Backlist Plug: Michael Cobley’s HUMANITY’S FIRE Series


Michael Cobley‘s debut novel, SEEDS OF EARTH, was published by Orbit Books in 2009, in the UK and North America. The first novel in the Humanity’s Fire trilogy, it was met with a flurry of great reviews and praise, and sci-fi fans on both sides of the Pond have embraced the series. In case you haven’t had a chance to check out the series yet, here’s the synopsis for SEEDS OF EARTH

The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth’s last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on… somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien’s forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilisation. Unknown to its colonists Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle, where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?

The Humanity’s Fire series has since expanded to include a pair of stand-alone novels. All five novels are published by Orbit, and are out now…

  1. SEEDS OF EARTH
  2. THE ORPHANED WORLDS
  3. THE ASCENDANT STARS
  4. ANCESTRAL MACHINES
  5. SPLINTERED SUNS

The series has been published quite widely in translation, and is also available as audiobooks.

Michael was kind enough to write down some thoughts about writing the series. Here’s what he had to say…

The thing I’m asked most about the Humanity’s Fire trilogy is the sheer density of people and places and concepts and events and… well, you get the picture. In pondering this my thoughts usually zero in on something that Bruce Sterling said about his book, Schismatrix, namely that he wanted to distill the weak beer of standard, mainline space opera down into a potent, hi-octane liquor. Now, that seemed like a worthy ambition, writing something strong enough to blow through reader preconceptions like a quick blast in the face from a wind-tunnel. That said, that was really my assessment post-opus, rather than anything that was part of the blueprint from the outset. The only answer as to why the Humanity’s Fire trilogy is the way it is… is that it was the only way I was able to do it at the time.

There’s an old writer’s anecdote, from a worldly-wise author who was tutoring a class of would-be scribblers, one of whom asked him, straight out, exactly how to write the perfect novel. The WW-author knew the answer to that one, because of course he was wise about the world of writing, and he said — “It’s quite simple — all you have to do is make yourself perfect, then just write naturally!”

That goes to the heart of it, I think. Elements of your own psyche and your core perceptions of the world will surely present themselves in some form in your writing… mostly. Yet when I came to write ANCESTRAL MACHINES I tried to allegorise some of my broad perceptions of Our Times, in the sense that the artificial solar system (and its grid of worlds) was an analogy of the world we live in, where warfare is structured as a tournament to suit the interests of the highest rulers, the Gun-Lords, and where entire worlds – stolen from their home solar systems — can end up as poisonous ruins whose populations are reduced to brutish armies forced to strive against those from other stolen worlds. I even showed a kind of a parody of ruthless factory production-line methods in one of the scenes, yet I never heard any reviewer or reader remark upon any of this. But that’s okay, I guess, as didactics are not the point of why I write — communicating some kind of truth or understanding is an essential part of meaningful fiction, but the primary goal is Telling The Story, and serving the storytelling ends. And that’s what I will always strive for.

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

‘… a complex, finely detailed thriller-cum-space opera… SEEDS OF EARTH has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension.’ — Guardian

‘Cobley’s debut, first published in the U.K. in 2009, is a well-constructed space opera with a sense of vast scope, populated with an array of beautifully differentiated intelligences both organic and artificial… this is a thick and satisfying 10-course meal of starchy pageantry, meaty characters, bitter losses, and sweet romance.’ — Publishers Weekly on SEEDS OF EARTH

‘The story is huge, complex and moves between its varied cast with assured purpose… a tightly plotted, action packed epic that leaves you wanting more.’ — SciFi Now on SEEDS OF EARTH

‘Fast and exciting… an excellent middle book in the trilogy, expanding on SEEDS OF EARTH and setting everything in place for a thrilling conclusion’ — Waterstone’s Book Quarterly on THE ORPHANED WORDS

‘Few writers attempt the tricky crossover from high fantasy to hard science fiction. Cobley’s first books were the Shadowkings series; with the Humanity’s Fire science fiction trilogy, he has successfully transported his dark visions to the wide-screen baroque sub-genre… Cobley combines a fast-paced plot of great scope and complexity with the convincing smaller-scale stories of the human protagonists. He’s also skilful at explicating the knotty machinations of political intrigue. Space opera has never been in more capable hands.’ — Guardian onTHE ORPHANED WORDS

Cobley writes energetic space opera, rarely dallying with sentiment and mostly assaulting the reader with exotic locations and sudden skirmishes. There are joyous moments of invention but overall there’s too much going on… Fortunately, as the saga progresses, THE ORPHANED WORLDS begins knotting some of the threads together – it still feels like an over-shaken can of fizzy diet Banks…’ — SFX

‘Cobley’s first trilogy was fantasy and his second hard SF, but what they share is a dark vision of humanity pitched against vast forces; the plight of strong individuals caught up in titanic struggles and fighting for what they see as a just cause. THE ASCENDANT STARS is the culminating book in the Humanity’s Fire trilogy, a space opera of mind-bending depth and scope which sets complexly thought-out alien races and chilling cyborg armies against humans riven by competing political philosophies and agendas. The result is a marvellously readable examination of people under extreme stress, a convincing depiction of startlingly alien aliens, and a mature political analysis often lacking in the genre. Cobley expertly juggles multiple plot-lines and brings them to thematically satisfying conclusions while providing the landmark trilogy with a thrilling finale.’ — Guardian

‘All in all, this is an excellent space opera, full of imagination and invention. The human characters are mostly likeable and the inhuman ones send a shiver down the spine, especially the ones with machine parts and the parasites. There is a pleasing familiarity to much of it for those well-read in the genre and even for those who only do their Science Fiction on film and television. The writing is crisp and clear throughout and it all leads beautifully to a glorious conclusion… I highly recommend the series. Michael Cobley has added a fine piece of work to a grand tradition and I think old E.E. ‘Doc’ Smith is lying tranquil in his grave.’ — SF Crowsnest on THE ASCENDANT STARS

‘There’s a grand tradition within SF of galaxy-wide, aeon-spanning scenarios, with escalating magnitudes of scale and concomitant ramping up of narrative tension, and Michael Cobley’s Humanity’s Fire series is the latest example… Cobley excels at presenting his thoroughly lived-in future with a slew of technological marvels and an engaging cast of characters.’ Guardian on ANCESTRAL MACHINES

‘Cobley wastes no time in flaunting his honed, merciless skills… Cobley is taking the techniques pioneered by van Vogt, Charles Harness and other bold visionaries and ramping them up for a purely twenty-first-century kind of SF that others such as Paul McAuley, Iain Banks and Ken MacLeod have hitherto essayed… Cobley takes all these characters, plus others, and pushes them along a non-stop, unrelenting, madcap set of adventures. The brio and joy of this storytelling is contagious. Here is a space opera which unashamedly honors the roots of the genre while expanding the remit of the mode… A predominant feature of Cobley’s storytelling is an exuberant humor, a kind of high spirits that is exactly the opposite of so much of the ultra-serious gravitas seen in other space operas… If you want a rousing space adventure full of sense of wonder that is also ideationally challenging, then you need look no further than ANCESTRAL MACHINE.’ — Locus

‘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

Listen to Humanity’s Fire in Poland


Storytel has published Polish audiobook editions of Michael Cobley‘s critically-acclaimed Humanity’s Fire trilogy. The three novels are published as ZIARNA ZIEMI, OSIEROCONE ŚWIATY and WSCHODZĄCE GWIAZDY. Here’s the synopsis for book one…

Pierwszy inteligentny gatunek, jaki napotkał ludzkość, zaatakował bez ostrzeżenia. Bezlitosny. Nieubłagany. Niepowstrzymany. Nie mając nadziei na powstrzymanie inwazji, Ziemia chwyciła się ostatniej deski ratunku, wysyłając trzy statki kolonizacyjne – ziarna Ziemi – w różne rejony galaktyki. Rodzaj ludzki miał przetrwać… w takim czy innym miejscu. 150 lat później na planecie Darien mieści się tętniąca życiem kolonia ludzka, utrzymująca przyjazne relacje z tubylczą rozumną rasą – uczonymi Uvovo. Lecz na lesistym księżycu Dariena pogrzebane są tajemnice. Tajemnice datujące się z czasów apokaliptycznej bitwy, jaka rozegrała się między starożytnymi rasami u zarania cywilizacji galaktycznej. Choć koloniści jeszcze o tym nie wiedzą, Darien wkrótce stanie się zarzewiem międzygalaktycznej walki o władzę, której prawdziwe stawki są dla nich niepojęte. A jakich wyborów dokonają Uvovo, gdy na jaw wyjdzie ich prawdziwa natura, zaś niebo pociemnieje od statków wroga?

The three novels are published in Polish print editions by MAG.

SEEDS OF EARTH, THE ORPHANED WORLDS and THE ASCENDANT STARS are published in the UK and North America by Orbit Books, and in Germany by Heyne. The fourth novel based in the setting, the stand-alone ANCESTRAL MACHINES, is also published by Orbit (UK/US) and Heyne.

Here’s the English-language synopsis for book one…

The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth’s last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on… somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien’s forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilisation. Unknown to its colonists Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle, where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?

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

‘A well-constructed space opera with a sense of vast scope, populated with an array of beautifully differentiated intelligences both organic and artificial… this is a thick and satisfying 10-course meal of starchy pageantry, meaty characters, bitter losses, and sweet romance.’ Publishers Weekly on SEEDS OF EARTH

‘There are merciless alien invaders, lost human colonies, mysterious secrets of the ancients… all the ingredients for a gripping science-fiction adventure that combines the traditions of the field with a deft contemporary touch… What’s not to like?’ Guardian on SEEDS OF EARTH

‘The story is huge, complex and moves between its varied cast with assured purpose… a tightly plotted, action packed epic that leaves you wanting more.’ SciFi Now on SEEDS OF EARTH

Cobley writes energetic space opera, rarely dallying with sentiment and mostly assaulting the reader with exotic locations and sudden skirmishes. There are joyous moments of invention but overall there’s too much going on… Fortunately, as the saga progresses, THE ORPHANED WORLDS begins knotting some of the threads together – it still feels like an over-shaken can of fizzy diet Banks…’ — SFX

‘Fast and exciting… an excellent middle book in the trilogy, expanding on SEEDS OF EARTH and setting everything in place for a thrilling conclusion’ Waterstone’s Book Quarterly on THE ORPHANED WORLDS

‘Few writers attempt the tricky crossover from high fantasy to hard science fiction. Cobley’s first books were the Shadowkings series; with the Humanity’s Fire science fiction trilogy, he has successfully transported his dark visions to the wide-screen baroque sub-genre… Cobley combines a fast-paced plot of great scope and complexity with the convincing smaller-scale stories of the human protagonists. He’s also skilful at explicating the knotty machinations of political intrigue. Space opera has never been in more capable hands.’ Guardian on THE ORPHANED WORLDS

‘A dark vision of humanity pitched against vast forces; the plight of strong individuals caught up in titanic struggles and fighting for what they see as a just cause. THE ASCENDANT STARS is … a space opera of mind-bending depth and scope… The result is a marvellously readable examination of people under extreme stress, a convincing depiction of startlingly alien aliens, and a mature political analysis often lacking in the genre. Cobley expertly juggles multiple plot-lines and brings them to thematically satisfying conclusions while providing the landmark trilogy with a thrilling finale.’ Guardian on THE ASCENDANT STARS

‘An excellent space opera, full of imagination and invention. The human characters are mostly likeable and the inhuman ones send a shiver down the spine… There is a pleasing familiarity to much of it for those well-read in the genre and even for those who only do their Science Fiction on film and television. The writing is crisp and clear throughout and it all leads beautifully to a glorious conclusion… I highly recommend the series. Michael Cobley has added a fine piece of work to a grand tradition and I think old E.E. ‘Doc’ Smith is lying tranquil in his grave.’ SF Crowsnest on THE ASCENDANT STARS

Michael Cobley’s HUMANITY’S FIRE Series on Sale in US


CobleyM-HumanitysFire-1ot3US

The first three novels in Michael Cobley‘s critically-acclaimed Humanity’s Fire series are currently on sale in the US! The novels — SEEDS OF EARTH, THE ORPHANED WORLDS and THE ASCENDANT STARS — are included in Barnes & Noble‘s 2-for-3 paperback sale. The sale will continue until September 5th.

The three novels are published by Orbit Books in the US (and UK). Here’s the synopsis for SEEDS OF EARTH

Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable.

The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth’s last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on… somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien’s forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilization. Unknown to its colonists, Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?

Here are some of the great reviews the novels have received…

‘There’s a grand tradition within SF of galaxy-wide, aeon-spanning scenarios, with escalating magnitudes of scale and concomitant ramping up of narrative tension, and Michael Cobley’s Humanity’s Fire series is the latest example… Cobley excels at presenting his thoroughly lived-in future with a slew of technological marvels and an engaging cast of characters.’ — Guardian

‘Cobley’s debut, first published in the U.K. in 2009, is a well-constructed space opera with a sense of vast scope, populated with an array of beautifully differentiated intelligences both organic and artificial… this is a thick and satisfying 10-course meal of starchy pageantry, meaty characters, bitter losses, and sweet romance.’ — Publishers Weekly on SEEDS OF EARTH

‘The story is huge, complex and moves between its varied cast with assured purpose… a tightly plotted, action packed epic that leaves you wanting more.’ SciFi Now on SEEDS OF EARTH

Cobley writes energetic space opera, rarely dallying with sentiment and mostly assaulting the reader with exotic locations and sudden skirmishes. There are joyous moments of invention but overall there’s too much going on… Fortunately, as the saga progresses, THE ORPHANED WORLDS begins knotting some of the threads together – it still feels like an over-shaken can of fizzy diet Banks…’ — SFX

‘Fast and exciting… an excellent middle book in the trilogy, expanding on SEEDS OF EARTH and setting everything in place for a thrilling conclusion.’ Waterstone’s Book Quaterly on THE ORPHANED WORLDS

THE ASCENDANT STARS is the culminating book in the Humanity’s Fire trilogy, a space opera of mind-bending depth and scope which sets complexly thought-out alien races and chilling cyborg armies against humans riven by competing political philosophies and agendas. The result is a marvellously readable examination of people under extreme stress, a convincing depiction of startlingly alien aliens, and a mature political analysis often lacking in the genre. Cobley expertly juggles multiple plot-lines and brings them to thematically satisfying conclusions while providing the landmark trilogy with a thrilling finale.’ — Guardian

The fourth, stand-alone novel in the series, ANCESTRAL MACHINES, was published earlier this year, also by Orbit Books.

CobleyM-HF4-AncestralMachines

Michael’s first trilogy, the grimdark fantasy Shadowkings series, is available in eBook.

Cobley-ShadowkingsSeriesJAB2

Michael Cobley’s HUMANITY’S FIRE Series in Poland


Cobley-HumanitysFirePO-Blog

Here are the covers and details for the Polish editions of Michael Cobley‘s critically-acclaimed and best-selling Humanity’s Fire novels! Published in Poland by MAG, the series is published in the UK and US by Orbit Books. The first two novels – ZIARNA ZIEMI (SEEDS OF EARTH) and OSIEROCONE ŚWIATY (THE ORPHANED WORLDS) – are out now. The third novel, WSCHODZĄCE GWIAZDY (THE ASCENDANT STARS) is due to be published on October 31st, 2014.
Here is the English-language synopsis for the first novel in the series…

The first intelligent species to encounter mankind attacked without warning. Merciless. Relentless. Unstoppable. With little hope of halting the invasion, Earth’s last roll of the dice was to dispatch three colony ships, seeds of Earth, to different parts of the galaxy. The human race would live on… somewhere.

150 years later, the planet Darien hosts a thriving human settlement, which enjoys a peaceful relationship with an indigenous race, the scholarly Uvovo. But there are secrets buried on Darien’s forest moon. Secrets that go back to an apocalyptic battle fought between ancient races at the dawn of galactic civilisation. Unknown to its colonists Darien is about to become the focus of an intergalactic power struggle, where the true stakes are beyond their comprehension. And what choices will the Uvovo make when their true nature is revealed and the skies grow dark with the enemy?

Cobley-4-AncestralMachinesUK-BlogMichael Cobley’s trilogy is also available as eBooks through the JABberwocky eBook Program, and also as audiobooks through Audible. Michael’s next book, a stand-alone novel set in the same universe as the Humanity’s Fire series, ANCESTRAL MACHINES, is due to be published in 2015 by Orbit Books in the UK and US. The trilogy is also published in Germany by Heyne Verlag, and SEEDS OF EARTH is published in France by Bragelonne, as L’OMBRE DE LA LONGUE NUIT.

Here are just a handful of the great reviews Cobley’s series has received…

‘A complex, finely detailed thriller-cum-space opera… SEEDS OF EARTH has everything: well-realised extraterrestrials, scheming artificial intelligences, set-piece space battles and bizarre technology from the dawn of the galaxy. The first book of the trilogy is also a convincing portrayal of political machinations and the plight of individuals caught up in events beyond their comprehension.’ — Guardian

‘Cobley’s debut, first published in the U.K. in 2009, is a well-constructed space opera with a sense of vast scope, populated with an array of beautifully differentiated intelligences both organic and artificial… this is a thick and satisfying 10-course meal of starchy pageantry, meaty characters, bitter losses, and sweet romance.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Fast and exciting… an excellent middle book in the trilogy, expanding on SEEDS OF EARTH and setting everything in place for a thrilling conclusion.’ — Waterstone’s Book Quaterly on THE ORPHANED WORLDS

Cobley writes energetic space opera, rarely dallying with sentiment and mostly assaulting the reader with exotic locations and sudden skirmishes. There are joyous moments of invention but overall there’s too much going on… Fortunately, as the saga progresses, THE ORPHANED WORLDS begins knotting some of the threads together – it still feels like an over-shaken can of fizzy diet Banks…’ — SFX

THE ASCENDANT STARS is the culminating book in the Humanity’s Fire trilogy, a space opera of mind-bending depth and scope which sets complexly thought-out alien races and chilling cyborg armies against humans riven by competing political philosophies and agendas. A marvellously readable examination of people under extreme stress, a convincing depiction of startlingly alien aliens, and a mature political analysis often lacking in the genre. Cobley expertly juggles multiple plot-lines and brings them to thematically satisfying conclusions while providing the landmark trilogy with a thrilling finale.’ — Guardian

Cover Reveal: Michael Cobley’s ANCESTRAL MACHINES…


Today, we are excited to share with you the stunning cover art for Michael Cobley‘s forthcoming science fiction novel, ANCESTRAL MACHINES, another amazing and gorgeous image from renowned artist Steve Stone!

Cobley-AncestralMachines-Blog

ANCESTRAL MACHINES is an absorbing standalone space adventure, set in the universe of the hugely popular Humanity’s Fire series. Orbit are set publish in both the UK and US and the release is currently scheduled for March 2014.  While we wait, here’s the novel’s synopsis…

It was named Bringer of Battles, three hundred worlds orbiting a single artificial star, three hundred battlefields where different species vie for mastery and triumph. It is a cage where war is a game, brutal, savage and sudden. In this arena, all must bend the knee to the Lords of Permutation (and the ancient sentient weapons with which they have merged) or suffer indescribable agonies.

Trapped in this draconian crucible of death Brannan Pyke, captain and smuggler, must find a way to fight his way to freedom.

Because in the Bringer of Battles the game of war is played to the death – and beyond.

Three previous books in the series – SEEDS OF EARTH, THE ORPHANED WORLDS and THE ASCENDANT STARS – are already available in the UK, US and Germany.

Cobley-Series-Shadow

You can see plenty more Zeno book covers over at our Pinterest Zeno Cover Art Gallery.

Félicitations Monsieur Cobley et Mademoiselle de Bodard…


The French edition of Michael Cobley‘s SEEDS OF EARTH (originally published in the UK by Orbit) has been nominated in the longlist for Best Foreign Novel category for this year’s Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire, the most prestigious award in the SFF field in France.

L’Ombre de la Longue Nuit, translated by Laurent Queyssi, is published by Bragelonne and will compete with ten works by contemporaries such as Dan Simmons, China Mieville and Lauren Beukes and fellow Zeno client Aliette de Bodard.

Aliette’s novel, D’Obsidienne et de Sang, translated by Laurent Philibert-Caillat, is published by Eclipse – having originally been published in English by Angry Robot as SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD. And yes,  the multiple ironies involved with a native French author, living in France, writing in English, being translated into French and then nominated in a category for Best Foreign Novel have not escaped our notice! Still cool, though, ain’t it!

The shortlist will be announced by the jury at the end of March and the winners will receive their prizes at a ceremony held during the Etonnants Voyageurs (Amazing Voyagers) festival at Saint-Malo (26-28 May 2012).

Congratulations and good luck to both Mike and Aliette. We’re hoping for a tie between the two of you!

Cobley Sells New Novel to Orbit…


Some great deal news for Michael CobleyOrbit have acquired World English rights to WARCAGE, a brand new novel set in the world of his hugely popular Humanity’s Fire series, and they will publish in hard cover both the UK and the US in Autumn 2013. Here’s a taster…

In the Warcage war is a game, brutal, savage and sudden. In the Warcage three hundred worlds orbit a single artificial star, three hundred battlefields where different species vie for mastery and triumph. In the Warcage, all bend the knee to the Lords of Permutation or suffer indescribable agonies. In the Warcage Randal Pyke, captain and smuggler, must find a way to fight his way to freedom. Because in the Warcage the game of war is played to the death – and beyond.

…and Mike offers up a little further insight into the WARCAGE, thus –  ‘The original idea behind WARCAGE actually goes back 26 years when I came up with the idea for an immense artificial star system full of planets. I even built a plastic model of it, which was sadly lost in one of my more recent moves. Suffice to say that with scores, even hundreds of planets, and a twisted and savage background, the unfolding drama will be action-packed and resonant with meaning.

Anne Clarke, Editorial Director for Orbit UK, says, ‘We’re all delighted with the continuing success of Michael’s superb Humanity’s Fire series, and we’re very excited about WARCAGE and looking forward to sharing it with Mike’s fans next year. Michael Cobley is becoming an increasingly important name in science fiction, so we’re extremely happy that our colleagues in the US will be on this adventure with us too.’

Michael Cobley Enters Orbit (US)…!


Michael Cobley‘s acclaimed science fiction trilogy, Humanity’s Fire, (comprising SEEDS OF EARTH, THE ORPHANED WORLDS and THE ASCENDANT STARS) will be published in the US by Orbit next year – the books are provisionally scheduled for October, November and December 2012.

Cobley Cover Love…


Here’s a couple of pretties for fans of Michael Cobley‘s Humanity’s Fire books…

  • Bragelonne have just published the French translation of book one under the title L’OMBRE DE LA LONGUE NUIT.
  • And for German readers, WAISEN DES ALLS, the translation of the second novel in the series now available from Heyne.

Zeno Deals Round-Up…


It’s been a busy time here at Zeno Towers, what with the recent Worldcon in Reno, the upcoming Fantasycon and World Fantasy Convention, plus one or two personal bits and bobs that JP and I have been catching up on… life, I think some people call it!

That notwithstanding, we’ve been beavering away and are delighted to announce a few deals that we’ve recently concluded…

  • James P. Blaylock‘s first novel length Steampunk story in twenty years has sold to Titan in a world English deal negotiated by John Berlyne. THE AYLESFORD SKULL, which features further  gaslight adventures of Langdon St. Ives and his nemesis Ignatio Narbondo will be published by Titan late next year or early 2013. A limited edition is also planned. In addition to THE AYLESFORD SKULL, Titan will also be re-issueing two Blaylock steampunk classics, the 1988 Philip K Dick Award winning HOMUNCULUS and also LORD KELVIN’S MACHINE. Audio rights for all three novels went to Stacy Patton Anderson at Audible.
  • Titan have also acquired world English rights (excluding India) to TURBULENCE and an UNTITLED sequel by Samit Basu. Publication is set for Feb 2012.
  • Audible will release an audiobook edition of Ian R. MacLeod‘s WAKE UP AND DREAM along with two earlier MacLeod novels THE SUMMER ISLES and THE GREAT WHEEL.
  • Audible also picked up audio rights to the third novel in Michael Cobley‘s HUMANITY’S FIRE series, THE ASCENDANT STARS. German rights for this title went to Heyne via Thomas Schluck.
  • Sheila Gilbert at DAW Books has acquired World English rights to  Kari Sperring‘s THE GRASS KING’S CONCUBINE and an UNTITLED sequel in a nice  deal negotiated by John Parker.
  • German rights to Freda Warrington’s ELFLAND sold to Carl Ueberreuter Verlag GMBH via Paul & Peter Fritz AG.
  • French rights to the first three novels in Ben Aaronovitch‘s best selling RIVERS OF LONDON series went to J’ai lu via Lora Fountain. Orion have sold rights to the series in Poland, Hungary and Italy.
  • Also via Lora Fountain, French rights to Ian McDonald‘s PLANESRUNNER sold to Gallimard Jeunesse.
  • The Library of America will publish the Algis Budrys‘ classic SF work WHO? as part of a reissue series to be edited by Gary K. Wolfe.
  • UK / British Commonwealth rights to a new graphic novel series by Charlaine Harris and Christopher Golden entitled CEMETERY GIRL went to Jo Fletcher at Jo Fletcher Books. Jo has also acquired three anthologies edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni P. Kelner.
  • US rights to Iain Sinclair‘s GHOST MILK and AMERICAN SMOKE went to Mitzi Angel at Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.
  • UK /British  Commonwealth rights to two brand new titles in Elizabeth Moon‘s PALADIN’S LEGACY series sold to Orbit.

And there are plenty more things in the pipeline! More in due course.

October News Round-Up…


Posting to the agency web site has been sporadic of late, entirely down to time constraints. Aside from the aftermath of Worldcon, there has been the Frankfurt Book Fair, the processing of the bi-annual royalties (a tough job, but the one of the reasons we’re here, I guess!) prep for this year’s World Fantasy Convention (in Columbus, OH) and a subsequent week of meetings in NYC and the fact that we’ve been to a number of rather nice parties! That said, here’s a little news…

  • Angry Robot have revealed this gorgeous David Frankland cover for Lavie Tidhar’s forthcoming novel, CAMERA OBSCURA, the follow-up to his Steampunk romp, THE BOOKMAN, due for release next May, and about which they say ‘ In this one we meet Milady de Winter, investigating some murders in, of all places, the Rue Morgue. (Why yes, that does sound strangely familiar…) As she dives deeper into Parisian society, it seems everyone knows who did it except her… and the real question is not who, but why? Her search for answers will take her to the far side of the world, and beyond.’
  • And THE BOOKMAN has just sold to Rani Graff at Graff Publishing in Israel.
  • Lavie’s CLOUD PERMUTATIONS, published by PS Publishing has been receiving some nice coverage and we’ve just done a deal with Peter Crowther at PS for a new Tidhar collection – more news on this anon.
  • And whilst we’re patting him on the back, congrats to Lavie for being winning the Last Drink Bird Head award for International Activism… follow that link to find out more.

And we’ve a couple of other Angry Robot covers to show off here – on the left is Colin Harvey‘s DAMAGE TIME, a seat of the pants, SF thriller from the author of WINTER’S SONG. This new one by Colin has just been released by AR and in a recent Guardian review was described thus by Eric Brown ‘The strength of the novel lies not only in the depiction of a detailed future of hardship and privation, but in the expert characterisation of [protagonist] Shah: a lone figure whose origins leave him open to prejudice within the police department, and whose problematic relationship with an intersexual courtesan reveals his own deep-seated prejudices.

And to the right, we’ve the cover for POINT by Thomas Blackthorn (a.k.a John Meaney), not due out until Feb 2011 and which looks rather splendid when placed next to EDGE, the first Blackthorn novel. Swapping identities and publishers for a moment, John reports he has just completed the second Ragnarok novel for Simon Spanton at Gollancz… more on that in due course.

Audible Sales…


Audible have acquired world English Audio rights for Ian R. MacLeod’s 2009 Arthur C. Clark Award winning novel SONG OF TIME. Originally published as a limited edition by PS Publishing, SONG OF TIME was described by Paul Billinger, chair of the Clarke  judges as ‘… a rich and subtle novel that couples themes of memory and identity with well crafted and all too human characters.

Audible have also acquired world rights to Michael Cobley‘s epic Space Opera series HUMANITIES FIRE, comprising  SEEDS OF EARTH, ORPHANED WORDS and THE ASCENDANT STARS. Published in the UK by Orbit and in Germany by Heyne, this series has been widely acclaimed by reviewers and reader alike.

No word yet as to who will narrate either of these acquisitions nor on when we can expect their release, but we’ll let you know as and when we’re told.

Michael Cobley’s Brand New Web Site…


Mike has a new web site, and a fine looking thing it is too!

Head straight over there now, why don’t you? Below is an example of the kind of content that will be posted there, along with Mike’s  varied and insightful thoughts on whatever takes his fancy, and – most importantly – news about his novels, short stories and public appearances. Enjoy!

Cobley’s Orphaned Worlds Published…


Over at the Orbit Books blog, Michael Cobley‘s editor, Bella Pagan has provided an excellent post celebrating publication of Mike’s ORPHANED WORLDS, the second in his epic space opera series, Humanity’s Fire.

The post is chock full of goodies, with links to an extract from the new book, to themed wallpaper featuring Steve Stone’s superb cover art, news of author appearances and signings and also to some fantastic reviews!

Still here? Get thee hence to the Orbit Blog right away!

In The Post Today…


Well, a couple of days ago if I’m honest, but behold this shiny finished copy of mighty Michael Cobley‘s THE ORPHANED WORLDS, book two in the Humanity’s Fire series and due to be published in trade paperback by Orbit on April 29th.

Darien is no longer a lost outpost of humanity, but the prize in an intergalactic power struggle. Hegemony forces have a stranglehold over the planet and crack troops patrol its hotspots while Earth watches, passive, rendered impotent by galactic politics. But its Darien ambassador will soon become a player in a greater conflict. There is more at stake than a turf war on a newly discovered world. An ancient Uvovo temple hides access to a hyperspace prison, housing the greatest threat sentient life has ever known. Millennia ago, malignant intelligences were caged there following an apocalyptic war. And their servants work on their release. However, Darien’s guardians have not been idle, gathering resistance on the planet’s forest moon. Knowledge has been lost since great races battled in eons past, and now time is short. The galaxy will depend on the Uvovo reclaiming their past – and humanity must look to its future. For a new war is coming.

Already picked up in both France and Germany, Zeno still has other rights available for this superb series, described by Iain M. Banks as ‘Proper galaxy-spanning Space Opera‘ – so drop us a line if you’d like to make an enquiry. Additionally, we’re going to be at this year’s London Book Fair, so be sure to come and chat to us about it!