House of Shattered Wings - Zeno Agency Ltd.

A Very Good Week for Aliette de Bodard…!

Posted on Friday, July 22nd, 2022

Over the past few days, there has been rather a lot of excellent news for Aliette de Bodard! First, the Asia Society has named Aliette as one of their Asia 21 Young Leaders! From the press release…

The Class of 2022 features a diverse mix of leaders representing 26 different countries and includes journalists, human rights advocates, entrepreneurs, fiction writers, politicians, and more. Together, they will form an integral part of the Asia Society family as the newest cohort of its signature young leaders initiative, embody the organization’s mission to navigate shared futures, and actively contribute in taking the network to new heights.

“Drawing on their personal expertise and leveraging the collective power of the Asia 21 network, the class of 2022 will actively contribute in shaping a more peaceful, prosperous, and secure future for all,” said Asia Society President and CEO Kevin Rudd. “We are delighted to play our part in connecting individuals who share common values and desire to make this world a better place.”

In addition, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS has been picked as one of the Top 10 21st Century Fantasy Novels by the Guardian! The first novel in Aliette’s Dominion of the Fallen series, it won the BSFA Best Novel Award in 2016. It’s published by Gollancz in the UK, Roc Books in North America, and in a number of translated editions. Here’s the synopsis…

An epic murder mystery set on the crumbling streets of a Paris torn apart by a magical war…

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East. They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

The Dominion of the Fallen series also includes the novels THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS (Gollancz, Roc Books) and THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES (Gollancz, JABberwocky), and the spin-off Dragons & Blades novellas OF DRAGONS, FEASTS AND MURDERS and OF CHARMS, GHOSTS AND GRIEVANCES (both published by JABberwocky).

And last, but by no means least, Aliette has also been announced as an online speaker at Octocon, which will take place in Dublin between October 15th-16th. Head over to their website for full details of the convention and Aliette’s participation.

Some Client eBook Deals!

Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2020

Many of us may not be reading on our commutes anymore, but there is still plenty of time for reading! (We hope so, anyway!) We thought we should take this opportunity to highlight a handful of client eBooks that are currently on sale…

Aliette de Bodard‘s acclaimed and award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, the first novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, is currently a UK Kindle Monthly Deal. Here’s the synopsis…

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East.

They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

Aliette’s THE CITADEL OF WEEPING PEARLS is also an Early Bird Books deal, in North America, today only. Part of the author’s award-nominated and critically-acclaimed Xuya universe, it is published via JABberwocky. Here’s the synopsis…

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls was a great wonder; a perfect meld between cutting edge technology and esoteric sciences—its inhabitants capable of teleporting themselves anywhere, its weapons small and undetectable and deadly.

Thirty years ago, threatened by an invading fleet from the Dai Viet Empire, the Citadel disappeared and was never seen again.

But now the Dai Viet Empire itself is under siege, on the verge of a war against an enemy that turns their own mindships against them; and the Empress, who once gave the order to raze the Citadel, is in desperate needs of its weapons. Meanwhile, on a small isolated space station, an engineer obsessed with the past works on a machine that will send her thirty years back, to the height of the Citadel’s power.

But the Citadel’s disappearance still extends chains of grief and regrets all the way into the fraught atmosphere of the Imperial Court; and this casual summoning of the past might have world-shattering consequences…

Andrew Cartmel‘s third Vinyl Detective novel, VICTORY DISC, is also a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

When one of his cats accidentally discovers a rare Victory Disc, the Vinyl Detective and his girlfriend Nevada are whisked into the world of big band swing music, and a mystery that began during the Second World War.

Hired to track down the rest of the highly sought-after recordings of the Flare Path Orchestra, our hero will discover that the battles of the last world war aren’t over yet. And if all this sounds simple, it’s only because we haven’t mentioned drive-by shootings, murderous neo-Nazis, or that slight case of being buried alive…

Jack Campbell‘s TRIUMPHANT, the third novel in the author’s Genesis Fleet series, is currently a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. This novel, as well as a number of Campbell’s other books, are published in the UK by Titan Books. Here’s the synopsis…

A young fleet officer and a Marine must stand together to defend their neighbors and their colony in this thrilling finale to the powerful and action-packed Genesis Fleet saga from New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell.

The recently colonized world of Glenlyon has learned that they’re stronger when they stand with other star systems than they are on their own. But after helping their neighbor Kosatka against an invasion, Glenlyon has become a target. The aggressive star systems plan to neutralize Glenlyon before striking again.

An attack is launched against Glenlyon’s orbital facility with forces too powerful for fleet officer Rob Geary to counter using their sole remaining destroyer, Saber. Mele Darcy’s Marines must repel repeated assaults while their hacker tries to get into the enemy systems to give Saber a fighting chance.

To survive, Glenlyon needs more firepower, and the only source for that is their neighbor Kosatka or other star systems that have so far remained neutral. But Kosatka is still battling the remnants of the invasion forces on its own world, and if it sends its only remaining warship to help will be left undefended against another invasion. While Carmen Ochoa fights for the freedom of Kosatka, Lochan Nakamura must survive assassins as he tries to convince other worlds to join a seemingly hopeless struggle.

As star systems founded by people seeking freedom and autonomy, will Kosatka, Glenlyon and others be able to overcome deep suspicions of surrendering any authority to others? Will the free star systems stand together in a new Alliance, or fall alone?

For fans of classic fantasy, James P. Blaylock‘s THE DISAPPEARING DWARF is only $1.99 this month in the US and Canada, from major eBook retailers. The second novel in the author’s beloved Balumnia trilogy, it is published in eBook by JABberwocky — who also publish the first and third novels, THE ELFIN SHIP and THE STONE GIANT. Here’s the synopsis…

Jonathan Bing, Master Cheeser, has been growing a bit bored in Twombly Town. So it’s no surprise that when Professor Wurzle suggests a trip downriver, Jonathan jumps at the chance. A visit to the Evil Dwarf Selznak’s abandoned castle leads to a treasure hunt, but also to the discovery that Jonathan’s old friend the Squire has vanished, and that Selznak may be involved. Jonathan–accompanied by his wonderpooch Ahab, the Professor, and Miles the Magician–will have to set off to darkest Balumnia, to the city of Landsend, to find the treasure, and the Squire. And to make matters worse, Selznak will be there, too…

For non-fiction fans, John McHugo‘s A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE ARABS is also a Kindle Monthly Deal in the UK. Published by Saqi Books, here’s the synopsis…

The key to understanding the Arab world today is unlocking its past.

In this authoritative account, John McHugo takes the reader through the political, social and intellectual history of the Arabs from the Roman Empire right up to the present day. Going beyond the headlines, he describes in vivid detail a series of key turning points in Arab history – from the mission of the Prophet Muhammad and the expansion of Islam to the region’s interaction with Western ideas and the rise of Islamism.

Now fully updated to cover the tumultuous years since the Arab Spring, this lucidly told history reveals how the Arab world came to have its present form and illuminates the choices that lie ahead.

We hope you are all keeping well and safe, and are finding plenty of time to make progress on your TBR piles! Happy reading!

Aliette de Bodard’s THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS has been nominated for an ESFS Award!

Posted on Monday, July 16th, 2018

We’re delighted to report that Aliette de Bodard‘s THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS has been nominated for an ESFS Award for Best Work of Fiction! The winner of the award will be announced on Saturday July 21st, at Eurocon Nemo 2018.

The second novel in Aliette’s Dominion of the Fallen series, it’s published in the UK by Gollancz. Here’s the synopsis…

As the city rebuilds from the onslaught of sorcery that nearly destroyed it, the great Houses of Paris, ruled by fallen angels, still contest one another for control over the capital.

House Silverspires was once the most powerful, but just as it sought to rise again, an ancient evil brought it low. Phillippe, an immortal who escaped the carnage, has a singular goal — to resurrect someone he lost. But the cost of such magic might be more than he can bear.

In House Hawthorn, Madeleine the alchemist has had her addiction to angel essence savagely broken. Struggling to live on, she is forced on a perilous diplomatic mission to the underwater dragon kingdom — and finds herself in the midst of intrigues that have already caused one previous emissary to mysteriously disappear…

As the Houses seek a peace more devastating than war, those caught between new fears and old hatreds must find strength — or fall prey to a magic that seeks to bind all to its will.

The first novel in the series, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is also published by Gollancz in the UK.

THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS is also published in France by Pocket as L’ASCENSION DE LA MAISON AUBÉPINE…

The first novel in the series is also published in Germany by Knaur, as DAS HAUS DER GEBROCHENEN SCHWINGEN…

The two novels have also been published in Czech by Host, as ŘÁD ZLOMENÝCH KŘÍDEL and ŘÁD VĚČNÝCH TRNŮ…

Finally, for those outside of Europe, the series is also published in the US by Roc Books.

Aliette de Bodard’s THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS out now in France!

Posted on Thursday, January 11th, 2018

The second novel in Aliette de Bodard‘s critically-acclaimed, award-winning Dominion of the Fallen series is now available in France, published by Fleuve as L’ASCENSION DE LA MAISON AUBÉPINE.

The series is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Roc Books: THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS and THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS. Here’s the English-language synopsis for the second novel…

As the city rebuilds from the onslaught of sorcery that nearly destroyed it, the great Houses of Paris, ruled by fallen angels, still contest one another for control over the capital.

House Silverspires was once the most powerful, but just as it sought to rise again, an ancient evil brought it low. Phillippe, an immortal who escaped the carnage, has a singular goal – to resurrect someone he lost. But the cost of such magic might be more than he can bear.

In House Hawthorn, Madeleine the alchemist has had her addiction to angel essence savagely broken. Struggling to live on, she is forced on a perilous diplomatic mission to the underwater dragon kingdom – and finds herself in the midst of intrigues that have already caused one previous emissary to mysteriously disappear…

As the Houses seek a peace more devastating than war, those caught between new fears and old hatreds must find strength – or fall prey to a magic that seeks to bind all to its will.

The first novel in the series is also out today in paperback in France, published by Pocket: LA CHUTE DE LA MAISON AUX FLÈCHES D’ARGENT.

Aliette de Bodard nominated for Prix de l’Uchronie!

Posted on Monday, October 16th, 2017

THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS by Aliette de Bodard, the award-winning first novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, has been nominated for the Prix de l’Uchronie! Published in France by Fleuve as LA CHUTE DE LA MAISON AUX FLÈCHES D’ARGENT, here’s the synopsis…

Paris n’est que ruines et décombres depuis la Grande Guerre magique qui a opposé les Maisons régnant sur la capitale. Et celles-ci n’ont pas été épargnées : elles ne sont plus que l’ombre de leur splendeur d’antan. La Maison aux Flèches d’Argent fut la plus puissante parmi toutes. Mais sa position est précaire dans l’équilibre fragile qui s’est instauré. Et en son coeur, au sein de Notre-Dame, une malédiction terrible est dissimulée, prête à se déchaîner sur elle.

Son destin est désormais lié à celui d’un jeune homme aux mystérieux pouvoirs et d’une nouvelle Déchue.

La puissante magie de l’ange suffira-t-elle à les sauver de la chute?

The winner of the award will be announced at Rencontres de l’Imaginaire de Sèvres, on November 25th.

THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS and its sequel, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS are published in the UK by Gollancz and in the US by Roc Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Multi-award winning author Aliette de Bodard, brings her story of the War in Heaven to Paris, igniting the City of Light in a fantasy of divine power and deep conspiracy…

In the late twentieth century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins, the aftermath of a Great War between arcane powers. The Grand Magasins have been reduced to piles of debris, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine has turned black with ashes and rubble and the remnants of the spells that tore the city apart. But those that survived still retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

Once the most powerful and formidable, House Silverspires now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin. They may be Silverspires’ salvation—or the architects of its last, irreversible fall. And if Silverspires falls, so may the city itself.

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

‘Will grab readers and force them to pay attention to the amazing writing and the phenomenal characters. de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become. The characters are very vivid and will stay with you until long after the last page, as each of them is fighting and longing for something. The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully. Watching Philippe and Isabelle work through their “connection” is fascinating and lovely. There’s so much going on, and every character has their own past, their own tragic history. It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… The story holds up well as a standalone, with clear possibilities but no pressing need for a sequel. De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘A beautifully crafted novel full of complex characters, set in a post apocalyptic Paris – the image of which is truly haunting… vivid and fast-paced battles and intense political manoeuvrings… with carefully crafted characters both with layers and depth, De Bodard reflects the best and worst of human nature in her novel… an intriguing mystery, elegantly written… Something any avid fantasy reader with an open mind will devour!’ — Guardian on THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS

‘De Bodard’s writing is very precise, like a well-oiled machine. The tempo is piston perfect, with the prose style having a strong and steady rhythm throughout. The emotional journey is relatively predictable (especially when we get into a marriage sequence), but the narrative is not. In other words, you can pretty much tell that the big emotions are coming, but the how and the why is what keeps you on edge. This is not a villains book; this is a powerful sequel that shows us that the incredibly complex world of the last novel is even more involved than we first expected. Strong stuff which you won’t stop reading till the end.’ — Starburst on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘The author spins a tale that’s rich, emotional and gripping, and delivers that rare thing: a superior sequel… This is an incredibly rich novel. Even as the scheming, double-crossing and action set pieces unfold, the author never loses sight of the people whose lives are on the line… There’s just so much going on here: social commentary, myths and fairytales that often feel under-represented in genre fiction, a gripping genre adventure and an affecting love story. The author has gone from strength to strength and we can’t wait for this story to continue.’ — SciFi Now (5/5*) on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

‘Meddling gleefully in the affairs of devils and dragons, this affective sequel to 2015’s THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS touches the heart as often as it cuts throats… Having fully crafted her world, de Bodard is now completely in control: she can move swiftly from gentle poetic touches to bloody Grand Guignol gestures, and she sure-handedly holds the reader by exposing the vulnerabilities and needs that drive even the seemingly all-powerful figures of rebel angels and ancient serpents to surrender to a higher collective power. In this world lacking signs of heaven, redemptions are painful but possible.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS

Short Fiction Watch: CHASING SHADOWS

Posted on Friday, August 18th, 2017

In this instalment of Short Fiction Watch, we wanted to draw your attention to the recent CHASING SHADOWS anthology, with was edited by David Brin and Stephen W. Potts. Published by Tor Books, it includes a story by Aliette de Bodard, and another by William Gibson…

A collection of short stories and essays by other science fiction luminaries. As we debate Internet privacy, revenge porn, the NSA, and Edward Snowden, cameras get smaller, faster, and more numerous. Has Orwell’s Big Brother finally come to pass? Or have we become a global society of thousands of Little Brothers — watching, judging, and reporting on one another?

The collection includes de Bodard’s “First Presentation” and Gibson’s “The Road to Oceania”.

Aliette de Bodard is the award-winning author of, most recently, the Dominion of the Fallen series: THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS and THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS. Both novels are published by Gollancz in the UK, and Roc Books in North America.

William Gibson’s Neuromancer/Sprawl series were rereleased in the UK recently by Gollancz: NEUROMANCER (also available in a new hardcover edition), COUNT ZERO, MONA LISA OVERDRIVE and BURNING CHROME.

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Martha Millard at Sterling Lord Literistic

Aliette de Bodard’s DAS HAUS DER GEBROCHENEN SCHWINGEN out now in Germany!

Posted on Tuesday, August 1st, 2017

Aliette de Bodard‘s award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is out now in Germany! Published by Droemer Knaur as DAS HAUS DER GEBROCHENEN SCHWINGEN, here’s the synopsis…

Paris liegt nach dem großen magischen Krieg in Trümmern. Gefallene Engel kämpfen um die Herrschaft über die zerstörte Stadt. Noch steht Selene an der Spitze der Macht, doch seit dem Verschwinden ihres Mentors Lucifer Morningstar trachten andere nach ihrem Thron. Als ein tödlicher Fluch entfesselt wird, scheint Selenes Ende gekommen. Drei Außenseiter könnten ihre Rettung sein: der gefangene Magier Philippe, die junge Gefallene Isabelle und die Alchimistin Madeleine, deren menschlicher Körper abhängig ist von Engels-Essenz, einer zerstörerischen magischen Droge. Doch mit ihrem Wissen und ihren Fähigkeiten könnten sie Selene auch endgültig zu Fall bringen…

The first book in de Bodard’s Dominion of the Fallen series is published in the UK by Gollancz, and by Roc Books in the US. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

In the late twentieth century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins, the aftermath of a Great War between arcane powers. Those that survived the carnage still retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

Once the most powerful and formidable, House Silverspires now lies in disarray. Within its walls, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin. They may be Silverspires’ salvation — or the architects of its last, irreversible fall. And if Silverspires falls, so may the city itself.

Here are just a handful of the great reviews THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS has received so far…

‘Will grab readers and force them to pay attention to the amazing writing and the phenomenal characters. de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become. The characters are very vivid and will stay with you until long after the last page, as each of them is fighting and longing for something. The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully. Watching Philippe and Isabelle work through their “connection” is fascinating and lovely. There’s so much going on, and every character has their own past, their own tragic history. It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015)

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… The story holds up well as a standalone, with clear possibilities but no pressing need for a sequel. De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘A beautifully crafted novel full of complex characters, set in a post apocalyptic Paris – the image of which is truly haunting… vivid and fast-paced battles and intense political manoeuvrings… with carefully crafted characters both with layers and depth, De Bodard reflects the best and worst of human nature in her novel… an intriguing mystery, elegantly written… Something any avid fantasy reader with an open mind will devour!’ — Guardian

‘It’s a testament to De Bodard’s skills that we’re completely immersed in the world almost immediately, without her resorting to a ‘here’s what happened’ information splurge. None of the fallen angels can remember why it was that they fell from Heaven… the Paris of fallen angels that the author has created is so compelling… It’s brimming with ideas, some of which rush by so quickly that you might wish De Bodard had taken a little more time to explore them. This is a good problem to have though. It’s fascinating, moving and hugely readable.’ — SciFi Now

The second novel in the series, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS, has also been published by Gollancz and Roc Books.

Aliette de Bodard’s HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is out now in Czech!

Posted on Monday, May 8th, 2017

Aliette de Bodard‘s THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is out now in Czech! Published by Host Nakladatelstvi as ŘÁD ZLOMENÝCH KŘÍDEL, here’s the synopsis…

První díl série fantasy špionážních thrillerů podbarvených melancholií ztraceného zlatého věku.

Paříž se zotavuje z Velké války Řádů. Její ulice lemují strašidelné ruiny, z katedrály Notre-Dame zbyly jen ohořelé zdi a Seina zčernala popelem a sutí. Mezi troskami přesto dál pokračuje život. Zoufalé gangy bojují v ulicích o přežití, zatímco Řády nadále soupeří o nadvládu nad městem.

Ve Stříbrostínu, kdysi nejmocnějším pařížském Řádu, panuje zmatek. Jeho magie slábne, zakladatel Jitřenec před desítkami let zmizel a ve stříbrostínském sídle se náhle zjevilo cosi nevítaného, cosi temného a mocného, stíny, které zabíjejí…

Své síly musí spojit tři naprosto rozdílní hrdinové: mladičká, ale mocná dívka z rodu Padlých andělů, alchymistka bojující se zničující závislostí a rozhněvaný mladý muž ovládající kouzla Dálného východu. Přinesou Stříbrostínu spásu, nebo se stanou strůjci jeho posledního, nevratného pádu?

The British Fantasy Award-winning novel is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Roc Books. The sequel, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS is also published by Gollancz and Roc Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

The War in Heaven to Paris, igniting the City of Light in a fantasy of divine power and deep conspiracy…

In the late twentieth century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins, the aftermath of a Great War between arcane powers. Those that survived the carnage still retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

Once the most powerful and formidable, House Silverspires now lies in disarray. Within its walls, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin. They may be Silverspires’ salvation — or the architects of its last, irreversible fall. And if Silverspires falls, so may the city itself…

THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS coming soon in Germany!

Posted on Wednesday, April 12th, 2017

This August, Aliette de Bodard‘s critically-acclaimed and award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS will be published in Germany! Published in German by Droemer Knaur as DAS HAUS DER GEBROCHENEN SCHWINGEN, here’s the synopsis…

Paris liegt nach dem großen magischen Krieg in Trümmern. Gefallene Engel kämpfen um die Herrschaft über die zerstörte Stadt. Noch steht Selene an der Spitze der Macht, doch seit dem Verschwinden ihres Mentors Lucifer Morningstar trachten andere nach ihrem Thron. Als ein tödlicher Fluch entfesselt wird, scheint Selenes Ende gekommen. Drei Außenseiter könnten ihre Rettung sein: der gefangene Magier Philippe, die junge Gefallene Isabelle und die Alchimistin Madeleine, deren menschlicher Körper abhängig ist von Engels-Essenz, einer zerstörerischen magischen Droge. Doch mit ihrem Wissen und ihren Fähigkeiten könnten sie Selene auch endgültig zu Fall bringen…

The winner of the British Science Fiction Association Best Novel Award, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Roc Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

A superb murder mystery, on an epic scale, set against the fall out — literally — of a war in heaven

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls. Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East.

They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

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

‘de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become… The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully… There’s so much going on, and every character has their own past, their own tragic history. It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015)

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A beautifully crafted novel full of complex characters, set in a post apocalyptic Paris – the image of which is truly haunting… vivid and fast-paced battles and intense political manoeuvrings… with carefully crafted characters both with layers and depth, De Bodard reflects the best and worst of human nature in her novel… an intriguing mystery, elegantly written… Something any avid fantasy reader with an open mind will devour!’ — Guardian

The sequel and second novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS is also published by Gollancz and Roc Books, and is out now.

Aliette de Bodard’s SHATTERED WINGS land in France

Posted on Thursday, January 12th, 2017

Aliette de Bodard‘s award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is out today in France! Published by Fnac as LA CHUTE DE LA MAISON AUX FLÈCHES D’ARGENT, here’s the synopsis…

La Grande Guerre magique a laissé Paris exsangue, couverte de débris, de poussière de sorts usés, de ruines et de décombres. Au cœur de Notre-Dame, une malédiction attend d’être libérée pour emporter tout ce qui reste.

Paris n’est que ruines et décombres depuis la Grande Guerre magique qui a opposé les Maisons régnant sur la capitale. Et celles-ci n’ont pas été épargnées : elles ne sont plus que l’ombre de leur splendeur d’antan. La Maison aux Flèches d’Argent fut la plus puissante parmi toutes. Mais sa position est précaire dans l’équilibre fragile qui s’est instauré. Et en son coeur, au sein de Notre-Dame, une malédiction terrible est dissimulée, prête à se déchaîner sur elle. Son destin est désormais lié à celui d’un jeune homme aux mystérieux pouvoirs et d’une nouvelle Déchue.

La puissante magie de l’ange suffira-t-elle à les sauver de la chute?

The BFSA Award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is published in the UK by Gollancz and in the US by Roc Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

A superb murder mystery, on an epic scale, set against the fall out — literally — of a war in heaven

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East. They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

The second novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS, is due to be published in April by Gollancz and Roc Books.

Here are a few reviews that THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS has received…

‘Will grab readers and force them to pay attention to the amazing writing and the phenomenal characters. de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become. The characters are very vivid and will stay with you until long after the last page, as each of them is fighting and longing for something. The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully. Watching Philippe and Isabelle work through their “connection” is fascinating and lovely. There’s so much going on, and every character has their own past, their own tragic history. It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015)

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… The story holds up well as a standalone, with clear possibilities but no pressing need for a sequel. De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘It’s a testament to De Bodard’s skills that we’re completely immersed in the world almost immediately, without her resorting to a ‘here’s what happened’ information splurge. None of the fallen angels can remember why it was that they fell from Heaven… the Paris of fallen angels that the author has created is so compelling… It’s brimming with ideas, some of which rush by so quickly that you might wish De Bodard had taken a little more time to explore them. This is a good problem to have though. It’s fascinating, moving and hugely readable.’ — SciFi Now

‘A suspenseful supernatural narrative focusing on fallen angels as they fight for power in a post-apocalyptic Paris that boasts brilliant worldbuilding, powerful prose and a cast of terrifically conflicted characters. It’s the year’s best urban fantasy by far, and if it doesn’t embiggen de Bodard’s base, I don’t know what will… Complicated as they are, its characters are clearly defined and deftly developed; its plot, Byzantine as it becomes, never feels false, or forced; its messed-up magic system is as insidious as it is rigorous; meanwhile its world, whilst confined to a cathedral, is wonderfully well-rendered. De Bodard doesn’t talk down to her readers, or repeat herself needlessly; refreshingly, she has faith enough in us to put the pieces of the puzzle together ourselves. There’s an intelligence — and, yes, an elegance — to THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS that is as rare and precious as angel essence. It’s a wonder, in a word, and I for one want more.’ — Tor.com

Short Fiction Watch: GALACTIC EMPIRES

Posted on Wednesday, December 28th, 2016

Next month, the GALACTIC EMPIRES anthology will hit shelves, and we wanted to highlight it because it features work by a couple of our clients (and also some by clients who we represent in the UK and Commonwealth). It has also been quite some time since we last posted a Short Fiction Watch.

Specifically, this new anthology includes Aliette de Bodard‘s “The Waiting Stars” and Ian McDonald‘s “Verthandi’s Ring” are included.

From E. E. “Doc” Smith’s Lensman, to George Lucas’ Star Wars, the politics and process of Empire have been a major subject of science fiction’s galaxy-spanning fictions. The idiom of the Galactic Empire allows science fiction writers to ask (and answer) questions that are shorn of contemporary political ideologies and allegiances. This simple narrative slight of hand allows readers and writers to see questions and answers from new and different perspectives.

The stories in this book do just that. What social, political, and economic issues do the organizing structure of “empire” address? Often the size, shape, and fates of empires are determined not only by individuals, but by geography, natural forces, and technology. As the speed of travel and rates of effective communication increase, so too does the size and reach of an Imperial bureaucracy. Sic itur ad astra—“Thus one journeys to the stars.”

At the beginning of the twentieth century, writers such as Kipling and Twain were at the forefront of these kinds of narrative observations, but as the century drew to a close, it was writers like Iain M. Banks who helped make science fiction relevant. That tradition continues today, with award-winning writers like Ann Leckie, whose 2013 debut novel Ancillary Justice hinges upon questions of imperialism and empire.

Empire: How? Why? And to what effect?

GALACTIC EMPIRES is published by Night Shade Books, on January 17th, 2017.

Aliette de Bodard is the award-winning author of, most recently, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS. The novel is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Roc Books. The sequel, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS, is due to be published in 2017.

Ian McDonald is the award-winning author of the acclaimed LUNA: NEW MOON and the upcoming sequel, WOLF MOON. Both are published by Gollancz in the UK, and Tor Books in the US.

Aliette de Bodard’s HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS coming soon to France!

Posted on Thursday, December 1st, 2016

Above you can see the rather fantastic French cover for Aliette de Bodard‘s award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS! The novel is due to be published next year by Fleuve as La Chute de la Maison aux Flèches d’Argent.

The novel is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Roc Books. The covers are below, but first the English-language synopsis…

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East. They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

The second novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS, is also due to be published next year by Gollancz and Roc Books.

THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS paperback out tomorrow in US!

Posted on Monday, August 1st, 2016

Aliette de Bodard‘s BFSA Award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is out tomorrow in paperback! Published by Roc Books, here’s the synopsis…

Multi-award winning author Aliette de Bodard, brings her story of the War in Heaven to Paris, igniting the City of Light in a fantasy of divine power and deep conspiracy…

In the late twentieth century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins, the aftermath of a Great War between arcane powers. Those that survived the carnage still retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

Once the most powerful and formidable, House Silverspires now lies in disarray. Within its walls, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin. They may be Silverspires’ salvation — or the architects of its last, irreversible fall. And if Silverspires falls, so may the city itself.

Since before its release, Aliette’s novel has been racking up an impressive number of glowing reviews. Here are just a few of them…

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… The story holds up well as a standalone, with clear possibilities but no pressing need for a sequel. De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Amazing writing and the phenomenal characters. de Bodard will sweep you up into the dark and dirty world Paris has become… The writing style rendered the characters’ feelings and emotional turmoil beautifully. Watching Philippe and Isabelle work through their “connection” is fascinating and lovely. There’s so much going on, and every character has their own past, their own tragic history. It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015)

‘Strikingly original… remarkably evocative use of setting… an urban fantasy in the original and quite literal sense of that term… de Bodard manages to weave together the backstories and fates of the various characters (of whom the most appealing is Isabelle, as she learns to cope with a life among the Fallen) into a novel that is both haunting and original, its sense of loss almost palpable, and its setting not quite like anything else in modern fantasy.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘A grim story with high-flown conventions, but by finding so much ugliness even in supernatural beauty, de Bodard makes both seem more compelling, and more concrete.’ — NPR

‘Aliette de Bodard presents a gritty, otherworldly Paris in her fast-paced, fantastical thriller.’ — Washington Post

THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is published in the UK by Gollancz. The sequel, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS, is also due to be published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Roc Books. Here are the UK covers for both novels…

THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS Paperback Out Tomorrow in the UK!

Posted on Wednesday, July 27th, 2016

Aliette de Bodard‘s award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is out tomorrow in paperback in the UK. Published by Gollancz, here’s the synopsis…

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East. They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

Earlier this year, the novel won the BSFA Award for Best Fantasy Novel. Here’s just a sampling from the many great reviews the novel has received…

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… The story holds up well as a standalone, with clear possibilities but no pressing need for a sequel. De Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘A beautifully crafted novel full of complex characters, set in a post apocalyptic Paris – the image of which is truly haunting… vivid and fast-paced battles and intense political manoeuvrings… with carefully crafted characters both with layers and depth, De Bodard reflects the best and worst of human nature in her novel… an intriguing mystery, elegantly written… Something any avid fantasy reader with an open mind will devour!’ — Guardian

‘It’s a testament to De Bodard’s skills that we’re completely immersed in the world almost immediately, without her resorting to a ‘here’s what happened’ information splurge. None of the fallen angels can remember why it was that they fell from Heaven…the Paris of fallen angels that the author has created is so compelling… It’s brimming with ideas… This is a good problem to have though. It’s fascinating, moving and hugely readable.’ — SciFi Now

‘From the ruins of Notre Dome, now part of House Silverspires, to the mean streets of the once-great city, every setting and location is invoked in vivid detail, and a very dark world is brought to life… Aliette de Bodard is a writer who deserves attention. With THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, the wonders of characters and setting on display certainly put the .truth to my remark, and THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is the perfect way to discover her work.’ — SF Signal

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

Last week, Gollancz also unveiled the new cover for the second novel in the Dominion of the Fallen series, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS, due out April, 2017.

THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is published in the US by Roc Books, who are also due to publish THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS (no US cover for book two, yet — we’ll share as soon as we have it).

Cover Reveal: THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS Paperback

Posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2016

Above is the rather eye-catching paperback cover for Aliette de Bodard‘s award-winning THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS. Due to be published by Gollancz on July 28th, here’s the synopsis…

A superb murder mystery, on an epic scale, set against the fall out — literally — of a war in heaven

Paris in the aftermath of the Great Magicians War. Its streets are lined with haunted ruins, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine runs black, thick with ashes and rubble. Yet life continues among the wreckage. The citizens retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

House Silverspires, previously the leader of those power games, now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen, an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction, and a resentful young man wielding spells from the Far East. They may be Silverspires’ salvation; or the architects of its last, irreversible fall…

As we reported in March, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS won the BSFA Award for best novel. THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS is published in the US by Roc Books (cover below). Here is just a small selection of the great reviews the novel has received…

‘Will grab readers and force them to pay attention to the amazing writing and the phenomenal characters… It’s a whirlwind, it’s heartbreaking and it’s one of the best fantasy novels of 2015.’ — RT Book Reviews (Top Pick August 2015)

‘A gripping tragedy of forlorn individuals caught up in an angelic version of the Cold War… de Bodard aptly mixes moral conflicts and the desperate need to survive in a fantastical spy thriller that reads like a hybrid of le Carré and Milton, all tinged with the melancholy of golden ages lost.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘De Bodard… has spun a fascinating Paris of decay and cruelty. Phillippe is a marvel of a character, unreliable as a narrator but compelling in his flaws and his deep well of homesickness.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

‘A beautifully crafted novel full of complex characters, set in a post apocalyptic Paris – the image of which is truly haunting… vivid and fast-paced battles and intense political manoeuvrings… with carefully crafted characters both with layers and depth, De Bodard reflects the best and worst of human nature in her novel… an intriguing mystery, elegantly written… Something any avid fantasy reader with an open mind will devour!’ — Guardian