Sci-Fi - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Aliette de Bodard’s A FIRE BORN OF EXILE (UK paperback) Out Tomorrow!

Posted on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024

The UK paperback edition of Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed A FIRE BORN OF EXILE is out tomorrow! Published by Gollancz, it is the latest novel set in the author’s award-nominated Xuya Universe. Here’s the synopsis…

The Scattered Pearls Belt is a string of habitats under tight military rule… where the powerful have become all too comfortable in their positions, and their corruption. But change is coming, with the arrival of Quynh: the mysterious and enigmatic Alchemist of Streams and Hills.

To Minh, daughter of the ruling prefect of the Belt , Quynh represents a chance for escape. To Hoà, a destitute engineer, Quynh has a mysterious link to her own past… and holds a deeper, more sensual appeal. But Quynh has her own secret history, and a plan for the ruling class of the Belt. A plan that will tear open old wounds, shake the heavens, and may well consume her.

A beautiful exploration of the power of love, of revenge, and of the wounds of the past, this fast-paced, heart-warming space opera is set against a backdrop of corruption, power and political scheming in the far reaches of the award-winning Xuya universe.

The novel is published in North America by JABberwocky.

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

‘… intricate and emotional standalone space opera… de Bodard’s worldbuilding dazzles… a touching sci-fi romance that will delight fans and new readers alike.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Incredible… This is a world of dizzying tech, gorgeous illusions and twisty political thrills — catnip for readers who enjoyed Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy or Jacqueline Koyanagi’s “Ascension.”’ — New York Times

‘[A]n elaborate tale of revenge, courtly machinations, filial relationships, and a romance… As usual in the Xuya stories, de Bodard weaves a solid adventure; this stands alone and so might be a perfect introduction to the series.’ — Booklist

‘A tense, accomplished space opera, told with de Bodard’s usual vividness and verve.’ — Locus

de Bodard’s previous novel, the equally acclaimed and award-nominated THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE, is published by Gollancz in the UK, and JABberwocky in North America. It was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award.

Out Now: Four New Zelazny Audiobook Editions!

Posted on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024

Calling all classic SFF and audiobook fans: four more of Roger Zelazny‘s novels have new audiobook editions! Published by Tantor Media, the following are now available in audio:

DAMNATION ALLEY — read by Paul Bellantoni
DILVISH, THE DAMNED — read by Eric Michael Summerer
THE CHANGING LAND — read by Eric Michael Summerer
MY NAME IS LEGION — read by Adam Barr

Read on for some more details…

DAMNATION ALLEY (cover at top) was first published in 1968…

Hell Tanner isn’t the sort of guy you’d mistake for a hero: he’s a fast-driving car thief, a smuggler, and a stone-cold killer. Facing life in prison for his various crimes, he’s given a choice: Rot away his remaining years in a tiny jail cell or drive cross-country and deliver a case of antiserum to the plague-ridden people of Boston, Massachusetts. The chance of a full pardon does wonders for getting his attention. And don’t mistake this mission of mercy for any kind of normal road trip-not when there are radioactive storms, hordes of carnivorous beasts, and giant, mutated scorpions to be found along every deadly mile between Los Angeles and the East Coast. But then, this is no normal part of America, you see. This is Damnation Alley…

DILVISH, THE DAMNED, first published in 1982, collected together stories featuring Dilvish, which had originally been published in a variety of magazines and other publications. The collection came 5th in Locus Award voting (1983)…

Dilivish, a half elf-half man hybrid, failed in his attempt to rescue a young maiden being ritually sacrificed by the dark sorcerer Jelerak. In his anger at the attempt Jelerak kills the maiden and turns Dilvish’s body to stone and banished his soul to Hell.

It takes Dilvish two hundred years to escape Hell and reclaim his body. Dilvish does not leave hell unprepared. He returns with a number of very powerful spells and a faithful metal steed, Black who is far more than he seems. Together Black and Dilvish plan to hunt down Jelerak and make him pay. Heroic fantasy at its finest from a master storyteller.

THE CHANGING LAND is the second book in the Dilvish series — it was originally published in 1981, a year before Zelazny’s earlier Dilvish stories were collected into a single volume. The novel came 3rd in Locus Award voting (1982).

The Changing Land picks up shortly after the events chronicled in Dilvish, the Damned. Dilvish must gain entry to Castle Timeless if he is to destroy his nemeses Jelerak. Unbenounced to Dilvish, Jelerak is also seeking to gain entrance to his own castle as his apprentice has blocked him out while attempting to lean the castles secrets so that he may become lord of Castle Timeless.

The castle is protected by a lethal, chaotic, ever-changing land. In a race against time and reality itself both Dilvish and Jelerak must survive the maze-like changing lands and then somehow survive whatever traps await them and perhaps even the elder gods themselves may intervene if the whim strikes them. A breathtaking grand adventure!

Another of Zelazny’s short novels from the 1970s, MY NAME IS LEGION originally appeared in 1976.

He’d been an important part of the team putting together the International Data Bank, which would track every single move made by every single human being. As the project neared completion, he realized that no one would ever truly be free again. At the very last moment he blanked his file, changed his face, and created a back door into the system. Now he was nameless, had no past, left no traces, according to the IDB he no longer existed. But he could become anyone at any time for any reason. Not being in the system meant that he had to earn a living outside of the normal confines of human society. But there were people willing to pay cold, hard cash for a man who could be anyone and then disappear once the job was done.

Coming Soon: Jack Campbell’s IN OUR STARS!

Posted on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024

IN OUR STARS by Jack Campbell is the first novel in the author’s new The Doomed Earth series — and it’s out in three weeks! Due to be published in the UK by Titan Books, on May 7th, here’s the synopsis…

When the destruction of Earth causes a time rift, one ship is thrust back in time to decades prior. The semi-disgraced naval officer Kayl Owen is sent from the Earth Guard ship Vigilant to investigate. He finds one person alive, one person whose DNA analysis reveals to have some non-human DNA, a person who his superiors say isn’t human.

That’s not how Kayl Owen sees it. He thinks Lieutenant Genji of the near future Unified Fleet — the future successor of Earth Guard — is every bit a person. And more, the knowledge she brings from the future might hold the key to saving Earth from destruction.

Owen, Genji and everything they know is deeply threatening to a lot of people, and the two of them need to survive each day to get to the next and save the future for everyone. But will changing Earth’s future erase Genji?

Titan Books has published a great range of Campbell’s novels, including his various best-selling Lost Fleet series.

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

THE BEST OF WORLD SF Volume 3 Paperback Out Now!

Posted on Thursday, April 11th, 2024

The new paperback edition of THE BEST OF WORLD SF, Volume 3 is out today! Curated and edited by Lavie Tidhar, it is published by AdAstra/Head of Zeus. Here’s the synopsis…

The Best of World SF series is a fixture on the global science fiction scene. If you want to find the most exciting SF authors writing today, look no further.

In this third instalment, you’ll discover alien artists, rioting dinosaurs, shape-shifting rabbits, heartbreak-harvesting cafes and one robot on a quest for meaning. You will be transported to the stars and back down to Earth and sideways, with the order of the world turned upside down.

Featuring authors from Austria, Bulgaria, China, Finland, Ghana, Greece, India, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore and South Africa, this collection’s stories have been selected by award-winning writer, editor and World SF expert Lavie Tidhar.

The most exciting science fiction on the planet comes from all corners of the globe. And it’s all in the Best of World SF series.

Here is the full table of contents for the anthology:

“A Minor Kalahari” by Diana Rahim (Singapore)
“Behind Her, Trailing Like Butterfly Wings” by Daniela Tomova (Bulgaria)
“Cloudgazer” by Timi Odueso (Nigeria)
“The EMO Hunter” by Mandisi Nkomo (South Africa)
“Tloque Nahuaque” by Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas (Mexico) — translated by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
“The Walls of Benin City” by M.H. Ayinde (UK)
“The Foodie Federation’s Dinosaur Farm” by Luo Longxiang (China) — translated by Andy Dudak
“The Day The World Turned Upside Down” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (The Netherlands) — translated by Lia Belt
“The Worldless” by Indrapramit Das (India)
“Now You Feel It” by Andrea Chapela (Mexico) — translated by Emma Törzs
“Act of Faith” by Fadzlishah Johanabas (Malaysia)
“Godmother” by Cheryl S. Ntumy (Ghana)
“I Call Upon the Night as Witness” by Zahra Mukhi (Pakistan)
“Sulfur” by Dmitry Glukhovsky (Russia) — translated by Marian Schwartz
“Proposition 23” by Efe Okogu (Nigeria)
“Root Rot” by Fargo Tbakhi (US)
“Catching the K-Beast” by Chen Qian (China) — translated by Carmen Yiling Yan
“Two Moons” by Elena Pavlova (Bulgaria) — translated by Kalin M. Nenov and Elena Pavlova
“Symbiosis Theory” by Choyeop Kim (Korea) — translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort
“My Country is a Ghost” by Eugenia Triantafyllou (Greece)
“Old People’s Folly” by Nora Schinnerl (Austria)
“Echoes of a Broken Mind” by Christine Lucas (Greece)
“Have Your #Hugot Harvested at This Diwata-Owned Café” by Vida Cruz (Philippines)
“Order C345” by Sheikha Helawy (Palestine) — translated by Raphael Cohen
“Dark Star” by Vraiux Dorós (Mexico) — translated by Toshiya Kamei
“An excerpt from ‘A Door Opens: The Beginning of the Fall of the Ispancialo-in-Hinirang (Emprensa Press: 2007)’ by Salahuddin Alonto, Annotated by Omar Jamad Maududi, MLS, HOL, JMS.” by Dean Francis Alfar (Philippines)
“Ootheca” by Mário de Seabra Coelho (Portugal)
“Where The Trains Turn” by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen (Finland) — translated by Liisa Rantalaiho

The first two volumes in the series are also published by AdAstra/Head of Zeus, available now in paperback.

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

There is not a poor story here… nice balance between light and harder stories… IMMERSION by Aliette de Bodard reads like hard Sci Fi but digs a little deeper… As a group, the stories on offer within THE BEST OF WORLD SF Volume 1 are so strong… This is a great introduction to what the rest of the world has to offer.’ — SF Book Reviews

‘Rare and wonderful’ — The Times (UK)

‘In addition to being an award-winning sci-fi writer, Israeli-born UK-based Lavie Tidhar is also a tireless champion of international sci-fi… an excellent, lovingly curated collection that is also uniformly well translated.’ — Financial Times

‘Tidhar has assembled a weighty and impressive collection of 26 stories by authors from around the world, several of them appearing in English for the first time. The variety and diversity of the material on offer is refreshing, the quality does not waver, and the translations are top-notch.’ — Financial Times (Summer Books of 2021: Science Fiction)

‘Stories like these are the ones you sometimes want to foist upon readers who claim not to like SF, and The Best of World SF: Volume 1 reminds us that such stories can come from anywhere these days, if only we get to see them. I look forward to future volumes.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘Now this book exists, it feels absurd it didn’t exist sooner… hefty, beautifully presented collection… an excellent samples and delight in itself… fizzes with great ideas and wonderful writing.’ — SFX (5*)

‘[Tidhar] is really a pioneer… He was looking at writers from Malaysia, from Africa, from China, from Japan when no one was really doing that. You might get some stories here and there from other parts of the world. But the way that he constructed this global structure of science fiction and looked at science fiction not as a monoculture but as a vibrant sphere for people to speak from all over the world, and the promotion he gave that over the long term and pushing it on and on in an independent space, is exciting to see and inspiring.’ — Silvia Moreno-Garcia

‘… offers robots, spaceships, time travel, and a few weird stories, showcasing authors from five continents and over twenty countries. On top of that is plenty of optimism, plenty of stories that start as one thing and then become something completely different, and plenty of envelope pushing… Once you read one story by some of these folks, you’ll be itching for more. A truly enjoyable anthology with something for everyone…’ — Apex Magazine

‘Tidhar brings together another outstanding assortment of international sci-fi shorts, showcasing 29 thought-provoking stories… This sweeping survey rewards the time it demands of its readers with a bold and powerful argument for non-Anglophone SF’s potential to push the genre’s boundaries.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘“Fresh” is an overused word in book reviews, but Lavie Tidhar’s second trawl of recent science fiction from around the world earns the compliment… For my money, this volume is stronger than the last. It is certainly creepier… The few comic tales here sparkle against a dark ground… We need this anthology, and we need editors like Tidhar.’ — The Times (Book of the Month, November 2022)

Three Weeks: UK Paperback of Aliette de Bodard’s A FIRE BORN OF EXILE

Posted on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024

The UK paperback edition of Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed A FIRE BORN OF EXILE is due out in three weeks! To be published by Gollancz, on April 25th, it is the latest novel set in the author’s award-nominated Xuya Universe. Here’s the synopsis…

The Scattered Pearls Belt is a string of habitats under tight military rule… where the powerful have become all too comfortable in their positions, and their corruption. But change is coming, with the arrival of Quynh: the mysterious and enigmatic Alchemist of Streams and Hills.

To Minh, daughter of the ruling prefect of the Belt , Quynh represents a chance for escape. To Hoà, a destitute engineer, Quynh has a mysterious link to her own past… and holds a deeper, more sensual appeal. But Quynh has her own secret history, and a plan for the ruling class of the Belt. A plan that will tear open old wounds, shake the heavens, and may well consume her.

A beautiful exploration of the power of love, of revenge, and of the wounds of the past, this fast-paced, heart-warming space opera is set against a backdrop of corruption, power and political scheming in the far reaches of the award-winning Xuya universe.

The novel is published in North America by JABberwocky.

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

‘… intricate and emotional standalone space opera… de Bodard’s worldbuilding dazzles… a touching sci-fi romance that will delight fans and new readers alike.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Incredible… This is a world of dizzying tech, gorgeous illusions and twisty political thrills — catnip for readers who enjoyed Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy or Jacqueline Koyanagi’s “Ascension.”’ — New York Times

‘[A]n elaborate tale of revenge, courtly machinations, filial relationships, and a romance… As usual in the Xuya stories, de Bodard weaves a solid adventure; this stands alone and so might be a perfect introduction to the series.’ — Booklist

‘A tense, accomplished space opera, told with de Bodard’s usual vividness and verve.’ — Locus

de Bodard’s previous novel, the equally acclaimed and award-nominated THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE, is published by Gollancz in the UK, and JABberwocky in North America. It was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award.

Paperback Edition of Simon R. Green’s NOT OF THIS WORLD Out Tomorrow in the UK!

Posted on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024

The paperback edition of NOT OF THIS WORLD, the fourth novel in Simon R. Green‘s Gideon Sable series, is out tomorrow in the UK! Published by Severn House, here’s the synopsis…

This might be his biggest coup yet! Legendary master thief Gideon Sable is on the hunt for the ghost of an alien-possessed man in this fast-paced supernatural heist thriller.

The Preserve in Bath – the British Area 51 – is the secret government dumping ground for all things supernatural and out of space. It is one of the most heavily-guarded places in the world. However, it’s not what protects it that makes it so dangerous but the things that are inside . . .

Gideon Sable – master thief, con artist and self-proclaimed vigilante – faces a challenge he can’t refuse. His client, the former Head of the British Rocketry Group, Professor Neil Sharpe, wants him to break into the Preserve. Once inside, Gideon and his crew of supernatural misfits can get any mystical artefact they desire out of the Preserve’s collection. The catch? To reach it, they must go through the treacherous Box Tunnel complex and not only face trained guards and booby traps but steal something that can’t normally be stolen – a ghost!

Sharpe’s obscure motive leaves Gideon uncertain and suspicious. The only thing he knows for sure is that he can steal anything with just the right amount of preparation – but will he be prepared enough to face whatever the Preserve holds, or will he find himself a permanent part of the government’s collection?

The paperback edition will also be published in North America, on May 28th. The first three novels in the series are also published by Severn House in the UK and North America: THE BEST THING YOU CAN STEAL, A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE, and WHAT SONG THE SIRENS SANG. ‘A blast for urban-fantasy readers looking for a broken fourth wall riddled with dry-witted commentary, evil getting its just deserts, and the good walking away to fight the good fight.’ — Library Journal on NOT OF THIS WORLD ‘Master thief and con man Gideon Sable has a plan. He intends to breach the private vault of Fredric Hammer, noted bad guy, and rob him blind. To do that, he needs to assemble a crack team of professionals. But this is no ordinary team, because this is no ordinary London. This is an alternate London, wherein ghosts and demons and people with special gifts coexist with regular human folk. And Gideon’s team consists of former girlfriend Annie Anybody, whose gift is luck; a fellow known as the Damned (because he’s, you know, damned); the Ghost, who retains the memory of what it is to be a man; and the Wild Card, who sees all the truths in the world. Each of them has a score to settle with Hammer, and each of them is willing to risk plenty to get revenge. This novel by the author of the terrific Ishmael Jones series is a treat for anyone who relishes the blending of alternate-world fantasy, urban fantasy, and the caper novel. Exciting, witty, and stuffed full of fun.’ — Booklist on THE BEST THING YOU CAN STEAL ‘[Green] gives an urban fantasy twist to Oceans 11.’ — Publisher’s Weekly on THE BEST THING YOU CAN STEAL ‘This book is pure fun.’ — Grimdark Magazine on THE BEST THING YOU CAN STEAL ‘It’s a wonderfully imagined setting, which will be no surprise for those familiar with Green’s oeuvre. The Sable novels make perfect fare for fans of urban fantasy, thrillers, or caper novels (or, especially, blends of all three).’ — Booklist on A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE ‘[F]eatures a crew of criminals with hearts of gold and one of the snarkiest antiheroes to ever front an urban fantasy series, turning the murder and mayhem up to 11 while telling a story where disaster is always just on the other side of the door.’ — Library Journal on WHAT SONG THE SIRENS SANG Zeno represents Simon R. Green on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Lavie Tidhar’s NEOM Available in Japan!

Posted on Monday, March 25th, 2024

Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed novel NEOM is available in Japan! Translated by Ken Mogi (茂木健), and with a spectacular cover by Takeshi Oga (緒賀岳志), it is published by Tokyo Sogensha, as ロボットの夢の都市. Here’s the synopsis…

太陽系を巻き込んだ大戦争から数百年。宇宙への脱出を夢見るジャンク掘りの少年、それ自体がひとつの街のような移動隊商宿で旅をつづける少年、そして砂漠の巨大都市の片隅で古びた見慣れぬロボットと出会った女性。彼らの運命がひとつにより合わさるとき、かつて一夜にしてひとつの都市を滅ぼしたことのある戦闘ロボットが、長い眠りから目覚めて……

世界幻想文学大賞作家が贈る、どこか懐かしい未来の、ふしぎなSF物語。

The novel is published in English by Tachyon Publications. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Today, Neom is a utopian dream — a megacity of the future yet to be built in the Saudi desert. In this deeply imaginative novel from the award-winning universe of Central Station, far-future Neom is already old. Sentient machines roam the desert searching for purpose, works of art can be more deadly than weapons, and the spark of a long-overdue revolution is in the wind. Only the rekindling of an impossible love affair may slow the inevitable sands of time.

Brandon Sanderson’s THE SUNLIT MAN is Out Now in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024

The wait is finally over: Brandon Sanderon‘s THE SUNLIT MAN is out today in the UK! The fourth and final Secret Projects novel, it is published in the UK by Gollancz. Here’s out the synopsis…

Years ago he had comrades in arms and a cause to believe in, but now the man who calls himself Nomad knows only a life on the run. Forced to hop from world to world in the Cosmere whenever the relentless Night Brigade gets too close, Nomad lands on a new planet and is instantly caught up in the struggle between a tyrant and the rebels who want only to escape being turned into mindless slaves-all under the constant threat of a sunrise whose heat will melt the very stones. Unable to understand the language, can he navigate the conflict and gain enough power to leap offworld before his mind or body pay the ultimate price?

The other three books from the Secret Projects are also published in the UK by Gollancz (out now):

TRESS OF THE EMERALD SEA
THE FRUGAL WIZARD’S HANDBOOK FOR SURVIVING MEDIEVAL ENGLAND
YUMI AND THE NIGHTMARE PAINTER

Gollancz has also published all of Brandon’s best-selling Stormlight Archive, Mistborn and Skyward books in the UK, as well as a number of his acclaimed stand-alone novels and novellas.

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

Coming Soon: NAVIGATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS by Aliette de Bodard!

Posted on Monday, March 4th, 2024

We’re very happy to report that TorDotCom are publishing another novella by Aliette de Bodard! NAVIGATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS is a stand-alone story, due out on July 30th. Here’s the synopsis…

Award-winning author of The Red Scholar’s Wake Aliette de Bodard comes for your heart with a compelling tale of love, duty, and found-family in an exciting new space opera that brings xianxia-style martial arts to the stars.

Jockeying navigator clans guide spaceships through the Hollows: an area of space populated by the mysterious but deadly creatures known as Tanglers. When a Tangler escapes the Hollows for the first time in living memory, each clan must send a representative to help capture it — but the mission may be doomed and the hearts of two clan juniors may be in danger too.

Việt Nhi is not good with people. Or politics. Which is a problem when the Rooster clan sends her on the mission against her will, forcing her to work with an ill-matched group of squabbling teammates from rival clans, including one who she can’t avoid, and maybe doesn’t want to.

Hạc Cúc of the Snake clan has always been better at poisoning and stabbing than at making friends, but she’s drawn to Nhi’s perceptiveness and obliviousness to social conventions — including the ones that really should make Nhi think twice about spending time with her.

But when their imperial envoy and nominal leader is poisoned, this crew of expendable apprentices will have to learn to work together — fast — before the invisible Tangler can wreak havoc on a civilian city and destroy the fragile reputation of the clans. Along the way, Nhi and Hạc Cúc will have to learn the hardest lesson of all: to see past their own misconceptions and learn to trust their growing feelings for each other.

TorDotCom also publishes Aliette’s FIREHEART TIGER, a stand-alone Hugo Award-nominated fantasy novella.

ICYMI: First Episode of Lavie Tidhar’s MARS MACHINES is Out Now!

Posted on Friday, February 23rd, 2024

Lavie Tidhar continues his forays into animated works, with MARS MACHINES, which was originally written during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic! The first episode was released on February 19th, and the remaining six episodes will be released weekly. The trailer is abive, and here’s the series synopsis…

A grumpy toaster and a fastidious coffeepot uneasily cohabit in a kitchen on Mars. Their owner is gone, out on a case. The toaster used to be a spaceship, the coffeepot a burglar working for the Robo-Pope. Beyond the window ice-meteorites fall, and the enigmatic Dr Novum haunts their dreams, trying to get into their hidden shelter – and their minds. When a new answering machine turns out to be Bianca, a secret agent from Earth long on the trail of the inhuman Novum, their worlds collide.

Featuring the voice talents of Russell Wilcox (Buddy the coffeepot), Digger Mesch (Toaster) and Anne Wittman (Bianca), the show was scripted by World Fantasy Award winner Lavie Tidhar and directed, animated and scored by Nir Yaniv under their Positronish label.

You can watch the first episode YouTube now, with the other six episodes to follow on a weekly basis.

Written by Lavie Tidhar. Directed by Nir Yaniv. Produced in the US, 2024. Language: English. Seven episodes of 4-6min each. Starring Digger Mesch, Russell Wilcox and Anne Wittman. Type: animated sci fi.

Lavie Tidhar’s CENTRAL STATION is Out Now in France!

Posted on Wednesday, February 21st, 2024

Lavie Tidhar‘s award-winning, widely-acclaimed novel CENTRAL STATION is out now in France! Published by Mnémos, it was translated by Julien Bétan. Here’s the synpopsis…

Boris Chong vit sur Mars depuis de nombreuses années. À son retour sur Terre, il atterrit à Central Station, un hub interplanétaire où l’humanité s’est réfugiée pour échapper aux ravages de la pauvreté et de la guerre : un véritable carrefour où se croisent des humains, des augmentés, des robots, des IA, des créatures génétiquement modifiées et même des entités extra-terrestres. Depuis son départ, bien des choses ont changé et c’est l’histoire de plusieurs vies qu’il va découvrir, entre une ancienne amante, un enfant aux dons étranges, un père malade, un cousin amoureux, un cyborg mendiant ou encore une data-vampire dont la présence est interdite sur Terre. De carrefour des planètes, Central Station devient alors le carrefour d’une humanité faite de débrouillardises, de sensibilités et d’amours, où chaque vie à son importance et chaque destin son parcours unique.

Lavie Tidhar nous offre une vision d’un futur et d’une humanité qui portent en eux la mosaïque d’un avenir fascinant, d’un monde en mutation constante où l’espoir est toujours présent.

CENTRAL STATION and its sequel, NEOM, are published in the UK and North America by Tachyon Publications. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

A worldwide diaspora has left a quarter of a million people at the foot of a space station. Cultures collide in real life and virtual reality. Life is cheap, and data is cheaper.

When Boris Chong returns to Tel Aviv from Mars, much has changed. Boris’s ex-lover is raising a strangely familiar child who can tap into the datastream of a mind with the touch of a finger. His cousin is infatuated with a robotnik — a damaged cyborg soldier who might as well be begging for parts. His father is terminally-ill with a multigenerational mind-plague. And a hunted data-vampire has followed Boris to where she is forbidden to return.

Rising above them is Central Station, the interplanetary hub between all things: the constantly shifting Tel Aviv; a powerful virtual arena, and the space colonies where humanity has gone to escape the ravages of poverty and war. Everything is connected by the Others, powerful alien entities who, through the Conversation — a shifting, flowing stream of consciousness — are just the beginning of irrevocable change.

At Central Station, humans and machines continue to adapt, thrive… and even evolve.

CENTRAL STATION racked up a number of awards and commendations after its publication (in 2017). In addition to landing on many best-of-year lists (Amazon, NPR, Barnes & Noble), it won the John W. Campbell Award (2017) and Xiyung Award For Best Translated Fiction (China, 2020), and was shortlisted and/or a finalist for a number of other awards.

In addition to these accolades, the novel received an outpouring of praise from readers, critics, and authors alike. Here are just a few of the reviews CENTRAL STATION has received…

‘Magnificently blends literary and speculative elements in this streetwise mosaic novel set under the towering titular spaceport… Tidhar gleefully mixes classic SF concepts with prose styles and concepts that recall the best of world literature. The byways of Central Station ring with dusty life, like the bruising, bustling Cairo streets depicted by Naguib Mahfouz. Characters wrestle with problems of identity forged under systems of oppression, much as displaced Easterners and Westerners do in the novels of Orhan Pamuk. And yet this is unmistakably SF. Readers of all persuasions will be entranced.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘It is just this side of a masterpiece — short, restrained, lush — and the truest joy of it is in the way Tidhar scatters brilliant ideas like pennies on the sidewalk.’ — NPR

‘The stories include some of Tidhar’s most beautiful prose, and his future Tel Aviv is among the most evocative settings in recent SF… Somehow, CENTRAL STATION combines a cultural sensibility too long invisible in SF with a sensibility which is nothing but classic SF, and the result is a rather elegant suite of tales.’ — Locus

‘A fascinating future glimpsed through the lens of a tight-knit community. Tidhar changes genres with every outing, but his astounding talents guarantee something new and compelling no matter the story he tells.’ — Library Journal (starred review)

‘[Tidhar] has created a textured and original future that echoes real historical and economic tensions while satisfying veteran readers with deliberate echoes of classic science fiction… Deeply humane.’ — Chicago Tribune

‘Powerfully imagined and beautifully rendered… capture[s] profound emotional truths…’ — Interzone

‘Tidhar’s prose draws the reader in, bringing this world to life with ease… characters are never sacrificed in favour of the technology; in fact, the two of them combine seamlessly to create a unique vision, one that will leave the reader thinking long after the final page. Not only intelligent, it’s emotional too, telling of loves lost and those only just begun, of those wishing to escape their past and those hoping to bring it back… Tidhar is reminiscent of an early William Gibson, not just in sharing that short and punchy style, but in his ability to create a world where the speculation is believable enough to fit seamlessly into the narrative; somehow, despite being set centuries into the future, it feels just around the corner… cement[s] Lavie Tidhar as one of science fiction’s great voices, an author who creates scenarios and characters that feel destined to become classics, ones that readers will be happy to revisit time and time again. It’s a compelling collection that mixes the epic and the intimate, one that succeeds at being profound, incredibly moving and, quite simply, stunning.’ (10/10) — Starburst

‘It might seem like Lavie Tidhar is such a major figure by now that discussing him under international SF is hardly necessary, but his somewhat novelized storysuite CENTRAL STATION is so engaged with Israeli culture that it seems appropriate, even though it’s also a wonderful tribute to classic SF both in form (the fix-up) and content…’ — Gary K. Wolfe, Locus (2016 Year in Review)

‘CENTRAL STATION is without question the best assemblage of short stories I’ve read in recent memory. Sublimely sensual, emotionally moreish, and composed with crystalline clarity irrespective of its incredible complexity.’ — Tor.com

Lavie Tidhar’s FOUR NOVELLAS Out Tomorrow!

Posted on Monday, February 5th, 2024

Lavie Tidhar‘s new collection, FOUR NOVELLAS, is out tomorrow! To be published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

A nun enters a poker tournament as she wrestles with her faith in God; a boy travels across a mysterious, cloud-covered planet in search of a mythical space port; in Nazi-occupied London a screenwriter searches for an old flame with deadly consequences; three wise men from the East travel to Judea to give a newborn baby an unexpected power.

Collected for the first time in one volume, this omnibus edition from World Fantasy Award winner Lavie Tidhar gathers four mind-bending novellas:

– THE BIG BLIND (2020)

– CLOUD PERMUTATIONS (2011)

– THE VANISHING KIND (2018)

– JESUS AND THE EIGHTFOLD PATH (2010)

The collection is available from all of the usual eBook distributors…

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novellas have received…

‘Tidhar has long taken a kind of perverse glee in his own unpredictability, sometimes blurring the line between pointed literary allusiveness and simple attention deficit…. So while the question of what Tidhar might come up with next is a perfectly reasonable one, I have to admit that the last thing I’d have expected is a sweet-natured tale that, with almost no changes, would work just fine as a 1950s Audrey Hepburn comedy about a young poker-playing Irish nun trying to save her convent from foreclosure… touching… the story unfolds like a Hollywood playbook… a feel-good ending.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe) on THE BIG BLIND

‘A really enjoyable book, different from anything I’d read by Tidhar before (but then, I think that every time I open one of his books). Recommended.’ — Blue Book Balloon on THE BIG BLIND

‘Lavie Tidhar is one of the most interesting new writers to enter the genre in some time, and his chapbook novella JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH is another major work by him, although even harder to pin down by genre than is his usual work. A vivid and gonzo reimagining of the life of Jesus, it’s less sacrilegious and more respectful than you would think a story whose working title was “Kung Fu Jesus” would be… Much of the gonzo humor, and much of the entertainment value, is carried by the Three Wise Men, here reimagined as former kings, wizards, and minor gods impressed into service by a superior supernatural force, and called Sandy, Monkey, and Pigsy; they get many of the best lines. There’s also a supporting role for the slippery Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius. Perhaps what this reminds me the most of is the movie Big Trouble in Little China, if the filmmakers had decided to tackle the Gospels as well as Chinese mythology. Although some of the more pious may be offended, most readers will probably find this hugely entertaining.’ — Gardner Dozios (LOCUS) on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

‘[B]egan life as an irreverent brain-nugget: the story of kung-fu Jesus. The final result is less cheeky than you might imagine, fusing classical Chinese novel Journey to the West with the life of Christ as recounted in the New Testament… a characteristic example of Tidhar’s writing and storytelling; it repurposes the mythic with a deft touch that retains some degree of familiarity yet introduces enough difference to produce a stark sense of contrast. It also has his characteristic lightness of tone juxtaposed with gravitas and respect for his subject matter. It’s rarely wildly funny but produces plenty of wry smiles. Readers who enjoy laughter lines will find this book does actually crease them up.’ — Nostalgia for Infinity on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

‘As well as being a fun book – and it is a playful read – it does contain a true sense of spirituality.’ — Geek Syndicate on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

Lavie’s latest full-length novel is ADAMA — out now, published by Head of Zeus/Bloomsbury.

Roger Zelazny’s ISLE OF THE DEAD Now Available in Ukraine!

Posted on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024

A new Ukrainian edition of Roger Zelazny‘s ISLE OF THE DEAD is now available! Published by Bohdan (Богдан) as Острів мертвих, it was translated by Denys Dömin (Денис Дьомін). The cover is by Oleg Kinal (Олег Кіналь). Here’s the synopsis…

Всесвіт тридцять другого століття великий, густонаселений і складний. Людині, що народилася понад тисячу років тому, адаптуватися в ньому важко, але можливо. Це довів Френсіс Сендоу, єдиним серед землян опанувавши високооплачуваний рідкісний фах однієї древньої раси. Але мало кому вдається стати казково багатим й успішним, не наживши небезпечних ворогів. Отримавши дивні, бентежні звістки з минулого (ба навіть із того світу), Сендоу покидає зону комфорту й мусить з’ясовувати, хто проти нього замислив лихе. Доводиться, як і колись, порадитися з мудрим наставником, зустрітися з давніми друзями й недругами, пригадати старе кохання (ще й не одне) і розв’язати моральні дилеми. А зрештою опинитися на зловісному Острові мертвих, де має відбутися чи не ритуальний двобій з могутнім несподіваним суперником. Помста і смерть, дружба й любов, технології і чудеса — це історія богорівного чоловіка, що таки залишився людиною.

First published in 1969, here’s the English-language synopsis for the Nebula Award-nominated book…

Centuries in the future, Francis Sandow is the only man alive who was born as long ago as the 20th century. His body is kept young and in perfect health by advanced scientific methods; he has amassed such a fortune that he can own entire planets; and he has become a god. No, not a god of Earth, but one of the panetheon of the alien Pei’ans: he is Shimbo of Darktree, Shrugger of Thunders. Yet he doesn’t believe that his personality has merged with the ancient consciousness of Shimbo, that he really can call down the skies upon his enemies. The time comes, however, when Francis Sandow must use these powers against the most dangerous antagonist in the universe: another Pei’an god — Shimbo’s own enemy, Belion. And Belion has no doubt whatever of his own powers…

French CENTRAL STATION Out in Four Weeks!

Posted on Monday, January 22nd, 2024

A reminder, today, that the new French edition of Lavie Tidhar‘s award-winning, widely-acclaimed novel CENTRAL STATION is due out in four weeks! To be published by Mnémos on February 21st, 2024, it was translated by Julien Bétan. Here’s the synpopsis…

Boris Chong vit sur Mars depuis de nombreuses années. À son retour sur Terre, il atterrit à Central Station, un hub interplanétaire où l’humanité s’est réfugiée pour échapper aux ravages de la pauvreté et de la guerre : un véritable carrefour où se croisent des humains, des augmentés, des robots, des IA, des créatures génétiquement modifiées et même des entités extra-terrestres. Depuis son départ, bien des choses ont changé et c’est l’histoire de plusieurs vies qu’il va découvrir, entre une ancienne amante, un enfant aux dons étranges, un père malade, un cousin amoureux, un cyborg mendiant ou encore une data-vampire dont la présence est interdite sur Terre. De carrefour des planètes, Central Station devient alors le carrefour d’une humanité faite de débrouillardises, de sensibilités et d’amours, où chaque vie à son importance et chaque destin son parcours unique.

Lavie Tidhar nous offre une vision d’un futur et d’une humanité qui portent en eux la mosaïque d’un avenir fascinant, d’un monde en mutation constante où l’espoir est toujours présent.

CENTRAL STATION and its sequel, NEOM, are published in the UK and North America by Tachyon Publications. Here’s CENTRAL STATION‘s English-language synopsis…