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For Immediate Release
March 8, 2006
CONTACT: Jill Maxick, Director of Publicity
Prometheus Books 800-853-7545; jmaxick@prometheusbooks.com
One Year Into the Future
Young SF&F Imprint Celebrates Its First Anniversary
Amherst, NY - One year ago today, Prometheus Books launched a science fiction and fantasy imprint, Pyr®, with the publication of John Meaney’s Paradox: Book One of the Nulapeiron Sequence.
Entertainment Weekly compared it to Dune.
With that auspicious opener, Prometheus Books — the leading independent publisher in popular science, philosophy, and critical thinking, and a specialist in intelligent nonfiction since 1969 — launched an imprint dedicated to speculative fiction, marking a fresh direction for the press. With more than 1,500 books in print, Prometheus Books produces about 100 new titles a year. Until Pyr, less than two percent had been fiction.
But there exists a natural connection between science nonfiction and science fiction and fantasy, and a long and distinguished history of both fields trading inspiration back and forth. By way of a recent example, two months after Prometheus Books launched Pyr, it also published the nonfiction Nanofuture by J. Storrs Hall — a scientist whose concept of utility fog has been employed by many a science fiction writer.
On Pyr’s first anniversary, we reflect on some of the imprint’s milestones and achievements:
- Genre legends Robert Silverberg, Michael Moorcock, Mike Resnick, George Zebrowski, and Gardner Dozois joined hot up-and-comers like Chris Roberson and Justina Robson in the Pyr author stable.
- John Meaney’s Paradox was compared to Frank Herbert’s Dune by review media, and remains one of Pyr’s best-selling, best-reviewed titles.
- Science Fiction Weekly said Pyr was “destined to become a leading imprint in the field.”
- Publishers Weekly published Pyr editorial director Lou Anders’s article on the state and future of the genre as part of an SF feature in the April 4, 2005 issue.
- Author Chris Roberson was nominated for John W. Campbell Best New Writer Award.
- Book Expo America 2005 featured a well-attended Pyr launch party and hugely successful Chris Roberson Here, There & Everywhere book signing.
- Charles Coleman Finlay’s The Prodigal Troll made the Locus 2005 Recommended Reading List for “Best First Novel.”
- The Locus 2005 Recommended Reading List for “Best Anthology” included Galileo's Children, edited by Gardner Dozois.
- Two artists working with Pyr, John Picacio and Caniglia, were both nominated for Best Artist in the World Fantasy Awards 2005; John Picacio was also nominated for and won the Best Professional Artist Hugo®.
- Justina Robson's Silver Screen has been nominated for a Philip K. Dick Award.
- Silver Screen received a starred review in Kirkus Reviews and was also chosen for their Best SF&F Books of 2005 list.
- Barnes & Noble's SF&F “Editor's Choice: Top Ten Novels of 2005” ranked Paradox #2.
- Genetopia by Keith Brooke received a starred review in Publisher's Weekly, was called a “minor masterpiece” by Locus, and became the third Pyr title in a year to be reviewed by the huge, mainstream, consumer magazine Entertainment Weekly.
- River of Gods by Ian McDonald received a starred review in Library Journal.
- In a rare if not totally unprecedented event, the entire ‘On Books’ section of the April/May 2006 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction was dedicated to books published by a single press, Pyr, with five Pyr books reviewed including a positive assessment of the imprint itself.
Pyr editorial director Lou Anders reflects, “From its inception, science fiction has always been the genre concerned with change. As the 21st century promises even greater change than the 20th, fueled by the ever-accelerating pace of technological development, science fiction in general—and Pyr in specific—is poised to imagine the brave new world, in all its wonders and perils, and in so doing, to help usher tomorrow into today.”
Prometheus Books took its name from the courageous Greek titan who gave fire to humans, lighting the way to reason and independence. Pyr, the Greek word for fire, continues this connection to intelligent imagination. In its exciting first year, Pyr has set the bar high for creativity, intelligence, and quality. Prometheus Books is proud of this addition to our legacy.
*****
January 30, 2006
Locus Magazine Recommends Two Pyr Books
Locus magazine's "Recommended Reading: 2005," published in the February 2006 issue, has recommended two Pyr titles:
For more information, see www.locusmag.com - Recommended Reading: 2005.
*****
January 30, 2006
Two Websites Launch in Support of Upcoming Pyr Books
Infoquake, the debut novel from David Louis Edelman (due from Pyr in July 2006) now has a home online at www.infoquake.net. The Web site contains the first three chapters of the novel, as well as a glossary, a detailed future timeline, and extensive background articles on the technology and society of Edelman's upcoming novel. Described as being as imaginative as Dune and as real as today's Wall Street Journal, Infoquake takes science fiction to a whole new level.
Chris Roberson's www.paragaea.com features not only the first three chapters from his upcoming Paragaea: A Planetary Romance (May 06), but an entire prequel novel, Set the Seas on Fire, available for free. A science fantasy in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs's John Carter of Mars and Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon, Paragaea: A Planetary Romance is the story of a Soviet-era cosmonaut transported to the strange and bewildering world of Paragaea.
*****
January 9, 2006
Pyr® Book Nominated for the Prestigious Philip K. Dick Award
The judges of the 2005 Philip K. Dick Award and the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society have announced that Silver Screen by Justina Robson (Pyr 2005) has been included in the final list of six nominees for their 2005 award.
First prize and any special citations will be announced on Friday, April 14, 2006.
The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the award ceremony is sponsored by the NorthWest Science Fiction Society.
The Science Fact and Fiction Concatenation Team Includes Pyr® Book
in Their List of Recommended Books
The Science Fact and Fiction Concatenation team has been reviewing SF since 1987. Almost invariably books that get good reviews have gone on to do rather well. Concatenation's latest seasonal news update for Spring 2006 includes Here, There & Everywhere by Chris Roberson (Pyr 2005) in its recommended list.
*****
For Immediate Release
December 7, 2005
CONTACT: Jill Maxick, Director of Publicity
Prometheus Books 800-853-7545; jmaxick@prometheusbooks.com
www.prometheusbooks.com
www.pyrsf.com
Amherst, NY - In an uncommon if not totally unprecedented event, the entire book review section of the April/May issue of Asimov's Science Fiction will be dedicated to books published by only one press - Pyr, an imprint of Prometheus Books.
The following Pyr titles will be featured in this issue:
Pyr launched in March 2005 with the publication of Paradox. The imprint's best-selling title to date, Paradox was compared to Dune by both Entertainment Weekly and Barnes & Noble’s Explorations and called a “landmark work” by Science Fiction Weekly.
*****
August 1, 2005
Pyr® Congratulates Artists John Picacio and Caniglia,
Who Have Both Been Nominated for
Best Artist
in the World Fantasy Award Nominations!
This is Picacio’s second nomination, but Caniglia's first.
The Pyr books that showcase the art of Caniglia are:
The Pyr titles for which Picacio has designed covers are:
*****
March 28, 2005
Here, There & Everywhere Author and Illustrator Honored
with Award Nominations
Cover Designer John Picacio Up for Best Professional Artist Hugo®
and Author Chris Roberson Nominated for John W. Campbell
Best New Writer Award
Pyr® is proud to share announcements that honor both the content and the cover of the novel Here, There & Everywhere (Pyr, April 5, 2005.)
“John Picacio is one of the most exciting new illustrators working in the field today, and I’m overjoyed to see him receive more of the recognition he so richly deserves,” comments Pyr Editorial Director Lou Anders. “Meanwhile, I’ve known from the start that Chris Roberson was phenomenally talented, and it’s immensely gratifying to learn that others share my opinion.”
Cover illustrator and designer John Picacio has been nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist. The Hugo Award® is the leading award for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy and he is truly thrilled at the honor of a nomination. In 2004, Picacio was a World Fantasy Award nominee, and in 2002 he received the International Horror Guild Award for Best Artist. This is his first Hugo nomination.
John Picacio and Pyr have quickly established a successful collaboration. The Pyr titles for which Picacio has designed or will be designing covers are:
Here, There & Everywhere is the debut novel of writer Chris Roberson, who has been nominated for the John W. Campbell Best New Writer Award. The John W. Campbell Best New Writer Award is given to the best new science fiction or fantasy writer whose first work of science fiction or fantasy appearing in a professional publication was published in the previous two years.
Previously, Roberson’s story “O One,” won the 2003 Sidewise Award for Best Short-Form Alternate History, was listed as an Honorable Mention in the 21st Annual Year's Best Science Fiction, and was short-listed for the 2004 World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction. Roberson and his business partner and spouse Allison Baker also run the independent press MonkeyBrain Books.
Roberson will sign copies of Here, There & Everywhere at the Prometheus Books booth at Book Expo America on June 4, 2005.
The Hugo Awards and The John W. Campbell Best New Writer Award will be presented at the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) in Glasgow, Scotland, August 4-8, 2005.
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January 3, 2005
Prometheus Books Introduces Science Fiction/Fantasy Imprint
Pyr® Poised to Set the Science Fiction World on Fire
Prometheus Books is proud to announce the launch of Pyr®, a new science fiction and fantasy imprint, with titles anticipated in Spring 2005.
Prometheus Books is entering its thirty-fifth year of successful independent publishing; since 1969, Prometheus has been a leader in publishing
books for the scientific, professional, library, educational, popular and consumer markets.
For founder Paul Kurtz, the progression from popular science nonfiction to science fiction and fantasy is a natural one.
"Science and science fiction have a long history of mutual inspiration and admiration that stretches back at least as far as the 19th Century,"
says Kurtz, "Science fiction is vital for the human person. It feeds the mind, the heart, and the creative imagination... At its best, it can inspire
positive images of the future."
Prometheus Books took its name from the courageous Greek god who gave fire to humans, lighting the way to reason, intelligence, and independence.
Pyr, the Greek word for fire, continues this connection to fire and the liveliness of imagination.
Prometheus Books has tested the waters of science fiction before, most notably with the well-reviewed Nothing Sacred (2004) and its prequel,
Galactic Rapture (2000), by Tom Flynn. Launching a dedicated imprint proves the commitment Prometheus Books is making to the genre.
Lou Anders has been named Editorial Director of Pyr. Anders joins Prometheus with over nine years of experience in science fiction and fantasy
entertainment and media. He is the editor of four anthologies, including Live Without a Net (Roc, July 2003) and has published over 500 magazine articles.
Previously, Anders was Senior Editor of Argosy Magazine, Executive Editor of online publishing site Bookface.com, and the Los Angeles Liaison for Titan Publishing Group.
"The challenge of developing a new imprint from the ground up - with its own identity yet one that complements Prometheus - is an exciting prospect,"
notes Anders. "Since the start of the new millennium, we've been seeing a renaissance of speculative fiction. With Pyr, we'll be looking to create
science fiction for the Next Age."
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