A Man Lies Dreaming - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Lavie Tidhar’s Award-Winning A MAN LIES DREAMING Set for US Release

Posted on Monday, July 27th, 2015

Lavie Tidhar’s award winning novel A MAN LIES DREAMING is coming to America next year. The novel, published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton, has already won a £5000 Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize for Best British Book. It is currently on the shortlist for the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel.

In A MAN LIES DREAMING, a Yiddish pulp writer in Auschwitz dreams an alternate world in which a former dictator, now a down-at-heels PI known only as Wolf, ekes out a meagre living in darkly transmogrified London. It has won rave reviews in the UK and been called a “twisted masterpiece” by the Guardian newspaper.

A MAN LIES DREAMING is set to be published by Melville House, the prestigious independent literary publisher, whose list includes David Peace, Banana Yoshimoto and Nobel winner Imre Kertész. It is scheduled for a March 2016 release, in hardcover (there is already an Amazon listing).

Tidhar said, ‘I’ve long been a fan of Melville House, one of the most exciting publishers around, and I couldn’t be happier about the deal. I can’t wait to see the finished book!’

The deal was negotiated by Hodder & Stoughton; foreign rights are represented by the Zeno Literary Agency, with Italian and Czech rights already sold, and more in the pipeline.

Here’s just a small selection of the incredible reviews A MAN LIES DREAMING has received so far…

‘When Tidhar writes of the Holocaust it is with brutal accuracy and a deep sensitivity… it’s poetic and terrible… at times humorous, at times grim but never frivolous and always taught and controlled… Tidhar knows how to say a great deal in very little. There is eloquence and gravitas in the sparseness and brevity of noir fiction when it is good, and Tidhar’s is quite incredible.’ — Tor.com

‘Like Tarantino, Tidhar may find that some people don’t take him seriously. But the joke’s on them. Seriousness is the least of it: A MAN LIES DREAMING is a twisted masterpiece.’ — Guardian

‘No one can accuse Lavie Tidhar of being risk-averse… such an interesting writer… the novel is not without a fair amount of humor, and that might well be the boldest risk Tidhar is taking here…’ — Locus

‘Lavie Tidhar’s latest novel is one of the most powerful books I’ve read this year thanks to its combination of alternate history noir and the harsh reality of life in the concentration camps. Tidhar doesn’t just describe situations, both real and fictional; he makes you feel them, with writing that stimulates all your senses… A MAN LIES DREAMING once again combines Tidhar’s love of alternate realities with insights into what it means to be human. It will haunt your dreams and is his best novel yet. Highly recommended. 9/10′ — SciFi Bulletin

‘Intelligent, troubling, funny, at times harrowing, an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish.’ — E.J. Swift

Five British Fantasy Society Award Nominations for Zeno Clients!

Posted on Friday, July 24th, 2015

This week, the British Fantasy Society announced the nominees for their 2015 Awards, and Zeno’s clients were rather well-represented.

First up, Lavie Tidhar received two nominations:

Best Collection – BLACK GODS KISS (PS Publishing)
Best Fantasy Novel – A MAN LIES DREAMING (Hodder)

Lavie’s nomination also led the headline in the Guardian‘s coverage of the Awards’ announcement. As we reported last month, A MAN LIES DREAMING also won the prestigious Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize. Hodder also published Lavie’s previous novel, THE VIOLENT CENTURY — it is also available in the US, via Thomas Dunne Books.

Edward Cox also received two nominations for THE RELIC GUILD (Gollancz), in the Best Fantasy Novel and the Best Newcomer categories. Edward’s second novel, THE CATHEDRAL OF KNOWN THINGS, is due to be publishing by Gollancz in the UK on October 15th, 2015.

CEMETERY GIRL: THE PRETENDERS (Jo Fletcher Books) by Charlaine Harris and Christopher Golden is nominated in the Best Comic/Graphic Novel category. The second instalment in this series, INHERITANCE, is due to be published by Jo Fletcher Books in mid-October 2015. Charlaine’s latest novel, DAY SHIFT, was published in the UK by Gollancz in May 2015.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Sunday, 25 October 2015, at FantasyCon 2015 in Nottingham.

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

Lavie Tidhar wins Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize!

Posted on Friday, June 19th, 2015

Announced yesterday, Lavie Tidhar‘s exceptional A MAN LIES DREAMING has won the prestigious Jerwood Fiction Uncovered prize!

Given to recognise the breadth and vibrancy of British writing today, this is its fifth year. Fifteen titles were nominated from across all genres, and of these, eight have won the prize.

Published in the UK by Hodder Books, here is the synopsis for A MAN LIES DREAMING…

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world — a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets.

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A Man Lies Dreaming is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

Lavie is no stranger to prestigious awards: OSAMA won the World Fantasy Award in 2012. Many congratulations to Lavie for another very-well-deserved win!

‘Young, ambitious, skilled and original.’ — Christopher Priest, author of The Prestige

‘A shocking book as well as a rather brilliant one… A twisted masterpiece.’ — Guardian

‘Tidhar’s voice itself — at times humorous, at times grim but never frivolous and always taught and controlled… As with his previous novels, Tidhar knows how to say a great deal in very little. There is eloquence and gravitas in the sparselness and brevity of noir fiction when it is good, and Tidhar’s is quite incredible.’ — Tor.com

‘Savagely funny… Those who enjoy laughter in the dark will relish Tidhar’s parade of mordant ironies… This novel is weird, upsetting, unmissable.’ 5* — Telegraph

Lavie Tidhar’s A MAN LIES DREAMING Nominated for Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Award

Posted on Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Lavie Tidhar‘s latest masterpiece, A MAN LIES DREAMING has been nominated for the 2015 Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Award.

The Award, which is now in its fifth year, is given to recognise the breadth and vibrancy of British writing today. Fifteen books have been nominated, and eight of these will be awarded a prize. The winners will be announced at a party at Jerwood Space, London, on Thursday June 18th, 2015.

A MAN LIES DREAMING is published in the UK by Hodder Books. Here’s the synopsis…

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A Man Lies Dreaming is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

The novel has received some fantastic reviews, too. Here is just a small selection…

‘A shocking book as well as a rather brilliant one… A twisted masterpiece.’ — Guardian

‘Savagely funny… Those who enjoy laughter in the dark will relish Tidhar’s parade of mordant ironies… This novel is weird, upsetting, unmissable.’ 5* — Telegraph

‘Young, ambitious, skilled and original.’ — Christopher Priest, author of The Prestige

Hodder also published Lavie’s previous, critically-acclaimed novel, THE VIOLENT CENTURY — which is also published in the US by Thomas Dunne Books. Lavie is also the author of The Bookman Histories (Angry Robot) and the World Fantasy Award-winning OSAMA (Solaris). As mentioned earlier this week on the site, Lavie will be attending the Greenwich Literature Festival, as part of a panel on Science Ficiton and Fantasy — more details, here.

Ben Aaronovitch & Lavie Tidhar at Greenwich Literary Festival this weekend

Posted on Tuesday, May 19th, 2015

As the summer begins, many Zeno clients will be attending many of the myriad literary festivals taking place. This weekend, Ben Aaronovitch and Lavie Tidhar will be attending the Greenwich Literature Festival.

Friday, May 22nd…

Who: Lavie Tidhar
What: ‘Greenwich: where science and fiction meet – Science Fiction Night at Greenwich Book Festival’ — From the race to define longitude to the discovery of ‘canals’ on Mars, the Royal Greenwich has been a hotbed of creative scientific thought for more than three centuries. In what ways does science intersect with fiction, and how do they contribute to each other? And how has the venerable institution itself proven fertile ground for visionaries of all stripes over the decades? Tom Harper (Zodiac Station), Paul McAuley (Something Coming Through) Sarah Lotz (Day Four) and Lavie Tidhar (A Man Lies Dreaming) as they discuss science, fiction and the legacy of the Royal Greenwich. The event will be chaired by Anne C. Perry (editor, Hodder & Stoughton).
When: 8:00-9:30pm
More details here.

Lavie Tidhar is the author of, most recently, the critically-acclaimed A MAN LIES DREAMING (Hodder) and THE VIOLENT CENTURY (Hodder and Thomas Dunne Books), the World Fantasy Award-winning OSAMA (Solaris), The Bookman Histories (Angry Robot), and numerous award-nominated and critically-acclaimed novellas and short stories. Later this year, Titan Comics will publish his first comic series, ADLER.

Saturday, May 23rd…

Who: Ben Aaronovitch
What: ‘Life, But Not as we Know It: creating alternate realities – Ben Aaronovitch at the Greenwich Book Festival. Age 14+*’ — Imagine a London populated not just by you and me, but by tired ghosts and mischievous trickster gods, by magical musicians and apprentice sorcerers, who go about their ordinary days alongside us. A world where the gods of the River Thames still exist, and have day jobs in the City. There’s magic all around, if only you could see it… Join Ben Aaronovich, author of the bestselling, London-bending series Rivers of London, in conversation with his former editor Rebecca Levene, author of Smiler’s Fair and Ghost Dance, as they discuss the tricks, tips, and travails of writing a world that’s very much like our own… except when it isn’t.
When: 12:00-1:00pm
More details here.

Ben Aaronovitch is the critically-acclaimed, best-selling author of the Peter Grant series. The series includes (thus far): RIVERS OF LONDON, MOON OVER SOHO, WHISPERS UNDERGROUND, BROKEN HOMES, FOXGLOVE SUMMER and the upcoming THE HANGING TREE. The series is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Del Rey (#1-3) and DAW Books. This July, Titan Comics will publish the first issue of a new RIVERS OF LONDON comic series, BODY WORK, which is also written by Ben.

A MAN LIES DREAMING in Paperback Today in the UK…

Posted on Thursday, March 12th, 2015

The paperback edition of Lavie Tidhar‘s critically-acclaimed A MAN LIES DREAMING is published today in the UK, by Hodder Books. Here’s the synopsis…

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world – a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets.

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A Man Lies Dreaming is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

Lavie is the author of many critically-acclaimed novels and novellas, including The Bookman Histories, published by Angry Robot; the World Fantasy Award-winning OSAMA, published by Solaris; and THE VIOLENT CENTURY published by Hodder in the UK and Thomas Dunne in the US.

‘A twisted masterpiece.’ — Guardian

‘Savagely funny… Those who enjoy laughter in the dark will relish Tidhar’s parade of mordant ironies… This novel is weird, upsetting, unmissable.’ 5* — Telegraph

‘Tidhar is a masterful writer. More so even than James Smythe and Adam Roberts, he is perhaps the UK’s most literary speculative fiction writer, and we should celebrate A MAN LIES DREAMING as more a masterful work of literary fiction than of speculative fiction. But it is exactly that: masterful.’ — Strange Horizons

‘No one can accuse Lavie Tidhar of being risk-averse… This is what makes him such an interesting writer, and what makes A MAN LIES DREAMING quite a bit more complex than it at first appears… the novel is not without a fair amount of humor, and that might well be the boldest risk Tidhar is taking here…’ — Locus

A MAN LIES DREAMING Lands on a Number of Best Of 2014 Lists

Posted on Friday, December 26th, 2014

Lavie Tidhar‘s latest masterpiece, A MAN LIES DREAMING, has not only been receiving plentiful glowing reviews. It has also landed on a handful of great Best Of 2014 lists, including the Guardian [review]…

‘Grim has been the flavour of the genre for some years now, and 2014 was no exception… Lavie Tidhar’s A MAN LIES DREAMING (Hodder) was another [highlight], juxtaposing the horrors of the Nazi death camps with a splendidly over-the-top gumshoe adventure starring Adolf Hitler as a 1940s London private eye.’

… the LA Review of Books [review]…

‘Reality and fantasy served up in subversive proportions by the author of OSAMA.’

… and Herald Scotland [review]…

‘Pushing hard at the boundaries of genre, daring us to classify it neatly, Lavie Tidhar’s A MAN LIES DREAMING … reimagines Adolf Hitler as a deposed dictator forced to work as a private investigator on the mean streets of 1930s London. But as the book progresses we realise that the man called Wolf only exists in the mind of a Jewish writer imprisoned in Auschwitz. It’s bold, often brilliant, and avoids the pitfalls one might expect before crossing into the territory of speculative writers such as Philp K Dick.’

The novel is published in the UK by Hodder Books. In case you’ve somehow missed it, here’s the synopsis…

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world – a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets.

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A MAN LIES DREAMING is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

Lavie Tidhar Event at Hatchards Tomorrow!

Posted on Tuesday, October 28th, 2014

Celebrating the release last week of A MAN LIES DREAMING, World Fantasy Award-winning author Lavie Tidhar will be hosted by Hatchards* in London for a discussion about his new novel.

A MAN LIES DREAMING is published in the UK by Hodder Books, who have World English Rights for the novel. The novel has already received some great reviews from the press and fellow authors. Here’s the synopsis…

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world – a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets.

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A MAN LIES DREAMING is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

The event starts at 6:30pm, and will include drinks and canapes, followed by a panel discussion on the book. The event is free, but because places will be limited, you should reserve your place by emailing events@hatchards.co.uk, or calling 020 7439 9921.

Here are just a couple of the aforementioned reviews…

‘This is a shocking book as well as a rather brilliant one… Tidhar, who cut his teeth in the world of genre SF, understands how eloquent pulp can be… [OSAMA] won the World Fantasy award. I wouldn’t be surprised to see A MAN LIES DREAMING repeat that achievement… Like Tarantino, Tidhar may find that some people don’t take him seriously. But the joke’s on them. Seriousness is the least of it: A MAN LIES DREAMING is a twisted masterpiece.’ — Guardian

‘Theodor Adorno said that to write poetry after Auschwitz was barbaric. To which I would say, yes, but you can still write an excellent novel. A MAN LIES DREAMING is that novel.’ — Philip Kerr

‘A fascinating walk along a literary tightrope that never rings a wrong note, this is outstanding and moving stuff, whether you are seeking crime, SF or just a great novel!’ — Love Reading

* The link to the event sometimes doesn’t work. If it doesn’t, visit the Waterstone’s Events page, and select Lavie’s name from the drop-down menu near the bottom of the page.

Read the Prequel to Lavie Tidhar’s A MAN LIES DREAMING Free!

Posted on Thursday, October 23rd, 2014

As we mentioned yesterday, today sees the release of Lavie Tidhar‘s critically-acclaimed new masterpiece, A MAN LIES DREAMING! Published by Hodder Books, we’re very happy to report that the publisher has also made the graphic novel prequel to the novel, A MAN NAMED WOLF, available online for free via its Hodderscape website!

The comic is also available on Lavie’s website, along with a piece Lavie wrote about how the project came about.

The graphic novel was written by Lavie Tidhar, with artwork by Neil Struthers and lettering by Terry Martin. Here’s the synopsis…

London 1939. A disgraced former dictator ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in Soho. He’s known only by the name of Wolf. In A Man Named Wolf, Wolf takes on a case that will call into question his very identity.

Wolf’s investigation continues in Lavie Tidhar’s darkest novel yet, A MAN LIES DREAMING. An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, told by a prisoner in history’s most infamous concentration camp. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world…

A MAN LIES DREAMING is out now.

Lavie Tidhar’s A MAN LIES DREAMING is Out Tomorrow in the UK!

Posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014

Lavie Tidhar‘s latest masterpiece, A MAN LIES DREAMING, is out tomorrow! Published by Hodder Books, here’s the synopsis…

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world – a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets.

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A MAN LIES DREAMING is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

The novel has already been generating great praise from critics and fans alike. For example…

‘Comes crashing through the door of literature like Sam Spade with a .38 in his hand. This is a shocking book as well as a rather brilliant one… Tidhar, who cut his teeth in the world of genre SF, understands how eloquent pulp can be… [OSAMA] won the World Fantasy award. I wouldn’t be surprised to see A MAN LIES DREAMING repeat that achievement… Like Tarantino, Tidhar may find that some people don’t take him seriously. But the joke’s on them. Seriousness is the least of it: A MAN LIES DREAMING is a twisted masterpiece.’ — Guardian

‘There have been many alternate histories with a crime setting before but this new novel by a young Israeli author writing in English is one of the most challenging and rewarding… obeys all the rules of pulp writing in a noir and atmospheric tradition, full of violence, wit and irony… A fascinating walk along a literary tightrope that never rings a wrong note, this is outstanding and moving stuff, whether you are seeking crime, SF or just a great novel!’ — Love Reading

Lavie is the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning OSAMA (Solaris), the critically-acclaimed THE VIOLENT CENTURY (Hodder UK/Thomas Dunne US), The Bookman Histories (Angry Robot Books), and a growing number of short stories and novellas. Check back tomorrow for an extra bit of Tidhar News!

A Cool Animated Cover for Lavie Tidhar’s A MAN LIES DREAMING

Posted on Tuesday, August 19th, 2014

Lavie Tidhar‘s publisher, Hodder Books, has put together an animated cover for his upcoming novel, A MAN LIES DREAMING. We thought it was rather nice, so here it is…

A MAN LIES DREAMING is due to be published in the UK on October 23rd, 2014. Here’s the synopsis…

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world – a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets.

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A MAN LIES DREAMING is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

The Hodder team also made a short Vine video of a small flood of A MAN LIES DREAMING advanced review copies…

Cover Reveal: A MAN LIES DREAMING by Lavie Tidhar

Posted on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014

We’re delighted to be able to share with you today the fine cover for Lavie Tidhar‘s latest masterpiece, A MAN LIES DREAMING! The novel is due to be published by Hodder Books in late October 2014, and is a literary thriller with a twist. Controversial, gripping and intelligent, here’s the synopsis…

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world – a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets.

An extraordinary story of revenge and redemption, A MAN LIES DREAMING is the unforgettable testament to the power of imagination.

Lavie Tidhar is the World Fantasy Award-winning author of OSAMA (Solaris), THE VIOLENT CENTURY (Hodder) and many other critically-acclaimed works. Here’s just a small selection of the praise his fiction has received…

‘Bears comparison with the best of Philip K Dick’s paranoid, alternate-history fantasies. It’s beautifully written and undeniably powerful.’ — Financial Times on OSAMA

‘A brilliantly etched phantasmagoric reconfiguring of that most sizzling of eras – the twilight 20th… This book has it all: time travel, political intrigue, hellacious history… You’ve got superheroes in the guise of regular humans, you’ve got World War II … THE VIOLENT CENTURY is a torrid tour de force!’ — James Ellroy

‘The most interestingly adventurous writer of the year was Lavie Tidhar, who came into 2013 with a fresh World Fantasy Award for OSAMA and extended his gonzo explorations of history, textuality, and pop culture with the relatively little-seen MARTIAN SANDS and the more widely hyped super-hero fantasia THE VIOLENT CENTURY, each of which took decided risks with the question of how freely SF methods can appropriate sensitive historical material… Tidhar plots like a mad paintballer, sometimes missing the mark but always making a splash, but since his Bookman novels he’s perhaps done more than any recent author to liberate the interdisciplinary steampunk aesthetic form…’ — LOCUS Recommended Reading List 2013