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Date Archive: December 2007
Dec
31
Books Received December 1st - 31st 2007
Posted in: Books Received on 31st December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Another round-up of the books that have been sent in to UKSFBN in the past few weeks. As always, many thanks indeed to the publishers concerned for bringing these titles to our attention.
Click on any of the book covers for ordering information from either Amazon.co.uk or the book's publisher.
Dec
21
Pantechnicon Editor Trudi Topham interviewed for ‘SciFiNow’
Posted in: Press Room on 21st December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Trudi said: "I was incredibly flattered when they spoke to me about it. I knew that a lot of the chaps there enjoy reading Pantechnicon and had a lot of interest in what the independent presses were doing, but to be featured in a newsstand glossy is extremely exciting."
More info: www.Pantechnicon.net
Source: Trudi Topham
Dec
21
Pendragon Press announces ‘We Fade to Grey’ antho
Posted in: Press Room on 21st December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
"Five tales of terror and suspense from Paul Finch, Stuart Young, Mark West, Simon Bestwick and McMahon himself; five extraordinary tales of fancy that no self-respecting fan of horror / supernatural / weird fiction will want to miss."
More info: Pendragon Press
Source: Pendragon Press
Dec
19
Brian Wood signing, Orbital Manga, London, January 5th
Posted in: What's On on 19th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Brian Wood will be coming to the UK for a signing at London's Orbital Manga at Orion House, Upper St Martins Lane, London on January 5th 2008 from 12.00 to 2.00 p.m.
More info: www.myspace.com/orbitalmanga
Source: Emily Man, Orbital Manga
Dec
19
Lavie Tidhar on his pulp adventure collection ‘HebrewPunk’
Posted in: Press Room on 19th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Earlier in the year, Apex Publications, publishers of Apex Magazine, released Lavie Tidhar's unique collection of four linked novelettes, HebrewPunk, which has been described by Ellen Datlow as "a Judaic mystical alternative history" and by Kage Baker as "Hardboiled Kaballah".
The four stories include Tidhar's SF story 'The Dope Fiend', taking place in the drug underworld of 1920s London; 'Transylvanian Mission', set in World War II Transylvania; the origin story 'The Heist' and the brand-new novelette 'Uganda', exploring the strange fate and true but unknown story of the Zionist expedition to East Africa in 1905.
Dec
18
Solaris Books announces three-book deal for Eric Brown
Posted in: Press Room on 18th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
In a recent press release, the UK's Solaris Books have announced the acquisition of three new 'Bengal Station' novels from Science Fiction author Eric Brown.
The release gives the following details: "Necropath, Xenopath and Cosmopath feature Jeff Vaughan, a telepath employed by the spaceport on Bengal Station, a vast twenty-level city-port that dominates the ocean between India and Burma.
Dec
18
Paul Cornell Doctor Who short story to be printed in Telegraph, Dec 22nd
Posted in: Press Room on 18th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Paul is also running a competition via the Facebook event page [registration more than likely required to view, definitely to enter] that he's set up to spread the word about the story, in which you can win original artwork and signed copies of the story.
More Info: paulcornell.blogspot.com/
Source: Paul Cornell, via Facebook
Dec
18
TTA Press launches electronic edition of ‘Interzone’ via Fictionwise.com
Posted in: Press Room on 18th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
The UK's TTA Press, publisher of the UK's longest-running original science fiction short story magazine Interzone, as well as Black Static, Crimewave and The Fix, have announced that as of yesterday, electronic issues of Interzone are available to download from e-book e-tailer Fictionwise.com.
In an announcement on the TTA Press website, Electronic Editions Editor Pete Bullock explains: "Beginning with Fictionwise's regular release of new titles on Monday, December 17th, 2007, readers will have the option of purchasing single issues or a one-year subscription.
Dec
18
Out Now: new BFS chapbook ‘H.P. Lovecraft in Britain’ by Stephen Jones
Posted in: Press Room on 18th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Members of the BFS will receive a copy as part of their annual subscription and the remaining copies have been made available at the price of £12.99 / $25.99 each, from the BFS store. Cover artwork is by Les Edwards, who has also provided interior illustrations for Gollancz's forthcoming Necronomicon: The Weird Tales of H.P. Lovecraft [Amazon], which is due out on January 1st.
More Info: British Fantasy Society
Source: BFS news feed
Dec
18
HarperCollins UK sells US rights to Stephen Hunt novels to Tor
Posted in: Press Room on 18th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
HarperCollins Voyager acquired World rights in three novels from John Jarrold, and have already sold German, French, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese rights, and are presently pursuing interest in a number of other markets.
More Info: John Jarrold Literary Agency
Source: John Jarrold
Dec
17
Paul McAuley on dimension-hopping alt-history SF-thriller: ‘Cowboy Angels’
Posted in: UKSFBN Talks To on 17th December 2007 by Sandy Auden
The idea for Paul McAuley's latest thriller, Cowboy Angels [Amazon], came from an unlikely source: "The key to the novel," McAuley explained, "was a vision of a huge railroad yard with trains rushing out of tunnels far too short to contain them, like so many scarves from a magician's sleeve. When I had that, I had the book."
This vision lead to the creation of Cowboy Angels, a fascinating alternate history novel set in America, 1984. Not our version of America, though, but an America that calls itself The Real, an America in which the invention of Turing Gates has allowed it access to sheaves of alternate histories.
Dec
17
Chris Wooding on his latest adult SF novel ‘The Fade’
Posted in: UKSFBN Talks To on 17th December 2007 by Sandy Auden
Chris Wooding's latest novel, The Fade [Amazon], was published earlier this year by Gollancz in the UK.
"The book is about two warring civilisations that have developed entirely underground, away from the lethal light of the suns," said Wooding. "Our heroine is a brutal and ruthless enforcer for her merchant master, but also a devoted wife and mother.
"When a military assault that she is involved in goes badly wrong, she finds herself thrown into a prison that no-one has ever escaped from. But when she learns of how her son, fighting on the front line, is walking into a trap, she realises she has to get out and warn him, before it's too late..."
Dec
14
UKSFBN Quick Links Listing for 14.12.07
Posted in: Press Room on 14th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
A quick round-up of links to a selection of items of interest we've spotted elsewhere on T'Internet recently...
Dec
14
BFS Open Night, York Brewery, January 26th 2008
Posted in: What's On on 14th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Lee Harris of Hub Magazine fame, in his capacity as de-facto British Fantasy Society events organiser (Northern region), has announced the date of the next York Open Night: Saturday January 26th, 2008.
Lee says: "As with the October '07 Open Night, the next one is to be held at York Brewery.
Dec
14
Jo Fletcher makes ten-book Charlaine Harris acquisition for Gollancz Romancz
Posted in: Press Room on 14th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
More Info: Gollancz Books
Source: www.sfscope.com
Dec
14
Unique J.K. Rowling book raises £2million for charity in Sotheby’s auction
Posted in: Press Room on 14th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
The unique, almost one-of-a-kind, hand-written and hand-illustrated copy of 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' by J.K. Rowling (that we mentioned back in November) sold at auction yesterday for the princely sum of two million pounds; somewhat more than the fifty thousand pounds that auctioneers Sotheby's initially said it was expected to raise, as reported on the BBC website.
Dec
13
2000AD to launch digital download service from December 19th
Posted in: Press Room on 13th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Each full issue will be available to download one week after its UK publication date, which means that Earthlets anywhere in the world will be able to grab a digital copy of every scrotnig new prog without having to wait for their subscriber copies to turn up in the snail-mail. Zarjaz!
More Info: www.200adonline.com
Source: Forbidden Planet Blog Log
Dec
13
British Fantasy Society announces Fantasycon 2008
Posted in: What's On on 13th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Detail: The British Fantasy Society, the UK's fantasy and horror writers and readers association and organisers of the British Fantasy Awards have confirmed preliminary details of the next annual Fantasycon convention, which will take place in Nottingham from September 19th - 21st next year.
The event will be held at the Nottingham Britannia Hotel - for the third year running - and the first confirmed Guest of Honour is prolific, US-based, dark fantasy, horror, teen thriller, comics and tie-in writer Christopher Golden. The Master of Ceremonies for the weekend (who'll have a hard act to follow after recent performances by the likes of Graham Joyce and Peter Crowther) and further Guests (of Honour or otherwise) will be announced in due course.
More Info: www.fantasycon.org.uk
Source: British Fantasy Society news feed
Dec
12
John Jarrold seals three-book deal for debut author Suzanne McLeod
Posted in: Press Room on 12th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
John Jarrold, of the John Jarrold Literary Agency has sold World Rights to three supernatural thrillers by Suzanne McLeod, a debut novelist, to Jo Fletcher at Gollancz Books, for their Gollancz Romancz list of sexy, supernatural thrillers.
Jarrold explained the synopsis of the series as it stands so far: "McLeod's novel sequence features Genevieve Taylor, a Sidhe. The Sidhe are a reclusive race, uncomfortable in the modern world, preferring to live in The Fair Lands and follow the old traditions.
Dec
12
Terry Pratchett diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
Posted in: Press Room on 12th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
In an open letter on Discworld artist Paul Kidby's website, legendary fantasy humourist Terry Pratchett has announced that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's Disease.
Dec
11
Coming Soon: new titles from Dimensional Manga, Feb 2008
Posted in: Press Room on 11th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
We've been alerted to the launch of a new line of manga titles from UK-based publisher Dimensional Manga in February 2008. Their press release tells us that "Dimensional Manga specialises in producing manga for worldwide audiences.
"Its first title is Demon Prince: Children of Gaia (the first of a 14-part series). Volume #1 is scheduled for release in February 2008. It will be distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors and has appeared in December '07 issue of Diamond Previews (Page 3)."
Dec
11
Out Now: two new classic science fiction titles from Leonaur
Posted in: Press Room on 11th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Also out this month, two volumes of Philo Vance Murder Cases by S.S. Van Dine, and Both titles are available in hardback or paperback editions and volumes nine and ten of Leonaur's collected Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan stories.
More info: www.leonaur.co.uk
Source: Leonaur e-bulletin
Dec
10
Out Now: J.P. Kamath’s ‘London Horror Comic’, print edition #1
Posted in: Press Room on 10th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Issue one of the print comic brings the artistic talents of Lee Ferguson, Marc Deering, Matty Ryan and Hi-Fi Design to bear on four new tales from the depths of his dark imagination.
More info: www.londonhorrorcomic.com
Source: J.P. Kamath, London Horror Project
Dec
7
Win ‘Blade Runner’ DVDs & Philip K. Dick books, courtesy of Gollancz
Posted in: Press Room on 7th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Competition details, entry form etc. can be found on the Gollancz section of the Orion Books website.
More Info: Gollancz
Source: Gollancz e-newsletter
Dec
7
Solaris to release ‘Deadstock’ by Jeffrey Thomas as free download in Jan ‘08
Posted in: Press Room on 7th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
In March 2008, UK genre fiction imprint Solaris Books will be releasing the much-anticipated new Punktown novel from Massachusetts-based author Jeffrey Thomas. Blue War [Amazon] is a science fiction thriller set on a colony world in another dimension, with blue jungles and exotic cultures.
Private investigator Jeremy Stake is brought in by military leaders to investigate cloned human remains found in an otherwise empty city, and it leads him into a plot that could re-ignite an old war between two alien races.
To support the publication of Blue War Solaris will be offering a free download of our first Punktown novel, Deadstock [Amazon].
Dec
6
Robert V.S. Redick debut scoops February ‘08 promo-double
Posted in: Press Room on 6th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
John says: "The Red Wolf Conspiracy [Amazon] has been confirmed as Waterstone’s Fantasy and SF Book of the Month for February 2008. It will also be that month's Main Selection for the Fantasy and SF Book Club."
More Info: www.johnjarrold.co.uk
Source: John Jarrold Literary Agency press release
Dec
6
M.R. James film evening, Moseley, December 12th
Posted in: What's On on 6th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
Two classic BBC adaptations of James's ghost stories will be shown on the evening: 'A Warning to the Curious' and 'Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad". Tickets are £7 in advance, £8 on the night. More details on the 7 Inch Cinema website.
More info: www.7inch.org.uk
Source: www.SFX.co.uk
Dec
5
Andy Remic on his latest novel, ‘War Machine’ (and Elvis…)
Posted in: UKSFBN Talks To on 5th December 2007 by Sandy Auden
Set in the far future, in deep, dark space, Andy Remic's War Machine [Amazon] is a novel that examines themes of betrayal, loss and retribution, as well as the concept of whether a lifetime of evil and can be overcome by one good deed.
The blurb tells us that ex-soldier Keenan is now working as a private investigator on a planet at the peaceful fringes of the Tri-Gal. Since his family has died he's run up debts and is a heavy drinker, but he cannot refuse business. When a prince from the Jervai Province offers him a case onto a dangerous colony world, but the royal also offers clues as to the murderers of Keenan's family. It is a mission he cannot refuse...
"The writing of War Machine over the past eighteen months was, truly, an arduous experience," Remic assured us. "No, really it was. I know all writers say that sort of thing, but for me this whole creative enterprise was a unique and mind-blowing experience. I will share it with you. But be warned, dear reader, this tale is not for the faint-hearted..!
Dec
5
Peter Haining memorial service takes place tomorrow in Norwich
Posted in: Press Room on 5th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
"Family flowers only but donations can made if you like to www.treehouse.org.uk
More Info: Colney Wood Burial Park Source: Joe Gordon, FPI
Dec
5
Changes at Little, Brown UK: promotions for key Orbit staffers
Posted in: Press Room on 5th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
This just in from Little, Brown, UK, parent company of leading UK genre imprint Orbit Books: "The Little, Brown Book Group is pleased to announce that, with effect from January 1st 2008, its Hachette Audio imprint (formerly Time Warner Audio) will be rebranded Hachette Digital.
"Hachette Digital will be run jointly by David Shelley and George Walkley reporting to Ursula Mackenzie, Little, Brown CEO and Publisher. They will cover Little, Brown’s audio publishing and e-books, with responsibility for general digital strategy and on-line initiatives, in conjunction with the Little, Brown marketing team.
Dec
4
Solaris Books announces major new Steampunk anthology, ed. Nick Gevers
Posted in: Press Room on 4th December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
A press release from Solaris Books has announced the publication of a brand new anthology of Steampunk-themed fiction: "BL Publishing is utterly delighted to announce the purchase of a major new anthology from editor and reviewer Nick Gevers [co-editor of the recent Infinity Plus anthology] for its growing Solaris imprint.
"Extraordinary Engines: The Definitive Steampunk Anthology is a brand new anthology of all-original stories from some of the genre's foremost writers, which will be published simultaneously in both the US and UK by Solaris, in paperback, in Autumn 2008
Dec
3
Charles Stross signing, FP London, December 8th
Posted in: What's On on 3rd December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
FP says: "Born in Leeds, Charles knew at the age of six that he wanted to be a Sci-Fi writer, but began his career as a pharmacist. He realized it wasn't the job for him when the police staked out his shop for a second time during an armed robbery. He then did a post-graduate degree in Computer Science and moved up to Edinburgh to start a new career in web consultancy but got into the dotcom boom at the wrong time. Fed up, he started to write full time and has now had huge success in the States, written 15 novels and has several Hugo nominations to his name.
"The Family Trade [Amazon] is the first volume of The Merchant Princes series. It's a fantasy novel featuring parallel time lines where a family discovers that they can cross over into the other worlds. In another plot twist a journalist who loses her job stumbles across a story that will be the scoop of her career; that's if she survives long enough to write it..."
More info: www.forbiddenplanet.com
Source: Forbidden Planet press release
Dec
3
Pete Fowler signing, FP London, December 7th
Posted in: What's On on 3rd December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
FP says: "Pete Fowler is a Welsh artist who first came to prominence for his work with the band Super Furry Animals. He works in a variety of different mediums including drawing, animation, painting and sculpture and has art exhibitions all over the world. Pets And Owners is the fourth instalment of Monsterism Island's residents and their trusty pets. The range is a bewildering range of cuties, freaks, terrors, dirtballs, and cheeky little rascals that bounce, creep and float around (that's just the owners!). The pets range from reshaped competition beasts that are bred to the highest standard to scruffy companions that, if provoked, will bite."
More info: www.forbiddenplanet.com
Source: Forbidden Planet press release
Dec
1
Out Now: ‘Sanity and Other Delusions’ by Gary Fry (PS Publishing, UK)
Posted in: Press Room on 1st December 2007 by UKSFBN admin
UK independent genre press PS Publishing has just announced the publication of the first in their 'PS Showcase' series of single-author short fiction mini-collections.
The first in the series is Sanity and Other Delusions by Gary Fry, proprietor and publisher of Gray Friar Press, editor of anthologies including Poe's Progeny and Bernie Herrmann's Manic Sextet, and a writer who's rapidly gaining a strong reputation in the horror field.