Diplodocus Press: News

S P Somtow's 50th book length work (not counting the numerous short stories and articles) has been published by Diplodocus Press and is available in Bangkok through Asia Books.

OPUS 50 is an overview of S P Somtow's work, an introduction for those who are new to it and a reminder of the extraordinary versatility of this author for those who already know and love his books. It opens with the author's famous SEA Write Awards Speech and contains short stories, articles and even poems. Set in Thailand, in other countries, and off-planet somewhere in the universe(s). Entertaining and complex, true vintage Somtow.

OPUS 50 was launched on 27 March 2008 at Asia Books Siam Paragon in a very stylish event that generated a lot of press and TV coverage in Thailand and internationally.

S P Somtow's 'The Other City of Angels' is out and available from Amazon!
In Thailand, the book is in all Asia Book bookstores right now.

And this is what it's all about:

The Other City of Angels

A Dark Comedy of Bangkok in the 90s

By S. P. Somtow

In this exotic retelling of the fairy tale of Bluebeard, a New Age thirty something from California is swept off her feet by an enigmatic Thai millionaire and soon finds herself in Bangkok’s brave new world of shamans, shopping malls, and high society serial killers
Originally written as a cliff hanging series for Bangkok’s The Nation newspaper, The Other City of Angels is a roller coaster roman-a-clef that leapfrogs from genre to genre and culture to culture, turning the western preconception of Bangkok as a city “of temples and prostitutes” on its ear. A darkly comic odyssey populated with wild characters, with intimate glimpses into the eccentric antics of Asia’s upper classes.

Called “the most well known expatriate Thai in the world” by the International Herald Tribune, S. P. Somtow is the author of some 47 books including Vampire Junction and Jasmine Nights and the recipient of numerous literary awards. He is also the composer of the operas Mae Naak and Madana. He commutes between Los Angeles and Bangkok.


The Other City of Angels by S. P. Somtow was published in January 2008 by Diplodocus Press, Los Angeles and Bangkok.

This book was first published in the US in 2003 by Iuniverse Books under the title 'Bluebeard's Castle'.

Friends, I'm sorry the Cacek Collection has been so late, but the usual crises intervened, plus I've been conducting The Ring Cycle ... I've seen the Cacek on the amazon.co.uk website and I'll be posting a link soon. Sharon's book is now in press. We are almost caught up.

Somtow's collection of phiosophically outre tales, including his World Fantasy Award-winning story "The Bird Catcher", is now available in both hardcover (0-9771346-8-7) and paperback (0-9771346-0-1). The book comes with an introduction by William Hjortsberg and cover art by Hieronymus Bosch.

For dealers, the book is available on generous and returnable terms from Ingram.

Individuals may order the book from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and from any neighborhood bookstore.

The retail price is $17.95 in trade paper, $26 in hardcover.

P.D. Cacek's collection, "Eros Interruptus", is now in its proofing stage and should be available within a month. Disturbing and humorous, "Eros Interruptus" contains some of her finest award-winning stories.

The reprint of the first volume of Sharon Webb's trilogy about youth and immortality, "Earthchild", has now been sent to press. Copies should be available within a month as well.

Diplodocus Press will release new editions of Somtow's TIMMY VALENTINE trilogy. The first, VAMPIRE JUNCTION, is already at the printer. It features a facsimile of the text of the rare, collectible first edition, and a brand-new introduction by the author.

Somtow's classic sequel to THE ILIAD, The Shattered Horse, will also be released at the same time. This is a chance to become acquainted with the novel Gene Wolfe has referred to as, "in the true sense, a work of genius."