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Marie Brennan’s A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS out now in the UK!

Posted on Friday, February 14th, 2014

We’re delighted to report that Marie Brennan‘s A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS is published today in the UK by Titan Books. The book, the first in Brennan’s Memoirs of Lady Trent series of fantasy bestiaries, was a hit in the US when it was published last year, by Tor Books. Here’s the synopsis…

Everyone knows Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her
reputation, prospects, and her life to satisfy scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the mountains of Vystrana, where she made discoveries that would change the world…

The second book in the series, TROPIC OF SERPENTS, is due to be published by Tor Books in the US this year. Here’s what just a small sample of critics have said in praise for A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS…

‘Brennan’s world-building is wonderfully subtle, rendering a familiar land alien with casual details. Fans of fantasy, science, and history will adore this rich and absorbing tale of discovery.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Lady Isabella Trent is a wonderfully charming female-lead who is willing to break from the gender roles of the era and do as her heart desires, study dragons.’ — Fantasy Faction

‘Told in the style of a Victorian memoir, courageous, intelligent and determined Isabella’s account is colorful, vigorous and absorbing. A sort of Victorian why-what-whodunit embellished by Brennan’s singular upgrade of a fantasy bromide and revitalizingly different viewpoint.’ — Kirkus

‘Downton Abbey, but with dragons! … [A] mellow and agreeable memoir, an absorbing and entertaining novel, and I want more.’ — Tor.com

‘What’s truly great about this novel is the seamless merging of fantasy themes and incredibly realistic scientific and social details. Come for the dragon adventure — because there’s a lot of it. But stay for characters whose stories feel as real as Marie Curie’s.’ — io9

Zeno represents Marie Brennan in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Cover Reveal: Marie Brennan’s TROPIC OF SERPENTS (UK)

Posted on Tuesday, February 11th, 2014

Marie Brennan‘s highly-anticipated THE TROPIC OF SERPENTS has a cover for the UK!

Due to be published by Titan Books on June 20th 2014, THE TROPIC OF SERPENTS is the sequel to THE NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS, the first in Brennan’s Memoirs of Lady Trent series. Here’s the synopsis for the second novel…

Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, in which she lost her husband, the widowed Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the savage, war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics.

The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella must brave oppressive heat, merciless fevers, palace intrigues, gossip, and other hazards in order to satisfy her boundless fascination with all things draconian, even if it means venturing deep into the forbidden jungle known as the Green Hell – where her courage, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity will be tested as never before.

Both novels are (or will be) published in the US by Tor Books.

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

These Zeno Titles Would Make Great Mini-Series…

Posted on Wednesday, January 29th, 2014

The internet site Pajiba recently published an article about seven recent books they thought would make great TV mini-series. We were delighted to note that two recent releases by Zeno clients were featured! Both Lavie Tidhar‘s THE VIOLENT CENTURY and Ian Tregillis‘s SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT were selected, and we couldn’t agree more!

We’ve featured both of these novels a lot, recently (they’re getting great responses from a broad swathe of readers and the SFF community at large), but just in case you’ve missed them, here are the synopses. First, THE VIOLENT CENTURY, which is published in the UK by Hodder…

They’d never meant to be heroes.

For seventy years they guarded the British Empire. Oblivion and Fogg, inseparable friends, bound together by a shared fate. Until one night in Berlin, in the aftermath of the Second World War, and a secret that tore them apart.

But there must always be an account… and the past has a habit of catching up to the present.

Now, recalled to the Retirement Bureau from which no one can retire, Fogg and Oblivion must face up to a past of terrible war and unacknowledged heroism, – a life of dusty corridors and secret rooms, of furtive meetings and blood-stained fields – to answer one last, impossible question:

What makes a hero?

And secondly, SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT, which is published in the US by Tor Books (translation and UK rights available)…

A Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler inspired murder mystery set in Thomas Aquinas’s vision of Heaven. It’s a noir detective story starring fallen angels, the heavenly choir, nightclub stigmatics, a priest with a dirty secret, a femme fatale, and the Voice of God.

Somebody has murdered the angel Gabriel. Worse, the Jericho Trumpet has gone missing, putting Heaven on the brink of a truly cosmic crisis. But the twisty plot that unfolds from the murder investigation leads to something much bigger: a con job one billion years in the making.

Because this is no mere murder. A small band of angels has decided to break out of heaven, but they need a human patsy to make their plan work.

Much of the story is told from the point of view of Bayliss, a cynical fallen angel who has modeled himself on Philip Marlowe. The yarn he spins follows the progression of a Marlowe novel—the mysterious dame who needs his help, getting grilled by the bulls, finding a stiff, getting slipped a mickey.

Angels and gunsels, dames with eyes like fire, and a grand maguffin, Something More Than Night is a murder mystery for the cosmos.

Which other titles of ours do you think would make excellent TV mini-series and/or movies?

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK/Commonwealth and Translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Ian Tregillis Interviewed on the Sword & Laser Podcast

Posted on Friday, January 17th, 2014

On January 14th, 2014, Ian Tregillis was interviewed for the Sword & Laser Podcast #159. We decided to share the interview – in which Ian ‘alludes to his secret Clakkers project, explains how to make an angel talk like a shamus, and reveals Gretel’s secret Reagan baby’ – with you, here…

Ian’s critically-acclaimed Milkweed Triptych – BITTER SEEDS, THE COLDEST WAR, and NECESSARY EVIL – is published by Orbit Books in the UK. His latest novel, SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT, is published by Tor Books in the US (and has won a long string of accolades). His upcoming series, Clakkers, is due to be published by Orbit Books in late 2014.

Zeno Agency represents Ian Tregillis in the UK and Commonwealth on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Ian Tregillis’s SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT is not to be missed!

Posted on Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

Reviews have started to pour in for Ian Tregillis‘s latest novel, the noir, supernatural mystery SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT, and they have continued the precedent set by his critically-acclaimed Milkweed trilogy – that is, they are glowing. The novel has been published by Tor Books in the United States. Additionally, it has been selected by Kirkus as a Best Book of 2013 in the SFF category and a not-to-be-missed December release by io9.

Amy Goldschlager, in her Best Book of 2013 post about SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT, talked with Ian a bit about the book, and described it as ‘… a brain-bending combo of angelic cosmogony, high-level physics and meta-noir… dazzling and dark, and more than a little quirky.’

From the io9 post, Charlie Jane Anders had the following to say: ‘Tregillis wowed people with his Milkweed Triptych, beginning with BITTER SEEDS. Now he’s back with a Dashiell Hammett-style murder mystery set in Thomas Aquinas’ version of Heaven. Just re-read that last sentence a couple times. And now that we’re all savagely jealous that Tregillis beat us to this amazing concept.’

Here are just a selection of some of the other reviews that have come through…

‘[A] doozy… Superlatives seem superfluous. Instead…wow. Just—wow.’ — Kirkus

‘Tregillis’ amazing new fantasy thriller is a tour de force: a real nail-biting page-turner. Set in a post- apocalyptic future, his cerebral, inventive narrative is a mix of classic gumshoe and quantum physics/theology. With an “OMG!” ending and characters who are anything but cookie-cutter, Tregillis solidifies his place as a brilliant voice in the genre.’ — RT Book Reviews

‘… this book is something completely and absolutely different… One thing all of Tregillis’ books have in common is the stunning prose that flood his books with atmosphere and bring the scene and situation to glorious life… Tregillis combines his incredible prose, and stunningly complex world filled with unforgettable characters to create something new, nuanced, and different. This book is impossible to put down, and is an incredibly fast mover… SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT shows Tregillis at his finest…’ (5/5) — Bookworm Blues

‘When it comes to the world he has created in this book, I can only boggle in amazement… Tregillis has managed to completely floor me… I also adore Ian Tregillis’ writing style, which I’ve always figured was well suited for darker, more evocative stories, and as such I thought it was perfect for a book like this. Plus, I was just wowed by Bayliss’ voice and mannerisms, which are straight out of a crime noir novel of the 30s or 40s. I think that was the most impressive of all, and it’s obvious that great lengths were taken to make his character sound true to that particular era and genre.’ — Bibliosanctum

Ian’s Milkweed trilogy – BITTER SEEDS, THE COLDEST WAR, and NECESSARY EVIL – has been published by Orbit Books in the UK. Orbit are also due to publish the author’s next series, Clakkers, in 2014.

Speaking of NECESSARY EVIL, and in yet more great news for Ian’s fiction: the final installment of the Milkweed trilogy has been selected by BuzzFeed as one of their 14 Greatest Science Fiction Novels of the Year! This is a well-deserved accolade! The novel was also one of Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist’s top Top 10 of 2013.

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in translation and the UK/Commonwealth on behalf of Kay McCauley.

Ian Tregillis’s SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT is a Kirkus Best of 2013!

Posted on Monday, November 18th, 2013

This fantastic news just in: Kirkus Reviews have selected Ian Tregillis‘s SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT as one of the Best SFF Books of 2013! The book is due to be published by Tor Books in the US on December 3rd, 2013.

Here’s the synopsis…

Because this is no mere murder. A small band of angels has decided to break out of heaven, but they need a human patsy to make their plan work.

Angels and gunsels, dames with eyes like fire, and a grand maguffin, Something More Than Night is a murder mystery for the cosmos.

And here is what Kirkus had to say in their review: ‘Superlatives seem superfluous. Instead… wow. Just—wow.’

Zeno represents Ian Tregillis in the UK and Commonwealth, and also in translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley.

Happy Publication Day (+1), Freda Warrington…

Posted on Wednesday, April 24th, 2013

We are delighted to report that Freda Warrington‘s third Aetherial Tale, GRAIL OF THE SUMMER STARS, was published yesterday in the US by Tor Books!

The climactic concluding novel in the spellbinding magical contemporary fantasy Aetherial Tales trilogy

A painting, depicting haunting scenes of a ruined palace and a scarlet-haired goddess in front of a fiery city, arrives unheralded in an art gallery with a cryptic note saying, “The world needs to see this.” The painting begins to change the lives of the woman who is the gallery’s curator and that of an ancient man of the fey Aetherial folk who has mysteriously risen from the depths of the ocean. Neither human nor fairy knows how they are connected, but when the painting is stolen, both are compelled to discover the meaning behind the painting and the key it holds to their future.

If you’d like to try the novel, head on over to Tor.com, who have shared an excerpt. In addition, Freda has been busy around the SFF blogosphere of late, and recently wrote two great guest posts: The Unashamed Escapist for Fade into Fantasy, and Painting with Words for the Fantasy Book Cafe (as part of their Women in SF&F Month series).

Here’s what the critics have been saying so far…

‘A classy, beautifully rendered tale that persuasively builds from low-key beginnings into a complex enterprise with real heft, a rich back story and characters that grow with the narrative. A must for existing fans, while being easily accessible to newcomers.’ — Kirkus

‘If Freda Warrington didn’t write, it would be a crime against humanity. This woman was born to write and tell stories and she does it incredibly well… I absolutely love Warrington’s world… There’s romance, friendship, betrayal, growth, revelations and much more. Basically, it’s anything anyone could possibly want in a book… [Warrington] know[s] how to write an incredible story full of emotional drama, depth and amazing world building. Freda Warrington doesn’t just write urban fantasy. She’s mastered it.’ — Bookworm Blues