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ICYMI: Some September eBook Deals…

Posted on Monday, September 16th, 2024

We’re half-way through September, and we just wanted to highlight some of our clients’ books that are on sale! Four books in particular, which are discounted all month…

THE CITADEL OF WEEPING PEARLS by Aliette de Bodard, published by JABberwocky, is only $1.99 in the US and Canada. Set in the author’s award-winning Xuya universe, here’s the synopsis…

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls was a great wonder; a perfect meld between cutting edge technology and esoteric sciences. 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…

THE ELFIN SHIP, the first novel in James P. Blaylock‘s Balumnia series, is also on sale in the US and Canada, only $1.99. Published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

A trilogy sets sail with a novel that’s “charming, light-hearted and funny… Feels a little like The Hobbit or The Wind in the Willows” (Fantasy Literature).

James P. Blaylock’s debut novel The Elfin Ship has become a classic of whimsical fantasy. With echoes of Kenneth Graham and Mark Twain, it’s a gentle, eccentric, and hilarious novel that will delight readers of all ages.

Trading with the elves used to be so simple. Every year Master Cheeser Jonathan Bing would send his very best cheeses downriver to traders who would eventually return with Elfin wonders for the people of Twombly Town.

But no more…

First, the trading post at Willowood Station was mysteriously destroyed. Then, a magical elfin airship began making forays overhead. Something was definitely amiss.

So Jonathan set off downriver to deliver the cheeses himself, accompanied by the amazing Professor Wurzle, the irrepressible Dooly, and his faithful dog Ahab. It would have been such a pleasant trip, if not for the weeping skeleton, mad goblins, magic coins, an evil dwarf, a cloak of invisibility — and a watch that stopped time.

If only the return trip were so simple.

TALES FROM THE FOLLY, a collection of Ben Aaronovitch‘s short fiction set in the Rivers of London world, is also only 99p throughout September (Kindle deal). Published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

Return to the world of Rivers of London in this first short story collection from #1 Sunday Times bestselling author, Ben Aaronovitch. Tales from the Folly is a carefully curated collection that gathers together previously published stories and brand new tales in the same place for the first time.

Each tale features a new introduction from the author, filled with insight and anecdote offering the reader a deeper exploration into this absorbing fictional world. This is a must read for any Rivers of London fan.

Join Peter, Nightingale, Abigail, Agent Reynolds and Tobias Winter for a series of perfectly portioned tales. Discover what’s haunting a lonely motorway service station, who still wanders the shelves of a popular London bookshop, and what exactly happened to the River Lugg…

With an introduction from internationally bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Charlaine Harris.

This collection includes:
The Home Crowd Advantage
The Domestic
The Cockpit
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Granny
King of The Rats
A Rare Book of Cunning Device
A Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Favourite Uncle
Vanessa Sommer’s Other Christmas List
Three Rivers, Two Husbands and a Baby
Moments One-Three

In the UK, PUCKING WILD is only 99p this month — via Kobo and Amazon — it’s the second Jacksonville Rays novels by Emily Rath. Published by Penguin, here’s the synopsis…

The hockey star she never expected may be the one person to finally set her free…

My name is Tess Owens and my soon to be ex-husband is trying to set fire to my entire life. Unwilling to face the heat, I do what I do best: run.

I run to a new life in a new city and straight into the arms of Rachel and her team of NHL hockey players. They’re all charming, but one player stands apart from the rest, the star forward of the Jacksonville Rays, Ryan Langley.

Now I have six weeks to launch a new business. Six weeks to fight for my freedom… all while fighting my growing attraction to this All-American sweetheart with a winning smile and a career on the rise. Did I mention he’s ten years younger than me?

Ryan doesn’t need my drama. And we have nothing in common. But it’s getting harder to deny the way he makes me feel.

Fun. Free. Wild.

THE PERIPHERAL Tie-In Edition Out Tomorrow in the UK!

Posted on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022

The new, tie-in edition of William Gibson‘s acclaimed novel THE PERIPHERAL is out tomorrow! Published by Penguin, here’s the synopsis…

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

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

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

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

The TV show launched on Amazon Prime, on October 21st. You can check out the trailer, below…

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

‘His writing has been refined over the years, but Gibson still maintains that sparse, edgy style that has been a characteristic of his work from the very beginning… Gibson remains as unnervingly prophetic as ever, making his futures feel like they’re just around the corner, products of humankind’s inability to act when necessary, transforming a sci-fi whodunit into a work of fiction that feels both ahead of its time and frighteningly relevant to today’s world.’ 9/10* — Starburst

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

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

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

‘A smart, nuanced twist on time travel… THE PERIPHERAL is a fast-paced murder investigation and political thriller… pithy, poetic prose. THE PERIPHERAL also feels more accessible than his last several books.’ — The Verge

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

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

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

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

Posted on Thursday, October 6th, 2022

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

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

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

You can check out the trailer, below…

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

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

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

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

Spotlight & Deal: CHAGA by Ian McDonald

Posted on Friday, June 3rd, 2022

CHAGA, the first novel in the eponymous series by Ian McDonald is a Kindle Monthly Deal in the US! First published in 1995, it is now published by JAbberwocky. Here’s the synopsis…

On the trail of the mystery of Saturn’s disappearing moons, network journalist Gaby McAslan finds herself in Africa researching the Kilimanjaro Event: a meteor-strike in Kenya which caused the stunning African landscape to give way to something equally beautiful – and indescribably alien. Dubbed the ‘Chaga’, the alien flora destroys all man-made materials, and moulds human flesh, bone and spirit to its own designs. But when Gaby finds the first man to survive the Chaga’s changes, she realizes it has its own plans for humankind… Against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, McDonald weaves a staggering tale of keen human observation and speculation, as the Kilimanjaro Event changes the course of the human race by exposure to something beyond its imagination.

Here are some of the reviews the novel has received…

‘McDonald… consistently explores new territory with his breathtaking images and incisive language. Both form and substance blend fortuitously in a work that features strong characters, a suspenseful story, and a profound message of hope and transformation. A priority purchase for SF collections.’ — Library Journal

‘One of the finest writers of his generation, who chooses to write science fiction because that is how he can best illuminate the world.’ — New Statesman

‘Optimistic near-future alien-contact yarn… McDonald’s tale is also inventive and challenging… a dense, complex, rather weighty, often fascinating piece of speculation.’ — Kirkus

The other two novels in the trilogy — and — are also published by JABberwocky.

All three of the novels are also available as audiobooks, published by Audible.

‘This is a huge and ambitious novel, the work of a supremely talented writer approaching the top of his game.’ — SFX on KIRINYA

‘So outstanding a writer that he deserves reading beyond the science-fantasy market … He has such marvellous talent, so vivid an imagination. His prose sings and zings – simultaneously.’ — The Times on KIRINYA

‘[An] excellent original novella… gazes boldly into the heart of darkness, and finds there a great and galvanising hope.’ — Infinity Plus on TENDELEO’S STORY

‘… the Chaga sequence [is] Ian McDonald’s marvellous panorama of Third World plights and possibilities.’ — SF Site on TENDELEO’S STORY

Ian’s latest series is Luna — which includes the prequel novella THE MENACE FROM FARSIDE (Tor.com), and the novels NEW MOON, WOLF MOON, and MOON RISING (Tor Books).

Five Peter Grant novels available as a UK Kindle “Gold Box” today only!

Posted on Sunday, January 5th, 2020

The first five novels in Ben Aaronovitch‘s critically-acclaimed, beloved Peter Grant series are available as a UK Kindle “Gold Box” today! Each novel is priced at 99p: RIVERS OF LONDON, MOON OVER SOHO, WHISPERS UNDERGROUND, BROKEN HOMES, and FOXGLOVE SUMMER!

In case you haven’t had the chance to read the series, this is a fantastic way to get started (and hooked) on Ben’s great, entertaining and gripping novels! Here’s the synopsis for the first novel, to whet your appetite…

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit – we do paperwork so real coppers don’t have to – and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I’m a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden … and there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos – or die trying.

The novels are published in the UK by Gollancz; in North America by Del Rey and DAW Books; and widely in translation. Ben has also written two novellas, which are published by Gollancz in the UK and Subterranean Press in North America. The eighth novel, FALSE VALUE, is due to be published next month by Orion (UK) and DAW Books (North America).

If you’re already caught up and can’t wait for FALSE VALUE, Orion has made an excerpt available! You can find that here.

If you love the series and characters, be sure to also check out the Rivers of London comic series, published by Titan Comics!

Aliette de Bodard’s TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE is on sale in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, March 12th, 2019

Aliette de Bodard‘s critically-acclaimed novella THE TEA MASTER AND THE DETECTIVE is included in Amazon UK’s Kindle Spring Sale! Only 99p in until April 23rd, it is published via the JABberwocky eBook Program. Here’s the synopsis…

Once, the mindship known as The Shadow’s Child was a military transport, carrying troops and crew for a war that tore the Empire apart. Until an ambush killed her crew and left her wounded and broken. Now the war is over, and The Shadow’s Child, surviving against all odds, has run away. Discharged and struggling to make a living, she has no plans to go back into space. Until the abrasive and arrogant scholar Long Chau comes to see her. Long Chau wants to retrieve a corpse for her scientific studies: a simple enough, well-paid assignment. But when the corpse they find turns out to have been murdered, the simple assignment becomes a vast and tangled investigation, inexorably leading back to the past – and, once again, to that unbearable void where The Shadow’s Child almost lost both sanity and life…

The novella is published in the US by Subterranean Press.

Aliette de Bodard and Ian McDonald included in Amazon’s Spring Editors’ Picks!

Posted on Monday, March 6th, 2017

We’re very happy to report that Amazon US has selected the next novels by Aliette de Bodard and Ian McDonald to be among their Spring Editors’ Picks!

Aliette’s THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS is the second novel in her Dominion of the Fallen series, and is due to be published by Roc Books in the US on April 4th, 2017. Here’s the synopsis…

Paris endures the aftermath of a devastating arcane war…

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.

Both novels in the series are published in the UK by Gollancz. The series has been praised far and wide. Here is just a small selection from the reviews the novels have received…

‘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…’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘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)

‘Amazing writing and the phenomenal characters. de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become… The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully… 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

‘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

Ian’s LUNA: WOLF MOON is the sequel to LUNA: NEW MOON, and is due to be published in the US by Tor Books, on March 28th, 2017. Here’s the synopsis…

A Dragon is dead.

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

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

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

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

Both of the Luna novels are published in the UK by Gollancz. Here are a few reviews the series has received so far…

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

‘Smart, funny, passionate and at times quite dark, McDonald brings the touch we’ve seen in RIVER OF GODS and DERVISH HOUSE to an entirely new culture as it evolves in a distant hostile place where business or family rules all… it’s terrific. My only complaint: it leaves you wanting the second book right now!’ — Jonathan Strahan on LUNA: NEW MOON

‘No one writes like Ian McDonald, and no one’s Moon is nearly so beautiful and terrible… Ian McDonald’s never written a bad novel, but this is a great Ian McDonald novel… McDonald’s moon is omnisexual, kinky, violent, passionate, beautiful, awful, vibrant and crushing… I’m all a-quiver for the next one.‘ — BoingBoing on LUNA: NEW MOON

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

‘LUNA: NEW MOON is the best moon novel I’ve seen in many years… Inasmuch as it challenges one of the cherished master narratives of SF, in which the moon is only a stepping-stone, and despite what it owes to the tropes of ’70s-era social melodrama, McDonald’s novel has some formidable SF stingers not far beneath its densely textured surface.’ — Locus

CENTRAL STATION is a Kindle Daily Deal, today!

Posted on Friday, October 21st, 2016

Today, Lavie Tidhar‘s critically-acclaimed CENTRAL STATION is a Kindle Deal in the US! Published by Tachyon Publications, here’s the synopsis…

A worldwide diaspora has left a quarter of a million people at the foot of a space station. Cultures collide in real life and virtual reality. Life is cheap, and data is cheaper.

When Boris Chong returns to Tel Aviv from Mars, much has changed. Boris’s ex-lover is raising a strangely familiar child who can tap into the datastream of a mind with the touch of a finger. His cousin is infatuated with a robotnik — a damaged cyborg soldier who might as well be begging for parts. His father is terminally-ill with a multigenerational mind-plague. And a hunted data-vampire has followed Boris to where she is forbidden to return.

Rising above them is Central Station, the interplanetary hub between all things: the constantly shifting Tel Aviv; a powerful virtual arena, and the space colonies where humanity has gone to escape the ravages of poverty and war. Everything is connected by the Others, powerful alien entities who, through the Conversation — a shifting, flowing stream of consciousness — are just the beginning of irrevocable change.

At Central Station, humans and machines continue to adapt, thrive… and even evolve.

Lavie’s novel has been praised far and wide, by peers and readers alike. Here’s just a sample of the reactions…

‘It is just this side of a masterpiece — short, restrained, lush — and the truest joy of it is in the way Tidhar scatters brilliant ideas like pennies on the sidewalk.’ — NPR

‘The stories include some of Tidhar’s most beautiful prose, and his future Tel Aviv is among the most evocative settings in recent SF… Somehow, CENTRAL STATION combines a cultural sensibility too long invisible in SF with a sensibility which is nothing but classic SF, and the result is a rather elegant suite of tales.’ — Locus

‘If you want to know what SF is going to look like in the next decade, this is it.’ — Gardener Dozois

‘Beautiful, original, a shimmering tapestry of connections and images – I can’t think of another SF novel quite like it. Lavie Tidhar is one of the most distinctive voices to enter the field in many years.’ — Alastair Reynolds

‘A fascinating future glimpsed through the lens of a tight-knit community. Tidhar changes genres with every outing, but his astounding talents guarantee something new and compelling no matter the story he tells.’ — Library Journal (starred review)

‘A dazzling tale of complicated politics and even more complicated souls. Beautiful.’ — Ken Liu

More reviews can be found on Lavie’s author page, and also on the book’s page at the publisher’s website.

THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is a UK Kindle Monthly Deal!

Posted on Friday, October 7th, 2016

In case you’ve missed our Tweets about this: Simon Kurt Unsworth‘s THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is one of October’s UK Kindle Monthly Deals! The first in a duology, it is published in the UK by Del Rey. Here’s the synopsis…

Welcome to Hell

Solving crimes was the purpose of the Information Men, yet they almost never achieved it, and even when they did, the facts they scraped free were lost, buried again in the labyrinthine mess of the Bureaucracy.

When an unidentified, brutalised body is discovered, the case is assigned to Thomas Fool. But how do you investigate a murder where death is commonplace and everyone is guilty of something?

As we reported a couple of days ago, the second book in the series, THE DEVIL’S EVIDENCE, was published this week in the UK (also by Del Rey). The series is published in the US by Doubleday, and is out now.

Ben Aaronovitch Interviewed by Amazon about RIVERS OF LONDON: BODY WORK

Posted on Tuesday, October 27th, 2015

Last week, Ben Aaronovitch was interviewed for Amazon’s Kindle Blog about his new comic series, RIVERS OF LONDON: BODY WORK. Co-authored by Andrew Cartmel, the comics are set between books four and five of Ben’s Peter Grant urban fantasy series. Here are a couple of snippets from the interview…

Amazon: Have the comics enabled you to explore anything that the books didn’t allow, and is there anything that you’d like to explore in future series?

BEN: The books are written in a very strict first-person narrative style and the comics are much looser – you can follow other characters, do quick one panel flashbacks, memories and other omniscient narrator stuff – which opens up a wide array of possibilities of expanding the world beyond the books.

There are also jokes and action sequences that wouldn’t work within the prose style of the books. Surprise splash pages, rapid chronological intercutting and ironic caption/image counterpoints are tools that aren’t available to me in the books allowing me to expand the story in new ways…

Amazon: Both the comics and the books include rich detail about local history, myths, and legends. What do you enjoy most about the research process?

BEN: The best thing about research is that it’s not actually work in any way or form. Actually that’s not the best thing; the best thing is finding out stuff that you never knew – like the existence of a coffee shop on the Thames in the 18th Century that was called ‘The Folly’. Things like that just drop into your lap and seamlessly integrate into your story as if you’d planned them from the start – it makes you look good.

The first four issues of the comic, published by Titan Comics, are out now. Issue 5 is out next month. The series is illustrated by Lee Sullivan and coloured by Luis Guerrero. Here’s the synopsis…

Peter Grant is one of only two members of a very special branch of London’s Metropolitan Police. He is, in fact, pretty much a wizard and it’s his job to investigate those shadowy crimes that involve urban vampires, weird folk in the underground and, in this case, why cars are suddenly taking on lives of their own and killing innocent folk

The Peter Grant series is published in the UK by Gollancz; in the US by Del Rey and DAW Books; in Germany by DTV; in France by J’ai Lu; and in multiple other territories and languages.

Jack Campbell’s DAUNTLESS is a Kindle Monthly Deal

Posted on Friday, June 12th, 2015

It is a great time to try Jack Campbell‘s Lost Fleet series (that is, if you haven’t already…): DAUNTLESS, the first novel, is currently a Kindle Monthly Deal. The series is published in the UK by Titan Books. Here’s the synopsis for book one…

After a hundred years of brutal war against the Syndics, the Alliance fleet is marooned deep in enemy territory, weakened and demoralised and desperate to make it home.

Their fate rests in the hands of Captain “Black Jack” Geary, a man who had been presumed dead but then emerged from a century of survival hibernation to find his name had become legend. Forced by a cruel twist of fate into taking command of the fleet, Geary must find a way to inspire the battle-hardened and exhausted men and women of the fleet or face certain annihilation by their enemies.

Titan Books publishes the rest of the Lost Fleet series (six novels), as well as the spin-off series: Beyond the Frontier, which starts with DREADNAUGHT (currently five novels); and Lost Stars, which starts with TARNISHED KNIGHT (three novels so far, another in the works). Titan also two of Campbell’s other sci-fi series, the four JAG In Space novel and Stark’s War trilogy.

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

Jack Campbell’s DREADNAUGHT is Tomorrow’s UK Kindle Deal

Posted on Wednesday, March 25th, 2015

Tomorrow, the first book in Jack Campbell‘s Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier series, DREADNAUGHT, will be the UK Kindle Daily Deal. A great jumping on point for the series, it is published in the UK by Titan Books. Here’s the synopsis…

Captain John “Black Jack” Geary woke from a century of survival hibernation to take command of the Alliance fleet in the final throes of its long and bitter conflict against the Syndicate Worlds. Now Fleet Admiral Geary’s victory has earned him the adoration of the people and enmity of politicians convinced that a living hero can be a very dangerous thing.

Geary is charged with command of the newly christened First Fleet. Its first mission: to probe deep into the territory of the mysterious alien race. Geary knows that members of the military high command and the government fear his staging a coup, so he can’t help but wonder if the fleet is being deliberately sent to the far side of space on a suicide mission.

The Beyond the Frontier series also includes INVINCIBLE, GUARDIAN, STEADFAST and LEVIATHAN – all published in the UK by Titan and available now. Campbell is also the author of the Lost Fleet series (currently six books), the Lost Fleet: Lost Stars series (currently three novels), the JAG in Space series (four novels) and Stark’s War series (three novels). All of Jack’s novels are published in the UK by Titan Books.

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

THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is a Rising Star on Amazon UK!

Posted on Friday, January 9th, 2015

Simon Kurt Unsworth‘s upcoming horror-fantasy THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE has been selected by Amazon UK as a Rising Star for March 2015 — that is, a debut author to watch! We certainly agree. The first in a two-part series, THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is due to be published in the UK by Del Rey on March 12th. Here’s the synopsis…

Welcome to hell…

… where skinless demons patrol the lakes and the waves of Limbo wash against the outer walls, while the souls of the Damned float on their surface, waiting to be collected.

When an unidentified, brutalised body is discovered, the case is assigned to Thomas Fool, one of Hell’s detectives, known as ‘Information Men’. But how do you investigate a murder where death is commonplace and everyone is guilty of something?

THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE is due to be published in North America by Doubleday, on March 3rd, 2015 (cover at end).

Speaking of THE DEVIL’S DETECTIVE, Mslexia has invited Simon’s wife, Rosie Seymour, to write about the experience of being married to a soon-to-be published author. Rosie’s first piece was published recently, and you can read it here. Here’s the crux of the series…

‘We are only at the beginning of this strange and exciting journey and I genuinely have no idea where it will lead. Mslexia have invited me to blog in the lead up to and just beyond the release date and I hope to share with you our ups and downs, any tips that might be useful and hopefully shine a light into the mysterious world of first-time publishing… I’ve been with him every step of the way and given that I am trying to find my own way through the world of writing and into the world of publishing it’s a pretty darn useful journey to be taking. I’m hoping you’ll join us too.’

And, in other news, the novel has just received a great review in Publishers Weekly: ‘Unsworth’s care in constructing an imaginary world enables him to make the most of his debut’s challenging concept: a hard-boiled detective novel set in Hell itself… Unsworth offers intriguing variations on traditional themes and some memorably hair-raising prose…’

Brandon Sanderson’s THE FINAL EMPIRE is Kindle’s Daily Deal (UK)

Posted on Friday, March 7th, 2014

Yesterday saw the release of Brandon Sanderson‘s much-anticipated WORDS OF RADIANCE, the second novel in the Stormlight Archive epic fantasy series. If you are new to the author, though, and the prospect of reading a 1,000+ page novel is a bit daunting as a first try, then today is your lucky day!

Amazon UK have selected THE FINAL EMPIRE, the first in the Mistborn trilogy, as one of their Kindle Daily Deals! The offer runs until 11:59pm tonight, so be sure to check it out quickly! Here’s the novel’s synopsis…

What if the Dark Lord won? An acclaimed epic commercial fantasy comes to the UK for the first time. Unabridged edition for download only.

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields. But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy – the magic that lies in all metals.

The Mistborn series continues with THE WELL OF ASCENSION, THE HERO OF AGES and THE ALLOY OF LAW. At the time of writing, THE FINAL EMPIRE was also the #1 bestseller in Epic Fantasy!

It’s never been a better time to try Brandon’s work! The Mistborn series and also the Stormlight Archive novels are all published in the UK by Gollancz.

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

Myke Cole’s CONTROL POINT is a February 2014 Kindle Deal!

Posted on Wednesday, February 5th, 2014

There’s no better time to check out Myke Cole‘s Shadow Ops – his critically-acclaimed, fan-favourite guns-n-sorcery series! Not only was the final volume in the trilogy, BREACH ZONE, published in January, but Amazon UK have included the first novel, CONTROL POINT, in their February Kindle Deals!

Here is the synopsis…

All over the world people are ‘coming up latent’ – developing new and terrifying abilities. Untrained and panicked, they are summoning storms, raising the dead, and setting every?thing they touch ablaze.

US Army Lieutenant Oscar Britton has always done his duty, even when it means working alongside the feared Supernatural Operations Corps, hunting down and taking out those with newfound magical talents. But when he manifests a rare, startling power of his own and finds himself a marked man, all bets are off.

On the run from his former colleagues, Britton is driven into an underground shadow world, where he is about to learn that magic has changed all the rules he’s ever known… and that his life isn’t the only thing he’s fighting for.

Cole’s Shadow Ops – CONTROL POINT, FORTRESS FRONTIER, and BREACH ZONE – are published in the UK by Headline. Here’s just a sample of the praise that has been heaped onto the series…

‘Cole’s definitely got a hit on his hands. He’s found that perfect recipe, incorporating magic, military, and mayhem without sacrificing either realism or the sense of wonder. I can’t wait to see what comes next.’ — Tor.com on CONTROL POINT

‘A furious ride on the front line … a non-stop thrill ride that’s almost impossible to put down … one of 2012’s most exciting debuts.’ — Fantasy Faction on CONTROL POINT

‘A compelling story connected to well-conceived world building … an absolute blast to read … I predict Myke Cole’s debut is going to be a monster success.’ — Staffer’s Book Review on CONTROL POINT

‘A solid improvement from CONTROL POINT, with a fantastic set of new characters… [FORTRESS FRONTIER is] a superb sequel.’ — SF Signal

‘Cole wraps up the Shadow Ops trilogy with a magical battle royale… This action-filled, adrenalin-powered adventure, which enthusiastically embraces the tropes of tales about meta-powered minorities and the distrusting majorities who oppress them, provides a fitting end for the trilogy.’ — Publishers Weekly on BREACH ZONE

‘The author has really pulled out all the stops for this one, and written a really fantastic novel… BREACH ZONE is like a perfect blend of Marvel’s Avengers and the [Lord of the Rings’] Battle for Helms Deep. Only, better… Myke Cole is a fantastic new talent, and if each of his novels improves on the last, it won’t be long before we see him climbing ever-higher on the bestseller list. Highly recommended.’ — Civilian Reader

Zeno represents Myke Cole in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.