Literary agency
At the end of February, Andrew Cartmel was interviewed for Kingston Libraries. In case you missed the event, the video has now been made available online. You can watch it below.
Andrew is the author of the Vinyl Detective mystery series (Titan Books), co-author of the Rivers of London comic series (Titan Comics), and more!
In three weeks (March 30th), Titan Comics are due to publish the complete edition of Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed ADLER! Collecting all five issues of the comic series, here’s the synopsis…
“Women are never to be entirely trusted — not the best of them.” — Arthur Conan Doyle.
It’s 1902. Wounded in the Boer War, Jane Eyre returns to a London transmogrified by emerging modernity. An old friend, the glamorous inventor Lady Havisham, introduces her to the American adventuress Irene Adler, and the two seek lodging together. But Adler is engaged in a brutal secret war against a mortal enemy of the British Empire: Ayesh. She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, who seeks revenge against the colonisers who destroyed her country.
As Queen Victoria holds on to her throne with the help of experimental new medicine, Adler and Ayesha both fight for the secret weapon developed by the scientist Madame Curie. And as Ayesha and her amazons (not to mention her pet assassin Carmilla) take over the London underworld, Adler must form a team of determined women to stop them — before the Empire is destroyed.
From World Fantasy Award winning author Lavie Tidhar (The Violent Century, Central Station) and artist Paul McCaffrey (Anno Dracula) comes a pulse-pounding, gorgeously-illustrated graphic novel of Victorian menace, excitement and humour in Tidhar’s inimitable style.
Fans of the series should also check out this blog post over on Titan Comics’ website, about the real-world places in the comic.
The comic series was very well-received during its run, and here are just a few of the great reviews it received…
‘Tidhar (By Force Alone) propels an ensemble of historical figures and literary characters through a knotty and thrilling plot packed with intrigue and visceral action, illustrated with a keen eye for historical detail by McCaffrey’ — Library Journal
‘[T]his thrilling comic bursts with reimagined period characters and features… keeps a constant breathless pace of chases that are swashbuckling… The art by McCaffrey (Anno Dracula) complements the script with vigorous fight sequences and sharp character design… the mash-up offers solid light entertainment with strong crossover appeal, as well as twists and derring-do aplenty.’ — Publishers Weekly
‘The story is starting to pay off in really thrilling ways, especially if you’re a fan of big, pulpy adventure story high concepts. From the beginning of the series, writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey clearly sought to replicate that pulp adventure feel, and the book reads a bit like a Saturday matinee serial in that way, leaving every issue on the edge of something thrilling that’s waiting for you just behind the cover of the next installment… There’s something massive at work behind the mash-up hook of this story, and the more you read the deeper into that sense of scale you get. It’s an addictive feeling, and it makes me want to know what happens next.’ — Syfy.com
‘Some brilliant artwork… The writing in this comic is wonderful.’ — SciFi Pulse
‘At its core, Tidhar’s approach to ADLER reminds me of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but doing away with the boys’ club attitude and aiming to showcase what the girls of history & classic literature can do on their own… [artist Paul McCaffrey] does a great job in setting the mood of any given scene. Villains lurk in the shadows, street lights glow through the London fog, and there’s hardly a panel I can find on a second look-through that doesn’t have something going on in the background to keep the eye moving… If the goal of a creative team is to wrap up the first issue leaving readers hungry for more, I think we can call ADLER a win.’ — thePullBox.com
Lavie is the author of many award-winning and -nominated novels, novellas and short stories. His most recent novel is BY FORCE ALONE, published by Head of Zeus (UK) and Tor Books (North America). He is also the author of CANDY, his first book for younger readers (Scholastic in the UK; Peachtree Publishing in North America).
His next books include THE LUNACY COMMISSION (JABberwocky), THE HOOD (Head of Zeus), and THE ESCAPEMENT (Tachyon).
In January, as part of LibConWest @ Home, Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel took part in an online event for the Rivers of London comic series. Also featuring artists Lee Sullivan and Paulina “Pau” Vassileva, the event was recorded and is now available to watch online!
Check out the video:
The critically-acclaimed Rivers of London comic series is published by Titan Comics.
As part of next week’s LIBCON West @ Home, Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel are going to be taking part in an online event! ‘Peter Grant Goes Graphic: Creating the Rivers of London Comic Books’ will be hosted by Glendale Arizona Libraries, and does require registration. Here’s a quick description of the event…
Writing novels is largely a solitary enterprise, but creating a comic book can take an entire team. Author Ben Aaronovitch collaborates with a co-author, an illustrator, and a colorist to spin off his internationally bestselling “Rivers of London” urban fantasy series into a successful run of comic books, all with original storylines. How does this team of talent work together? What are the secrets to adapting the adventures of apprentice wizard/Detective Constable Peter Grant from one format to another? Does the process ever — like Peter’s own experiments — result in some explosions? Bring your questions to a fascinating and funny live Zoom panel featuring acclaimed author Ben Aaronovitch, co-author Andrew Cartmel, illustrator Lee Sullivan, and colorist Paulina “Pau” Vassileva. Moderated by Chantelle Aimée Osman.
Ben and Andrew are the co-authors of the Rivers of London comic series, which are published in English by Titan Comics. Eight story arcs have been completed so far, each now available in a collection edition: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX, WATER WEED, ACTION AT A DISTANCE, and THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS. The series is currently in the process of being published in German (via Panini), and the first couple have also been published in Czech (via Argo).
The comic series is based on the world and characters of Ben’s internationally bestselling and acclaimed Peter Grant/Rivers of London series of novels and novellas.
Last week, Forbidden Planet hosted Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel to talk about the latest collected edition of their Rivers of London comic series, THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS!
Published by Titan Comics on December 15th, in print and digital, here’s the synopsis…
Detective Inspector Peter Grant is back in an all-new comic miniseries from author Ben Aaronovitch!
Trouble never lies far from the race track. When a flash car belonging to a young boy racer from England washes up in the Netherlands with a bagload of unusual cargo, it’s evident there is more than meets the eye happening at street races held in an Essex car park.
Enter Detective Inspector Peter Grant. Fresh from suspension, he takes to the track in his orange ‘asbo’ Ford Focus to try and infiltrate the big leagues. But Peter soon finds himself sucked back into an Otherworld — a real-life fairyland!
Titan has published all of the Rivers of London comics to date, in the UK and North America.
WATER WEED, the sixth Rivers of London comics collection, is now available in Germany! Written by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, the book is published by Panini as DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON: WASSERGRAS, here’s the synopsis…
Als zwei der weniger braven Flussgöttinnen, Chelsea und Olympia, beschließen, sich nebenbei ein paar Extra-Pfund zu verdienen, geraten Peter und Bev völlig unvermittelt in eine schmutzige Cannabis-Schmuggeloperation der sehr magischen Art, die von Londons neuer Königin des Verbrechens kontrolliert wird — der ebenso brutalen wie schönen Hoodette! Der kriminellverhexte Fall gerät schnell außer Kontrolle und selbst mit ihren vereinten Fähigkeiten kommen der Detektiv und die Göttin an die Grenzen ihrer Kräfte.
Panini has also published the first five series collected editions in Germany: AUTOWAHN (BODY WORK), DIE NACHTHEXE (NIGHT WITCH), SCHWARZSCHIMMEL (BLACK MOULD), DETEKTIVGESCHICTEN (DETECTIVE STORIES), and FUCHSGESCHREI (CRY FOX).
The comics are published in English by Titan Comics. Here’s the English-language synopsis for WATER WEED…
Two rogue river goddesses tangle wizarding cop Peter Grant in a sordid drug-smuggling operation in a new story from Ben Aaronovitch, set in his best-selling Rivers of London novel series!
Spring Breakers meets Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels on the banks of the Thames! Collects Rivers of London: Water Weed #1-4.
Wizarding cop Peter and river spirit Beverley are drawn into a sordid cannabis-smuggling operation, controlled by London’s new queenpin of crime – the brutal and beautiful Hoodette! Can they overcome corruption, or will they be fatally entangled in the weed?
The Rivers of London novels and novellas are published in Germany by DTV.
The series is published in the UK by Gollancz; in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas); and in a growing number of translated editions around the world.
Today, the collected edition of Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel‘s THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS arrives in book stores! (An early release edition was available, via Forbidden Planet, which included a signed print.) The eighth collection from the Rivers of London comic series, it’s published in the UK and North America by Titan Comics. Here’s the synopsis…
Detective Inspector Peter Grant is back in an all-new comic miniseries from author Ben Aaronovitch!
Trouble never lies far from the race track. When a flash car belonging to a young boy racer from England washes up in the Netherlands with a bagload of unusual cargo, it’s evident there is more than meets the eye happening at street races held in an Essex car park.
Enter Detective Inspector Peter Grant. Fresh from suspension, he takes to the track in his orange ‘asbo’ Ford Focus to try and infiltrate the big leagues. But Peter soon finds himself sucked back into an Otherworld — a real-life fairyland!
Titan Comics has published the first seven collections in the Rivers of London series, too: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX, WATER WEED, and ACTION AT A DISTANCE. Here are all of the covers together…
The comic series is based on characters and the world from Ben’s Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, published by Gollancz in the UK, Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas) in North America, and widely in translation around the world.
Andrew is also the author of the Vinyl Detective mystery series, published in the UK and North America by Titan Books.
The final issue in Lavie Tidhar‘s first comic series, ADLER is out today! Published by Titan Comics, in print and digital editions, here’s the synopsis…
THE FINAL BATTLE BEGINS!
Adler and her team of Victorian heroines face-off against AYESHA’S army of AMAZONS. From the World Fantasy Award-winning writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey (DC’s Men of War, TMNT) comes an all-new story written in the vein of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!
Lavie is also the award-winning and critically-acclaimed author of number of novels, including: BY FORCE ALONE, UNHOLY LAND, CENTRAL STATION, A MAN LIES DREAMING, THE VIOLENT CENTURY, OSAMA, and his first for young readers, CANDY. He’s also the author of a number of novellas and short stories.
Just a quick heads-up that Ben Aaronovitch is on the cover of the next issue of WRITE ON! Magazine, which is out tomorrow! Published by Pen to Print, the issue is available free from their website.
Ben’s feature is What’s Your Story?, in which he discusses London, urban fantasy, and ‘why joy and resilience are at the heart of his writing’.
Ben is the author of the critically-acclaimed, internationally bestselling Peter Grant/Rivers Of London series. The latest novel, FALSE VALUE, is the eighth in the series. There are also two novellas set in the world (with a third on the way!), and eight comic collections.
The novels and novellas are published in the UK by Gollancz. The novels are published in North America by Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-); the novellas are published by Subterranean Press. The comics (co-authored with Andrew Cartmel) are published in the UK and in North America by Titan Comics. All of the books are available in a growing number of translated editions around the world. (Check out Ben’s author page for more details on other international editions.)
ADLER #4 by Lavie Tidhar is out tomorrow in the UK and North America! Published by Titan Comics in print and digital, the series is ramping up to its conclusion! Here’s the (rather brief) synopsis…
Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterious villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!
As with the first three issues, this one is available with three different covers. The cover above, by John Royle, as well as one by Paul McCaffrey and the Victorian Homage cover…
Here are just a few of the reviews the series has received so far…
‘Some brilliant artwork… The writing in this comic is wonderful.’ — SciFi Pulse
‘At its core, Tidhar’s approach to ADLER reminds me of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but doing away with the boys’ club attitude and aiming to showcase what the girls of history & classic literature can do on their own… [artist Paul McCaffrey] does a great job in setting the mood of any given scene. Villains lurk in the shadows, street lights glow through the London fog, and there’s hardly a panel I can find on a second look-through that doesn’t have something going on in the background to keep the eye moving… If the goal of a creative team is to wrap up the first issue leaving readers hungry for more, I think we can call ADLER a win.’ — thePullBox.com
‘[The art is] engaging, entertaining and breathtaking, thanks to the stylings of McCaffrey, who’s artwork always sings the most when he’s coloring his own… [the story is] a delight to read and one that fans of Victoriana, steam punk, gothic literature and good comics will want to pick up.’ — Comicon.com
‘I truly loved ADLER #1… this comic has found a brilliant apex of something new and something familiar to reel in and keep readers interested.’ — ComicBookMovie.com
‘At its finest, ADLER #1 is a delightful penny-dreadful.’ — Comic Watch
‘The story is starting to pay off in really thrilling ways, especially if you’re a fan of big, pulpy adventure story high concepts. From the beginning of the series, writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey clearly sought to replicate that pulp adventure feel, and the book reads a bit like a Saturday matinee serial in that way, leaving every issue on the edge of something thrilling that’s waiting for you just behind the cover of the next installment. What makes Adler work, though, beyond that sense of recreating something we feel like we know, is the ambition of the piece, something that issue #3 showcases to great effect. There’s something massive at work behind the mash-up hook of this story, and the more you read the deeper into that sense of scale you get. It’s an addictive feeling, and it makes me want to know what happens next.’ — Syfy.com
If you’re looking for more by Lavie, then we also highly recommend his acclaimed latest novel, BY FORCE ALONE — out now, published by Head of Zeus in the UK and Tor Books in North America.
CRY FOX, the fifth Rivers of London comic story arc by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, is now available in Germany! Published by Panini as DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON: FUCHSGESCHREI, here’s the synopsis…
Die russische Mafia will Rache für ihren „Verrat“ an der (Nacht) Hexe Varvara üben. Dazu heuern sie zahlreiche Schurken der magischen Londoner Unterwelt an. Die ehemalige sowjetische Zauberin steht jedoch unter dem Schutz von Londons ganz eigenem Zauberer-Polizisten Peter Grant … Detective Peter Grant! Um die Aufmerksamkeit von Peter und seinen Kollegen in eine andere Richtung zu lenken, wird die Tochter eines prominenten russischen Oligarchen von Unbekannten entführt …
Panini has also published the first four comic collections in Germany: BODY WORK, NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD and DETECTIVE STORIES. 
CRY FOX and the other acclaimed Rivers of London comics are published in English by Titan Comics — the series also includes WATER WEED, ACTION AT A DISTANCE, and THE FEY AND THE FURIOUS.
Here’s the English-language synopsis for CRY FOX…
The bookstore smash-hit returns for a brand-new story, picking up the threads from the most recent bestselling Rivers of London novel, The Hanging Tree!
Vengeful Russian mobsters are looking to hire members of London’s own more-then-natural underworld to bring bloody retribution down on the witch Varvara. However, the ex-Soviet sorcerer is under the protective wing of London’s own wizarding cop, Peter Grant (now a proper detective and everything), and to get the attention of Grant and his colleagues, the daughter of a prominent Russian oligarch is kidnapped by parties unknown but possibly fox-like.
What makes it worse is that Peter is going to have to leave his beloved London and gasp go out into the countryside! And when there’s trees and fields and wildlife involved, things never end well…
The comic series is set in the same world as Ben’s Peter Grant/Rivers of London fiction series, which is published in Germany by DTV, in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-), and Subterranean Press (novellas).
The fourth issue of ADLER, Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed first comic series, is due to be published in three weeks (September 30th) by Titan Comics! The series was slightly delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but we’re very glad that the series is back to being published. With only one more issue after this, the game is well and truly afoot!
Here’s the (rather brief) synopsis…
Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterious villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!
As with the first three issues, this one is available with three different covers. The cover above, by John Royle, as well as one by Paul McCaffrey and the Victorian Homage cover…
Here are just a few of the reviews the series has received so far…
‘Some brilliant artwork… The writing in this comic is wonderful.’ — SciFi Pulse
‘[The art is] engaging, entertaining and breathtaking, thanks to the stylings of McCaffrey, who’s artwork always sings the most when he’s coloring his own… [the story is] a delight to read and one that fans of Victoriana, steam punk, gothic literature and good comics will want to pick up.’ — Comicon.com
‘At its core, Tidhar’s approach to ADLER reminds me of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but doing away with the boys’ club attitude and aiming to showcase what the girls of history & classic literature can do on their own… [artist Paul McCaffrey] does a great job in setting the mood of any given scene. Villains lurk in the shadows, street lights glow through the London fog, and there’s hardly a panel I can find on a second look-through that doesn’t have something going on in the background to keep the eye moving… If the goal of a creative team is to wrap up the first issue leaving readers hungry for more, I think we can call ADLER a win.’ — thePullBox.com
‘At its finest, ADLER #1 is a delightful penny-dreadful.’ — Comic Watch
‘I truly loved ADLER #1… this comic has found a brilliant apex of something new and something familiar to reel in and keep readers interested.’ — ComicBookMovie.com
‘The story is starting to pay off in really thrilling ways, especially if you’re a fan of big, pulpy adventure story high concepts. From the beginning of the series, writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey clearly sought to replicate that pulp adventure feel, and the book reads a bit like a Saturday matinee serial in that way, leaving every issue on the edge of something thrilling that’s waiting for you just behind the cover of the next installment. What makes Adler work, though, beyond that sense of recreating something we feel like we know, is the ambition of the piece, something that issue #3 showcases to great effect. There’s something massive at work behind the mash-up hook of this story, and the more you read the deeper into that sense of scale you get. It’s an addictive feeling, and it makes me want to know what happens next.’ — Syfy.com
Lavie’s acclaimed latest novel, BY FORCE ALONE is out now, published by Head of Zeus in the UK and Tor Books in North America.
The third issue in Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed comic series ADLER is out tomorrow! Published by Titan Comics, here’s the synopsis…
From the World Fantasy Award-winning writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey (DC’s Men of War, TMNT) comes an all-new story written in the vein of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!
Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterous villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!
The issue is available with three covers. In addition the one above, you can also buy the comic with the following variant covers…
Tidhar’s latest novel, BY FORCE ALONE is out now, published by Head of Zeus in the UK and Tor Books in North America.
In two weeks, readers will be able to get their hands on two new titles by Lavie Tidhar!
First up, August 11th sees the delayed North American release of BY FORCE ALONE! Published by Tor Books, here’s the synopsis…
Everyone thinks they know the story of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table.
The fact is they don’t know sh*t.
Arthur? An over-promoted gangster.
Merlin? An eldritch parasite.
Excalibur? A shady deal with a watery arms dealer.
Britain? A clogged sewer that Rome abandoned just as soon as it could.
A savage and cutting epic fantasy, equally poetic and profane, By Force Alone is at once a timely political satire, a magical adventure, and a subversive masterwork.
Already available in the UK, published by Head of Zeus, the novel has received a number of great reviews already. Here are just a few of them…
‘BY FORCE ALONE does … bold things with genre, rewriting the King Arthur legend through a mash up of horror, fantasy, history and black comedy. The narrative voice is deadly serious but there’s a strong undercurrent of gleefulness to the profanity, violence and otherworldly magic that makes BY FORCE ALONE a whole lot of fun to dive into.’ — Spectator (Five Unmissable Summer Reads)
‘Uther is a chancer and a shagger… [Arthur] is ruthless in pursuit of power… His Lancelot… is a ninja warrior, his Guinevere a killer — the writer is clearly having fun… Tidhar never lands direct political punches… but the very tone and shape of the book are a reminder that we need to treat national myths with caution… this is a novel that demands your attention and proves that sometimes when a writer has the audacity to revisit stories that others would avoid for fear of over-familiarity, they can steal the power of the oldest tales.’ — SFX (4.5*/5)
‘Tidhar saturates this epic adventure with profanity, dark humor, sword-sharp twists, and unexpected moments of pathos. Readers who hold King Arthur dear to their hearts will be gratified by Tidhar’s attention to detail amidst the innovation. This dark, imaginative take on a classic is sure to impress.’ — Publishers Weekly
‘The novel is a bloody, bravura performance, which Tidhar pulls off with graphic imagery and modern vernacular… a salutary antidote to the more romantic glossings of recent modern fantasy.’ — Guardian
‘Tidhar’s previous work is filled to the brim with new and interesting takes on history and myth, and the results are always mesmerising. And of course, he’s taken something that’s been done way too many times and found a way to make it look new and interesting while still keeping its classic appeal… some truly staggering writing… if you’re looking for a new take on King Arthur and chums, then check this out.’ — Starburst
‘… Tidhar’s prose is anything but brutish. The word choice is what makes the train wreck so fascinating and fast-paced. Heavy but never slow, short sentences and snappy wit keep the book moving. A power fantasy that pushes both words to their limits, BY FORCE ALONE adds a sharp, obscene new take to the Arthurian genre.’ — Den of Geek
Following on August 12th, is the third issue of Lavie’s comic series, ADLER! Published by Titan Comics, with art by Paul McCaffrey, here are the covers and synopsis…
From the World Fantasy Award-winning writer Lavie Tidhar and artist Paul McCaffrey (DC’s Men of War, TMNT) comes an all-new story written in the vein of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!
Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterous villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!
*
Finally, we wanted to just remind everyone that the Lavie-curated World SF 3 StoryBundle is still available — but ends tomorrow! Featuring novels and novellas from Lavie, Aliette de Bodard, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and others! Some of the proceeds will also go to charity.
Given the ongoing disruption resulting from the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, the next issues in Lavie Tidhar‘s acclaimed comic series ADLER have been delayed.
Titan Comics has pushed back the release of the third issue (pictured above) to August 12th; and the fourth issue (covers below) is now scheduled for September 16th.
Irene Adler and her team of Victorian heroines encounter a mysterious villain, even more dangerous that Moriarty!
The fifth issue is (tentatively) due to be published on October 14th. The first two issues are, of course, still available in print and digital.
If you still want a Tidhar-fix, then we highly recommend BY FORCE ALONE, his latest novel, which is out now in the UK published by Head of Zeus. (August in North America, via Tor Books.)
