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Charlie Human’s Baxter Zevcenko second outing, KILL BAXTER returns!

Posted on Thursday, July 11th, 2019

The new eBook edition of KILL BAXTER, the second novel in Charlie Human‘s acclaimed Baxter Zevcenko series, is available again in the UK! Published through the JABberwocky eBook Program, here’s the synopsis…

The world been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko’s efforts. His bloodline may be a combination of ancient Boer mystic and giant shape-shifting crow, and he may have won an inter-dimensional battle and saved the world, but does the world care? No.

Instead he’s packed off to Hexpoort, a magical training school for MK6 agents. Part reformatory, part military school, and just like Hogwarts (except with more sex, drugs, and better internet access) Hexpoort is a much bigger game than your average high-school, and has much more dangerous players.

An attack on his new school by a dark figure called the Muti Man reunites Baxter with supernatural bounty hunter Jackson ‘Jackie’ Ronin and puts on them on the trail of the Obayifo, a tribe of supernatural media moguls and fashion designers. Together Baxter and Jackie are plunged into the most disgusting, terrifying and dangerous situation they’ve encountered yet: Cape Town Fashion Week.

APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, the first in the series, is also available in eBook via JABberwocky. The two novels are available in the US, published by Titan Books (covers at end).

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

‘Like its predecessor, KILL BAXTER is laugh out loud funny and fiendishly creative. The anti-Hogwarts of Hexpoort gives Human the opportunity to riff more directly on pop culture, but so do the porn addict support groups, pretentious fashion shows and possessed nerds. The further we delve into the supernatural world and its politics, with its psychotic fairies and violent luckdragons, the more engrossing the book becomes. Baxter himself is as entertaining a companion as ever, struggling with heartbreak and desperately trying to go against his own nature and be a good person, even as he travels through his own psyche with his psychosexual development funk band guides to fulfil his potential… tighter and more focused, and just as gloriously insane. Dark, mad, imaginative, and hilarious; KILL BAXTER is a joy.’ — SciFiNow

‘Just as the author punctures holes in the twee/charming class system of magical boarding schools, Human also goes after many of the other traditions of epic fantasy. The warrior-mages of KILL BAXTER struggle with PTSD. The “rescued” girlfriends don’t feel particularly swoony or appreciative. The quest to master “the power within” involves a funk band. Baxter himself sees himself as the center of the universe (saviour for all, chosen one, etc. etc.) — but is also wise enough to seek out professional therapy for that sensation. APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was a very clever, extremely dark book with an underpinning of real insight into the teenage mind. KILL BAXTER is a step beyond – a viciously sharp adventure that combines explosive entertainment with cutting satire; the best traditions of contemporary fantasy with the truth of what it actually means to be contemporary. The odd book that should appeal to those who love fantasy and those that hate it. And I would heartily recommend it either way.’ — Pornokitsch

‘The antidote to Harry Potter is back in Charlie Human’s bawdy new novel: a lively elaboration of the mad as pants brand of South African urban fantasy advanced in APOCALYPSE NOW NOW… everything Human’s debut did well, KILL BAXTER does better… the setting, again, is superlative… the way in which South African folklore figures into the fiction is fantastic — the dreamwalking bits are abundantly brilliant — and KILL BAXTER is a markedly more brutal book… more than a match for Charlie Human’s addictive debut. This, then, is urban fantasy on magical meth. You will want more.’ — Tor.com

‘The sequel to the jubilantly violent APOCALYPSE NOW NOW… Moments of glorious distaste come thicker and faster in KILL BAXTER, with goblin fights and hysterical trips into the protagonist’s warped psyche filling the pages at every turn. The supporting characters are more memorable this time too, from Uzi-wielding conjoined twins, Faith and Chastity, to Baxter’s own personal pet, Gigli, a snake-like dragon who possesses a stubborn attitude to match his conflicted partner. Even after brushing with the apocalypse, this emerging series hasn’t lost its frenzied bite. KILL BAXTER is leaner, meaner and shows an unrestrained zest for dizzying, carnivalesque violence… this is an irresistible ride which has lost all control of the brakes. Either cling to the handrail or be splattered in the dust.’ — Starburst

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

‘I don’t even know how to describe reading this book, so just look at my wide eyes and my silently mumbling mouth and take my shell-shock as a good sign that you need to read this book right now.’ — Chuck Wendig, author of Blackbirds

‘With a wild imagination and savage glee, Charlie Human throws us into a school yard battle zone that’s part teenage wasteland, part Lovecraft fever dream. Rock and Roll High School meets the apocalypse.’ — Richard Kadrey, author of Sandman Slim

‘Think Lauren Beukes meets Neil Gaiman, with bounty hunters.’ — Wired (UK)

Charlie Human KILLs BAXTER in Germany

Posted on Wednesday, May 24th, 2017

KILL BAXTER, he second novel in Charlie Human‘s critically-acclaimed Baxter Zevcenko series, is out today in Germany! Published by Tor Germany/Fischer Verlage as KILL BAXTER: SHOWDOWN IN CAPE TOWN, here’s the synopsis…

Als Nachfahre südafrikanischer Mystiker hat Baxter die Kräfte seiner Ahnen geerbt. Um zu lernen, wie man damit umgeht, wird er nach Hexpoort verfrachtet, einer Schule für magisch begabte Teenager in der Nähe von Kapstadt, die verdächtig an Hogwarts erinnert (allerdings mit mehr Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll und schnellerem W-Lan). Doch das Leben als Zauberschüler ist alles andere als einfach. Dass er vom hiesigen Auserwählten schikaniert wird und es im Unterricht einfach nicht bringt, gehört noch zu seinen kleineren Problemen: Richtig schlimm wird es erst, als die Schule angegriffen wird und sein alter Freund Ronin auftaucht, um ihm aus der Patsche zu helfen…

Tor Germany has also published APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, the first novel in the series.

Both novels have been published in the UK by Arrow, and in the US by Titan Books (covers below). The first novel has also been published widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis for KILL BAXTER…

AND HE THOUGHT THE HARD PART WAS OVER…

The world has been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko. His bloodline may be a combination of ancient Boer mystic and giant shape-shifting crow, and he may have won an inter-dimensional battle and saved the world, but does anyone care? No.

Instead he’s packed off to Hexpoort, a magical training school that’s part reformatory, part military school, and just like Hogwarts (except with sex, drugs, and better internet access). The problem is that Baxter sucks at magic. He’s also desperately attempting to control his new ability to dreamwalk, all the while being singled out by the school’s resident bully, who just so happens to be the Chosen One.

But when the school comes under attack, Baxter needs to forget all that and step into action. The only way is joining forces with his favourite recovering alcoholic of a supernatural bounty hunter, Ronin, to try and save the world from the apocalypse. Again.

Here’s some of that aforementioned critical acclaim…

‘Think Lauren Beukes meets Neil Gaiman, with bounty hunters.’ — Wired (UK)

‘It’s mad, dark, irreverent and wonderfully twisted in all the right ways.’ — Lauren Beukes on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘I don’t even know how to describe reading this book, so just look at my wide eyes and my silently mumbling mouth and take my shell-shock as a good sign that you need to read this book right now.’ — Chuck Wendig on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘With a wild imagination and savage glee, Charlie Human throws us into a school yard battle zone that’s part teenage wasteland, part Lovecraft fever dream. Rock and Roll High School meets the apocalypse.’ — Richard Kadrey on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘Brilliantly entertaining.’ — British Fantasy Society

‘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 on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘Like its predecessor, KILL BAXTER is laugh out loud funny and fiendishly creative. The anti-Hogwarts of Hexpoort gives Human the opportunity to riff more directly on pop culture, but so do the porn addict support groups, pretentious fashion shows and possessed nerds. The further we delve into the supernatural world and its politics, with its psychotic fairies and violent luckdragons, the more engrossing the book becomes. Baxter himself is as entertaining a companion as ever, struggling with heartbreak and desperately trying to go against his own nature and be a good person, even as he travels through his own psyche with his psychosexual development funk band guides to fulfil his potential… tighter and more focused, and just as gloriously insane. Dark, mad, imaginative, and hilarious; KILL BAXTER is a joy.’ — SciFiNow

‘Just as the author punctures holes in the twee/charming class system of magical boarding schools, Human also goes after many of the other traditions of epic fantasy. The warrior-mages of KILL BAXTER struggle with PTSD. The “rescued” girlfriends don’t feel particularly swoony or appreciative. The quest to master “the power within” involves a funk band. Baxter himself sees himself as the center of the universe (saviour for all, chosen one, etc. etc.) – but is also wise enough to seek out professional therapy for that sensation. APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was a very clever, extremely dark book with an underpinning of real insight into the teenage mind. KILL BAXTER is a step beyond – a viciously sharp adventure that combines explosive entertainment with cutting satire; the best traditions of contemporary fantasy with the truth of what it actually means to be contemporary. The odd book that should appeal to those who love fantasy and those that hate it. And I would heartily recommend it either way.’ — Pornokitsch

‘The antidote to Harry Potter is back… a lively elaboration of the mad as pants brand of South African urban fantasy advanced in APOCALYPSE NOW NOW… everything Human’s debut did well, KILL BAXTER does better… the setting, again, is superlative… the way in which South African folklore figures into the fiction is fantastic—the dreamwalking bits are abundantly brilliant — and KILL BAXTER is a markedly more brutal book… more than a match for Charlie Human’s addictive debut. This, then, is urban fantasy on magical meth. You will want more.’ — Tor.com

KILL BAXTER returns in a smaller package…

Posted on Tuesday, November 29th, 2016

Today, Titan Books publishes the mass market paperback edition of Charlie Human‘s KILL BAXTER! The sequel to the critically-acclaimed APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, here’s the synopsis…

The world has been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko. He’s been packed off to Hexpoort, part reformatory, part military school, and just like Hogwarts (except with sex, drugs, and better internet access). The problem is that Baxter sucks at magic. He’s also desperately attempting to control his new ability to dreamwalk, all the while being singled out by the school’s resident bully, who just so happens to be the Chosen One. But when the school comes under attack, Baxter must join forces with his favourite recovering alcoholic of a supernatural bounty hunter, Ronin, to try and save the world from the apocalypse. Again.

Titan has now released both novels in MMPB in the US. Both have also been published in the UK by Arrow, and there are a growing number of international and translated editions. Here is just a small selection of praise KILL BAXTER has received…

‘Like its predecessor, KILL BAXTER is laugh out loud funny and fiendishly creative… The further we delve into the supernatural world and its politics, with its psychotic fairies and violent luckdragons, the more engrossing the book becomes. Baxter himself is as entertaining a companion as ever, struggling with heartbreak and desperately trying to go against his own nature and be a good person, even as he travels through his own psyche with his psychosexual development funk band guides to fulfil his potential… tighter and more focused, and just as gloriously insane. Dark, mad, imaginative, and hilarious; KILL BAXTER is a joy.’ — SciFiNow

‘APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was a very clever, extremely dark book with an underpinning of real insight into the teenage mind. KILL BAXTER is a step beyond – a viciously sharp adventure that combines explosive entertainment with cutting satire; the best traditions of contemporary fantasy with the truth of what it actually means to be contemporary. The odd book that should appeal to those who love fantasy and those that hate it. And I would heartily recommend it either way.’ — Pornokitsch

‘The antidote to Harry Potter is back… a lively elaboration of the mad as pants brand of South African urban fantasy advanced in APOCALYPSE NOW NOW… everything Human’s debut did well, KILL BAXTER does better… the setting, again, is superlative… the way in which South African folklore figures into the fiction is fantastic — the dreamwalking bits are abundantly brilliant — and KILL BAXTER is a markedly more brutal book… more than a match for Charlie Human’s addictive debut. This, then, is urban fantasy on magical meth. You will want more.’ — Tor.com

‘Moments of glorious distaste come thicker and faster in KILL BAXTER, with goblin fights and hysterical trips into the protagonist’s warped psyche filling the pages at every turn. The supporting characters are more memorable this time… Even after brushing with the apocalypse, this emerging series hasn’t lost its frenzied bite. KILL BAXTER is leaner, meaner and shows an unrestrained zest for dizzying, carnivalesque violence… this is an irresistible ride which has lost all control of the brakes. Either cling to the handrail or be splattered in the dust.’ — Starburst

Baxter Zevchenko’s adventures arriving soon in German!

Posted on Tuesday, November 15th, 2016

Charlie Human‘s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW and KILL BAXTER are due to be published in Germany by Tor! The first novel should hit shelves later this month (on 24th), while the sequel is scheduled for May 2017.

Here’s the synopsis for APOCALYPSE NOW NOW: SCHATTEN ÜBER CAPE TOWN…

Eigentlich läuft für den 16-jährigen Baxter gerade alles rund. Sein kleines Pornobusiness an der Highschool boomt, die Eltern lassen ihn in Frieden, und er ist über beide Ohren in die zauberhafte Kleptomanin Esmé verliebt. Doch als diese von einem wahnsinnigen Serienmörder entführt wird, laufen die Dinge aus dem Ruder. Zusammen mit dem Kopfgeldjäger Jackie Ronin macht Baxter sich auf die Suche nach ihr und entdeckt hinter dem gewöhnlichen Alltag von Kapstadt eine Schattenwelt der Ungeheuer und Magie.

Ein anarchisches, übersteuertes und verdammt witziges Fantasy-Debüt mit Kultbuchpotenzial.

And for KILL BAXTER: SHOWDOWN IN CAPE TOWN…

Als Nachfahre südafrikanischer Mystiker hat Baxter die Kräfte seiner Ahnen geerbt. Um zu lernen, wie man damit umgeht, wird er nach Hexpoort verfrachtet, einer Schule für magisch begabte Teenager in der Nähe von Kapstadt, die verdächtig an Hogwarts erinnert (allerdings mit mehr Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll und schnellerem W-Lan). Doch das Leben als Zauberschüler ist alles andere als einfach. Dass er vom hiesigen Auserwählten schikaniert wird und es im Unterricht einfach nicht bringt, gehört noch zu seinen kleineren Problemen: Richtig schlimm wird es erst, als die Schule angegriffen wird und sein alter Freund Ronin auftaucht, um ihm aus der Patsche zu helfen…

APOCALYPSE NOW NOW and KILL BAXTER are published in the UK by Arrow, and in the US by Titan Books (pictured below). Here’s the English-language 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.

And, finally, here is a sample from the review coverage…

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

‘Brilliantly entertaining.’ — British Fantasy Society on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘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 on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘If you want the dark imaginative wonder of Gaiman injected with the reckless, carefree abandon of a Tarantino flick, you’d be a fool not to hitch a ride into the mysterious world of Charlie Human’s South Africa.’ — Starburst on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘Like its predecessor, KILL BAXTER is laugh out loud funny and fiendishly creative. The anti-Hogwarts of Hexpoort gives Human the opportunity to riff more directly on pop culture, but so do the porn addict support groups, pretentious fashion shows and possessed nerds. The further we delve into the supernatural world and its politics, with its psychotic fairies and violent luckdragons, the more engrossing the book becomes… tighter and more focused, and just as gloriously insane. Dark, mad, imaginative, and hilarious; KILL BAXTER is a joy.’ — SciFiNow

‘Just as the author punctures holes in the twee/charming class system of magical boarding schools, Human also goes after many of the other traditions of epic fantasy. The warrior-mages of KILL BAXTER struggle with PTSD. The “rescued” girlfriends don’t feel particularly swoony or appreciative. The quest to master “the power within” involves a funk band. Baxter himself sees himself as the center of the universe (saviour for all, chosen one, etc. etc.) – but is also wise enough to seek out professional therapy for that sensation. APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was a very clever, extremely dark book with an underpinning of real insight into the teenage mind. KILL BAXTER is a step beyond – a viciously sharp adventure that combines explosive entertainment with cutting satire; the best traditions of contemporary fantasy with the truth of what it actually means to be contemporary. The odd book that should appeal to those who love fantasy and those that hate it. And I would heartily recommend it either way.’ — Pornokitsch

‘Full of humour… a brash and ballsy read that doesn’t pull any punches and as such it is for the most part an incredibly fun read but it is the characters and the over the top nature of the story that make it so much fun.’ — The Book Bag on KILL BAXTER

Charlie Human’s Novels Now Available as Audiobooks

Posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015

Charlie Human‘s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW and KILL BAXTER are now available in audio format. Published in the UK and US by Blackstone Audio, here’s the synopsis for the first novel…

“now now” adv. a common South Africanism relating to the amount of time to elapse before an event occurs. In the near future; not happening presently but to happen shortly

Baxter Zevcenko’s life is pretty sweet. He’s making a name for himself as the kingpin of his smut-peddling high school syndicate, the other gangs are staying out of his business, and he’s dating the girl of his dreams, Esmé.

But when Esmé gets kidnapped, things start to get seriously weird, and the only man drunk enough to help is a bearded, booze-soaked, supernatural bounty hunter who 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 Esmé. On a journey that takes them through the realms of impossibility, they must face every conceivable nightmare to get her back, including an odd brush with the apocalypse.

Both novels are published in the UK by Arrow, in South Africa by Umuzi, and in the US by Titan Books. APOCALYPSE NOW NOW has also been optioned for film; and published in Turkey, Italy and Japan.

‘With a wild imagination and savage glee, Charlie Human throws us into a school yard battle zone that’s part teenage wasteland, part Lovecraft fever dream. Rock and Roll High School meets the apocalypse.’ — Richard Kadrey, author of Sandman Slim, on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘Brilliantly entertaining.’ — British Fantasy Society on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘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 on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘Think Lauren Beukes meets Neil Gaiman, with bounty hunters.’ — Wired (UK) on APOCALYPSE NOW NOW

‘APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was a very clever, extremely dark book with an underpinning of real insight into the teenage mind. KILL BAXTER is a step beyond – a viciously sharp adventure that combines explosive entertainment with cutting satire; the best traditions of contemporary fantasy with the truth of what it actually means to be contemporary. The odd book that should appeal to those who love fantasy and those that hate it. And I would heartily recommend it either way.’ — Pornokitsch

‘As ambitious, ludicrous, laugh out loud funny and twisted as its predecessor… If you enjoy dark twisted urban fantasy, you won’t want to miss it… A triumphant return to the dark side of South Africa.’ — Sci-Fi Bulletin on KILL BAXTER

‘The sequel to the jubilantly violent APOCALYPSE NOW NOW… Even after brushing with the apocalypse, this emerging series hasn’t lost its frenzied bite. KILL BAXTER is leaner, meaner and shows an unrestrained zest for dizzying, carnivalesque violence… this is an irresistible ride which has lost all control of the brakes. Either cling to the handrail or be splattered in the dust.’ — Starburst

Charlie Human’s KILL BAXTER Out Tomorrow in US

Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2015

Charlie Human‘s second novel, KILL BAXTER, is out tomorrow in the US! Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

AND HE THOUGHT THE HARD PART WAS OVER…

The world has been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko. His bloodline may be a combination of ancient Boer mystic and giant shape-shifting crow, and he may have won an inter-dimensional battle and saved the world, but does anyone care? No.

Instead he’s packed off to Hexpoort, a magical training school that’s part reformatory, part military school, and just like Hogwarts (except with sex, drugs, and better internet access). The problem is that Baxter sucks at magic. He’s also desperately attempting to control his new ability to dreamwalk, all the while being singled out by the school’s resident bully, who just so happens to be the Chosen One.

But when the school comes under attack, Baxter needs to forget all that and step into action. The only way is joining forces with his favourite recovering alcoholic of a supernatural bounty hunter, Ronin, to try and save the world from the apocalypse. Again.

The novel takes readers back to the urban fantastical South Africa of the author’s critically-acclaimed debut, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW. The novel is published in the UK by Arrow, and in South Africa by Random Struik/Umuzi. The first novel in the series is also available in Turkey, Italy and Japan; earlier this year, it was also recently optioned for the big screen.

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

‘Like its predecessor, KILL BAXTER is laugh out loud funny and fiendishly creative… Baxter himself is as entertaining a companion as ever… tighter and more focused, and just as gloriously insane. Dark, mad, imaginative, and hilarious; KILL BAXTER is a joy.’ — SciFiNow

‘Just as the author punctures holes in the twee/charming class system of magical boarding schools, Human also goes after many of the other traditions of epic fantasy… APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was a very clever, extremely dark book with an underpinning of real insight into the teenage mind. KILL BAXTER is a step beyond — a viciously sharp adventure that combines explosive entertainment with cutting satire; the best traditions of contemporary fantasy with the truth of what it actually means to be contemporary. The odd book that should appeal to those who love fantasy and those that hate it. And I would heartily recommend it either way.’ — Pornokitsch

‘The antidote to Harry Potter is back… a lively elaboration of the mad as pants brand of South African urban fantasy advanced in APOCALYPSE NOW NOW… everything Human’s debut did well, KILL BAXTER does better… the setting, again, is superlative… the way in which South African folklore figures into the fiction is fantastic… and KILL BAXTER is a markedly more brutal book… more than a match for Charlie Human’s addictive debut. This, then, is urban fantasy on magical meth. You will want more.’ — Tor.com

Charlie Human’s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW in Turkey

Posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2015

Last week, we shared the news that Charlie Human‘s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was published in the US by Titan Books. Today, we can share the news that İthaki Yayınları has published the novel in Turkey, as KIYAMET AZ SONRA.

Here’s the English-language 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 its sequel, KILL BAXTER, are published in the UK by Arrow Books, and in South Africa by Umuzi/Random Struik. Here’s a selection of great reviews the novel has received, from peers and critics alike…

‘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

‘I don’t even know how to describe reading this book, so just look at my wide eyes and my silently mumbling mouth and take my shell-shock as a good sign that you need to read this book right now.’ — Chuck Wendig, author of Blackbirds

‘Brilliantly entertaining.’ — British Fantasy Society

‘With a wild imagination and savage glee, Charlie Human throws us into a school yard battle zone that’s part teenage wasteland, part Lovecraft fever dream. Rock and Roll High School meets the apocalypse.’ — Richard Kadrey, author of Sandman Slim

‘Think Lauren Beukes meets Neil Gaiman, with bounty hunters.’ — Wired (UK)

‘If you want the dark imaginative wonder of Gaiman injected with the reckless, carefree abandon of a Tarantino flick, you’d be a fool not to hitch a ride into the mysterious world of Charlie Human’s South Africa.’ — Starburst

Out Now in the US: APOCALYPSE NOW NOW by Charlie Human

Posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2015

The wait is finally over: today, Titan Books publish Charlie Human‘s debut, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW in the US. An incredibly well-received novel in the UK, here’s the 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.

Here’s just a small handful of the veritable tsunami of praise APOCALYPSE NOW NOW received from reviewers and peers alike…

‘It’s mad, dark, irreverent and wonderfully twisted in all the right ways.’ — Lauren Beukes

‘Billed as a mash-up between Neil Gaiman and Quinton Tarantino, this debut novel by Charlie Human draws on his South African background and pours on a crazy, twisted narrative that is brilliantly entertaining.’ — British Science Fiction Association

The sequel, KILL BAXTER, is due to be published in the US by Titan Books, in November 2015. We’ll bring you more details closer to then. In the meantime, here’s the US cover…

Both APOCALYPSE NOW NOW and KILL BAXTER are published in the UK by Century/Arrow, and in South Africa by Umuzi/Random Struik. The first novel has also been published in translation in a number of countries (more to come). Here are the covers for APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, to date…

Out Today: New Books by Charlie Human & Tim Powers

Posted on Thursday, April 9th, 2015

The paperback edition of Charlie Human‘s second novel, KILL BAXTER, is released today. Published in the UK by Arrow Books, it is the sequel to the tremendously well-reviewed APOCALYPSE NOW NOW. Here’s the synopsis…

AND HE THOUGHT THE HARD PART WAS OVER…

The world has been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko. His bloodline may be a combination of ancient Boer mystic and giant shape-shifting crow, and he may have won an inter-dimensional battle and saved the world, but does anyone care? No.

Instead he’s packed off to Hexpoort, a magical training school that’s part reformatory, part military school, and just like Hogwarts (except with sex, drugs, and better internet access). The problem is that Baxter sucks at magic. He’s also desperately attempting to control his new ability to dreamwalk, all the while being singled out by the school’s resident bully, who just so happens to be the Chosen One.

But when the school comes under attack, Baxter needs to forget all that and step into action. The only way is joining forces with his favourite recovering alcoholic of a supernatural bounty hunter, Ronin, to try and save the world from the apocalypse. Again.

Here are just a couple of reviews KILL BAXTER has received…

‘This detailed world is one all fans of urban fantasy or comedy will enjoy.’ — Sun

‘A hilarious, imaginative and gloriously insane treat…laugh out loud funny and fiendishly creative…Dark, mad, imaginative, and hilarious; Kill Baxter is a joy.’ — SciFi Now

Gollancz also publishes today the latest novel in the Fantasy Masterworks series: Tim Powers‘s EXPIRATION DATE. The second novel in the author’s Fault Lines sequence, here’s the synopsis…

Growing up in the L.A. of the 1990s, all young Koot Parganas wants is to be normal, but his weird parents won’t allow it. They venerate the spirits of dead Mahatmas. Feeling he has no alternative, Koot disobeys his parents and breaks into a bust of Dante and steals a small glass vial that was concealed inside the bust. The vial contains the preserved ghost of Thomas Edison. Now, aided by allies as strange as his enemies, Koot is pursued through the dark underside of the city.

Tim Powers is the award-winning author of many great fantasy and science fiction novels, including THE ANUBIS GATES, LAST CALL, ON STRANGER TIDES (an inspiration for the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie), and most recently HIDE ME AMONG THE GRAVES.

Zeno represents Tim Powers in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Russell Galen at the Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency.

Lauren Beukes helps launch Charlie Human’s KILL BAXTER!

Posted on Tuesday, November 4th, 2014

Already available in the UK, Charlie Human‘s KILL BAXTER will be launched in the author’s native South Africa next week, on November 11th. Held at Cape Town’s Book Lounge, the event (poster above), will include Charlie in conversation with best-selling author Lauren Beukes. KILL BAXTER is the sequel to APOCALYPSE NOW NOW. Both novels are published in South Africa by Umuzi/Random Struik and in the UK by Century. Here’s the synopsis…

The world has been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko. His bloodline may be a combination of ancient Boer mystic and giant shape-shifting crow, and he may have won an inter-dimensional battle and saved the world, but does anyone care? Frankly, no.

Instead he’s packed off to Hexpoort, a magical training school that’s part reformatory, part military school. It’s just like Hogwarts – except with sex, drugs, and much better internet access. The problem is that Baxter sucks at magic. He’s also desperately attempting to control his new ability to dreamwalk, all the while being singled out by the school’s resident bully, who just so happens to be the Chosen One.

But when Hexpoort comes under attack, Baxter needs to forget all that and step into action. The only way to do this is to join forces with his favourite recovering alcoholic of a supernatural bounty hunter, Ronin, to try to save the world from the apocalypse. Again.

Check out the great covers for KILL BAXTER, both by the ever-so-talented Joey Hi-Fi:

UK Publication Day: Charlie Human’s KILL BAXTER

Posted on Thursday, July 17th, 2014

The wait is finally over! KILL BAXTER, the sequel to Charlie Human‘s critically-acclaimed debut novel APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, is out today in the UK! Published by Century, the novel offers everything we loved about APOCALYPSE NOW NOW and throws Baxter into an even deadlier environment: a school populated by back-stabbing and ambitious wannabe wizards! Here’s the synopsis…

AND HE THOUGHT THE HARD PART WAS OVER…

The world has been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko. His bloodline may be a combination of ancient Boer mystic and giant shape-shifting crow, and he may have won an inter-dimensional battle and saved the world, but does anyone care? No.

Instead he’s packed off to Hexpoort, a magical training school that’s part reformatory, part military school, and just like Hogwarts (except with sex, drugs, and better internet access). The problem is that Baxter sucks at magic. He’s also desperately attempting to control his new ability to dreamwalk, all the while being singled out by the school’s resident bully, who just so happens to be the Chosen One.

But when the school comes under attack, Baxter needs to forget all that and step into action. The only way is joining forces with his favourite recovering alcoholic of a supernatural bounty hunter, Ronin, to try and save the world from the apocalypse. Again.

It’s still a bit early for many reviews to have surfaced, but we’ll be sure to share notable quotes on here, and also on Charlie’s author page. The first review, from SciFi Now encapsulated things rather nicely: ‘Like its predecessor, KILL BAXTER is laugh out loud funny and fiendishly creative. The anti-Hogwarts of Hexpoort gives Human the opportunity to riff more directly on pop culture, but so do the porn addict support groups, pretentious fashion shows and possessed nerds. The further we delve into the supernatural world and its politics, with its psychotic fairies and violent luckdragons, the more engrossing the book becomes. Baxter himself is as entertaining a companion as ever, struggling with heartbreak and desperately trying to go against his own nature and be a good person, even as he travels through his own psyche with his psychosexual development funk band guides to fulfil his potential… tighter and more focused, and just as gloriously insane. Dark, mad, imaginative, and hilarious; KILL BAXTER is a joy.’

The novel will be published in the US by Titan Books, and in South Africa by Umuzi/Random Struik. We’ll be sure to keep you informed of publication dates. And finally, because we love this cover as well, here’s the South African artwork, which we unveiled on Monday…

Cover Reveal: KILL BAXTER by Charlie Human, South African Edition

Posted on Monday, July 14th, 2014

We unveiled Joey Hi-Fi’s superb cover for the UK edition of Charlie Human‘s second novel, KILL BAXTER, a little while ago. Today, we share with you the equally stunning cover that will grace the South African edition of the novel, which is due to be published by Random Struik/Umuzi. This cover is also done by the insanely talented Joey Hi-Fi.

KILL BAXTER is due to be published in the UK by Century, later this week. It is the sequel to the critically-acclaimed APOCALYPSE NOW NOW.

Here are the two covers for the novel side-by-side…

Cover Reveal: KILL BAXTER by Charlie Human

Posted on Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

We are very happy indeed to be able to share with you the superb cover for Charlie Human‘s second novel, KILL BAXTER. We think you can agree, Joey Hi-Fi has once again knocked it right out of the park! KILL BAXTER is the sequel to APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, Charlie’s critically-acclaimed debut. Here’s the synopsis for the new novel…

And he thought the hard part was over…

The world been massively unappreciative of sixteen-year-old Baxter Zevcenko. His bloodline may be a combination of ancient Boer mystic and giant shape-shifting crow, and he may have won an inter-dimensional battle and saved the world, but does anyone care? No.

Instead he’s packed off to Hexpoort, a magical training school that’s part reformatory, part military school, and just like Hogwarts (except with sex, drugs, and better internet access). Th problem is that Baxter sucks at magic. He’s also desperately attempting to control his new ability to dreamwalk, all the while being singled out by the school’s resident bully, who just so happens to be the Chosen One.

But when the school comes under attack, Baxter needs to forget all that and step into action. The only way is joining forces with his favourite recovering alcoholic of a supernatural bounty hunter, Ronin, to try and save the world from the apocalypse. Again.

Here’s just a small selection of that aforementioned critical praise for APOCALYPSE NOW NOW…

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

‘With a wild imagination and savage glee, Charlie Human throws us into a school yard battle zone that’s part teenage wasteland, part Lovecraft fever dream. Rock and Roll High School meets the apocalypse.’ — Richard Kadrey, author of Sandman Slim

‘… 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

‘… 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

‘Think Lauren Beukes meets Neil Gaiman, with bounty hunters.’ — Wired (UK)

KILL BAXTER is due to be published by Century in the UK in July 2014. As for APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, Joey Hi-Fi is working on a separate cover for Charlie’s home South African edition, and we’ll be sure to share that will you as soon as we can.

Charlie Human’s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW available in MMPB (UK)

Posted on Tuesday, April 8th, 2014

Charlie Human‘s critically acclaimed debut novel, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, was published at the beginning of this month in mass market paperback. The novel is published by Century in the UK, Umuzi/Random Struik in South Africa, and is due to be published in the US by Titan Books.

If you haven’t checked it out, yet, we strongly urge that you do! It’s a smorgasbord of fantastical, bizarre, and humorous elements, set in the South African supernatural underground. Here’s the 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.

The novel has been praised far and wide by fans, reviewers and Charlie’s peers. Here’s just a small slice of what has been said…

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

‘With a wild imagination and savage glee, Charlie Human throws us into a school yard battle zone that’s part teenage wasteland, part Lovecraft fever dream. Rock and Roll High School meets the apocalypse.’ — Richard Kadrey, author of Sandman Slim

‘… 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

Charlie recently turned in a draft of his follow-up novel, KILL BAXTER, which is due to be published in the UK in July 2014. More news anon!

New US Deal for Charlie Human’s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW!

Posted on Friday, January 24th, 2014

We are very happy to report that those across the pond in the US will not have to wait much longer to get their hands on Charlie Human‘s bombastic and twisted APOCALYPSE NOW NOW! Titan Books have picked up the US rights for Charlie’s debut and its forthcoming sequel, KILL BAXTER. Here’s the 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 was published in the UK by Century and Umuzi/Random Struik in South Africa, to rave reviews. Here is just a small sample of the praise that has been justifiably heaped on the novel…

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

‘I don’t even know how to describe reading this book, so just look at my wide eyes and my silently mumbling mouth and take my shell-shock as a good sign that you need to read this book right now.’ — Chuck Wendig, author of Blackbirds

‘With a wild imagination and savage glee, Charlie Human throws us into a school yard battle zone that’s part teenage wasteland, part Lovecraft fever dream. Rock and Roll High School meets the apocalypse.’ — Richard Kadrey, author of Sandman Slim

‘… 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

‘… wonderfully detailed scenarios, it’s fantastic… APOCALYPSE NOW NOW is often hilarious and tremendous fun… its target audience will have a blast.’ — SciFi Now

‘Human effortlessly mixes Baxter’s psychiatrist’s comments on him with lurid scenes of Cape Town’s supernatural clubland. It’s quick, amusing and widely referenced, and the reader gets no help on which reality to take seriously.’ — Mail & Guardian

‘… 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

‘Cruel and unusual as it is, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW‘s setting is pitch perfect for the wicked fun forthcoming… [A] breakneck pace and mad imagination… make APOCALYPSE NOW NOW such an addictive experience.’ — Speculative Scotsman