Acquisition News: Orbit to publish a new science fiction trilogy from Adrian Tchaikovsky!

We are thrilled to announce that we have acquired three new science fiction novels by Adrian Tchaikovsky, the Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of CHILDREN OF TIME and CHILDREN OF RUIN, for publication in the US. The books were acquired from Pan Macmillan, who will publish the novels on the Tor imprint in the UK, by Orbit senior editor Brit Hvide.

The new far-future science fiction trilogy begins with SHARDS OF EARTH, which will be published worldwide in spring 2021. The novel is set fifty years after a war that nearly extinguished humanity, when the enemies of the human race reappear after a long silence.

Adrian Tchaikovsky says: “I am absolutely delighted to launch this new space opera. I had a blast writing the first volume and I’m looking forward to everywhere the series is going to go.”

Tchaikovsky’s next work is THE DOORS OF EDEN, which will be published by Orbit in the US on September 22, 2020.

Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky: 

“Children of Time is a joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human.” —Patrick Ness

“Brilliant science fiction and far out world building” —James McAvoy

“A refreshingly new take on post-dystopia civilizations, with the smartest evolutionary worldbuilding you’ll ever read” — Peter F Hamilton

“A magnificently imaginative space opera.” — B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

“Like a Stephen Baxter novel with an epic sweep of history, added to a broad cast of a Peter Hamilton Space Opera and the narrative drive of, say, a David Brin or a Greg Bear old style SF novel, Children of Time soon got me hooked.” — SFF World

“Children of Time has that essence of the classic science fiction novels, that sense of wonder and unfettered imagination but combined with this is the charm of a writer who really knows how to entertain, how to spin a good story. Essential science fiction, a book not to be missed.” — SF Book

“The novel’s clever interrogation of the usual narrative of planetary conquest, and its thoughtful depiction of two alien civilisations attempting to understand each other, is an exemplar of classic widescreen science fiction.” —New Scientist

“This is superior stuff, tackling big themes – gods, messiahs, artificial intelligence, alienness – with brio.” —Financial Times

“An entertaining and thought provoking novel of post humanity, survival and legacy.” — SF Signal

“Tchaikovsky’s prose is superb, and his world-building was exceptional, brilliantly realized on the page, and both fascinating and original.” — Civilian Reader

THE LADIES OF THE SECRET CIRCUS by Constance Sayers

Were you captivated by Constance Sayers’s enchanting debut, A WITCH IN TIME, earlier this year? Then you’re in for a treat as Connie is back with an equally bewitching novel that is sure to sweep you away. Her new novel, THE LADIES OF THE SECRET CIRCUS, is a magical tale of family secrets, sacrifice, and lost love spanning from Jazz Age Paris to modern-day America.

Cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover Art by Arcangel and Shutterstock

Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder–a world where women weave illusions of magnificent beasts, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. Bound to her family’s circus, it’s the only world Cecile Cabot knows until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate affair that could cost her everything.

Virginia, 2004: Lara Barnes is on top of the world, but when her fiancé disappears on their wedding day every plan she has for the future comes crashing down. Desperate, Lara’s search for answers unexpectedly lead to her great-grandmother’s journals.

Swept into a story of a dark circus and ill-fated love, secrets about Lara’s family history come to light and reveal a curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations. A curse that might be tied to her fiancé’s mysterious fate.

Look out for THE LADIES OF THE SECRET CIRCUS in March 2021 and make sure to say hi to Connie on Twitter @constancesayers and check out her website!

 

 

Acquisition Announcement: THE FREE BASTARDS by Jonathan French

Are you ready to saddle up and ride with the Bastards again?

We’re excited to announce that Orbit UK has acquired the third book in Jonathan French’s Lot Lands series – described by Kirkus as ‘an addictively readable – and undeniably cool – fantasy masterwork’.

THE FREE BASTARDS will publish in July 2021 and follows the runaway success of THE GREY BASTARDS and THE TRUE BASTARDS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This gritty, action-drenched adventure series follows a brotherhood of half-orcs who protect human civilization from invading bands of vicious full-blooded orcs. It’s perfect for fans of Joe Abercombie, Markus Heitz’s Dwarves books and Stan Nicholl’s Orcs series.

If you haven’t hoofed it with the half-orcs yet, here are a few reasons why you should:

‘Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdry charm and vicious characters’ Fantasy Book Critic

‘A bloody good tale of battle, betrayal and war pigs’ Brian McClellan

‘A gritty adventure with a fantastic, foul-mouthed voice’ Django Wexler

‘I’d like to raise a tankard to The Grey Bastards’ brilliance’ Fantasy Faction

Click here to find out more about THE GREY BASTARDS  and THE TRUE BASTARDS.

THE MINISTRY FOR THE FUTURE is available now for pre-order!

From legendary science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson comes a vision of climate change unlike any ever imagined.

THE MINISTRY FOR THE FUTURE (US | UK) is now available for pre-order. Learn more about this new project from the author at Newsweek and reserve a signed copy for yourself exclusively from Barnes & Noble.

Pre-order in the US:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble (exclusive signed edition) | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo | More Stores

Pre-order in the UK:
Amazon | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo | Waterstones | More Stores

Established in 2025, the purpose of the new organization was simple: To advocate for the world’s future generations and to protect all living creatures, present and future. It soon became known as the Ministry for the Future, and this is its story.

The Ministry for the Future is a masterpiece of the imagination, using fictional eyewitness accounts to tell the story of how climate change will affect us all over the decades to come. Its setting is not a desolate, postapocalyptic world, but a future that is almost upon us — and in which we might just overcome the extraordinary challenges we face.

It is a novel both immediate and impactful, desperate and hopeful in equal measure, and it is one of the most powerful and original books on climate change ever written.

Praise for Kim Stanley Robinson:

“A sweeping, optimistic portrait of humanity’s ability to cooperate in the face of disaster. This heartfelt work of hard science-fiction is a must-read for anyone worried about the future of the planet.” —Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Robinson has established himself as the great humanist of speculative fiction.”—Village Voice

“One of the world’s finest working novelists, in any genre.”—Guardian

“If I had to choose one writer whose work will set the standard for science fiction in the future, it would be Kim Stanley Robinson.”—New York Times

“Kim Stanley Robinson is generally acknowledged as one of the greatest living science-fiction writers. . . . He is also, for my money, one of the most important political writers working in America today.”—New Yorker

“One of the finest writers of his generation.”—Locus

“Another stellar effort from one of the masters of the genre.”—Booklist

“[A] near—perfect marriage of the technical and the psychological.”—NPR Books

Acquisition Announcement: Introducing WILDWOOD WHISPERS by Willa Reece

Looking for your next magical read? I sure hope so! Redhook, Orbit’s sister imprint, has acquired an utterly captivating novel from author Willa Reece. WILDWOOD WHISPERS invites you into the Appalachian Mountains and once there, an enchanting tale of magic and dark secrets unfolds when a young woman travels to a sleepy Southern town to bury her best friend.

Lush and atmospheric, we can’t wait to share it with you next year. And, I’m really happy to share a short message from Willa on what inspired her to write Wildwood Whispers:

I live at the edge of a sprawling wild wood. What began as fear of the unknown has grown into a fascination with the flora, fauna, and history of the Appalachian region. But nothing fascinates me more than the women who’ve built lives in and around the tangle—learning from their environment and being inspired by the wild to resist the constant taming of the often too-patriarchal society found in the mountains. Their hushed voices have been channeled into the wide variety of arts and crafts and, yes, the kitchen magic I wove into Wildwood Whispers

Hand work is heart work and it is hard work, but it’s also powerful. You can see the power in callused hands weaving baskets and muscled forearms kneading dough, in berry-stained fingernails and needle-pricked fingers. It was easy to imagine a community where that kind of power finds a connection with nature and how that connection is feared by evil men who prefer to divide and conquer. [A wise woman’s wildwood garden is a celebration of empowerment and unity and the hope of finding rejuvenation together. It’s a personal hope of mine, especially now, and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with readers.]

WILDWOOD WHISPERS publishes Summer 2021, and, in the meantime, please join us in welcoming Willa Reece! You can find her at https://www.willareece.com/ and on Twitter at @ReeceWilla.

Orbit US editor Nivia Evans acquired North American rights from Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency.

Cover Launch: THE IKESSAR FALCON by K. S. Villoso

Queen Talyien is back and looking more badass than ever in this stunning cover for THE IKESSAR FALCON (US | UK), the sequel to the critically acclaimed THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO (US | UK), which Library Journal gave a starred review and called “a new fantasy epic that readers will clamor for.”

In book two of The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, Talyien discovers a dark conspiracy that would wrest the throne away from her and see her son dead. With the few allies she has left, Talyien must race back to Jin-Sayeng and confront the warlords, dark magic, and mad dragons who threaten her country’s fragile peace.

Art by Simon Goinard. Design by Lauren Panepinto.

The spiral to madness begins with a single push.

 Abandoned by her people, Queen Talyien’s quest takes a turn for the worst as she stumbles upon a plot deeper and more sinister than she could have ever imagined, one that will displace her king and see her son dead. The road home beckons, strewn with a tangled web of deceit and impossible horrors that unearth the nation’s true troubles – creatures from the dark, mad dragons, and men with hearts hungry for power.

To save her land, Talyien must confront the myth others have built around her: Warlord Yeshin’s daughter, symbol of peace, warrior and queen, and everything she could never be.

The price of failure is steep. Her friends are few. And a nation carved by a murderer can only be destined for war.

Praise for THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO:

“The Wolf of Oren-yaro is intricate, intimate, and intensely plotted. Full of subtle poignancy and remarkably genuine characters-even the rotten ones. I loved this book.”   — Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“A powerful new voice in epic fantasy. Villoso deftly creates an intricate and compelling world of high fantasy intrigue and adventure dominated by a crafty, whip-smart heroine determined to unite her kingdom at any cost.”   — Kameron Hurley, author of The Light Brigade

“Intimate and epic. It compels you to read on, because it’s a story about people not characters, civilizations not settings, and deadly power plays not sanitized throne-room politics.”   — Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons

“Deeply compelling and wonderfully entertaining, The Wolf of Oren-yaro feels at once timely and timeless. K. S. Villoso’s lush and finely crafted world envelops readers from the first page, as she takes us on an adventure full of heartache, hope, and triumph. It’s a fabulous read!”   — Josiah Bancroft, author of Senlin Ascends

“A tale balanced on the blade’s-edge between intrigue and action – and then Villoso twists the knife.”   — Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer

“Delivers complex and intriguing characters, and an action-packed plot full of surprising twists and deep, vivid world building.”    — Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage

“[A] remarkable tale of nonstop tension, action, and betrayal . . . This excellent work will appeal to all readers of epic fantasy.”   — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Readers will be swept in by this strong protagonist and stunning worldbuilding, with a plot full of questions and surprises. Villoso’s cunning, exciting debut is a new fantasy epic that readers will clamor for.”   — Library Journal (starred review)

“Villoso’s debut draws on Filipino culture and myths to create a detailed fantasy world and uses the first person narrative of a beleaguered queen to explore a tale of secrets, lies, betrayal, and treason.”   — Booklist

“K.S. Villoso’s The Wolf of Oren-yaro is a fascinating read, driven by a well-drawn cast of characters in a beautifully imagined world.”   — Book Page

“The Wolf of Oren-yaro is a high-fantasy thrill ride that fans of the genre will appreciate, particularly those thirsting for a strong female main character.”   — Ars Technica

“K.S. Villoso dismantled the heavily stereotyped strong female character within epic fantasy and built it anew. Queen Talyien is flawed, beautifully so, making her one of the more realistic female characters I’ve read to date.”    — Hypable

Cover Launch: BATTLE GROUND by Jim Butcher

THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET SERIOUS FOR HARRY DRESDEN, CHICAGO’S ONLY PROFESSIONAL WIZARD, in the next entry in the No. 1 New York Times and No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling Dresden Files. 

Orbit UK are thrilled to announce that BATTLE GROUND, book seventeen in the Dresden Files, hits shelves in September 2020 (UK|ANZ) and is available to preorder now. We’re sure you’re as excited as we are to read not one, but TWO Dresden Files novels in one year, but if you can’t wait that long, take a look at the awesome cover design for BATTLE GROUND and read on for a hint of what’s in store for Harry Dresden . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harry has faced terrible odds before. He has a long history of fighting enemies above his weight class. The Red Court of vampires. The fallen angels of the Order of the Blackened Denarius. The Outsiders.

But this time it’s different. A being more powerful and dangerous on an order of magnitude beyond what the world has seen in a millennium is coming. And she’s bringing an army. The Last Titan has declared war on the city of Chicago, and has come to subjugate humanity, obliterating any who stand in her way.

Harry’s mission is simple but impossible: Save the city by killing a Titan. And the attempt will change Harry’s life, Chicago, and the mortal world forever.

Praise for the Dresden Files:

‘The Dresden Files is my favourite series ever. I say that both as a writer and a reader . . . I don’t make statements like that casually’ Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind

‘Butcher’s storytelling is satisfying on a level that’s bone-deep’ io9

‘Harry Dresden has a vitality that few urban fantasy heroes can match’ SFX

 

Cover Launch: THE TROUBLE WITH PEACE by Joe Abercrombie

A LITTLE HATRED arrived on the epic fantasy battlefield with much more than a little fanfare. The first book in Abercrombie’s latest trilogy, The Age of Madness, proved once again that he is “a master of his craft” (Forbes).

Yesterday, Forbes unveiled the cover for, THE TROUBLE WITH PEACE. And if you’ve read A Little Hatred, then you know there will, indeed, be trouble… (if you haven’t had a chance yet, well…what better time than now!).

Art by Sam Weber. Design by Lauren Panepinto.

The hardcover, ebook, and audio book all publish on September 15th.

Learn more at Forbes and read their review of A Little Hatred.

As we gear up for the publication of The Trouble with Peace, we’ll also be publishing the paperback edition of A Little Hatred on August 11th. We’ve slightly redesigned the cover for this new edition. Check it out below!

Art by Sam Weber. Design by Lauren Panepinto.

Praise for The Age of Madness Trilogy:

“Abercrombie squeezes your heart till it matches his beat. No one writes with the seismic scope or primal intensity of Joe Abercrombie.” – Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Abercrombie continues to do what he does best . . . . A vivid and jolting tale.” – Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author

“Highly recommended – a funny, finely-wrought, terrifically energetic work of high fantasy. Seek it out.” – Joe Hill, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Rife with emotion with wit to spare, both honed to an effortlessly fine edge. A Little Hatred is the joy of watching a master of the craft with his tools at their sharpest.” – Sam Sykes, author of Seven Blades in Black

“A Little Hatred is Abercrombie at his very best: witty, wise, and whip-smart. Masterfully plotted . . . . I had high hopes for this book, and it exceed them all.” – Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“Brutal, unforgiving, and terribly fun. Everything awesome readers have come to expect from Joe Abercrombie.” – Brian McClellan, author of Sins of Empire

“Joe Abercrombie’s powerful voice raises the bar in any literary genre. Fantasy fans are beyond fortunate he chose this one.” – Myke Cole, author of The Armored Saint

“With expert craft, Abercrombie lays the groundwork for another thrilling trilogy.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say that he’s a master of his craft.” – Forbes

“Abercrombie unerringly juggles a large cast of multifaceted, morally ambiguous characters, each embroiled in their own complicated story.” – Booklist (starred review)

“A critical, compelling epic fantasy loaded with wonderfully drawn characters, the bloodletting tempered with sharp social commentary and a touch of satire . . . . It doesn’t feel like a stretch to say Abercrombie’s on his way to writing another masterpiece of epic fantasy.” – B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

“A Little Hatred may be the most accomplished work from a writer who many already consider a master.” – SFF World

“[Abercrombie] might have his most important series of novels yet.” — Locus

Cover Launch: INK & SIGIL by Kevin Hearne

From New York Times bestselling author Kevin Hearne comes the start of a hugely entertaining new series set in the world of the Iron Druid Chronicles – about an eccentric master of magic solving an uncanny mystery in Scotland . . .

We’ll be publishing Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne in August 2020, and are delighted to show you the stunning UK cover illustrated by Sarah J. Coleman.

Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne

Available for pre-order now! Read on for a taste of what’s in store . . .

Al MacBharrais is both blessed and cursed. He is blessed with an extraordinary white moustache, an appreciation for craft cocktails – and a most unique magical talent. He can cast spells with magically enchanted ink and he uses his gifts to protect our world from rogue minions of various pantheons, especially the Fae.

But he is also cursed. Anyone who hears his voice will begin to feel an inexplicable hatred for Al, so he can only communicate through the written word or speech apps. And his apprentices keep dying in peculiar freak accidents. As his personal life crumbles around him, he devotes his life to his work, all the while trying to crack the secret of his curse.

But when his latest apprentice, Gordie, turns up dead in his Glasgow flat, Al discovers evidence that Gordie was living a secret life of crime. Now Al is forced to play detective – while avoiding actual detectives who are wondering why death seems to always follow Al. Investigating his apprentice’s death will take him through Scotland’s magical underworld, and he’ll need the help of a mischievous hobgoblin if he’s to survive.

‘You are in for a great treat. Ink and Sigil is great escape reading, and I loved every word’ Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse books

‘Will transport you right in the Scottish realm of fey and fairies . . . The magic is both familiar and new, believable and extraordinary’ Charlie Holmberg, author of The Paper Magician

‘Vividly blends Kevin Hearne’s unique take on urban fantasy with the grit of Scottish magic’ Adam Christopher, author of Empire State

‘Ink & Sigil is filled to the brim with the Hearne-anigans we’ve all grown to love. Fans of ribald humor, literary puns and the odd hobgoblin will be enchanted by this paranormal mystery’ Jaye Wells, author of the Prospero’s War series

ICYMI: We Lie With Death by Devin Madson

Devin Madson’s propulsive epic fantasy, WE RIDE THE STORM (US |UK), is out next month. And hot on its heels is the equally captivating sequel, WE LIE WITH DEATH  in January 2021. Eager to learn more about it? Check out the stunning cover with art by Nico Delort and designed by Lisa Marie Pompilio and hop over to The Fantasy Inn to read the synopsis (mind the spoilers!).


We’re also thrilled to present the covers for Devin’s Vengeance Trilogy, a bold, fast-paced epic fantasy series that tells the story of Kisia, an empire on the edge of war. If you’ve raced through We Ride the Storm and would love to know more about Emperor Kin and Hana Otako these are the books for you!

They call him the Usurper.

Once the Kisian empire was ruled by gods. Now Kin Ts’ai, a man of common blood, sits on the Crimson Throne. At his command, the last Otako emperor was executed and a new era began. But claiming an empire is easier than holding it.

In the north where loyalty to the Otako name runs deep, a rebellion grows. And Emperor Kin will learn that killing one Otako, doesn’t mean you’ve killed them all.

Vengeance is coming.

The Blood of Whisperers (US | UK), The Gods of Vice (US | UK), and The Grave at Storm’s End (US | UK) publish in August and are available for preorder.