Seoul Survivors - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Naomi Foyle’s SEOUL SURVIVORS Out Now in US

Posted on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016

Naomi Foyle‘s debut novel, SEOUL SURVIVORS, is out today in North America! Published by Jo Fletcher Books, here’s the synopsis…

In Seoul Survivors, praised for its “impeccable plotting” by The Guardian, global warming has wreaked havoc on the planet. There is only one safe place to be: in the mountains above Seoul, glamorous Korean-American bioengineer Dr. Kim Da Mi is convinced she has found the perfect solution to save the human race. But her methods are strange and her business partner, Johnny Sandman, is a, unsavory character with many secrets.

When impetuous aspiring model Sydney flies to Seoul at the behest of her boyfriend, Johnny Sandman, and meets Dr. Kim Da Mi, she doesn’t know that the scientist is engaged in a secret power struggle with Johnny that will threaten her own life.

Seduced by the visionary scientist, Sydney begins helping Kim Da Mi create a new breed of human beings to staff a revolutionary theme park: VirtuWorld. As the Winter Solstice looms, the Internet is rife with rumors that a devastating meteor called Lucifer’s Hammer is heading straight toward Earth. VirtuWorld would be a haven from eco-apocalypse, but its success demands a sacrifice — just whose blood will spill is far from certain until the final pages of this tense cyber-thriller.

The novel was first published in the UK, also by Jo Fletcher Books, in 2013. Here are just a couple of reviews…

‘… takes a cast of quirky characters, sets them down in a convincingly portrayed near-future South Korea, then threatens them with Lucifer’s Hammer, a meteor that is scheduled to hit the planet. Beautiful Sydney Travers has come to Seoul to find her fortune as a fashion model, and finds herself involved with Canadian drug runner Damien Meadows and the silkily deceptive Dr Kim Da Mi, an ambiguously drawn possible saviour of humankind – or a demented megalomaniac. Foyle’s strengths are her impeccable plotting, her rendering of a futuristic Seoul and the depiction of Sydney Travers’ gradualinveiglement in the nightmare of Dr Kim’s cloning experiment.’ — Guardian

‘A highly regarded poet and performer, Naomi Foyle has drawn on her time living in Korea to produce a detailed and fascinating debut that deals with love, betrayal and an impending apocalypse. A fast paced, riveting story set in an all-too-real dark near future, this is a character driven novel that is not for the faint-hearted.’ — BSFA

‘SEOUL SURVIVORS is a book that defies all expectations. Just sitting back and letting the story be what it is can lead to some pleasant surprises amidst the dark twists and turns. The true nature of it can take a while to unravel, but the never-seen-before ideas and diverse cast of characters make this one an intriguing read. It touched me, and it also shook me to my core.’ — Bibliosanctum

Jo Fletcher Books has also been publishing Naomi’s Gaia Chronicles. The series includes: ASTRA (published earlier this year in the US), ROOK SONG, THE BLOOD OF THE HOOPOE, and the upcoming STAINED LIGHT.

Naomi Foyle Interviewed by Writers Forum

Posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2015

In the May issue of Writers Forum, Naomi Foyle has been interviewed about her novels and writing (you can read the interview, above, by clicking on the image).

To coincide with the interview, Naomi has written an article for the Jo Fletcher Books blog, which you can read here.

Naomi is the author of the critically-acclaimed SEOUL SURVIVORS, ASTRA and ROOK SONG. She is published in the UK and US by Jo Fletcher Books. Here’s the synopsis for ROOK SONG, the second novel in her Gaia Chronicles sci-fi series…

Astra Ordott is in exile. Evicted from Is-Land for a crime she cannot regret, she has found work in an ancient fortress in Non-Land: headquarters of the Council of New Continents, the global body charged with providing humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of this toxic refugee camp.

Recovering from a disorienting course of Memory Pacification Treatment, Astra struggles to focus on her overriding goals – to find her Code father and avenge the death of her Shelter mother, Hokma.

But can the CONC compound director, the ambiguous Major Thames, protect her from the hawk-eyed attentions of her old enemies? And who in this world of competing agendas can she trust? The deeper Astra ventures into this new world, the more she realises her true quest may be to find herself.

Here’s just a small sample of the great reviews Naomi’s novels have received…

‘Foyle’s strengths are her impeccable plotting, her rendering of a futuristic Seoul and the depiction of Sydney Travers’ gradual inveiglement in the nightmare of Dr Kim’s cloning experiment.’ — Guardian on SEOUL SURVIVORS

‘It’s a beautiful story, unique and daring, which serves as a solid foundation for everything else to come.’ — Bibliosanctum on ASTRA

‘An enthralling and absorbing read… Offering plenty of twists and surprises, ROOK SONG outdoes its predecessor with a more developed story and plenty of conspiracies that pull the reader in. Book one was a comment on how society should live to protect the planet, book two is a comment on how people should prevent international conflict and wars. We can only wait with bated breath to see what book three will campaign for.’ — Starburst on ROOK SONG

Naomi Foyle’s Poetry Wins Award!

Posted on Monday, August 25th, 2014

We’re very happy to share the news that Zeno client Naomi Foyle is the recipient of the 2014 Hryhorii (Gregory) Skovoroda Award! The award has been given as a result of Foyle’s poetry and essays about Ukraine (some of which you can be found on her blog). The award is named after Hryhorii Skovoroda, an 18th-century Cossack poet, philosopher, teacher and composer, sometimes known as ‘the Russian Socrates’. We think you’ll agree, this is pretty cool.

Naomi Foyle is the author of, most recently, SEOUL SURVIVORS and ASTRA – both published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books. As we reported recently, ASTRA is also available as an audiobook. Here’s the synopsis for ASTRA…

Like every child in Is-Land, all Astra Ordott wants is to have her Security Shot, do her National Service and defend her Gaian homeland from Non-Lander ‘infiltrators’. But when one of her Shelter mothers, the formidable Dr Hokma Blesser, tells her the shot will limit her chances of becoming a scientist and offers her an alternative, Astra agrees to her plan.

When the orphaned Lil arrives to share Astra’s home, Astra is torn between jealousy and fascination. Lil’s father taught her some alarming ideas about Is-Land and the world, but when she pushes Astra too far, the heartache that results goes far beyond the loss of a friend.

If she is to survive, Astra must learn to deal with devastating truths about Is-Land, Non-Land and the secret web of adult relationships that surrounds her.

And just a small selection from the great reviews Naomi’s novels have been receiving…

‘A highly regarded poet and performer, Naomi Foyle has drawn on her time living in Korea to produce a detailed and fascinating debut that deals with love, betrayal and an impending apocalypse. A fast paced, riveting story set in an all-too-real dark near future, this is a character driven novel that is not for the faint-hearted.’ — BSFA on SEOUL SURVIVORS

‘Foyle’s strengths are her impeccable plotting, her rendering of a futuristic Seoul and the depiction of Sydney Travers’ gradualinveiglement in the nightmare of Dr Kim’s cloning experiment.’ — Guardian on SEOUL SURVIVORS

‘Shocking though it might be in some respects, ASTRA certainly provides food for thought… the story quickly becomes engrossing. The ending is abrupt, but it makes you crave the second instalment of the Gaia Chronicles. ASTRA will certainly not be everyone’s cup of tea, but personally I am looking forwards to the next book with curiosity and excitement.’ — Starburst Magazine

‘… intensely deep, complex and thought-provoking… It’s a beautiful story, unique and daring, which serves as a solid foundation for everything else to come.’ — Bibliosanctum on ASTRA

Naomi Foyle Part of Women in Sci-Fi Event!

Posted on Friday, May 2nd, 2014

We are very happy to report that Zeno client Naomi Foyle is taking part in a great event in London next week: Women in SF, which takes place on May 8th, from 6:30-7:3opm at Blackwell’s Charing Cross Road branch.

The event has been organised by Jo Fletcher Books and Blackwell’s Charing Cross Road. Six authors will come together to discuss the debate surrounding the representation of female authors in genre fiction, why there is a lack of it, and the solutions that could be implemented to ensure equality in the future. Alongside Naomi, Karen Lord, Stephanie Saulter, Jaine Fenn and Janet Edwards will be in attendance, and the panel will be moderated by Edward James. The event also coincides with the launch of a Blackwell’s Women in SF display, to promote novels written in the genre by female authors.

Attendance at the event is free, and you can book tickets here – be sure to book them soon, though, as they are expected to run out quickly.

Naomi’s latest novel, ASTRA, was published by Jo Fletcher Books this past February. It is the first in a projected trilogy. Jo Fletcher Books also published Naomi’s previous novel, SEOUL SURVIVORS.

Here is the synopsis for ASTRA…

Like every child in Is-Land, all Astra Ordott wants is to have her Security Shot, do her National Service and defend her Gaian homeland from Non-Lander ‘infiltrators’. But when one of her Shelter mothers, the formidable Dr Hokma Blesser, tells her the shot will limit her chances of becoming a scientist and offers her an alternative, Astra agrees to her plan.

When the orphaned Lil arrives to share Astra’s home, Astra is torn between jealousy and fascination. Lil’s father taught her some alarming ideas about Is-Land and the world, but when she pushes Astra too far, the heartache that results goes far beyond the loss of a friend.

If she is to survive, Astra must learn to deal with devastating truths about Is-Land, Non-Land and the secret web of adult relationships that surrounds her.