Solaris Books to publish first independent novel from Nik Abnett

Following from yesterday’s big announcement it brings us great pleasure to today be able to announce that we will be publishing Nik Abnett’s first independent solo novel Savant in summer 2016.

Savant is a modern classic SF tale, taking a timely look at our understanding of the rights of the state and the rights of individuals, set in a future in which Earth is rendered invisible by a device known as ‘The Shield’, humanity’s only defense from invasion.

The novel follows the story of Tobe, one of the mysterious ‘Actives’ charged with maintaining The Shield.

No one understands precisely what the Actives do, or how, but without them The Shield would cease to function. When Tobe finds himself caught in a probability loop, the equilibrium of Earth’s defense is compromised. Other Actives begin to share his malady and the world suddenly becomes vulnerable.

As the danger facing Earth escalates it’s down to Tobe’s assistant Metoo to keep The Shield’s security forces at bay to prevent them from undermining her friend’s already fragile condition…

At Rebellion Publishing we’ve had the privilege of working with Abnett previously via our sister imprint Abaddon, where she and husband Dan Abnett released their sublime novel Fiefdom: A Kingdom Novel based in the world created by Dan Abnett in his 2000 AD comic Kingdom earlier this year. As well as in our forthcoming Dangerous Games anthology, so we are beyond delighted to now be bringing you her first ever independent novel in summer 2016.

Do check back for further updates on Savant, but for now we leave you with Nik Abnett herself talking about the genesis of Savant and her alter-ego:

“Six or seven years ago, I was studying for a Fine Art degree and wanted to do some work on identity. So, I set up an on-line persona with an e-mail address and FaceBook page, and I bought a tablet so that all the work she produced only existed in web-space.

Then, because I’m a writer, I picked up my laptop and began writing Savant, at least, my alter-ego wrote Savant, and she produced cover-art, too, digitally, of course.

I’d never been very confident as a writer, and perhaps that’s why I’d hidden behind tie-in and IP based fiction. It was a way to do what I loved to do without taking too much responsibility. My own ideas always seemed a little ‘out there’ a little ‘left of centre’, so I never pursued them. My alter-ego had other ideas. She was tougher than I was, and she got things done.

I loved Savant, but it wasn’t until Jonathan Oliver took an interest in the novel that it crossed my mind that anyone else might want to read it. He’d invited me to write a story for his Dangerous Games anthology, and in one of our conversations he asked me about what else I was interested in writing. The conversation led to horror and SF, and he probed until I promised to send him Savant. The rest, as they say, is history.

My alter-ego no longer has a web presence, because she doesn’t need one. She never stopped writing, either.”

About the author:

Nik Abnett has published work in a number of mediums, including advertising, training manuals, comics and short stories. She has worked as a ghost writer, is a frequent contributor to Black Library Publishing, and regularly collaborates with her partner, novelist and comic author Dan Abnett. In 2012 she was runner-up for the inaugural Mslexia novel-writing competition. Savant is her first solo, independent full-length work of fiction and publishes summer 2016.