Tag: Aliette De Bodard

Lavie Tidhar & Aliette de Bodard Nominated for Seiun Awards!

Posted on Friday, May 15th, 2020

Announced late last week, we are very happy to share the news that Lavie Tidhar and Aliette de Bodard have been nominated for Seiun Awards in Japan!

In the Best Translated Novel category, we have Lavie’s A MAN LIES DREAMING. Published in Japan by 竹書房 (Takeshobo), as 黒き微睡みの囚人, here’s the synopsis…

The novel won the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Award when it was first published in the UK. It was recently re-issued as an eBook by JABberwocky, with a cover by Sarah Anne Langton (above). Here’s the English-language 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.

Aliette’s ‘Memorials‘ is nominated in the Best Translated Story category. Available in Japan as part of the Xuya anthology, 茶匠と探偵, published by 竹書房. Here’s the synopsis for the collection…

星々は語らない。淡く見えるとも強く輝く――

探偵と元軍艦の宇宙船がコンビを組み深宇宙（ディープ・スペーシズ）での事件を解決する表題作の他、異文化に適応しようとした女性が偽りの自分に飲み込まれる「包嚢」、宇宙船を身籠った女性と船の設計士の交流を描く「船を造る者たち」、少女がおとぎ話の真実を知る「竜が太陽から飛びだす時」。

“アジアの宇宙”であるシュヤ宇宙を舞台に紡ぐ全9篇。
現代SFの最前線に立つ作家、日本初の短篇集。

【収録作品一覧】
「蝶々、黎明に墜ちて」（“Butterfly, Falling at Dawn”）
「船を造る者たち」（“The Shipmaker”）
「包嚢」（“Immersion”）
「星々は待っている」（“The Waiting Stars”）
「形見」（“Memorials”）
「哀しみの杯三つ、星明かりのもとで」（“Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight”）
「魂魄回収」（“A Salvaging of Ghosts”）
「竜の太陽から飛びだす時」（“The Dragon That Flew Out of the Sun”）
「茶匠と探偵」（“The Tea Master and the Detective”）

The stories included in 茶匠と探偵 are available in English in THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE and OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT — both published by Subterranean Press. The former is also available in the UK, published by JABberwocky.

Here’s the synopsis for OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT…

A major first collection from a writer fast becoming one of the stars of the genre… Aliette de Bodard, multiple award winner and author of The Tea Master and the Detective, now brings readers fourteen dazzling tales that showcase the richly textured worldbuilding and beloved characters that have brought her so much acclaim.

Come discover the breadth and endless invention of her universes, ranging from a dark Gothic Paris devastated by a magical war; to the multiple award-winning Xuya, a far-future space opera inspired by Vietnamese culture where scholars administrate planets and sentient spaceships are part of families.

In the Nebula award and Locus award winning “Immersion”, a young girl working in a restaurant on a colonized space station crosses paths with an older woman who has cast off her own identity. In the novelette “Children of Thorns, Children of Water”, a shapeshifting dragon infiltrating a ruined mansion finds more than he’s bargained for when his partner is snatched by eerie, child-like creatures. And in the award-winning “Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight”, three very different people — a scholar, an engineer, and a spaceship — all must deal with the loss of a woman who was the cornerstone of their world.   

This collection includes a never-before seen 20,000-word novella, “Of Birthdays, and Fungus, and Kindness”, set in Bodard’s alternative dark Paris.

The Seiun Awards were originally planned to be presented at F-CON, the 59th Japan SF Convention, scheduled for August 22-23, 2020 in Fukushima prefecture. However, the convention has now been postponed until March 13-14, 2021.

Congratulations to Lavie and Aliette! Both very well-deserved nominations and we have our fingers crossed!

Some Client eBook Deals!

Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2020

Many of us may not be reading on our commutes anymore, but there is still plenty of time for reading! (We hope so, anyway!) We thought we should take this opportunity to highlight a handful of client eBooks that are currently on sale…

Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed and award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, the first novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, is currently a UK Kindle Monthly Deal. Here’s the synopsis…

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East.

They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

Aliette’s THE CITADEL OF WEEPING PEARLS is also an Early Bird Books deal, in North America, today only. Part of the author’s award-nominated and critically-acclaimed Xuya universe, it is published via JABberwocky. Here’s the synopsis…

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls was a great wonder; a perfect meld between cutting edge technology and esoteric sciences—its inhabitants capable of teleporting themselves anywhere, its weapons small and undetectable and deadly.

Thirty years ago, threatened by an invading fleet from the Dai Viet Empire, the Citadel disappeared and was never seen again.

But now the Dai Viet Empire itself is under siege, on the verge of a war against an enemy that turns their own mindships against them; and the Empress, who once gave the order to raze the Citadel, is in desperate needs of its weapons. Meanwhile, on a small isolated space station, an engineer obsessed with the past works on a machine that will send her thirty years back, to the height of the Citadel’s power.

But the Citadel’s disappearance still extends chains of grief and regrets all the way into the fraught atmosphere of the Imperial Court; and this casual summoning of the past might have world-shattering consequences…

Andrew Cartmel‘s third Vinyl Detective novel, VICTORY DISC, is also a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

When one of his cats accidentally discovers a rare Victory Disc, the Vinyl Detective and his girlfriend Nevada are whisked into the world of big band swing music, and a mystery that began during the Second World War.

Hired to track down the rest of the highly sought-after recordings of the Flare Path Orchestra, our hero will discover that the battles of the last world war aren’t over yet. And if all this sounds simple, it’s only because we haven’t mentioned drive-by shootings, murderous neo-Nazis, or that slight case of being buried alive…

Jack Campbell‘s TRIUMPHANT, the third novel in the author’s Genesis Fleet series, is currently a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. This novel, as well as a number of Campbell’s other books, are published in the UK by Titan Books. Here’s the synopsis…

A young fleet officer and a Marine must stand together to defend their neighbors and their colony in this thrilling finale to the powerful and action-packed Genesis Fleet saga from New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell.

The recently colonized world of Glenlyon has learned that they’re stronger when they stand with other star systems than they are on their own. But after helping their neighbor Kosatka against an invasion, Glenlyon has become a target. The aggressive star systems plan to neutralize Glenlyon before striking again.

An attack is launched against Glenlyon’s orbital facility with forces too powerful for fleet officer Rob Geary to counter using their sole remaining destroyer, Saber. Mele Darcy’s Marines must repel repeated assaults while their hacker tries to get into the enemy systems to give Saber a fighting chance.

To survive, Glenlyon needs more firepower, and the only source for that is their neighbor Kosatka or other star systems that have so far remained neutral. But Kosatka is still battling the remnants of the invasion forces on its own world, and if it sends its only remaining warship to help will be left undefended against another invasion. While Carmen Ochoa fights for the freedom of Kosatka, Lochan Nakamura must survive assassins as he tries to convince other worlds to join a seemingly hopeless struggle.

As star systems founded by people seeking freedom and autonomy, will Kosatka, Glenlyon and others be able to overcome deep suspicions of surrendering any authority to others? Will the free star systems stand together in a new Alliance, or fall alone?

For fans of classic fantasy, James P. Blaylock‘s THE DISAPPEARING DWARF is only $1.99 this month in the US and Canada, from major eBook retailers. The second novel in the author’s beloved Balumnia trilogy, it is published in eBook by JABberwocky — who also publish the first and third novels, THE ELFIN SHIP and THE STONE GIANT. Here’s the synopsis…

Jonathan Bing, Master Cheeser, has been growing a bit bored in Twombly Town. So it’s no surprise that when Professor Wurzle suggests a trip downriver, Jonathan jumps at the chance. A visit to the Evil Dwarf Selznak’s abandoned castle leads to a treasure hunt, but also to the discovery that Jonathan’s old friend the Squire has vanished, and that Selznak may be involved. Jonathan–accompanied by his wonderpooch Ahab, the Professor, and Miles the Magician–will have to set off to darkest Balumnia, to the city of Landsend, to find the treasure, and the Squire. And to make matters worse, Selznak will be there, too…

For non-fiction fans, John McHugo‘s A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE ARABS is also a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. Published by Saqi Books, here’s the synopsis…

The key to understanding the Arab world today is unlocking its past.

In this authoritative account, John McHugo takes the reader through the political, social and intellectual history of the Arabs from the Roman Empire right up to the present day. Going beyond the headlines, he describes in vivid detail a series of key turning points in Arab history – from the mission of the Prophet Muhammad and the expansion of Islam to the region’s interaction with Western ideas and the rise of Islamism.

Now fully updated to cover the tumultuous years since the Arab Spring, this lucidly told history reveals how the Arab world came to have its present form and illuminates the choices that lie ahead.

We hope you are all keeping well and safe, and are finding plenty of time to make progress on your TBR piles! Happy reading!

New Xuya Collection: THE DRAGON THAT FLEW OUT OF THE SUN by Aliette de Bodard

Posted on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

In these difficult times, reading can be a solace to so very many of us. To that end, Aliette de Bodard has made a collection of her Xuya fiction available for free! THE DRAGON THAT FLEW OUT OF THE SUN can be found over at the author’s Patreon.

A short compilation of Xuya universe stories: sentient spaceships, the dark between the stars, and — always — food and memory and family. 

Aliette has published a number of stories in the award-nominated Xuya Universe. Here are some we think you should check out:

THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE, published by Subterranean Press and JABberwocky…

Welcome to the Scattered Pearls Belt, a collection of ring habitats and orbitals ruled by exiled human scholars and powerful families, and held together by living mindships who carry people and freight between the stars. In this fluid society, human and mindship avatars mingle in corridors and in function rooms, and physical and virtual realities overlap, the appearance of environments easily modified and adapted to interlocutors or current mood.

A transport ship discharged from military service after a traumatic injury, The Shadow’s Child now ekes out a precarious living as a brewer of mind-altering drugs for the comfort of space-travellers. Meanwhile, abrasive and eccentric scholar Long Chau wants to find a corpse for a scientific study. When Long Chau walks into her office, The Shadow’s Child expects an unpleasant but easy assignment. When the corpse turns out to have been murdered, Long Chau feels compelled to investigate, dragging The  Shadow’s Child with her.

As they dig deep into the victim’s past, The Shadow’s Child realises that the investigation points to Long Chau’s own murky past — and, ultimately, to the dark and unbearable void that lies between the stars…

The anthology OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT, published by Subterranean Press, also contains some Xuya content…

A major first collection from a writer fast becoming one of the stars of the genre… Aliette de Bodard, multiple award winner and author of The Tea Master and the Detective, now brings readers fourteen dazzling tales that showcase the richly textured worldbuilding and beloved characters that have brought her so much acclaim.

Come discover the breadth and endless invention of her universes, ranging from a dark Gothic Paris devastated by a magical war; to the multiple award-winning Xuya, a far-future space opera inspired by Vietnamese culture where scholars administrate planets and sentient spaceships are part of families.

In the Nebula award and Locus award winning “Immersion”, a young girl working in a restaurant on a colonized space station crosses paths with an older woman who has cast off her own identity. In the novelette “Children of Thorns, Children of Water”, a shapeshifting dragon infiltrating a ruined mansion finds more than he’s bargained for when his partner is snatched by eerie, child-like creatures. And in the award-winning “Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight”, three very different people — a scholar, an engineer, and a spaceship — all must deal with the loss of a woman who was the cornerstone of their world.

Aliette’s next book to be published by Subterranean Press is SEVEN OF INFINITIES, a Xuya novella due out later this year…

Vân is a scholar from a poor background, eking out a living in the orbitals of the Scattered Pearls Belt as a tutor to a rich family, while hiding the illegal artificial mem-implant she manufactured as a student. 

Sunless Woods is a mindship — and not just any mindship, but a notorious thief and a master of disguise. She’s come to the Belt to retire, but is drawn to Vân’s resolute integrity.

When a mysterious corpse is found in the quarters of Vân’s student, Vân and Sunless Woods find themselves following a trail of greed and murder that will lead them from teahouses and ascetic havens to the wreck of a mindship — and to the devastating secrets they’ve kept from each other.

Aliette is also the author of the Dominion of the Fallen trilogy, published by Gollancz in the UK, and Roc Books (1-2) and JABberwocky in North America: THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, THE HOUSE OF BROKEN THORNS, and THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES.

Aliette de Bodard Returns to the Xuya Universe in SEVEN OF INFINITIES!

Posted on Thursday, March 26th, 2020

Aliette de Bodard has a new Xuya novella on the way! SEVEN OF INFINITIES is due to be published by Subterranean Press in October 2020. Check out that gorgeous cover, above! Here’s the synopsis…

Vân is a scholar from a poor background, eking out a living in the orbitals of the Scattered Peals Belt as a tutor to a rich family, while hiding the illegal artificial mem-implant she manufactured as a student. 

Sunless Woods is a mindship — and not just any mindship, but a notorious thief and a master of disguise. She’s come to the Belt to retire, but is drawn to Vân’s resolute integrity.

When a mysterious corpse is found in the quarters of Vân’s student, Vân and Sunless Woods find themselves following a trail of greed and murder that will lead them from teahouses and ascetic havens to the wreck of a mindship — and to the devastating secrets they’ve kept from each other.

Subterranean Press also publishes Aliette’s THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE and OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT, which are also part of the award-nominated Xuya Universe. The eBook edition of THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE is published outside of North America by JABberwocky.

Aliette’s latest series, Dominion of the Fallen, is also out now — published by Gollancz in the UK, and Roc Books (1-2) and JABberwocky in North America.

Aliette de Bodard’s THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES out Tomorrow in Paperback!

Posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020

The third novel in Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed, award-winning Dominion of the Fallen series, is out tomorrow in the paperback! THE HOSUE OF SUNDERING FLAMES is published in the UK by Gollancz. Check out the synopsis…

The great magical Houses of Paris – headed by Fallen angels and magicians – were, however temporarily, at peace with each other. Until House Harrier was levelled by a powerful explosion. Now that peace has become chaos, tearing apart old alliances and setting off a race in which each House hoards magic and resources to protect itself against another such blast.

Thuan, the Dragon head of the divided House Hawthorn, is still consolidating his power when war comes to his doorstep. Aurore -exiled from and almost beaten to death by House Harrier – sees her moment to seek power in order to protect her family, even if she must venture back to her destroyed former home to get it. And Emmanuelle finds herself alone in the middle of it all, driven to protect others, trying to piece together what has happened, and hoping – eventually – to make sense of it all.

None of them know what destroyed House Harrier, though… and when they do uncover that fiery, destructive magic then divided Houses, old enemies and estranged friends will all have to make a decision: stand together, or burn alone…

Gollancz has also published the first two books in the series: THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS and THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS. The first two novels are published in North America by Roc Books, and the third is published by JABberwocky.

‘If you’ve loved the previous entries in this series, consider it a must read. If you haven’t, know that it delivers an intoxicating blend of gothic mystery, apocalyptic fantasy, and Vietnamese myth — meaty, singular, and satisfying.’ — B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES

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

‘Will grab readers and force them to pay attention to the amazing writing and the phenomenal characters. de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become. The characters are very vivid and will stay with you until long after the last page, as each of them is fighting and longing for something. The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully. Watching Philippe and Isabelle work through their “connection” is fascinating and lovely. There’s so much going on, and every character has their own past, their own tragic history. It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… The story holds up well as a standalone, with clear possibilities but no pressing need for a sequel. De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. ­Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.‘ — Library Journal (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘A beautifully crafted novel full of complex characters, set in a post apocalyptic Paris – the image of which is truly haunting… vivid and fast-paced battles and intense political manoeuvrings… with carefully crafted characters both with layers and depth, De Bodard reflects the best and worst of human nature in her novel… an intriguing mystery, elegantly written… Something any avid fantasy reader with an open mind will devour!’ — Guardian on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘Meddling gleefully in the affairs of devils and dragons, this affective sequel to 2015’s THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS touches the heart as often as it cuts throats… Having fully crafted her world, de Bodard is now completely in control: she can move swiftly from gentle poetic touches to bloody Grand Guignol gestures, and she sure-handedly holds the reader by exposing the vulnerabilities and needs that drive even the seemingly all-powerful figures of rebel angels and ancient serpents to surrender to a higher collective power. In this world lacking signs of heaven, redemptions are painful but possible.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘de Bodard’s people feel real to me… There is hope even in the darkest of places, and there is a desire for love, for trust, for harbor, that takes root no matter how often it’s destroyed. This is a stronger, more certain novel than THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, and if reading it is sometimes walking the unfenced edge of a cliff, the vista is dizzying and beautiful. It is well worth the wait, and if you haven’t read the first novel, I urge you to do so. But have THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS in hand before you reach the end.’ — Fantasy & Science Fiction (Mar/Apr 2017)

‘De Bodard’s writing is very precise, like a well-oiled machine. The tempo is piston perfect, with the prose style having a strong and steady rhythm throughout. The emotional journey is relatively predictable (especially when we get into a marriage sequence), but the narrative is not. In other words, you can pretty much tell that the big emotions are coming, but the how and the why is what keeps you on edge. This is not a villains book; this is a powerful sequel that shows us that the incredibly complex world of the last novel is even more involved than we first expected. Strong stuff which you won’t stop reading till the end.’ — Starburst on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘The author spins a tale that’s rich, emotional and gripping, and delivers that rare thing: a superior sequel… This is an incredibly rich novel. Even as the scheming, double-crossing and action set pieces unfold, the author never loses sight of the people whose lives are on the line… There’s just so much going on here: social commentary, myths and fairytales that often feel under-represented in genre fiction, a gripping genre adventure and an affecting love story. The author has gone from strength to strength and we can’t wait for this story to continue.’ — SciFi Now (5/5*) on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘Truly beautifully balanced: between new and old, birth and death, beauty and ugliness, inside and outside, beginning and, yes, ending. It walks the line, and walks it fine.’ — Tor.com on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES out in Paperback Next Week!

Posted on Tuesday, March 10th, 2020

The paperback edition of THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES, the third novel in Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed, award-winning Dominion of the Fallen series, is out next week in the UK! Published by Gollancz, here’s the synopsis…

The great magical Houses of Paris – headed by Fallen angels and magicians – were, however temporarily, at peace with each other. Until House Harrier was levelled by a powerful explosion. Now that peace has become chaos, tearing apart old alliances and setting off a race in which each House hoards magic and resources to protect itself against another such blast.

Thuan, the Dragon head of the divided House Hawthorn, is still consolidating his power when war comes to his doorstep. Aurore -exiled from and almost beaten to death by House Harrier – sees her moment to seek power in order to protect her family, even if she must venture back to her destroyed former home to get it. And Emmanuelle finds herself alone in the middle of it all, driven to protect others, trying to piece together what has happened, and hoping – eventually – to make sense of it all.

None of them know what destroyed House Harrier, though… and when they do uncover that fiery, destructive magic then divided Houses, old enemies and estranged friends will all have to make a decision: stand together, or burn alone…

Gollancz has also published the first two books in the series: THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS and THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS. The first two novels are published in North America by Roc Books, and the third is published by JABberwocky.

‘If you’ve loved the previous entries in this series, consider it a must read. If you haven’t, know that it delivers an intoxicating blend of gothic mystery, apocalyptic fantasy, and Vietnamese myth — meaty, singular, and satisfying.’ — B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES

Aliette de Bodard, Ian McDonald and Lavie Tidhar on Locus’s 2019 Recommended Reading List!

Posted on Thursday, February 13th, 2020

A couple of weekends ago, Locus unveiled their 2019 Recommended Reading List, and we are delighted to be able to give a quick shout-out to clients Aliette de Bodard, Ian McDonald and Lavie Tidhar for being included! We also thought it would be a nice opportunity to share a bit more information about the work that was included on the list.

Let’s start with Aliette, who appears three times on the list! The latest novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING THORNS, is included among the best Fantasy Novels. Published by Gollancz (UK) and JABberwocky (North America), here’s the synopsis…

The great magical Houses of Paris – headed by Fallen angels and magicians – were, however temporarily, at peace with each other. Until House Harrier was levelled by a powerful explosion. Now that peace has become chaos, tearing apart old alliances and setting off a race in which each House hoards magic and resources to protect itself against another such blast.

Thuan, the Dragon head of the divided House Hawthorn, is still consolidating his power when war comes to his doorstep. Aurore -exiled from and almost beaten to death by House Harrier – sees her moment to seek power in order to protect her family, even if she must venture back to her destroyed former home to get it. And Emmanuelle finds herself alone in the middle of it all, driven to protect others, trying to piece together what has happened, andhoping – eventually – to make sense of it all.

None of them know what destroyed House Harrier, though… and when they do uncover that fiery, destructive magic then divided Houses, old enemies and estranged friends will all have to make a decision: stand together, or burn alone…

Aliette’s OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT (Subterranean Press) is included among the best Collections, and one of the novellas within — OF BIRTHDAYS, AND FUNGUS, AND KINDNESS — is included in the recommended Novellas list! Here’s the collection’s synopsis…

A major first collection from a writer fast becoming one of the stars of the genre… Aliette de Bodard, multiple award winner and author of The Tea Master and the Detective, now brings readers fourteen dazzling tales that showcase the richly textured worldbuilding and beloved characters that have brought her so much acclaim.

Come discover the breadth and endless invention of her universes, ranging from a dark Gothic Paris devastated by a magical war; to the multiple award-winning Xuya, a far-future space opera inspired by Vietnamese culture where scholars administrate planets and sentient spaceships are part of families.

In the Nebula award and Locus award winning “Immersion”, a young girl working in a restaurant on a colonized space station crosses paths with an older woman who has cast off her own identity. In the novelette “Children of Thorns, Children of Water”, a shapeshifting dragon infiltrating a ruined mansion finds more than he’s bargained for when his partner is snatched by eerie, child-like creatures. And in the award-winning “Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight”, three very different people — a scholar, an engineer, and a spaceship — all must deal with the loss of a woman who was the cornerstone of their world.

This collection includes a never-before seen 20,000-word novella, “Of Birthdays, and Fungus, and Kindness”, set in Bodard’s alternative dark Paris.

Next up, the third novel in Ian’s Luna series, MOON RISING, is among the recommended Sci-Fi Novels. Published by Gollancz (UK) and Tor Books (North America), here’s the synopsis…

A hundred years in the future, a war wages between the Five Dragons — five families that control the Moon’s leading industrial companies. Each clan does everything in their power to claw their way to the top of the food chain — marriages of convenience, corporate espionage, kidnapping, and mass assassinations.

Through ingenious political manipulation and sheer force of will, Lucas Cortas rises from the ashes of corporate defeat and seizes control of the Moon. The only person who can stop him is a brilliant lunar lawyer, his sister, Ariel.

Witness the Dragons’ final battle for absolute sovereignty in Ian McDonald’s heart-stopping finale to the Luna trilogy.

A prequel to the Luna series, THE MENACE FROM FARSIDE, was also included on the Novella list. It’s published by Tor.com…

Ian McDonald returns to his elegantly wound solar system of the twenty-second century, full of political intrigue and complicated families.

Remember: Lady Luna knows a thousand ways to kill you, but family is what you know. Family is what works.

Cariad Corcoran has a new sister who is everything she is not: tall, beautiful, confident. They’re unlikely allies and even unlikelier sisters, but they’re determined to find the moon’s first footprint, even if the lunar frontier is doing its best to kill them before they get there.

And last, but by no means least, Lavie’s novella NEW ATLANTIS is also included in the list. It was published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, May-June 2019. Here’s how Lavie described the novella, in an interview with SF Site…

“New Atlantis” is a novella set in what I call the Land, a sort of post-apocalyptic utopia where the few survivors of the climate change collapse now live in harmony with their environment – but can still be kind of obsessed with the old world and its excesses! I’ve been writing stories about Mai and the Land for a while now – one of them is “The Buried Giant” in Robots vs Fairies, which is also in a bunch of the Year’s Bests anthologies, and there’s a new one, “Svalbard,” coming out as a sort of interactive/puzzle thing online soon!

Aliette de Bodard’s THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES on the BSFA Award Long-List!

Posted on Thursday, January 9th, 2020

We’re happy to report that Aliette de Bodard‘s third Dominion of the Fallen novel, THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES is on the long-list for the BSFA Award for Best Novel!

The first novel in the series, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, won the award in 2018 — here’s hoping Aliette picks up another! Voting for the short list is open now to members, and will close on January 31st.

The trilogy is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in North America by Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3). Here’s the synopsis for THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES…

The great magical Houses of Paris – headed by Fallen angels and magicians – were, however temporarily, at peace with each other. Until House Harrier was levelled by a powerful explosion. Now that peace has become chaos, tearing apart old alliances and setting off a race in which each House hoards magic and resources to protect itself against another such blast.

Thuan, the Dragon head of the divided House Hawthorn, is still consolidating his power when war comes to his doorstep. Aurore -exiled from and almost beaten to death by House Harrier – sees her moment to seek power in order to protect her family, even if she must venture back to her destroyed former home to get it. And Emmanuelle finds herself alone in the middle of it all, driven to protect others, trying to piece together what has happened, and hoping – eventually – to make sense of it all.
None of them know what destroyed House Harrier, though… and when they do uncover that fiery, destructive magic then divided Houses, old enemies and estranged friends will all have to make a decision: stand together, or burn alone…

Aliette de Bodard’s SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD turns 10!

Posted on Tuesday, January 7th, 2020

January marks the tenth anniversary of Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed debut, SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD! The acclaimed first novel in the author’s Obsidian & Blood trilogy, it was followed by HARBINGER OF THE STORM and MASTER OF THE HOUSE OF DARTS.

Congratulations, Aliette!

Originally published by Angry Robot Books in 2009, the novel is now available as an eBook via the JABberwocky’s eBook Program. Here’s the synopsis…

Year One-Knife, Tenochtitlan the capital of the Aztecs. Human sacrifice and the magic of the living blood are the only things keeping the sun in the sky and the earth fertile.

A Priestess disappears from an empty room drenched in blood. It should be a usual investigation for Acatl, High Priest of the Dead – except that his estranged brother is involved, and the the more he digs, the deeper he is drawn into the political and magical intrigues of noblemen, soldiers, and priests-and of the gods themselves…

Here are just a few reviews the novel has received…

‘Part murder mystery, part well-researched historical novel and part fantasy… The fantasy element blends neatly with the other parts. 4*’ — SFX Magazine

‘An Aztec priest of the dead tries to solve a murder mystery, and finds that politics may be even more powerful than magic. A vivid portrayal of an interesting culture in a truly fresh fantasy novel.’ — Kevin J. Anderson (New York Times bestselling author)

‘Amid the mud and maize of the Mexica empire, Aliette de Bodard has composed a riveting story of murder, magic  and sibling rivalry.’ — Elizabeth Bear

‘From page one I was drawn into Acatl’s world… a remarkable historically-based fantasy, using the myths and legends of the Aztec people as a background to a twisting murder mystery.’ — Speculative Book Review

‘The world-building is exquisite and we *believe* we are transported to the 15th century Tenotichtlan and together with the superb voice they formed the main reason I enjoyed this book so much… Highly recommended… Ms. de Bodard is a writer to watch.’ — Fantasy Book Critic

Since the release of this novel, Aliette has published an impressive number of award-winning and nominated short and long fiction, including the acclaimed Xuya Universe stories, many of which are published by Subterranean Press and JABberwocky; and the Dominion of the Fallen series, which is published by Gollancz in the UK; and Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3) in North America. The author’s stand-alone novella, IN THE VANISHERS’ PALACE is also available, published by JABberwocky.

Aliette de Bodard is among the BEST OF UNCANNY!

Posted on Tuesday, December 31st, 2019

To ring out the end of the year, we wanted to draw your attention to the BEST OF UNCANNY collection, which was recently published by Subterranean Press. Specifically, because it includes Aliette de Bodard‘s CHILDREN OF THORNS, CHILDREN OF WATER — a short story set in the author’s Dominion of the Fallen world! The story, which is set between the first and second novels in the series, was first published in Uncanny Magazine #17 (July-August 2017). Here’s the synopsis…

In a Paris that never was, a city of magicians, alchemists and Fallen angels struggling to recover from a devastating magical war…

Once each year, the House of Hawthorn tests the Houseless: for those chosen, success means the difference between a safe life and the devastation of the streets. However, for Thuan and his friend Kim Cuc, — dragons in human shapes and envoys from the dying underwater kingdom of the Seine — the stakes are entirely different. Charged with infiltrating a House that keeps encroaching on the Seine, if they are caught, they face a painful death.

Worse, mysterious children of thorns stalk the candidates through Hawthorn’s corridors. Will Thuan and Kim Cuc survive and succeed?

The Dominion of the Fallen novels are THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS, and THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES. They are published by Gollancz in the UK, and Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3).

The short story was also available as a pre-order reward from the author before THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS was published. Here is the cover for that version…

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

‘Will grab readers and force them to pay attention to the amazing writing and the phenomenal characters. de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become. The characters are very vivid and will stay with you until long after the last page, as each of them is fighting and longing for something. The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully. Watching Philippe and Isabelle work through their “connection” is fascinating and lovely. There’s so much going on, and every character has their own past, their own tragic history. It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… The story holds up well as a standalone, with clear possibilities but no pressing need for a sequel. De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. ­Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.‘ — Library Journal (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘De Bodard’s writing is very precise, like a well-oiled machine. The tempo is piston perfect, with the prose style having a strong and steady rhythm throughout. The emotional journey is relatively predictable (especially when we get into a marriage sequence), but the narrative is not. In other words, you can pretty much tell that the big emotions are coming, but the how and the why is what keeps you on edge. This is not a villains book; this is a powerful sequel that shows us that the incredibly complex world of the last novel is even more involved than we first expected. Strong stuff which you won’t stop reading till the end.’ — Starburst on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘The author spins a tale that’s rich, emotional and gripping, and delivers that rare thing: a superior sequel… This is an incredibly rich novel. Even as the scheming, double-crossing and action set pieces unfold, the author never loses sight of the people whose lives are on the line… There’s just so much going on here: social commentary, myths and fairytales that often feel under-represented in genre fiction, a gripping genre adventure and an affecting love story. The author has gone from strength to strength and we can’t wait for this story to continue.’ — SciFi Now (5/5*) on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘Truly beautifully balanced: between new and old, birth and death, beauty and ugliness, inside and outside, beginning and, yes, ending. It walks the line, and walks it fine.’ — Tor.com on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘If you’ve loved the previous entries in this series, consider it a must read. If you haven’t, know that it delivers an intoxicating blend of gothic mystery, apocalyptic fantasy, and Vietnamese myth—meaty, singular, and satisfying.’ — B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES

The French Pocket edition of THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS is out now!

Posted on Thursday, November 14th, 2019

Today, Pocket publishes the mass market paperback edition of Aliette de Bodard‘s award-winning THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS in France! Published as L’ASCENSION DE LA MAISON AUBÉPINE, here’s the synopsis…

Suite à la chute des Flèches d’Argent, l’équilibre entre les grandes Maisons qui règnent sur Paris est plus que jamais chancelant. Le Seigneur Asmodée, à la tête de la Maison Aubépine depuis sa sanglante insurrection, y voit l’opportunité de renforcer son pouvoir. Une ambition qui réclame des alliés. Une délégation est envoyée au royaume dragon, porteuse d’une proposition d’alliance, mais aussi chargée de découvrir ce qu’il est advenu de la précédente émissaire, mystérieusement disparue.

C’est ainsi que Madeleine, sevrée de l’essence d’ange et désormais rattachée de force à la Maison Aubépine, se retrouve sous les eaux troubles de la Seine, dans ce monde annamite secret où le marin, l’humain et la féerie sont étroitement liés.

Au cœur des intrigues, des trahisons et des manœuvres politiques, Madeleine aura à jouer un rôle crucial, bien malgré elle…

THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS is the second novel in the acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen fantasy series, which is published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3), and is also available in a growing number of translated editions. Here’s the English-language synopsis for the novel…

As the city rebuilds from the onslaught of sorcery that nearly destroyed it, the great Houses of Paris, ruled by fallen angels, still contest one another for control over the capital.

House Silverspires was once the most powerful, but just as it sought to rise again, an ancient evil brought it low. Phillippe, an immortal who escaped the carnage, has a singular goal – to resurrect someone he lost. But the cost of such magic might be more than he can bear.

In House Hawthorn, Madeleine the alchemist has had her addiction to angel essence savagely broken. Struggling to live on, she is forced on a perilous diplomatic mission to the underwater dragon kingdom – and finds herself in the midst of intrigues that have already caused one previous emissary to mysteriously disappear…

As the Houses seek a peace more devastating than war, those caught between new fears and old hatreds must find strength – or fall prey to a magic that seeks to bind all to its will.

Here’s just a small selection taken from the great critical response the novel has received so far…

‘Meddling gleefully in the affairs of devils and dragons, this affective sequel to 2015’s THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS touches the heart as often as it cuts throats… Having fully crafted her world, de Bodard is now completely in control: she can move swiftly from gentle poetic touches to bloody Grand Guignol gestures, and she sure-handedly holds the reader by exposing the vulnerabilities and needs that drive even the seemingly all-powerful figures of rebel angels and ancient serpents to surrender to a higher collective power. In this world lacking signs of heaven, redemptions are painful but possible.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘de Bodard’s people feel real to me… There is hope even in the darkest of places, and there is a desire for love, for trust, for harbor, that takes root no matter how often it’s destroyed. This is a stronger, more certain novel than THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, and if reading it is sometimes walking the unfenced edge of a cliff, the vista is dizzying and beautiful. It is well worth the wait, and if you haven’t read the first novel, I urge you to do so. But have THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS in hand before you reach the end.’ — Fantasy & Science Fiction (Mar/Apr 2017)

‘De Bodard’s writing is very precise, like a well-oiled machine. The tempo is piston perfect, with the prose style having a strong and steady rhythm throughout. The emotional journey is relatively predictable (especially when we get into a marriage sequence), but the narrative is not. In other words, you can pretty much tell that the big emotions are coming, but the how and the why is what keeps you on edge. This is not a villains book; this is a powerful sequel that shows us that the incredibly complex world of the last novel is even more involved than we first expected. Strong stuff which you won’t stop reading till the end.’ — Starburst

‘The author spins a tale that’s rich, emotional and gripping, and delivers that rare thing: a superior sequel… This is an incredibly rich novel. Even as the scheming, double-crossing and action set pieces unfold, the author never loses sight of the people whose lives are on the line… There’s just so much going on here: social commentary, myths and fairytales that often feel under-represented in genre fiction, a gripping genre adventure and an affecting love story. The author has gone from strength to strength and we can’t wait for this story to continue.’ — SciFi Now (5/5*)

‘Truly beautifully balanced: between new and old, birth and death, beauty and ugliness, inside and outside, beginning and, yes, ending. It walks the line, and walks it fine.’ — Tor.com

‘An excellent series with lots of variety and it feels more inventive than many books I come across. It’s an exciting world to fall into and I am looking forward to the next book.’ — SF Crowsnest

Short Fiction Watch: Aliette de Bodard in ECHOES

Posted on Thursday, November 7th, 2019

Just a quick post today to bring to your attention the new anthology ECHOES, which contains a story by Aliette de Bodard! Published by Saga Press, it’s out now.

Everyone loves a good ghost story, especially Ellen Datlow — the most lauded editor in short works of supernatural suspense and dark fantasy. The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories is her definitive collection of ghost stories.

These twenty-nine stories, including all new works from New York Times bestselling authors Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Hoffman, Seanan McGuire, and Paul Tremblay, span from the traditional to the eclectic, from the mainstream to the literary, from pure fantasy to the bizarrely supernatural. Whether you’re reading alone under the covers with a flashlight, or around a campfire with a circle of friends, there’s something here to please — and spook — everyone.

Aliette is the multi-award winning author of many other short stories, novellas, novellettes and novels. Her most recent series, Dominion of the Fallen, is out now published by Gollancz in the UK, and in North America by Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3). It is also available in a growing number of translated editions.

Aliette is also the author of the acclaimed Xuya series of stories, including THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE (Subterranean Press and JABberwocky), and various stories contained within OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT (Subterranean Press).

The author’s most recent stand-alone novel is the highly-acclaimed IN THE VANISHERS’ PALACE, published by JABberwocky.

The TEA MASTER, THE DETECTIVE, and the British Fantasy Award!

Posted on Thursday, October 24th, 2019

We’re delighted to share the news (in case you missed it) that Aliette de Bodard has won a British Fantasy Award for her novella THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE! A wholly deserved win for a novella that continues to receive glowing reviews quite some time since it was first published. Indeed, it also won a Nebula Award for Best Novella and was nominated in the same category for the Hugo and Locus Awards.

Originally published by Subterranean Press as a limited edition hardcover, it is still available as an eBook via Subterranean Press (North America) and JABberwocky’s eBook Program (English language elsewhere). Here’s the synopsis…

Welcome to the Scattered Pearls Belt, a collection of ring habitats and orbitals ruled by exiled human scholars and powerful families, and held together by living mindships who carry people and freight between the stars. In this fluid society, human and mindship avatars mingle in corridors and in function rooms, and physical and virtual realities overlap, the appearance of environments easily modified and adapted to interlocutors or current mood.

A transport ship discharged from military service after a traumatic injury, The Shadow’s Child now ekes out a precarious living as a brewer of mind-altering drugs for the comfort of space-travellers. Meanwhile, abrasive and eccentric scholar Long Chau wants to find a corpse for a scientific study. When Long Chau walks into her office, The Shadow’s Child expects an unpleasant but easy assignment. When the corpse turns out to have been murdered, Long Chau feels compelled to investigate, dragging The  Shadow’s Child with her.

As they dig deep into the victim’s past, The Shadow’s Child realises that the investigation points to Long Chau’s own murky past–and, ultimately, to the dark and unbearable void that lies between the stars…

THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE is set in the author’s award-nominated Xuya Universe. Her latest publication with Subterranean Press is OF WAR, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT.

Aliette is also the author of the acclaimed, award-winning Dominion of the Fallen series, published by Gollancz in the UK, and Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3) in North America.

OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT out now!

Posted on Monday, September 30th, 2019

Aliette de Bodard‘s latest book, OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT is out now! Published by Subterranean Press in limited hardcover and eBook, it is a collection of stories set in the author’s various award-winning and -nominated settings — including the Xuya universe. Here’s the synopsis…

A major first collection from a writer fast becoming one of the stars of the genre… Aliette de Bodard, multiple award winner and author of The Tea Master and the Detective, now brings readers fourteen dazzling tales that showcase the richly textured worldbuilding and beloved characters that have brought her so much acclaim.

Come discover the breadth and endless invention of her universes, ranging from a dark Gothic Paris devastated by a magical war; to the multiple award-winning Xuya, a far-future space opera inspired by Vietnamese culture where scholars administrate planets and sentient spaceships are part of families.

In the Nebula award and Locus award winning “Immersion”, a young girl working in a restaurant on a colonized space station crosses paths with an older woman who has cast off her own identity. In the novelette “Children of Thorns, Children of Water”, a shapeshifting dragon infiltrating a ruined mansion finds more than he’s bargained for when his partner is snatched by eerie, child-like creatures. And in the award-winning “Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight”, three very different people — a scholar, an engineer, and a spaceship — all must deal with the loss of a woman who was the cornerstone of their world.

This collection includes a never-before-seen 20,000-word novella, “Of Birthdays, and Fungus, and Kindness”, set in Bodard’s alternative dark Paris.

Subterranean Press has also published Aliette’s Xuya novella THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE in North America (available elsewhere via the JABberwocky eBook Program).

The author’s latest series is the Dominion of the Fallen, published in the UK by Gollancz; and Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky (#3) in North America.

A new Special Edition of Aliette de Bodard’s ON A RED STATION, DRIFTING!

Posted on Monday, September 9th, 2019

We’re very happy to report that there is a new, special edition of Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed Xuya novella ON A RED STATION, DRIFTING! Published by WSFA Press, it is available now. This edition will also be available in North America via Subterranean Press, soon. Here’s the synopsis…

For generations Prosper Station has thrived under the guidance of its Honoured Ancestress: born of a human womb, the station’s artificial intelligence has offered guidance and protection to its human relatives. But war has come to the Dai Viet Empire. Prosper’s brightest minds have been called away to defend the Emperor; and a flood of disoriented refugees strain the station’s resources.

As deprivations cause the station’s ordinary life to unravel, uncovering old grudges and tearing apart the decimated family, Station Mistress Quyen and the Honoured Ancestress struggle to keep their relatives united and safe. What Quyen does not know is that the Honoured Ancestress herself is faltering, her mind eaten away by a disease that seems to have no cure; and that the future of the station itself might hang in the balance.

Subterranean Press also publishes two other critically-acclaimed Xuya books be Aliette: THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE and the upcoming OF WARS, AND MEMORIES, AND STARLIGHT.

THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE is also published outside of the UK via the JABberwocky eBook Program.

Aliette’s latest series, Dominion of the Fallen, is out now published by Gollancz in the UK and Roc Books (#1-2) and JABberwocky eBooks (#3) in North America.