Zeno Literary Agency Ltd.

… for our Angry Robot authors!

Thomas Blackthorne’s EDGE gets five stars over at the Science Fiction and Fantasy blog, which the reviewers calling the book ‘…an intelligent, slick and brilliantly executed novel with a quite unexpected but superbly scripted ending.’ Full review here.

THE BOOKMAN has received yet another glowing review, this time on the Only The Best SciFi/Fantasy blog. ‘[THE BOOKMAN is] a boisterous mix of steampunk, Victorianna, mystery, travel story, thriller, adventure, partly coming of age story…Lavie Tidhar knows how to keep you in suspense… a shining steampunk bijou, brims over with allusions and cameos, vibrant, gorgeous depicted, clever constructed, compelling …  steampunk in 3D! Highly recommended from the bottom of my heart.’ Full review here.

And finally the Lateral Books blog loudly hails Aliette De Bodard’s SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD as ‘…a book I was very excited by… It is a book which is like a fresh breeze of crisp air….I fully expect Ms De Bodard’s name to be huge‘. Full review here.

Terrific crits from Eric Brown, writing in last Saturday’s Guardian - see this link – for two of our Angry Robot authors.

On Lavie Tidhar’s THE BOOKMAN, Brown writes ‘THE BOOKMAN is a delight, crammed with gorgeous period detail, seat-of-the-pants adventure and fabulous set-pieces. And there’s more to come from this Israeli writer…‘ Indeed there is! For Lavie has just delivered the sequel CAMERA OBSCURA to his rather chuffed editor Marc Gascoigne.

Of Thomas Blackthorn’s EDGE, Brown says ‘…What lifts the novel far above the norm is that Blackthorne is such a fine writer. [Protagonist] Cumberland leaps off the page, a trained killer whose anger and grief at his daughter’s condition is brilliantly portrayed; the depiction of his simmering rage, barely held in check, and how he channels it, provides a masterclass in characterisation.’

That link again, for the full reviews is right here!

Eamonn Murphy has posted a glowing review of Michael Cobley’s SEEDS OF EARTH over at the SFCrownest web site. He saysof the novel…

“This is really a fine piece of work and could, when it’s all finished, be up there with the aforementioned Tolkien or Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ series as one of the all-time greats.”

• Read the full review here

• Zeno clients Aliette De Bodard and John Meaney (also known as Thomas Blackthorn) will be signing, respectively, SERVANTS OF THE UNDERWORLD and EDGE - their novels published (soon to be published in the case of Mister Meaney / Blackthorn) by Angry Robot. You’ll be able to meet both authors on Friday February 12th at 6pm at the flagship Forbidden Planet megastore on Shaftesbury Avenue.

• And be sure to check out this 5 Star review of Aliette’s novel, posted recently at www.sciencefictionandfantasy.co.uk.

• Prior to the above, John will be one of the participating authors at the SFX Weekender – a two day Sciffy fest taking place on the 5th and 6th of February at Camber Sands – see their web site (link above)  for details. Note that fellow Zeno client Justina Robson will also be in attendance.

• Still with John Meaney, those of you hungrily awaiting the arrival of his brand new space opera ABSORPTION, will, alas, no have to wait a little while long, as publisher Gollancz has had to reschedule the release date – you’ll be able to get hold of it from May 20th.

• And still with John M, he will be attending this year’s Eastercon (over Easter weekend of course) along with other Zeno clients, Susan Boulton, Aliette De Bodard, Michael Cobley, Freda Warrington, Ian R. Macleod and Colin Harvey.  John B will also be there and John P will be there for at least one day. Other clients are still to confirm.

Reviews are starting to come in for Lavie Tidhar’s steampunk adventure, The Bookman, which will be published in a week or two by Angry Robot, and as expected they’re pretty much ‘raves’ across the board.

Fantasy Book Critic “…loved the style and the inventiveness…” and went on to say the it was… “Just big time fun, The Bookman is highly, highly recommended.”

The Mad Hatter’s Bookshelf and Book Review lists The Bookman as one of the top Steampunk titles to look out for in the coming year.

The Traveller’s Steampunk Blog states “…it has managed to claim the throne as my favorite steampunk novel from Moorcock’s A Nomad of the Time Streams … I can wholeheartedly recommend The Bookman … it is one captivating read, set in a beautiful, strange world.”

And if these superlatives don’t persuade you to get hold of a copy, here’s what James P. Blaylock, one of the founding fathers of the entire Steampunk genre has to say.. “Lavie Tidhar’s The Bookman is simply the best book I’ve read in a long time, and I read a lot of books. If you’re worried that Steampunk has turned into a mere fashion aesthetic, then you’d better read this one. It’s a stunningly imaginative remix of history, technology, literature, and Victorian adventure that’s impossible to put down. The book is immensely smart and readable at the same time. I very much hope that it’s the first of many such books. Buy it.“

Hackney: That Rose-Red Empire, Iain Sinclair’s extraordinary exploration of the area of London in which he has lived for decades has been applauded and recommended on a number of “Best of 2009″ lists. The paperback edition is due for publication in February 2010 from Hamish Hamilton.

• ‘My award for the most beautifully published volume of the year goes to Hackney: That Rose-Red Empire by Iain Sinclair. Sinclair’s provocative blend of documentary and fantasy have made him the focus of a literary cult and devotees will be delighted by his latest production‘  — Erica Wagner, Literary Editor of The Times

• ‘Iain Sinclair is now a national treasure. Hackney: That Rose-Red Empire might just turn out to be the lasting legacy of London 2012‘ — Jonathan Bate, London Review Of Books

• ‘My favourite piece of non-fiction  [of 2009] was Iain Sinclair’s Hackney: That Rose-Red Empire, which sprawled and meandered as much as the borough’s streets do, but with rather more beauty‘ — Alex Clark, New Statesman

There’s a very nice Publishers Weekly crit for Freda Warrington’s wonderful new fantasy novel, ELFLAND - a Tor hardcover to be published this coming August. It’s only a short piece, and so worth quoting in full…

“Prolific British author Warrington (the Jewelfire Trilogy), mostly unknown in the U.S., puts a distinctive spin on human/nonhuman relations in this sensuous, relationship-driven story, the first of the Books of the Silver Wheel. The feylike Vaethyr regularly travel between the Spiral and our world until the gates are summarily and permanently closed by Lawrence Wilder, the Gatekeeper. He warns of danger, but the Vaethyr on Earth need to return to the Spiral to survive. Much of the book is devoted to describing the turbulent life of Rosie, daughter of Vaethyr king Auberon, and her love triangle with Sam and Jon, Wilder’s troubled sons, as long years without reconnecting to their aetherial selves slowly drive the Vaethyr mad. Solid wordplay, great pacing and a thrilling conclusion will definitely earn Warrington some new American fans.”