Category: Cover Reveal

Upcoming Tobias Capwell Events & New Publication!

Posted on Wednesday, October 19th, 2022

We’re very happy to report that Tobias Capwell has a rather busy schedule for the next couple of months! First of all, he has contributed a chapter to the new book, THE FUNERAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF HENRY V AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY: THE ARMS AND ARMOUR OF DEATH, which is published by Boydell & Brewer. The author’s chapter is ‘The Funerary Helm of King Henry V: A Helm for the Joust of Peace, c.1390-1420’. Here’s the book’s synopsis…

Ground-breaking new studies of Henry V’s chapel, tomb and funeral service have new revelations and insights into the time.

Before Henry V set out in 1415 on the campaign which culminated in victory at Agincourt, he made a will laying down precise instructions for a chantry chapel to be constructed in Westminster Abbey after his death, so that he could be buried close to his saintly ancestor Edward the Confessor. Seven years later the king died at Vincennes, and his body was brought back for burial in the Abbey; the elaborate funeral took place on 7 November 1422. His chapel was probably finally completed in the 1440s, and remains a distinctive feature of Westminster Abbey to this day.

This book, stimulated by the 600th anniversary of the death of this iconic king, sheds new light on his funeral service and the design of his ornate chantry chapel and tomb. It also considers each of the “funeral achievements” — saddle, helm, shield and sword – traditionally associated with him. Drawing on up-to-date research by experts in each field, with exciting input from new technologies, it investigates the construction and form of the arms and weapons, as well as providing fascinating insights into the material culture and commemoration of royalty in the fifteenth century and beyond.

Capwell will also be taking part in a number of events in October and November. Fans of Tobias’s work should definitely add the following dates to their calendars…

Monday 24 October, 18:00- 20:00 — Wallace Collection, ‘In Conversation’ series — Capwell will be interviewing Philippa Langley, discoverer of the grave and remains of Richard III.

In 2012, Philippa Langley led the successful search for the grave of King Richard III through her ‘Looking For Richard Project’. Following seven and a half years of enquiry, she identified the likely location of the church and grave, leading to the sensational discovery of the remains of Richard III – a story told in the new feature film from Pathé, The Lost King, directed by Stephen Frears.

Tuesday 25 October, 18:00-20:00 — THE FUNERAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF HENRY V: THE ARMS AND ARMOUR OF DEATH book launch at Westminster Abbey.

Sunday 30 October, 18:00: Interview at the Riverside Cinema in Woodbridge, about his work on THE LOST KING film — a live event introducing the cinema’s first showing of the film.

1-4 November — Capwell will be in Lisbon, speaking at the Institute for Medieval Studies.

Monday 7 November, 18:00-20:00 — Wallace Collection, ‘In Conversation’ series — Capwell will be interviewing author and historian Dan Jones about Richard III, and also discuss the new film THE LOST KING.

Must history be transformed into mythology in order to be remembered? How can we tell the difference? Join curator Tobias Capwell and internationally bestselling author and historian, Dan Jones, as they discuss how the real history of King Richard III has become intertwined with myth and misconception.

Saturday 12 November — Capwell and six of his knights will ride in full plate armour in the Lord Mayor’s Show in London, to mark the 700th anniversary of the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers (Capwell is a Freeman of the Company).

Monday 21 November, 18:00-20:00 — Wallace Collection, ‘In Conversation’ series — Capwell in conversation with armourer Fred Ryall and historical costumier Ninya Mikhaila — they discuss THE LOST KING, and their work on the film.

Richard III is one of only two English medieval kings to be slain in battle. His image as a warrior dominates our view of him today – an image reimagined many times in popular culture. Now, a new portrayal has been created for the feature film from Pathé, The Lost King, directed by Stephen Frears. 

Next Month: THE LOST METAL by Brandon Sanderson!

Posted on Monday, October 10th, 2022

Next month, Brandon Sanderson returns to his Mistborn universe one last time in THE LOST METAL! Due to be published in the UK by Gollancz, on November 15th, here’s the synopsis…

For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the Set — with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders — since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner, Wayne, find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between the capital, Elendel, and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate — whose corruption Wax and his wife, Steris, have sought to expose — and Bilming is even more entangled.

After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial’s god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn’t the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere — Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial… at any cost.

Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.

Gollancz also publishes the rest of the Mistborn series in the UK: THE FINAL EMPIRE, THE WELL OF ASCENSION, THE HERO OF AGES, THE ALLOY OF LAW, SHADOWS OF SELF, and THE BANDS OF MOURNING.

Gollancz also publishes Brandon’s Stormlight Archive series and Skyward series in the UK (including the Skyward Flight novellas, co-authored with Janci Patterson), in addition to a number of stand-alone novels.

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

New Tie-In Cover for William Gibson’s THE PERIPHERAL!

Posted on Thursday, October 6th, 2022

A new TV adaptation of William Gibson‘s acclaimed novel THE PERIPHERAL, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, is coming to Amazon Prime on October 21st! To celebrate the release of the adaptation, Penguin is publishing a tie-in edition of the novel in the UK, on October 27th. Here’s the synopsis…

Flynne Fisher lives in the rural American South, working at the local 3D printing shop, while earning much needed extra money playing VR games for rich people. One night she dons a headset and finds herself in futuristic London-a sleek and mysterious world, alluringly different from her own hardscrabble existence. But this isn’t like any game she’s ever played before: Flynne begins to realize it isn’t virtual reality… it’s real.

Someone in London, seventy years in the future, has found a way to open a door to Flynne’s world. And as utterly beguiling as London is… it’s also dangerous. As Flynne searches to discover who has connected their worlds, and for what purpose, her presence here sets dangerous forces into motion… forces intent on destroying Flynne and her family in her own world.

The Peripheral is master storyteller William Gibson’s dazzling, hallucinatory glimpse into the fate of mankind — and what lies beyond.

Also celebrating the release of the show, THE PERIPHERAL is on sale in the UK for all of October, in eBook — Amazon, Kobo.

You can check out the trailer, below…

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

‘His writing has been refined over the years, but Gibson still maintains that sparse, edgy style that has been a characteristic of his work from the very beginning… Ultimately, THE PERIPHERAL is a story about people; their hopes, their fears and frustrations. Despite advances in technology, the worlds still consist of the “haves” and “have-nots”,  making Gibson’s protagonists and their companions constant battlers against the system, striving for change, for something better, something they deserve. Gibson remains as unnervingly prophetic as ever, making his futures feel like they’re just around the corner, products of humankind’s inability to act when necessary, transforming a sci-fi whodunit into a work of fiction that feels both ahead of its time and frighteningly relevant to today’s world.’ 9/10*  —  Starburst

‘Seminal cyberpunk author Gibson, who has spent the last several years writing the more-or-less present-day Zero History series of novels, returns to the future with this slow-burning thriller, ambitiously structured on either side of an economic and ecological collapse… All of Gibson’s characters are intensely real, and Flynne is a clever, compelling, stereotype-defying, unhesitating protagonist who makes this novel a standout.’  —  Publishers Weekly

‘In THE PERIPHERAL, William Gibson’s first futuristic novel since 1999’s ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES, we experience the fantastic synthesis of a 20th century writer — the Gibson of NEUROMANCER, eyeball-kicks of flash and noir; and the Gibson of PATTERN RECOGNITION, arch and sly and dry and keen… A perfect fusion of Gibson’s pulp heritage with his fine-tuned design and social sensibilities… From the microscale word choices to the macroscale plot, structure and themes, the book is strange and contemporary in a perfectly futuristic way.’  —  Boing Boing

‘Dramatic, scary, creepy,violent, and finally satisfying… like any really well-designed thrill ride or mystery tour (or sonnet or string quartet), as soon as you get off, you want to get right on for another go-round.’  —  Locus

‘A smart, nuanced twist on time travel… THE PERIPHERAL is a fast-paced murder investigation and political thriller… compelling… the worlds are compelling in their own right as well, despite their desolation. Flynne’s town is dominated by big-box stores, the economy fueled by a combination of service jobs and 3D printing piracy. Netherton’s London is a rehabilitated disaster area, where you’re more likely to see telepresence robots outside than real people. But they’re as full of personality as any crowded city, described in Gibson’s pithy, poetic prose. THE PERIPHERAL also feels more accessible than his last several books.’  —  The Verge

‘While placed firmly in the sci-fi genre of his earlier works, Gibson’s latest retains the social commentary from his more recent novels… This is quintessential Gibson: gonzo yet cool, sharp-edged, sophisticated…’  —  Kirkus

‘William Gibson is one of the smartest writers around… THE PERIPHERAL starts off by throwing the reader into the deep end of a complex story set in a future world rich in highly-advanced technology. Or, actually, two future worlds. Only gradually do the pieces fall into place and you begin to understand what is going on… Gibson is not a difficult writer but he is demanding, and here those demands are well rewarded. THE PERIPHERAL is intellectual entertainment of the first order, a pop SF thriller that will make you think.’  —  Toronto Star

THE PERIPHERAL is the first in a series, too: the second novel, AGENCY is out now, published by Penguin in the UK.

Coming Soon: North American Edition of Aliette de Bodard’s THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE!

Posted on Monday, October 3rd, 2022

A little while ago, Gollancz unveiled the UK cover of Aliette de Bodard‘s latest science fiction masterpiece: THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE. Today, we can share with you the North American cover! The striking cover is by Raven, and the book is due to be published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

A rich space opera and an intensely soft romance

When tech scavenger Xích Si is captured and imprisoned by the infamous pirates of the Red Banner, she expects to be tortured or killed. Instead, their leader, Rice Fish, makes Xích Si an utterly incredible proposition: an offer of marriage.

Both have their reasons for this arrangement: Xích Si needs protection; Rice Fish, a sentient spaceship, needs a technical expert to investigate the death of her first wife, the Red Scholar. That’s all there is to it.

But as the interstellar war against piracy rages on and their own investigation reaches a dire conclusion, the two of them discover that their arrangement has evolved into something much less business-focused and more personal… and tender. And maybe the best thing that’s ever happened to either of them — but only if they can find a way to survive together.

The North American edition of THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE is available for pre-order now!

Here’s the UK cover for THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE, by Alyssa Winans — due to be published by Gollancz on November 24th…

Here, too, are some early reactions to the novel…

‘A read-in-one-sitting novel with a beautifully-realized setting amid a complex examination of power and consequences, all intertwined with an intense and gripping romance.’ — Kate Elliott, author of Unconquerable Sun

‘Thrillingly exciting and achingly romantic, THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE is rich with political intrigue and piratical adventure. It took my breath away!’ — Stephanie Burgis, author of Snowspelled and Scales and Sensibility

‘Space battles! Arranged marriage! Politics and pirates! Aliette de Bodard has a knack for concocting the most glittery and delicious candy-shell of space opera, and then filling it with a bittersweet romance between two fractured people trying to hold on to their ideals. Every new book of hers instantly becomes my favourite book of hers, and this was no exception.’ — Freya Marske, author of international bestseller A Marvellous Light

‘THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE is a quiet, intimate novel, its focus on the personal as driving force for the plot. It’s a book about love, over and above everything else: familial love, romantic love, and love for a community that doesn’t always love you back. And alongside that love, it’s also a book about hope.’ — Reads Rainbow

Raven has also done the covers for Aliette’s Dragons & Blades books: OF DRAGONS, FEASTS AND MURDERS and OF CHARMS, GHOSTS, AND GRIEVANCES (both also published by JABberwocky).

The Dragons & Blades books are set in the same world as the author’s award-winning and acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen novels, published by Gollancz in the UK, and Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3) in North America.

Check Out the Cover for Sharon Emmerich’s SHIELD MAIDEN!

Posted on Monday, October 3rd, 2022

Today, we’re very happy to share with you the cover for Sharon Emmerich‘s upcoming new novel, SHIELD MAIDEN! Due to be published by AdAstra/Head of Zeus, on February 2nd, 2023, here’s the synopsis…

A lush fantasy that is both epic and intimate. Refocusing the narrative on a fierce young woman reclaiming her power, it will upend everything you think you know about Beowulf.

Fryda has grown up hearing tales of her uncle, King Beowulf, and his spectacular defeat of the monstrous Grendel. Her one desire is to become a shield maiden in her own right, but a terrible accident during her childhood has thwarted this dream. Yet still, somehow, she feels an uncontrollable power begin to rise within herself.

The last thing Fryda wants is to be forced into a political marriage, especially as her heart belongs to her lifelong friend, Theow. However, as foreign kings and chieftains descend upon her home to celebrate Beowulf’s fifty years as the king of Geatland, the partnership begins to seem inevitable.

That is, until, amidst the lavish gifts and drunken revelry, a discovery is made that threatens the safety of Fryda’s entire clan – and her own life. Incensed by this betrayal, Fryda resolves to fight for her people no matter the cost. As a queen should. As a shield maiden would.

And as the perilous situation worsens, Fryda’s powers seem only to grow stronger. But she is not the only one to feel the effects of her new-found battle-magic. For, buried deep in her gilded lair, a dragon is drawn to Fryda’s untamed power, and is slowly awakening from a long, cursed sleep…

Coming Soon: HISTORIAS DE XUYA by Aliette de Bodard!

Posted on Friday, September 30th, 2022

Announced a little while ago, Red Key Books are due to publish a Spanish edition of Aliette de Bodard‘s Xuya novellas! HISTORIAS DE XUYA will include LA MAESTRA DEL TÉ Y LA INVESTIGADORA (THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE) and SEVEN OF INFINITIES!

La maestra del té y la investigadora + Seven of Infinities, de Aliette de Bodard

Dos novelas cortas de la afamada escritora Aliette de Bodard llegan juntas en unos meses: La maestra del té y la investigadora y Seven of infinities.

Son dos novelas muy reconocidas y valoradas, con las que Aliette nos abre la puerta de manera magistral a su Universo Xuya. Ciencia ficción, investigación, un futuro alternativo, sugerentes ideas, una trama elaborada… Pocos adjetivos son para estas dos obras. Hablaremos de ellas más adelante. Pero si queréis ir conociendo a esta autora y a su obra, os invitamos a pasaros por el programa en el que Leticia Lara, quien podemos considerar la entrevistadora oficial de Aliette de Bodard en España, nos acompaña en nuestro programa vigésimo quinto para ilustrarnos sobre ella.

If you’d like to learn more about the books, check out an episode of the Red Key Books podcast, here.

Both THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE and SEVEN OF INFINITIES are available in English, published by Subterranean Press and JABberwocky. Here’s the synopsis for THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE, which won the British Fantasy and Nebula Awards for Best Novella (2019)…

Once, the mindship known as The Shadow’s Child was a military transport. Once, she leapt effortlessly between stars and planets, carrying troops and crew for a war that tore the Empire apart. Until an ambush killed her crew and left her wounded and broken.

Now the war is over, and The Shadow’s Child, surviving against all odds, has run away. Discharged and struggling to make a living, she has no plans to go back into space. Until the abrasive and arrogant scholar Long Chau comes to see her. Long Chau wants to retrieve a corpse for her scientific studies: a simple enough, well-paid assignment.

But when the corpse they find turns out to have been murdered, the simple assignment becomes a vast and tangled investigation, inexorably leading back to the past–and, once again, to that unbearable void where The Shadow’s Child almost lost both sanity and life…

And the synopsis for SEVEN OF INFINITIES, which was a finalist for the Locus Best Novella Award (2021)…

On a string of orbitals called the Scattered Pearls Belt lives Sunless Woods—sentient spaceship, master of disguise, and master thief who chafes against the obscurity that comes with her retirement. There, too, lives Vân, a poor scholar with little confidence but plenty of heart, and whose income comes from tutoring a wealthy student.

Their lives are turned upside down when Vân finds a corpse in her student’s quarters and Sunless Woods, intrigued by Vân’s sense of justice, offers her help. Scholar and spaceship must chase the mystery around the empire’s forgotten edge: from rundown teahouses to ascetic havens, and even in the wreck of a spaceship—and all the while, they begin to fall for each other in earnest. But the secrets they’ve kept from each other are large and devastating—will they and their love survive the revelations?

Roger Zelazny’s ROADMARKS Out Now in Czechia!

Posted on Monday, September 19th, 2022

We’re very happy to report that a new Czech edition of Roger Zelazny‘s ROADMARKS is out now! Published by Laser as POSLEDNÍ ODBOČKA NA BABYLON, and translated by Richard Podaný, here’s the synopsis…

Silnice vede z nepředstavitelně vzdálené minulosti do daleké budoucnosti. Ti, kteří po ní putují, mohou odbočit do jakéhokoliv místa a času – dokonce i do alternativních proudů historie, které se nikdy neudály.

Zrzek Dorakeen jezdí po Silnici tak dlouho, kam až sahá jeho paměť. Před dávnými časy po ní putoval jako starý muž pěšky; nyní, mnohem mladší, veze ve své odřené modré dodávce zbraně Řekům bojujícím proti Peršanům u starověkého Marathónu. Někdo ale po Zrzkovi jde. Tento „někdo“ má právo desetkrát se pokusit Zrzka zavraždit, aniž za to bude podle zákonů Silnice stíhán. Zrzkův skrytý nepřítel prohledal minulost i budoucnost, aby našel deset vrahů – ať už lidí nebo hrůzných stvoření, od vraždícího mnicha po tyranosaura – kteří Zrzka pronásledují, kamkoli ho Silnice zavede…

Proč Draci z Bel’kwinithu Silnici vystavěli, a kdo vlastně jsou, to nikdo neví. Ale Silnice tu vždy byla a bude – pro ty, kteří ji umějí najít…

Here’s the English-language synopsis…

The road leads from the unimaginably distant past to the distant future. Those who travel along it can veer off into any place and time—even into alternate streams of history that never happened.

Redhead Dorakeen has been riding the Road for as long as he can remember. A long time ago, he wandered on foot like an old man; now, much younger, he drives weapons in his battered blue van to the Greeks fighting the Persians at ancient Marathon. But someone is after Zrzko. This “someone” has the right to try ten times to murder Redhead without prosecution under the laws of the Road. Redhead’s hidden enemy has scoured the past and future to find ten assassins—whether human or hideous creatures, from a murderous monk to a tyrannosaurus—who pursue Redhead wherever the Road leads him…

Why the Dragons of Bel’kwinith built the Road, or who they really are, no one knows. But the Road has always been there and always will be — for those who know how to find it…

Coming Soon: THE SERPENT IN HEAVEN by Charlaine Harris

Posted on Friday, September 16th, 2022

Gunnie Rose returns in a couple of months, in Charlaine Harris‘s hotly-anticipated new novel, THE SERPENT IN HEAVEN! The fourth novel in the series, it is due to be published in the UK on November 15th, by Piatkus. Here’s the synopsis…

Felicia, Lizbeth Rose’s younger half-sister and student at the Grigori school within the capital of the New Holy Russian Empire in San Diego, is caught between secrets and powerful family struggles. As a distant relative to the Tsar, she provides an essential service to him by providing blood transfusions for his hemophilia, and she is thus given rare access and dismissed as if cattle. At the Grigori school she is seen as a charity case, a poor orphan with no prospects and no sign of magical prowess-the latter which Felicia keeps purposefully hidden. And yet, when a kidnapping attempt is made upon Felicia her past and her future crash together in violent ways.

Continuing immediately after The Russian Cage, this fantastical fourth book takes a side step, exploring the Holy Russian Empire while also showcasing the dynamic depths of magic within Harris’s alternate North America in curious mysteries. Felicia, it turns out, is far more than the Russian-Mexican waif Lizbeth rescued, and the journey of discovery she is on is filled with magical assassins and desperation, but above it all is her courage to never give in to the limitations imposed upon her.

Piatkus has published all of the Gunnie Rose novels in the UK to date: AN EASY DEATH, A LONGER FALL, and THE RUSSIAN CAGE.

Here are a few reviews that the series has received so far…

‘In this fast-paced thriller fueled by magic and gunslinging, no one can be trusted. Harris’s vividly detailed story will leave readers enthralled with the fascinating setting and a heroine who’s sure to be a new fan favorite.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on AN EASY DEATH

‘Harris […] populates her gritty, immersive new world with genuinely interesting characters, and chilling moments of horror—of both the human and supernatural kind—punctuate this relentlessly paced road trip. A refreshing and cinematic, weird Western starring a sharp-as-nails, can-do heroine. Harris’ many fans will surely follow Gunnie Rose anywhere.’ — Kirkus on AN EASY DEATH

‘Harris has a remarkable talent for world building […] In all, this looks like another winning series from a sure-bet author.’ — Booklist on AN EASY DEATH

‘It’s a thrill ride through a world transformed by magic and altered politics, with an excellent kick-ass guide in Gunnie Rose, making this a strong start to a new series.’ — Locus on AN EASY DEATH

‘[A] shoot’em-up, rollicking ride.’ — Kirkus on A LONGER FALL

‘Everything a reader wants or can expect is here. Mystery, magic, romance, adventure, action, and best of all, a fascinatingly imagined alternate America peopled with intriguing characters.’ — Writing Pages on A LONGER FALL

‘Mixing in tidbits of real history with her own fictitious saga, the imaginative Harris creates an absorbing modern fantasy steeped in thoughtful action in THE RUSSIAN CAGE.’ — Sun Sentinel

‘An entertaining addition to a consistently fun series.’ — Kirkus on THE RUSSIAN CAGE

‘Rarely a dull moment. Fans of Harris’s daring heroine will be pleased to accompany her on her latest adventure.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE RUSSIAN CAGE

‘A fun adventure…a series worth reading.’ — Fantasy Literature on THE RUSSIAN CAGE

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

Next Month: THE BEST OF WORLD SF, Volume 2!

Posted on Tuesday, September 6th, 2022

On October 13th, Head of Zeus are due to publish the second volume in the acclaimed, Lavie Tidhar-edited THE BEST OF WORLD SF series! Here’s the synopsis…

Twenty-nine new short stories representing the state of the art in international science fiction.

The second annual instalment to the ‘rare and wonderful’ (The Times) The Best of World SF Volume 1, this collection of twenty-nine stories, including eight original and exclusive additions, represents the state of the art in international science fiction.

Navigating around the globe, The Best of World SF Volume 2 features writers from Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Greece, Grenada, India, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Each story has been selected by World SF expert and award-winning author Lavie Tidhar. Taking us into space – Mars at first, then the stars – and then back to a strange, transformed Earth via AI, gods, aliens and the undead, the collection traces the ever-changing meaning of the genre from some of the most exciting voices writing today.

This is not a retrospective of what science fiction around the world used to look like. This is a snapshot of what some of it looks like now. And it’s never been more exciting.

The first volume in the series is out now in paperback, also published by Head of Zeus.

‘Just the start of a whole new game for speculative fiction authors around the world’ — LA Review of Books

‘An excellent, lovingly curated collection’ — Financial Times

‘This wonderful anthology should be a hit with any sci-fi fan’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Tidhar gives a cheerful, fannish introduction to the stories, drawn from 26 countries on five continents, and encompassing a dizzying range of tones and approaches’ — The Times

‘An outstanding assortment of international sci-fi shorts… A bold and powerful argument for non-Anglophone SF’s potential to push the genre’s boundaries’ — Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Rivers of London: DEADLY EVER AFTER #4 Out in Two Weeks!

Posted on Monday, September 5th, 2022

The fourth and final issue of DEADLY EVER AFTER, the latest Rivers of London comic story-arc, is out in two weeks! Written by Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, and Celeste Bronfman, the issue is published by Titan Comics, and will arrive in stores (and in digital format) on September 21st. Here’s the synopsis…

When Chelsea and Olympia accidentally break an enchantment in the woods, deadly fairy tales from a mysterious old book begin coming to life. To set things right, Chelsea and Olympia must unravel a mystery dating back to the 1800s before they become victims of a lethal sorcery.

Interior artwork is by José María Beroy, and the issue is available with three covers — by David M Buisan (above), Abigail Harding (below, left), and Vv Glass (below, right).

Titan Comics has published all of the previous Rivers of London comic series to date. The first nine are now available in collected trade paperback and digital editions: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX, WATER WEED, ACTION AT A DISTANCE, THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS, and MONDAY, MONDAY.

Coming Soon: Aliette de Bodard’s THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE!

Posted on Friday, September 2nd, 2022

Two days ago, Gollancz unveiled Alyssa Winans‘s stunning cover for Aliette de Bodard‘s highly-anticipated new novel, THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE!

The latest Xuya masterpiece from the author of THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE and SEVEN OF INFINITIES (to name but two), it is due to be published on November 24th, in the UK and Commonwealth. Here’s the synopsis:

Xích Si: bot maker, data analyst, mother, scavenger. But those days are over now-her ship has just been captured by the Red Banner pirate fleet, famous for their double-dealing and cruelty. Xích Si expects to be tortured to death-only for the pirates’ enigmatic leader, Rice Fish, to arrive with a different and shocking proposition: an arranged marriage between Xích Si and herself.

Rice Fish: sentient ship, leader of the infamous Red Banner pirate fleet, wife of the Red Scholar. Or at least, she was the latter before her wife died under suspicious circumstances. Now isolated and alone, Rice Fish wants Xích Si’s help to find out who struck against them and why. Marrying Xích Si means Rice Fish can offer Xích Si protection, in exchange for Xích Si’s technical fluency: a business arrangement with nothing more to it.

But as the investigation goes on, Rice Fish and Xích Si find themselves falling for each other. As the interstellar war against piracy intensifies and the five fleets start fighting each other, they will have to make a stand-and to decide what kind of future they have together…

The novel has already racked up a number of great advanced reviews. Here are just a few of them…

‘A fizzingly inventive space opera, quite unlike anything I’ve encountered before, and told with style, grace, and a big dose of heart. SF is lucky to have Aliette de Bodard’ — Alastair Reynolds

‘A “read-in-one-sitting” novel with a beautifully-realized setting amid a complex examination of power and consequences, all intertwined with an intense and gripping romance’ — Kate Elliott

‘An epic tale of piracy and romance in the void of space. A new book from Aliette de Bodard is always a treasure’ — Gareth L. Powell

‘Thrillingly exciting and achingly romantic, THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE is rich with political intrigue and piratical adventure. It took my breath away!’ — Stephanie Burgis

‘Confident, sexy, and touching — THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “star-crossed lovers”!’ — Max Gladstone

‘A gripping science fiction adventure, full of cool science-fictional ideas, plot twists, and high stakes… Most importantly, this story has heart, with characters you really care about’ — Laura J. Mixon

‘THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE takes you on an exhilarating dive into space piracy with passion, politics, dazzling settings, and-even better-a profound core of love transcending hopelessness that rings throughout the story’ — Everina Maxwell

Book reviewers interested in reading the book can request it on NetGalley, or from the publisher directly.

A number of Aliette’s other Xuya books have been published by Subterranean Press in North America, and by JABberwocky in eBook and elsewhere.

New RIVERS OF LONDON Graphic Novel Boxset in Three Weeks!

Posted on Friday, August 26th, 2022

The third Rivers of London graphic novel boxset is due out in three weeks! Collecting the acclaimed seventh, eighth, and ninth collections — ACTION AT A DISTANCE, THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS, and MONDAY, MONDAY — it is due out on October 12th, published by Titan Comics. Written by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, and with artwork from an all-star team, here’s the synopsis…

A stunning box set edition of the bestselling graphic novels in the Rivers of London series, starring Ben Aaronovitch’s laconic trainee wizard and budding detective, Peter Grant.

Vol 7: Action at a Distance

Thomas Nightingale is a man of immense power, one of the most highly revered magicians in Europe, but with a guarded past. Hidden within the archives of London Metropolitan Police’s Special Assessment Unit, Detective Constable Peter Grant is about to uncover a brief glimpse into his mentor’s history.

Vol 8: The Fey and the Furious

When a Mitsubishi Eclipse washes up on the shores of the Netherlands, officers are surprised to find some unusual cargo in its boot. Fortunately, unusual cargo just so happens to be wizarding-cop Peter Grant’s speciality. Infiltrating illegal street races, Peter hopes to find the supplier, but instead quickly finds himself speeding into a whole new world of trouble, where old enemies await.

Vol 9: Monday, Monday

What starts as a routine undercover operation to break up an organised teenage pickpocket gang turns into something far more dangerous when the Metropolitan police are confronted by a Swedish werewolf who’ll stop at nothing to avoid capture. Now it’s up to full-time cop and part-time wizard Peter Grant and his cohort of chums to hunt the deadly lycanthrope and bring him to heel!

The first two boxsets are available now, published by Titan Comics. The latest story-arc in the Rivers of London series — DEADLY EVER AFTER, co-authored also by Celeste Bronfman — is available now in single issues (collected edition out soon).

Coming Soon: WHAT SONG THE SIRENS SANG by Simon R. Green

Posted on Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

In just a couple of months, Severn House is due to publish the third novel starring master conman Gideon Sable novel! Written by Simon R. Green, WHAT SONG THE SIRENS SANG is due to be published on October 4th in the UK and North America.

The tables are turned on legendary master thief Gideon Sable when a priceless magical artifact is stolen from him, in this fast-paced supernatural heist thriller.

You can find everything you’ve ever dreamed of in the strange, old magical shop known as Old Harry’s Place. The problem is, not all dreams are kind.

Gideon Sable – legendary master thief, conman and well-dressed rogue – and his partner in crime Annie Anybody don’t want to be shopkeepers, but when the enigmatic Harry decides to retire, he blackmails the pair into taking the store on.

Before the grand reopening can happen, however, a menacing stranger arrives – with a rare and deadly item for them to appraise. A small piece of rock, with an unnerving aura, which ‘Smith’ claims contains the last echoes of the legendary sirens’ song. Before they can find out more, however, Smith vanishes… leaving only the stone.

Some valuables are more trouble than they’re worth. But before Gideon and Annie can work out if they’ve been set up, the stone is stolen from its impregnable hiding place. How? And why? Gideon only knows one thing for certain: no one steals from him and gets away with it…

The first two novels in the series are also published by Severn House (UK and North America): THE BEST THING YOU CAN STEAL and A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE.

For those looking for even more great supernatural mystery from Green, you should check out his Ishmael Jones mystery series, also published by Severn House.

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

Coming Soon: Jonathan Carroll’s MR. BREAKFAST!

Posted on Monday, August 22nd, 2022

Early next year, Melville House is due to publish the new novel from Jonathan Carroll: MR. BREAKFAST! Due to arrive on shelves on January 17th, 2023, we can’t think of many better ways to start the year! Check out the synopsis…

Graham Patterson’s life has hit a dead end. His career as a comedian is failing. The love of his life recently broke up with him and he literally has no idea what to do next. With nothing to lose, he buys a new car and hits the road, planning to drive across country and hopefully figure out his next moves before reaching California.

But along the way Patterson does something his old self would never have even considered: he gets tattooed by a brilliant tattoo artist in North Carolina. The decision sets off a series of extraordinary events that changes his life forever in ways he never could have imagined. Among other things, Patterson is gifted with the ability to see in real time three different lives that are available to him. The choice is his: The life he is leading right now, or two very different ones. In all of them there is love or fame and of course danger because once he has chosen, there is no telling what will happen next.

Mr. Breakfast is a dazzling, absorbing and deeply moving novel about the choices that we have to confront and face, confirming Jonathan Carroll’s status as one of our greatest and most imaginative storytellers.

Jonathan Carroll is the critically-acclaimed, multi-award winning author of sixteen novels (this makes it seventeen), multiple short stories and collections. His work has won a Pushcart Prize, World Fantasy award, British Fantasy award, two French Fantasy awards, and the Bram Stoker Award.

New Audiobook Edition of A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER Out Next Week!

Posted on Tuesday, August 16th, 2022

A new audiobook edition of Roger Zelzany‘s A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER is due to be published next week! Published by Recorded Books, the beloved novel is narrated by Matt Godfrey. Here’s the synopsis…

Loyally accompanying a mysterious knife-wielding gentleman named Jack on his midnight rounds through the murky streets of London, good dog Snuff is busy helping his master collect the grisly ingredients needed for an unearthly rite that will take place not long after the death of the moon. But Snuff and his master are not alone. All manner of participants, both human and not, are gathering with their ancient tools and their animal familiars in preparation for the dread night. It is brave, devoted Snuff who must calculate the patterns of the Game and keep track of the Players — the witch, the mad monk, the vengeful vicar, the Count who sleeps by day, the Good Doctor and the hulking Experiment Man he fashioned from human body parts, and a wild-card American named Larry Talbot — all the while keeping Things at bay and staying a leap ahead of the Great Detective, who knows quite a bit more than he lets on.

Boldly original and wildly entertaining, A Night in the Lonesome October is a darkly sparkling gem, an amalgam of horror, humor, mystery, and fantasy. First published in 1993, it was Zelazny’s last book prior to his untimely death. Many consider it the best of the fantasy master’s novels. It has inspired many fans to read it every year in October, a chapter a day, and served as inspiration for Neil Gaiman’s brilliant story “Only the End of the World Again.”

Godfrey has also narrated the new audiobook editions of Zelazny’s ROADMARKS, CREATURES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, and LORD AND LIGHT (all published by Recorded Books).

The print and eBook editions of the novel are published in the UK by Farrago Books.