Tag: Big Blind

Lavie Tidhar’s FOUR NOVELLAS Out Tomorrow!

Posted on Monday, February 5th, 2024

Lavie Tidhar‘s new collection, FOUR NOVELLAS, is out tomorrow! To be published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

A nun enters a poker tournament as she wrestles with her faith in God; a boy travels across a mysterious, cloud-covered planet in search of a mythical space port; in Nazi-occupied London a screenwriter searches for an old flame with deadly consequences; three wise men from the East travel to Judea to give a newborn baby an unexpected power.

Collected for the first time in one volume, this omnibus edition from World Fantasy Award winner Lavie Tidhar gathers four mind-bending novellas:

– THE BIG BLIND (2020)

– CLOUD PERMUTATIONS (2011)

– THE VANISHING KIND (2018)

– JESUS AND THE EIGHTFOLD PATH (2010)

The collection is available from all of the usual eBook distributors…

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novellas have received…

‘Tidhar has long taken a kind of perverse glee in his own unpredictability, sometimes blurring the line between pointed literary allusiveness and simple attention deficit…. So while the question of what Tidhar might come up with next is a perfectly reasonable one, I have to admit that the last thing I’d have expected is a sweet-natured tale that, with almost no changes, would work just fine as a 1950s Audrey Hepburn comedy about a young poker-playing Irish nun trying to save her convent from foreclosure… touching… the story unfolds like a Hollywood playbook… a feel-good ending.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe) on THE BIG BLIND

‘A really enjoyable book, different from anything I’d read by Tidhar before (but then, I think that every time I open one of his books). Recommended.’ — Blue Book Balloon on THE BIG BLIND

‘Lavie Tidhar is one of the most interesting new writers to enter the genre in some time, and his chapbook novella JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH is another major work by him, although even harder to pin down by genre than is his usual work. A vivid and gonzo reimagining of the life of Jesus, it’s less sacrilegious and more respectful than you would think a story whose working title was “Kung Fu Jesus” would be… Much of the gonzo humor, and much of the entertainment value, is carried by the Three Wise Men, here reimagined as former kings, wizards, and minor gods impressed into service by a superior supernatural force, and called Sandy, Monkey, and Pigsy; they get many of the best lines. There’s also a supporting role for the slippery Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius. Perhaps what this reminds me the most of is the movie Big Trouble in Little China, if the filmmakers had decided to tackle the Gospels as well as Chinese mythology. Although some of the more pious may be offended, most readers will probably find this hugely entertaining.’ — Gardner Dozios (LOCUS) on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

‘[B]egan life as an irreverent brain-nugget: the story of kung-fu Jesus. The final result is less cheeky than you might imagine, fusing classical Chinese novel Journey to the West with the life of Christ as recounted in the New Testament… a characteristic example of Tidhar’s writing and storytelling; it repurposes the mythic with a deft touch that retains some degree of familiarity yet introduces enough difference to produce a stark sense of contrast. It also has his characteristic lightness of tone juxtaposed with gravitas and respect for his subject matter. It’s rarely wildly funny but produces plenty of wry smiles. Readers who enjoy laughter lines will find this book does actually crease them up.’ — Nostalgia for Infinity on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

‘As well as being a fun book – and it is a playful read – it does contain a true sense of spirituality.’ — Geek Syndicate on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

Lavie’s latest full-length novel is ADAMA — out now, published by Head of Zeus/Bloomsbury.

New Lavie Tidhar Collection, FOUR NOVELLAS Out in Two Weeks!

Posted on Wednesday, January 24th, 2024

In two weeks (February 6th), JABberwocky are due to publish FOUR NOVELLAS — a new collection of Lavie Tidhar‘s shorter works! These four varied novellas are a great introduction to Tidhar’s work. Here’s the collection’s synopsis…

A nun enters a poker tournament as she wrestles with her faith in God; a boy travels across a mysterious, cloud-covered planet in search of a mythical space port; in Nazi-occupied London a screenwriter searches for an old flame with deadly consequences; three wise men from the East travel to Judea to give a newborn baby an unexpected power.

Collected for the first time in one volume, this omnibus edition from World Fantasy Award winner Lavie Tidhar gathers four mind-bending novellas:

– THE BIG BLIND

– CLOUD PERMUTATIONS

– THE VANISHING KIND

– JESUS AND THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

Here are just a few of the reviews the novellas have received…

‘Tidhar has long taken a kind of perverse glee in his own unpredictability, sometimes blurring the line between pointed literary allusiveness and simple attention deficit…. So while the question of what Tidhar might come up with next is a perfectly reasonable one, I have to admit that the last thing I’d have expected is a sweet-natured tale that, with almost no changes, would work just fine as a 1950s Audrey Hepburn comedy about a young poker-playing Irish nun trying to save her convent from foreclosure… touching… the story unfolds like a Hollywood playbook… a feel-good ending.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe) on THE BIG BLIND

‘A really enjoyable book, different from anything I’d read by Tidhar before (but then, I think that every time I open one of his books). Recommended.’ — Blue Book Balloon on THE BIG BLIND

‘Lavie Tidhar is one of the most interesting new writers to enter the genre in some time, and his chapbook novella JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH is another major work by him, although even harder to pin down by genre than is his usual work. A vivid and gonzo reimagining of the life of Jesus, it’s less sacrilegious and more respectful than you would think a story whose working title was “Kung Fu Jesus” would be… Much of the gonzo humor, and much of the entertainment value, is carried by the Three Wise Men, here reimagined as former kings, wizards, and minor gods impressed into service by a superior supernatural force, and called Sandy, Monkey, and Pigsy; they get many of the best lines. There’s also a supporting role for the slippery Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius. Perhaps what this reminds me the most of is the movie Big Trouble in Little China, if the filmmakers had decided to tackle the Gospels as well as Chinese mythology. Although some of the more pious may be offended, most readers will probably find this hugely entertaining.’ — Gardner Dozios (LOCUS) on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

‘[B]egan life as an irreverent brain-nugget: the story of kung-fu Jesus. The final result is less cheeky than you might imagine, fusing classical Chinese novel Journey to the West with the life of Christ as recounted in the New Testament… a characteristic example of Tidhar’s writing and storytelling; it repurposes the mythic with a deft touch that retains some degree of familiarity yet introduces enough difference to produce a stark sense of contrast. It also has his characteristic lightness of tone juxtaposed with gravitas and respect for his subject matter. It’s rarely wildly funny but produces plenty of wry smiles. Readers who enjoy laughter lines will find this book does actually crease them up.’ — Nostalgia for Infinity on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

‘As well as being a fun book – and it is a playful read – it does contain a true sense of spirituality.’ — Geek Syndicate on JESUS & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

Lavie’s latest full-length novel is ADAMA — out now, published by Head of Zeus/Bloomsbury.

New Lavie Tidhar StoryBundle Now Available!

Posted on Friday, June 10th, 2022

Continuing our rather Lavie Tidhar-themed week, there is a new StoryBundle available featuring up to 12 of the author’s books! Comprised of a collection of award-winning novels and novellas, available individually via Tachyon Publications and the JABberwocky eBook Program, here’s what Lavie had to say about the bundle…

The real streets of Central Station in Tel Aviv inspired the novel of that name. Living on the Mekong in Vientiane inspired much of the atmosphere of GOREL & THE POT-BELLIED GOD, and a fascination with the game of poker led to the writing of THE BIG BLIND.

The world of UNHOLY LAND was much informed by the years I spent in south and east Africa, just as my adopted home city of London was a fundamental character in THE VIOLENT CENTURY and THE VANISHING KIND.

But I cannot, in truth, claim ever to have lived in the Doinklands of THE ESCAPEMENT.

These are some of my favourite novels and novellas of the past decade or so. I wrote them variously in Laos, in Israel, in Vanuatu and in London. A key part of UNHOLY LAND was written in Korea, at the Toji Cultural Centre whose founder, the author Pak Kyongni, inspired in turn the writing of NEW ATLANTIS.

The bundle includes my earliest novella, AN OCCUPATION OF ANGELS, with a brand-new edition and a cover by artist Paul McCaffrey, who worked with me on the graphic novel Adler. It also includes an exclusive sampler of my latest work, the forthcoming SF novel NEOM, which was inspired by my visits to Egypt over the years, and my dreams of what lay on the other side of the Red Sea.

When you buy the bundle, you will also have a chance to donate a portion of the proceeds to The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees!

The novel NEOM is Lavie’s latest novel, which is due to be published by Tachyon Publications in November 2022 — the bundle includes an exclusive teaser as a bonus. Here’s the synopsis…

The city known as Neom is many things to many beings, human or otherwise. Neom is a tech wonderland for the rich and beautiful; an urban sprawl along the Red Sea; and a port of call between Earth and the stars.

In the desert, young orphan Saleh has joined a caravan, hoping to earn his passage off-world from Central Station. But the desert is full of mechanical artefacts, some unexplained and some unexploded. Recently, a wry, unnamed robot has unearthed one of the region’s biggest mysteries: the vestiges of a golden man.

In Neom, childhood affection is rekindling between loyal shurta-officer Nasir and hardworking flower-seller Mariam. But Nasu, a deadly terrorartist, has come to the city with missing memories and unfinished business.

Just one robot can change a city’s destiny with a single rose — especially when that robot is in search of lost love.

The Bundle is live/available for the rest of June.

Lavie Tidhar’s THE BIG BLIND Out Now in eBook!

Posted on Tuesday, April 6th, 2021

Lavie Tidhar‘s latest novella, THE BIG BLIND, is out now in a new eBook edition! Published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

The daughter of a legendary card player with skills of her own, Claire doesn’t want to go into the family business. She’s heard the call, and she desperately wants to become a nun. But when her convent comes under financial threat, Claire must leave what she loves to save what she loves — and enter an international poker tournament.

Both a poker novella and a meditation on faith, The Big Blind is a taut, heartfelt and compelling new book from multiple award winner Lavie Tidhar.

The eBook will be available from most major eBook retailers. Here are some links:

The novella was first published by PS Publishing as a limited edition.

‘Tidhar changes genres with every outing, but his astounding talents guarantee something new and compelling no matter the story he tells.’ —Library Journal

‘Lavie Tidhar is one of the great writers of my generation.’ — Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic

‘An utterly original voice in contemporary fiction.’ — Daniel Polansky, author of The Seventh Perfection

‘In a genre entirely of his own, and quite possibly a warped genius.’ — Ian McDonald, author of TIME WAS

‘Tidhar has long taken a kind of perverse glee in his own unpredictability, sometimes blurring the line between pointed literary allusiveness and simple attention deficit…. So while the question of what Tidhar might come up with next is a perfectly reasonable one, I have to admit that the last thing I’d have expected is a sweet-natured tale that, with almost no changes, would work just fine as a 1950s Audrey Hepburn comedy about a young poker-playing Irish nun trying to save her convent from foreclosure… touching… the story unfolds like a Hollywood playbook… a feel-good ending.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘A really enjoyable book, different from anything I’d read by Tidhar before (but then, I think that every time I open one of his books). Recommended.’ — Blue Book Balloon

Next Month: Lavie Tidhar’s THE BIG BLIND in eBook

Posted on Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

We’re very happy to announce that Lavie Tidhar‘s latest novella, THE BIG BLIND, is getting a wider release as an eBook next month! Due to be published by JABberwocky on April 6th, here’s the synopsis…

The daughter of a legendary card player with skills of her own, Claire doesn’t want to go into the family business. She’s heard the call, and she desperately wants to become a nun. But when her convent comes under financial threat, Claire must leave what she loves to save what she loves — and enter an international poker tournament.

Both a poker novella and a meditation on faith, The Big Blind is a taut, heartfelt and compelling new book from multiple award winner Lavie Tidhar.

The eBook will be available from most major eBook retailers. Here are some links:

The novella was first published by PS Publishing as a limited edition.

‘Tidhar changes genres with every outing, but his astounding talents guarantee something new and compelling no matter the story he tells.’ —Library Journal

‘Lavie Tidhar is one of the great writers of my generation.’ — Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic

‘An utterly original voice in contemporary fiction.’ — Daniel Polansky, author of The Seventh Perfection

‘In a genre entirely of his own, and quite possibly a warped genius.’ — Ian McDonald, author of TIME WAS

‘Tidhar has long taken a kind of perverse glee in his own unpredictability, sometimes blurring the line between pointed literary allusiveness and simple attention deficit…. So while the question of what Tidhar might come up with next is a perfectly reasonable one, I have to admit that the last thing I’d have expected is a sweet-natured tale that, with almost no changes, would work just fine as a 1950s Audrey Hepburn comedy about a young poker-playing Irish nun trying to save her convent from foreclosure… touching… the story unfolds like a Hollywood playbook… a feel-good ending.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘A really enjoyable book, different from anything I’d read by Tidhar before (but then, I think that every time I open one of his books). Recommended.’ — Blue Book Balloon

Out Now: THE BIG BLIND by Lavie Tidhar!

Posted on Friday, December 11th, 2020

Lavie Tidhar‘s latest novella, THE BIG BLIND is out now! Available in two editions — a regular edition (shipping now) and a more-limited signed edition (shipping very soon) — it’s published by PS Publishing. Here’s the synopsis…

The daughter of a legendary card player with skills of her own, Claire doesn’t want to go into the family business. She’s heard the call, and she desperately wants to become a nun. But when her convent comes under financial threat, Claire must leave what she loves to save what she loves – and enter an international poker tournament.

Both a poker novella and a meditation on faith, The Big Blind is a taut, heartfelt and compelling new book from multiple award winner Lavie Tidhar.

The book has already received a review from Gary K. Wolfe in the December 2021 issue of Locus Magazine, too…

‘Tidhar has long taken a kind of perverse glee in his own unpredictability, sometimes blurring the line between pointed literary allusiveness and simple attention deficit…. So while the question of what Tidhar might come up with next is a perfectly reasonable one, I have to admit that the last thing I’d have expected is a sweet-natured tale that, with almost no changes, would work just fine as a 1950s Audrey Hepburn comedy about a young poker-playing Irish nun trying to save her convent from foreclosure… touching… the story unfolds like a Hollywood playbook… a feel-good ending.’

Lavie’s latest novel, BY FORCE ALONE is out now, published by Head of Zeus in the UK and Tor Books in North America.

In rather cool news, someone pointed out via Twitter that Lavie is mentioned in Charlie Kaufman’s Antkind:

Lavie Tidhar’s THE BIG BLIND available for Pre-Order Now!

Posted on Thursday, October 8th, 2020

PS Publishing has announced that they will be publishing the latest novella by Lavie Tidhar: THE BIG BLIND! Available for pre-order now, and due out in November, here’s the synopsis…

The daughter of a legendary card player with skills of her own, Claire doesn’t want to go into the family business. She’s heard the call, and she desperately wants to become a nun. But when her convent comes under financial threat, Claire must leave what she loves to save what she loves – and enter an international poker tournament.

Both a poker novella and a meditation on faith, The Big Blind is a taut, heartfelt and compelling new book from multiple award winner Lavie Tidhar.

‘I had the idea for this book,’ Tidhar says, ‘which I jokingly refer to as Sister Act meets “rounders”—a while back, but it took time to write. I had the full outline of the story sitting around, and I needed a space to write it in, and ended up sneaking it in between two novels, purely for my own enjoyment. I love watching poker, but I am not a player. I ended up spending a couple of weeks playing online just to get into a certain rhythm, which helped. It turned into something that I really loved—entirely non-fantastical, which was a departure for me, written sparsely (I had Elmore Leonard in mind when I was writing, and a certain noir vibe, though this book is not at all noir), but with a heart. I hope it finds its readers.’

PS Publishing also published some limited editions for Lavie’s earlier books OSAMA, THE VIOLENT CENTURY, A MAN LIES DREAMING and UNHOLY LAND. (All of which have sold out, but are still available in other formats.)

The striking cover art for THE BIG BLIND is by Pedro Marques.