Archive for June, 2010
Angry Robot of the Week
Posted by: | CommentsThis week’s feature, by Alasdair Stuart, was originally scheduled for last week, but we had to hold it back because Sonny was Just. So. Angry! Luckily, he’s calmed down a bit, now. And no – the name of the film in which he stars is not the working title for the next Apply gadget, even though Sonny looks like he was designed in those hallowed halls. We think.
Angry Robot of the Week
Week Four
Sonny
So let’s talk about the product placement in the room, shall we? Sonny is the central robot in I, Robot, Alex Proyas’ controversial adaptation/hybrid/chimera/Chuck Taylor Converse ad version of some of Isaac Asimov’s stories. It’s a very easy film to rag on for a whole variety of reasons, starting with what a lot of people perceive as a script that doesn’t remotely honour the source material and finishing with Will Smith looking up at a large bank of evil robots and muttering ‘Oh HELL no.’ Read More→
Justin Gustainis joins the Robot Horde
Posted by: | CommentsThis is a bit of a special announcement for us – our first new signing post since we became an independent publisher!
We are absolutely thrilled to announce our latest signing, bringing a stunning series of books set in the harassed police department of a city full of vampires and werewolves.
We have signed urban fantasy author Justin Gustainis for a new series set in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in a world where supernatural beings are part of everyday life.
Stan Markowski is a Detective Sergeant on the Scranton PD’s Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit. As Stan puts it in the first book, Hard Spell:
“Like the rest of America, Scranton’s got an uneasy ‘live and let unlive’ relationship with the supernatural. But when a vamp puts the bite on an unwilling victim, or some witch casts the wrong kind of spell, that’s when they call me.
My name’s Markowski. I carry a badge.
Also, a crucifix, some wooden stakes, a big vial of holy water, and a 9mm Beretta loaded with silver bullets.”
Justin Gustainis said, “I’m tremendously pleased to be associated with one of the most dynamic publishers in speculative fiction today, and I look forward to selling enough books to put a smile on that robot’s face.” Ooh, you sweet-talker, you…
The first title in this sensational series, Hard Spell, will be published by Angry Robot in spring 2011, in both the UK and USA.
And so the Angry Robot merchandising begins…
Posted by: | CommentsMy 6-yr old daughter complained to me recently that although there’s a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day, there’s no Children’s Day. I trotted out the same old argument that every other day is Children’s Day, blah, blah, blah. Marco pointed out that I should have decreed there actually was a children’s day, and as a special treat I should make my daughter something flimsy and useless out of two empty toilet rolls and half an eggshell.
Last weekend was Father’s Day in the UK, so imagine my delight when, instead of a poorly-constructed replica of the Eiffel Tower made out of an old washing-up liquid bottle and a yoghurt pot, I received something actually quite useful, and very sweet.
Click to enlarge
Verity had made me a mousemat for work. She has drawn around her hands, and added decorative detail (she’s fascinated with the Indian culture, and often incorporates her versions of Asian design into her work), and in each corner, there’s a tiny picture of a robot, with the words “Angry Robot” beside it. The finished design was then taken to a gift company and transposed onto a mousemat.
Decorative and practical!
I also received some hand-cut marzipan shapes, dipped in chocolate. I think I’ll keep her.
So, the first Angry Robot merchandise – I think we could do a lot worse, don’t you?
The Big Magic Shelf
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In our latest guest-blog, genre writer Adam Christopher asks about those shelving units in the bookstore, marked “Science Fiction and Fantasy”. Do we really need them?
I’ll be honest: there’s something bugging me. It’s something that a lot of people seem to like to talk about, to wring hands over, to frown at. A million foreheads creased with worry and chins stroked thoughtfully.
Genre. Categorisation. Classification. Shelving. Who’s going to buy that? Where on Earth would you shelve this? And so on, and so forth. Books that don’t fall neatly into one genre or another are, we are told, a Big Problem. Unshelvable, unsellable.
They’re wrong. It’s a lot of blood pressure raised over precisely nothing. Read More→
Barnes & Noble Nook – Down to $149
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Barnes and Noble have just introduced a new model into their eReader range – the Nook WiFi is the same as their previously-available model, but with the 3G components stripped out. And at a price of US$149 (about £101) that’s a pretty attractive price point! Their 3G model has been reduced to £199, so it will be interesting to see how (if at all) Amazon responds with their Kindle pricing.
So – the start of a whole new chapter for eReader sales and purchasers, or the beginning of the end for dedicated eReading devices?
Cross Genre: Rise to Power
Posted by: | CommentsThe latest in our ad-hoc series of guest posts comes from Harry Markov, purveyor of fine fruits, and owner of the excellent book blog, Temple Library Reviews. So, take it away, Harry…
Cross Genre: Rise to Power
Hey, it was either this title or “Cross Genre: Literature’s own flamboyant transvestite.” Politically incorrect humor aside, genre has been trending in my thoughts as of late. When Lee asked me to write a post for the Angry Robot Books website, it seemed natural to talk about cross genre. It seemed like a Cinderella fit on an intellectual level [minus the fairytale wedding].
So, back to genre. Read More→
Angry Robot of the Week
Posted by: | CommentsHe’s big; he’s angry; he’s also a bad guy, but not necessarily that smart (if you’re the bad guys do you really call yourselves ‘Decepticons’? That’s just asking for trouble!) This week, Alasdair Stuart tells of one of the towering greats.
Angry Robot of the Week
Week Three
Megatron
Let’s talk about Megatron, the universe’s favorite bucket-headed robo-fascist. I’m in my early 30s, so he, along with the Anthony Ainley master, Darth Vader and the 1980s Tory party are basically the epitome of evil for me. Megatron even wins out over the others, largely because whilst the Master was evil he had an unhealthy love for velour jackets and hating the Tory party was less a conscious decision and more an unofficial tenth GCSE.
My name’s Ben Elton, thank you and goodnight. Just kidding. Or am I?
Yes.
OR AM I?
YES.
Anyway, Megatron will be forever known to me as the Nazi-headed Decepticon leader who transformed into a gun. He was big, he was loud, he killed things and Frank Welker voiced him. He’s a classic, iconic villain, Claudius with a fusion cannon, a transformable Ghengis Khan. He killed Optimus Prime, attempted to enslave Earth, survived death, served a planet-eating transformer and continues to stride across the worlds of Transformers canon with fire in his eyes and a burning need for conquest in his heart, even today.
He’s not this week’s Angry Robot though. Well, not really. Read More→
It’s LB in O and UK (with some added ZC) – she’s a Toy-Loving Word Ninja!
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If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few weeks, you may not know that Moxyland author Lauren Beukes is coming to the UK next month, where she’ll be signing copies of her limited edition hardback of her new novel, Zoo City.
This month she’s the subject of an interview in O Magazine where she talks about books that made a difference to her.
When I was a child, my mother used to threaten to tie my eyelashes together to get me to stop reading. I read and walked and bumped into things, I read through dinner, I even read through family trips to amazing places across several continents. I read everything I could get my hands on and blew all my pocket money on books, when at least some of it was meant for clothes. And I checked the back of my cupboard every morning in the hopes that the doorway to Narnia had opened during the night.
There’s also a great feature about her in The Times Live:
Set around a terrifying supernatural version of contemporary Hillbrow and, truthfully, not all that different from much of the real-life suburb, barring the voodoo, Zoo City is a dark thriller that uses threads of raw magic and primitive spirits as its narrative… Lauren Beukes eats zombies for breakfast.
And Zoo City is already garnering some great reviews. Exclus1ves writes:
Beautifully written, Zoo City is by far a work of pure literary wonder. Beukes does not simply write a story, she crafts a world and brings it to life with words. As Zoo City sinks its animalistic teeth into readers, they will find themselves unable to put the book down. This novel shows a command of the English language that every author should strive for. It manages to be lyrical, witty, engaging and literary without alienating the audience.
So, come meet Lauren at the Forbidden Planet Megastore in London on Thursday 29th July and pick up a truly collectible book.
Post-Alt.Fiction
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Well, what a marvellous event that was. Saturday’s Alt.Fiction festival was a hymn to the good and the great in genre writing. As previously mentioned, Angry Robot was very present there, with both Robot Overlords in attendance, along with seven of our authors.
It was a great opportunity to catch up with our authors, and with friends from all over the SF spectrum – both new and old – including Amanda Rutter (Floor to Ceiling Books), Adele Harrison and Vincent Holland-Keen (Un:Bound), Adam Christopher, John Berlyne, Paul Cornell, Gollancz’s Jon Weir, the BFS regulars - Martin, Jenny, Tim, Mark, Sarah, Rob – and, of course, Catherine Rogers (from Writing East Midlands) and her team, for putting together such a great event!*
If you didn’t manage to attend, you may be interested to know that many podcasts were recorded at the event, and many of the panels, too – these are to be broadcast from the Alt.Fiction website every week from next Monday. You may have missed the fun, but you can catch up with some of the many and varied opinions from the guests.
And as for next year? Well, we’re already looking forward to it – and it’ll go in our diaries as soon as the date is announced!
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* and many, many more of you, of course – namechecking everyone would be very time-consuming, and we have books to make! 
MEET LAUREN BEUKES and get your Limited Edition signed Zoo City hardback
Posted by: | CommentsAt the end of July, Angry Robot’s very own Lauren Beukes will be visiting the UK. It’s not often Lauren gets to visit, so to celebrate, we’re releasing a limited edition collectable hardback version of her next novel, Zoo City. We’ve never done this before, so the book is likely to sell out quite quickly, and at only £20 it’s a bargain!
The limited edition will be exclusive to Forbidden Planet in the UK, and you can find out more, here (including details of a rather special charity auction).
Zoo City UK Cover
Lauren will be signing Zoo City at the London Forbidden Planet Megastore from 6.00-7.00pm on Thursday July 29th. Come along and say “Hi” and pick up a copy of the book.
British Science Fiction Association
The night before Lauren’s signing at Forbidden Planet she will be the special guest at the July meeting of the British Science Fiction Association, where she will be reading from Zoo City, prior to an interview. There will be a Q&A session at the end, and you don’t have to be a member of the BSFA to attend.
The reading / interview will be at the upstairs bar of:
The Antelope Tavern, 22 Eaton Terrace, Belgravia, London SW1W 8EZ (nearest tube station is Sloane Square on the District and Circle lines).
The reading will commence around 7.00pm, but people usually start gathering in the downstairs bar from 5.00pm onwards.
British Fantasy Society
Lauren will also be the guest at the first BFS Open Night of the year. Well, not Open Night so much as Open Afternoon. For those of you who might find it hard to get to central London on a weekday evening, Lauren’s BFS event is on Saturday 31st July from 1.00pm until 5.00pm at The George pub on The Strand, WC2R 1AP (nearest tube station: Temple). And again, you don’t have to be a member to attend, though you can join on the day if you wish.
So, those dates again:
Wednesday 28th July: BSFA meeting - 7.00pm onwards (but any time from 5.00 for general chit-chat)
Thursday 29th July: Forbidden Planet signing – 6.00pm until 7.00pm (see here for details)
Saturday 31st July: BFS meeting – 1.00pm until 5.00pm
