Tag: Titan Books

APOCALYPSE NOW NOW wins SAFTAS award for Best Short Film!

Posted on Thursday, March 29th, 2018

Last month, we shared the news that the short film based on Charlie Human‘s debut novel APOCALYPSE NOW NOW had been nominated for the SAFTAS award in the short film category. We’re delighted to report that, this past weekend, the short film won the award! Here’s the announcement, from the SAFTAS Twitter account on the night…

The short film was adapted by XYZ Film. APOCALYPSE NOW NOW is the first novel in Human’s critically-acclaimed Baxter Zevcenko duology, which also includes KILL BAXTER. Both novels are out now, published by Arrow in the UK and Titan in the US. Here’s the first book’s synopsis…

I LOVE THE SMELL OF PARALLEL DIMENSIONS IN THE MORNING

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

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

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

The series has been very well received by readers and Charlie’s peers alike. Here’s just a small selection taken from the reviews…

‘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 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, author of Blackbirds

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

‘… 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

‘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

‘Set against the refreshing backdrop of Cape Town, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW is the gloriously twisted novel… Imaginative, slightly demented and wonderfully odd, it’s a striking debut that delivers a dark monster-filled tale at a frenetically enjoyable pace… But thankfully, the voice of the main protagonist prevents the madness from taking control. His intelligent quips and cocky smart-arse attitude provides an incredibly entertaining backbone to a story that slowly reveals his heart and his struggles to grasp the world around him… 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

‘The story is full of humour and really made me laugh many times with its absurdity, bad attitude and characters that are just pure gold to read, especially Ronin the big bearded, foul mouthed, recovering alcoholic ninja. This is 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

‘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… 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

Coming Soon: Christopher Husberg’s BLOOD REQUIEM

Posted on Monday, March 26th, 2018

This summer, Titan Books are due to publish the third novel in Christopher Husberg‘s Chaos Queen series, BLOOD REQUIEM! Due to arrive in bookstore on June 5th, here’s the synopsis…

When a series of dark rituals devastate the fledgeling Church of Canta, Jane and Cinzia realize they have ignored the movements in the shadows for too long. Daemons lurk at the edge of the world, and they are done knocking. With Knot at her side, Cinzia deals with dark beings to fight the greater evil. Meanwhile, Astrid’s attempts to elude the Black Matron backfire, and she faces that which she fears above all things: her own past.

Winter, in hopes of regaining something of her old life, returns to Pranna to find the village nothing like it used to be. She soon finds herself wrapped up in the Druids, a tiellan faction in fierce conflict with the humans. With Urstadt the soldier and Galce the tailor at her side, she must choose how to use her still-growing, all-consuming power — if she can manage to control it at all.

Titan has also published the first two novels in the series: DUSKFALL and DARK IMMOLATION. Here are a couple of reviews the series has received so far…

‘The storytelling is fresh and assured and the characters appealing… This is a solid setup for a great new fantasy epic, perfect for fans of Daniel Abraham and Brandon Sanderson.’ — Library Journal on DUSKFALL

‘The story has some of the action, horror, and revelations of the first volume, but this is a book of politics first: religion versus government, traditional female power versus traditional male power, and the wild cards that skew a chess match not designed for them.’ — Starburst on DARK IMMOLATION

Zeno represents Christopher Husberg in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

APOCALYPSE NOW NOW short film nominated for SAFTA!

Posted on Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

As we reported last year, Charlie Human‘s fantastic debut APOCALYPSE NOW NOW has been adapted into a short film by XYZ Films. We are very happy to now report that the film has been nominated for a South African Film & Television Award! In case you’ve not yet seen it, here is the trailer…

APOCALYPSE NOW NOW is the first novel in Human’s critically-acclaimed Baxter Zevcenko duology, which also includes KILL BAXTER. Both novels are out now, published by Arrow in the UK and Titan in the US. Here’s the first book’s synopsis…

I LOVE THE SMELL OF PARALLEL DIMENSIONS IN THE MORNING

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

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

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

Here is some of the aforementioned critical acclaim…

‘… 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

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

‘… 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

‘Set against the refreshing backdrop of Cape Town, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW is the gloriously twisted novel… Imaginative, slightly demented and wonderfully odd, it’s a striking debut that delivers a dark monster-filled tale at a frenetically enjoyable pace… But thankfully, the voice of the main protagonist prevents the madness from taking control. His intelligent quips and cocky smart-arse attitude provides an incredibly entertaining backbone to a story that slowly reveals his heart and his struggles to grasp the world around him… 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

‘The story is full of humour and really made me laugh many times with its absurdity, bad attitude and characters that are just pure gold to read, especially Ronin the big bearded, foul mouthed, recovering alcoholic ninja. This is 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

‘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… 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

Zeno Clients Nominated for Gemmell Awards!

Posted on Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

We’re happy to report that four of our clients’ novels have been nominated for the Gemmell Legend Award! Voting on the long-list is open until March 30th. Read on for the book details! Congratulations to all four authors for making the long-list! Voting for the short-list will open on April 20th, and close on June 1st. The awards will be presented at Edge-Lit 7, on July 14th.

Aliette de Bodard‘s THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS is published by Gollancz (UK) and Roc Books (US), and is the second novel in her award-winning, critically-acclaimed Dominion of the Fallen series. The UK cover, by Shutterstock has also been nominated for the Ravenheart Award.

As the city rebuilds from the onslaught of sorcery that nearly destroyed it, the great Houses of Paris, ruled by fallen angels, still contest one another for control over the capital.

House Silverspires was once the most powerful, but just as it sought to rise again, an ancient evil brought it low. Phillippe, an immortal who escaped the carnage, has a singular goal — to resurrect someone he lost. But the cost of such magic might be more than he can bear.

In House Hawthorn, Madeleine the alchemist has had her addiction to angel essence savagely broken. Struggling to live on, she is forced on a perilous diplomatic mission to the underwater dragon kingdom — and finds herself in the midst of intrigues that have already caused one previous emissary to mysteriously disappear…

As the Houses seek a peace more devastating than war, those caught between new fears and old hatreds must find strength — or fall prey to a magic that seeks to bind all to its will.

Peter V. Brett‘s THE CORE is the highly-anticipated conclusion to his Demon Cycle fantasy series. Critically-acclaimed and a Sunday Times bestseller, it is published in the UK by Voyager. The cover, by Larry Rostant and Millennium FX has also been nominated for the Ravenheart Award.

Prepare for the final descent into darkness. The war has begun.

For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them.

Two heroes arosemen as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal. Arlen Bales became known as the Painted Man, tattooed head-to-toe with powerful magic symbols that enable him to fight demons in hand-to-hand combat and emerge victorious. Ahmann Jardir, armed with magically warded weapons, called himself the Deliverer, a figure prophesied to unite humanity and lead them to triumph in Sharak Kathe final war against demonkind.

But in their efforts to bring the war to the demons, Arlen and Jardir have set something in motion that may prove the end of everything they hold deara Swarm. Now the war is at hand, and humanity cannot hope to win it unless Arlen and Jardir, with the help of Arlen’s wife, Renna, can bend a captured demon prince to their will and force the devious creature to lead them to the Core, where the Mother of Demons breeds an inexhaustible army.

Trusting their closest confidantes, Leesha, Inevera, Ragen, and Elissa, to rally the fractious people of the Free Cities and lead them against the Swarm, Arlen, Renna, and Jardir set out on a desperate quest into the darkest depths of evilfrom which none of them expects to return alive.

Christopher Husberg‘s DARK IMMOLATION is the second novel in the author’s Chaos Queen series, published by Titan Books in the UK and US.

A new religion is rising, gathering followers drawn by rumors of prophetess Jane Oden. Her sister Cinzia — one-time Cantic priestess — is by her side, but fears that Jane will lead them to ruin. For both the Church and the Nazaniin assassins are still on their trail, and much worse may come. Knot, his true nature now revealed if not truly understood, is haunted by the memories of others, and is not the ally he once was. Astrid travels to Tinska to find answers for her friend, but the child-like vampire has old enemies who have been waiting for her return. And beyond the Blood Gate in the northern empire of Roden, a tiellan woman finds herself with a new protector. One who wants to use her extraordinary abilities for his own ends…

Brandon Sanderson‘s OATHBRINGER is the third novel in his internationally-bestselling Stormlight Archives epic fantasy series. It is published in the UK by Gollancz. Sam Green’s cover has also been nominated for the Ravenheart Award.

In Oathbringer, the third volume of the New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive series, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe whose numbers are as great as their thirst for vengeance.

The Alethi armies commanded by Dalinar Kholin won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, and now its destruction sweeps the world and its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the true horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. While on a desperate flight to warn his family of the threat, Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with the fact that their newly kindled anger may be wholly justified.

Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths the dark secrets lurking in its depths. And Dalinar realizes that his holy mission to unite his homeland of Alethkar was too narrow in scope. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put Dalinar’s blood-soaked past aside and stand together — and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past — even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not avert the end of civilization.

Zeno represents Peter V. Brett, Christopher Husberg and Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

William C. Dietz’s BATTLE HYMN sounds over the British Isles…!

Posted on Tuesday, February 13th, 2018

The third novel in William C. Dietz‘s America Rising series is out today in the UK! Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

America is rising from the ashes of a global catastrophe, but in the wasteland that was once the USA, only the strong can survive…

As people fight to survive the aftereffects of more than a dozen meteor strikes, a group of wealthy individuals conspires to rebuild the United States as a corporate entity called the New Confederacy, where the bottom line is law. As a second civil war rages, with families fighting against families on opposite sides, Union president Samuel T. Sloan battles to keep the country whole.

After the fateful battle with her sister, the New Confederacy places a price on Union Army captain Robin “Mac” Macintyre’s head. While dodging bounty hunters, Mac will do all that she can to help Sloan reunify the country, reclaiming a strategic oil reserve in the heart of Confederate territory and freeing hundreds of Union prisoners of war. But, to truly have peace, they will have to take down the New Confederacy’s leadership — and that includes Mac’s father, General Bo Macintyre.

The first two novels in the series are also available from Titan: INTO THE GUNS and SEEK AND DESTROY. Titan has also published Dietz’s Mutant Files series in the UK.

Zeno represents William C. Dietz in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

William C. Dietz sounds the BATTLE HYMN in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018

Next month, Titan Books are due to publish BATTLE HYMN, the third novel in William C. Dietz‘s America Rising trilogy! Here’s the synopsis…

America is rising from the ashes of a global catastrophe, but in the wasteland that was once the USA, only the strong can survive…

As people fight to survive the aftereffects of more than a dozen meteor strikes, a group of wealthy individuals conspires to rebuild the United States as a corporate entity called the New Confederacy, where the bottom line is law. As a second civil war rages, with families fighting against families on opposite sides, Union president Samuel T. Sloan battles to keep the country whole.

After the fateful battle with her sister, the New Confederacy places a price on Union Army captain Robin Mac Macintyre s head. While dodging bounty hunters, Mac will do all that she can to help Sloan reunify the country, reclaiming a strategic oil reserve in the heart of Confederate territory and freeing hundreds of Union prisoners of war. But, to truly have peace, they will have to take down the New Confederacy s leadership and that includes Mac s father, General Bo Macintyre.

Titan have also published the first two in the series: INTO THE GUNS and SEEK AND DESTROY.

In addition to this series, Titan have also published William’s Mutant Files trilogy in the UK: DEADEYE, REDZONE and GRAVEYARD.

Zeno represents William C. Dietz in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Robert Brockway’s KILL ALL ANGELS out now in the UK!

Posted on Tuesday, December 26th, 2017

Today, Titan Books publishes Robert Brockway‘s KILL ALL ANGELS! The third novel in the author’s Unnoticeables trilogy, here’s the synopsis…

Carey and Randall get to LA’s Chinatown in the early 1980s just as the punk scene is starting there. But it’s not all cheap guitars and back-alley bars: the Empty Ones have set up shop in LA, too. A deceptively young, shockingly brutal Chinese girl with silver hair runs things here, watched by a former lover, Zang, who might be the best ally Carey and Randall have ever had… if he doesn’t eat the both of them first.

Kaitlyn is also back in LA, with powers she barely understands, and something you might call a plan, if you were feeling particularly generous: if she can find one specific angel here and kill it, she might just set off a chain reaction that will bring all the angels down, for good.

Titan Books has also published the first two in the series: THE UNNOTICEABLES and THE EMPTY ONES.

Zeno represents Robert Brockway in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Listen to A PIECE DIVIDED…

Posted on Thursday, December 14th, 2017

The second novel in Tanya Huff‘s critically-acclaimed Peacekeeper series, A PEACE DIVIDED is available now as an audiobook in the UK! Published by Audible, here’s the synopsis…

Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr drew together an elite corps of friends and allies to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not officially touch. When the scientists doing a preliminary archaeological dig on a Class Two planet are taken hostage, Torin’s team is sent to free them.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that the mercenaries holding them are a mix of Confederation and Primacy forces, and are looking for a weapon with power beyond anything previously known. Torin must contend with the politics of peace that have added members of the Primacy, former enemies, to her team. She will have to sift through shifting loyalties as she discovers that the line between us and them is anything but straight.

The UK print and eBook editions of the novel are published by Titan Books. Titan also publishes the first novel in the series, AN ANCIENT PEACE.

Here are just a few of the reviews A PEACE DIVIDED has received…

‘Book two of the Peacekeeper series is a fun outing with familiar characters on a remote world that may hold the key to ending all the threats that sentient plastic holds.’ — RT Book Reviews

‘Huff weaves a fast-paced thriller bristling with treachery and intrigue. Fans of military science fiction will enjoy this tense adventure and its intricately constructed setting.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘Tanya Huff knows how to tell a rip-roaring, military sci-fi mystery story like few others.’ — B&N SciFi & Fantasy Blog

‘It’s a fun novel, pacey, full of banter, with plenty of space for more sequels. Torin Kerr the Justice Department Warden approaches her work and her life differently to Torin Kerr the Marine, but once a Gunnery Sergeant, always a Gunnery Sergeant. Explosions abound!’ — Tor.com

Titan Books has also published Huff’s Confederation sci-fi series (a prequel series to the Peacekeeper novels), and her urban fantasy Enchantment Emporium series.

Zeno represents Tanya Huff in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

UK Cover & Details: KILL ALL ANGELS by Robert Brockway

Posted on Monday, September 11th, 2017

This December, Titan Books are due to publish the third novel in Robert Brockway‘s critically-acclaimed Unnoticeables series, KILL ALL ANGELS! Here’s the synopsis…

After the events of the first two books of the Unnoticeables series, Carey and Randall reached LA during the early ’80s punk scene, which was heavily mixed up with Chinatown. A young Chinese girl with silver hair is the Empty One that seems to run things there, and her ex-lover, an Empty One named Zang, has apparently turned against them and may or may not be on Carey’s side.

In modern times, Kaitlyn and company have also returned to LA, because her powers have been growing, and she has been having visions that may be telling her how to kill all of the angels. The downside being that they have to find a new one, first—and LA is the only place they know where to do that.

Titan have already published the first two novels, THE UNNOTICEABLES and THE EMPTY ONES.

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

‘This is an off-kilter, offbeat piece of work…[The characters’] threads finally come together in an adrenaline-fuelled climax that reads like Hunter S. Thompson went drinking with Stephen King. Brockway’s style is raw and over the top, at times too clever and convoluted for its own good, but strangely readable, with unexpected depths.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE UNNOTICEABLES

‘Raucous, highly entertaining slice of madness, which cuts between the New York punk scene in 1970s New York City and present day Hollywood and offers plenty of chills and a lot of laughs… It’s fast, funny and creepy, with two hugely likeable central characters. Roll on book two.’ — SciFi Now on THE UNNOTICEABLES

‘Whatever those guys are smoking over at Cracked.com is working… Just kick back and enjoy the wild ride. [THE UNNOTICEABLES is a] nasty, freaky, and haphazardly funny horror story.’ — Kirkus

‘THE EMPTY ONES is a fever dream of horror and fantasy infused with punk rock, blood and guts, and humor. Its atypical heroes will keep you enthralled, wincing and cheering.’ — The Qwillery

‘Brockway refuses to slow down for an instant, and the result is a wild ride from start to finish.’ — B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on THE EMPTY ONES

‘In THE EMPTY ONES, Brockway turns the weird and crazy dials up to eleven and manages to pull off a novel that’s both hilarious and horrifying.’ — Kirkus

‘Brockway, a senior editor at Cracked, throws caution to the wind in this foul-mouthed, hard-drinking adventure, which reads like a collaboration by Hunter S. Thompson, the Sex Pistols, and H.P. Lovecraft.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE EMPTY ONES

Zeno represents Robert Brockway in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

APOCALYPSE NOW NOW debuts on Short of the Week!

Posted on Tuesday, August 29th, 2017

Apocalypse Now Now – Teaser from XYZ Films on Vimeo.

We’re please to share the news that the APOCALYPSE NOW NOW short film is debuting on Short of the Week today! The film is adapted from Charlie Human‘s novel of the same name. The first in the author’s Baxter Zevcenko series, it is published by Arrow in the UK, and Titan Books in the US. 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 second novel in the series, KILL BAXTER, is also out now, published by Arrow and Titan Books.

Here are just a few reviews the novels have received…

‘… 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

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

‘… 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

‘Set against the refreshing backdrop of Cape Town, APOCALYPSE NOW NOW is the gloriously twisted novel… Imaginative, slightly demented and wonderfully odd, it’s a striking debut that delivers a dark monster-filled tale at a frenetically enjoyable pace… But thankfully, the voice of the main protagonist prevents the madness from taking control. His intelligent quips and cocky smart-arse attitude provides an incredibly entertaining backbone to a story that slowly reveals his heart and his struggles to grasp the world around him… 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

‘The story is full of humour and really made me laugh many times with its absurdity, bad attitude and characters that are just pure gold to read, especially Ronin the big bearded, foul mouthed, recovering alcoholic ninja. This is 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

‘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… 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

Trailer for Charlie Human’s APOCALYPSE NOW NOW short!

Posted on Monday, August 21st, 2017

Today, we are delighted to share with you the trailer for a new APOCALYPSE NOW NOW short film, made by XYZ Films! Based on the debut novel by Charlie Human, the full short will premiere next week on Short of the Week. Here’s the mini-synopsis…

Snarky, monster-porn-dealing teen, Baxter Zevcenko, might be a serial killer. His girlfriend, Esme, is missing, and he’s the prime suspect.  To clear his name, he’ll turn to Cape Town’s grizzliest, drunkest bounty hunter, Jackson ‘Jackie’ Ronin. Little does he know that Ronin is a supernatural bounty-hunter, and that he’s about to be dragged headlong into a deep, dark Cape Town underbelly full of monsters and myth, shadowy government forces, bloodthirsty crow-men and a conspiracy across time and space.

The short stars Garion Dowds as Baxter Zevcenko, Louw Venter as Jackie Ronin, and Faniswa Yisa as The Vigilante. It was directed by Michael Matthews, and written by Sean Drummond.

The Baxter Zevcenko series is published in the UK by Arrow Books, and in the US by Titan Books. The novels have also been published in select other territories. Here’s the synopsis for the first novel…

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.

William C. Dietz’s SEEK AND DESTROY out today in the UK!

Posted on Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017

Today, Titan Books publishes William C. Dietz‘s latest novel, SEEK AND DESTROY. The second in the author’s America Rising series, here’s the synopsis…

As people fight to survive the after effects of more than a dozen meteor strikes, a group of wealthy individuals conspires to rebuild the United States as a corporate entity called the New Confederacy, where the bottom line is law. As a second civil war rages, with families fighting against families on opposite sides, Union president Samuel T. Sloan battles to keep the country whole.To help in the fight for unity, Union Army captain Robin “Mac” Macintyre and her crew of Stryker vehicles are sent after the ruthless “warlord of warlords,” an ex-Green Beret who rules a large swath of the West. But defeating him will be even more difficult than she thought. The warlord is receiving military assistance from Mac’s sister-and rival-Confederate major Victoria Macintyre. And when the siblings come together in the war-torn streets of New Orleans, only one of them will walk away.

Titan has also published the first in the series, INTO THE GUNS, as well as Dietz’s Mutant Files and Legion of the Damned series.

Zeno represents William C. Dietz in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

William C. Dietz’s SEEK AND DESTROY coming soon in the UK!

Posted on Friday, July 7th, 2017

Next month, Titan Books is due to publish the second novel in William C. Dietz‘s post-apocalyptic America Rising series: SEEK AND DESTROY. Here’s the synopsis…

As people fight to survive the aftereffects of more than a dozen meteor strikes, a group of wealthy individuals conspires to rebuild the United States as a corporate entity called the New Confederacy, where the bottom line is law. As a second civil war rages, with families fighting against families on opposite sides, Union president Samuel T. Sloan battles to keep the country whole. To help in the fight for unity, Union Army captain Robin “Mac” Macintyre and her crew of Stryker vehicles are sent after the ruthless “warlord of warlords,” an ex-Green Beret who rules a large swath of the West. But defeating him will be even more difficult than she thought. The warlord is receiving military assistance from Mac’s sister — and rival — Confederate major Victoria Macintyre. And when the siblings come together in the war-torn streets of New Orleans, only one of them will walk away.

Titan Books has also published the first book in the series, INTO THE GUNS; as well as the author’s Mutant Files trilogy, and a number of Dietz’s military sci-fi novels.

Zeno represents William C. Dietz in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Melinda Snodgrass’s IN EVIL TIMES out now

Posted on Tuesday, July 4th, 2017

Melinda Snodgrass‘s second Imperials Saga novel, IN EVIL TIMES, is out today in the UK! Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

Thracius “Tracy” Belmanor and the Infanta Mercedes de Arango have graduated from The High Ground and have become officers in the Orden de la Estrella. Tracy’s posting aboard a battleship leads him to further doubt the intentions of the Solar League, as he and his comrades are required to “assimilate” the settlers of a Hidden World. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ own posting — and her difficult marriage to Beauregard “Boho” Cullen, made to assure her succession of the throne — divides her loyalties. In a society where most humans and all aliens are second-class citizens, the two young officers will have difficult choices to make…

Titan Books also publishes the first novel in the series, THE HIGH GROUND. Titan also publishes the author’s The Edge series in the UK.

Zeno represents these two series in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

A DANCE IN paperback…

Posted on Tuesday, June 27th, 2017

Freda Warrington‘s A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET is out today in mass market paperback in the US! Published by Titan Books, here’s the synopsis…

For the love of her vampire suitor, Karl, Charlotte has forsaken her human life. Now her only contact with people is when she hunts them down to feed. Her thirst for blood repulses her but its fulfilment brings ecstasy.

The one light in the shadows is the passion that burns between her and Karl. A love that it seems will last for eternity — until Karl’s former lover, the seductively beautiful Katerina, is rescued from the Crystal Ring. For nearly fifty years she has lain, as dead, in the icy depths of the Weisskalt. Now she wants to reclaim her life… and Karl. In despair, Charlotte turns to the prima ballerina Violette Lenoir, an ice maiden who only thaws when she dances. Charlotte is fascinated as she has been by no other human, longing to bring joy to the dancer. But her obsession opens the flood-gates to a far darker threat than the vampires could ever have imagined. For Violette is more than human and if she succumbs to the vampire’s kiss it could unleash a new terror…

Titan Books has published all four novels in the critically-acclaimed Blood Wine series, in the UK and US. The series has also been published in audiobooks, be Audible. Here are just a few reviews the series has received…

‘This is an extremely well plotted tale of complex, believable characters. Yes, they are vampires and they are often vicious and terrifyingly deadly. But rather than being portrayed as cruel, motiveless monsters, or moping, emo sops, they are essentially human, albeit with pointy teeth and an appetite for haemoglobin. They fight, they love, they are adults and all that that implies. Freda Warrington’s prose is simply stunning, sumptuous and graceful and as seductive as the vampires she portrays. She also has an imaginatively nifty creation theory on how vampires came into existence. Charlotte, especially, will strike a chord with many readers. Here is a real woman dealing with a myriad of dangers and extraordinary events all for love. She is both feminine and tough, a proto Buffy if you will. So if you like the densely plotted, character-driven works of Anne Rice, minus her often irritating purple prose, and you want something very definitely adult (and we don’t mean that in the top shelf of a newsagents way), then this could just be what you’ve been looking for.’ — Starburst on A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET

‘The story neatly and scrupulously takes up the most important loose ends left dangling by the earlier volume, and moves with measured vigour towards a hectically extended climax, building a remarkable crescendo of action and emotion… amply fulfils the promise of its predecessor, and there is no doubt that the series will become one of the literary monuments of the nascent genre to which it belongs.’ — Interzone on A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET

‘A tale which throbs with lush romanticism.’ — The Times on A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE

‘A really, really splendid read… It’s a story that plays out over cups of tea and glasses of brandy in the drawing rooms of chic London townhouses and glittering stately homes, and here again Warrington shows her writer’s chops, layering in exquisite period detail. Sometimes the effect is playfully satirical… but more often it’s lusciously picturesque; and, with the characters barrelling around in Hispano-Suizas and the like, it’s all attractively reminiscent of the lux, country house horror of Hammer’s The Devil Rides Out. On this evidence, Freda Warrington is like a cross between Anne Rice and Kim Newman – she has the sweep of one, the cleverness of the other. Titan will be reissuing the other titles in the series throughout the year, and they’re not to be missed.’ — Starburst on A TASTE OF BLOOD WINE

‘The third book in Freda Warrington’s brilliantly evocative Blood Wine Sequence, and for me at least, possibly one of the best… I’ve yet to end any review of one of Freda’s books without referring to the impressive style of her writing — it’s smart, compelling, and simply fabulous… So easy to recommend this, and any of the others in the Blood Wine Sequence.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK BLOOD OF POPPIES

‘In the style of authors such as Anne Rice, Warrington has made a tale that beats convention and shows readers what is more likely to happen to vampires than in many other novels. It is great to see that what were once 90’s novels have been re published for a fresh audience who have already indulged in the Twilight novels. The cover art for this one and the other three is striking and beautiful in a gothic way and tells a lot about the kind of novels they are. This is for those who want to curl up with a good book…’ — Fantasy Book Review on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD

‘I can’t praise this series enough, the author’s writing is poetic, enduring, and consumes you hook, line, and sinker. A superb ending to a marvellous series, and highly recommended.’ — British Fantasy Society on THE DARK ARTS OF BLOOD