Tag: solaris books

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Solaris snaps up new and backlist titles by Aliya Whiteley

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of two brand new novels, and four backlist titles, by Arthur C. Clarke Award-nominated author Aliya Whiteley.

A meta coming of age tale of stories within stories, Three Eight One follows Rowena Savalas, a curator of the 21st century’s primitive internet in the year 2314, who stumbles upon a story posted online in the summer of 2024 that leads her to question her own life choices and whether the truth behind the story really matters at all.

Previously published by Unsung Stories, Solaris will also reissue The Beauty, The Loosening Skin, The Arrival of Missives and Greensmith, with a tenth anniversary edition of The Beauty to be published in Summer 2024.

Three Eight One will be released in January 2024. World All Languages Rights for Three Eight One and a second title and exclusive rights in all languages and territories for The Beauty, The Loosening Skin, The Arrival of Missives and Greensmith were acquired by David Moore from Max Edwards at Aevitas Creative Management. Titan will continue to sublicense North American English language rights to The Beauty, The Loosening Skin and The Arrival of Missives from Solaris, as they previously had from Unsung Stories.

Author Aliya Whiteley on the acquisition:

“It’s a delight and a reassurance to know that Solaris will be publishing my novels and novellas, starting with my latest novel of adventure and discovery, Three Eight One, from 2024. Many thanks to David Moore and all at Solaris for deciding to champion my stories into the future.”

Acquiring Editor David Moore:

“Aliya is a ferocious talent, creating some of the smartest, weirdest, most hauntingly beautiful stuff in genre at the moment, and it’s an honour to be a part of that. Three Eight One is a gorgeous book, a coming-of-age story that’s also a road trip that’s also an exploration of generational tension that’s also a meandering commentary on authorship and authenticity that’s also one of the coolest bits of metafiction you’ll read this year.”

Aliya Whiteley’s strange novels and novellas explore genre, and have been shortlisted for multiple awards including the Arthur C Clarke award, BFS and BSFA awards, and a Shirley Jackson award. Her short fiction has appeared in many places including Beneath Ceaseless Skies, F&SF, Strange Horizons, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Lonely Planet and The Guardian. She writes a regular non-fiction column for Interzone magazine.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

For rights enquiries please contact Reitha Pattison, Rights Manager: reitha.pattison@rebellion.co.uk

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OUT NOW: The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu

We’re wishing The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu a very happy book birthday!

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is reimagined as a queer locked-room thriller in this debut novel from a dazzling new voice in SFF. Hayden Lichfield’s father is dead and over the course of 24 hours, in a lab on lockdown, he must discover the truth…

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Hayden Lichfield’s life is ripped apart when he finds his father murdered in their lab, and the camera logs erased. The killer can only have been after one thing: the Sisyphus Formula the two of them developed together, which might one day reverse death itself.

Hoping to lure the killer into the open, Hayden steals the research. In the process, he uncovers a recording his father made in the days before his death, and a dying wish: Avenge me …

With the lab on lockdown, Hayden is trapped with four other people—his uncle Charles, lab technician Gabriel Rasmussen, research intern Felicia Xia and their head of security, Felicia’s father Paul—one of whom must be the killer. His only sure ally is the lab’s resident artificial intelligence, Horatio, who has been his dear friend and companion since its creation. With his world collapsing, Hayden must navigate the building’s secrets, uncover his father’s lies, and push the boundaries of sanity in the pursuit of revenge.

“Oh, the tension! It will murder you.”—Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

“The Death I Gave Him is the locked-room murder mystery queer Hamlet retelling of my dreams.”—Cassandra Khaw, author of The Salt Grows Heavy

“Liu’s prose cuts like a scalpel.”—Grace D. Li, author of Portrait of a Thief

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OUT NOW: The House of Saints by Derek Künsken

The House of Saints by Derek Künsken, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed The House of Styx, is out now!

The Venus Ascendant duology concludes in this stunning sci-fi family saga from the world of The Quantum Magician, where George-Étienne and his children fight to become one of the most powerful families the known galaxy has ever seen.

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George-Étienne and his children have formed The House of Styx, after finding a mysterious artefact on the surface of Venus herself. But with the discovery comes great risk, not only from a planet that kills with its very touch but also from the banks and powers of old Earth, who will stop at nothing to claim this new technology for themselves.

From humble origins, The House of Styx is determined to become one of the most powerful families in the known galaxy or die trying.

“Künsken’s skillful narrative weaves together tension, wonder, and emotional depth… [his] visionary storytelling ensures that readers will be captivated until the very end.”—SciFiNow

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OUT NOW: A Second Chance for Yesterday by R. A. Sinn

We’re wishing A Second Chance for Yesterday by R. A. Sinn a very happy book birthday!

Fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife and In Five Years will adore this time-twisting standalone tale of family, redemption and queer love from a historian and futurist brother and sister writing duo.

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Nev Bourne is a hotshot programmer for the latest and greatest tech invention out there: SavePoint, the brain implant that rewinds the seconds of all our most embarrassing moments. She’s been working non-stop on the next rollout, even blowing off her boyfriend, her best friend and her family to make SavePoint 2.0. But when she hits go on the test-run, she wakes up the next day only to discover it’s yesterday. She’s falling backwards in time, one day at a time.

As things spiral out of control, a long-lost friend from college reappears in her life claiming they know how to save her. Airin is charming and mysterious, and somehow knows Nev intimately well. Desperate and intrigued, Nev takes a leap of faith. A friendship born of fear slowly becomes a bond of deepest trust, and possibly love. With time running out, and the whole world of SavePoint users at stake, Nev must learn what it will take to set things right, and what it will cost.

“The authors infuse this plausible near future with clever science and heartwarming explorations of love and second chances. At the heart of this brilliant sci-fi conundrum is a deeply human story.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Fascinating and compelling.”—Booklist

“A gripping and thought-provoking take on time travel, entangled with an emotional thread that will crack your heart open.”—Ren Hutchings, author of Under Fortunate Stars

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Solaris acquires haunting literary sci-fi by Lorraine Wilson

Solaris is thrilled to announce the acquisition of We Are All Ghosts in the Forest by Lorraine Wilson.

The internet is dead and its ghosts haunt us all. In a world without electronics and barely any politics, photojournalist Katerina flees to her grandmother’s village and a life of herbal medicine and beekeeping. When a wordless young boy is mysteriously entrusted into her care and rumours of harvest failure and a rampant digital disease start to swirl, they must escape into the dubious safety of the forest amidst accusations of witchcraft to search for the truth behind the disease.

We Are All Ghosts in the Forest will be released in November 2024. English Language UK/BC excluding Canada Rights were acquired by Amanda Rutter from Robbie Guillory at Underline Literary Agency.

Author Lorraine Wilson on the acquisition:

“I am truly delighted to be joining Solaris – they work with an amazing array of authors and are doing really exciting things across speculative fiction, so it will be an honour to become part of that. Amanda is a fantastic champion to have for my books and I know they are in the best possible hands with her. I have to confess I absolutely adore the characters and world in We Are All Ghosts In The Forest, so I cannot wait to see this story come to life under Solaris’ care, and to then be able to share it with readers. I feel like Orlando and Stefan are going to steal some hearts!”

Acquiring Editor Amanda Rutter:

“From the moment I started We Are All Ghosts in the Forest, I knew I was reading something special – it haunted me every time I wasn’t able to read it, and I couldn’t wait to get back to it. The beauty of the prose drew me in first, and then the warmth and hope of the character relationships had me all-in. I’ve been aware of Lorraine’s work for a while, and was thrilled to realise that this novel was just as special as what I had seen before, with themes of loss, love and belonging. I am delighted to welcome Lorraine to Solaris and can’t wait to bring We Are All Ghosts in the Forest to the reading public.”

A conservation scientist and third culture Scot, Lorraine Wilson lives by the sea writing stories influenced by folklore and the wilderness. She has a PhD from the University of St. Andrews but left academia and turned to writing due to disabling illness. Her debut novel, the dystopian thriller This Is Our Undoing, was a multi-award finalist. The follow up, a dark folkloric mystery The Way The Light Bends, was longlisted for the BSFA Best Novel award; and her third book, Mother Sea has recently released. It is an exploration of motherhood, climate change and belonging, and was called ‘complex, rich and beautifully crafted’ by Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. Lorraine has been stalked by wolves and befriended pythons, she also runs the Rewriting The Margins mentorship scheme for marginalised writers.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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Revealing the cover of Queen of None by Natania Barron

We’re so delighted to reveal the stunning cover of Queen of None by Natania Barron, designed by Nat Mackenzie!

In the first instalment of her stunning Queens of Fate trilogy, Natania Barron gives a voice to King Arthur’s oft-forgotten sister, Anna Pendragon, in a feminist historical fantasy for fans of The Cleaving and My Name is Morgan.

Anna will be remembered. May 2024.

When Anna Pendragon was born, Merlin prophesied: “Through all the ages, and in the hearts of men, you will be forgotten.”

Married at twelve, and a mother soon after, Anna – the famed King Arthur’s sister – did not live a young life full of promise, myth, and legend. She bore three strong sons and delivered the kingdom of Orkney to her brother by way of her marriage. She did as she was asked, invisible and useful for her name, her status, her dowry, and her womb.

Twenty years after she left her home, Anna returns to Carelon at Arthur’s bidding, carrying the crown of her now-dead husband, Lot of Orkney. Past her prime and confined to the castle itself, she finds herself yet again a pawn in greater machinations and seemingly helpless to do anything about it.

Anna must once again face the demons of her childhood: her sisters Morgen, Elaine, and Morgause; Merlin and his scheming Avillion priests; and Bedevere, the man she once loved. To say nothing of new court visitors, like Lanceloch, or the trouble concerning her own sons.

Carelon, and all of Braetan, is changing, though, and Anna must change along with it. New threats, inside and out, lurk in the shadows, and a strange power begins to awaken in her. As she learns to reconcile her dark gift, and struggles to keep the power to herself, she must bargain her own strength, and family, against her ambition and thirst for revenge.

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Solaris to publish The Spear Cuts Through Water for the UK

Solaris is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez for the UK.

Shortlisted for an Ignyte Award, British Fantasy Award and the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize, The Spear Cuts Through Water is a stunning and ambitious fantasy saga told as a story within a story that explores identity, legacy and belonging, in a tale of a god who escapes from their prison beneath a despotic emperor’s palace.

The Spear Cuts Through Water will be released in March 2024. UK/BC Rights were acquired by Amanda Rutter from Rachel Kind at Del Rey.

Author Simon Jimenez on the acquisition:

“I’m thrilled to be working with the Solaris team on the UK release for The Spear Cuts Through Water, and so excited to share the book with the new readership.”

Acquiring Editor Amanda Rutter:

“At London Book Fair, I was bowled over to realise that the UK rights to the most beautiful novel I have read in years, possibly ever, were still available. I immediately started the work to bring The Spear Cuts Through Water to a new readership, and I am delighted that Simon agreed to be published by Solaris. I am honoured to think that this breath-taking, clever and epic novel is going to be a part of our list. It deserves every single award nomination and plaudit it has received!”

Simon Jimenez is a Filipino-American writer of speculative fiction. His debut novel was The Vanished Birds and The Spear Cuts Through Water is his second novel. Jimenez’s works have received critical praise, with his debut novel being nominated for the 2021 Locus Award for Best First Novel and the 2021 Arthur C. Clarke Award. Jimenez himself was nominated for the 2021 Astounding Award for Best New Writer.

For press enquiries please contact Jess Gofton, PR & Marketing Manager: jess.gofton@rebellion.co.uk.

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OUT NOW: The Water Outlaws by S. L. Huang

We’re wishing The Water Outlaws by S. L. Huang the happiest of book birthdays!

The Chinese classic Water Margin is reimagined through a queer, feminist lens in this lush wuxia epic that will delight fans of She Who Became the Sun and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.

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In the jianghu, you break the law to make it your own.

Lin Chong is an expert arms instructor, training the Emperor’s soldiers in sword and truncheon, battle axe and spear, lance and crossbow. Unlike bolder friends who flirt with challenging the unequal hierarchies and values of Imperial society, she believes in keeping her head down and doing her job.

Until a powerful man with a vendetta rips that carefully-built life away.

Disgraced, tattooed as a criminal, and on the run from an Imperial Marshall who will stop at nothing to see her dead, Lin Chong is recruited by the Bandits of Liangshan. Mountain outlaws on the margins of society, the Liangshan Bandits proclaim a belief in justice―for women, for the downtrodden, for progressive thinkers a corrupt Empire would imprison or destroy. They’re also murderers, thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats.

Apart, they love like demons and fight like tigers. Together, they could bring down an empire.

“S. L. Huang doesn’t put a foot wrong in this magisterial epic.”—Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

“This queer retelling of a Chinese classic is a fantastic and entertaining blend of action, humor, profanity, social justice, delightfully larger-than-life characters, and so many magnificent fight scenes!”—Kate Elliott, bestselling author of Unconquerable Sun

“A refreshing, engaging interpretation of a cornerstone of Chinese literature for contemporary readers around the world.”—Xueting C. Ni, editor of the British Fantasy Award-winning Sinopticon: A Celebration of Chinese Science Fiction

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Saint Death’s Daughter is a World Fantasy Award nominee!

The nominees for this year’s World Fantasy Awards have been announced and we’re beyond excited to share the news that Saint Death’s Daughter by C. S. E. Cooney is nominated for Best Novel!

The winners will be announced at the 2023 World Fantasy Convention, which is due to take place at the Sheraton Crown Center in Kansis City, MO from 26-29 October 2023.

Check out the full list of finalists here!

OUT NOW: The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan

Happy book birthday to The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan!

This luscious tale of Jewish folklore set in a mythical 15th century Spain marks the beginning of a stunning new trilogy that will delight fans of Katherine Arden, Naomi Novik and Ava Reid.

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Two worlds bound by a pomegranate gate…

Toba Peres can speak but she can’t shout; she can walk but she can’t run; and she can write in five languages… with both hands at the same time.

Naftaly Cresques dreams every night of an orange-eyed stranger; when awake, he sees things that aren’t real; and he carries a book he can never lose and never read.

When the Queen of Sefarad orders all the nation’s Jews to leave or convert, Toba and Naftaly are forced to flee, but an unlucky encounter leaves them both separated from their caravan. Lost in the wilderness, Toba follows an orange-eyed stranger through a mysterious gate in a pomegranate grove, leaving Naftaly behind.

With a single step, Toba enters an ancient world that mirrors her own. There, she finds that her fate—and Naftaly’s—are bound to an ancient conflict threatening to destroy both realms.

“The Pomegranate Gate is an unforgettable journey to a world lush with magic and imagination. Every page is unearthly and delightful in equal measure—I couldn’t put it down.”—Natasha Siegel, author of Solomon’s Crown

“Wow, I loved it. It’s mythic and human, breathtaking and special. I want to read everything Ariel Kaplan does. You’ll break the rules and eat the fruit just so you can stay in this magical world for a little while longer.”—C.L. Polk, Nebula Award-winning author of Even Though I Knew the End

“A spellbinding work of storytelling with profoundly real characters who will stay with you long after you turn the last page. I loved everything about this book.”—H.G. Parry, author of The Magician’s Daughter