Estonian Edition of RIVERS OF LONDON Out Now!


Ben Aaronovitch‘s acclaimed, internationally-bestselling RIVERS OF LONDON is now available in Estonia! Published by Tänapäev as LONDONI JÕED, it was translated by Sash Veelma. Here’s the synopsis…

Katseajal konstaabel Peter Grant unistab kohast Londoni Metropolitan Police’i mõrvarühmas, kuid ülemus plaanib ta paraku määrata hoopis eeluurimisosakonda, kui suurima ohuna varitseb võimalus paberiga sisse lõigata.

Elu teeb aga ootamatu pöörde, kui otse Kuningliku Ooperi kõrval toimub mõistatuslik mõrv ja Peter kohtub saatuse tahtel olulise tunnistajaga – kes osutub kummituseks. Pentsik juhtum tõmbab talle peainspektor Thomas Nightingale’i tähelepanu. Nightingale juhib Londoni politsei osakonda, mis uurib kuritegusid, mis ei mahu kaine mõistusega selgitatavatesse raamidesse, osakonda, millesse kuni Peteri tulekuni kuulus vaid tema üksi.

Nüüd, kui Londonist tabab kummaline seletamatu vägivalla ja metsikute mõrvade laine, sukeldub Peter maailma, kus surelike seas kõnnivad jõevaimud ja vampiirid, kummitused ning ‒ jah, isegi võlurid!

„Londoni jõed“ avab Inglismaal tänaseks juba kultussarjaks kujunenud lustaka ja kaasahaarava krimilugude sarja, mis viib lugeja peadpööritavale retkel läbi tänapäevase ja ajaloolise Londoni ning suudab üllatada ikka ja jälle, pannes su samal ajal kõva häälega naerma!

The novel is published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by JABberwocky, and ever-more widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

My name is Peter Grant, and I used to be a probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service, and to everyone else as the Filth.

My story really begins when I tried to take a witness statement from a man who was already dead…

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. After taking a statement from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost, Peter comes to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny.

Suddenly, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

The latest novel (#9) in the series is AMONGST OUR WEAPONS (published by Orion in the UK, DAW Books in North America), and the latest novella in the series is WINTER’S GIFTS (published by Orion in the UK, and Subterranean Press in North America).

Elizabeth Helen’s BEASTS OF THE BRIAR Series Out Tomorrow in the UK!


We’re very happy to report that Elizabeth Helen‘s acclaimed Beasts of the Briar trilogy is out tomorrow in the UK! Published as one of the lead titles of Magpie — a newly-launched imprint of Harper Collins — all three novels will be available from December 5th:

  1. BONDED BY THORNS
  2. WOVEN BY GOLD
  3. FORGED BY MALICE

The series has been a huge hit on TikTok, already, and we can’t wait for more readers to fall in love with the books! Here’s the synopsis for the first book…

Four handsome fae princes. One awkward bookworm. An Enchanted Vale. A beastly curse to break.

Rosalina O’Connell lives her life in Orca Cove as quietly as she can. Known as the daughter of Crazy George she tries to keep her head down. But George isn’t crazy, he’s searching for his wife who disappeared, and is convinced she was stolen by fae.

When George goes missing, Rosie goes after him and finds herself in a new world, the Enchanted Vale, the world of the fae and her father has been imprisoned in Castletree by the Winter Prince. Rosie has no choice but to make a deal to take her father’s place, meaning she must remain in Castletree forever.

As Rosie begins to learn more about the Enchanted Vale and the four Princes, she shares a castle with, she discovers that they have been cursed. The Princes must take on the form of demonic wolves every night and with every year that the curse continues, more of their magic, and the magic of Castletree, fades away.

If the Princes can each find their mate, they will break their curse and free their realm. Rosie is determined to help the Princes find their mates so that she can return home. The only problem is, the more time she spends with the Princes, the more she’s convinced that she’s the one they’re all meant to be with.

A spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling filled with enchanted fae, morally grey characters, a stupidly hot villain and a Princess who has found her Prince Charming. All four of them.

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

RIVERS OF LONDON: HERE BE DRAGONS Out in Two Weeks!


The collected paperback and digital editions of HERE BE DRAGONS is out in two weeks! The eleventh story-arc in Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel‘s Rivers of London comic series, this one is also co-authored by James Swallow. Series artwork, and the cover by José María Beroy.

HERE BE DRAGONS is due to be published by Titan Comics, on December 12th. Here’s the synopsis…

CSI meets Harry Potter in this graphic novel from Ben Aaronovitch – writer of the bestselling Rivers of London supernatural police procedural crime novel series, Andrew Cartmel author of the Vinyl Detective and New York Times best-selling author, James Swallow creator of the Marc Dane series, and writer of five best-selling Warhammer 40,000 novels. After a rash of strange UFO sightings above the capital, a Met Police helicopter night patrol is attacked by what can only be described as a dragon!

Wizard in training Peter Grant and his mentor, Thomas Nightingale, the Met’s only sanctioned wizard, takes to the skies to investigate.

As the mystery deepens, Peter and Thomas find themselves caught between two groups of hunters – one human, one fae – and he uncovers the legacy of events that extend all the way back to the late ‘60s and one of London’s most famous residents – a certain “Experienced” rock star – who made a pact with the Demimonde that was never fulfilled.

To save the skies of the city, Peter will have to face the enraged beast – but can he end things peacefully… Or will he be forced to destroy the last wyvern?

Collecting together the critically acclaimed original four-issue mini-series.

With exclusive bonus material, included a script to art comparison, covers gallery and a collection of the backup articles from the four comics.

The continuing comic-book adaptation of Ben Aaronovitch’s hugely successful and award-winning 10-book novel series first published in 2011.

An all-new original adventure starring the Peter Grant the wizard-in-training hero of the first Rivers of London Novel, ‘Rivers of London’, also known as Midnight Riot in the US.

The first ten story-arcs in the Rivers of London comic series are also available in print and digital, published by Titan Comics. The comics feature characters created by Ben, and featuring in his internationally-bestselling Rivers of London/Peter Grant series of novels and novellas. To see how the comics and prose books fit together, check out the handy graphic, below…

Coming Soon: THE HOLY TERRORS by Simon R. Green!


Next February, Severn House are due to publish THE HOLY TERRORS — the first novel in a new series by Simon R. Green! Here’s the synopsis…

Six people locked in a haunted hall… Cameras watching their every move… And then someone dies… This first in a spine-tingling new paranormal mystery series from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author Simon R. Green will make you doubt your judgement – and believe in ghosts!

Welcome to Spooky Time, the hit TV ghost-hunting show where the horror is scripted… and the ratings are declining rapidly. What better way to up the stakes – and boost the viewership – than by locking a select group of Z-list celebrities up for the night in The Most Haunted Hall in England (TM) and live-streaming the ‘terrifying’ results?

Soon Alistair, a newly appointed Bishop, actress Diana, medium Leslie, comedian Toby and celebrity chef Indira are trapped inside Stonehaven town hall, along with June, the host and producer of the show. The group tries to settle in and put on a good show, but then strange things start happening in their hall of horrors.

What is it about this place – and why is the TV crew outside not responding? Are they even on air? Logical Alistair and intuitive Diana attempt to keep the group’s fears at bay and rationalize the odd events, but there are things that just can’t be explained within reason… Can the pair stop a cold-blooded would-be killer – even if it’s come from beyond the grave?

This locked-room mystery with a paranormal twist is classic Simon R. Green, featuring his trademark humour and imagination, irresistible characters, and thoroughly entertaining plotting.

The novel will be available on February 6th, in the UK and North America.

Severn House also publishes Green’s acclaimed Gideon Sable and Ishmael Jones mystery series.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Audio Spotlight: MY BROTHER’S KEEPER by Tim Powers


MY BROTHER’S KEEPER, the latest novel from Tim Powers, is available as an audiobook! Currently available online in online/streaming version at the moment (CD and MP3 CD available early 2024), it’s published by W. F. Howes, and narrated by Kristin Atherton. Here’s the synopsis…

THE TRUE STORY OF THE BRONTË SISTERS AS ONLY TIM POWERS COULD WRITE IT.

This is a ghost story. It is a story about werewolves, and things that go bump in the night. It is a story of an ill-fated land, the pathless moors of Northern England so well chronicled in Wuthering Heights. And it is the story of a real family whose destiny it is to deal with this darkly glamorous and dangerous world.

When young Emily Brontë helps a wounded man she finds at the foot of an ancient pagan shrine in the remote Yorkshire moors, her life becomes contentiously entwined with his. He is Alcuin Curzon, embittered member of a sect working to eradicate the resurgent plague of lycanthropy in Europe and northern England. But Emily’s father, curate of the Haworth village church, is responsible for having unwittingly brought a demonic werewolf god to Yorkshire forty years ago — and it is taking possession of Emily’s beloved but foolish and dissolute brother. Curzon must regard Emily’s family as a dire threat.

In spite of being at deadly odds, Emily and Curzon find themselves thrown together in fighting werewolves, confronting pagan gods, even saving each other from the lures of moorland demons. And in a final battle that sweeps from the haunted village of Haworth to a monstrous shrine far out on the moors, the two of them must be reluctant allies against an ancient power that seems likely to take their souls as well as their lives.

The print and eBook editions of the novel are out now, published in the UK by AdAstra/Head of Zeus.

Zeno represents Tim Powers in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Russell Galen at the Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency.

Croatian Edition of Ben Aaronovitch’s RIVERS OF LONDON Out Now!


There is a new Croatian edition of RIVERS OF LONDON, the first novel in Ben Aaronovitch‘s internationally-bestselling Peter Grant/Rivers of London series! Published by Fokus, as RIJEKE LONDONA, it was translated by Igor Rendić. Here’s the synopsis…

Ispod površine sumornog i prometom zagušenog Londona čuči pravi čarobni svijet pun nadnaravnih pojava. Policajac Peter Grant o tome pojma nema. No kad mu se jedne večeri obrati duh, i to kao potencijalni svjedok ubojstva, shvatit će da zločinci doista dolaze u svakom obliku.
Najprije će pomisliti da je skrenuo.

S duhovitim prevratima i nevjerojatnim situacijama, Rijeke Londona vode nas kroz Peterovu preobrazbu iz običnog policajca u detektiva koji se bavi nadnaravnim.

The novel is published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by JABberwocky, and widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

My name is Peter Grant, and I used to be a probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service, and to everyone else as the Filth.

My story really begins when I tried to take a witness statement from a man who was already dead…

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. After taking a statement from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost, Peter comes to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny.

Suddenly, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

The latest novel (#9) in the series is AMONGST OUR WEAPONS (published by Orion in the UK, DAW Books in North America), and the latest novella in the series is WINTER’S GIFTS (published by Orion in the UK, and Subterranean Press in North America).

Bulgarian Edition of Travis Baldree’s LEGENDS & LATTES Out Now!


Travis Baldree‘s conquest of the book world continues: there is now a Bulgarian edition of his best-selling, highly-acclaimed debut novel, LEGENDS & LATTES! Published by Artline Studios as Легенди и лате, here’s the synopsis…

Легендите разказват за камък, пропит с древна магия, който ще донесе истинско щастие на притежателя си.

В тази надежда се вкопчва и Вив – неустрашим орк, прекарал живота си в битки и кръвопролития. Сега тя е решена да загърби миналото и да отвори кафене на някое ново и спокойно място – като например град Тун. За целта обаче може да разчита единствено на двете си ръце… е, и на щипка магия.

Ала мечтата на Вив далеч не е толкова достижима, колкото е смятала, защото на пътя й застават стари и нови съперници. Да не говорим, че никой в града дори не е вкусвал кафе.

Макар да е грижливо пазен, камъкът бързо привлича врагове, готови на всичко да се доберат до него. И ето че един ден неизбежното се случва – той изчезва. Сега на Вив й предстои да се сблъска със страховитите последици от липсата му и да се пребори за собственото си щастие…

LEGENDS & LATTES is published by Tor Books in the UK and North America. The author’s second novel, a prequel — BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST — is also out now.

Here’s the English-language synopsis for LEGENDS & LATTES

High fantasy, low stakes – with a double-shot of coffee.

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream – for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.

But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined…

Here are just a few of the many great reviews LEGENDS & LATTES has received so far…

‘This is a story about following your dreams, even when they take you away from who you thought you had to be. It’s sweet, beautiful and, most of all, kind. I hugely recommend this book.’ — Seanan McGuireNew York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

‘The most fun I’ve ever had in a coffee shop.’ — Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London

‘A gentle little cozy set against an epic fantasy backdrop… This charming outing will please anyone who’s ever wished to spend time in a fantasy world without all the quests and battles.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This slice-of-life cozy fantasy novel has everything you’ve been searching for.’ — Buzzfeed

‘A stunningly-well done story at every level’ — Fantasy Faction

‘If you like fantasy but you’re tired of reading about wars and general intensity, this is the book for you… Cozy fantasy at its best.’ — Literary Hub

LEGENDS & LATTES isn’t just a cosy, slice-of-life fantasy, it is a hug after a long day, it’s that first bite of chocolate you’ve been desperately craving or that first sip of coffee, it’s pyjamas and blankets and everything else which brings comfort and warmth. This is a tale so simple yet so wholesome and adorable, it has made me see just how versatile the fantasy genre can be… Believe the hype… this book deserves all the praise… Baldree delivers a tale to soothe the soul, a tale which had me smiling and crying with happiness from beginning to end.’ — Fantasy Hive

New Russian Editions of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London!


There are new Russian editions of the first three of Ben Aaronovitch‘s Rivers of London novels, published by Эксмо’s Fanzon imprint!

  1. RIVERS OF LONDONРеки Лондона
  2. MOON OVER SOHOЛуна над Сохо
  3. WHISPERS UNDERGROUNDШепот под землей

All three Russian editions were translated by Трубецкая Елизавета Георгиевна (Trubetskaya Elizaveta Georgievna). Here’s the synopsis for Реки Лондона

Премия Академии НФ, фэнтези и хоррора.

Финалист премии «Дети ночи» и премии Грэма Мастертона.

Меня зовут Питер Грант, и я был на испытательном сроке в должности констебля в этой могущественной армии правосудия, которую законопослушные люди называют лондонской полицией.

Моя история началась, когда я попытался допросить свидетеля преступления, который был уже мертв… Это привлекло внимание инспектора Томаса Найтингейла, последнего мага в Англии.

Теперь я детектив-констебль и ученик колдуна, первый за последние пятьдесят лет.

Мой мир стал намного сложнее: в пригородах устраивают свои гнезда вампиры, боги и боги Темзы враждуют, а в сердце города, который я так люблю, что-то прогнило… Злонамеренный мстительный дух захватывает обычных лондонцев и превращает в марионетки, чтобы разыграть драму насилия и отчаяния. Призрак бунта и мятежа проснулся в городе, а мне придется навести порядок в этом хаосе — или умереть, пытаясь сделать это.

The three novels in the bestselling series are published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by JABberwocky, and widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis for RIVERS OF LONDON

My name is Peter Grant, and I used to be a probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service, and to everyone else as the Filth.

My story really begins when I tried to take a witness statement from a man who was already dead…

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. After taking a statement from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost, Peter comes to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny.

Suddenly, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

THE COLLECTED STORIES OF ROGER ZELAZNY Out Now!


New editions of The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny are out now! A fascinating, superb collection of Roger Zelazny‘s short and longer fiction, the six volumes are published by NESFA.

The stories in this series are enriched by editors’ notes and Zelazny’s own words, taken from his many essays, describing why he wrote the stories and what he thought about them in retrospect.

Here are the titles and synopses for each volume (full tables of contents are available on NESFA’s website)…

Volume 1: THRESHOLD

The first in a six-volume series, Volume 1: Threshold contains all of Zelazny’s short works from his early years through the mid 1960s — a period of experimentation and growth that flowered into gems such as “A Rose for Ecclesiastes,” “The Graveyard Heart,” “The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth,” and “He Who Shapes.”

Volume 2: POWER & LIGHT

The second in a six-volume series, Volume 2: Power & Light covers the mid 1960s, Zelazny’s most prolific period, where he continued to incorporate mainstream literary qualities and added a wealth of mythological elements into powerful stories such as “The Furies,” “For a Breath I Tarry,” “This Moment of the Storm,” “Comes Now the Power,” “Auto-Da-Fé,” and the Hugo-winning novel …And Call Me Conrad.

Volume 3: THIS MORTAL MOUNTAIN

The third in a six-volume series, Volume 3: This Mortal Mountain contains Zelazny’s short works from the late 1960s and early 1970s, Zelazny’s breadth of interests developed into a variety of styles displayed in such rich stories as “This Mortal Mountain,” “The Steel General,” “Damnation Alley,” “The Man Who Loved the Faioli,” and the Hugo and Nebula-nominated “The Engine at Heartspring’s Center”.

Volume 4: LAST EXIT TO BABYLON

The fourth in a six-volume series, Volume 4: Last Exit to Babylon contains Zelazny’s short works from the late 1970s and early 1980s when Zelazny’s popularity opened new markets for his work. He continued to produce highly-crafted stories, such as the popular “The Last Defender of Camelot,” the Hugo-winning “Unicorn Variation,” and the Hugo and Nebula-winning “Home is the Hangman.”

Volume 5: NINE BLACK DOVES

The fifth in a six-volume series, Volume 5: Nine Black Doves contains Zelazny’s short works from the 1980s, when Zelazny’s mature craft produced the Hugo-winning and Nebula-nominated stories, “24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai” and “Permafrost,” and other entertaining stories such as “Kalifriki of the Thread,” “Dilvish, the Damned,” and his first two Wild Cards stories about Croyd Crenson, “The Sleeper” and “Ashes to Ashes.”

Volume 6: THE ROAD TO AMBER

The last in a six-volume series Volume 6: The Road To Amber, the last in the series, covers the final five years of Zelazny’s career in the early 1990s, when he reached for new ideas and continued familiar themes with stories such as “Godson” and “Godson: A Play in Three Acts,” two more Wild Cards stories (“Concerto for Siren and Serotonin” and “The Long Sleep”), and a linked sequence of five Amber stories leading to planned but unwritten Amber novels.

Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber novels area avilable now in the UK, published in two volumes as part of Gollancz‘s SF Masterworks series.

Travis Baldree’s KSIĘGARNIE I KOŚCIOPYŁ Out Now in Poland!


The Polish edition of Travis Baldree‘s highly-anticipated second novel, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, is out now! Published by Insignis as KSIĘGARNIE I KOŚCIOPYŁ, and translated by Patrycja Zarawska, here’s the synopsis…

Za jakiś czas otworzy kawiarnię z pyszną latte… 

Dziś jeszcze walczy z potworami. 

*** 

Kariera Viv w drużynie Kruków, sławnych najemników, zostaje nagle przerwana. Podczas polowania na potężną nekromantkę orczyca odnosi rany i wbrew swojej woli trafia na rekonwalescencję do spokojnego nadmorskiego miasteczka Murk. Niewiele się tam dzieje, no i wszystko wskazuje na to, że zbyt prędko nie będzie mogła wrócić na pola bitew. Co za pech dla wojowniczki  

Przyjaźń z właścicielką podupadającej księgarni – szczurołaczką o niewyparzonym języku – to ostatnie, czego Viv mogłaby się spodziewać. Ale to nie wszystko! Okaże się, że Murk zapewni jej znacznie więcej wrażeń, niż początkowo zakładała… 

Bywa, że właściwe rzeczy zdarzają się w niewłaściwym czasie. Bywa, że poszukujemy zupełnie nie tego, czego nam potrzeba. Bywa też, że odnajdujemy się w historiach, które przeżywamy wspólnie z drugą osobą. 

*** 

Akcja „Księgarń i kościopyłu” rozgrywa się dwadzieścia lat przed tym, o czym czytaliśmy w „Legendach i Latte”. To kolejna, niezależna, nastrojowa fantasy Travisa Baldree, który tym razem opowiada, jak potężną moc mają dobra księgarnia, oddani przyjaciele i nieoczekiwane wybory, których dokonujemy na ścieżce naszego życia.

BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST was published yesterday in North America, by Tor Books; it is due to be published in the UK tomorrow, by Tor Books (although, you may be able to find some copies on shelves in shops already…). Here’s the English-language synopsis…

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.

Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and secondhand books.

Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.

What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

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

‘What I love about Travis Baldree is that set against an epic world of adventure, he writes about the small victories that make life worthwhile. BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST does this and it is glorious’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘… a lovely coming-of-age story about a character trained for war who learns that there’s more to life than endless battles. What makes the story special is the way that so many stock fantasy archetypes are cast against type and find new modes of prospering that don’t involve big weapons and bigger wars… This prequel is the perfect place for readers to start Baldree’s cozy fantasy series where folks band together for good, and evil is conquered through cleverness and friendship.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review), SFF Pick of the Month

‘Baldree’s prequel to Legends and Lattes (2022) cements his talent for cozy fantasy, engaging characters, and anachronistic references that would be at home in a Discworld novel… Knowing where a character ends up often drains tension from a prequel, but Baldree avoids that pitfall because the joy of reading here isn’t a simple uncertainty over who lives or dies but rather watching friendships blossom and characters grow. Folks who enjoyed the camaraderie and settings of this year’s Dungeons & Dragons movie—as well as anyone who likes the idea of an orc warrior becoming a devotee of the power of reading and its ability to broaden your horizons—should check out Viv’s adventures.’ — Booklist (Starred Review)

‘Bestseller Baldree’s cozy standalone sequel to LEGENDS & LATTES shows that even a battle-hungry orc can find happiness in life’s simple pleasures… The innocent joy of Viv and Fern’s love is delightful and Baldree’s formula of placing low-stakes stories in high-fantasy settings remains good fun. Series fans will eat this up.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This prequel gives readers a glimpse of Viv as a young orc, still committed to the fighter’s life, just taking an enforced break in a charming town populated by compelling, richly drawn characters, and the slightest hint of danger in the wind. Despite the lurking necromancer, the vibes are decidedly warm and cozy, and the plot is just as much about saving the bookstore and building relationships as it is about protecting the town from the man in gray. As a prequel, it can stand alone, but will certainly satisfy fans as well. Warm and wonderful.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review)

‘This prequel gives readers a glimpse of Viv as a young orc, still committed to the fighter’s life, just taking an enforced break in a charming town populated by compelling, richly drawn characters, and the slightest hint of danger in the wind. Despite the lurking necromancer, the vibes are decidedly warm and cozy, and the plot is just as much about saving the bookstore and building relationships as it is about protecting the town from the man in gray. As a prequel, it can stand alone, but will certainly satisfy fans as well. Warm and wonderful.’ — Literary Hub

‘Travis Baldree has worked his magic again to create a story full of heart, and some of the loveliest characters that I’ve read. There’s a wholesome ensemble, some glimpses of Viv’s mercenary skills, as well as enough growth to help her grow into her coffee-shop persona, all tightly written. Highly recommended, and definitely one of my top reads this year.’ — Fantasy Book Critic

New Russian Edition of Ian McDonald’s NECROVILLE Out Now!


A new Russian edition of Ian McDonald‘s award-winning NECROVILLE is out now! Published by ACT as Некровиль, here’s the synopsis…

Первое полное издание классического цикла «Некровиль» на русском языке! От автора трилогии «Новая луна».

Двадцать первый век – время всепоглощающего научного прогресса. Всего несколько десятилетий назад, с изобретением революционной технологии воскрешения людей, человечество победило смерть… Однако теперь, в 2063 году, бывшие мертвецы обречены быть рабами из Некровилей – гетто для таких, как они. Человек боится смерти. Но что, если он не умрёт никогда?.. Киберанк, каким он должен быть: яркая и захватывающая история человечества, охватывающая множество веков и миров.

Нанотехнологии радикально преобразовали законы жизни и смерти. Воскрешенные мертвецы теперь составляют практически одну треть населения Земли, они лишены прав, юридически не считаются людьми и стали главной рабочей силой нового общества. У них сложилась своя культура, образовались свои собственные гетто, некровили. А Ночь мертвых принадлежит только им. Пять человек входят в некровиль, чтобы исполнить данное друг другу обещание или же обрести смысл жизни. И чем сильнее пересекаются их судьбы, тем глубже они погружаются в жизни мертвецов, тем более невероятные сцены предстают перед ними. Они еще не подозревают, что эта ночь перевернет судьбу Земли и заложит основу новой истории, необратимо изменив человечество и открыв перед ним врата пространства и времени.

The novel, which won the 1995 BSFA Award, is published in the UK by Gollancz. Here’s the synopsis…

In the Los Angeles ghetto of Necroville, the yearly celebration of the Night of the Dead – where the dead are resurrected through the miracle of nanotechnology and live their second lives as non-citizens – becomes a journey of discovery and revelation for five individuals on the run from their pasts.

With his customary flair for making the bizarre both credible and fascinating, McDonald tosses aside the line of demarcation between living and dead in a story that confronts the central quandary of human existence: the essence of non-being.

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

‘McDonald’s lush prose paints a vivid and credible Armageddon. World-building SF that’s punk, funky, and frightening: a fantastic acid trip to the end of the world.’ — Kirkus

‘McDonald, who won the Philip K. Dick Award for KING OF THE MORNING QUEEN OF THE DAY, reveals the workings of his bizarre society through the exploits of five friends as they search for the meaning of life in the Necroville at Los Angeles on the Night of the Dead. Sorting through five points of view requires some patience, but it is well rewarded. In the best science fiction tradition, McDonald provokes reexamination of current societal standards through the prism of another time and place.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘McDonald revels in the creation of brilliantly described near-futures and lushly exotic settings, and has more ideas in a book than most writers dream up in a lifetime. Here death is no more: the dead are reborn thanks to nanotechnology in Jesus-tanks and decanted into “techtoplastic” bodies. Drug-designer Santiago Columbar invites his friends to join him in the Terminal café in the suburb of LA known as Necroville, and in the resulting free-wheeling, mind-spinning novel we follow the friends as they travel to meet him, encountering genetically engineered dinosaurs, undead prostitutes, werewolves and an invasion of Earth by resurrected space workers. In Necroville, decay sits next to fabulous invention, terrible privation next to limitless possibility. The book…offers a graphic dystopian vision.’ — Guardian

Ian McDonald’s WOLF MOON Available Now in Croatia!


WOLF MOON, the second novel in Ian McDonald‘s acclaimed Luna series, is now available in a new Croatian edition! Published by Vorto Palabra as VUČJI MJESEC, it was translated by Kristian Vlašić. Here’s the synopsis…

Zmaj je mrtav. Pala je Corta Hélio, jedna od pet obiteljskih korporacija koje vladaju Mjesecom. Njezino vlasništvo razgrabili su mnogobrojni neprijatelji, a preživjeli članovi obitelji razbježali su se na sve strane.

Prošlo je osamnaest mjeseci. Preostala djeca obitelji Corta, Lucasinho i Luna, pod zaštitom su moćnih Asamoaha, a Robson, koji se još oporavlja od nasilne smrti roditelja, sada je štićenik – ili, točnije, talac – Mackenzie Metalsa. Posljednji je nasljednik obitelji, Lucas, nestao s Mjeseca. Samo Lady Sun, doajenka Taiyanga, sumnja da Lucas Corta nije poginuo i, što je još važnije, da je i dalje jedan od najvažnijih igrača u novonastalim okolnostima.

Lucas je oduvijek bio spletkaroš koji ni smrti ne bi dopustio da ga spriječi u namjeri da vrati sve što mu je oduzeto i izgradi novu Corta Hélio, jaču nego ikada prije. No korporaciji trebaju saveznici i on kreće na odvažno, nemoguće putovanje – na Zemlju. U nestabilnoj atmosferi Mjeseca, političke spletke i krhka lojalnost svih obitelji kovitlaju se u smrtonosnom metežu i vode prema jedinom mogućem kraju – otvorenom ratu…

Trilogiju “Luna” nazivaju jednom od najuzbudljivijih i najvažnijih znanstveno-fantastičkih serijala desetljeća i opisuju kao “Igru prijestolja u svemiru”. Radnje smještene u dalekoj budućnosti, oko pedeset godina nakon koloniziranja Mjeseca, ovo je uzbudljiv triler o članovima jedne obitelji uhvaćenima u žestokoj i nemilosrdnoj borbi za prevlast u surovom okruženju Mjeseca. Prateći sudbine raznolikih likova, “Luna” pruža nezaboravan prikaz zastrašujućeg novog doma čovječanstva.

The Luna series — which begins with NEW MOON and ends with MOON RISING — is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in North America by Tor Books. THE MENACE FROM FARSIDE, a prequel, is published by Tor.com in the UK and North America.

NEW MOON is also available in Croatia, published by Vorto Palabra as MLADI MJESEC, and translated by Kristian Vlašić.

Here’s the English-language synopsis of WOLF MOON

Corta Helio, one of the five family corporations that rule the Moon, has fallen. Its riches are divided up among its many enemies, its survivors scattered. Eighteen months have passed.

The remaining Helio children, Lucasinho and Luna, are under the protection of the powerful Asamoahs, while Robson, still reeling from witnessing his parent’s violent deaths, is now a ward – virtually a hostage – of Mackenzie Metals. And the last appointed heir, Lucas, has vanished from the surface of the moon.

Only Lady Sun, dowager of Taiyang, suspects that Lucas Corta is not dead, and – more to the point – that he is still a major player in the game. After all, Lucas always was a schemer, and even in death, he would go to any lengths to take back everything and build a new Corta Helio, more powerful than before. But Corta Helio needs allies, and to find them, the fleeing son undertakes an audacious, impossible journey – to Earth.

In an unstable lunar environment, the shifting loyalties and political machinations of each family reach the zenith of their most fertile plots as outright war between the families erupts.

Here are just a few of the many great reviews WOLF MOON has received…

‘… powerful sequel… compelling throughout. Each of McDonald’s viewpoint characters is made human in fascinating and occasionally disturbing detail, and the solar system of the 22nd century is wonderfully delineated. Fans of the first volume will love this one and eagerly look forward to the next.‘ — Publishers Weekly

NEW MOON was one of the most interesting sci-fi novels of 2015, with smart ideas on humanity and economies matched by street smarts, political brawls and murder in the streets. LUNA: WOLF MOON turns that up to eleven – it’s a fascinating story, which is also a tense, enthralling read.’ — Sci-Fi & Fantasy Review

‘The fights and vengeance that follow are more vicious and intricate than anything in Game of Thrones, full of great acts of self-sacrifice and viciousness alike, brave cavalry charges and last stands, cowardice and avarice. McDonald’s great gift is to hold the micro- and macro-scale in his hand at once. Starting with his debut novel, 1988’s Desolation Road, McDonald has used his intense, finely crafted and small personal stories of his vast casts of characters as the pixels in an unimaginably vast display on which he projects some of the field’s most audacious worldbuilding — never worldbuilding for its own sake, either, but always in the service of slyly parodying, critiquing or lionizing elements of our present-day world.’ — Boing Boing

‘A Howling Good Read… No one builds a world like Ian McDonald does. Piece by piece and brick by brick. Spare, simple, elegant when he needs to be…, deep and meaty when he wants to be…, he does his work like an artisan pulling a sculpture from stone. There are no wasted moves, nothing that isn’t vital because, in the end, everything is vital. Everything matters… it is fascinating, all of it. Because McDonald has made a world that is ruthless in its consistency and living, breathing reality, and then made characters who are not just living in it, but wholly and fully of it… McDonald’s corporate war is a gorgeous thing, fought with every tool available… McDonald is able to wrap the biggest events in constellations of the smallest so that a cocktail party here, a discussion of ’80s retro fashion (all mall-hair and WHAM! T-shirts), a love story and a day at work for a guy who cleans solar panels all build and coalesce to form the background radiation of life in this unstable future. Every moment with his characters makes them precious, real and alive.’ — NPR

LUNA: NEW MOON was a “magnificent bastard of a book,” as I put it in my review. Part two, it’s my pleasure to tell you, is just as awesome, and just as masterfully nasty.’ — Tor.com

Ian’s latest novel is the highly-acclaimed stand-alone HOPELAND, also published by Gollancz (UK) and Tor Books (North America).

Ian McDonald’s LUNA YENİ AY Out Now in Turkey!


A new Turkish edition of Ian McDonald‘s acclaimed first Luna novel, NEW MOON, is available now! Published by Salon Yayınları as YENİ AY, it was translated by Zeynep Eski. Here’s the synopsis…

Önce onları yakalıyor…

Sonra da işlerini bitiriyor…

Polis müfettişi dedektif Luc Callanach yeni çalışma ortamına tam adımını atmıştı ki kayıp Elaine vakası ile yüzyüze geldi ve işler sarpasarıp cinayet soruşturmasına dönerek ortalık kızıştı. O İnterpol’deki kariyer vadeden görevinden ayrıldıktan sonra yeni ekibine kendini ispatlama derdinde. Ama anladı ki Edinburgh Lyon’a çok uzakta ve Elaine’nin katili ayakizlerini çok titizce bir dikkatle yok ediyor.

Çok geçmeden başka bir kadın kapısının önünden çok ustaca kaçırılıyor ve Callanach da kendini zamanla yarışta buluyor. Ya da o öyle sanıyor…Kaçırılan kadınların gerçek yazgısı onun tahmin edemeyeceği kadar karmakarışık.

The Luna series is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in North America by Tor BooksNEW MOON is followed by WOLF MOON and MOON RISING. A prequel to the series, THE MENACE FROM FARSIDE, is published by Tor.com. Here’s the English-language synopsis to the first novel…

The Moon wants to kill you. It might not get there first.

Luna is a gripping thriller about five corporate families caught in a bitter battle for supremacy in the harsh environment of the moon. It’s very easy to die on the moon, but with its vast mineral wealth it’s also easy to make your fortune.

Following the fortunes of a handful of disparate characters, from one of the lowliest workers on the moon to the heads of one of the most powerful families, LUNA provides a vast mosaic of life on this airless and terrifying new home for humanity.

This is SF that will be perfect for fans of Kim Stanley Robinson and Ken Macleod alike.

Here are just a few of the many great reviews NEW MOON has received…

‘McDonald… begins his superb near-future series… scintillating, violent, and decadent world. McDonald creates a complex and fascinating civilization featuring believable technology, and the characters are fully developed, with individually gripping stories. Watch for this brilliantly constructed family saga on next year’s award ballots.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Mafia-style mining families clash in a compelling fantasy that offers up all the pleasures of a cut-throat soap opera in space…That McDonald is able to spin a compelling story from this unforgiving set-up is testament to his skill as a writer… One thing Luna does exceptionally well is to puncture Old Heinlein’s assumption that a frontier society based on the primacy of the family and a disregard of conventional laws would end up like idealised smalltown America. Luna argues that any realistic future colonisation of the moon will be much more The Sopranos than The Waltons. LUNA is as gripping as it is colourful, and as colourful as it is nasty.’ — Guardian

No one writes like Ian McDonald, and no one’s Moon is nearly so beautiful and terrible… Ian McDonald’s never written a bad novel, but this is a great Ian McDonald novel… McDonald has ten details for every detail proffered by other sf writers. Not gratuitous details, either: gracious ones. The fashion sense of William Gibson, the design sense of Bruce Sterling, the eye for family drama of Connie Willis, the poesie of Bradbury, and the dirty sex of Kathe Koja and Samuel Delany… McDonald’s moon is omnisexual, kinky, violent, passionate, beautiful, awful, vibrant and crushing. As the family saga of the Cortas unravels, we meet a self-sexual ninja lawyer, a werewolf who loses his mind in the Full Earth, a family tyrant whose ruthlessness is matched only by his crepulance, and a panoply of great passions and low desires. LUNA: NEW MOON is the first book of a two-book cycle. Now I’m all a-quiver for the next one.‘ — BoingBoing

‘Fans of cerebral, high-concept science fiction will love this exploration of society on the moon many decades after it has been colonized. The focus is more on concept and plot than on character, but the former are compelling enough to make this an addictive page-turner. Including the stories of many characters gives the reader important insights into different facets of society, and although the book starts at a slow pace, it accelerates into a mesmerizing political thriller.’ — RT Book Reviews

LUNA: NEW MOON is the best moon novel I’ve seen in many years, but it’s also something of a piece with the recent movement on the part of Paul McAuley, Kim Stanley Robinson, and oth­ers to confine novels to the solar system, out of a realistic assessment that this is likely all we’ll have to work with – but McDonald takes this a step further. Possibly the most chilling lines in the book for an SF reader come from Adriana herself, in her own narrative: ‘‘There was no law, no justice,’’ she writes, ‘‘only management. The moon was the frontier, but it was the frontier to nothing. There was nowhere to run.’’ Inasmuch as it challenges one of the cherished master narratives of SF, in which the moon is only a stepping-stone, and despite what it owes to the tropes of ’70s-era social melodrama, McDon­ald’s novel has some formidable SF stingers not far beneath its densely textured surface.’ — Locus

Ian’s latest novel is the highly-acclaimed stand-alone HOPELAND, also published by Gollancz (UK) and Tor Books (North America).

Judge Dee Investigates the THE LOCKED COFFIN!


We’re very happy to share the news that there’s a new Judge Dee short story by Lavie Tidhar! Published by Tor.com — on their website, and also as an eBookTHE LOCKED COFFIN is the sixth outing for the author’s vampire sleuth. The cover is by Red Nose Studio. Here’s the synopsis…

While visiting the mysterious castle of Maidstone for an investigation, Judge Dee and Jonathan discover the only thing more menacing than a vampire child is twin vampire children…

The first five Judge Dee tales are out now (also with fantastic covers by Red Nose Studio), also available on Tor.com and as eBooks.

Lavie’s latest novels are ADAMA (Apollo/Head of Zeus) and THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD (Tachyon) — both out now.

Coming Soon: THE HIDDEN QUEEN by Peter V. Brett


In case you missed the recent news, the second novel in Peter V. Brett‘s Nightfall Saga is on the way! THE HIDDEN QUEEN is due to be published in the UK by Harper Voyager, on March 28th, 2024! The sequel to acclaimed and best-selling THE DESERT PRINCE, here’s the synopsis…

Humanity thought the war with demonkind was over. Now, after humanity has had less than a generation to rebuild, the demon corelings have returned with a vengeance. The Spear of Ala — the fortress that stands at the gates of the demon’s hive — is the last bastion against the horde, and reports say it may already have fallen.

Olive Paper is expected to take the vanguard in the fight. Only an heir of Kaji can wield the artifact that opens the gates of the Spear of Ala, and as Ahmann Jardir’s child, Olive seems destined for a role as leader and savior. But Olive does not wish to follow in her father’s footsteps any more than she did her mother’s.

Darin Bales was born with supernatural senses that he struggles to process, but even those who love him believe he can barely take care of himself. Yet to save his mother from the clutches of Alagai Ka, the demon king, Darin will brave anything to mount a rescue.

Darin and Olive each strive to walk their own path but find themselves inextricably tied to the legacies of their parents and to a fated confrontation with the demon king and his new hatchling queen. If they fail, humanity may not survive.

THE DESERT PRINCE and the Demon Cycle novels and novellas are all published in the UK by Harper Voyager, in paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions.

Zeno represents Peter V. Brett in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.