Tag: William Gibson

William Gibson’s ZERO HISTORY CD Audio Edition Now Available

Posted on Tuesday, January 4th, 2022

The audiobook edition of William Gibson‘s ZERO HISTORY, the third novel in his Blue Ant series, is now available in physical media (CD and MP3 CD) in the UK! Published by W. F. Howes’s Clipper imprint, and narrated by Bronwen Price, here’s the synopsis…

Hubertus Bigend, the Machiavellian head of global ad-agency Blue Ant, wants ex-musician Hollis Henry to uncover the maker of a secret, obscurely fashionable denim called ‘The Gabriel Hounds’. Hollis knows nothing about fashion – which, curiously, is why Bigend hired her. Soon, though, it’s clear that Bigend’s interest in underground labels might have sinister applications. Powerful parties, who’ll do anything to get into this territory, are showing their hand. And Hollis, as Bigend’s representative, is about to find herself in the crossfire.

Set among London’s dark and tangled streets, Zero History is a brilliant thriller about the hidden webs and patterns that underlie the new now.

Clipper has also published the first two books in the Blue Ant trilogy, PATTERN RECOGNITION and SPOOK COUNTRY (both also narrated by Bronwen Price) — each is available in digital and physical formats.

‘ZERO HISTORY is [Gibson’s] best yet, a triumph of science fiction as social criticism and adventure.’ — Boing Boing

‘What matters [about ZERO HISTORY] are the highly textured, brilliantly evocative prose and the stunning insights Gibson offers into what we perceive as the present moment–the implication being, per the title, that’s all we have left. Unsettling and memorable.’ — Kirkus Reviews

‘ZERO HISTORY is another smartly scouted roadmap of alternate routes through today’s global culture, as powered by what a friend of mine used to call the military-industrial-greeting-card complex. It’s a world where cool is king, but also the key to power–and the future.’ — Milwaukee Sentinel Journal

Zeno represents William Gibson in the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth only, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

William Gibson’s SPOOK COUNTRY Out Now in Audio CD Editions!

Posted on Monday, November 1st, 2021

Earlier today, we shared the news that the CD/MP3-CD edition of William Gibson‘s THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE is out today. Well, today W. F. Howes also publishes Gibson’s SPOOK COUNTRY in CD/MP3-CD formats! The second novel in the acclaimed Blue Ant series, it follows PATTERN RECOGNITION (which is also out now). Both novels in the series are narrated by Bronwen Price, and here’s the synopsis…

Spook Country — a gripping spy thriller by William Gibson, best-selling author of Neuromancer.

In New York, a young Cuban called Tito is passing iPods to a mysterious old man. Such activities do not go unnoticed, however, in these early days of the War on Terror, and across the city, an ex-military man named Brown is tracking Tito’s movements. Meanwhile in LA, journalist Hollis Henry is on the trail of Bobby Chombo, who appears to know too much about military systems for his own good. With Bobby missing and the trail cold, Hollis digs deeper and is drawn into the final moves of a chilling game played out by men with old scores to settle…

W. F. Howes has also published the UK audiobook editions of NEUROMANCER, the aforementioned PATTERN RECOGNITION, DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR (a non-fiction collection), and THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE (co-authored by Bruce Sterling).

CD Editions of THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE Audiobook Now Available in the UK!

Posted on Monday, November 1st, 2021

The UK audiobook edition of THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE, the classic steampunk novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, is available now as a CD and MP3 CD! Narrated by Andrew Cullum, the audiobook is published by Clipper, an imprint of W. F. Howes. Here’s the synopsis…

1855: The Industrial Revolution is in full swing, powered by steam-driven cybernetic Engines. Charles Babbage perfects his Analytical Engine, and the computer age arrives a century ahead of its time. Three extraordinary characters race toward a rendezvous with the future: Sybil Gerard – fallen woman, politician’s tart, daughter of a Luddite agitator; Edward Leviathan Mallory — explorer and palaeontologist; Laurence Oliphant — diplomat, mystic, and spy. Their adventure begins with the discovery of a box of punched Engine cards of unknown origin and purpose. Cards someone wants badly enough to kill for.

Part detective story, part historical thriller, The Difference Engine took the science fiction community by storm when it was first published. It is a prime example of the steampunk sub-genre; It posits a Victorian Britain in which great technological and social change has occurred after entrepreneurial inventor Charles Babbage succeeded in his ambition to build a mechanical computer called Engines.

Provocative, compelling, and intensely imagined, this audiobook is poised to impress a whole new generation.

W. F. Howes have also recently published UK audio editions of Gibson’s NEUROMANCER, PATTERN RECOGNITION, and DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOUR (with more on the way!).

Gibson’s latest novels — THE PERIPHERAL and AGENCY — are published in the UK by Penguin. His classic Neuromancer series is published in the UK by Gollancz.

William Gibson’s ZERO HISTORY Out Now in Audio!

Posted on Friday, August 20th, 2021

The third novel in William Gibson‘s Blue Ant series, ZERO HISTORY is now available as a downloadable audiobook in the UK! Published by W. F. Howes’s Clipper imprint, and narrated by Bronwen Price, here’s the synopsis…

Hubertus Bigend, the Machiavellian head of global ad-agency Blue Ant, wants ex-musician Hollis Henry to uncover the maker of a secret, obscurely fashionable denim called ‘The Gabriel Hounds’. Hollis knows nothing about fashion – which, curiously, is why Bigend hired her. Soon, though, it’s clear that Bigend’s interest in underground labels might have sinister applications. Powerful parties, who’ll do anything to get into this territory, are showing their hand. And Hollis, as Bigend’s representative, is about to find herself in the crossfire.

Set among London’s dark and tangled streets, Zero History is a brilliant thriller about the hidden webs and patterns that underlie the new now.

Clipper has also published the first two books in the Blue Ant trilogy, PATTERN RECOGNITION and SPOOK COUNTRY (both are also narrated by Bronwen Price).

‘ZERO HISTORY is [Gibson’s] best yet, a triumph of science fiction as social criticism and adventure.’ — Boing Boing

‘What matters [about ZERO HISTORY] are the highly textured, brilliantly evocative prose and the stunning insights Gibson offers into what we perceive as the present moment–the implication being, per the title, that’s all we have left. Unsettling and memorable.’ — Kirkus Reviews

‘ZERO HISTORY is another smartly scouted roadmap of alternate routes through today’s global culture, as powered by what a friend of mine used to call the military-industrial-greeting-card complex. It’s a world where cool is king, but also the key to power–and the future.’ — Milwaukee Sentinel Journal

Zeno represents William Gibson in the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth only, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

Digital Audio Edition of SPOOK COUNTRY Out Tomorrow in the UK!

Posted on Wednesday, July 21st, 2021

Tomorrow, W. F. Howes are due to publish William Gibson‘s latest new UK audiobook: SPOOK COUNTRY! The second novel in Gibson’s Blue Ant series, it follows PATTERN RECOGNITION (out now) — both novels in the series are narrated by Bronwen Price. Here’s the synopsis…

Spook Country — a gripping spy thriller by William Gibson, best-selling author of Neuromancer.

In New York, a young Cuban called Tito is passing iPods to a mysterious old man. Such activities do not go unnoticed, however, in these early days of the War on Terror, and across the city, an ex-military man named Brown is tracking Tito’s movements. Meanwhile in LA, journalist Hollis Henry is on the trail of Bobby Chombo, who appears to know too much about military systems for his own good. With Bobby missing and the trail cold, Hollis digs deeper and is drawn into the final moves of a chilling game played out by men with old scores to settle…

Those looking to buy a physical version of the audiobook (CD or MP3 CD, for example), will have to wait a little bit longer — that edition will be available on November 1st.

W. F. Howes has also published the UK audiobook editions of NEUROMANCER, PATTERN RECOGNITION, DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR, and THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE (co-authored by Bruce Sterling).

Listen to THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE Now!

Posted on Friday, July 2nd, 2021

THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE, the classic steampunk novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling is available now as an audiobook in the UK! Published by Clipper (an imprint of W. F. Howes), and narrated by Andrew Cullum, here’s the synopsis…

1855: The Industrial Revolution is in full swing, powered by steam-driven cybernetic Engines. Charles Babbage perfects his Analytical Engine, and the computer age arrives a century ahead of its time. Three extraordinary characters race toward a rendezvous with the future: Sybil Gerard – fallen woman, politician’s tart, daughter of a Luddite agitator; Edward Leviathan Mallory — explorer and palaeontologist; Laurence Oliphant — diplomat, mystic, and spy. Their adventure begins with the discovery of a box of punched Engine cards of unknown origin and purpose. Cards someone wants badly enough to kill for.

Part detective story, part historical thriller, The Difference Engine took the science fiction community by storm when it was first published. It is a prime example of the steampunk sub-genre; It posits a Victorian Britain in which great technological and social change has occurred after entrepreneurial inventor Charles Babbage succeeded in his ambition to build a mechanical computer called Engines.

Provocative, compelling, and intensely imagined, this audiobook is poised to impress a whole new generation.

The novel is available digitally now, and will be available in physical audio (CD, etc.) in November.

W. F. Howes have also recently published UK audio editions of Gibson’s NEUROMANCER, PATTERN RECOGNITION, and DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOUR (with more on the way!).

Gibson’s latest novels — THE PERIPHERAL and AGENCY — are published in the UK by Penguin. His classic Neuromancer series is published in the UK by Gollancz.

NEUROMANCER Audiobook out this week in the UK!

Posted on Monday, May 24th, 2021

This Thursday (May 27th), audiobook and cyberpunk fans in the UK will be able to get their hands (ears?) on the new audio edition of William Gibson‘s classic NEUROMANCER! Narrated by Jason Flemyng, it’s published via W.F. Howes’s Clipper imprint. Here’s the synopsis…

The book that defined the cyberpunk movement, inspiring everything from The Matrix to Cyberpunk 2077.

The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.

William Gibson revolutionised science fiction in his 1984 debut Neuromancer. The writer who gave us the matrix and coined the term ‘cyberspace’ produced a first novel that won the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards, and lit the fuse on the Cyberpunk movement.

More than three decades later, Gibson’s text is as stylish as ever, his noir narrative still glitters like chrome in the shadows and his depictions of the rise and abuse of corporate power look more prescient every day. Part thriller, part warning, Neuromancer is a timeless classic of modern SF and one of the 20th century’s most potent and compelling visions of the future.

NEUROMANCER is the first book in Gibson’s Sprawl series, published in print and eBook in the UK by Gollancz. There is also a SF Masterworks edition of the novel — the novel won the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards.

Gollancz also publishes the other three novels in the Sprawl series, in print and eBook: COUNT ZERO, MONA LISA OVERDRIVE, and BURNING CHROME.

The author’s latest novel is AGENCY, the sequel to THE PERIPHERAL — both are published in the UK by Penguin.

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

William Gibson’s PATTERN RECOGNITION out now in UK Audio!

Posted on Thursday, May 20th, 2021

Today, W.F. Howes publishes the UK audiobook edition of William Gibson‘s classic novel PATTERN RECOGNITION. Released through the publisher’s Quest imprint, here’s the synopsis…

Cayce Pollard owes her living to her pathological sensitivity to logos. In London to consult for the world’s coolest ad agency, she finds herself catapulted, via her addiction to a mysterious body of fragmentary film footage, uploaded to the web by a shadowy auteur, into a global quest for this unknown ‘garage Kubrick’.

Cayce becomes involved with an eccentric hacker, a vengeful ad executive, a defrocked mathematician, a Tokyo Otaku-coven known as Eye of the Dragon and, eventually, the elusive ‘Kubrick’ himself.

William Gibson’s audiobook is about the eternal mystery of London, the coolest sneakers in the world and life in (the former) USSR.

W.F. Howes also publishes DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR, and is due to publish NEUROMANCER later this month. More audiobook editions are on the way, too! We’ll keep you posted as and when we have details.

PATTERN RECOGNITION is published in print and eBook in the UK by Penguin. Gibson’s latest novels are THE PERIPHERAL and AGENCY, both published in the UK by Penguin.

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of  Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

New UK Audio Edition of NEUROMANCER out in Three Weeks!

Posted on Wednesday, May 5th, 2021

In three weeks, W.F. Howes’s Clipper imprint are due to publish a new UK audiobook edition of William Gibson‘s classic NEUROMANCER! It’s the novel that revolutionised science fiction, and pioneered cyberpunk. The new audiobook is narrated by Jason Flemyng, and will be available on May 27th. Here’s the synopsis…

The book that defined the cyberpunk movement, inspiring everything from The Matrix to Cyberpunk 2077.

The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.

William Gibson revolutionised science fiction in his 1984 debut Neuromancer. The writer who gave us the matrix and coined the term ‘cyberspace’ produced a first novel that won the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards, and lit the fuse on the Cyberpunk movement.

More than three decades later, Gibson’s text is as stylish as ever, his noir narrative still glitters like chrome in the shadows and his depictions of the rise and abuse of corporate power look more prescient every day. Part thriller, part warning, Neuromancer is a timeless classic of modern SF and one of the 20th century’s most potent and compelling visions of the future.

The novel, the first in Gibson’s Sprawl series, is published in print and eBook in the UK by Gollancz. There is also a SF Masterworks edition of the novel.

Gibson’s latest series, Jackpot, is published in the UK by Penguin: to date, the first and second novels are available — THE PERIPHERAL and AGENCY.

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

William Gibson’s DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR Now Available in UK Audio!

Posted on Friday, April 30th, 2021

William Gibson‘s acclaimed collection of essays, DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR is now available in the UK as an audiobook! Published by W. F. Howes, here’s the synopsis…

Distrust That Particular Flavor — an acclaimed nonfiction collection by William Gibson, bestselling author of NEUROMANCER William Gibson was writing fiction when he predicted the internet. And as his stories bled into reality so he became one of the first to report on the real-world consequences of cyberspace’s growth and development.

Now, with the dust settling on the first internet revolution, comes Gibson’s first collection of non-fiction — essays from the technological and cultural frontiers of this new world. These and many other pieces, collected for the first time in Distrust that Particular Flavour, are studded with revealing autobiographical fragments and map the development of Gibson’s acute perceptions about modern life. Readers of Neal Stephenson, Ray Bradbury and Iain M. Banks will love this book.

The print and eBook editions of DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR are published in the UK by Penguin.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the collection has received…

‘Gibson is a prophet and a satirist, a black comedian and an astounding architect of cool. He’s also responsible for much of the world we live in.’ — Spectator

‘William Gibson’s collected essays mark him out as a remarkable visionary.’ — Guardian

‘Gibson is, of course, one of our greatest science-fiction writers, exalted for his talent for depicting futures that are just around the corner… Gibson’s writing enters the bloodstream like a drug, producing a mild hallucinogenic effect that lasts for hours… Such is the power of his prose that when I glanced up from the pages of this book and surveyed the street-side around me, I felt as if I were wearing Gibson-glasses…’ — New York Times

‘While his dark and glittering novels still provide the best introduction to his work for newcomers, anyone already in thrall to his sidelong perspective on the world will find lots to enjoy here.’ — The Telegraph

‘William Gibson is one of our finest science fiction authors, because he knows that people are the strangest products science has ever produced. And his new essay collection, DISTRUST THAT PARTICULAR FLAVOR, gives us insight into how he came to understand that so well, when many other SF authors struggle to see it. DISTRUST does not disappoint: Gibson completists will definitely need the book, but I also recommend it for Gibson newbies who want to get a grip on where he’s coming from. Fans of Gibson’s voice will recognize in his non-fiction the luminous, open-ended sound of his novels. Part of that sound comes from the nature of his ideas; the rest, from his skill in bringing the dream-state of our culture to us in lucid yet elusive prose… Gibson’s fiction is in some ways deeply autobiographical: after reading this collection of lovely essays, it’s clear where his characters get their joy for art, music, The Footage, and blue jeans of inscrutable provenance.’ — io9.com

‘… it’s a testament to Gibson’s clinical skills as a writer (and first-class observer) that he can make a fleeting, long-ago first impression sound like a revelation, albeit one on a very deliberately small scale… for all Gibson’s self-effacement, he has highly evolved powers of observation… Though he’s often lauded as a big-picture man, these pieces make one thing clear: He’s even better with the little details.’ — Onion AV Club

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

William Gibson’s AGENCY Out Today in UK Paperback!

Posted on Thursday, January 7th, 2021

William Gibson‘s acclaimed novel AGENCY is out today in a new UK paperback edition! Published by Penguin, it’s the sequel to the equally-acclaimed THE PERIPHERAL. Here’s the synopsis…

San Francisco, 2017. Clinton’s in the White House, Brexit never happened — and Verity Jane’s got herself a new job.

They call Verity ‘the app-whisperer,’ and she’s just been hired by a shadowy start-up to evaluate a pair-of-glasses-cum-digital-assistant called Eunice. Only Eunice has other ideas.

Pretty soon, Verity knows that Eunice is smarter than anyone she’s ever met, conceals some serious capabilities and is profoundly paranoid –– which is just as well since suddenly some bad people are after Verity.

Meanwhile, in a post-apocalyptic London a century from now, PR fixer Wilf Netherton is tasked by all-seeing policewoman Ainsley Lowbeer with interfering in the alternative past in which Verity and Eunice exist. It appears something nasty is about to happen there — and fixing it will require not only Eunice’s unique human-AI skillset but also a little help from the future.

A future which Verity soon fears may never be…

The aforementioned THE PERIPHERAL is also published in the UK by Penguin.

The author’s classic Neuromancer series is published in the UK by Gollancz: NEUROMANCER, COUNT ZERO, MONA LISA OVERDRIVE, and BURNING CHROME.

The first novel in the series is also available in a SF Masterworks edition, also published by Gollancz in the UK.

Here are just a few of the great reviews AGENCY has received…

‘This dazzling vision of politics and power across alternate timelines is both observation and warning… begins with the classic Gibsonian unboxing scene… a sensual, remarkably visual ride, vigorous with displays of conceptual imagination and humour.’ — Guardian

‘[A] book as engaging, thought-provoking and delightful as its predecessor… Strong co-starring characters unique to this tale interact with returning old favorites… the intricate noir-thriller plotting affords constant entertainment and suspense… Gibson’s language is as zesty as ever… [Gibson] he can always be counted on to show us our contemporary milieu rendered magical by his unique insights, and a future rendered inhabitable by his wild yet disciplined imagination.’ — Washington Post

‘William Gibson’s AGENCY interrogates our relationship to technology with startling clarity’ — Globe & Mail

‘Many of the ideas in AGENCY are familiar Gibson peccadilloes. He is still interested in decentred political and technological systems and shadowy, quasi-criminal superstructures that can be navigated only by visionary individuals armed with the right tech. And he still delivers these ideas in plots that aspire to the satisfying knottiness of thrillers.’ — Financial Times

‘[A] strong presence of familiar Gibsonian traits: smooth prose, sly pop-culture references, and acute observations of behavior and social interaction… filled with the expected Gibsonian oddball details and throwaway bits of invention… an immersive, textured, and some­times deeply strange setting, which is a good thing. Come for the intricate plotting, stay for the weird and wonderful mindscape.’ — Russell Letson, Locus

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

UK Paperback Edition of William Gibson’s AGENCY is Out Next Month!

Posted on Monday, December 14th, 2020

Hot on the news last week that William Gibson‘s acclaimed novel AGENCY was selected as one of Time Magazine’s Books of the Year, today we’re happy to share with you the cover for the upcoming UK paperback edition!

Due out next month (January 7th) via Penguin, it’s the sequel to THE PERIPHERAL, here’s the synopsis…

San Francisco, 2017. Clinton’s in the White House, Brexit never happened — and Verity Jane’s got herself a new job.

They call Verity ‘the app-whisperer,’ and she’s just been hired by a shadowy start-up to evaluate a pair-of-glasses-cum-digital-assistant called Eunice. Only Eunice has other ideas.

Pretty soon, Verity knows that Eunice is smarter than anyone she’s ever met, conceals some serious capabilities and is profoundly paranoid –– which is just as well since suddenly some bad people are after Verity.

Meanwhile, in a post-apocalyptic London a century from now, PR fixer Wilf Netherton is tasked by all-seeing policewoman Ainsley Lowbeer with interfering in the alternative past in which Verity and Eunice exist. It appears something nasty is about to happen there — and fixing it will require not only Eunice’s unique human-AI skillset but also a little help from the future.

A future which Verity soon fears may never be…

The aforementioned THE PERIPHERAL is also published in the UK by Penguin. Gibson’s classic Neuromancer series is published in the UK by Gollancz.

Here are just a few of the great reviews AGENCY has received…

‘This dazzling vision of politics and power across alternate timelines is both observation and warning… begins with the classic Gibsonian unboxing scene… a sensual, remarkably visual ride, vigorous with displays of conceptual imagination and humour.’ — Guardian

‘[A] book as engaging, thought-provoking and delightful as its predecessor… Strong co-starring characters unique to this tale interact with returning old favorites… the intricate noir-thriller plotting affords constant entertainment and suspense… Gibson’s language is as zesty as ever… [Gibson] he can always be counted on to show us our contemporary milieu rendered magical by his unique insights, and a future rendered inhabitable by his wild yet disciplined imagination.’ — Washington Post

‘William Gibson’s AGENCY interrogates our relationship to technology with startling clarity’ — Globe & Mail

‘Many of the ideas in AGENCY are familiar Gibson peccadilloes. He is still interested in decentred political and technological systems and shadowy, quasi-criminal superstructures that can be navigated only by visionary individuals armed with the right tech. And he still delivers these ideas in plots that aspire to the satisfying knottiness of thrillers.’ — Financial Times

‘[A] strong presence of familiar Gibsonian traits: smooth prose, sly pop-culture references, and acute observations of behavior and social interaction… filled with the expected Gibsonian oddball details and throwaway bits of invention… an immersive, textured, and some­times deeply strange setting, which is a good thing. Come for the intricate plotting, stay for the weird and wonderful mindscape.’ — Russell Letson, Locus

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

William Gibson’s AGENCY is a Time Book of the Year!

Posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2020

‘Tis the season when many people turn their attention to picking the best books of the year, and we are very happy to report that William Gibson‘s latest novel, AGENCY, was selected by Time Magazine as one of their Must Read Books of 2020!

Described as a ‘seductive sequel to THE PERIPHERAL‘, it’s published in the UK by Viking. Here’s the synopsis…

San Francisco, 2017. Clinton’s in the White House, Brexit never happened — and Verity Jane’s got herself a new job.

They call Verity ‘the app-whisperer,’ and she’s just been hired by a shadowy start-up to evaluate a pair-of-glasses-cum-digital-assistant called Eunice. Only Eunice has other ideas.

Pretty soon, Verity knows that Eunice is smarter than anyone she’s ever met, conceals some serious capabilities and is profoundly paranoid –– which is just as well since suddenly some bad people are after Verity.

Meanwhile, in a post-apocalyptic London a century from now, PR fixer Wilf Netherton is tasked by all-seeing policewoman Ainsley Lowbeer with interfering in the alternative past in which Verity and Eunice exist. It appears something nasty is about to happen there — and fixing it will require not only Eunice’s unique human-AI skillset but also a little help from the future.

A future which Verity soon fears may never be…

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

‘This dazzling vision of politics and power across alternate timelines is both observation and warning… begins with the classic Gibsonian unboxing scene… a sensual, remarkably visual ride, vigorous with displays of conceptual imagination and humour.’ — Guardian

‘[A] book as engaging, thought-provoking and delightful as its predecessor… Strong co-starring characters unique to this tale interact with returning old favorites… the intricate noir-thriller plotting affords constant entertainment and suspense… Gibson’s language is as zesty as ever… [Gibson] he can always be counted on to show us our contemporary milieu rendered magical by his unique insights, and a future rendered inhabitable by his wild yet disciplined imagination.’ — Washington Post

‘William Gibson’s AGENCY interrogates our relationship to technology with startling clarity’ — Globe & Mail

‘Many of the ideas in AGENCY are familiar Gibson peccadilloes. He is still interested in decentred political and technological systems and shadowy, quasi-criminal superstructures that can be navigated only by visionary individuals armed with the right tech. And he still delivers these ideas in plots that aspire to the satisfying knottiness of thrillers.’ — Financial Times

‘[A] strong presence of familiar Gibsonian traits: smooth prose, sly pop-culture references, and acute observations of behavior and social interaction… filled with the expected Gibsonian oddball details and throwaway bits of invention… an immersive, textured, and some­times deeply strange setting, which is a good thing. Come for the intricate plotting, stay for the weird and wonderful mindscape.’ — Russell Letson, Locus

‘AGENCY… is parallel-contemporary, changing the outcome of the 2016 election without relieving us of chaos and horror. It’s a much more explicit commentary than we’re used to getting from Gibson and an implicit reminder that Trump is best understood as a dumb symptom of our predicament, rather than the cause. Writers who manage big, showy debuts are often one-trick ponies, but Gibson has an inexhaustible supply of tricks, new stories and new ways of telling them that make him the most consistent predictor of our present, contextualizer of our pasts and presager of our possible futures.’ — LA Times

The aforementioned THE PERIPHERAL is also published in the UK by Penguin.

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

Zeno Clients Hitting 2020 Best Of Lists!

Posted on Monday, November 23rd, 2020

As 2020 draws closer to its end, we’re happy to report that some of our authors’ books are starting to appear on Best Of lists!

It’s been a particularly good week for Brandon Sanderson‘s RHYTHM OF WAR and William Gibson‘s AGENCY , both of which have appeared on Waterstones’ Best Of list and are also in the final round of the Goodreads Choice Awards!

Read on for some more information about the two books. Let’s start with Gibson’s AGENCY, which is published in the UK by Penguin. The acclaimed and best-selling follow-up to THE PERIPHERAL, here’s the synopsis…

San Francisco, 2017. Clinton’s in the White House, Brexit never happened — and Verity Jane’s got herself a new job.

They call Verity ‘the app-whisperer,’ and she’s just been hired by a shadowy start-up to evaluate a pair-of-glasses-cum-digital-assistant called Eunice. Only Eunice has other ideas.

Pretty soon, Verity knows that Eunice is smarter than anyone she’s ever met, conceals some serious capabilities and is profoundly paranoid — which is just as well since suddenly some bad people are after Verity.

Meanwhile, in a post-apocalyptic London a century from now, PR fixer Wilf Netherton is tasked by all-seeing policewoman Ainsley Lowbeer with interfering in the alternative past in which Verity and Eunice exist. It appears something nasty is about to happen there — and fixing it will require not only Eunice’s unique human-AI skillset but also a little help from the future.

A future which Verity soon fears may never be…

Sanderson’s RHTHYM OF WAR is the highly-anticipated fourth novel in his best-selling Stormlight Archive series. Published to much fanfare last week, by Gollancz in the UK, here’s the synopsis…

After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage, and the threat of a betrayal by Dalinar’s crafty ally Taravangian looms over every strategic move.

Now, as new technological discoveries by Navani Kholin’s scholars begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.

At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem: As more and more deadly enemy Fused awaken to wage war, no more honorspren are willing to bond with humans to increase the number of Radiants. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.

Brandon actually has another book in the Goodreads Choice Award finals, in the Young Adult Fantasy category: the second book in his Skyward series, STARSIGHT! Also published in the UK by Gollancz, here’s the synopsis…

All her life, Spensa has dreamed of becoming a pilot. Of proving she’s a hero like her father. She made it to the sky, but the truths she learned about her father were crushing. The rumours of his cowardice are true – he deserted his flight during battle against the Krell. Worse, though, he turned against his team and attacked them.

Spensa is sure there’s more to the story. And she’s sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars – and it was terrifying. What she learned turned her world upside down. Everything Spensa’s been taught is a lie.

But Spensa also learned a few things about herself – and she’ll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to.

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York. Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.

UK Paperback Edition of William Gibson’s AGENCY out in January!

Posted on Friday, November 6th, 2020

On January 7th, 2021, Penguin are due to publish the UK paperback edition of William Gibson‘s critically acclaimed AGENCY! The follow-up to THE PERIPHERAL, here’s the synopsis…

San Francisco, 2017. Clinton’s in the White House, Brexit never happened — and Verity Jane’s got herself a new job.

They call Verity ‘the app-whisperer,’ and she’s just been hired by a shadowy start-up to evaluate a pair-of-glasses-cum-digital-assistant called Eunice. Only Eunice has other ideas.

Pretty soon, Verity knows that Eunice is smarter than anyone she’s ever met, conceals some serious capabilities and is profoundly paranoid – which is just as well since suddenly some bad people are after Verity.

Meanwhile, in a post-apocalyptic London a century from now, PR fixer Wilf Netherton is tasked by all-seeing policewoman Ainsley Lowbeer with interfering in the alternative past in which Verity and Eunice exist. It appears something nasty is about to happen there – and fixing it will require not only Eunice’s unique human-AI skillset but also a little help from the future.

A future which Verity soon fears may never be…

The aforementioned THE PERIPHERAL is also published in the UK by Penguin.

Here are just a few of the great reviews Gibson has received recently…

‘One of the most influential writers around… with Gibson’s trademark panache, the story rattles along with great pace and suspense’ — Sunday Times

‘One of our greatest science-fiction writers’ — New York Times

‘A sensual, remarkably visual ride, vigorous with displays of conceptual imagination and humour’ — Guardian

‘Among our most fascinating novelists’ — Daily Telegraph

‘Gibson is a prophet and a satirist, a black comedian and an astounding architect of cool’ — Spectator

‘One of the most visionary, original, and quietly influential writers currently working’ — Boston Globe

‘His eye for the eerie in the everyday still lends events an otherworldly sheen’ — New Yorker

‘Engaging, thought-provoking and delightful… [Gibson] can always be counted on to show us our contemporary milieu rendered magical by his unique insights, and a future rendered inhabitable by his wild yet disciplined imagination’ — Washington Post

‘Gibson blurs the line between real and speculative technology in a fast-paced thriller that will affirm to readers that it was well worth the wait’ — Booklist

‘Typically visionary, yet plausible and thrilling too’ — I Paper

‘If you’re one of those who sees Gibson as a visionary, it’s time to be scared — the scenarios he’s playing with here don’t make for comfort reading’ — SFX

Gibson’s classic cyberpunk Neuromancer series is also available in the UK, published by Gollancz: NEUROMANCER, COUNT ZERO, MONA LISA OVERDRIVE, and BURNING CHROME.

The first novel in the series, NEUROMANCER is also available in the UK as part of Gollancz’s SF Masterworks series.

Zeno represents William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Nell Pierce at Sterling Lord Literistic.