Angry Robot

Angry Robot Books is a British-based publishing house dedicated to producing modern adult science fiction and fantasy, or as they call it “SF, F and WTF?!?”. The Nottingham-based company first released books in the UK in 2009, and since September 2010 has simultaneously been publishing its titles in the US as well, as a distributed client of Random House. All titles are released as paperbacks and eBooks.

History

Angry Robot Books was founded in August 2008, when Marc Gascoigne, previously publisher of Games Workshop’s Black Library and Solaris imprints, was hired by HarperCollins UK to create a new science fiction imprint. The intention was to create an experimental line that would complement the existing Voyager imprint, which focussed mainly on big-selling fantasy titles. Angry Robot would be able to trial some different business methods – buying world rights to allow co-publishing in the US and UK, issuing eBooks and potentially audiobooks as standard alongside print editions, and maximising online marketing through bloggers, Twitter and Facebook.^[1]

Editor Lee Harris, previously best known for Hub,^[2] an online short story magazine, was recruited at the start of 2009. The first titles published by the imprint, released in July of that year, were Slights by Kaaron Warren and Moxyland by Lauren Beukes. Both met with praise (Slights won the Australian Ditmar Award for best novel, and the Shadows Award for Best Fiction). The company continued to release two or three titles every month, but in April 2010, book production was temporarily halted when HarperCollins and the imprint parted.

Gascoigne purchased the imprint from HarperCollins for a nominal sum, in partnership with Oxford-based Osprey Publishing.^[3] The imprint remained based in Nottingham. The monthly release of new titles resumed in September of that year, with titles publishing in the US as well as the UK for the first time.

Among the first titles in the new wave of release was Lauren Beukes’ Zoo City, which went on to win the Arthur C. Clarke Award for best science fiction book of the year in April 2011. The novel was also nominated for a British Science Fiction Association Award (it came second, but its cover art – by Joey HiFi - won a separate BSFA Award) and a World Fantasy Award. Also notable was a reprint of K. W. Jeter’s pair of seminal steampunk novels, Morlock Night and Infernal Devices.

The imprint makes great capital out of its “Robot Army”, which is a street team of bloggers, reviewers and influential commentators from the science fiction world, who can access exclusive content and advance reading copies of Angry Robot’s novels. Angry Robot also uses its quirky branding to sell merchandise and eBooks (either singly or in multiples via ongoing subscriptions) direct to readers.

In October 2011, at the World Fantasy Convention, Marc Gascoigne won the World Fantasy Special Award (Professional) for Angry Robot.

In November 2011, Angry Robot announced that they were planning a sister imprint, Strange Chemistry,^[4] that would be devoted to Young Adult (teen) science fiction, fantasy and supernatural novels. Headed by blogger-turned-editor Amanda Rutter,^[5] it is planned for launch in September 2012.

Authors and Books

• Dan Abnett

  Triumff (UK: Nov 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 022 0 | US: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 022 0)

  Embedded (UK: Apr 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 090 9 | US: Apr 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 091 6)

• Guy Adams

  The World House (UK: Feb 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 037 4 | US: Feb 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 037 4)

  The World House: Restoration (UK: Jul 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 117 3 | US: Aug 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 118 0)

• Jo Anderton

  Debris (UK: Oct 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 153 1 | US: Oct 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 154 8)

  Suited (UK: Jul 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 156 2 | US: Jun 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 157 9)

• Madeline Ashby

  vN (UK: Aug 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 261 3 | US: Jul 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 262 0)

• Lauren Beukes

  Moxyland (UK: Jul 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 004 6 | US: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 004 6)

  Zoo City (UK: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 054 1 | US: Jan 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 055 8)

• Thomas Blackthorne

  Edge (UK: Feb 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 040 4 | US: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 040 4)

  Point (UK: Feb 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 078 7 | US: Mar 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 079 4)

• Maurice Broaddus

  King Maker (UK: Mar 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 052 7 | US: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 052 7)

  King's Justice (UK: Feb 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 081 7 | US: Mar 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 082 4)

  King's War (UK: Nov 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 129 6 | US: Nov 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 130 2)

• Adam Christopher

  Empire State (UK: Jan 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 192 0 | US: Dec 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 193 7)

  Seven Wonders (UK: Sep 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 195 1 | US: Aug 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 196 8)

• Peter Crowther

  Darkness Falling (UK: Oct 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 168 5 | US: Oct 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 169 2)

  The Death of Light (UK: Sep 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 173 9 | US: Aug 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 174 6)

• Aliette de Bodard

  Servant of the Underworld (UK: Jan 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 031 2 | US: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 031 2)

  Harbinger of the Storm (UK: Jan 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 075 6 | US: Feb 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 076 3)

  Master of the House of Darts (UK: Nov 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 159 3 | US: Nov 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 160 9)

  Obsidian and Blood (UK: Jul 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 235 4 | US: Jun 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 236 1)

• Matt Forbeck

  Amortals (UK: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 000 8 | US: Jan 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 002 2)

  Vegas Knights (UK: Mar 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 084 8 | US: Apr 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 085 5)

  Carpathia UK: Mar 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 201 9 | US: Feb 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 202 6)

• Justin Gustainis

  Hard Spell (UK: Jul 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 114 2 | US: Aug 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 115 9)

  Evil Dark (UK: May 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 135 7 | US: Apr 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 136 4)

• Guy Haley

  Reality 36 (UK: Aug 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 145 6 | US: Sep 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 146 3)

  Omega Point (UK: May 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 148 7 | US: Apr 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 149 4)

• Colin Harvey

  Winter Song (UK: Oct 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 025 1 | US: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 025 1)

  Damage Time (UK: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 063 3 | US: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 064 0)

• Chris F. Holm

  Dead Harvest (UK: Mar 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 217 0 | US: Feb 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 218 7)

• Matthew Hughes

  The Damned Busters (UK: May 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 102 9 | US: Jun 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 103 6)

  Costume Not Included (UK: Apr 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 138 8 | US: Mar 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 139 5)

• Trent Jamieson

  Roil (UK: Sep 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 183 8 | US: Sep 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 184 5)

  Night's Engines (UK: Jun 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 186 9 | US: May 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 187 6)

• K. W. Jeter

  Morlock Night (UK: Apr 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 099 2 | US: May 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 100 5)

  Infernal Devices (UK: Apr 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 096 1 | US: May 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 097 8)

• Paul S. Kemp

  The Hammer and the Blade (UK: Jul 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 244 6 | US: Jun 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 245 3)

• J. Robert King

  Angel of Death (UK: Sep 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 019 0 | US: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 019 0]

  Death's Disciples (UK: Jan 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 072 5 | US: Feb 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 073 2)

• Anne Lyle

  The Alchemist of Souls (UK: Apr 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 213 2 | US: ISBN 978 0 85766 214 9)

• Gary McMahon

  Pretty Little Dead Things (UK: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 069 5 | US: Jan 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 070 1)

  Dead Bad Things (UK: Sep 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 126 5 | US: Oct 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 127 2)

• Andy Remic

  Kell's Legend (UK: Sep 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 016 9 | US: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 016 9)

  Soul Stealers (UK: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 066 4 | US: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 067 1)

  Vampire Warlords (UK: May 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 105 0 | US: Jun 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 106 7)

  The Clockwork Vampire Chronicles (UK: Mar 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 204 0 | US: Feb 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 205 7)

• Chris Roberson

  Book of Secrets (UK: Aug 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 010 7 | US: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 010 7)

• Mike Shevdon

  Sixty-One Nails (UK: Nov 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 028 2 | US: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 028 2)

  The Road To Bedlam (UK: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 060 2 | US: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 061 9)

  Strangeness and Calm (UK: Jun 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 223 1 | US: May 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 224 8)

• David Tallerman

  Giant Thief (UK: Feb 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 210 1 | US: Jan 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 211 8)

• Gav Thorpe

  The Crown of the Blood (UK: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 057 2 | US: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 058 9)

  The Crown of the Conqueror (UK: Aug 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 120 3 | US: Sep 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 121 0)

  The Crown of the Usurper (UK: Aug 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 132 6 | US: Jul 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 133 3)

• Lavie Tidhar

  The Bookman (UK: Jan 2010 - ISBN 978 0 00 734 658 5 | US: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 034 3)

  Camera Obscura (UK: Apr 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 093 0 | US: May 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 094 7)

  The Great Game (UK: Feb 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 198 2 | US: Jan 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 199 9)

• Tim Waggoner

  Nekropolis (UK: Aug 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 012 1 | US: Oct 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 013 8)

  Dead Streets (UK: Mar 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 045 9 | US: Mar 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 046 6)

  Dark War (UK: Jun 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 111 1 | US: Jul 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 112 8)

  The Nekropolis Archives (UK: May 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 207 1 | US: Apr 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 208 8)

• Kaaron Warren

  Slights (UK: Jul 2009 - ISBN 978 0 85766 007 7 | US: Sep 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 007 7)

  Walking the Tree (UK: Feb 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 043 5 | US: Jan 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 043 5)

  Mistification (UK: Jun 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 108 1 | US: Jul 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 109 8)

• Chuck Wendig

  Blackbirds (UK: May 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 229 3 | US: Feb 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 230 9)

  Mockingbird (UK: Sep 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 232 3 | US: Aug: 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 233 0)

• Ian Whates

  City of Dreams and Nightmare (UK: Mar 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 049 7 | US: Nov 2010 - ISBN 978 0 85766 049 7)

  City of Hope and Despair (UK: Mar 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 087 9 | US: Apr 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 088 6)

  City of Light and Shadow (UK: Jan 2012 - ISBN 978 0 85766 189 0 | US: Dec 2011 - ISBN 978 0 85766 190 6)

References

External links

• Official Website
• Angry Robot Army Website
• Sister Imprint Strange Chemistry Official Website