Friday, November 14, 2014

Release of new books caps a stellar year for New Zealand’s master of science fiction, Phillip Mann

Press Release

On the back of his being shortlisted for two major international science fiction awards, Phillip Mann is reviving three early works for a new audience.

In 2014 Mann’s most recent book, The Disestablishment of Paradise, was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award ahead of new releases from major international figures such as Margaret Atwood and Terry Pratchett, as well as being a finalist in the John W. Campbell Memorial Award.

However, in what has been the biggest year in the career of our most prestigious sci-fi writer, most of Mann’s earlier works are no longer available in print.

At a time when some are questioning the future of the publishing industry, Mann is part of a movement towards a new publishing paradigm. His books are being released through major international publishers and a local boutique press, in print, ebook and print-on-demand formats, and in multiple languages.

The revival of these early works in New Zealand coincides with the release of Mann’s entire backlist in ebook format to the German market with Random House Germany.

A well-known teacher of drama and theatre, Mann is providing a new learning opportunity for future publishers – he has teamed up with a group of students from Whitireia’s highly regarded publishing programme, who have worked on design, production and marketing of the new editions.

Pioneers is Mann’s only book set in New Zealand (as well as outer space), with much of the action taking place in post-apocalyptic Rotorua.
The Gardener series is an epic family saga stretching across a far-off galaxy with a wildly imaginative variety of races and places.
Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction commends Mann’s work as having a ‘… fascination [lying] in Mann’s ability to conjure up a galaxy as strange as any dream and yet as consistent as any likely reality.’ With the rerelease of these three works, a new generation has a chance to discover the truth in this description.

The Gardener 1 (Master of Paxwax) | 1 November 2014 | RRP $30 | 345pp
The Gardener 2 (The Fall of the Families) | 1 November 2014 | RRP $30 | 390pp
Pioneers | 1 November 2014 | RRP $30 | 340pp

 Briar Lawry (mannbook@whitireia.ac.nz).

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