Next Week: Creating the RIVERS OF LONDON COMICS Online Event!


As part of next week’s LIBCON West @ Home, Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel are going to be taking part in an online event! ‘Peter Grant Goes Graphic: Creating the Rivers of London Comic Books’ will be hosted by Glendale Arizona Libraries, and does require registration. Here’s a quick description of the event…

Writing novels is largely a solitary enterprise, but creating a comic book can take an entire team. Author Ben Aaronovitch collaborates with a co-author, an illustrator, and a colorist to spin off his internationally bestselling “Rivers of London” urban fantasy series into a successful run of comic books, all with original storylines. How does this team of talent work together? What are the secrets to adapting the adventures of apprentice wizard/Detective Constable Peter Grant from one format to another? Does the process ever — like Peter’s own experiments — result in some explosions? Bring your questions to a fascinating and funny live Zoom panel featuring acclaimed author Ben Aaronovitch, co-author Andrew Cartmel, illustrator Lee Sullivan, and colorist Paulina “Pau” Vassileva. Moderated by Chantelle Aimée Osman.

Ben and Andrew are the co-authors of the Rivers of London comic series, which are published in English by Titan Comics. Eight story arcs have been completed so far, each now available in a collection edition: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX, WATER WEED, ACTION AT A DISTANCE, and THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS. The series is currently in the process of being published in German (via Panini), and the first couple have also been published in Czech (via Argo).

The comic series is based on the world and characters of Ben’s internationally bestselling and acclaimed Peter Grant/Rivers of London series of novels and novellas.

ICYMI: Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel Introduce THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS!


Last week, Forbidden Planet hosted Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel to talk about the latest collected edition of their Rivers of London comic series, THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS!

Published by Titan Comics on December 15th, in print and digital, here’s the synopsis…

Detective Inspector Peter Grant is back in an all-new comic miniseries from author Ben Aaronovitch!

Trouble never lies far from the race track. When a flash car belonging to a young boy racer from England washes up in the Netherlands with a bagload of unusual cargo, it’s evident there is more than meets the eye happening at street races held in an Essex car park.

Enter Detective Inspector Peter Grant. Fresh from suspension, he takes to the track in his orange ‘asbo’ Ford Focus to try and infiltrate the big leagues. But Peter soon finds himself sucked back into an Otherworld — a real-life fairyland!

Titan has published all of the Rivers of London comics to date, in the UK and North America.

DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON: WASSERGRAS out now in Germany!


WATER WEED, the sixth Rivers of London comics collection, is now available in Germany! Written by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, the book is published by Panini as DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON: WASSERGRAS, here’s the synopsis…

Als zwei der weniger braven Flussgöttinnen, Chelsea und Olympia, beschließen, sich nebenbei ein paar Extra-Pfund zu verdienen, geraten Peter und Bev völlig unvermittelt in eine schmutzige Cannabis-Schmuggeloperation der sehr magischen Art, die von Londons neuer Königin des Verbrechens kontrolliert wird — der ebenso brutalen wie schönen Hoodette! Der kriminellverhexte Fall gerät schnell außer Kontrolle und selbst mit ihren vereinten Fähigkeiten kommen der Detektiv und die Göttin an die Grenzen ihrer Kräfte.

Panini has also published the first five series collected editions in Germany: AUTOWAHN (BODY WORK), DIE NACHTHEXE (NIGHT WITCH), SCHWARZSCHIMMEL (BLACK MOULD), DETEKTIVGESCHICTEN (DETECTIVE STORIES), and FUCHSGESCHREI (CRY FOX).

The comics are published in English by Titan Comics. Here’s the English-language synopsis for WATER WEED

Two rogue river goddesses tangle wizarding cop Peter Grant in a sordid drug-smuggling operation in a new story from Ben Aaronovitch, set in his best-selling Rivers of London novel series!

Spring Breakers meets Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on the banks of the Thames! Collects Rivers of London: Water Weed #1-4.

Wizarding cop Peter and river spirit Beverley are drawn into a sordid cannabis-smuggling operation, controlled by London’s new queenpin of crime – the brutal and beautiful Hoodette! Can they overcome corruption, or will they be fatally entangled in the weed?

The Rivers of London novels and novellas are published in Germany by DTV.

The series is published in the UK by Gollancz; in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas); and in a growing number of translated editions around the world.

Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel’s THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS out now!


Today, the collected edition of Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel‘s THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS arrives in book stores! (An early release edition was available, via Forbidden Planet, which included a signed print.) The eighth collection from the Rivers of London comic series, it’s published in the UK and North America by Titan Comics. Here’s the synopsis…

Detective Inspector Peter Grant is back in an all-new comic miniseries from author Ben Aaronovitch!

Trouble never lies far from the race track. When a flash car belonging to a young boy racer from England washes up in the Netherlands with a bagload of unusual cargo, it’s evident there is more than meets the eye happening at street races held in an Essex car park.

Enter Detective Inspector Peter Grant. Fresh from suspension, he takes to the track in his orange ‘asbo’ Ford Focus to try and infiltrate the big leagues. But Peter soon finds himself sucked back into an Otherworld — a real-life fairyland!

Titan Comics has published the first seven collections in the Rivers of London series, too: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX, WATER WEED, and ACTION AT A DISTANCE. Here are all of the covers together…

The comic series is based on characters and the world from Ben’s Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, published by Gollancz in the UK, Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas) in North America, and widely in translation around the world.

Andrew is also the author of the Vinyl Detective mystery series, published in the UK and North America by Titan Books.

Lavie Tidhar’s ADLER #5 Out Now!


The final issue in Lavie Tidhar‘s first comic series, ADLER is out today! Published by Titan Comics, in print and digital editions, here’s the synopsis…

THE FINAL BATTLE BEGINS!

Adler and her team of Victorian heroines face-off against AYESHA’S army of AMAZONS. From the World Fantasy Award-winning writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey (DC’s Men of War, TMNT) comes an all-new story written in the vein of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!

Lavie is also the award-winning and critically-acclaimed author of number of novels, including: BY FORCE ALONE, UNHOLY LAND, CENTRAL STATION, A MAN LIES DREAMING, THE VIOLENT CENTURY, OSAMA, and his first for young readers, CANDY. He’s also the author of a number of novellas and short stories.

THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS Signed Print Edition Out Now


In advance of its regular release (December 9th), the collected edition of Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel‘s THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS is available via Forbidden Planet with a signed mini-print!

Detective Inspector Peter Grant is back in an all-new comic miniseries from author Ben Aaronovitch!

Trouble never lies far from the race track. When a flash car belonging to a young boy racer from England washes up in the Netherlands with a bagload of unusual cargo, it’s evident there is more than meets the eye happening at street races held in an Essex car park.

Enter Detective Inspector Peter Grant. Fresh from suspension, he takes to the track in his orange ‘asbo’ Ford Focus to try and infiltrate the big leagues. But Peter soon finds himself sucked back into an Otherworld — a real-life fairyland!

The book is published by Titan Comics, who also publish the other Rivers of London comics: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX, WATER WEED, and ACTION AT A DISTANCE.

The comic series is based on characters and the world from Ben’s Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, published by Gollancz in the UK, Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas) in North America, and widely in translation around the world.

Andrew is also the author of the Vinyl Detective mystery series, published in the UK and North America by Titan Books.

Lavie Tidhar’s ADLER #4 Out Tomorrow in the UK and North America!


ADLER #4 by Lavie Tidhar is out tomorrow in the UK and North America! Published by Titan Comics in print and digital, the series is ramping up to its conclusion! Here’s the (rather brief) synopsis…

Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterious villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!

As with the first three issues, this one is available with three different covers. The cover above, by John Royle, as well as one by Paul McCaffrey and the Victorian Homage cover…

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

‘Some brilliant artwork… The writing in this comic is wonderful.’SciFi Pulse

‘At its core, Tidhar’s approach to ADLER reminds me of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but doing away with the boys’ club attitude and aiming to showcase what the girls of history & classic literature can do on their own… [artist Paul McCaffrey] does a great job in setting the mood of any given scene. Villains lurk in the shadows, street lights glow through the London fog, and there’s hardly a panel I can find on a second look-through that doesn’t have something going on in the background to keep the eye moving… If the goal of a creative team is to wrap up the first issue leaving readers hungry for more, I think we can call ADLER a win.’thePullBox.com

‘[The art is] engaging, entertaining and breathtaking, thanks to the stylings of McCaffrey, who’s artwork always sings the most when he’s coloring his own… [the story is] a delight to read and one that fans of Victoriana, steam punk, gothic literature and good comics will want to pick up.’Comicon.com

‘I truly loved ADLER #1… this comic has found a brilliant apex of something new and something familiar to reel in and keep readers interested.’ComicBookMovie.com

‘At its finest, ADLER #1 is a delightful penny-dreadful.’Comic Watch

‘The story is starting to pay off in really thrilling ways, especially if you’re a fan of big, pulpy adventure story high concepts. From the beginning of the series, writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey clearly sought to replicate that pulp adventure feel, and the book reads a bit like a Saturday matinee serial in that way, leaving every issue on the edge of something thrilling that’s waiting for you just behind the cover of the next installment. What makes Adler work, though, beyond that sense of recreating something we feel like we know, is the ambition of the piece, something that issue #3 showcases to great effect. There’s something massive at work behind the mash-up hook of this story, and the more you read the deeper into that sense of scale you get. It’s an addictive feeling, and it makes me want to know what happens next.’Syfy.com

If you’re looking for more by Lavie, then we also highly recommend his acclaimed latest novel, BY FORCE ALONE — out now, published by Head of Zeus in the UK and Tor Books in North America.

Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel’s FUCHSGESCHREI Out Now in Germany!


CRY FOX, the fifth Rivers of London comic story arc by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, is now available in Germany! Published by Panini as DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON: FUCHSGESCHREI, here’s the synopsis…

Die russische Mafia will Rache für ihren „Verrat“ an der (Nacht) Hexe Varvara üben. Dazu heuern sie zahlreiche Schurken der magischen Londoner Unterwelt an. Die ehemalige sowjetische Zauberin steht jedoch unter dem Schutz von Londons ganz eigenem Zauberer-Polizisten Peter Grant … Detective Peter Grant! Um die Aufmerksamkeit von Peter und seinen Kollegen in eine andere Richtung zu lenken, wird die Tochter eines prominenten russischen Oligarchen von Unbekannten entführt …

Panini has also published the first four comic collections in Germany: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD and DETECTIVE STORIES.

CRY FOX and the other acclaimed Rivers of London comics are published in English by Titan Comics — the series also includes WATER WEED, ACTION AT A DISTANCE, and THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS.

Here’s the English-language synopsis for CRY FOX

The bookstore smash-hit returns for a brand-new story, picking up the threads from the most recent bestselling Rivers of London novel, The Hanging Tree!

Vengeful Russian mobsters are looking to hire members of London’s own more-then-natural underworld to bring bloody retribution down on the witch Varvara. However, the ex-Soviet sorcerer is under the protective wing of London’s own wizarding cop, Peter Grant (now a proper detective and everything), and to get the attention of Grant and his colleagues, the daughter of a prominent Russian oligarch is kidnapped by parties unknown but possibly fox-like.

What makes it worse is that Peter is going to have to leave his beloved London and gasp go out into the countryside! And when there’s trees and fields and wildlife involved, things never end well…

The comic series is set in the same world as Ben’s Peter Grant/Rivers of London fiction series, which is published in Germany by DTV, in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-), and Subterranean Press (novellas).

Lavie Tidhar’s ADLER #4 is Out in Three Weeks!


The fourth issue of ADLER, Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed first comic series, is due to be published in three weeks (September 30th) by Titan Comics! The series was slightly delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but we’re very glad that the series is back to being published. With only one more issue after this, the game is well and truly afoot!

Here’s the (rather brief) synopsis…

Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterious villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!

As with the first three issues, this one is available with three different covers. The cover above, by John Royle, as well as one by Paul McCaffrey and the Victorian Homage cover…

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

‘Some brilliant artwork… The writing in this comic is wonderful.’SciFi Pulse

‘[The art is] engaging, entertaining and breathtaking, thanks to the stylings of McCaffrey, who’s artwork always sings the most when he’s coloring his own… [the story is] a delight to read and one that fans of Victoriana, steam punk, gothic literature and good comics will want to pick up.’Comicon.com

‘At its core, Tidhar’s approach to ADLER reminds me of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but doing away with the boys’ club attitude and aiming to showcase what the girls of history & classic literature can do on their own… [artist Paul McCaffrey] does a great job in setting the mood of any given scene. Villains lurk in the shadows, street lights glow through the London fog, and there’s hardly a panel I can find on a second look-through that doesn’t have something going on in the background to keep the eye moving… If the goal of a creative team is to wrap up the first issue leaving readers hungry for more, I think we can call ADLER a win.’thePullBox.com

‘At its finest, ADLER #1 is a delightful penny-dreadful.’Comic Watch

‘I truly loved ADLER #1… this comic has found a brilliant apex of something new and something familiar to reel in and keep readers interested.’ComicBookMovie.com

‘The story is starting to pay off in really thrilling ways, especially if you’re a fan of big, pulpy adventure story high concepts. From the beginning of the series, writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey clearly sought to replicate that pulp adventure feel, and the book reads a bit like a Saturday matinee serial in that way, leaving every issue on the edge of something thrilling that’s waiting for you just behind the cover of the next installment. What makes Adler work, though, beyond that sense of recreating something we feel like we know, is the ambition of the piece, something that issue #3 showcases to great effect. There’s something massive at work behind the mash-up hook of this story, and the more you read the deeper into that sense of scale you get. It’s an addictive feeling, and it makes me want to know what happens next.’Syfy.com

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

Next Month, Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel’s CRY FOX arrives in Germany!


Next month (September 22nd), Panini is due to publish the German translation of CRY FOX, the fifth Rivers of London comic collection! Written by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, the comics are set in the same universe as Ben’s internationally bestselling novels and novellas. The German edition was translated by . Here’s the synopsis…

Die russische Mafia will Rache für ihren „Verrat“ an der (Nacht) Hexe Varvara üben. Dazu heuern sie zahlreiche Schurken der magischen Londoner Unterwelt an. Die ehemalige sowjetische Zauberin steht jedoch unter dem Schutz von Londons ganz eigenem Zauberer-Polizisten Peter Grant … Detective Peter Grant! Um die Aufmerksamkeit von Peter und seinen Kollegen in eine andere Richtung zu lenken, wird die Tochter eines prominenten russischen Oligarchen von Unbekannten entführt …

The English-language edition of the collection is published by Titan Comics, who have published all eight collections to date (covers below). Here’s the English-language synopsis for CRY FOX

The bookstore smash-hit returns for a brand-new story, picking up the threads from the most recent bestselling Rivers of London novel, The Hanging Tree!

Vengeful Russian mobsters are looking to hire members of London’s own more-then-natural underworld to bring bloody retribution down on the witch Varvara. However, the ex-Soviet sorcerer is under the protective wing of London’s own wizarding cop, Peter Grant (now a proper detective and everything), and to get the attention of Grant and his colleagues, the daughter of a prominent Russian oligarch is kidnapped by parties unknown but possibly fox-like.

What makes it worse is that Peter is going to have to leave his beloved London and gasp go out into the countryside! And when there’s trees and fields and wildlife involved, things never end well…

The Rivers of London/Peter Grant novels and novellas are published in Germany by DTV; in the UK by Gollancz; in North America by Del Rey, DAW Books, and Subterranean Press; and also widely in translation. The latest novel is FALSE VALUE. The latest novel, THE OCTOBER MAN, features a new protagonist and is the first book set in Germany.

Lavie Tidhar’s ADLER #3 Out Tomorrow!


The third issue in Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed comic series ADLER is out tomorrow! Published by Titan Comics, here’s the synopsis…

From the World Fantasy Award-winning writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey (DC’s Men of War, TMNT) comes an all-new story written in the vein of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!

Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterous villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!

The issue is available with three covers. In addition the one above, you can also buy the comic with the following variant covers…

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

Two New Lavie Tidhar Releases in Two Weeks!


In two weeks, readers will be able to get their hands on two new titles by Lavie Tidhar!

First up, August 11th sees the delayed North American release of BY FORCE ALONE! Published by Tor Books, here’s the synopsis…

Everyone thinks they know the story of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table.

The fact is they don’t know sh*t.

Arthur? An over-promoted gangster.
Merlin? An eldritch parasite.
Excalibur? A shady deal with a watery arms dealer.
Britain? A clogged sewer that Rome abandoned just as soon as it could.

A savage and cutting epic fantasy, equally poetic and profane, By Force Alone is at once a timely political satire, a magical adventure, and a subversive masterwork.

Already available in the UK, published by Head of Zeus, the novel has received a number of great reviews already. Here are just a few of them…

BY FORCE ALONE does … bold things with genre, rewriting the King Arthur legend through a mash up of horror, fantasy, history and black comedy. The narrative voice is deadly serious but there’s a strong undercurrent of gleefulness to the profanity, violence and otherworldly magic that makes BY FORCE ALONE a whole lot of fun to dive into.’Spectator (Five Unmissable Summer Reads)

‘Uther is a chancer and a shagger… [Arthur] is ruthless in pursuit of power… His Lancelot… is a ninja warrior, his Guinevere a killer — the writer is clearly having fun… Tidhar never lands direct political punches… but the very tone and shape of the book are a reminder that we need to treat national myths with caution… this is a novel that demands your attention and proves that sometimes when a writer has the audacity to revisit stories that others would avoid for fear of over-familiarity, they can steal the power of the oldest tales.’SFX (4.5*/5)

‘Tidhar saturates this epic adventure with profanity, dark humor, sword-sharp twists, and unexpected moments of pathos. Readers who hold King Arthur dear to their hearts will be gratified by Tidhar’s attention to detail amidst the innovation. This dark, imaginative take on a classic is sure to impress.’Publishers Weekly

‘The novel is a bloody, bravura performance, which Tidhar pulls off with graphic imagery and modern vernacular… a salutary antidote to the more romantic glossings of recent modern fantasy.’ — Guardian

Tidhar’s previous work is filled to the brim with new and interesting takes on history and myth, and the results are always mesmerising. And of course, he’s taken something that’s been done way too many times and found a way to make it look new and interesting while still keeping its classic appeal… some truly staggering writing… if you’re looking for a new take on King Arthur and chums, then check this out.’ — Starburst

‘… Tidhar’s prose is anything but brutish. The word choice is what makes the train wreck so fascinating and fast-paced. Heavy but never slow, short sentences and snappy wit keep the book moving. A power fantasy that pushes both words to their limits, BY FORCE ALONE adds a sharp, obscene new take to the Arthurian genre.’ — Den of Geek

Following on August 12th, is the third issue of Lavie’s comic series, ADLER! Published by Titan Comics, with art by Paul McCaffrey, here are the covers and synopsis…

From the World Fantasy Award-winning writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey (DC’s Men of War, TMNT) comes an all-new story written in the vein of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!

Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterous villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!

*

Finally, we wanted to just remind everyone that the Lavie-curated World SF 3 StoryBundle is still available — but ends tomorrow! Featuring novels and novellas from Lavie, Aliette de Bodard, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and others! Some of the proceeds will also go to charity.

ADLER #3 and #4 unfortunately delayed…


Given the ongoing disruption resulting from the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, the next issues in Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed comic series ADLER have been delayed.

Titan Comics has pushed back the release of the third issue (pictured above) to August 12th; and the fourth issue (covers below) is now scheduled for September 16th.

Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterious villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!

The fifth issue is (tentatively) due to be published on October 14th. The first two issues are, of course, still available in print and digital.

If you still want a Tidhar-fix, then we highly recommend BY FORCE ALONE, his latest novel, which is out now in the UK published by Head of Zeus. (August in North America, via Tor Books.)

DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON: DETEKTIVGESCHICHTEN out now in Germany!


The fourth Rivers of London collection, DETECTIVE STORIES, is out now in Germany! Written by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, the book is published by Panini as DETEKTIVGESCHICHTEN. Here’s the synopsis…

Neue Fälle für Star-Ermittler Peter Grant!

Diesmal haben sich die Autoren Ben Aaronovitch und Andrew Cartmel in einer Reihe von Kurzgeschichten ihrem magisch begabten Polizisten Peter Grant, seiner Partnerin Sarah Guleed und ihren Mitarbeitern gewidmet. Eine Anthologie übernatürlicher Verbrechen auf den Straßen Londons, die direkt in die Kontinuität der „Die Flüsse von London“-Romane greifen.

Panini has also published the first three collections from the Rivers of London comic series: AUTOWAHN (BODY WORK), DIE NACHTHEXE (NIGHT WITCH) and SCHWARZSCHIMMEL (BLACK MOULD).

The series is published in English by Titan Comics. At present, the first seven story-arcs have been collected. Here’s the English-language synopsis for DETECTIVE STORIES

CSI meets Harry Potter in this fantastic new graphic novel from Ben Aaronovitch, writer of the best-selling Rivers of London supernatural police procedural crime novel series! An anthology series of stories featuring Police Constable Peter Grant, his partner, Sahra Guleed, and their associates, as they tackle supernatural crime on the streets of London! An all-new adventure for Ben Aaronvitch’s laconic, way-past-cool but slightly geeky trainee wizard and budding detective, Peter Grant! Tying directly into the Rivers of London continuity. Aaronovitch is joined by Doctor Who writer Andrew Cartmel for this gripping new series.