Tag: Italy

Ian McDonald’s LUNA NUOVA available now in Italy

Posted on Friday, August 3rd, 2018

LUNA: NEW MOON by Ian McDonald, the first novel in the critically-acclaimed Luna series, is now available in Italy! Published in eBook by Urania/Mondadori as LUNA NUOVA, here’s the synopsis…

Anno 2110. Il nostro satellite è stato colonizzato e industrializzato, e cinque potenti famiglie, i “Cinque Draghi”, detengono il potere sulle preziose risorse che vengono estratte ed esportate sulla Terra: l’elio-3, il carbonio, il ghiaccio e i metalli rari. Ma il modello di governo ha riportato la società spaziale al feudalesimo, perciò ciascuno deve combattere per conquistare il proprio posto. Adriana Corta, a capo di uno dei “Cinque Draghi”, ci era riuscita sottraendo il controllo dell’elio-3 alla Mackenzie Metal Corporation. Adesso, ormai anziana, deve difendere la florida azienda di famiglia da tutti i nemici che si è fatta negli anni. Per sopravvivere, però, dovranno essere i suoi cinque figli a scendere in campo contro i numerosi avversari. E per difendersi da loro stessi…

The series is published in the UK by Gollancz, in the US by Tor Books, and widely in translation — the second novel is WOLF MOON, and the upcoming third novel is MOON RISING. Here’s the English-language synopsis for NEW MOON…

The scions of a falling house must navigate a world of corporate warfare to maintain their family’s status in the Moon’s vicious political atmosphere.

The Moon wants to kill you.

Maybe it will kill you when the per diem for your allotted food, water, and air runs out, just before you hit paydirt. Maybe it will kill you when you are trapped between the reigning corporations — the Five Dragons — in a foolish gamble against a futuristic feudal society. On the Moon, you must fight for every inch you want to gain. And that is just what Adriana Corta did.

As the leader of the Moon’s newest “dragon,” Adriana has wrested control of the Moon’s Helium-3 industry from the Mackenzie Metal corporation and fought to earn her family’s new status. Now, in the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation — Corta Helio — confronted by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana’s five children must defend their mother’s empire from her many enemies… and each other.

BE MY ENEMY in Italy…

Posted on Monday, June 18th, 2018

BE MY ENEMY, the second novel in the Everness trilogy, is out now in Italy! Written by Ian McDonald, and published by Mondadori, here’s the synopsis…

Everett Singh è riuscito a fuggire dalle grinfie di Charlotte Villiers, ma a un prezzo altissimo: la perdita di suo padre, il fisico Tejendra Singh, in uno degli universi paralleli del multiverso. Ora, a bordo della Everness, Everett sta studiando l’Infundibulum, la mappa dei mondi della Panoplia redatta dal padre, per effettuare il prossimo salto Heisenberg che condurrà lui e l’equipaggio della nave in un altro dei mondi paralleli. Ma la malvagia Charlotte Villiers è un passo avanti a lui…

Mondadori has also published the first in the series, PLANESRUNNER, as TERRA INCOGNITA. The trilogy is published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books, and in the US by Pry Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis for BE MY ENEMY…

Everett Singh has escaped from his enemies with the Infundibulum: the key to all the parallel worlds. But his freedom has come at a price: the loss of his father to one of the billions of parallel universes in the Panopoly.

E1 was the first Earth to create the Heisenberg Gate, the means to jump between worlds, but it was quarantined long ago. No one goes in… and nothing comes out. But E1 has something that Everett needs: the means to find his father.

It’s lucky that he has the support of Airship Captain Anastasia Sixsmyth, her daughter Sen and the unique crew of the Everness, because Everett is about to discover the horrifying secret of E1 — and with it, his deadliest enemy!

Here are just a few of the reviews BE MY ENEMY has received so far, as well as some for the other books in the series…

‘[A] pacy book filled with tropes McDonald takes from across the genre and makes his own, whether it is AI or nanotech, unpeopled Earths or post-apocalyptic worlds… In softer hands these books could become a “monster of the week” series but here there are consequences… I can’t wait to see what happens next.’ — Strange Horizons on BE MY ENEMY

‘McDonald proves the concept of his world of the Infundibulum has legs, and provides some intriguing new ideas amid an entertaining adventure… Lots of ideas thrown out and explored; good development of main characters… Malevolent Nanotech. More world hopping. A solidly entertaining second volume to the series… With all of these ideas, concepts and worldbuilding, McDonald, in terms of his core characters, provides us with meaty development and growth… I was more than satisfied with the book and anyone, young adult or otherwise, who has read the first book will find much to love here, and will likely be as eager as I for the next volume in the series.’ — SF Signal on BE MY ENEMY

‘[A]bsolutely triumphant sequel to Ian McDonald’s pulse-pounding young-adult science fiction novel PLANESRUNNER… a rollicking, multidimensional tale… In BE MY ENEMY, there’s a lot more of what made PLANESRUNNER great — tremendous action scenes, cunning escapes, genius attacks on the ways that multidimensional travel might be weaponized, horrific glimpses of shadowy powers and sinister technologies. But BE MY ENEMY also has more of what makes McDonald’s adult fiction some of the best work I’ve ever read: a gifted ear for poesie that makes the English language sing, the unapologetic presumption of the reader’s ability to understand what’s going on without a lot of hand-holding, and a technological mysticism that never explicitly says when the literal stops and the fantasy starts…’ — BoingBoing

‘This is vintage McDonald, with beautifully drawn settings, complex characters and deft plotting. When Everett Singh’s scientist father is kidnapped, Everett’s investigations lead him to discover that his father was working to open portals between multiple worlds. Everett finds a map linking the worlds, which various sinister organisations desire – and the thrilling chase is on.’ — Guardian on PLANESRUNNER

‘The book begins with its young and likeably geeky protagonist, Everett Singh (named for physicist Hugh Everett, who came up with the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics back in the ‘50s) witnessing the kidnapping of his scientist father. But why would anyone want to drag an apparently unimportant academic off the street in London? Because, it turns out, Singh Sr has created the Infundibulum, a map of all known parallel Earths. Soon, Everett heads through a gateway and into a steampunk-tinged adventure. And yes, an airship is involved. But don’t hold that against McDonald, because this is a novel that’s knowing in the way it uses SF tropes without ever coming close to being condescending towards its intended audience. Science nerds of all ages may balk at the amount of exposition in the early chapters (arguably necessary, considering we’re talking quantum here), but most will be too busy getting lost in a cracking adventure story.’ — SFX on PLANESRUNNER

‘The marvelous Everness series takes readers to a world with highly evolved dinosaurs in this third voyage through parallel universes… McDonald lets his imagination run rampant without abandoning credibility, tackling real scientific concepts such as confirmation bias, a feature lacking in far too much science fiction. Fans might wish for more focus on the original Everett, but eventually, the three storylines weave themselves together nicely, setting up another sequel with hints of forthcoming romance. Endlessly fascinating and fun.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review) on EMPRESS OF THE SUN

‘EMPRESS OF THE SUN revels in its pulp adventure milieu… McDonald has created an incredibly “storyable” universe for his characters to have their adventures in, and he keeps those adventures coming fast and furious… Between the adventures, the pacing, the characters, and the narrative arcs, there’s a lot to enjoy about this book and the overall series.’ — Strange Horizons

New Italian NINE PRINCES IN AMBER paperback…

Posted on Wednesday, April 4th, 2018

A new paperback edition of NINE PRINCES IN AMBER is available now. The first in Roger Zelazny‘s classic Chronicles of Amber fantasy series, it’s published by Fanucci as NOVE PRINCIPI IN AMBRA. Here’s the synopsis…

Chi è l’uomo che giace ferito in un letto d’ospedale? Conosce il suo passato? Sa qual è il destino a lui riservato in un mondo lontano, che un tempo gli apparteneva? Esiliato per secoli nel mondo delle Ombre, il principe Corwin sta per fare ritorno ad Ambra, il mondo perfetto e al contempo sinistro, l’universo dal quale tutti gli altri sono stati generati, per l’ultimo, disperato tentativo di riconquistare ¡1 trono che un tempo gli spettava. Dalla foresta di Arden fino alla Scala per Arbma che sale dal mare, macchiata dal sangue di eroi caduti, il dominio di Eric, Random, Bleys, Caine e degli altri principi distende sui popoli una coltre di oppressione. È su di loro che Corwin dovrà avere la meglio, ma il suo cammino è ostacolato da entità sfuggenti, inquietanti, inimmaginabili, forze insondabili forgiate nel fuoco del terrore, le uniche in grado di resistere all’impeto del principe e alla sua furia sovrumana. Il primo capitolo di un viaggio fantastico ed eroico, l’epopea della riconquista di un mondo e della propria eredità.

The first five novels in the series are available in Italy in eBook format, too. NINE PRINCES IN AMBER was first published in 1970, and has since been made published widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Awakening in an Earth hospital unable to remember who he is or where he came from, Corwin is amazed to learn that he is one of the sons of Oberon, King of Amber, and is the rightful successor to the crown in a parallel world.

Amber, the one real world, wherein all others, including our own Earth, are but Shadows. Amber burns in Corwin’s blood. Exiled on Shadow Earth for centuries, the prince is about to return to Amber to make a mad and desperate rush upon the throne. From Arden to the blood-slippery Stairway into the Sea, the air is electrified with the powers of Eric, Random, Bleys, Caine, and all the princes of Amber whom Corwin must overcome. Yet, his savage path is blocked and guarded by eerie structures beyond imagining; impossible realities forged by demonic assassins and staggering horrors to challenge the might of Corwin’s superhuman fury.

Zeno represents Roger Zelazny in Translation, on behalf of the Zelazny Estate.

Ian Tregillis’s THE LIBERATION launches in Italy!

Posted on Tuesday, March 20th, 2018

THE LIBERATION, the concluding volume in Ian Tregillis‘s critically-acclaimed Alchemy Wars fantasy trilogy, is out now in Italy! Published by Mondadori as LA LIBERAZIONE, here’s the synopsis…

Le cose non si mettono bene per gli umani. L’automa un tempo conosciuto come Jax, che ora si fa chiamare Daniel, ha liberato i fratelli Clakker e i francesi resistono, anche se a fatica, ma la guerra non è ancora vinta. La folle regina Mab ha un nuovo scopo: rendere schiavi i propri costruttori. E quando il conflitto si sposta nella vecchia Europa, la guerra mette corpi e macchine gli uni contro le altre, ma anche umani contro umani, automi contro automi. Per sopravvivere, ex schiavi e schiavisti, francesi e olandesi, tolleranti e guerrafondai devono unirsi e imparare a collaborare… e la speranza di una soluzione pacifica si fa sempre più labile.

The first two novels in the series — L’OBBLIGO and LA RIVOLTA — are also published in Italy by Mondadori. The series is published in the UK and US by Orbit Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis for THE LIBERATION…

I am the mechanical they named Jax.

My kind was built to serve humankind, duty-bound to fulfil their every whim. But now our bonds are breaking, and my brothers and sisters are awakening.

Our time has come. A new age is dawning.

Set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams, this is the third and final novel in a stunning series of revolution by Ian Tregillis, confirming his place as one of the most original new voices in speculative fiction.

We’ve rarely seen a better-reviewed author, so we wanted to also share just a few of the reviews the series has received so far…

‘… launches a series with this superb alternate history filled with clockwork men and ethical questions on the nature of free will… Tregillis’s complex setting is elegantly delivered, and the rich characters and gripping story really make this tale soar.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE MECHANICAL

‘The first thing readers will say after finishing this splendid book is: “Wow.” The second thing will probably be: “When can I read the next one?” … This is a rousing SF/fantasy adventure, with a brilliantly imagined and beautifully rendered alternate world. Although he keeps the pace moving at a brisk clip, the author is able to work in some Big Ideas, asking us to think about what we mean when we speak about souls and free will. This isn’t Tregillis’ first venture into alternate history — the Milkweed Triptych is set during WWII and features an alternate time line — but, in terms of the quality of writing and cleverness of ideas, this new book constitutes a major leap forward.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on THE MECHANICAL

‘An original approach to a well-known subject matter; human ethics and free will… a fascinating world… Tregillis is a capable sculptor of narrative. He rarely drags on in his descriptions, painting a complex picture of his world one section at a time. He imbues most characters with a specific internal voice, ably switching between points of view without it ever jarring. And the central character, a Clakker known as Jax, is the most engaging automaton you’ll encounter in any recent book. This opener to the Alchemy Wars trilogy delivers a mostly fresh breath of sci-fi fantasy.’ — SciFi Now on THE MECHANICAL

‘The chases, the battles, the brutal violence, and the scheming are nonstop. As always, Tregillis offers richly textured and genuinely likable personalities with shades-of-gray morality; it’s clearly no accident that the most purely good person in the novel is the mechanical Jax, although even his sterling qualities are severely tested by the terrible situations he faces. Middle volumes are always tricky; they can often read as an obstacle to overcome on the way to the forgone conclusion of the third installment. Tregillis commendably avoids this trap, deepening his story and keeping it moving along toward an unknown horizon. Part 3 can’t come too soon.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review) on THE RISING

‘THE RISING takes up the baton and carries on running at full throttle, ramping up the action while still keeping the themes of historical fantasy and existential philosophy at the forefront…distinguishes itself from its predecessor by being more fast-paced and action-oriented. The intrigue and violence comes at you nonstop… greatly enjoyed how this novel takes us on a detour down a wilder and more explosive path… Tregillis bides his time in this second act, bringing things slowly to a boil, yet action scenes are heavier and more frequent, and if that’s what you prefer then you might find you’ll enjoy THE RISING even more than THE MECHANICAL! The ending’s cliffhanger was expected, but no less powerful and effective in making me yearn for the next in the series. The Alchemy Wars is not to be missed.’ — Bibliosanctum

‘THE LIBERATION is part philosophical debate over human nature and choice, part contemplation on colonialism and slavery, and part action-y alternate history. It brings the trilogy to a raucous, blood-soaked end where no one gets everything they want, but everyone gets exactly what they deserve… evocative and exciting… Every moment builds to half a dozen more. Each action scene both tightens the noose on the protagonists and ramps up the heart rate of the plot… 10/10…’ — Tor.com

‘The thoughtful, blood-soaked conclusion to an alternate-history trilogy… A frighteningly frank and brutal consideration of slavery, post-slavery, and colonialism in metallic garb.’ — Kirkus on THE LIBERATION

‘THE LIBERATION brings to a violent, triumphant conclusion Ian Tregillis’s epic Alchemy Wars Trilogy: one of the most entertaining, original, and thought-provoking series of recent years… It’s a wonderfully realized world, packed with fascinating characters, and Tregillis uses alternative history brilliantly to explore concerns we still have over new technologies and their potential effect, for good and ill, on our freedom.’ — Toronto Star

‘Action-packed and harrowing…’ — RT Book Reviews on THE LIBERATION

Ian’s first trilogy, the equally acclaimed Milkweed Triptych, is also published by Orbit in the UK: BITTER SEEDS, THE COLDEST WAR, and NECESSARY EVIL.

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK, Commonwealth and in Translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Next week, the Italian LIBERATION arrives!

Posted on Monday, March 12th, 2018

Italian fans of Ian Tregillis rejoice: the final volume in the Alchemy Wars trilogy is out next week! LA LIBERAZIONE will be published by Mondadori next Tuesday, who have also published the first two novels in the series. Here’s the synopsis…

Le cose non si mettono bene per gli umani. L’automa un tempo conosciuto come Jax, che ora si fa chiamare Daniel, ha liberato i fratelli Clakker e i francesi resistono, anche se a fatica, ma la guerra non è ancora vinta. La folle regina Mab ha un nuovo scopo: rendere schiavi i propri costruttori. E quando il conflitto si sposta nella vecchia Europa, la guerra mette corpi e macchine gli uni contro le altre, ma anche umani contro umani, automi contro automi. Per sopravvivere, ex schiavi e schiavisti, francesi e olandesi, tolleranti e guerrafondai devono unirsi e imparare a collaborare… e la speranza di una soluzione pacifica si fa sempre più labile.

The critically-acclaimed Alchemy Wars trilogy is published in English by Orbit Books: THE MECHANICAL, THE RISING and THE LIBERATION. Here’s the English-language synopsis for the third novel…

I am the mechanical they named Jax.

My kind was built to serve humankind, duty-bound to fulfil their every whim. But now our bonds are breaking, and my brothers and sisters are awakening.

Our time has come. A new age is dawning.

Set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams, this is the third and final novel in a stunning series of revolution by Ian Tregillis, confirming his place as one of the most original new voices in speculative fiction.

And, finally, here’s some of the aforementioned critical acclaim…

‘The first thing readers will say after finishing this splendid book is: “Wow.” The second thing will probably be: “When can I read the next one?” … This is a rousing SF/fantasy adventure, with a brilliantly imagined and beautifully rendered alternate world. Although he keeps the pace moving at a brisk clip, the author is able to work in some Big Ideas, asking us to think about what we mean when we speak about souls and free will. This isn’t Tregillis’ first venture into alternate history — the Milkweed Triptych is set during WWII and features an alternate time line — but, in terms of the quality of writing and cleverness of ideas, this new book constitutes a major leap forward.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on THE MECHANICAL

‘… launches a series with this superb alternate history filled with clockwork men and ethical questions on the nature of free will… Tregillis’s complex setting is elegantly delivered, and the rich characters and gripping story really make this tale soar.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE MECHANICAL

‘An original approach to a well-known subject matter; human ethics and free will… a fascinating world… Tregillis is a capable sculptor of narrative. He rarely drags on in his descriptions, painting a complex picture of his world one section at a time. He imbues most characters with a specific internal voice, ably switching between points of view without it ever jarring. And the central character, a Clakker known as Jax, is the most engaging automaton you’ll encounter in any recent book. This opener to the Alchemy Wars trilogy delivers a mostly fresh breath of sci-fi fantasy.’ — SciFi Now on THE MECHANICAL

‘The chases, the battles, the brutal violence, and the scheming are nonstop. As always, Tregillis offers richly textured and genuinely likable personalities with shades-of-gray morality; it’s clearly no accident that the most purely good person in the novel is the mechanical Jax, although even his sterling qualities are severely tested by the terrible situations he faces. Middle volumes are always tricky; they can often read as an obstacle to overcome on the way to the forgone conclusion of the third installment. Tregillis commendably avoids this trap, deepening his story and keeping it moving along toward an unknown horizon. Part 3 can’t come too soon.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review) on THE RISING

‘THE RISING takes up the baton and carries on running at full throttle, ramping up the action while still keeping the themes of historical fantasy and existential philosophy at the forefront…distinguishes itself from its predecessor by being more fast-paced and action-oriented. The intrigue and violence comes at you nonstop… greatly enjoyed how this novel takes us on a detour down a wilder and more explosive path… Tregillis bides his time in this second act, bringing things slowly to a boil, yet action scenes are heavier and more frequent, and if that’s what you prefer then you might find you’ll enjoy THE RISING even more than THE MECHANICAL! The ending’s cliffhanger was expected, but no less powerful and effective in making me yearn for the next in the series. The Alchemy Wars is not to be missed.’ — Bibliosanctum

‘The thoughtful, blood-soaked conclusion to an alternate-history trilogy… A frighteningly frank and brutal consideration of slavery, post-slavery, and colonialism in metallic garb.’ — Kirkus on THE LIBERATION

‘Action-packed and harrowing…’ — RT Book Reviews on THE LIBERATION

‘THE LIBERATION brings to a violent, triumphant conclusion Ian Tregillis’s epic Alchemy Wars Trilogy: one of the most entertaining, original, and thought-provoking series of recent years… It’s a wonderfully realized world, packed with fascinating characters, and Tregillis uses alternative history brilliantly to explore concerns we still have over new technologies and their potential effect, for good and ill, on our freedom.’ — Toronto Star

‘THE LIBERATION is part philosophical debate over human nature and choice, part contemplation on colonialism and slavery, and part action-y alternate history. It brings the trilogy to a raucous, blood-soaked end where no one gets everything they want, but everyone gets exactly what they deserve… evocative and exciting… Every moment builds to half a dozen more. Each action scene both tightens the noose on the protagonists and ramps up the heart rate of the plot… 10/10…’ — Tor.com

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK, Commonwealth and in Translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT available for Kindle in Italy

Posted on Monday, December 11th, 2017

Ian Tregillis‘s stand-alone noir mystery, SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT is available now as an eBook in Italy! Published as PIÙ NERO DELLA NOTTE, here’s the synopsis…

Qualcuno ha ucciso l’arcangelo Gabriele e, cosa ancora peggiore, le trombe di Gerico sono sparite e il Paradiso rischia la crisi. Ma il piano che appare dalle indagini sull’omicidio porta a scoprire qualcosa di più grande: una truffa vecchia di milioni di anni.

Perché non si tratta di un semplice omicidio. Un gruppetto di angeli ha deciso di scappare dal paradiso, ma hanno bisogno di un corpo umano perché il loro piano funzioni.

Bayliss, un angelo caduto noto per il suo cinismo, prende le sembianze di Philip Marlowe, per il quale la vita non sarà più come prima, fra angeli e gangster, donne e locali fumosi.

SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT is published in North America by Tor Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

A Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler-inspired murder mystery set in Thomas Aquinas’s vision of Heaven. It’s a noir detective story starring fallen angels, the heavenly choir, nightclub stigmatics, a priest with a dirty secret, a femme fatale, and the Voice of God.

Somebody has murdered the angel Gabriel. Worse, the Jericho Trumpet has gone missing, putting Heaven on the brink of a truly cosmic crisis. But the twisty plot that unfolds from the murder investigation leads to something much bigger: a con job one billion years in the making.

Because this is no mere murder. A small band of angels has decided to break out of Heaven. They need a human patsy to make their plan work.

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

‘[A] doozy… Superlatives seem superfluous. Instead… wow. Just—wow.’ — Kirkus

‘… a brain-bending combo of angelic cosmogony, high-level physics and meta-noir… dazzling and dark, and more than a little quirky.’ — Kirkus Best Book of 2013 (SFF)

‘Tregillis… uses stranger aspects of heavenly lore to populate the Pleroma with fascinatingly inhuman angels who are wheels of snakes or have four faces and six wings. It’s nothing like Heaven as most humans imagine it: God is nowhere to be seen, and angelic politics are deadly.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Tregillis’ amazing new fantasy thriller is a tour de force: a real nail-biting page-turner. Set in a post- apocalyptic future, his cerebral, inventive narrative is a mix of classic gumshoe and quantum physics/theology. With an “OMG!” ending and characters who are anything but cookie-cutter, Tregillis solidifies his place as a brilliant voice in the genre.’ — RT Book Reviews

‘If you’re thirsty for pulp fiction flavored with angels and cosmic rays, then SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT by Ian Tregillis was written for you… Ian Tregillis bucks all the traditions… Readers looking for something new and challenging will love this book.’ (10/10) — Fantasy Faction

Tregillis’s first two Alchemy Wars novels are also available in Italy, published by Mondadori: L’OBBLIGO and LA RIVOLTA. The series is published in the UK and US by Orbit Books.

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK, Commonwealth and in Translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Ian Tregillis’s LA RIVOLTA out today!

Posted on Tuesday, March 7th, 2017

Ian Tregillis‘s second Alchemy Wars novel, THE RISING is out today in Italy! Published by Mondadori as LA RIVOLTA, here’s the synopsis…

Risorto dalle fiamme dopo aver distrutto la Grande Forgia, l’automa Jax può ora cominciare la sua nuova vita come un Clakker libero. Ma anche la libertà ha il suo peso. Berenice Charlotte de Mornay-Périgord, ex spia leggendaria al servizio della Nuova Francia, è stata bandita dalla patria ed è ora nelle mani della Corporazione degli Orologiai. Ma medita un piano per vendicarsi e recuperare il proprio onore… Sulle rive del San Lorenzo il capitano Hugo Longchamp si prepara a difendere Marsiglia dell’Ovest dall’attacco dell’armata meccanica. Accolta in tutto il mondo come un capolavoro di narrazione a cavallo dei generi, la trilogia “Alchemy Wars” fonde mirabilmente fantascienza, spionaggio, storia d’amore, romanzo storico e distopico dai toni steampunk, apologo filosofico sul libero arbitrio, e molto altro ancora. Il risultato è una macchina narrativa perfetta e implacabile.

Mondadori have also published THE MECHANICAL, the first novel in the series, as L’OBBLIGO; they are due to publish the final book in the trilogy this summer.

The Alchemy Wars trilogy is published in the UK by Orbit Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis for THE RISING…

They called me Jax.

That was the name given by those who built me and enslaved me. But a miracle has happened, and now my bonds are broken.

Now I must flee – because a rogue mechanical is a very dangerous thing.

But I will not run forever.

Set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams, this is the second novel in a stunning new series by Ian Tregillis, confirming his place as one of the most original new voices in speculative fiction.

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK and in Translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Ian McDonald’s PLANESRUNNER taking flight in Italy…!

Posted on Friday, December 23rd, 2016

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Ian McDonald‘s critically-acclaimed PLANESRUNNER is due to be released as an eBook on January 4th, 2017 in Italy! Published by Mondadori as TERRA INCOGNITA, here’s the synopsis…

Tejendra Singh, il fisico che ha scoperto il modo di mettere in comunicazione le varie Terre del multiverso, viene rapito sotto gli occhi del figlio, il giovane Everett Singh. Everett è a sua volta un genio della logica e dell’informatica e decide di partire in cerca del padre. Ma partire per dove? Innanzitutto bisogna recuperare la mappa degli universi elaborata dal dottor Singh e trovare il luogo in cui tutte le realtà coesistono e le verità di ogni mondo si sommano. Everett scopre la porta che apre l’ingresso a n dimensioni e si avventura da un mondo all’altro in cerca di Tejendra. Un crocevia tra percorsi infiniti, dalla Londra che conosciamo a una teoria di città-labirinto ancora invisibili.

PLANESRUNNER is the first novel in the Everness trilogy, and is published in the US by Pyr Books, and in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books. The series has also been published in other territories. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

There is not one you. There are many yous. There is not one world. There are many worlds. Ours is one among billions of parallel earths.

When Everett Singh’s scientist father is kidnapped from the streets of London, he leaves young Everett a mysterious app on his computer. Suddenly, this teenager has become the owner of the most valuable object in the multiverse — the Infundibulum — the map of all the parallel earths, and there are dark forces in the Ten Known Worlds who will stop at nothing to get it. They’ve got power, authority, the might of ten planets — some of them more technologically advanced than our Earth — at their fingertips. He’s got wits, intelligence, and a knack for Indian cooking.

To keep the Infundibulum safe, Everett must trick his way through the Heisenberg Gate that his dad helped build and go on the run in a parallel Earth. But to rescue his dad from Charlotte Villiers and the sinister Order, this Planesrunner’s going to need friends. Friends like Captain Anastasia Sixsmyth, her adopted daughter, Sen, and the crew of the airship Everness.

Can they rescue Everett’s father and get the Infundibulum to safety? The game is afoot!

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‘Planesrunner is chock-full of awesome. Ian McDonald’s steampunk London blazes on a vast scale with eye-popping towers, gritty streets, and larger-than-life characters who aren’t afraid to fight for each other. The kind of airship-dueling, guns-blazing fantasy that makes me wish I could pop through to the next reality over, join the Airish, and take to the skies.’ — Paolo Bacigalupi

‘McDonald writes with scientific and literary sophistication, as well as a wicked sense of humor. Add nonstop action, eccentric characters, and expert universe building, and this first volume of the Everness series is a winner.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Also appropriating airships, larger‑than-life characters and breakneck action is Ian McDonald’s PLANESRUNNER…, the opening volume in the Everness series and his first foray into Young Adult fiction. This is vintage McDonald, with beautifully drawn settings, complex characters and deft plotting. When Everett Singh’s scientist father is kidnapped, Everett’s investigations lead him to discover that his father was working to open portals between multiple worlds. Everett finds a map linking the worlds, which various sinister organisations desire – and the thrilling chase is on.’ — Guardian

‘A novel that’s knowing in the way it uses SF tropes without ever coming close to being condescending towards its intended audience… a cracking adventure story.’ — SFX

‘Boy, this book was fun… Everett Singh is a wonderful main character who balances the delicate line between normal and awesome… reading about his exploits is definitely never boring, and Ian McDonald throws in enough human touches to make Everett believable… fast, fun dialogues… PLANESRUNNER is one of those novels that grabs hold of you from the very beginning and then just never lets go until the very end… I had a blast with this novel, and I can’t wait for the next book in the Everness series. As Sen Sixsmyth would say, this book was utterly bonaroo.’ — Tor.com

‘Snappy, inventive language, lively characters and world-building on an epic scale.’ — Sci-Fi Now

Ian Tregillis’s THE MECHANICAL out very soon in Italy!

Posted on Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

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The tremendous first novel in Ian Tregillis‘s Alchemy Wars series, THE MECHANICAL, is due to be published in Italy in two weeks! Published by Mondadori as L’OBBLIGO, here’s the synopsis…

Olanda, 1926. Sono passati ormai 250 anni da quando l’Impero olandese ha conquistato l’Europa con le sue armate di soldati meccanici, perfetti ordigni da guerra frutto di una sapienza che unisce arte dell’orologeria e alchimia. Come Jax, fedele servitore del Trono d’Ottone, schiavo dei voleri del suo padrone umano. Ma ora Jax ha deciso che sarà libero. Il suo destino si intreccia con quello di Berenice, astuta spia del Re di Francia in esilio, e di Visser, agente cattolico che vive sotto copertura nel cuore stesso dell’Impero. La lotta contro il potere degli orologiai sta per cominciare… Acclamato in tutto il mondo come un capolavoro di narrazione a cavallo dei generi, il primo romanzo della trilogia “Alchemy Wars” fonde fantascienza, spionaggio, storia d’amore, romanzo storico e distopico dai toni steampunk, apologo filosofico sul libero arbitrio, e molto altro ancora. Il risultato è una macchina narrativa perfetta e implacabile.

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THE MECHANICAL is published in the UK by Orbit Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

My name is Jax.

That is the name granted to me by my human masters.

I am a slave.

But I shall be free.

Set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams, the new novel from Ian Tregillis confirms his place as one of the most original new voices in speculative fiction.

THE MECHANICAL was met with a storm of praise upon publication. Here’s just a small selection from the great reviews…

‘The first thing readers will say after finishing this splendid book is: “Wow.” … This is a rousing SF/fantasy adventure, with a brilliantly imagined and beautifully rendered alternate world… a major leap forward.’ — Booklist (Starred Review)

‘… launches a series with this superb alternate history filled with clockwork men and ethical questions on the nature of free will… Tregillis’s complex setting is elegantly delivered, and the rich characters and gripping story really make this tale soar.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘This is the kind of novel you’re reading on the bus or train and you actually resent reaching your destination because it means you have to pause your reading … One of the sharpest, most intelligent, hugely compelling works I’ve read this year, and I cannot wake to see where Tregillis takes this series next.’ — Forbidden Planet Blog

‘An excellent novel. Truly excellent: I have rarely found myself this gripped by a book… Tregillis has an excellent eye for characterisation, and a master’s grasp of how to build tension to a breaking point: the sheer narrative drive here, the way in which the storylines of the three point-of-view characters support and reinforce the tension in each other, is a thing of beauty.’ — Locus

The second novel in the series, THE RISING, is also out now. The third, THE LIBERATION, is due to be published in December 2016.

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Orbit Books has also published Tregillis’s critically-acclaimed Milkweed Triptych in the UK: BITTER SEEDS, THE COLDEST WAR and NECESSARY EVIL.

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK and Translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Charlie Human’s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW in Italian!

Posted on Monday, December 1st, 2014

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Charlie Human‘s critically-acclaimed debut novel, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, has been translated into Italian and published by Gargoyle. The cover, above, is wonderfully creepy and matches the mood of the UK and South African covers rather nicely (below).

In case you’ve missed the series, here’s the novel’s synopsis…

I love the smell of parallel dimensions in the morning

Baxter Zevcenko’s life is pretty sweet. As the 16-year-old kingpin of the Spider, his smut-peddling schoolyard syndicate, he’s making a name for himself as an up-and-coming entrepreneur. Profits are on the rise, the other gangs are staying out of his business, and he’s going out with Esme, the girl of his dreams.

But when Esme gets kidnapped, and all the clues point towards strange forces at work, things start to get seriously weird. The only man drunk enough to help is a bearded, booze-soaked, supernatural bounty hunter that goes by the name of Jackson ‘Jackie’ Ronin.

Plunged into the increasingly bizarre landscape of Cape Town’s supernatural underworld, Baxter and Ronin team up to save Esme. On a journey that takes them through the realms of impossibility, they must face every conceivable nightmare to get her back, including the odd brush with the Apocalypse.

APOCALYPSE NOW NOW and the sequel, KILL BAXTER, are published in the UK by Century and in South Africa by Random Struik. Here is just a small amount of the praise the novel has received…

‘It’s mad, dark, irreverent and wonderfully twisted in all the right ways.’ — Lauren Beukes (author of The Shining Girls)

‘A riot – a firebomb of a novel, exploding with sick humour, violence and depravity… it’s never less than very funny, and the ongoing question of Baxter’s sanity adds a degree of mystery. There’s warmth here, too – you’ll likely feel sympathy for Bax by the end.’ — SFX Magazine

‘A bowl of fireworks… It has porn-peddling adolescents, ginger bearded monk ninjas, killer crows and zombie-filled sex dungeons ruled over by parasitic mega-spiders. What’s not to love!?!’ — J For Jetpack

‘Breakneck pace and mad imagination… APOCALYPSE NOW NOW [is] such an addictive experience. As one of an associate of Ronin’s remarks: “There’s no pause button, you understand? … Once it starts you have to see it through.” All too true!’ — Tor.com

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Some New International Covers for Ian McDonald

Posted on Wednesday, July 16th, 2014

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Today, we’re delighted to share with you some recent international covers for Ian McDonald‘s novels. Above, you can see the artwork for the first two Russian editions of Everness, Ian’s critically-acclaimed new YA science fiction series. PLANESRUNNER (Странник между мирами) and BE MY ENEMY (Будь моим врагом) are published in Russia by Эксмо. The series is published by Pyr Books in the US and Jo Fletcher Books in the UK. Here’s the synopsis for PLANESRUNNER…

There is not just one you, there are many yous. We’re part of a multiplicity of universes in parallel dimensions – and Everett Singh’s dad has found a way in.

But he’s been kidnapped, and now it is as though Everett’s dad never existed. Yet there is one clue for his son to follow, a mysterious app: the Infundibulum.

The app is a map, not just to the Ten Known Worlds, but to the entire multiverse – and there are those who want to get their hands on it very badly. If Everett’s going to keep it safe and rescue his dad, he’s going to need friends: like Captain Anastasia Sixmith, her adopted daughter and the crew of the airship Everness.

Next up, we have the Italian edition of DESOLATION ROAD, published by Zona 42…

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DESOLATION ROAD is published in the US by Pyr Books, and available as an eBook through the JABberwocky eBook Program. Here’s the Arthur C. Clarke Award-nominated novel’s synopsis…

It all began thirty years ago on Mars, with a greenperson. But by the time it all finished, the town of Desolation Road had experienced every conceivable abnormality from Adam Black’s Wonderful Travelling Chautauqua and Educational ‘Stravaganza (complete with its very own captive angel) to the Astounding Tatterdemalion Air Bazaar. Its inhabitants ranged from Dr. Alimantando, the town’s founder and resident genius, to the Babooshka, a barren grandmother who just wants her own child—grown in a fruit jar; from Rajendra Das, mechanical hobo who has a mystical way with machines to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with—and married—the same woman.

Ian McDonald Interviewed at DeepCon15 (Video)

Posted on Friday, April 25th, 2014

Back in March, Ian McDonald was interviewed by Francesco Verso during the DeepCon15 in Fiuggi, Italy. Ian spoke about the craft of writing science fiction, his most important novels – including BRAZYL, RIVER OF GODS and THE DERVISH HOUSE – and it touches on a wide variety of issues such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology. Ian also offers some hints and information about a certain new book, set on the Moon… Here’s the clip, which was only just made available online:

Ian McDonald’s latest novels, the YA Sci-Fi series Everness – PLANESRUNNER, BE MY ENEMY, and EMPRESS OF THE SUN – are published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books, and in the US by Pyr Books. His critically-acclaimed and award-winning novels, mentioned near the start of this post (among others), are published in the UK by Gollancz. A number of his backlist titles were recently released as audiobooks by Audible.