Tag: Shadow Glass

Best of 2022 Lists Featuring Zeno Clients!

Posted on Friday, November 18th, 2022

It’s that time of the year, when various venues start releasing their Best of the Year lists. We’re very happy to report that a number of our clients’ books have appeared on a number of these lists. Read on for more details!

First up, the acclaimed LEGENDS & LATTES by Travis Baldree has been selected as a best fantasy audiobook of the year by Audible — the author also narrated the novel!

LEGENDS & LATTES is also in the first round of this year’s Goodreads Choice Award (voting in this round ends on November 27th)!

The novel is published by Tor Books in North America and in the UK. Here’s the synopsis…

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

Four Zeno titles have also appeared in various Waterstones Best-Of lists this year…

Brandon Sanderson‘s highly-anticipated, recently-published THE LOST METAL, the last novel in the Mistborn series, has been selected as one of the best Fantasy novels of the year! THE LOST METAL is published in the UK by Gollancz. Here’s the synopsis…

For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the Set – with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders – since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner, Wayne, find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between the capital, Elendel, and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate – whose corruption Wax and his wife, Steris, have sought to expose – and Bilming is even more entangled.

After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial’s god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn’t the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere – Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial…at any cost.

Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.

The acclaimed Silvia Moreno-Garcia‘s THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU has been selected as one of the best Science Fiction novels of the year! Published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books, here’s the synopsis…

Carlota Moreau: A young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula, the only daughter of a genius – or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol, an outcast who assists Dr Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas with plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the Doctor’s labour, destined to blindly obey their creator while they remain in the shadows, are a motley group of part-human, part-animal monstrosities.

All of them are living in a perfectly balanced and static world which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron – who will, unwittingly, begin a dangerous chain-reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle passions may ignite.

Josh Winning‘s acclaimed debut, THE SHADOW GLASS has been selected as one of the Best Paperbacks of 2022 by Waterstones! Published in the UK by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within –– and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

And last, but by no means least, Grady Hendrix‘s THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP is also a Waterstones Best Paperback of 2022! The novel also won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror last year. Published in the UK by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized — someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Josh Winning Interviewed for Good Journeys Podcast!

Posted on Thursday, September 1st, 2022

Last week, Josh Winning with the guest on the first episode of the Good Journeys Podcast!

Winning is the author of the acclaimed novel THE SHADOW GLASS, which is out now in the UK and North America. Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within –– and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

Here, too, are some of the great reviews the novel has received so far…

‘There’s a stirring sense of adventure, excitement, and terror running throughout… a treat for fans of the movies that inspired it.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This book is the only thing I’ve read that captures the dark and dreamlike feel of 80s cult fantasy like Labyrinth and The Neverending Story. It’s a beautifully written homage to that era of filmmaking.’ — BookRiot (Best Books of 2022 So Far)

‘[R]emarkable… Ultimately though this is a story of the power of fandom. I love, love, love the way Winning portrayed fandom and our obsessions; the way we collect as much merchandise from the movie as we can – figures, games, posters, novelisations. The way we also collect as much information as we can, always trying to delve that bit deeper. How we band together in our nerddom. Movies, books and games can have such a wonderful impact on our lives. The scene with The Dragon Con illustrated this perfectly and was an absolute delight… a love letter to 80’s fantasy fans, fandoms, and those enamoured by nostalgia.’ — Fantasy Hive

‘The fantasy adventure my 80s-loving heart needed! Loaded with unforgettable characters, a thrilling quest, and the best 80s pop culture references, I loved every moment.’ — Kat Ellis, author of Harrow Lake

‘You don’t have to be a child of the ’80s to appreciate THE SHADOW GLASS. There’s enough magic within these pages to dress you in leg warmers and take you there. Nostalgic, heartfelt, and bristling with humor. An absolute corker!’ — Rio Youers

‘THE SHADOW GLASS is like the old children’s movies it worships: sometimes dark, but never heartless; gritty yet soulbaring. It embraces its referents as a whole: their beauty with their ugliness, the healing power of nostalgia with its potential to poison the present. But it never goes cynical, never loses faith. It stands proud with a VHS copy of its favorite movie held aloft, daring you to say it’s not the greatest film ever.’ — Edgar Cantero

‘Wonderful. A bold and heartfelt adventure from another world, another time — and our own.’ — Max Gladstone

‘We need more proof that 1980-89 rocked the most and Josh Winning’s THE SHADOW GLASS may just be the book to do it… What makes Shadow so fun is that it uses nostalgia intelligently. Unlike certain bestselling books, it does not use other IPs to fill in the void of having no ideas of its own. Instead, Winning explores the concept of nostalgia, whilst also providing it… In this modern world it is great that such beautifully written flights of fancy are still being created. I for one would be happy to read more tales of Jack, his Guild, and the characters of Iri.’ — SF Book Reviews

‘This book was a love story to the wonderful, imaginative things I grew up with, and I enjoyed every moment of it… From the characters to the storyline, every word was perfectly placed. THE SHADOW GLASS was a delightful smorgasbord of nostalgia and fun, while at the same time exploring themes of loss, love, grief, and self-discovery. I know- I didn’t think it was possible to cram all of that into one book, but author Josh Winning did it beautifully. The balance between fantasy action and extremely well-written character development is perfect. The battles and madcap adventures are a brilliant backdrop for a profound look at how broken relationships can affect every part of a person. Parts of the book had me on the edge of my seat and I actually teared up at one point. THE SHADOW GLASS is sheer perfection. Read it.’ — Grimdark Magazine

Zeno at YALC!

Posted on Tuesday, July 5th, 2022

YALC is this weekend, as part of the London Film & Comic Con. Zeno will be nicely represented by two of our agents — Stevie Finegan and Kristina Pérez, both of whom will be taking part in Agent 1-2-1s on Saturday, July 9th (1pm) in the Agent Arena.

In addition to Stevie and Kristina, two of our authors are also going to be attending!

Josh Winning, the author of the acclaimed debut THE SHADOW GLASS (Titan), will be taking part in the “Try the Fantasy” panel, which will ‘discuss the fun and fantastical world of fantasy YA fiction, and why we can’t get enough of these magical worlds.’

Here’s the synopsis for THE SHADOW GLASS…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within –– and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

Vincent Tirado, debut author of the acclaimed BURN DOWN, RISE UP (Sourcebooks Fire), will be taking part in the “History Repeating” panel, which will ‘explore the challenges and triumphs that come with bringing history back to life in new and exciting ways.’

Here’s the synopsis for BURN DOWN, RISE UP…

Mysterious disappearances. An urban legend rumored to be responsible. And one group of friends determined to save their city at any cost. Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele in this utterly original debut from an incredible new voice.

For over a year, the Bronx has been plagued by sudden disappearances that no one can explain. Sixteen-year-old Raquel does her best to ignore it. After all, the police only look for the white kids. But when her crush Charlize’s cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention-especially when her own mom comes down with a mysterious illness that seems linked to the disappearances.

Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate, but they soon discover that everything is tied to a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game. The game is rumored to trap people in a sinister world underneath the city, and the rules are based on a particularly dark chapter in New York’s past. And if the friends want to save their home and everyone they love, they will have to play the game and destroy the evil at its heart-or die trying.

THE SHADOW GLASS by Josh Winning is Out Now!

Posted on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2022

Josh Winning‘s hotly-anticipated debut novel, THE SHADOW GLASS, is out now! Published by Titan Books in the UK and North America, we think are a lot of people will enjoy this nostalgia-filled adventure! Check out the synopsis…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within — and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

The stunning cover is by Julia Lloyd. Here are just a few of the reviews the novel has received so far…

‘There’s a stirring sense of adventure, excitement, and terror running throughout… a treat for fans of the movies that inspired it.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘THE SHADOW GLASS could easily stand alongside Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal and The NeverEnding Story.’ — Clay McLeod Chapman, author of The Remaking

‘The fantasy adventure my 80s-loving heart needed! Loaded with unforgettable characters, a thrilling quest, and the best 80s pop culture references, I loved every moment.’ — Kat Ellis, author of Harrow Lake

‘You don’t have to be a child of the ’80s to appreciate THE SHADOW GLASS. There’s enough magic within these pages to dress you in leg warmers and take you there. Nostalgic, heartfelt, and bristling with humor. An absolute corker!’ — Rio Youers

‘THE SHADOW GLASS is like the old children’s movies it worships: sometimes dark, but never heartless; gritty yet soulbaring. It embraces its referents as a whole: their beauty with their ugliness, the healing power of nostalgia with its potential to poison the present. But it never goes cynical, never loses faith. It stands proud with a VHS copy of its favorite movie held aloft, daring you to say it’s not the greatest film ever.’ — Edgar Cantero

‘Wonderful. A bold and heartfelt adventure from another world, another time — and our own.’ — Max Gladstone

‘Thrilling suspense and action… will satisfy anyone who has ever fallen in love with a story.’ — Foreword Reviews (Starred Review)

Josh Winning’s THE SHADOW GLASS Out in Two Weeks!

Posted on Tuesday, March 8th, 2022

Josh Winning‘s hotly-anticipated debut novel, THE SHADOW GLASS is out in two weeks! Due to be published by Titan Books in the UK and North America, here’s the synopsis…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within –– and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

Want to give the novel a try? Check out this excerpt, over on io9.

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

‘There’s a stirring sense of adventure, excitement, and terror running throughout… a treat for fans of the movies that inspired it.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘THE SHADOW GLASS could easily stand alongside Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal and The NeverEnding Story.’ — Clay McLeod Chapman, author of The Remaking

‘The fantasy adventure my 80s-loving heart needed! Loaded with unforgettable characters, a thrilling quest, and the best 80s pop culture references, I loved every moment.’ — Kat Ellis, author of Harrow Lake

‘You don’t have to be a child of the ’80s to appreciate THE SHADOW GLASS. There’s enough magic within these pages to dress you in leg warmers and take you there. Nostalgic, heartfelt, and bristling with humor. An absolute corker!’ — Rio Youers

‘THE SHADOW GLASS is like the old children’s movies it worships: sometimes dark, but never heartless; gritty yet soulbaring. It embraces its referents as a whole: their beauty with their ugliness, the healing power of nostalgia with its potential to poison the present. But it never goes cynical, never loses faith. It stands proud with a VHS copy of its favorite movie held aloft, daring you to say it’s not the greatest film ever.’ — Edgar Cantero

‘Wonderful. A bold and heartfelt adventure from another world, another time — and our own.’ — Max Gladstone

‘Thrilling suspense and action… will satisfy anyone who has ever fallen in love with a story.’ — Foreword Reviews (Starred Review)

Check Out the New SHADOW GLASS Trailer!

Posted on Monday, January 31st, 2022

Just a quick post today, but we wanted to share with you the great trailer for Josh Winning‘s upcoming new novel, THE SHADOW GLASS! Due to be published on March 22nd by Titan Books (UK and North America), here is the synopsis…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within –– and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

If you can’t wait until March to read the novel, it is available for reviewers to request on NetGalley, and you can also read an excerpt over on Gizmodo.

‘There’s a stirring sense of adventure, excitement, and terror running throughout… a treat for fans of the movies that inspired it.’ — Publishers Weekly

Coming Soon: Josh Winning’s THE SHADOW GLASS!

Posted on Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

Last week, you may have caught the cover reveal for Josh Winning‘s upcoming debut novel, over on Gizmodo; but, just in case you missed it, we wanted to share the details with you all here. THE SHADOW GLASS is due to be published in March 2022 by Titan Books, and is pitched as a nostalgia-filled, ‘Dark Crystal meets About a Boy‘ adventure. Check out the synopsis…

Jack Corman is failing at life.

Jobless, jaded and on the “wrong” side of thirty, he’s facing the threat of eviction from his London flat while reeling from the sudden death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, a film Jack loved as a child, idolising its fox-like hero Dune.

But The Shadow Glass flopped on release, deemed too scary for kids and too weird for adults, and Bob became a laughing stock, losing himself to booze and self-pity. Now, the film represents everything Jack hated about his father, and he lives with the fear that he’ll end up a failure just like him.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying home, a place creaking with movie memorabilia and painful memories. Then, during a freak thunderstorm, the puppets in the attic start talking. Tipped into a desperate real-world quest to save London from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with excitable fanboy Toby and spiky studio executive Amelia to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy while conjuring the hero within — and igniting a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do his father proud.

The stunning cover is by Julia Lloyd. We can’t wait for people to read this!

ICYMI: Josh Winning’s THE SHADOW GLASS Acquired by Titan Books!

Posted on Wednesday, April 21st, 2021

In case you missed the news from Bookseller earlier in the week: Titan Books has acquired World English rights to Josh Winning‘s THE SHADOW GLASS from Zeno Associate Agent Kristina Pérez!

The novel is pitched as ‘Dark Crystal meets About a Boy in a race against the clock to stop bloodthirsty puppets from taking over the world’, and has been described as ‘a witty and loving tribute to the history of cinema, wrapped up in a latter-day coming-of-age story about the legacy of family’. It is due to be published in March 2022.

Titan Editor Craig Leyenaar had this to say about the novel:

‘I absolutely adored THE SHADOW GLASS from the first page, filled with nods and winks to classic fantasy films where the ordinary becomes the extraordinary and the everyman becomes the hero. Josh’s love for film shines through each page of this dark adventure that will have you cheering (or clapping if you were in a cinema) by the end.’

The author said of the deal: ‘Titan Books is the perfect geeky home for THE SHADOW GLASS. I’ve been a fan of their books for years and am thrilled to be joining their roster of fantastic authors.’

Congrats, Josh! We’ll share more information here as and when we have it (full synopsis, cover, etc.). Watch this space!