to unlock all the treasures and technologies of a lost civilisation…

The novel is published in print in the UK and US by Orbit Books, who have also published the previous novels in the series: the trilogy featuring SEEDS OF EARTH, THE ORPHANED WORLDS, and THE ASCENDANT STARS; and the stand-alone ANCESTRAL MACHINES. (The latest novel is also a stand-alone adventure.) You can read an excerpt from SPLINTERED SUNS over on Hachette’s website.

‘Michael Cobley writes vast, sprawling space opera in the wide-screen tradition of Iain M Banks, replete with mega-starships, exotic alien worlds, artfully rendered extraterrestrial species and much swashbuckling derring-do, all carried off with an up-to-the minute political sensibility… a thrilling action adventure… SPLINTERED SUNS is a page-turner with a high-octane sense of wonder, full of gloriously described technology and fabulous settings.’ — Guardian

‘[H]uge fun’ — SFX on SPLINTERED SUNS

Tanya Huff’s PEACEMAKER series available in Audio!

Posted on Tuesday, December 18th, 2018

Tanya Huff‘s critically-acclaimed Peacekeeper series is available in audiobook format in the UK! AN ANCIENT PEACE, A PEACE DIVIDED and THE PRIVILEGE OF PEACE are all available now, published by Audible and narrated by Marguerite Gavin. Here’s the synopsis for the first novel…

The centuries-long war between the Confederation and The Others, a group of violent alien species, is over. Intergalactic peace is finally restored. Torin Kerr and her crew of ex-marine friends have gone freelance using their military experience as guns for hire. But this calm equilibrium cannot last.

Someone is searching for the lost weapons of the H’san: powerful tools capable of destroying entire planets. Though the H’san gave up fighting long ago, the reappearance of their weapons would no doubt lead to a devastating war. It is up to Torin Kerr and her team to fix this problem before it explodes. But the more Torin learns about the relationship between the Elder and Younger races, the more she fears war might be unavoidable…

The Peacekeeper series is published in print in the UK by Titan Books, as is the series that precedes this one: Confederation.

Here are some of the great reviews the Peacekeeper series has received…

‘Huff’s ability to communicate complex personal dynamics and deep trust through what feels like casual banter establishes the character of the team well for the reader, and solid stretches of reconnaissance and well-tuned moments of violence show Huff’s military SF skills still on point.’ — Publishers Weekly on AN ANCIENT PEACE

‘The action hits the planet running, Huff kicks it into high gear.’ — RT Book Reviews on AN ANCIENT PEACE

‘[I] thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced and fun “secret mission” type story, and look forward to reading the next book in the series. I definitely recommend AN ANCIENT PEACE for fans of military sci-fi.’ — SF Revu on AN ANCIENT PEACE

‘This book can be read as a straight-up adventure (with obvious nods to Indiana Jones along the way), and on that level it’s very entertaining. But there’s more to it, if you pause to consider… I’m really looking forward to seeing where the next book goes. I think Torin Kerr has become my favorite of Huff’s characters, which is saying something.’ — Fantasy & Science Fiction on AN ANCIENT PEACE

‘Book two of the Peacekeeper series is a fun outing with familiar characters on a remote world that may hold the key to ending all the threats that sentient plastic holds.’ — RT Book Reviews on A PEACE DIVIDED

‘Huff weaves a fast-paced thriller bristling with treachery and intrigue. Fans of military science fiction will enjoy this tense adventure and its intricately constructed setting.’ — Publishers Weekly on A PEACE DIVIDED

‘Tanya Huff knows how to tell a rip-roaring, military sci-fi mystery story like few others.’ — B&N SciFi & Fantasy Blog on A PEACE DIVIDED

‘It’s a fun novel, pacey, full of banter, with plenty of space for more sequels. Torin Kerr the Justice Department Warden approaches her work and her life differently to Torin Kerr the Marine, but once a Gunnery Sergeant, always a Gunnery Sergeant. Explosions abound!’ — Tor.com on A PEACE DIVIDED

‘Characters grow and change through the experiences they have between the pages. Tanya Huff does an excellent job on this, not only with Torin, but with the other members of her team.’ — Qwillery on A PEACE DIVIDED

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

New German Dramatization of DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON!

Posted on Wednesday, October 24th, 2018

Audible Germany has released an exclusive, German-language dramatization of Ben Aaronovitch‘s first Peter Grant novel! RIVERS OF LONDON, published in Germany as DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON, is published in print, eBook and regular-audio book by DTV. Here’s the synopsis…

Die Spiegel-Bestseller rund um Police Constable Peter Grant und seine magischen Kriminalfälle gibt es jetzt erstmals als Audible Original Hörspiel: witzig, britisch und bis zum Schluss voller spannender Rätsel.

Peter Grant ist Police Constable in London mit einer ausgeprägten Begabung fürs Magische. Dies stellt er fest, als er zum Tatort eines grausamen Mordes beordert wird und pflichtbewusst beginnt, einen Zeugen zu befragen, der sich jedoch ziemlich schnell als Geist herausstellt. Von da ab wird Peters Leben kompliziert, denn Inspector Thomas Nightingale, Exzentriker, Jaguar-Fahrer und letzter Zauberer Englands macht ihn kurzerhand zu seinem Lehrling. Eine zauberhafte Aufgabe, die Peters Wissen über Verbrechensbekämpfung, Latein und das Leben an sich auf die Probe stellt.

“Die Flüsse von London” ist der erste Teil der “Magischen Fälle des Peter Grant”-Reihe vom britischen Erfolgsautor Ben Aaronovitch.

DTV has published the whole Peter Grant series to date in Germany.

The Peter Grant series is published in the UK by Gollancz; in the US by Del Rey, DAW Books and Subterranean Press; and has been published widely in translation.

Listen to A PIECE DIVIDED…

Posted on Thursday, December 14th, 2017

The second novel in Tanya Huff‘s critically-acclaimed Peacekeeper series, A PEACE DIVIDED is available now as an audiobook in the UK! Published by Audible, here’s the synopsis…

Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr drew together an elite corps of friends and allies to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not officially touch. When the scientists doing a preliminary archaeological dig on a Class Two planet are taken hostage, Torin’s team is sent to free them.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that the mercenaries holding them are a mix of Confederation and Primacy forces, and are looking for a weapon with power beyond anything previously known. Torin must contend with the politics of peace that have added members of the Primacy, former enemies, to her team. She will have to sift through shifting loyalties as she discovers that the line between us and them is anything but straight.

The UK print and eBook editions of the novel are published by Titan Books. Titan also publishes the first novel in the series, AN ANCIENT PEACE.

Here are just a few of the reviews A PEACE DIVIDED has received…

‘Book two of the Peacekeeper series is a fun outing with familiar characters on a remote world that may hold the key to ending all the threats that sentient plastic holds.’ — RT Book Reviews

‘Huff weaves a fast-paced thriller bristling with treachery and intrigue. Fans of military science fiction will enjoy this tense adventure and its intricately constructed setting.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Tanya Huff knows how to tell a rip-roaring, military sci-fi mystery story like few others.’ — B&N SciFi & Fantasy Blog

‘It’s a fun novel, pacey, full of banter, with plenty of space for more sequels. Torin Kerr the Justice Department Warden approaches her work and her life differently to Torin Kerr the Marine, but once a Gunnery Sergeant, always a Gunnery Sergeant. Explosions abound!’ — Tor.com

Titan Books has also published Huff’s Confederation sci-fi series (a prequel series to the Peacekeeper novels), and her urban fantasy Enchantment Emporium series.

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

A Rare Interview of Cunning Aaronovitch…

Posted on Monday, June 12th, 2017

To celebrate the recent(ish) release of Ben Aaronovitch‘s new audio short story, A RARE BOOK OF CUNNING DEVICES, Audible has shared an interview with the author and series narrator, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Set in Ben’s Peter Grant series, here’s the synopsis…

Somewhere amongst the shadowy stacks and the many basements of the British library, something is very much amiss — and we’re not talking late returns here. Is it a ghost, or something much worse? PC Peter Grant really isn’t looking forward to finding out…

Best of all, A RARE BOOK OF CUNNING DEVICE is free!

The Peter Grant series is published by Gollancz in the UK, Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-6) in the US, and widely in translation. The whole series is also available in audio, narrated by Holdbrook-Smith. The next book in the series will be THE FURTHEST STATION, the first novella in the series, published by Gollancz in the UK and Subterranean Press in the US.

Hear THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD!

Posted on Monday, May 29th, 2017

Freda Warrington‘s THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD is available in audio! Published by Audible, it is the fourth novel in the author’s beloved Blood Wine series. Here’s the synopsis…

In 1920s Switzerland, vampire lovers Charlotte and Karl are drawn into turmoil as Godric Reiniger, a local filmmaker and activist with sinister ambitions, begins his rise to power. Meanwhile, fiery dancer Emil achieves his dream to partner the legendary ballerina and vampire Violette Lenoir until his forbidden desire for her becomes an obsession. Rejected, spiralling towards madness, he seeks solace with a mysterious beauty, Fadiya. But she, too, is a vampire, with a hidden agenda. When Karl and Charlotte undertake the perilous journey to rescue Emil, they unearth secrets that threaten the very existence of vampire-kind.

All four novels in the series are published in audio by Audible, and in print by Titan Books (in the UK and US): A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE, A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET, and THE DARK BLOOD OF POPPIES. Audible has published many of Freda’s extensive backlist of fantasy and horror novels.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the series has received…

‘Dark and sensual and atmospheric, this stunning book continues the story of Karl, Charlotte and their friends, deftly expanding the mythos of vampires and introducing new characters that are sure to become favourites.’ — Aliette de Bodard on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

‘Freda Warrington’s vampire novels make for lush, intense dramas involving angst-haunted, fierce undead–lovers, enemies, family members, friends, despots, sometimes religious fanatics or raving lunatics… I remain very impressed by this author and the vampire saga she has crafted.’ — Vampires.com on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

‘In the style of authors such as Anne Rice, Warrington has made a tale that beats convention and shows readers what is more likely to happen to vampires than in many other novels. It is great to see that what were once 90’s novels have been re published for a fresh audience who have already indulged in the Twilight novels. The cover art for this one and the other three is striking and beautiful in a gothic way and tells a lot about the kind of novels they are. This is for those who want to curl up with a good book…’ — Fantasy Book Review on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

‘I can’t praise this series enough, the author’s writing is poetic, enduring, and consumes you hook, line, and sinker. A superb ending to a marvellous series, and highly recommended.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

‘Not merely one of the finest fantasy novels of recent years, but one of the finest ever. Should not be missed.’ — Interzone on A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE

‘… a tale which throbs with lush romanticism.’ — The Times on A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE

‘… a full-blooded gothique that rips more than bodices… Warrington’s vampire dynasty has the grandeur of a cobwebbed cathedral, and her plot is forged in operatic passions. Treating her subjects with theatrical intensity, she creates lush images, awash in colour and shadow, and the ideal gothic mood is preserved; a dark romance to lose yourself in.’ — Time Out on A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET

‘The third book in Freda Warrington’s brilliantly evocative Blood Wine Sequence, and for me at least, possibly one of the best… I’ve yet to end any review of one of Freda’s books without referring to the impressive style of her writing — it’s smart, compelling, and simply fabulous… So easy to recommend this, and any of the others in the Blood Wine Sequence.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

Surprise new Peter Grant audio short story! A RARE BOOK OF CUNNING DEVICE out now!

Posted on Thursday, April 27th, 2017

Sunday Times best-selling author and Doctor Who screenwriting alum, Ben Aaronovitch has teamed up with Audible for the release of A RARE BOOK OF CUNNING DEVICE! This is an audio-exclusive short story set in the world of his beloved Peter Grant/Rivers of London series after the latest novel, THE HANGING TREE.

Narrated by the ever-brilliant Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (who has narrated the whole series thus far), here’s the synopsis…

Supernatural investigator PC Peter Grant examines a multitude of mysterious goings on at the British Library. Called in to handle an apparent poltergeist, Grant must hunt among towering stacks of books and the library’s many shadowy basements to uncover who (or what) is causing priceless manuscripts to disappear from their shelves.

‘How could anyone resist setting a story amongst one of the world’s greatest concentration of culture and knowledge?’ Ben says of the story, which takes listeners behind the scenes of the second largest book collection in the world, and one London’s most treasured cultural institutions (with 625 km of shelves!).

Proceeds from the project will be donated to Cityread London, a charity that works to celebrate and support the capital’s libraries through a month-long programme of book groups, screening and events taking place throughout April each year. Ben’s debut, RIVERS OF LONDON, was the Cityread London spotlight title in 2015.

‘Audio offers enormous potential for authors and creators to explore the expanded universe of their favourite sagas,’ said Tracey Markham, UK Country Manager at Audible. ‘We’re always looking for ways to support original audio storytelling and have thoroughly enjoyed working with Ben on such a captivating short story. Having sponsored Cityread London for a number of years, we’re proud to continue championing such a worthwhile cause through Ben’s remarkable writing.’

The whole Peter Grant series – which has sold more than a million copies worldwide, and has been optioned for TV by Feel Films – is available on Audible. The books are published in the UK by Gollancz, in the US by Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-6), and has been published widely in translation.

THE FURTHEST STATION, a novella and the next book in the series, is due to be published on 21st September, by Gollancz and Subterranean Press.

Interview with Ben Aaronovitch on Audible!

Posted on Wednesday, January 18th, 2017

As part of its Audible Sessions series of author interviews, you can get a free audiobook interview with best-selling author Ben Aaronovitch! The interview was conducted shortly before Ben’s latest novel, THE HANGING TREE, was published.

THE HANGING TREE is the sixth novel in the Peter Grant series. It is out now in the UK, published by Gollancz; it’s due to be published in the US by DAW Books on January 31st. Here’s the synopsis…

Suspicious deaths are not usually the concern of Police Constable Peter Grant or the Folly — London’s police department for supernatural cases — even when they happen at an exclusive party in one of the flats of the most expensive apartment blocks in London. But the daughter of Lady Ty, influential goddess of the Tyburn river, was there, and Peter owes Lady Ty a favor.

Plunged into the alien world of the super-rich, where the basements are bigger than the houses, where the law is something bought and sold on the open market, a sensible young copper would keep his head down and his nose clean.

But this is Peter Grant we’re talking about.

He’s been given an unparalleled opportunity to alienate old friends and create new enemies at the point where the world of magic and that of privilege intersect. Assuming he survives the week…

All six of the Peter Grant series are available through Audible (UK and US). The novels are published in the UK by Gollancz and in the US by Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-6), as well as widely in translation.