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Charlie Human’s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW Arrives Tomorrow in Japan

Posted on Friday, March 20th, 2015

Tomorrow, Charlie Human‘s mind-bending, gonzo debut urban fantasy novel, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW, is released in Japan. Published by Tokyo Sogensha as 鋼鉄の黙示録, here’s the Japanese synopsis, followed by the English-language synopsis…

ケープタウンに住む高校生のバクスターは失踪した恋人を探すうちに、超常現象専門の賞金稼ぎローニンと出会う。どうやら恋人は、この街に実在する異形の怪物たちにさらわれたらしい。しかも事件にはバクスターの血筋に連なる異能者や、政府の秘密諜報機関までもが関わっているという。調査を進めるバクスターたちの行く先々で、銃弾と呪術が乱れ飛び、ゾンビやロボットが大暴れ……　イギリスＳＦ界を騒然とさせたデビュー作！

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 is published in the UK by Century Books; South Africa by Umuzi/Random Struik; and is due to be published in the US by Titan Books soon (cover reveal next week). The sequel, KILL BAXTER, is also published or due to be published by the same publishers.

Here’s just a small selection of the incredible reviews APOCALYPSE NOW NOW has received…

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

‘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

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

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:

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

An Award Nod for APOCALYPSE NOW NOW Artist!

Posted on Friday, January 24th, 2014

We are very pleased to share the news that Joey Hi-Fi‘s wonderful art that graces the cover of Charlie Human‘s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW has been chosen as a finalist in The Kitschies‘ Inky Tentacle (Cover Art) category! Selected from over 230 covers, it’s great to hear that Joey’s work has made the final short list!

As for Charlie’s novel, it continues to receive rave reviews from far and wide! As a result, anticipation for the sequel, KILL BAXTER, just keeps on growing. APOCALYPSE NOW NOW was published by Century in the UK, and Umuzi/Random Struik in South Africa. Here’s a reminder of the novel’s synopsis…

Baxter Zevcenko is your average sixteen-year-old-boy — if by average you mean kingpin of a schoolyard porn syndicate and possible serial killer who suffers from surreal nightmares. Which may very well be what counts as average these days. Baxter is the first to admit that he’s not a nice guy. After all, if the guy below you falls, dragging you down into an icy abyss you have to cut him loose — even in high school.

That is until his girlfriend, Esmé, is kidnapped and Baxter is forced to confront a disturbing fact about himself — that he has a heart, and the damn thing is forcing him to abandon high-school politics and set out on a quest to find her. The clues point to supernatural forces at work and Baxter is must admit that he can’t do it alone. Enter Jackie Ronin, supernatural bounty hunter, Border War veteran, and all-round lunatic, who takes him on a chaotic tour of Cape Town’s sweaty, occult underbelly.

What do glowing men, transsexual African valkyries, and zombie-creating arachnids have to do with Esmé’s disappearance? That’s what Baxter really, really needs to find out.

And some of the aforementioned critical praise…

‘… 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)

‘… 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

‘… 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