Tag: Fantasy

New Slovak Edition of RIVERS OF LONDON!

Posted on Friday, October 8th, 2021

Ten years after it was first published, Ben Aaronovitch‘s RIVERS OF LONDON continues its global conquest! A new Slovak edition of the novel is now available, published by Slovart as RIEKY LONDYNA. The first novel in the author’s Peter Grant series, here’s the synopsis…

Jedna z najúspešnejších mestských fantasy za posledných desať rokov! Keď sa Peter Grant zamestnal u londýnskych strážcov zákona, netušil, že na britskej polícií existuje akési zvláštne oddelenie mágie a nadprirodzených javov. Po nečakanom stretnutí s duchom sa však stane prvým učňom inšpektora Nightingala, jediného predstaviteľa tohto zvláštneho útvaru. A ešte ako zelenáč musí nielenže riešiť dva zdanlivo nesúvisiace zločiny a zistiť, čo robí z obyčajných ľudí krutých zabijakov, ale okrem toho aj sprostredkovať mier medzi dvoma bohmi rieky Temže, ktorí sú na vojnovej nohe.

RIVERS OF LONDON is published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey (as MIDNIGHT RIOT), and widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

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 series has grown to include eight novels, three novellas, a short story collection, and nine comic series (to date).

MONDAY, MONDAY #4 is Out Now!

Posted on Wednesday, October 6th, 2021

A werewolf is on the loose in London and will stop at nothing to avoid capture!

The fourth issue in Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel‘s latest Rivers of London comics series, MONDAY, MONDAY is out today! Available with three covers — by Abigail Jill Harding (above), Vv Glass, and David Buisian (below) — it is published by Titan Comics.

Titan Comics has published all of the Rivers of London comics to date.

The Rivers of London comics are set in the same world as Ben’s internationally-bestselling, acclaimed Peter Grant / Rivers of London series of novels and novellas — published in the UK by Gollancz; in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas); it is also published widely in translation.

Lavie Tidhar’s THE ESCAPEMENT Out Tomorrow!

Posted on Monday, October 4th, 2021

Lavie Tidhar‘s latest novel, THE ESCAPEMENT is available everywhere from tomorrow! Published last week in North America, fans in Europe can now get their hands on the author’s latest adventure. Published by Tachyon Publications, here’s the synopsis…

In this dazzling new novel evoking Westerns, surrealism, epic fantasy, mythology, and circus extravaganzas, World Fantasy Award winner Lavie Tidhar (Central Station) has created an incomparable dreamscape of dark comedy, heartbreak, hope, and adventure. Chronicling a lone man’s quest in parallel worlds, The Escapement offers the archetypal darkness of Stephen King’s The Gunslinger within the dark whimsy of a child’s imagination.

Into the Escapement rides the Stranger, a lone gunman on a quest to rescue his son in a strange parallel reality. But it is easy to lose one’s way on an endlessly shifting, unpredictable landscape. Especially in a place full of dangerous mirror-images of a child’s beloved things: lawless heroes, giants made of stone, downtrodden clowns, spectacular symbol storms, and an endless war between gods and shadowy beings.

As the Stranger has learned, the Escapement is a dreamscape of deep mysteries, unlikely allies, and unwinnable battles. Yet the flower the he seeks still lies beyond the Mountains of Darkness. Time is running out as the Stranger journeys deeper into the secret heart of an unimaginable world.

In his most compelling work to date, Lavie Tidhar has delivered a multicolored tapestry of dazzling imagery. The Escapement is an epic, wildly original chronicle of the extraordinary lengths to which one will go for love.

Want to give the book a try before you buy? Check out this excerpt, over on Tor.com.

Tachyon Publications has also published Lavie’s award winning novels CENTRAL STATION, UNHOLY LAND, and THE VIOLENT CENTURY.

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

A delightfully cacophonous novel, teeming with character… Tidhar’s latest offering transports readers to a liminal otherworld of spaghetti Western pastiche… The author draws from an eclectic mix of sources to create a dazzling story that is more than the sum of its parts, and much of the fun of reading it comes from recognizing its homages.’ — Kirkus

‘[F]uriously inventive and wildly eclectic… Among the most visual and even cinematic of Tidhar’s novels… it’s also, in the end, a surprisingly touching reminder of how such quests can begin in heartache.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘Dazzling… Those who enter THE ESCAPEMENT should strap themselves in for horrors and wonders galore. Filled with contorted fairy tales, myths, and familiar stories, Lavie Tidhar’s latest novel is both a fantastical diversion and a moving articulation of deep parental love.’ — Foreword

‘To say THE ESCAPEMENT is unique sells it way short. It’s part weird western and part quest; half dream and half epic adventure tale set in a memorable Daliesque landscape. Tidhar lets his imagination run wild in this vivid book, all told in spare, beautiful prose. Also, there are clowns. Lots of clowns.’ — Richard Kadrey, bestselling author of the Sandman Slim series

‘THE ESCAPEMENT is absorbing, bizarre, haunting, and compelling. Lavie Tidhar continues to shatter the boundaries of literary and genre fiction with a novel that is equal parts horrifying dreamscape and an affecting meditation on parental love. There are a lot of books out there, but this is an experience.’ — David Liss, author of The Peculiarities

‘The Man With No Name travels through an impossibly alien world peopled by brutalized clowns, superhuman bounty hunters, and titanic monsters indifferent to human suffering—although being a Lavie Tidhar book, there’s a step beyond the main story that I’ll avoid revealing. A blurb from me being at worst harmless, I will comment for the record that ‘Tidhar’s brand of surreal pulp continues to be one of the few truly distinctive voices in genre fiction.’ — Daniel Polansky

‘Can we just all admit now that Lavie Tidhar’s a genius? He’s written another brilliant book-a beautiful fever dream that somehow manages to be laugh-out-loud funny, psychedelically weird, and deeply moving.’ — Daryl Gregory

‘With THE ESCAPEMENT, Lavie Tidhar fearlessly crests the wave of the New New Weird with a wild, decadent hybrid of The Dark Tower and Carnivale. A vivid beach read, if the beach was made of greasepaint and gunpowder.’ — Catherynne M. Valente

In further great news, there’s not long to wait for Lavie’s next novel: THE HOOD is due to be published by Head of Zeus next week (October 13th)! The second novel in the author’s Anti-Matter of Britain Quartet (‘a viscerally entertaining, ominously subversive and poetically profane remixing of the myths and legends that shaped our nation’), here’s the synopsis…

God bless you, England, on this glorious Year of Our Lord, 1145.

Don’t cross the Templars. Everybody knows that. But Will Scarlett, back from the crusades, hopped up on khat and cider, did. Stabbed thrice in the belly but somehow still alive, he’s heading home to Nottingham.

And things are not right in Nottingham.

It’s the wood, you see. Sherwood. Ice-age ancient, impenetrable, hiding a dark and secret heart. As the ancient sages say, If you go into the woods today, you may not come out tomorrow, and the person who comes out may not be you…

The Hood is Lavie Tidhar’s narcotic remix of an ancient English myth, a tale knotted from legends lost to time, shredded and restitched for each passing century. A tale for today.

New Spanish Paperback Editions of MOON OVER SOHO & THE HANDING TREE Out Next Month!

Posted on Friday, October 1st, 2021

Next month, Oz Editorial are due to publish new, paperback editions of MOON OVER SOHO and THE HANDING TREE! The second and sixth novels in Ben Aaronovitch‘s Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, they are published in Spanish as LA LUNA SOBRE EL SOHO and EL ARBOL DEL AHORCADO. Here’s the synopsis for the former…

Vuelve Peter Grant, el detective más mágico de Scotland Yard.

Cyrus Wilkins, bajista de jazz por las noches y contable de día, sufre un ataque al corazón durante una actuación en el Club 606 del Soho. Cuando el detective de Scotland Yard y aprendiz de mago Peter Grant examina su cadáver, no puede evitar fijarse en la canción que emerge del cuerpo de la víctima… un claro indicio de que una fuerza sobrenatural acabó con su vida. Con la ayuda de su padre, el famoso trompetista Lord Grant; el inspector Nightingale, el último mago de Inglaterra; y la hermosa y misteriosa aficionada al jazz Simone Fitzwilliam, Peter tratará de acabar con una magia muy poderosa que amenaza la vida en el célebre y pintoresco barrio del Soho.

Oz Editorial has published the first six novels in the series in Spain.

The Rivers of London novels and novellas are published in the UK by Gollancz; the books are published in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas).

Here’s the English-language synopsis for MOON OVER SOHO…

I was my dad’s vinyl-wallah: I changed his records while he lounged around drinking tea, and that’s how I know my Argo from my Tempo. And it’s why, when Dr Walid called me to the morgue to listen to a corpse, I recognised the tune it was playing. Something violently supernatural had happened to the victim, strong enough to leave its imprint like a wax cylinder recording. Cyrus Wilkinson, part-time jazz saxophonist and full-time accountant, had apparently dropped dead of a heart attack just after finishing a gig in a Soho jazz club. He wasn’t the first.

No one was going to let me exhume corpses to see if they were playing my tune, so it was back to old-fashioned legwork, starting in Soho, the heart of the scene. I didn’t trust the lovely Simone, Cyrus’ ex-lover, professional jazz kitten and as inviting as a Rubens’ portrait, but I needed her help: there were monsters stalking Soho, creatures feeding off that special gift that separates the great musician from someone who can raise a decent tune. What they take is beauty. What they leave behind is sickness, failure and broken lives.

And as I hunted them, my investigation got tangled up in another story: a brilliant trumpet player, Richard ‘Lord’ Grant – my father – who managed to destroy his own career, twice. That’s the thing about policing: most of the time you’re doing it to maintain public order. Occasionally you’re doing it for justice. And maybe once in a career, you’re doing it for revenge.

The series has also been published widely in translation, and has been an international best-seller.

International Spotlight: Ian Tregillis’s MILKWEED TRIPTYCH

Posted on Friday, September 24th, 2021

Today, we wanted to shine a spotlight on Ian Tregillis‘s highly-acclaimed debut trilogy, the Milkweed Triptych: BITTER SEEDS, THE COLDEST WAR, and NECESSARY EVIL.

The series was first published by Tor Books in North America, and Orbit Books in the UK. Here’s the English-language synopsis for the first novel…

The year is 1939. Raybould Marsh and other members of British Intelligence have gathered to watch a damaged reel of film in a darkened room. It appears to show German troops walking through walls, bursting into flames and hurling tanks into the air from afar.

If the British are to believe their eyes, a twisted Nazi scientist has been endowing German troops with unnatural, unstoppable powers. And Raybould will be forced to resort to dark methods to hold the impending invasion at bay.

But dealing with the occult exacts a price. And that price must be paid in blood.

The complete trilogy is published in Spain, by Debolsillo, as Tríptico de Asclepia: SEMILLAS AMARGAS, LA GUERRA MÁS FRÍA, and UN MAL NECESARIO…

… and in Latvia by Prometejs, as the Asinszāles triptihs: RŪGTĀS SĒKLAS, VISAUKSTĀKAIS KARŠ, and NEPIECIEŠAMAIS ĻAUNUMS…

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

‘Debut novelist Tregillis breathes new life into alternate military history with this fun take on WWII… exciting and intense, and the clash of magic and (mad) science meshes perfectly with the tumultuous setting.’ — Publishers Weekly on BITTER SEEDS

‘BITTER SEEDS is a book of questions and is far deeper than you might expect… Aside from the depth of characters and meanings, this book is filled with the kinds of exciting, intelligent and intense scenes that you’ll find in only the best page turners… another huge point regarding BITTER SEEDS and that is that it is just written so damned beautifully. The prose really is some of the most accessible yet academic that I have read in a while. Tregillis writes with authority while displaying a firm understanding of the subtler things that make us human… Whether you are looking for a cool alternate history that questions the core of humanity or just a damned brilliant story with twisted powers and great action, you should check this out and be wowed. It’s one hell of a ride.’ — Fantasy Faction

‘Tregillis has journeyed into that most overtilled field, World War II alternate history, and in the process he has created a unique, unsettling, and deeply atmospheric setting; populated it with a diversity of grimly fascinating characters; and turned up the heat with the sort of plot that requires those characters to keep shoveling frantically if they are ever to stay in advance of the needs of the firebox… These are the book’s strengths – its atmosphere, its setting, the vividly imagined consequences of immoral and desperate actions… All in all, this is an excellent first book, and I am eagerly awaiting number two.’ — Tor.Com (Elizabeth Bear) on BITTER SEEDS

‘Independently intelligible sequel to the dark fantasy BITTER SEEDS, something like a cross between the devious, character-driven spy fiction of early John le Carré and the mad science fantasy of the X-Men… Despite the jaw-dropping backdrop and oblique plotting, the narrative is driven by character and personal circumstance, the only possible drawback being certain important developments that annoyingly take place offstage. Grim indeed, yet eloquent and utterly compelling.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review, “Best of 2012”) on THE COLDEST WAR

‘The engrossing second book in Tregillis’s Milkweed Triptych… Tregillis ably mixes cold war paranoia with his mythology, also nicely expanding characters (particularly Gretel)… The monstrous, extra-dimensional Eidolons add a genuinely convincing menace that transcends the more banal evil motivations of the political game players, although Gretel’s more complicated motivations really drive the action. A few nice twists keep things interesting, and the cliffhanger ending sets up the concluding volume quite well…’ — Publishers Weekly on THE COLDEST WAR

‘With all the flair he showed in his debut novel, Tregillis continues the tale, bringing to it that same marvellous plotting, immersive sense of place, and above all, wonderful characters. One of the characters introduced in the first novel is a precognitive, and in this volume – which revolves around her long plots – we are shown that the power to see the future is the most corrupting power of them all. Tregillis’s oracle is one of the most chilling psychopath villains of literature, a delicious monster who drives the book forward. As with the earlier volume, I tore through this one in a day and a half. Tregillis is a major new talent in the field, and this is some of the best – and most exciting – alternate history I’ve read. Bravo.’ — BoingBoing on THE COLDEST WAR

‘THE COLDEST WAR builds brilliantly on BITTER SEEDS – it’s darker, tighter, and utterly engrossing. Easily a contender for best novel of 2012… just as action-packed, and the pacing is absolutely superb… if you enjoyed BITTER SEEDS, then I have no doubt that you’ll love THE COLDEST WAR just as much, if not more. Tregillis’s prose is tight, fluid and a pleasure to read. The story is superbly crafted, and the narrative and action will pull readers through. I was hooked from the first page… This novel is superb. I can’t recommend this highly enough. A must-read for 2012.’ — Civilian Reader

‘Tregillis’ conclusion of the Milkweed Triptych is the pièce de résistance of the series… a perfect marriage of science fiction, fantasy and alternate history. His narrative flows seamlessly, and his plot is fantastically convincing. Tregillis’ characters astound, the villains as well as the heroes, especially honorable, tormented yet heroic Raybould.’ — RT Book Reviews on NECESSARY EVIL

‘The historic backdrop of World War Two is intricately detailed, and captures the British wartime spirit well. A suitably epic end to the magnificent Milkweed Triptych (aka trilogy!), this draws you in and keeps you glued to the page until the very end.’ — British Fantasy Society on NECESSARY EVIL

‘Darkly fascinating… A thoroughly satisfying conclusion to an imaginative tour de force.’ — Kirkus on NECESSARY EVIL

‘With NECESSARY EVIL… Ian Tregillis triumphantly concludes his astonishing, brilliant, pulse-pounding debut trilogy, The Milkweed Triptych… This is a book that veers precipitously from unexpected and chilling ruminations on the inherent evil of precognition; to the questions of loyalty and betrayal so thorny that they need a time-travel loop to really be explored; to spy-thriller action sequences that will keep you up under the covers with a flashlight, turning pages and unable to sleep. This is a remarkable set of books, and with all three in hand, would make a fabulous spring read.’ — BoingBoing

Ian’s latest trilogy is the Alchemy Wars, which is also published by Orbit Books in the UK and in North America: THE MECHANICAL, THE RISING, and THE LIBERATION. (The series is also available in Italy, Poland, and China.)

Check Out the Covers for MONDAY, MONDAY #4!

Posted on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

Today, we have the three covers for Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel‘s MONDAY, MONDAY #4! The three covers are by Abigail Jill Harding (above), Vv Glass, and David Buisian (below). Due to be published by Titan Comics on October 6th, here’s the synopsis for this issue:

A werewolf is on the loose in London and will stop at nothing to avoid capture!

Titan Comics has published all of the Rivers of London comics to date.

The Rivers of London comics are set in the same world as Ben’s internationally-bestselling, acclaimed Peter Grant / Rivers of London series of novels and novellas — published in the UK by Gollancz; in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas); it is also published widely in translation.

WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER Out Now in UK Paperback!

Posted on Thursday, September 16th, 2021

The paperback edition of Ben Aaronovitch‘s acclaimed novella WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER is out now in the UK! Published by Gollancz, it is set in the author’s best-selling Rivers of London world, and is the first to star Abigail Kamara. Here’s the synopsis…

Ghost hunter, fox whisperer, troublemaker.

It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake.

While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns, Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged, the teens return home – unharmed but vague about where they’ve been.

Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real, and a posse of talking foxes that think they’re spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly – why?

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

‘Aaronovitch’s trademark humor is the highlight of his ninth Rivers of London urban fantasy (after FALSE VALUE). Here, he focuses on London teenager Abigail Kamara, a supporting character in previous books who’s occasionally assisted apprentice wizard Peter Grant, a member of a supernatural branch of the Metropolitan Police… Kamara is an endearing protagonist who is more than capable of carrying future books. Series fans are sure to enjoy this.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER focuses of Abigail Kamara, Peter’s precocious teenage cousin who has caught the scent of magic and wants to know more, despite all the dangers. Abigail is intelligent, curious and very much the trouble-maker… Aaronovitch quickly finds a voice for Abigail; she’s smart and nerdy, brave and wise enough to stay alive, but really not very cautious. One of the novella’s gags come in form of various footnotes explaining her youthful turn of phrase, which is actually quite handy for the older reader. Oh, and it has the most charming map of Hampstead Heath we’ve seen in a long while, and it’s almost worth it just for that. This is a nice change of style and pace for fans of the series and a great introduction for those looking for a fun fantasy read.’ — Starburst (5* Review!)

‘Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London uni­verse keeps sending new rivulets in unex­pected directions… Abigail is smart and curi­ous, a wonderful combination but one that also puts her in peril… Not only does Aaronovitch’s writing bring Abigail fully to life, it also builds a story that is worthy of her and delivers potent insights about being a teenage girl, which is doubly remarkable because it’s not a perspective you often see out­side YA fiction…’ — Locus

‘I doubt I really need to recommend WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER to people who have read other parts of the series, but for those that have not, it is a great place to start, with an entertaining mix of humour, suspense, and a perfectly crafted world.’ — Independent

‘Tremendous fun from start to finish’ — Grimdark Magazine

‘A total joy to read – there are moments of darkness, especially in Abigail’s backstory, but it had me laughing out loud throughout’ — Track of Words

Lavie Tidhar’s THE HOOD is out in One Month!

Posted on Tuesday, September 14th, 2021

THE HOOD, the second novel in Lavie Tidhar‘s Anti-Matter of Britain Quartet (‘a viscerally entertaining, ominously subversive and poetically profane remixing of the myths and legends that shaped our nation’), is out next month! Due to be published by Head of Zeus on October 14th, here’s the synopsis…

God bless you, England, on this glorious Year of Our Lord, 1145.

Don’t cross the Templars. Everybody knows that. But Will Scarlett, back from the crusades, hopped up on khat and cider, did. Stabbed thrice in the belly but somehow still alive, he’s heading home to Nottingham.

And things are not right in Nottingham.

It’s the wood, you see. Sherwood. Ice-age ancient, impenetrable, hiding a dark and secret heart. As the ancient sages say, If you go into the woods today, you may not come out tomorrow, and the person who comes out may not be you…

The Hood is Lavie Tidhar’s narcotic remix of an ancient English myth, a tale knotted from legends lost to time, shredded and restitched for each passing century. A tale for today.

The first novel in the series, BY FORCE ALONE, is out now — published by Head of Zeus in the UK and Tor Books in North America.

New Russian Edition of Roger Zelazny’s THE COURTS OF CHAOS Out Now!

Posted on Monday, September 13th, 2021

There’s a new Russian edition of Roger Zelazny‘s THE COURTS OF CHAOS! The fifth novel in the classic, beloved Chronicles of Amber series, it has been translated by Pchelintsev Mikhail Alekseevich. It’s published in Russia by Эксмо as Владения Хаоса. Here’s the synopsis…

Амбер вновь на краю гибели! Хаос наступает, и кажется, некому его остановить… Пускай король Оберон снова заполучил свой великий артефакт, Камень Правосудия, даже ему будет нелегко восстановить Лабиринт Амбера, а в случае его неудачи весь их мир погибнет. Перед мятежным принцем Корвином встает последний, нелегкий выбор… Заключительная книга Пятикнижия Корвина культового цикла “Хроники Амбера”!

Амбер вновь на краю гибели! Хаос наступает, и, кажется, некому его остановить… Пускай король Оберон снова заполучил свой великий артефакт, Камень Правосудия, даже ему будет нелегко восстановить Лабиринт Амбера, а в случае его неудачи весь их мир погибнет. Перед мятежным принцем Корвином встает последний, нелегкий выбор… Заключительная книга «Пятикнижия Корвина» культового цикла «Хроники Амбера»! Переиздание классического фэнтези в удобном формате и стильном оформлении! Заключительный роман культового цикла «Хроники Амбера» от признанного мастера американской фантастики Роджера Желязны, лауреата главных жанровых премий («Хьюго», «Небьюла» и др.). Продолжение приключений девяти принцев в борьбе за престол Амбера.

Эксмо has published all ten of the Chronicles of Amber novels, and the first four are also available in the Эксклюзивная фантастика (Exclusive Fantasy) series.

THE COURTS OF CHAOS was first published in 1978, and was nominated for the Locus Award for Best SF Novel. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Amber, the one real world of which all others — including our own Earth — are but Shadows…

For untold millennia, the cosmic Pattern sustained order in Amber and all the known worlds. But now the forces of Chaos have succeeded in disrupting the Pattern, unleashing destructive forces beyond measure… forces meant to reshape the universe.

To save Amber, Corwin, prince of the blood, champion of the perfect realm, must undertake the most perilous journey of his life. A journey that will take him through all the terrors of Shadows to the enemy’s last stonghold. A journey beyond the very edge of existence… to the Courts of Chaos.

Zeno represents Roger Zelazny on behalf of the Zelazny Estate.

Lavie Tidhar’s THE ESCAPEMENT is Out in One Month!

Posted on Tuesday, September 7th, 2021

The wait is nearly over! Lavie Tidhar ‘dazzling new novel’, THE ESCAPEMENT is out in one month! Published by Tachyon Publications on October 5th, it’s a novel that evokes ‘Westerns, surrealism, epic fantasy, mythology, and circus extravaganzas’. Here’s the synopsis…

Into the Escapement rides the Stranger, a lone gunman on a quest to rescue his son in a strange parallel reality. But it is easy to lose one’s way on an endlessly shifting, unpredictable landscape. Especially in a place full of bizarre mirror-images of beloved things: lawless heroes, giants made of stone, subjugated clowns, symbol storms, and an endless war between gods and more shadowy forces.

As the Stranger has learned, the Escapement is a dreamscape of deep mysteries, unlikely allies, and unwinnable battles. Yet the flower the he seeks still lies beyond the Mountains of Darkness. Time is running out as The Stranger journeys deeper into the secret heart of an unimaginable world.

In his most compelling work to date, Lavie Tidhar has delivered a multicolored tapestry of dazzling imagery. The Escapement is an epic, wildly original chronicle of the extraordinary lengths to which one will go for love.

Here are just a few of the reviews THE ESCAPEMENT has received in advance of publication…

‘The Man With No Name travels through an impossibly alien world peopled by brutalized clowns, superhuman bounty hunters, and titanic monsters indifferent to human suffering—although being a Lavie Tidhar book, there’s a step beyond the main story that I’ll avoid revealing. A blurb from me being at worst harmless, I will comment for the record that ‘Tidhar’s brand of surreal pulp continues to be one of the few truly distinctive voices in genre fiction.’ — Daniel Polansky

A delightfully cacophonous novel, teeming with character… Tidhar’s latest offering transports readers to a liminal otherworld of spaghetti Western pastiche… The author draws from an eclectic mix of sources to create a dazzling story that is more than the sum of its parts, and much of the fun of reading it comes from recognizing its homages.’ — Kirkus

‘[F]uriously inventive and wildly eclectic… Among the most visual and even cinematic of Tidhar’s novels… it’s also, in the end, a surprisingly touching reminder of how such quests can begin in heartache.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘Dazzling… Those who enter THE ESCAPEMENT should strap themselves in for horrors and wonders galore. Filled with contorted fairy tales, myths, and familiar stories, Lavie Tidhar’s latest novel is both a fantastical diversion and a moving articulation of deep parental love.’ — Foreword

‘… if THE ESCAPEMENT is any guide, Tidhar is a spellbinding stylist with a spell-casting imagination. Part fantasy, part sci-fi, part surreal mainstream, this novel plonks the reader into a vast, surreal landscape, the Escapement, in which clowns and stone monsters and cowboys and classic fictional characters coexist in a shifting tableau. The Stranger is our hero, a warrior searching for mythical flowers, even as in another universe he sits at his sick boy’s side in a hospital. None of this should work but all of it does, the author managing to evoke sadness, awe, and even humor. I could only compare my reading to old Philip K. Dick married to Samuel R. Delaney. THE ESCAPEMENT is a captivating triumph of imagination.’ — Read, Listen, Watch (9/10)

Tachyon Publications has also published Lavie’s award-winning CENTRAL STATION, UNHOLY LAND, and THE VIOLENT CENTURY.

If you’re looking for more THE ESCAPEMENT content, Lavie has also made a game based on the book’s world and events. You can find more information here.

One more thing: Lavie is one of the cover interviews in the latest issue of Locus Magazine!

Lavie Tidhar’s THE ESCAPEMENT is out in Two Weeks!

Posted on Friday, August 27th, 2021

In just two weeks (September 7th), Tachyon Publications are due to publish the latest novel by Lavie Tidhar: THE ESCAPEMENT! A ‘dazzling new novel’ that evokes ‘Westerns, surrealism, epic fantasy, mythology, and circus extravaganzas’, here’s the synopsis…

Into the Escapement rides the Stranger, a lone gunman on a quest to rescue his son in a strange parallel reality. But it is easy to lose one’s way on an endlessly shifting, unpredictable landscape. Especially in a place full of bizarre mirror-images of beloved things: lawless heroes, giants made of stone, subjugated clowns, symbol storms, and an endless war between gods and more shadowy forces.

As the Stranger has learned, the Escapement is a dreamscape of deep mysteries, unlikely allies, and unwinnable battles. Yet the flower the he seeks still lies beyond the Mountains of Darkness. Time is running out as The Stranger journeys deeper into the secret heart of an unimaginable world.

In his most compelling work to date, Lavie Tidhar has delivered a multicolored tapestry of dazzling imagery. The Escapement is an epic, wildly original chronicle of the extraordinary lengths to which one will go for love.

THE ESCAPEMENT has been generating some great reviews, in advance of publication…

‘The Man With No Name travels through an impossibly alien world peopled by brutalized clowns, superhuman bounty hunters, and titanic monsters indifferent to human suffering—although being a Lavie Tidhar book, there’s a step beyond the main story that I’ll avoid revealing. A blurb from me being at worst harmless, I will comment for the record that ‘Tidhar’s brand of surreal pulp continues to be one of the few truly distinctive voices in genre fiction.’ — Daniel Polansky

A delightfully cacophonous novel, teeming with character… Tidhar’s latest offering transports readers to a liminal otherworld of spaghetti Western pastiche… The author draws from an eclectic mix of sources to create a dazzling story that is more than the sum of its parts, and much of the fun of reading it comes from recognizing its homages.’ — Kirkus

‘[F]uriously inventive and wildly eclectic… Among the most visual and even cinematic of Tidhar’s novels… it’s also, in the end, a surprisingly touching reminder of how such quests can begin in heartache.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘Dazzling… Those who enter THE ESCAPEMENT should strap themselves in for horrors and wonders galore. Filled with contorted fairy tales, myths, and familiar stories, Lavie Tidhar’s latest novel is both a fantastical diversion and a moving articulation of deep parental love.’ — Foreword

‘… if THE ESCAPEMENT is any guide, Tidhar is a spellbinding stylist with a spell-casting imagination. Part fantasy, part sci-fi, part surreal mainstream, this novel plonks the reader into a vast, surreal landscape, the Escapement, in which clowns and stone monsters and cowboys and classic fictional characters coexist in a shifting tableau. The Stranger is our hero, a warrior searching for mythical flowers, even as in another universe he sits at his sick boy’s side in a hospital. None of this should work but all of it does, the author managing to evoke sadness, awe, and even humor. I could only compare my reading to old Philip K. Dick married to Samuel R. Delaney. THE ESCAPEMENT is a captivating triumph of imagination.’ — Read, Listen, Watch (9/10)

Tachyon Publications has also published Lavie’s award-winning CENTRAL STATION, UNHOLY LAND, and THE VIOLENT CENTURY.

ICYMI: J. T. Greathouse Interview

Posted on Thursday, August 26th, 2021

Today, we wanted to share a recent FanFiAddict interview with J. T. Greathouse, whose debut novel THE HAND OF THE SUN KING was published earlier this month in the UK, by Gollancz. It’s the first novel in the Pact & Pattern series, and has received some fantastic reviews. Here’s the synopsis…

My name is Wen Alder. My name is Foolish Cur.

All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: that of my father, whose roots trace back to the right hand of the Emperor. That of my mother’s family, who reject the oppressive Empire and embrace the resistance.

I can choose between them – between protecting my family, or protecting my people – or I can search out a better path… a magical path, filled with secrets, unbound by empire or resistance, which could shake my world to its very foundation.

But my search for freedom will entangle me in a war between the gods themselves…

Here are just a few of the great reviews THE HAND OF THE SUN KING has received so far…

‘HAND OF THE SUN KING is an exotic, original fantasy filled with magic and culture, the story of a character torn between two names, two loyalties, and two definitions of good and evil.’ — Kevin J. Anderson

‘Sublime prose and pin-sharp characterisation combined to produce a captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition’ — Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author

‘Hands down the best debut of the year. Scratch that; this is one of the best debuts I’ve ever read’ — Novel Notions

‘THE HAND OF THE SUN KING fundamentally explores the right to make our own choices in life, to make sacrifices to serve the greater good and to use power to uplift the oppressed. Greathouse delivers a debut full of complexities, passion and grace, and I’m already longing for more.’ — Fantasy Hive

‘An excellent mix of classic and modern fantasy with a grimdark undertone of despair.’ — Grimdark Magazine

‘Add in a very cool magic system with weighty consequences, a cast of meaningful, well-developed characters, and a lush world that carefully considers its lore, economic struggles, and religious history, it’s easy for me to call THE HAND OF THE SUN KING one of my top reads of 2021.’ (10/10) — Fantasy Book Review

‘JT Greathouse shows no first-time jitters wit his impressive and compelling debut novel… Greathouse casts an engrossing spell, establishing himself as an exciting new voice in epic fantasy.’ — SFX Magazine

Zeno represents J. T. Greathouse in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

ICYMI: Nick Martell Interview

Posted on Wednesday, August 18th, 2021

Today, we wanted to share with you a recent interviews with Nick Martell, in case you missed it. Nick was interviewed by Middle Fantasy to mark the release of the second novel in his epic, acclaimed Legacy of the Mercenary Kings fantasy series. The first two books — THE KINGDOM OF LIARS and THE TWO-FACED QUEEN — are out now, published by Gollancz in the UK. Here’s the synopsis for the first book, in case it had escaped your notice…

Michael was branded a traitor and his family exiled from courtly life after his father, David Kingman, murdered the king’s nine-year-old son.

Now he survives by conning, cheating and duelling minor royals in a weak attempt to strike back at the world that abandoned him and his family, sure all the while that his father must be innocent… and aware that some powerful secret lurks in the hot white emptiness of his mind.

So when the opportunity arrives to return to court, via the most dangerous of the King’s royal council, Michael takes it, hoping for clues to unlock his hidden past. Instead, he’s going to find a royal family spiralling into a self-serving dictatorship, as beyond the walls gun-wielding rebels clash against magically trained militia.

But if he can find his way to the truth, he could completely reverse the injustices which rule the Hollows… if Michael and his family can survive long enough to see it…

The third book, THE VOYAGE OF THE FORGOTTEN, is due to be published in May 2022.

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

‘An excellent fantasy debut, with engaging worldbuilding and a good mix between action and character. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, and look forward to following Nick’s sure-to-be lengthy writing career.’ — Brandon Sanderson on THE KINGDOM OF LIARS

‘A symphony of loyalty, greed, family, and betrayal set in an innovative culture!’ — Tamora Pierce on THE KINGDOM OF LIARS

‘… impressive and highly ambitious epic fantasy debut… Martell’s portrayal of his protagonist’s growth, from a cocksure chancer to a mature adult sobered by his discoveries, is just as impressive as the twisty plot.’ — Guardian

‘THE KINGDOM OF LIARS is a tale of family, loyalty and leaving a legacy that none shall forget. This is certainly a book that you won’t be able to put down, and will linger with you long after you’ve read the last page.’ — Fantasy Hive

‘Martell’s taut, clever debut tells of rebellion and regicide in a world where the use of magic comes at the cost of one’s memories… Though the abundance of characters becomes overwhelming at times, their political maneuvers and varied motivations form a satisfying web. This smart, briskly told high fantasy entertains all the way until the unexpected end.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE KINGDOM OF LIARS

‘Simply put, this series is a masterclass in grand-scale storytelling. The future of epic fantasy is here—and this saga is it.’ — Kirkus on THE TWO-FACED QUEEN

‘In an ominous start to THE TWO-FACED QUEEN, Michael Kingman is presumed guilty of murdering the king, and is only alive because the Orbis Mercenary company claimed him as one of their own at the conclusion of The Kingdom of Liars (2020). Michael has information but is desperately seeking evidence regarding Prince Davey’s death a decade earlier to prove his family’s innocence. He’s also reconnecting with his mother after her stay in an asylum, and is dealing with recovered memories he had lost to a dark fabrication, learning how his nullification fabrications work. There are complications, though: the sudden appearance of his grandfather with a band of refugees; the return of a serial killer whom Michael’s mentor, Dark, had defeated years before; a hired assassin with an unclear target; and a Recorder who is convinced that the Kingman family’s history of protecting Hollow and the royal family is overstated. As Michael’s own knowledge expands, Martell weaves in hints about the broader world, offering the possibility of future books in this inventive fantasy setting.’ — Booklist

‘THE TWO-FACED QUEEN delivers everything an awesome sequel should, far surpassing the first while expanding on the world in surprising and often gut-wrenching ways. Make sure it’s on your radars!’ — Jeremy Szal

‘For readers who love the intrigue and widening scope of epic fantasy like Sanderson’s Mistborn and Week’s The Black Prism, this is your next must-read fantasy series.’ — Broken Binding on THE TWO-FACED QUEEN

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

Out Now: The 10th Anniversary Edition of Ben Aaronovitch’s RIVERS OF LONDON!

Posted on Thursday, August 12th, 2021

Today, the 10th anniversary special edition of Ben Aaronovitch‘s RIVERS OF LONDON is out in the UK! Published by Gollancz, and the first in novel to feature Peter Grant, this new hardcover edition contains four new illustrations, a brand-new map, an illuminating introduction from the author, and stunning illustrated endpapers.

Here’s the synopsis…

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…

Since its publication in 2011, Rivers of London has grown into an international phenomenon. Embark on your journey to a magical London with this special edition, the perfect escape from the real world to a place you’ll never forget.

Gollancz has published all of the novels and novellas in the series in the UK. The series has been published widely in translation, and has been a bestseller in multiple countries.

Coming Soon: Josh Winning’s THE SHADOW GLASS!

Posted on Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

Last week, you may have caught the cover reveal for Josh Winning‘s upcoming debut novel, over on Gizmodo; but, just in case you missed it, we wanted to share the details with you all here. THE SHADOW GLASS is due to be published in March 2022 by Titan Books, and is pitched as a nostalgia-filled, ‘Dark Crystal meets About a Boy‘ adventure. Check out the synopsis…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within — and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

The stunning cover is by Julia Lloyd. We can’t wait for people to read this!