Tobias Buckell - Zeno Agency Ltd.

THE BEST OF WORLD SF, Vol.2 Announced!

Posted on Friday, July 8th, 2022

We’re very happy to report that the full details of THE BEST OF WORLD SF, Volume 2 have now been unveiled! Following on from the success of the first volume in the series, this one is also edited by Lavie Tidhar, and is due to be published by Head of Zeus/AdAstra in the UK (October 13th) and North America (November 1st). Here’s the synopsis…

Twenty-nine new short stories representing the state of the art in international science fiction.

The second annual instalment to the ‘rare and wonderful’ (The Times) The Best of World SF Volume 1, this collection features twenty-nine stories, including eight written exclusively for this collection. This is not a retrospective of what science fiction around the world used to look like. This is a snapshot of what some of it looks like now. And it’s never been more exciting.

Navigating around the globe, The Best of World SF Volume 2 features writers from: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Brazil, Bolivia, China, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Each story has been selected by World SF expert and award-winning author Lavie Tidhar in a collection which traces the ever-changing meaning of the genre from some the most exciting voices writing today.

Here’s the full Table of Contents…

Nadia Afifi, THE BAHRAIN UNDERGROUND BAZAAR (Bahrain)
Lavanya Lakshminarayan, THE TEN-PERCENT THIEF (India)
Frances Ogamba, AT DESK 9501 (Nigeria) *
Isabel Yap, MILAGROSO (The Philippines)
Saad Z. Hossain, BRING YOUR OWN SPOON (Bangladesh)
Yukimi Ogawa, BLUE GREY BLUE (Japan)
Xing He, YOUR MULTICOLORED LIFE (China), trans. Andy Dudak
Nalo Hopkinson, THE EASTHOUND (Jamaica)
Pan Haitian, DEAD MAN, AWAKE, SING TO THE SUN! (China), trans. Joel Martinsen *
Jacques Barcia, SALVAGING GODS (Brazil)
Edmundo Paz Soldán, THE NEXT MOVE (Bolivia), trans. Jessica Sequeira *
Dilman Dila, THE CLAY CHILD (Uganda) *
Natalia Theodoridou, TO SET AT TWILIGHT IN A LAND OF REEDS (Greece)
Bef, THE BEAST HAS DIED (Mexico), trans. Brian L. Price
Alberto Chimal, TWENTY ABOUT ROBOTS (Mexico), trans. Fionn Petch
Wole Talabi, THE REGRESSION TEST (Nigeria),
William Tham Wai Liang, KAKAK (Malaysia)
Usman T. Malik, BEYOND THESE STARS OTHER TRIBULATIONS OF LOVE (Pakistan)
Julie Novakova, A FLAW IN THE WORKS (Czech Republic), trans. by author *
Cassandra Khaw, WHEN WE DIE ON MARS (Malaysia)
Karen Lord and Tobias S. Buckell, THE MIGHTY SLINGER (Barbados/Grenada)
T.L. Huchu, CORIALIS (Zimbabwe)
Clelia Farris, THE SUBSTANCE OF IDEAS (Italy), trans. Rachel S. Cordasco
Agnieszka Hałas, SLEEPING BEAUTIES (Poland), trans. by author *
Samit Basu, WAKING NYDRA (India) *
Neon Yang, BETWEEN THE FIRMAMENTS (Singapore)
Bo-Young Kim, WHALE SNOWS DOWN (South Korea), trans. Sophie Bowman
Hassan Blasim, THE GARDENS OF BABYLON (Iraq), trans. Jonathan Wright
K.A. Teryna, THE FARCTORY (Russia), trans. Alex Shvartsman *

(Stories indicated with an * are original for this volume.)

Here are some of the reviews the first has volume received…

‘This handsome volume from Head of Zeus is a major step on a 45-year journey to bring global speculative fiction to Anglophone attention… The print edition of THE BEST OF WORLD SF: Volume 1 is truly a thing of beauty, providing gravitas and a wider audience for the authors it collects… There are many striking stories in the collection… This anthology is just the start of a whole new game for speculative fiction authors around the world’ — LA Review of Books

‘An excellent, lovingly curated collection that is also uniformly well translated’ — Financial Times

‘Tidhar gives a cheerful, fannish introduction to the stories, drawn from 26 countries on five continents, and encompassing a dizzying range of tones and approaches’ — The Times

THE BEST OF WORLD SF, Volume 1 is out now, available in paperback.

UK Release Date: HURRICANE FEVER by Tobias Buckell

Posted on Thursday, July 3rd, 2014

Today, Del Rey UK publish Tobias Buckell‘s highly-anticipated HURRICANE FEVER, the follow-up to ARCTIC RISING. A thrilling return to Buckell’s near-future Earth, it offers an expertly-crafted blend of James Bond-meets-Michael Crichton action and adventure. Here is the synopsis…

When a freelance spy is yanked out of comfortable retirement aboard his boat following the death of a friend, he stumbles upon a deadly terrorist plot to use a private space delivery platform in Barbados to launch a deadly genetic virus.

As one of the largest hurricanes to hit the Caribbean sweeps through the area, one man must battle the world’s deadliest natural phenomenon, mercenaries and a deadly biological agent, to save the world.

Can’t get to a bookstore, yet? Well, to whet your appetite, Tor.com have helpfully published an excerpt from HURRICANE FEVER. Below are a couple of early reviews…

‘A stormy, aptly named thriller set in the Caribbean of the near future… The stakes are higher than one might expect, and even the specter of racism comes into play. Buckell has written a smart and well-constructed tale that’s filled with excitement and the flavor of the Caribbean isles… So don’t wait for a dark and stormy night to read this novel; you’ll have plenty of fun.’ — Kirkus, Starred Review

‘Buckell solidly links the political and the personal, both exemplified by subtle race-related interactions (for instance, at upper-crust parties, Roo is frequently mistaken for a servant). The scenes of sailing and spying action move quickly, and the climax, set on a supersized satellite-launching cannon, is one white cat shy of a Bond movie.’ — Publishers Weekly

HURRICANE FEVER is published in the US by Tor Books, also this week.

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

Cover Reveal: HURRICANE FEVER by Tobias Buckell

Posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2014

This July 3rd, Del Rey UK are due to publish the anticipated follow-up to Tobias Buckell’s superb ARCTIC RISING: HURRICANE FEVER. The novel returns to Buckell’s near-future Earth, and is a thrilling blend of James Bond-meets-Michael Crichton action adventure! And today, we’re very happy to share with you the cover. Here is the synopsis…

When a freelance spy is yanked out of comfortable retirement aboard his boat following the death of a friend, he stumbles upon a deadly terrorist plot to use a private space delivery platform in Barbados to launch a deadly genetic virus.

As one of the largest hurricanes to hit the Caribbean sweeps through the area, one man must battle the world’s deadliest natural phenomenon, mercenaries and a deadly biological agent, to save the world.

Can’t wait until July? Well, Tor.com have published an excerpt from the novel, which you can read here. Below are a couple of early reviews…

‘Buckell solidly links the political and the personal, both exemplified by subtle race-related interactions (for instance, at upper-crust parties, Roo is frequently mistaken for a servant). The scenes of sailing and spying action move quickly, and the climax, set on a supersized satellite-launching cannon, is one white cat shy of a Bond movie.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘A stormy, aptly named thriller set in the Caribbean of the near future… The stakes are higher than one might expect, and even the specter of racism comes into play. Buckell has written a smart and well-constructed tale that’s filled with excitement and the flavor of the Caribbean isles… So don’t wait for a dark and stormy night to read this novel; you’ll have plenty of fun.’ — Kirkus, Starred Review

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

A (Belated) Reflection on World Fantasy Con 2013…

Posted on Monday, November 25th, 2013

World Fantasy Con 2013 took place at the beginning of November. With the dust finally settled, we thought we’d share some (belated) memories from what turned out to be a superb event. It was a fantastic opportunity to catch up with many of our authors, and also mingle with a host of publishing professionals.

Simon Unsworth, reading from his upcoming, recently-sold novel, THE SORROWFUL, and smiling happily for the camera during the mass-signing on Friday night…

Freda Warrington, reading from A DANCE IN BLOOD VELVET on Friday

On Friday night, there was a Mass Signing session, during which we caught up with a number of our clients. First up, Naomi Foyle (front) with Jo Fletcher (behind)…

Christopher Golden (who has recently co-written a graphic novel with Charlaine Harris, CEMETERY GIRL) and Tim Lebbon (who we do not represent, but do admire)…

Tobias Buckell at the signing table, and also at his reading on Saturday morning…

The ever-friendly Daryl Gregory gave us a couple of poses…

Anne Lyle was on hand to sign copies of her now-complete Night’s Masque trilogy…

And, finally, a particularly great moment – new client Ed Cox chats with Neil Gaiman and Joanne Harris (quite the stealth-photo moment)…

Overall, it was a great weekend. With new books packed, happy memories swirling, we now get back to business as usual. Which is, of course, no bad thing…

New Client: Tobias Buckell and ARCTIC RISING…

Posted on Thursday, April 18th, 2013

We are thrilled to welcome Tobias Buckell as a new client, representing him in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of our colleagues at the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York. We have long been an admirer of this fantastic author’s work.

As if this news alone were not cause for celebration, we can also reveal that Del Rey UK will be publishing Tobias’s most recent novel, ARCTIC RISING, this coming July, with a follow-up, HURRICANE FEVER, likely to appear next year. Check out the stunning Del Rey cover artwork, rendered by super-talented artist, Lee Gibbons.

This exciting and topical novel has recently been nominated for the Prometheus Award, which every year celebrates books that ‘examine the meaning of freedom’. The winner will be announced over the Labor Day weekend at LoneStarCon3, the 2013 World Science Fiction Convention, and we wish Tobias the best of luck!

Here is the synopsis…

Global Warming has transformed the Earth, and it’s about to get even hotter. The Arctic Ice Cap has all but melted, and the international community is racing to claim the massive amounts of oil beneath the newly accessible ocean. Enter the Gaia Corporation. Its two founders plan to terraform Earth to save it from itself—but in doing so, they may have created a superweapon the likes of which the world has never seen. Anika Duncan, a pilot for the United Nations Polar Guard, finds herself caught up in a plot by military agencies and corporations who want the Gaia Corporation stopped. But when Gaia loses control of its superweapon, it will be Anika who has to decide the future of the world.

Tobias Buckell is the author of, among others, the popular Xenowealth series (CRYSTAL RAIN, RAGAMUFFIN and SLY MONGOOSE) and HALO: THE COLE PROTOCOL. Buckell’s previous novels have been described as ‘stretching the horizons of science fiction’ (John Scalzi), ‘vividly imagined… finely tuned and engrossing’ (Booklist) and ‘compulsively readable’ (Maclean’s).