Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

The Martian author Andy Weir’s new novel Artemis is coming this November from Ebury Press – and heading to the big screen courtesy of Fox.

Described as “a smart, funny, irresistible new adventure thriller”, Artemis is a heist set on the moon.

“Jazz Bashara is a criminal.

“Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you’re not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you’ve got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.

“Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of Jazz’s problems, as she learns that she’s stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself – and that now, her only chance at survival lies in a gambit even more unlikely than the first.”

Andy Weir said, ‘I’m really excited about Artemis. I got to do the science-dork stuff I love, but this time with a much more complex and character-driven plot. It’s a big stretch for me, but I think it came out well. Hopefully the readers will agree.’

Ebury Fiction Publishing Director, Gillian Green, added, ‘Publishing The Martian has been a rollercoaster ride of excitement for all of us here at Ebury and we’re delighted that we’re all on board again for Andy’s new book. Artemis has all the ingredients that we love about Andy’s writing and that made The Martian such a global phenomenon – it’s a story of human survival and it’s full of drama, humour and cool science. This is a genre-busting SF novel that will again have broad appeal to non-genre fans,  wrapped up in a fresh, high concept adventure and with a lead character who quite frankly I’d back in a fight with [The Martian’s] Mark Watney!’

On his Facebook page, Weir noted: “About four nanoseconds after we told movie studios we were willing to sell the rights, 20th Century Fox swooped in with an offer that was too awesome to refuse.” Simon Kinberg and Aditya Sood will produce for Genre Films.