Pan Mac takes two from Hugo winner Martine

Pan Macmillan has bought two novels by 2020 Hugo Award-winner Arkady Martine.

Editorial director Bella Pagan acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from Caspian Dennis of Abner Stein. The books will be published under the Tor imprint in the UK. Tor Books will also publish the books in the United States, where rights were bought by v.p. and publisher Devi Pillai from DongWon Song, of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.

Martine’s debut novel, A Memory Called Empire (Tor), recently won the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel. The book has also been shortlisted for the  2020 Arthur C Clarke Award.

Her first book in the new acquisition is Prescribed Burn, set in a future Los Angeles after the United States has fallen. The publisher explained: “It features a world where water has become more precious than gold—so the death of a ‘waterman’ causes controversy. But Detective Hyacinthe Walker is convinced he was murdered, and her questions could tear down her city. This is post-disaster, post-climate change—where the only laws that matter govern access to land and water.”

Bella Pagan commented: “Arkady is an incredible talent, so I’m thrilled to have bought these new novels. I love her incredible characters and suspenseful plotting. And her lyrical, powerful prose makes for that extra-special reading experience.”

Martine said: “I'm incredibly happy to be able to continue working with Tor and Tor UK—especially on this new project, which takes my work in directions a little closer to home—if a future Los Angeles is closer to home than a galactic space opera, that is."

The first new book will be published in 2023. The sequel to Martine’s Hugo winner, A Desolation Named Peace, will be published by Tor in spring 2021.