James P. Blaylock - Zeno Agency Ltd.

ICYMI: New eBook Edition of James P. Blaylock’s PENNIES FROM HEAVEN Out Now!

Posted on Tuesday, February 28th, 2023

In case you missed it, a new eBook edition of PENNIES FROM HEAVEN by James P. Blaylock is out now! Published by JABberwocky in the UK and North America, here’s the synopsis…

Jerry Larkin discovers an age-old secret buried beneath the foundation of the house that he and his wife Jane, an avid reader of ghost stories, bought six months ago in the idyllic town of Old Orange in southern California.

Jane Larkin, whose MacArthur grant led to the creation of public gardens and a farmers market in the town’s central park, works against time to save what she has built as a 100-year storm moves in off the coast.

Lettie Phibbs, a strange librarian whose Antiquity Center holds the secrets to the hidden history of Old Orange, inserts herself into the Larkins’ lives, growing increasingly eccentric and menacing, as unpredictable as the storm itself.

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN, a six-day mystery, tells the tale of a small town haunted by the reanimated ghosts of a buried past, a story that reaches a terrifying crescendo of murder and intrigue in a high-paced rush toward fate and redemption.

The novel is also available in a signed, limited edition from PS Publishing, as well as in a UK trade paperback edition.

Blaylock is one of the fathers of Steampunk, and the acclaimed author of (among others) the Langdon St. Ives Adventures, published by Titan Books and JABberwocky (novellas, short story collections).

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN: New Blaylock Incoming!

Posted on Monday, November 21st, 2022

Next month, PS Publishing is due to publish the new novel from James P. Blaylock, PENNIES FROM HEAVEN! Available as a signed hardcover (limited to 200 copies), or a trade paperback edition, here’s the synopsis…

With a 100-year storm threatening the southern California coast, Jane Larkin is approached by a strange, audacious woman who wants to invest much-needed money in Jane’s Old Orange Co-op. Meanwhile Jane’s husband Jerry discovers an ancient excavation beneath the Larkin home. On that ominous morning in autumn, shadows descend over the deceptively quiet neighborhoods of Old Orange, ushering in a flood of chaos, terror, and murder.

Blaylock is one of the fathers of the steampunk genre, and has published a considerable number of acclaimed novels and short stories.

His Langdon St. Ives series is published by Titan Books in the UK and North America: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYLESFORD SKULL, and BENEATH LONDON.

Five Langdon St. Ives novellas and a short story collection are published by JABberwocky: THE EBB TIDE, THE AFFAIR OF THE CHALK CLIFFS, THE ADVENTURE OF THE RING OF STONES, RIVER’S EDGE, THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY, and THE STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES.

A number of the author’s other works are also available via JABberwocky, including the Balumnia Trilogy, the Christian Trilogy, and some stand-alone novels and collections.

Russian Editions of James P. Blaylock’s THE ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES and GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY Out Now!

Posted on Wednesday, August 25th, 2021

We’re very happy to report that Аркадия has published two more of James P. Blaylock‘s books in Russia! First up, we have THE ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES, a collection of the author’s acclaimed Langdon St. Ives short stories! Published in Russian as Глаз идола, here’s the synopsis…

Что может быть лучше, чем вечер, проведенный в уютном лондонском пабе, где можно выпить пинту хорошего эля и отведать зажаренного на вертеле фазана? Только необычайные приключения и полная опасностей дорога — так считают ученый-любитель Лэнгдон Сент-Ив и его верные друзья, готовые ринуться за ним в огонь и в воду в буквальном смысле этого слова. В поисках удивительных артефактов им предстоит то нырять вглубь гибельных зыбучих песков, то путешествовать по дну Темзы, то исследовать таинственные пещеры и подземелья. И хотя инфернальный профессор Нарбондо со своими жестокими подручными идет за ними по пятам, преодоление препятствий на нелегком пути к цели делают ее только желаннее.

The collection is published in North America by Subterranean Press, and by JABberwocky in the UK and eBook, as THE STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES.

Here’s the English-language synopsis

Within this volume lie the complete Steampunk short stories of Professor Langdon St. Ives, Victorian adventurer, written by avowed Steampunk Legend, James P. Blaylock.

St. Ives, traveler through time and space and an often misunderstood member of the Explorers Club and the Royal Society, has trodden the foggy London streets and Thames-side alleyways for decades, caught up in near-death adventures in pursuit of nefarious villains and obscure knowledge.

In the pages of this chronicle, the intrepid Professor and his stalwart friends face down strange enemies and avert catastrophes that the world scarcely knows exist, finding themselves stalked through the idol-infested jungles of Borneo, set adrift in the starlit reaches of outer space, plunged into the infamous “barrel madness” that descended upon London in the late 18th century, and wandering in a past-and-future age when they stumble upon a time portal in the midst of ancient standing stones in the idyllic Kent countryside.

Next up is Blaylock’s latest Langdon St. Ives novella, GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY! Published in Russia as Общество гурманов, here’s the synopsis…

Лэнгдону Сент-Иву, эксцентричному ученому-натуралисту, джентльмену и отменному семьянину, неведомы спокойствие и скука. Приключения обрушиваются на него и его близких ежедневно, если не ежеминутно. Невинная поездка в Лондонскую оперу оборачивается смертельно опасным сплавом на бочках по Темзе, а прогулка по пустошам к неолитическим постройкам — купанием в водопаде, падающем с безоблачного неба, и путешествием на воздушном шаре через дыру в пространстве-времени. Неудивительно, что любые события с участием Сент-Ива превращаются в фантасмагорию, даже если он пытается всего лишь понять причины загрязнения речки или помогает жене Элис разобраться с документами. Одно несомненно: любой враг рано или поздно будет разбит, и справедливость восторжествует.

Хотя без жертв не обойдется…

The novella is published in the UK by JABberwocky, and in North America by Subterranean Press. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

The story begins with an inheritance. Following a protracted legal battle, Alice St. Ives, Langdon’s wife, has come into full possession of Seaward, the house left to her by her late Uncle Godfrey, a man with a number of bizarre proclivities. Heartened by this good fortune, Alice, Langdon and their surrogate son Finn prepare to take possession of the house. From this point forward, events spin out of control, taking on a madcap logic of their own that is exhilarating and — in typical Blaylock fashion — often quite funny.

What follows is, in a sense, a tale of two houses. The first, of course, is Seaward, a “rambling, eccentric old house” with it its history, its secrets, its priceless accumulation of volumes of arcane lore. The other is a neighboring house known, for good reasons, as “Gobblin’ Manor,” home base of The Gobblin’ Society, a “culinary establishment” with its own peculiar — and very dark — traditions. In the course of an event filled few days, St. Ives and his cohorts will encounter smuggling, mesmerism, kidnapping, cannibalism and murder. It is, in other words, a typical — and typically eccentric — Langdon St. Ives adventure.

Like its predecessors, this latest extravaganza is fast-paced, unpredictable, and a thorough delight to read. Few novelists evoke the essence of Victorian England as successfully as Blaylock. Fewer still bring such wit, style, and propulsive narrative talents to the task. In The Gobblin’ Society, Blaylock has given vibrant new life to one of his signature creations. The result is a gift both for Blaylock’s longtime fans, and for newcomers lucky enough to come along for this astonishing — and thoroughly enjoyable — ride.

James P. Blaylock’s THE ADVENTURE OF THE RING OF STONES Available as an Audiobook!

Posted on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

James P. Blaylock‘s third Langdon St. Ives novella, THE ADVENTURE OF THE RING OF STONES is now available as an audiobook! Published by Audible, here’s the synopsis…

A strange message summons Langdon St. Ives and his companions to the Half Toad Inn in Smithfield, London, and along with the eccentric but fabulously wealthy Gilbert Frobisher, they set out for an uncharted island in the Caribbean, carrying a map that promises a treasure that beggars description. What they find – a terrible, pagan god from the depths of the ocean – leads them back to London, carrying within the hold of Frobisher’s steam yacht a fearsome, tentacled menace that threatens to devastate London.

The first two Langdon St. Ives novellas are also available as audiobooks, published by Audible: THE EBB TIDE and THE AFFAIR OF THE CHALK CLIFFS.

Blaylock’s Langdon St. Ives novellas (and short story collection) are published in the UK and eBook by JABberwocky, and in North America as hardcovers by Subterranean Press.

The four Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and in North America by Titan Books: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYELSFORD SKULL, and BENEATH LONDON. All four novels are also available as audiobooks, published by Audible.

Out Now: THE STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES!

Posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2020

We’re very happy to share the news that a new Langdon St. Ives short story collection by James P. Blaylock is available as an eBook! THE STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES is published via the JABberwocky eBook Program, here’s the synopsis…

Within this volume lie the complete Steampunk short stories of Professor Langdon St. Ives, Victorian adventurer, written by avowed Steampunk Legend, James P. Blaylock.

St. Ives, traveler through time and space and an often misunderstood member of the Explorers Club and the Royal Society, has trodden the foggy London streets and Thames-side alleyways for decades, caught up in near-death adventures in pursuit of nefarious villains and obscure knowledge.

In the pages of this chronicle, the intrepid Professor and his stalwart friends face down strange enemies and avert catastrophes that the world scarcely knows exist, finding themselves stalked through the idol-infested jungles of Borneo, set adrift in the starlit reaches of outer space, plunged into the infamous “barrel madness” that descended upon London in the late 18th century, and wandering in a past-and-future age when they stumble upon a time portal in the midst of ancient standing stones in the idyllic Kent countryside.

Here’s the table of contents:

Introduction
THE APE-BOX AFFAIR (the first modern Steampunk story!)
THE IDOL’S EYE
LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE
TWO VIEWS OF A CAVE PAINTING
THE HOLE IN SPACE
THE HERE-AND-THEREIANS
EARTHBOUND THINGS

JABberwocky has published five of Blaylock’s Langdon St. Ives novellas in eBook: THE EBB TIDE, THE AFFAIR OF THE CHALK CLIFFS, THE ADVENTURES OF THE RING OF STONES, RIVER’S EDGE, and THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY. (A whole host of Blaylock’s classic novels and short story collections are also published by JABberwocky in eBook.)

The Langdon St. Ives novellas (and a host of other titles) are published in North America by Subterranean Press. THE STEAMPUNK ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES includes stories that were first published in hardcover by Subterranean Press in THE ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES (2008) and THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES (2016).

The four Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and in North America by Titan Books: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYELSFORD SKULL, and BENEATH LONDON.

10 Minutes with James P. Blaylock

Posted on Saturday, July 18th, 2020

James P. Blaylock joins the growing number of Zeno clients who have guested on Jonathan Strahan’s excellent ’10 Minutes With’ series on the Coode Street Podcast. The episode is embedded above, or you can find it on your regular podcast app.

James P. Blaylock is the author of, most recently, THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY — a new Langdon St. Ives novella, published by Subterranean Press in North America and Limited Edition Hardcover, and by JABberwocky elsewhere. Here’s the synopsis…

For more than thirty years, James P. Blaylock has enthralled and delighted readers with a series of stories, novels and novellas featuring Langdon St. Ives, adventurer, man of science, Victorian gentleman. The best of these, such as Beneath London, Lord Kelvin’s Machine, andThe Aylesford Skull are among the most stylish, consistently witty entertainments of recent years. The Gobblin’ Society, the latest episode in St. Ives’s colorful career, belongs very much in that company.

The story begins with an inheritance. Following a protracted legal battle, Alice St. Ives, Langdon’s wife, has come into full possession of Seaward, the house left to her by her late Uncle Godfrey, a man with a number of bizarre proclivities. Heartened by this good fortune, Alice, Langdon and their surrogate son Finn prepare to take possession of the house. From this point forward, events spin out of control, taking on a madcap logic of their own that is exhilarating and — in typical Blaylock fashion — often quite funny.

What follows is, in a sense, a tale of two houses. The first, of course, is Seaward, a “rambling, eccentric old house” with it its history, its secrets, its priceless accumulation of volumes of arcane lore. The other is a neighboring house known, for good reasons, as “Gobblin’ Manor,” home base of The Gobblin’ Society, a “culinary establishment” with its own peculiar — and very dark — traditions. In the course of an event filled few days, St. Ives and his cohorts will encounter smuggling, mesmerism, kidnapping, cannibalism and murder. It is, in other words, a typical — and typically eccentric — Langdon St. Ives adventure.

Like its predecessors, this latest extravaganza is fast-paced, unpredictable, and a thorough delight to read. Few novelists evoke the essence of Victorian England as successfully as Blaylock. Fewer still bring such wit, style, and propulsive narrative talents to the task. In The Gobblin’ Society, Blaylock has given vibrant new life to one of his signature creations. The result is a gift both for Blaylock’s longtime fans, and for newcomers lucky enough to come along for this astonishing — and thoroughly enjoyable — ride.

Blaylock’s Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and North America by Titan Books, and his novellas are published by Subterranean Press (North America) and JABberwocky (elsewhere in English).

Other clients who have appeared on the show include Lavie Tidhar, Aliette de Bodard, Ian McDonald, and also Zeno Managing Director John Berlyne.

Some Client eBook Deals!

Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2020

Many of us may not be reading on our commutes anymore, but there is still plenty of time for reading! (We hope so, anyway!) We thought we should take this opportunity to highlight a handful of client eBooks that are currently on sale…

Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed and award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, the first novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, is currently a UK Kindle Monthly Deal. Here’s the synopsis…

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East.

They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

Aliette’s THE CITADEL OF WEEPING PEARLS is also an Early Bird Books deal, in North America, today only. Part of the author’s award-nominated and critically-acclaimed Xuya universe, it is published via JABberwocky. Here’s the synopsis…

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls was a great wonder; a perfect meld between cutting edge technology and esoteric sciences—its inhabitants capable of teleporting themselves anywhere, its weapons small and undetectable and deadly.

Thirty years ago, threatened by an invading fleet from the Dai Viet Empire, the Citadel disappeared and was never seen again.

But now the Dai Viet Empire itself is under siege, on the verge of a war against an enemy that turns their own mindships against them; and the Empress, who once gave the order to raze the Citadel, is in desperate needs of its weapons. Meanwhile, on a small isolated space station, an engineer obsessed with the past works on a machine that will send her thirty years back, to the height of the Citadel’s power.

But the Citadel’s disappearance still extends chains of grief and regrets all the way into the fraught atmosphere of the Imperial Court; and this casual summoning of the past might have world-shattering consequences…

Andrew Cartmel‘s third Vinyl Detective novel, VICTORY DISC, is also a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

When one of his cats accidentally discovers a rare Victory Disc, the Vinyl Detective and his girlfriend Nevada are whisked into the world of big band swing music, and a mystery that began during the Second World War.

Hired to track down the rest of the highly sought-after recordings of the Flare Path Orchestra, our hero will discover that the battles of the last world war aren’t over yet. And if all this sounds simple, it’s only because we haven’t mentioned drive-by shootings, murderous neo-Nazis, or that slight case of being buried alive…

Jack Campbell‘s TRIUMPHANT, the third novel in the author’s Genesis Fleet series, is currently a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. This novel, as well as a number of Campbell’s other books, are published in the UK by Titan Books. Here’s the synopsis…

A young fleet officer and a Marine must stand together to defend their neighbors and their colony in this thrilling finale to the powerful and action-packed Genesis Fleet saga from New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell.

The recently colonized world of Glenlyon has learned that they’re stronger when they stand with other star systems than they are on their own. But after helping their neighbor Kosatka against an invasion, Glenlyon has become a target. The aggressive star systems plan to neutralize Glenlyon before striking again.

An attack is launched against Glenlyon’s orbital facility with forces too powerful for fleet officer Rob Geary to counter using their sole remaining destroyer, Saber. Mele Darcy’s Marines must repel repeated assaults while their hacker tries to get into the enemy systems to give Saber a fighting chance.

To survive, Glenlyon needs more firepower, and the only source for that is their neighbor Kosatka or other star systems that have so far remained neutral. But Kosatka is still battling the remnants of the invasion forces on its own world, and if it sends its only remaining warship to help will be left undefended against another invasion. While Carmen Ochoa fights for the freedom of Kosatka, Lochan Nakamura must survive assassins as he tries to convince other worlds to join a seemingly hopeless struggle.

As star systems founded by people seeking freedom and autonomy, will Kosatka, Glenlyon and others be able to overcome deep suspicions of surrendering any authority to others? Will the free star systems stand together in a new Alliance, or fall alone?

For fans of classic fantasy, James P. Blaylock‘s THE DISAPPEARING DWARF is only $1.99 this month in the US and Canada, from major eBook retailers. The second novel in the author’s beloved Balumnia trilogy, it is published in eBook by JABberwocky — who also publish the first and third novels, THE ELFIN SHIP and THE STONE GIANT. Here’s the synopsis…

Jonathan Bing, Master Cheeser, has been growing a bit bored in Twombly Town. So it’s no surprise that when Professor Wurzle suggests a trip downriver, Jonathan jumps at the chance. A visit to the Evil Dwarf Selznak’s abandoned castle leads to a treasure hunt, but also to the discovery that Jonathan’s old friend the Squire has vanished, and that Selznak may be involved. Jonathan–accompanied by his wonderpooch Ahab, the Professor, and Miles the Magician–will have to set off to darkest Balumnia, to the city of Landsend, to find the treasure, and the Squire. And to make matters worse, Selznak will be there, too…

For non-fiction fans, John McHugo‘s A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE ARABS is also a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. Published by Saqi Books, here’s the synopsis…

The key to understanding the Arab world today is unlocking its past.

In this authoritative account, John McHugo takes the reader through the political, social and intellectual history of the Arabs from the Roman Empire right up to the present day. Going beyond the headlines, he describes in vivid detail a series of key turning points in Arab history – from the mission of the Prophet Muhammad and the expansion of Islam to the region’s interaction with Western ideas and the rise of Islamism.

Now fully updated to cover the tumultuous years since the Arab Spring, this lucidly told history reveals how the Arab world came to have its present form and illuminates the choices that lie ahead.

We hope you are all keeping well and safe, and are finding plenty of time to make progress on your TBR piles! Happy reading!

Video: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF WILLIAM ASHBLESS, featuring James P. Blaylock, Tim Powers, and John Berlyne!

Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2020

On February 11th, 2020, the Orange Country School of the Arts held their 20/20/20 Legends of Steampunk Festival. It celebrated the 20 year anniversary of their Creative Writing Conservatory of which Tim Powers and James P. Blaylock were the founding directors. In a panel moderated by Zeno’s John Berlyne, the two authors examined the mysterious origins of William Ashbless, perhaps the most enigmatic and eccentric of all the romantic poets…

James P. Blaylock is the critically-acclaimed author of the Langdon St. Ives series, among many others. The novels are currently available in the UK and North America, published by Titan Books. The novellas in the series are published by Subterranean Press and JABberwocky.

Tim Powers is the critically-acclaimed author of a number of stand-alone novels, a handful of which were published in the UK by Corvus.

James P. Blaylock’s Подземелья Лондона out now!

Posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2020

Some more James P. Blaylock news! Following on from Monday’s announcement that two of the author’s Langdon St. Ives novellas have been published as eBooks, we are happy to also report that BENEATH LONDON, the fourth novel in the series, is out now in Russia! Published by Аркадия as Подземелья Лондона, here’s the synopsis…

Внезапное обрушение набережной Темзы открывает проход в таинственный подземный мир Лондона. Аристократ-изобретатель Лэнгдон Сент-Ив и его друзья решают исследовать неизвестные просторы, не зная, что им противостоит хладнокровный гений зла, перед которым демонический доктор Нарбондо покажется сущим ребенком! На стороне психопата-душегуба весь преступный мир британской столицы, смертоносные изобретения вивисектора Пиви и даже грибы-вампиры. Убийства и похищения ни в чем не повинных людей следуют одно за другим… Сумеет ли Сент-Ив избежать уготованной ему печальной участи и восстановить мир и покой на улицах Лондона…?

Аркадия has also published the first three novels in the series: Гомункул (HOMUNCULUS), Машина лорда Кельвина (LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE) and Айлсфордский череп (THE AYLESFORD SKULL).

The novels are published in the UK and North America by Titan Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis for BENEATH LONDON…

The collapse of the Victoria Embankment uncovers a passage to an unknown realm beneath the city. Langdon St. Ives sets out to explore it, not knowing that a brilliant and wealthy psychopathic murderer is working to keep the underworld’s secrets hidden for reasons of his own.

St. Ives and his stalwart friends investigate a string of ghastly crimes: the gruesome death of a witch, the kidnapping of a blind, psychic girl, and the grim horrors of a secret hospital where experiments in medical electricity and the development of human, vampiric fungi, serve the strange, murderous ends of perhaps St. Ives’s most dangerous nemesis yet.

Here are just a few of the many great reviews the Langdon St. Ives series has received…

‘… the fastest, funniest, and most colorful and grotesquely horrifying novel that could ever be written about Victorian London.’ — Tim Powers on HOMUNCULUS

‘… every page is crammed with evidence of Blaylock’s feverishly Gothic imagination. Think Charles Dickens by way of Mervyn Peake and M. John Harrison, and you’ll have some notion of what’s in store. The wheels of the plot spin manically fast, but at the same time the weight of description makes everything feel as if it’s happening in slow motion. That might sound like a criticism, but the effect is strangely impressive and nightmarish. A steampunk Titus Groan.’ — Starburst on HOMUNCULUS

‘St. Ives’s journey through time is very well handled, at once playful and thoughtful’ — Publishers Weekly on LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE

‘Blaylock allows us to see the mundane world through new eyes, to perceive the familiar as strange, and therefore exciting.’ — Charles de Lint on LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE

‘Nerve-wrenching, deeply moving, and sparked with comic touches… brilliantly achieved.’ — Locus on LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE

‘James P Blaylock has been underpublished on this side of the Atlantic, a state of affairs Titan are addressing with THE AYLESFORD SKULL (£7.99), the first of three titles by one of the founders of the steampunk genre… Blaylock throws in all the furniture of the genre: derring-do and cliffhangers, a vivid portrayal of Victorian London, a gallery of grotesque characters and the obligatory airship, but the strength of the novel is his rendering of St Ives caught between his love of the chase and his commitment to family.’ — Guardian

‘St. Ives has to be one of the most fleshed out Victorian characters ever written, and I’m sincerely hoping that Blaylock isn’t finished with this scientist adventurer. THE AYLESFORD SKULL can easily stand alone without any knowledge of Blaylock’s previous steampunk stories, but you’ll want to hunt down additional St. Ives tales, I’m for certain.’ — Wired.com

James P. Blaylock’s RIVER’S EDGE and THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY out now as eBooks!

Posted on Monday, April 6th, 2020

UK Blaylock and steampunk fans rejoice: RIVER’S EDGE and THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY are now available as eBooks in the UK! The two books are novellas in James P. Blaylock‘s Langdon St. Ives series. Published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis for RIVER’S EDGE…

When poison fish begin to wash ashore along the River Medway, Langdon St. Ives sets out to investigate the Majestic Paper Mill and their corrupt owners. The body of a young girl is found dead in the river, and mystery grows darker and even more deadly, opening a door onto possible human sacrifice, witchcraft, and a growing threat to his family and friends. He finds himself fighting to save his wife Alice’s life, and prevent the ruination of his friends, his once idyllic life devolving into a dark puzzle for which there is no clear solution.

… and here’s the synopsis for THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY…

When coffins bearing what might be living corpses are discovered in a sea cave long used by smugglers, Langdon St. Ives and his wife Alice are precipitated into a hellish mystery involving an ages-old house standing on the chalk cliffs of the Kentish coast. The strange house, shunned by the people Broadstairs and Margate, caters to a century-old eating society that offers a secret catalogue of corpses for sale and a menu for wealthy members with… eccentric tastes. When the society sets out to entrap St. Ives, an onrushing adventure ensues as Alice and the formidable Frobishers fight for their lives — an adventure that seems to ensure a deadly ending.

JABberwocky has also published the first three novellas in the series: THE EBB TIDE, THE AFFAIR OF THE CHALK CLIFFS, and THE ADVENTURE OF THE RING OF STONES.

THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY and Blaylock’s other Langdon St. Ives novellas are also published in North America by Subterranean Press.

The Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and North America by Titan Books: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYLESFORD SKULL, and BENEATH LONDON.

James P. Blaylock’s THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY is out now!

Posted on Tuesday, March 31st, 2020

The wait is finally over: James P. Blaylock‘s latest Langdon St. Ives novella, THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY is out now! Published by Subterranean Press, here’s the synopsis…

The story begins with an inheritance. Following a protracted legal battle, Alice St. Ives, Langdon’s wife, has come into full possession of Seaward, the house left to her by her late Uncle Godfrey, a man with a number of bizarre proclivities. Heartened by this good fortune, Alice, Langdon and their surrogate son Finn prepare to take possession of the house. From this point forward, events spin out of control, taking on a madcap logic of their own that is exhilarating and — in typical Blaylock fashion — often quite funny.

What follows is, in a sense, a tale of two houses. The first, of course, is Seaward, a “rambling, eccentric old house” with it its history, its secrets, its priceless accumulation of volumes of arcane lore. The other is a neighboring house known, for good reasons, as “Gobblin’ Manor,” home base of The Gobblin’ Society, a “culinary establishment” with its own peculiar — and very dark — traditions. In the course of an event filled few days, St. Ives and his cohorts will encounter smuggling, mesmerism, kidnapping, cannibalism and murder. It is, in other words, a typical — and typically eccentric — Langdon St. Ives adventure.

Like its predecessors, this latest extravaganza is fast-paced, unpredictable, and a thorough delight to read. Few novelists evoke the essence of Victorian England as successfully as Blaylock. Fewer still bring such wit, style, and propulsive narrative talents to the task. In The Gobblin’ Society, Blaylock has given vibrant new life to one of his signature creations. The result is a gift both for Blaylock’s longtime fans, and for newcomers lucky enough to come along for this astonishing — and thoroughly enjoyable — ride.

Subterranean Press has also published limited editions and North American eBook editions of Blaylock’s previous Langdon St. Ives novellas: THE EBB TIDE, THE AFFAIR OF THE CHALK CLIFFS, THE RING OF STONES, THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES, and RIVER’S EDGE.

The first three novellas are also available as eBooks, published by JABberwocky:

The critically-acclaimed Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and North America by Titan Books: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYLESFORD SKULL and BENEATH LONDON.

James P. Blaylock’s THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY is out next week!

Posted on Monday, March 23rd, 2020

Next week, Subterranean Press is due to publish THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY by James P. Blaylock! The latest ‘twisted by delightful’ (Publishers Weekly) novella in the author’s fan-favourite Langdon St. Ives series, here’s the synopsis…

The story begins with an inheritance. Following a protracted legal battle, Alice St. Ives, Langdon’s wife, has come into full possession of Seaward, the house left to her by her late Uncle Godfrey, a man with a number of bizarre proclivities. Heartened by this good fortune, Alice, Langdon and their surrogate son Finn prepare to take possession of the house. From this point forward, events spin out of control, taking on a madcap logic of their own that is exhilarating and — in typical Blaylock fashion — often quite funny.

What follows is, in a sense, a tale of two houses. The first, of course, is Seaward, a “rambling, eccentric old house” with it its history, its secrets, its priceless accumulation of volumes of arcane lore. The other is a neighboring house known, for good reasons, as “Gobblin’ Manor,” home base of The Gobblin’ Society, a “culinary establishment” with its own peculiar — and very dark — traditions. In the course of an event filled few days, St. Ives and his cohorts will encounter smuggling, mesmerism, kidnapping, cannibalism and murder. It is, in other words, a typical — and typically eccentric — Langdon St. Ives adventure.

Like its predecessors, this latest extravaganza is fast-paced, unpredictable, and a thorough delight to read. Few novelists evoke the essence of Victorian England as successfully as Blaylock. Fewer still bring such wit, style, and propulsive narrative talents to the task. In The Gobblin’ Society, Blaylock has given vibrant new life to one of his signature creations. The result is a gift both for Blaylock’s longtime fans, and for newcomers lucky enough to come along for this astonishing — and thoroughly enjoyable — ride.

Publishers Weekly also said the following about the novella: ‘Mystery, mesmerism, murder, and mayhem combine into a jolly good time. Blaylock’s fans will be gratified.’

THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY is also going to be available as an eBook outside of North America, published via JABberwocky’s eBook Program (April 6th). Here’s the cover…

This is the sixth book in the Langdon St. Ives Adventures that Subterranean Press has published, the others being THE EBB TIDE, THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHALK CLIFFS, THE RING OF STONES, THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF LANDGON ST. IVES, and RIVER’S EDGE. The first three are also available as eBooks, published by JABberwocky (among other titles).

JABberwocky is also due to publish RIVER’S EDGE outside of North America, and as an eBook, on April 6th. Here’s the new cover…

Blaylock’s Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and North America by Titan Books: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYLESFORD SKULL, and BENEATH LONDON.

Two Weeks: James P. Blaylock’s GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY!

Posted on Friday, March 13th, 2020

In just two weeks, James P. Blaylock‘s latest Langdon St. Ives novella will be out! Due to be published on March 31st by Subterranean Press, here’s the synopsis…

The story begins with an inheritance. Following a protracted legal battle, Alice St. Ives, Langdon’s wife, has come into full possession of Seaward, the house left to her by her late Uncle Godfrey, a man with a number of bizarre proclivities. Heartened by this good fortune, Alice, Langdon and their surrogate son Finn prepare to take possession of the house. From this point forward, events spin out of control, taking on a madcap logic of their own that is exhilarating and — in typical Blaylock fashion — often quite funny.

What follows is, in a sense, a tale of two houses. The first, of course, is Seaward, a “rambling, eccentric old house” with it its history, its secrets, its priceless accumulation of volumes of arcane lore. The other is a neighboring house known, for good reasons, as “Gobblin’ Manor,” home base of The Gobblin’ Society, a “culinary establishment” with its own peculiar — and very dark — traditions. In the course of an event filled few days, St. Ives and his cohorts will encounter smuggling, mesmerism, kidnapping, cannibalism and murder. It is, in other words, a typical — and typically eccentric — Langdon St. Ives adventure.

Like its predecessors, this latest extravaganza is fast-paced, unpredictable, and a thorough delight to read. Few novelists evoke the essence of Victorian England as successfully as Blaylock. Fewer still bring such wit, style, and propulsive narrative talents to the task. In The Gobblin’ Society, Blaylock has given vibrant new life to one of his signature creations. The result is a gift both for Blaylock’s longtime fans, and for newcomers lucky enough to come along for this astonishing — and thoroughly enjoyable — ride.

Subterranean Press has also published limited editions and North American eBook editions of Blaylock’s previous Langdon St. Ives novellas: THE EBB TIDE, THE AFFAIR OF THE CHALK CLIFFS, THE RING OF STONES, THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF LANGDON ST. IVES, and RIVER’S EDGE.

The first three novellas are also available as eBooks, published by JABberwocky:

The Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and North America by Titan Books: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYLESFORD SKULL and BENEATH LONDON.

Next Week: LEGENDS OF STEAMPUNK!

Posted on Friday, February 7th, 2020

Next week, Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) is hosting a 20-day-long Legends of Steampunk festival, marking the 20th anniversary of their Creative Writing Conservatory. A special focus of the festival is the work of Zeno clients Tim Powers and James P. Blaylock — two of the founding fathers of Steampunk (and also the Writing program)! In addition to Tim and James, Zeno Director John Berlyne will also be at the festival, taking part in a couple of events.

February 5th…

“Langdon St. Ives: The Steampunk Musical” — Creative writing director John Blaylock and collaborator Josh Freilich discuss musical theater writing and collaboration while sharing songs from their current project, and adaptation of the Victorian scientist-sleuth’s several steampunk adventures.

February 11th…

Discussion: William Ashbless — This incredible, illusive fictional poet created by Tim Powers and James Blaylock visits students at California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV). The character has taken on a cult following. John Berlyne moderates discussion.
Eventbrite

February 12th…

Speaker: John Berlyne — A UK-based editor and an expert on Tim Powers’ works.

February 29th…

Scavenger Hunt: Find notable places from Blaylock and Power’s novels. Send your photos of these places to us for a chance to win!
Writing Contest: Creative Writing students from OCSA and CSArts-SGV will submit their work for a writing contest, which will be judged by Blaylock and Powers. Winners will be announced at the Finale.

We’re sure everyone who’s able to attend the event will have a great time!

James P. Blaylock is the author of the widely-acclaimed Langdon St. Ives novels and novellas — published by Titan Books and Subterranean Press, respectively.

Tim Powers is the author a wide range of novels, many of which are published in the UK by Corvus or Gollancz.

Next year, Langdon St. Ives investigates THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY!

Posted on Monday, December 23rd, 2019

In March 2020, Subterranean Press is due to publish THE GOBBLIN’ SOCIETY, a new Langdon St. Ives novella by James P. Blaylock! Check out the synopsis…

The story begins with an inheritance. Following a protracted legal battle, Alice St. Ives, Langdon’s wife, has come into full possession of Seaward, the house left to her by her late Uncle Godfrey, a man with a number of bizarre proclivities. Heartened by this good fortune, Alice, Langdon and their surrogate son Finn prepare to take possession of the house. From this point forward, events spin out of control, taking on a madcap logic of their own that is exhilarating and — in typical Blaylock fashion — often quite funny.

What follows is, in a sense, a tale of two houses. The first, of course, is Seaward, a “rambling, eccentric old house” with it its history, its secrets, its priceless accumulation of volumes of arcane lore. The other is a neighboring house known, for good reasons, as “Gobblin’ Manor,” home base of The Gobblin’ Society, a “culinary establishment” with its own peculiar — and very dark — traditions. In the course of an event filled few days, St. Ives and his cohorts will encounter smuggling, mesmerism, kidnapping, cannibalism and murder. It is, in other words, a typical — and typically eccentric — Langdon St. Ives adventure.

Like its predecessors, this latest extravaganza is fast-paced, unpredictable, and a thorough delight to read. Few novelists evoke the essence of Victorian England as successfully as Blaylock. Fewer still bring such wit, style, and propulsive narrative talents to the task. In The Gobblin’ Society, Blaylock has given vibrant new life to one of his signature creations. The result is a gift both for Blaylock’s longtime fans, and for newcomers lucky enough to come along for this astonishing — and thoroughly enjoyable — ride.

The novella has already received a great review from Publishers Weekly, which described it as a ‘twisted but delightful fantasy tale’, and ‘Mystery, mesmerism, murder, and mayhem combine into a jolly good time. Blaylock’s fans will be gratified.’

This is the sixth book in the Langdon St. Ives Adventures that Subterranean Press has published, the others being THE EBB TIDE, THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHALK CLIFFS, THE RING OF STONES, THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF LANDGON ST. IVES, and RIVER’S EDGE. The first three are also available as eBooks, published by JABberwocky (among other titles).

Blaylock’s Langdon St. Ives novels are published in the UK and North America by Titan Books: HOMUNCULUS, LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE, THE AYLESFORD SKULL, and BENEATH LONDON.