We are so thrilled to announce that Mary McMyne’s beautiful, gothic debut is available for pre-order now from your favorite retailer (US | UK)! With witchy, romantic vibes and a rich, historical setting, The Book of Gothel is an exquisite re-imagining of Rapunzel, as told by the story’s oft-maligned villain.
Cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio
Feast your eyes on the gorgeous cover for THE MONSTERS WE DEFY by Leslye Penelope, out Aug 2022! In 1925 Washington D. C., a clairvoyant woman leads a ragtag crew bestowed with magical gifts to pull off a daring heist and save her community from malevolent beings.
Design by Lisa Marie Pompillio
Clara Johnson talks to spirits. A gift that saved her during her darkest moments in a Washington D. C. jail. Now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world.
So, when the Empress, the powerful spirit who holds her debt, offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, a desperate Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.
But Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need help from an unlikely team, from a jazz musician capable of hypnotizing with a melody to an aging vaudeville actor who can change his face, to pull off the impossible.
As they encounter increasing obstacles, a dangerous spirit interferes at every turn, and conflict in the spirit world begins to leak out into the human one. And along DC’s legendary Black Broadway, a mystery is unfolding—one that not only has repercussions for Clara but all of the city’s residents.
Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of NOTORIOUS SORCERER, a vibrant and clever adventure fantasy by debut author Davinia Evans.
Perfect for readers of A Darker Shade of Magic and The Invisible Library, NOTORIOUS SORCERER invites you into a multi-planed world of wild alchemical magic, chaotic sword fighting street gangs, angry angels and malevolent harpies, and a bickering, bantering romance.
Keep an eye out for this delightful debut next fall and join us in welcoming Davinia to Orbit! You can find her on Twitter @cupiscent and learn more about her on her website, http://viscerate.com.
Since the city of Bezim was shaken half into the sea by a magical earthquake, the Inquisitors have policed alchemy with brutal efficiency. Nothing too powerful, too complicated, too much like real magic is allowed–and the careful science that’s left is kept too expensive for any but the rich and indolent to tinker with. Siyon Velo, a glorified errand boy scraping together lesson money from a little inter-planar fetch and carry, doesn’t qualify.
But when Siyon accidentally commits a public act of impossible magic, he’s catapulted into the limelight. Except the limelight is a bad place to be when the planes themselves start lurching out of alignment, threatening to send the rest of the city into the sea.
Now Siyon, a dockside brat who clawed his way up and proved himself on rooftops with saber in hand, might be Bezim’s only hope. Because if they don’t fix the cascading failures of magic in their plane, the Powers and their armies in the other three will do it for them.
Orbit US editor Nivia Evans acquired World English rights from Kurestin Armada at Root Literary. Orbit UK editor Nadia Saward has secured UK rights.
YMIR is a gripping, far-future retelling of Beowulf from award-winning author Rich Larson. Coming July 2022. Learn more and pre-order a copy here.
Design by Lauren Panepinto
MECHANIC. SHAPESHIFTER. FIGHTER.
Mercy Thompson returns in another thrilling instalment of the No. 1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series from author Patricia Briggs.
We are thrilled to reveal the gorgeous cover for SOUL TAKEN, releasing in hardback in March 2022:
Read on to see what’s in store as Mercy faces her biggest threat yet:
The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of ‘fun’ is stalking Mercy, some may see it as no great loss. But when he disappears, the Tri-Cities pack is blamed. The mistress of the vampire seethe informs Mercy that the pack must produce Wulfe to prove their innocence, or the loose alliance between the local vampires and werewolves is over.
So Mercy goes out to find her stalker – and discovers more than just Wulfe have disappeared. Someone is taking people from locked rooms, from the aisles of stores and even from crowded parties. And these are not just ordinary people but supernatural beings. Until Wulfe vanished, all of them were powerless loners, many of whom quietly moved to the Tri-Cities in the hope that the safety promised by Mercy and Adam’s pack would extend to them as well.
Who is taking them? As Mercy investigates, she learns of the legend of the Harvester, who travels by less-trodden paths and reaps the souls that are ripe with a great black scythe . . .
Praise for Patricia Briggs:
‘Patricia Briggs is an incredible writer . . . I love hanging out with the amazing characters in this series!’ Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author
‘It is always a joy to pick up a new Briggs novel’ RT Book Reviews
‘Patricia Briggs never fails to deliver an exciting, magic and fable filled suspense story’ Erin Watt, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Royals series.
‘I love these books’ Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author
Available for pre-order now!
Alastair Reynolds’ twisty, mind-bending space opera has a smashing cover to match! Get excited for EVERSION to publish in August 2022!
Designed by Lauren Panepinto
From the master of the space opera, Alastair Reynolds, comes a dark, mind-bending SF adventure spread across time and space.
Doctor Silas Coade has been tasked with keeping his crew safe as they adventure across the galaxy in search of a mysterious artifact, but as things keep going wrong, Silas soon realizes that something more sinister is at work, and this may not even be the first time it’s happened.
In the 1800s, a sailing ship crashes off the coast of Norway. In the 1900s, a Zepellin explores an icy canyon in Antarctica. In the far future, a spaceship sets out for an alien artifact. Each excursion goes horribly wrong. And on every journey, Dr. Silas Coade is the physician, but only Silas seems to realize that these events keep repeating themselves. And it’s up to him to figure out why and how. And how to stop it all from happening again.
It’s only fitting that the biggest fantasy debut of 2022 is getting one of the most gorgeous covers as well! Check out the beautiful, Arab-inspired compass, packed with delicate story details, and get ready for a stunning fantasy adventure in THE STARDUST THIEF (US | UK)!
Coming in May 2022, The Stardust Thief tells the story of a legendary smuggler and a cowardly prince who are forced to quest out across the desert in search of the long-lost city of the jinn and a magical lamp. Weaving together tales from One Thousand and One Nights, American-Kuwaiti author, Chelsea Abdullah has crafted an enchanting novel that feels both familiar and entirely new. Perfect for readers of The City of Brass and The Bone Shard Daughter, this epic quest will captivate and enthrall you, sweeping you away into a land where the line between stories and reality blur, and where magic lurks in the most unexpected places.
Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Illustration by Mike Heath/Magnus Creative
Neither here nor there, but long ago…
Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land.
With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything—her enemy, her magic, even her own past—is not what it seems.
The wheel of destiny is turning, and all will be caught under its weight! Return to the Zhaon empire one last time in THE BLOODY THRONE, the masterful conclusion to S. C. Emmett’s sweeping Hostage of Empire series. While you wait for THE BLOODY THRONE to land in bookstores in Spring 2022, you can feast your eyes on its gorgeous cover.
Illustrated by Miranda Meeks and designed by Lisa Marie Pompilio
The great Zhaon empire is in turmoil. The emperor is dead, and the crown prince has fallen to hidden schemes, leaving his most dangerous brother to assume the throne. The imperial court is seething, and whispers of war grow to shouts.
The once-vanquished kingdom of Khir marches again to regain their honor, the savage Tabrak raid the borders after ravaging the South, and assassins lurk in the shadows seeking imperial favor.
Komor Yala, her own position uncertain, finds shelter in marriage to the cunning Third Prince. But there is little safety in Zhaon. Death and destruction mount as a blood-drenched summer ends. The winner will claim an empire—if it is not turned to smoking ruins first.
Praise for The Hostage of Empire series
“Intricate, elegant, and sharp as a blade―sweeping political fantasy at its finest.” ―Tasha Suri
“Emmett’s worldbuilding is sophisticated and captivating.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Brimful of thrilling palace drama and menacing court intrigue.” ―Kate Elliott
“Action and intrigue take place within a layered and beautifully realized fantasy world.” ―B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog
If you haven’t caught up on this epic tale of power, conquest, and deadly intrigue, make sure to check out The Throne of the Five Winds and The Poison Prince!
Let your eyes drink in the cover for Dead Water, the upcoming folk horror novel from the author of A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World.
A water-borne blight hits a small community on a remote Scottish island. The residents are a mix of island-born and newcomers seeking a slower life away from the modern world; all have their own secrets, some much darker than others. Some claim the illness may be a case of mass hysteria – or even a long-buried curse – but when ferry service fails and phone towers go down, inconvenience grows into nightmarish ordeal as the outwardly harmonious fabric of the community is irreversibly torn apart.
Dead Water is an atmospheric, suspenseful tale of folk horror and isolation within a small island community – perfect for fans of Midnight Mass and The Pine. Available for preorder now.
Cover art is by kid-ethic and design is by Sophie Harris at L,BBG.
Last week, Grimdark Magazine revealed the amazing cover for ENGINES OF EMPIRE, the first book in a new epic fantasy series by R. S. Ford that tells the story of clashing Guilds, magic-fueled machines, intrigue and revolution—and the one family that stands between an empire’s salvation or destruction. Feast your eyes on the spectacular cover below, pre-order your copy here and head to Grimdark Magazine to read the first chapter! ENGINES OF EMPIRE is on sale January 2022.
Design and Illustration by Mike Heath/Magnus Creative
“An excellent start to a new series: fast-paced and engaging, with a properly epic setting and a cast of characters I look forward to seeing more of.” –James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost
The nation of Torwyn is run on the power of industry, and industry is run by the Guilds. Chief among them are the Hawkspurs, and their responsibility is to keep the gears of the empire turning. It’s exactly why matriarch Rosomon Hawkspur sends each of her heirs to the far reaches of the nation.
Conall, the eldest son, is sent to the distant frontier to earn his stripes in the military. It is here that he faces a threat he could have never seen coming: the first rumblings of revolution.
Tyreta’s sorcerous connection to the magical resource of pyrstone that fuels the empire’s machines makes her a perfect heir–in theory. While Tyreta hopes that she might shirk her responsibilities during her journey one of Torwyn’s most important pyrestone mines, she instead finds the dark horrors of industry that the empire would prefer to keep hidden.
The youngest, Fulren, is a talented artificer, and finds himself acting as consort to a foreign emissary. Soon after, he is framed for a crime he never committed. A crime that could start a war.
As each of the Hawkspurs grapple with the many threats that face the nation within and without, they must finally prove themselves worthy–or their empire will fall apart.
