News - Zeno Agency Ltd.

RIVERS OF LONDON: STRAY CAT BLUES #1 Out in Three Weeks!

Posted on Wednesday, May 8th, 2024

The latest Rivers of London comic series launches in three weeks! STRAY CAT BLUES #1, written by Andrew Cartmel and Ben Aaronovitch is due to be published by Titan Comics, on May 29th! Once again with fantastic artwork by José María Beroy, here’s the synopsis…

Old frenemies become allies in the latest Rivers of London saga, when a mysterious cat-woman comes to Abigail looking for help to free her sisters from a notorious chimera brothel run by London gangster Monty and his sinister magically endowed mother, Mrs. Napier.

The issue will be available with two variant covers — the first (above) by Abigail Harding, and the other (below) also by Beroy.

The comic series is set in the same world as Ben Aaronovitch’s internationally-best selling Rivers of London/Peter Grant series of novels and novellas.

IN OUR STARS by Jack Campbell — Out Now in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024

The eBook edition of the first novel in Jack Campbell‘s new The Doomed Earth series, IN OUR STARS, is out today in the UK! (The print edition will follow in a couple of weeks.) Published in the UK by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

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

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

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

The novel has already been racking up some great advance praise, too! Here are just a few examples…

‘Campbell juggles a lot here, with military cover-ups, alien first encounters, and ruminations on what it means to be human studding the sprawling plot… This series is off to a good start.’ — Publisher’s Weekly

‘Jack Campbell’s IN OUR STARS is old fashioned science fiction in the best possible way; taking a good hard look at the present through the lens of the future.’ — Tanya Huff

‘Space Opera works best when it’s operatic. Big and bold, dark and dramatic, characters and concepts that are cheerfully off the scale. IN OUR STARS is all of these things, with an extra helping of mayhem, just to keep things tasty.’ — Simon R. Green

‘An outstanding kickoff to a new series, IN OUR STARS is a heartfelt character study wrapped in a riveting action movie. It delivers everything I want out of sci-fi: fun tech, relatable characters, well-earned camaraderie, and deeply felt stakes. The bond between the two protagonists is inspiring—just two competent professionals who bring out the best in each other while striving to save the world from certain destruction. The contagious optimism and breakneck pace kept me glued to the page, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment!’ — J. S. Dewes

‘With IN OUR STARS, Jack Campbell shows once again why he’s one of the best SF writers working today.’ — Michael Mammay

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

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

Cierra Block’s PARIS BLOCK BY BLOCK is out in Three Weeks!

Posted on Monday, May 6th, 2024

Mark your calendars! The latest stunning art book by Cierra Block, PARIS, BLOCK BY BLOCK, is out in two weeks! Welbeck Publishing are due to publish it on May 30th! Written and illustrated by Block, here’s the synopsis…

Paris is seen the world over as one of the most beautiful, romantic and iconic cities you can visit, and it has more places to eat and things to see than you could manage in a lifetime. Paris, Block by Block is the essential guide to the unmissable places to go, covering everything from restaurants to boutiques, galleries to parks, all illustrated with 50 of Cierra Block’s distinctive maps. Each map starts with an idea – it might be, Where’s the best croissant in Paris? What is the place everyone should visit in the Latin Quarter? Or, where can you lose hours people-watching? From there, Cierra has curated a list of the best places from Montmartre to The Marais, Champs Élysées to St-Germain, and has painted a charming accompanying map. Patisserie to fashion, the most impressive views to Seine-side activities, there really is something for everyone.

The follow-up to 2022’s London Block by Block and 2023’s New York Block by Block, this book will be an inspiration for all, whether it’s your first visit to the city, a seasoned traveller or an all-your-life local. That’s the wonderful thing about Paris – there’s always more to explore!

As mentioned in the synopsis, above, Cierra Block has also created two other books: LONDON BLOCK BY BLOCK and NEW YORK BLOCK BY BLOCK — they are both out now, also published by Welbeck Publishing!

Travis Baldree’s LEGENDES & LATTES Out Now in the Netherlands!

Posted on Wednesday, May 1st, 2024

Travis Baldree‘s acclaimed and bestselling debut novel, LEGENDS & LATTES is out now in the Netherlands! Published by Z&K as LEGENDES & LATTES, it was translated by Erica Disco. Here’s the synopsis…

De avontuurlijke ork Viv is toe aan iets nieuws. Na een leven als huurling vol gevechten en bloedvergieten, besluit ze haar zwaard in te ruilen voor een koffiebar in een klein dorpje. Maar dat is een flinke uitdaging… Rivalen proberen haar plannen te dwarsbomen en dan is er ook nog het kleine detail dat niemand in het dorp ooit van koffie heeft gehoord. Gelukkig staat Viv er niet alleen voor. Met nieuwe vrienden, vertrouwen en geluk lijkt haar niets meer in de weg te staan. Of is ze zelf haar grootste vijand?

‘Legendes & lattes’ van Travis Baldree is een heerlijk avontuurlijk cozy fantasyboek, voor zowel de fantasy- als de feelgoodlezers!

LEGENDS & LATTES is out now in the UK and North America, published by Tor Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Legends & Lattes from Hugo Award-winning Travis Baldree is a cosy, heartwarming slice-of-life fantasy about found families and fresh starts…

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…

The New York Times #1 bestselling prequel, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, is also available in the UK and North America, published by Tor Books.

Coming Soon: BOEKWINKELS & BOTBREUKEN by Travis Baldree!

Posted on Tuesday, April 30th, 2024

The Dutch edition of Travis Baldree‘s #1-bestselling, widely-acclaimed BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST is out soon! BOEKWINKELS & BOTBREUKEN is due to be published by Z&K on August 21st. Here’s the synopsis…

Nadat huurlinge Viv gewond raakt, wordt ze naar het slaperige badplaatsje Murk gestuurd om te herstellen. Ze brengt daar heel wat uren door in de plaatselijke boekhandel met de grofgebekte Fern. Maar het avontuur is nooit ver weg. Een verdachte reiziger in grijs, een gnoom met attitude, een zomerliefde en talloze skeletten zorgen ervoor dat Murk niet zo’n saai badplaatsje is als het op eerste gezicht lijkt. ‘Boekwinkels & botbreuken’ is een heerlijke cozy fantasy van Travis Baldree, perfect voor de fans van TJ Klune en feelgood- en fantasylezers.

Z&K will also published the Dutch edition of LEGENDS & LATTES – as LEGENDES & LATTES – next week!

BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST is the prequel to Baldree’s equally-acclaimed and bestselling debut, LEGENDS & LATTES. Both novels are out now in the UK and North America, published by Tor Books.

Here’s the English-language synopsis for BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST…

A cosy fantasy about the power of good bookshops, great friends and the unexpected choices along the way.

First loves. Second-hand books. Epic adventures.

Viv’s career with the renowned 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 struggling bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted. Even though it may be exactly what she needs. Still, adventure isn’t far away. A suspicious traveller in grey, 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.

Sometimes, right things happen at the wrong time. Sometimes, what we need isn’t what we seek. And sometimes, we find ourselves in the stories we experience together…

Coming Soon: MOON AND RUE by Sian Radford!

Posted on Monday, April 29th, 2024

On June 13th, Yellow Kite are due to publish the new book from Sian Radford — MOON AND RUE: BABY-LED WEANING MADE EASY. Here’s the synopsis…

‘Weaning does not have to be complicated. A weaning diet is like any other: it has some rules, certain foods you should prioritise and other foods you’re better off avoiding. But once you’ve learnt those – and I will share everything you need to know in the first section of this book – you can create simple, wholesome, nutritious meals that give your baby everything they need in order to grow and develop.’ – Sian Radford

For many new parents, the weaning process can be daunting and overwhelming. Moon and Rue: Baby Led Weaning Made Easy celebrates the best of the journey, what you need to know, and the do’s and don’ts to get you started. In the hands of Sian, the mama behind Moon and Rue, you will learn what to expect and gain the all-important recipes that millions of Moon and Rue fans have come to love and use day in, day out.

From allergens, milk and nutrients to portion sizes, meal plans and lots of tips and tricks, this book will support you and your little ones on your journey from 0 to 18+ months

Recipes include porridge fingers, first fish and chips, cinnamon teething biscuits, spaghetti Bolognese, mango chicken curry, pancakes, brownies and more!

For more by Sian Radford, be sure to check out her very popular TikTok channel.

Out Now: New Rivers of London RPG Case Book!

Posted on Thursday, April 25th, 2024

Chaosium has released a new case file for the Rivers of London RPG game! GOING UNDERGROUND is an expansion/add-on for the main game, set in the world created by Ben Aaronovitch. The new scenario is written by Lynne Hardy. Here’s the story…

London, 2016: There’s been an incident on the London Underground and the specialist services of the magic branch of the police force are required — what exactly did a terrified workman see in one of the Tube’s most difficult to access “ghost” stations? And, more importantly, what are the investigators going to do about it?

The main Rivers of London RPG book is, of course, still available.

As mentioned, the RPG is set in the world created by Ben for his novels, novellas, and comics. The next book in the series is THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING, due to be published by Orion/Gollancz (UK), Subterranean Press (North America) and DTV (Germany).

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

Posted on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024

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

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

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

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

The novel is published in North America by JABberwocky.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Out Tomorrow: Zelazny’s FRANCIS SANDOW Omnibus Edition in Russia!

Posted on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024

Tomorrow, Fanzon/Эксмо are due to publish Roger Zelazny‘s Francis Sandow fiction in a new Russian omnibus edition! The collection includes Остров мертвых (ISLE OF THE DEAD) Умереть в Италбаре (TO DIE IN ITALBAR), here’s the synopsis…

Лауреат премии «Аполло».

Финалист премии «Небьюла».

Знакомьтесь, Фрэнсис Сэндоу — практически бессмертный создатель планет, один из богатейших людей галактики тридцать второго века, да еще и связанный с одним из инопланетных богов. Однажды он сотворил кошмарный Остров мертвых, воплотив болезненные образы Арнольда Бёклина, земного художника из далекого девятнадцатого века. И теперь, чтобы спастись от загадочного врага, который может проникать даже в глубины подсознания Сэндоу, ему придется покинуть свою личную планету и посетить Остров в реальности, а не только во снах. Но даже эта угроза меркнет перед лицом общегалактической пандемии, невольной причиной которой становится доктор фон Хаймек… и предотвратить которую способен лишь Сэндоу.

Впервые полное издание цикла «Фрэнсис Сэндоу»: два романа и дополнительные материалы. Новые переводы и новые тексты!

Here’s the English-language synopsis for ISLE OF THE DEAD…

Centuries in the future, Francis Sandow is the only man alive who was born as long ago as the 20th century. His body is kept young and in perfect health by advanced scientific methods; he has amassed such a fortune that he can own entire planets; and he has become a god. No, not a god of Earth, but one of the panetheon of the alien Pei’ans: he is Shimbo of Darktree, Shrugger of Thunders. Yet he doesn’t believe that his personality has merged with the ancient consciousness of Shimbo, that he really can call down the skies upon his enemies.

The time comes, however, when Francis Sandow must use these powers against the most dangerous antagonist in the universe: another Pei’an god — Shimbo’s own enemy, Belion. And Belion has no doubt whatever of his own powers…

Coming Soon: ZERO STARS, DO NOT RECOMMEND by MJ Wassmer!

Posted on Monday, April 22nd, 2024

We’re very happy to report that MJ Wassmer‘s apocalyptically good debut, ZERO STARS, DO NOT RECOMMEND is coming soon! Due to be published in the UK by Zaffre Books, on July 4th, here’s the synopsis…

> Passport
> Suncream
> Apocalypse???

Professional underachiever Dan Foster is finally taking a break. Sure, his life has been average at best and, yes, he has never has quite lived up to his potential. But after a few Bud Lights in paradise with his girlfriend Mara, things are starting to look up.

Then the sun explodes.

With the island suddenly plunged in darkness, the ultra-rich guests hijack the remaining supplies and declare themselves as the new ruling class. Led by a fitness influencer turned ruthless dictator, martial law is declared and the hoi polloi are press-ganged into service. And it’s just Dan’s luck that he could land an even worse job while on holiday.

As temperatures drop and class tensions rise, Dan might have found a way for himself and Mara to escape the island. But sneaking away would also mean abandoning the burgeoning revolution that he might-have-kind-of-sort-of single-handedly started.

The novel will be published as an audiobook at the same time. (More details to come.) The novel is already garnering some great reviews. Here are just a couple of them…

‘This is Lord Of The Flies meets an all-inclusive bar, with incredible results. MJ Wassmer has written a totally original brainmelter — part thriller, part comedy, and part inspiring love story.’ — Alice Bell, author of GRAVE EXPECTATIONS and DISPLEASURE ISLAND

‘The end of the world has never been so fun! Explosively funny and terrifyingly plausible in its depiction of the apocalypse, this cinematic debut had me LOLing, cringing and cheering throughout. I absolutely blazed through this earth-shattering action romp.’ — Josh Winning, author of The Shadow Glass

‘Lord of the Flies crashes headfirst into The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy in this rollicking look at the end of the world.’ — Benjamin Stevenson, bestselling author of Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone

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

Out Now: Lavie Tidhar’s JUDGE DEE AND THE EXECUTIONER OF EPINAL

Posted on Thursday, April 18th, 2024

Judge Dee is back on the case! JUDGE DEE AND THE EXECUTIONER OF EPINAL by Lavie Tidhar is out now! With another fantastic cover by the always-superb Red Nose Studio, it’s published by Reactor — on their website, and as an eBook — it is the seventh Judge Dee story. Here’s the synposis…

Unknown forces attempt to stop Judge Dee and Jonathan from transporting a mysterious and possibly dangerous prisoner, who holds a secret about the Judge, to an executioner in France…

The first six stories are still available, on Reactor’s website and also as eBooks (each with its own excellent Red Nose Studio cover!).

Out Now: Four New Zelazny Audiobook Editions!

Posted on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024

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

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

Read on for some more details…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coming Soon: Jack Campbell’s IN OUR STARS!

Posted on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024

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

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

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

Lavie Tidhar’s MAROR Out Today in Germany!

Posted on Monday, April 15th, 2024

Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed novel MAROR is out today in a new German edition! Published by Suhrkamp, it was translated by Conny Lösch. Here’s the synopsis…

Israel, 1974-2008. Zwei Polizisten führen uns durch fast vier Jahrzehnte israelischer Geschichte. Cohen, der Strippenzieher im Hintergrund, und Avi Sagi, der den korrumpierenden Versuchungen seines Jobs nicht widerstehen kann. Diese Geschichte ist die dunkle Geschichte Israels. Der Patriot Cohen kennt nur eine Aufgabe – seinen Staat zu beschützen, auch wenn er dafür die bittersten Realitäten akzeptieren muss und gnadenlos danach handelt. Cohen und Sagi haben es mit jüdischen, arabischen und türkischen Gangstern, mit der CIA und dem KGB, mit den Contras und den Kartellen, mit militanten Orthodoxen und anderen Playern mehr zu tun. Cohen versucht, »die Dinge in der Balance zu halten«, und kennt dabei keine Grenzen.

Tidhar entwirft ein gewaltiges, kaleidoskopisches Panorama aus politischen Skandalen, Korruption, Mord und Verbrechen auf staatlicher und privater Ebene, das sich auch auf die weltweiten Aktivitäten Israels bezieht. Ein Epos, das zu Recht mit Balzac und Dickens verglichen wurde. Ein Epos auch über Moral und Realpolitik, eine Art Chronique scandaleuse Israels und ein grimmiges, schwarz-humoriges Plädoyer für dessen Existenzrecht. Maroreben, wie die bitteren Kräuter auf dem Sederteller: »Mit bitteren Kräutern sollen sie es essen.« (Exodus, 12:8)

MAROR is the first novel in Tidhar’s Matter of Israel series, and is published in the UK by Head of Zeus/Apollo. The second novel, ADAMA, is also out now.

Here’s MAROR‘s English-language synopsis…

How do you build a nation?

It takes statesmen and soldiers, farmers and factory workers, of course. But it also takes thieves, prostitutes and policemen.

Nation-building demands sacrifice. And one man knows exactly where those bodies are buried: Cohen, a man who loves his country. A reasonable man for unreasonable times.

A car bomb in the back streets of Tel Aviv. A diamond robbery in Haifa. Civil war in Lebanon. Rebel fighters in the Colombian jungle. A double murder in Los Angeles.

How do they all connect? Only Cohen knows.

Maror is the story of a war for a country’s soul – a dazzling spread of narrative gunshots across four decades and three continents.

It is a true story. All of these things happened.

The novel, which was a Guardian and Economist Best Book of 2022, has received an incredible amount of praise since it was published. Here’s just a small selection…

‘Some write in ink, others in song, Tidhar writes in fire… MAROR is a kaleidoscopic masterpiece, immense in its sympathies, alarming in its irreverences and altogether exhilarating.’ — Junot Díaz

‘One of the boldest, most visionary writers I’ve ever read creates both a vivid political exploration and a riveting crime epic. It’s like the Jewish Godfather!’ — Silvia Moreno-Garcia

‘A masterpiece of the sacred and the profane … a literary triumph.’ — Guardian

‘Amos Oz’s A Tale of Love and Darkness… Fade[s] into oblivion compared with Lavie Tidhar’s magnificent novel MAROR, a panoramic look at four decades of the dark, despicable side of Israel, of death, corruption, violence and drugs… It’s a brilliant undertaking.’ — Jewish Chronicle

‘One of the sensational novels of 2022, a violent rollercoaster and drug-fuelled ride into Israel’s history’ — Jewish Chronicle (as part of ADAMA review)

‘MAROR blends the page-turning wit of a hard-boiled detective noir with the stirring intrigue of a multi-national political epic. An ambitious achievement that weaves a tapestry of both story and statement.’ — Kevin Jared Hosein

‘A bloody beast of a book… MAROR is to Israeli history what Tarantino is to American movie culture’ — Daily Mail

‘Comparisons to James Ellroy and Marlon James are valid… On every page we feel we’re among real, breathing people… [a] compelling, unflinching roman-fleuve.’ — Times Literary Supplement (joint review of ADAMA and MAROR)

‘Radiant with all the brutally elegant atmosphere of crime noir, and the richly nuanced complexity and style of Marlon James’ A Brief History of Seven Killings, it’s a genre-busting novel that will catch your breath … At once illuminating, thrilling and thought-provoking, this tale of corruption, killings, sacrifice and the souls that make up a nation is a symphonic feat of fiction.’ — LoveReading

THE BEST OF WORLD SF Volume 3 Paperback Out Now!

Posted on Thursday, April 11th, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the full table of contents for the anthology:

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

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

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

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

‘Rare and wonderful’ — The Times (UK)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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