Travis Baldree’s BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST Wins an Audie!


We’re very happy to report that Travis Baldree has won an Audie award! Specifically, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, which is also read by the author, has won the award for Best Fantasy! Congratulations, Travis!

The internationally-best-selling prequel to the author’s LEGENDS & LATTES, the audiobook is published by Macmillan. Here’s the synopsis…

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.

Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.

Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.

What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

The print and eBook editions of the novel are published by Tor Books in North America and in the UK.

Out Now: New Audiobook edition of Roger Zelazny’s NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER


Today, W. F. Howes re-issues the audiobook edition of Roger Zelazny‘s acclaimed A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER! Read by Matt Godfrey, here’s the synopsis…

All is not what it seems…

In the murky London gloom, a knife-wielding gentleman named Jack prowls the midnight streets with his faithful watchdog Snuff – gathering together the grisly ingredients they will need for an ancient and unearthly rite. For soon after the death of the moon, black magic will summon the Elder Gods back into the world. And all manner of Players, both human and undead, are preparing to participate.

Some have come to open the gates. Some have come to slam them shut. And now the dread night approaches – so let the Game begin.

The novel is available in an ever-growing number of translated editions all over the world (check out Zelazny’s author page for details); it is available in the UK, published by Farrago Books.

Lavie Tidhar’s MAROR out now in New German Audio Edition!


Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed MAROR is out now in a new German audiobook edition! Published by Suhrkamp Verlag (who also publish the print and eBook editions in Germany), it was translated by Conny Lösch, and is read by Robert Moeck. Here’s the synopsis…

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

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

As we shared a few days ago, MAROR was selected as “Der beste Krimi des Jahres” by Deutschlandfunk Kultur.

The novel is published in the UK and North America by Apollo/Head of Zeus. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

How do you build a nation?

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

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

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

How do they all connect? Only Cohen knows.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Who can forget the savage, musical James Ellroy prose circa the L.A. Quartet books? Now we have a successor … Lavie Tidhar, a marvelous multi-genre author who never fails to delight, has now penned his noir opus. MAROR is a heady, nonstop brew of terror, violence, and mayhem, while also exuding swathes of coursing humanity.’ — Read Listen Watch

‘An unforgettably powerful saga … a sweeping portrayal of violence, corruption and chaos threaded through by veins of humanity… It is difficult to do justice to such a monumental work. So many aspects of MAROR attract superlatives but they fail to convey the range and breathtaking insight of this epic crime novel. A book for all lovers of great literature.’ — Queensland Reviewers Collective

‘This is crime writing in the tradition of Balzac and Dickens and a major achievement, full of sound, fury, drugs and blood… An earthquake of a book.’ — Crime Time

The BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST Audiobook is on Sale this week(end)!


Travis Baldree‘s second novel, the best-selling and acclaimed BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST is on sale this week in the UK! It is included in Libro.fm’s Shop Small audiobook sale that started yesterday, and continues until December 2nd. The novel is the prequel to the acclaimed, internationally best-selling, and Book-Tok sensation LEGENDS & LATTES. Here’s the synopsis…

First loves. Second-hand books. Epic adventures.

Viv’s career with the renowned mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned. Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk – so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it. What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a struggling bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted. Even though it may be exactly what she needs. Still, adventure isn’t far away. A suspicious traveller in grey, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

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

Set twenty years before the events of Legends & Lattes, Bookshops & Bonedust is a standalone cosy fantasy by BookTok sensation Travis Baldree about the power of good bookshops, great friends and the unexpected choices along the way.

Narrated by the author, the audiobook is published in the UK by Macmillan — the paperback and eBook editions are published by Tor Books.

TODAY WE CHOOSE FACES Audiobook Out Now!


Today, Tantor Media publishes a new audiobook edition of TODAY WE CHOOSE FACES — one of Roger Zelazny‘s classic science fiction novels. Read by Andrew J. Andersen, here’s the synopsis…

Organized crime magnate, Angelo Di Negri, is a man out of time and place. He’d been gunned down more than a century ago. But through the wonders of cryogenic storage his body had been preserved until such a time as his “family” had need of him and he could be safely revived. That time had arrived. But Angela discovered that not everything was as it seemed and that the fate of mankind would be determined by his success or by his failure.

Tantor has published ten of Zelazny’s other novels as audiobooks…

New Audiobook Edition of Roger Zelazny’s JACK OF SHADOWS Out Now!


Today, Tantor Media publishes the new audiobook edition of JACK OF SHADOWS by Roger Zelazny! It’s the latest in a slew of new audiobook editions from Roger Zelazny’s extensive, acclaimed backlist. (With more on the way!) JACK OF SHADOWS includes an introduction by Joe Haldeman, and is read by Eric Jason Martin. Here’s the synopsis…

In a world half of light, half of darkness, where science and magic strive for dominance, there dwells a magical being who is friendly with neither side. Jack, of the realm of shadows, is a thief who is unjustly punished. So he embarks on a vendetta. He wanders through strange realms, encountering witches, vampires, and, finally, his worst enemy: the Lord of Bats. He consults his friend Morningstar, a great dark angel. He is pursued by a monstrous creature called the Borshin. But to reveal any more would be to spoil some of the mind-boggling surprises Jack of Shadows has in store.

First published in 1971and long out-of-print, Jack of Shadows is one of fantasy master Roger Zelazny’s most profound and mysterious books.

Andrew Cartmel’s ASHRAM ASSASSIN Audiobook Edition Out Tomorrow!


The (slightly delayed) audiobook edition of Andrew Cartmel‘s ASHRAM ASSASSIN, the second Paperback Sleuth novel, is out tomorrow! The ‘sublimely pitched’ (Kirkus) novel is published by W. F. Howes; the audiobook is read by Olivia Dowd. Here’s the synopsis…

Humorous cozy-crime caper in which a feisty, amoral book dealer uses her unique skills to catch a murderer, desperate to hide the secrets kept by the yoga-obsessed staff and students of a West London ashram.

When a set of rare, impossible-to-find yoga books are stolen from a West London ashram, its leaders turn to Cordelia, the paperback sleuth, to recover them — a set-up that’s a little awkward as they’ve previously barred her from yoga classes for selling marijuana to their students. But what begins as a hunt for missing paperbacks soon becomes a murder investigation as those involved with the ashram can’t seem to stop dropping down dead — murdered with a whisky bottle to the head or a poisoned curry. Can Cordelia work out who the killer is and bring them to justice before they bring an end to her sleuthing for good.

DEATH IN FINE CONDITION (book 1 in the series) and ASHRAM ASSASSIN are also published by Titan Books in print and eBook.

Publishers Weekly had the following to say about DEATH IN FINE CONDITION, in their starred review…

‘Cartmel (the Vinyl Detective mysteries) has never been better than in this darkly funny series kickoff centered on London bookseller Cordelia Stanmer, a former addict who has fallen in love with vintage paperbacks and has no scruples about how she’ll feed her growing collection… Cordelia is a memorable, devilish antihero, and Cartmel’s delightfully dexterous plotting bodes well for a sequel. Fans of Lynne Truss’s Constable Twitten novels will find much to love.’

Titan also publishes Andrew’s widely-acclaimed Vinyl Detective novels — the first seven of which are out now: WRITTEN IN DEAD WAX, THE RUN-OUT GROOVE, VICTORY DISC, FLIP BACK, LOW ACTION, ATTACK AND DECAY, and NOISE FLOOR.

Roger Zelazny’s DOORWAYS IN THE SAND Out Tomorrow in a New Audiobook edition!


DOORWAYS IN THE SAND by Roger Zelazny is out tomorrow in a new audiobook edition! Published by Tantor Media, and read by Andrew J. Anderson, here’s the synopsis…

Can You Hear Me Fred?

Fred Cassidy leads an idyllic life. As long as he remains a full time college student without a degree, he is provided a very generous stipend from his uncle’s estate.

But after thirteen years of happy undergrad existence everything is about to change.

Cassidy’s home is broken into and ransacked. When he enters he is assaulted by a former professor wanting to know where the alien artifact known as the star stone is. Cassidy manages to escape, only to discover that he is also being pursued by hired criminals, Anglophile zealots, government agents, and aliens.

Cassidy has no idea where the star stone is but he realizes that unless he finds it, one of these factions will eventually catch up to him and most likely kill him.

Doorways in the Sand is fast paced, humorous, and has the most lyrical prose of any of Zelazny’s novels. It’s simply a joy to listen to, and was nominated for both a Hugo and Nebula Award for best novel.

DOORWAYS IN THE SAND is also available in print and eBook in the UK, published by Farrago.

Out Now: Elizabeth Helen’s Beasts of the Briar New Editions!


Today, Magpie/Harper Voyager publish four new editions from Elizabeth Helen‘s Beasts of the Briar romantasy series! The first three novels — BONDED BY THORNS, WOVEN BY GOLD, and FORGED BY MALICE — are now available in hardcover editions (previously, they were only available in the UK as eBooks). Here’s the synopsis for the first book…

🥀 A Beauty and the Beast Fantasy Romance Retelling 🥀

Four handsome fae princes. One awkward bookworm. An Enchanted Vale. A beastly curse to break.

Rosalina O’Connell lives her life in Orca Cove as quietly as she can. Known as the daughter of Crazy George she tries to keep her head down. But George isn’t crazy, he’s searching for his wife who disappeared, and is convinced she was stolen by fae.

When George goes missing, Rosie goes after him and finds herself in a new world, the Enchanted Vale, the world of the fae and her father has been imprisoned in Castletree by the Winter Prince. Rosie has no choice but to make a deal to take her father’s place, meaning she must remain in Castletree forever.

As Rosie begins to learn more about the Enchanted Vale and the four Princes, she shares a castle with, she discovers that they have been cursed. The Princes must take on the form of demonic wolves every night and with every year that the curse continues, more of their magic, and the magic of Castletree, fades away.

If the Princes can each find their mate, they will break their curse and free their realm. Rosie is determined to help the Princes find their mates so that she can return home. The only problem is, the more time she spends with the Princes, the more she’s convinced that she’s the one they’re all meant to be with.

A spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling filled with enchanted fae, morally grey characters, a stupidly hot villain and a Princess who has found her Prince Charming. All four of them.

In addition, the third novel is now available as an audiobook, also published by Magpie (the first two novels are also available as audiobooks). The novel is narrated by Laurent Darnell, Josie Gold, Hunter Johns, Todd Roddington, Sally Roma, and Robin Speare. Here’s the synopsis…

Since Rosalina O’Connell journeyed to the Enchanted Vale, she has discovered many things about herself. Most importantly, she is the fated mate of Prince Keldarion and Prince Farron and she is half fae. Meaning her missing mother, wasn’t stolen by fae, she is fae.

In her new fae form Rosalina attempts to discover the magic hidden inside while keeping Castletree standing as the Princes are forced to return to their realms due to the aftermath of the attack on Autumn.

When Goblins attack Castletree and try to steal the sword of the Sworn Protector with Spring steel, Rosalina and the Princes must go to Spring to solve this deadly mystery. But Spring has been closed off from all contact for many months and trouble is brewing.

Rosalina and the Princes must help Prince Ezryn reclaim his realm and break his curse before his brother, Prince Kairyn brings the realm to ruin. But Ezryn has many secrets and a traumatic past to face before he can become the true High Ruler of Spring.

Will Rosalina and the Princes be able help Ezryn save the Spring Realm? Could Rosalina be the key to breaking Ez’s curse despite already being mated to Farron and Keldarion?

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

Two Weeks: New Beasts of the Briar Editions!


In two weeks, Magpie/Harper Voyager publish four new editions from Elizabeth Helen‘s Beasts of the Briar romantasy series! Only July 18th, the first three novels — BONDED BY THORNS, WOVEN BY GOLD, and FORGED BY MALICE — will be available in hardcover editions (previously, they were only available in the UK as eBooks). Here’s the synopsis for the first book…

🥀 A Beauty and the Beast Fantasy Romance Retelling 🥀

Four handsome fae princes. One awkward bookworm. An Enchanted Vale. A beastly curse to break.

Rosalina O’Connell lives her life in Orca Cove as quietly as she can. Known as the daughter of Crazy George she tries to keep her head down. But George isn’t crazy, he’s searching for his wife who disappeared, and is convinced she was stolen by fae.

When George goes missing, Rosie goes after him and finds herself in a new world, the Enchanted Vale, the world of the fae and her father has been imprisoned in Castletree by the Winter Prince. Rosie has no choice but to make a deal to take her father’s place, meaning she must remain in Castletree forever.

As Rosie begins to learn more about the Enchanted Vale and the four Princes, she shares a castle with, she discovers that they have been cursed. The Princes must take on the form of demonic wolves every night and with every year that the curse continues, more of their magic, and the magic of Castletree, fades away.

If the Princes can each find their mate, they will break their curse and free their realm. Rosie is determined to help the Princes find their mates so that she can return home. The only problem is, the more time she spends with the Princes, the more she’s convinced that she’s the one they’re all meant to be with.

A spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling filled with enchanted fae, morally grey characters, a stupidly hot villain and a Princess who has found her Prince Charming. All four of them.

In addition, the third novel will also be available as an audiobook on July 18th, also published by Magpie (the first two novels are out now in audiobook editions). The novel is narrated by Laurent Darnell, Josie Gold, Hunter Johns, Todd Roddington, Sally Roma, and Robin Speare. Here’s the synopsis…

Since Rosalina O’Connell journeyed to the Enchanted Vale, she has discovered many things about herself. Most importantly, she is the fated mate of Prince Keldarion and Prince Farron and she is half fae. Meaning her missing mother, wasn’t stolen by fae, she is fae.

In her new fae form Rosalina attempts to discover the magic hidden inside while keeping Castletree standing as the Princes are forced to return to their realms due to the aftermath of the attack on Autumn.

When Goblins attack Castletree and try to steal the sword of the Sworn Protector with Spring steel, Rosalina and the Princes must go to Spring to solve this deadly mystery. But Spring has been closed off from all contact for many months and trouble is brewing.

Rosalina and the Princes must help Prince Ezryn reclaim his realm and break his curse before his brother, Prince Kairyn brings the realm to ruin. But Ezryn has many secrets and a traumatic past to face before he can become the true High Ruler of Spring.

Will Rosalina and the Princes be able help Ezryn save the Spring Realm? Could Rosalina be the key to breaking Ez’s curse despite already being mated to Farron and Keldarion?

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

Elizabeth Helen’s BONDED BY THORNS Audiobook out tomorrow in the UK!


The UK audiobook edition of Elizabeth Helen‘s BONDED BY THORNS is out tomorrow! To be published by Magpie, it’s the first novel in the authors’ Beasts of the Briar series. The audiobook is narrated by Laurent Darnell, Todd Roddington, Hunter Johns, Robin Speare, and Josie Gold.

Here’s the synopsis…

Four handsome fae princes. One awkward bookworm. An Enchanted Vale. A beastly curse to break.

Rosalina O’Connell lives her life in Orca Cove as quietly as she can. Known as the daughter of Crazy George she tries to keep her head down. But George isn’t crazy, he’s searching for his wife who disappeared, and is convinced she was stolen by fae.

When George goes missing, Rosie goes after him and finds herself in a new world, the Enchanted Vale, the world of the fae and her father has been imprisoned in Castletree by the Winter Prince. Rosie has no choice but to make a deal to take her father’s place, meaning she must remain in Castletree forever.

As Rosie begins to learn more about the Enchanted Vale and the four Princes, she shares a castle with, she discovers that they have been cursed. The Princes must take on the form of demonic wolves every night and with every year that the curse continues, more of their magic, and the magic of Castletree, fades away.

If the Princes can each find their mate, they will break their curse and free their realm. Rosie is determined to help the Princes find their mates so that she can return home. The only problem is, the more time she spends with the Princes, the more she’s convinced that she’s the one they’re all meant to be with.

A spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling filled with enchanted fae, morally grey characters, a stupidly hot villain and a Princess who has found her Prince Charming. All four of them.

You can listen to a sample from the audiobook, below…

Elizabeth Helen’s Beasts of the Briar series is published in print and eBook editions in the UK by Magpie. The first three books are out now: BONDED BY THORNS, WOVEN BY GOLD, and FORGED BY MALICE.

The fourth book in the series, BROKEN BY DAYLIGHT, is due to be published in September 2024.

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

Travis Baldree’s LEGENDOJA JA LATTEJA out Tomorrow in Audiobook!


The Finnish audiobook edition of Travis Baldree‘s acclaimed, best-selling LEGENDS & LATTES is out tomorrow! It is published by Otava’s Karisto imprint, as LEGENDOJA JA LATTEJA, and was translated by Jade Haapasalo. The audiobook is narrated by Kati Tammensola. Here’s the synopsis…

Lämminhenkinen fantasia-bestseller on kuin halaus kansien välissä.

Barbaarielämän uuvuttama Viv päättää muuttaa elämänsä kertaheitolla. Legenda mystisestä taikaesineestä saa hänet tavoittelemaan liki mahdotonta haavetta: hän aikoo perustaa vilkkaaseen Thuneen kaupungin ensimmäisen kahvilan.

Uusi alku on kuitenkin huteralla pohjalla. Entisen elämän ryökäleet ja Thunen alamaailman hiipparit laittavat kapuloita rattaisiin — eikä kukaan tunnu edes tietävän, mitä kahvi on! Viv tarvitseekin uusia kumppaneita ja rautaisen luottamuksen suunnitelmansa onnistumiseen.

Muinainen magia, kuohkeat leivonnaiset ja kuumat kupposet — siinäkö on avain ystävyyteen tai kenties johonkin sitäkin syvempään?

The novel is published by Tor Books in the UK and North America, as well as a considerable, growing number of translated editions around the world. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

High fantasy, low stakes – with a double-shot of coffee.

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream – for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.

But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined…

In addition to landing on many Best Of lists, the novel received a great number of excellent reviews. Here are just a few of them…

‘This is a story about following your dreams, even when they take you away from who you thought you had to be. It’s sweet, beautiful and, most of all, kind. I hugely recommend this book.’ — Seanan McGuireNew York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

‘The most fun I’ve ever had in a coffee shop.’ — Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London

‘A gentle little cozy set against an epic fantasy backdrop… This charming outing will please anyone who’s ever wished to spend time in a fantasy world without all the quests and battles.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This slice-of-life cozy fantasy novel has everything you’ve been searching for.’ — Buzzfeed

‘With its mysterious encounters, summer flings and a growing number of skeletons, Baldree’s fantastical novel is the perfect winter indulgence.’ — HuffPost Books (“Best Books We Read in 2023)

‘An orc retires from adventuring to start a fantasy city’s very first coffee shop. This setup combined with the positive messages of defying societal stereotypes, letting go of violence to build peace, and trusting in your friends feels like a premise from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld… LEGENDS & LATTES is a novel, and shop, that will delight anyone who enjoys coffee-shop alternate universes, slow-burn romances, and the vindication of friendship.’ — Booklist, starred review

‘A stunningly-well done story at every level’ — Fantasy Faction

‘If you like fantasy but you’re tired of reading about wars and general intensity, this is the book for you… Cozy fantasy at its best.’ — Literary Hub

Travis’s second novel, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, is also out now — it is a prequel to LEGENDS & LATTES. It is also published by Tor Books in the UK and North America.

Finnish Edition of Travis Baldree’s LEGENDS & LATTES on the way!


A new, Finnish edition of Travis Baldree‘s acclaimed, best-selling LEGENDS & LATTES is on the way! It is due to be published on April 3rd by Otava, as LEGENDOJA JA LATTEJA, and was translated by Jade Haapasalo. Here’s the synopsis…

Lämminhenkinen fantasia-bestseller on kuin halaus kansien välissä.

Barbaarielämän uuvuttama Viv päättää muuttaa elämänsä kertaheitolla. Legenda mystisestä taikaesineestä saa hänet tavoittelemaan liki mahdotonta haavetta: hän aikoo perustaa vilkkaaseen Thuneen kaupungin ensimmäisen kahvilan.

Uusi alku on kuitenkin huteralla pohjalla. Entisen elämän ryökäleet ja Thunen alamaailman hiipparit laittavat kapuloita rattaisiin — eikä kukaan tunnu edes tietävän, mitä kahvi on! Viv tarvitseekin uusia kumppaneita ja rautaisen luottamuksen suunnitelmansa onnistumiseen.

Muinainen magia, kuohkeat leivonnaiset ja kuumat kupposet — siinäkö on avain ystävyyteen tai kenties johonkin sitäkin syvempään?

LEGENDOJA JA LATTEJA will be published in audiobook the following week (April 9th), as well — via Karisto — and narrated by Kati Tammensola.

The novel is published by Tor Books in the UK and North America, as well as a considerable, growing number of translated editions around the world. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

High fantasy, low stakes – with a double-shot of coffee.

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream – for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.

But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined…

In addition to landing on many Best Of lists, the novel received a great number of excellent reviews. Here are just a few of them…

‘This is a story about following your dreams, even when they take you away from who you thought you had to be. It’s sweet, beautiful and, most of all, kind. I hugely recommend this book.’ — Seanan McGuireNew York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

‘The most fun I’ve ever had in a coffee shop.’ — Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London

‘A gentle little cozy set against an epic fantasy backdrop… This charming outing will please anyone who’s ever wished to spend time in a fantasy world without all the quests and battles.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This slice-of-life cozy fantasy novel has everything you’ve been searching for.’ — Buzzfeed

‘With its mysterious encounters, summer flings and a growing number of skeletons, Baldree’s fantastical novel is the perfect winter indulgence.’ — HuffPost Books (“Best Books We Read in 2023)

‘An orc retires from adventuring to start a fantasy city’s very first coffee shop. This setup combined with the positive messages of defying societal stereotypes, letting go of violence to build peace, and trusting in your friends feels like a premise from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld… LEGENDS & LATTES is a novel, and shop, that will delight anyone who enjoys coffee-shop alternate universes, slow-burn romances, and the vindication of friendship.’ — Booklist, starred review

‘A stunningly-well done story at every level’ — Fantasy Faction

‘If you like fantasy but you’re tired of reading about wars and general intensity, this is the book for you… Cozy fantasy at its best.’ — Literary Hub

Travis’s second novel, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, is also out now — it is a prequel to LEGENDS & LATTES. It is also published by Tor Books in the UK and North America.

A FIRE BORN OF EXILE Audiobook Out Tomorrow in North America!


Tomorrow, Podium are due to publish the North American audiobook edition of Aliette de Bodard‘s latest acclaimed Xuya novel, A FIRE BORN OF EXILE! Narrated by Tuyen Do, here’s the synopsis…

The Scattered Pearls Belt is a string of habitats on the edge of a huge galactic empire—a glittering, decadent society rife with corruption.

Now, one of its victims—Quỳnh, a scholar betrayed and left for dead—has come back for her revenge under the guise of the glamorous and enigmatic Alchemist of Streams and Hills.

Quỳnh’s path intersects that of Minh—the daughter of one of her oldest enemies, who chafes at her own lack of freedom—and of Hoà, a near-destitute engineer who poses a threat to all Quỳnh’s careful plans. Quỳnh finds herself inexorably attracted to Hoà, even as her plans upend the fragile political equilibrium of the Belt.

Falling in love wasn’t part of Quỳnh’s plans. Will she be able to grasp this second chance at happiness, or will she cling to a revenge that may well consume her whole?

A poignant, heartwarming, romantic space opera about love, revenge, and the weight of the past.

Podium also publishes the audiobook of Aliette’s highly-acclaimed THE RED SCHOLAR’S WAKE, also set in the Xuya universe (narrated by Aoife Hinds).

A FIRE BORN OF EXILE is published in print and eBook by Gollancz (UK) and JABberwocky (North America). The UK audiobook editions are also published by Gollancz (same narrators).

A FIRE BORN OF EXILE was selected as a Tor.com Reviewers’ Choice: Best of 2023. Here are just a few of the reviews the novel has received so far…

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

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

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

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

‘As always, Aliette’s prose is impactful, and the relationships and emotional arcs of the characters are doubly so.’ — Lynne M. Thomas, co-editor of Uncanny Magazine

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER by Tim Powers Available Now in Two New Audiobook Editions


The CD and MP3 CD audiobook editions of MY BROTHER’S KEEPER, the latest novel from Tim Powers, are out now! Published by W. F. Howes, and narrated by Kristin Atherton. Here’s the synopsis…

THE TRUE STORY OF THE BRONTË SISTERS AS ONLY TIM POWERS COULD WRITE IT.

This is a ghost story. It is a story about werewolves, and things that go bump in the night. It is a story of an ill-fated land, the pathless moors of Northern England so well chronicled in Wuthering Heights. And it is the story of a real family whose destiny it is to deal with this darkly glamorous and dangerous world.

When young Emily Brontë helps a wounded man she finds at the foot of an ancient pagan shrine in the remote Yorkshire moors, her life becomes contentiously entwined with his. He is Alcuin Curzon, embittered member of a sect working to eradicate the resurgent plague of lycanthropy in Europe and northern England. But Emily’s father, curate of the Haworth village church, is responsible for having unwittingly brought a demonic werewolf god to Yorkshire forty years ago — and it is taking possession of Emily’s beloved but foolish and dissolute brother. Curzon must regard Emily’s family as a dire threat.

In spite of being at deadly odds, Emily and Curzon find themselves thrown together in fighting werewolves, confronting pagan gods, even saving each other from the lures of moorland demons. And in a final battle that sweeps from the haunted village of Haworth to a monstrous shrine far out on the moors, the two of them must be reluctant allies against an ancient power that seems likely to take their souls as well as their lives.

The print and eBook editions of the novel are out now, published in the UK by AdAstra/Head of Zeus. Here are just a few reviews the novel has received so far…

‘A masterly, compelling, and moving tale that places Tim Powers among the greatest fantasy writers of his or any generation. Countless novels have involved the Brontë family, but none would so surely please and enchant them as this one. MY BROTHER’S KEEPER is a pure delight.’ — Dean Koontz

‘Combines the Brontës, a mysterious cult, and werewolves… run, don’t walk, to your bookstore for this decadent Gothic bonbon.’ — Silvia Moreno-Garcia

‘[A]n impressive mash-up of literary biography and werewolf lore… Through all the supernatural drama, the shifting family dynamic remains the heart of the story and their domestic travails prove just as harrowing as any paranormal showdown. The result is a treat for Powers’s fans and Brontë lovers alike.’  Publishers Weekly

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER is at its strongest when deftly mixing real-world biography with the stuff of horror… an eerie period piece perfectly well-suited to darkening October nights.’  Wall Street Journal

‘… a joltingly good read… It’s all here: the wuthering wind, the vicarage, the three genius daughters and their useless brother… Powers brilliantly weaves through the hallowed family history a tale of ancient Irish curses, consumptive ghosts, fairylands and a werewolf cult that is blighting the North Country. It’s gruesome, gripping stuff as the fearless Emily, aided by her dog Pilot, forces her family to confront uncomfortable truths and lay a curse to rest.’ — Daily Mail (UK)

Zeno represents Tim Powers in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Russell Galen at the Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency.