Cover Launch: EYE OF THE SH*T STORM by Jackson Ford

Teagan Frost is back. And this time, the sh*t is going to hit the fan.

Yesterday, SciFiNow exclusively revealed the cover for the latest instalment in Jackson Ford’s Frost Files series, EYE OF THE SH*T STORM, coming in April 2021!

It’s the third high-adrenaline adventure featuring telekinetic government agent Teagan Frost, and the awesome cover was designed by Sophie Harris. Read on for a taste of what’s in store. . .

Eye of the Sht Storm by Jackson Ford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teagan Frost might be getting better at moving sh*t with her mind – but her job working as a telekinetic government operative only ever seems to get harder. That’s not even talking about her car-crash of a love life . . .

And things are about to get even tougher. No sooner has Teagan chased off one psychotic kid hell-bent on trashing the whole West Coast, but now she has to contend with another supernatural being who can harness devastating electrical power. And if Teagan can’t stop him, the whole of Los Angeles will be facing the sh*tstorm of the century . . .

EYE OF THE SH*T STORM releases in April 2021. If you haven’t had the honour of meeting Teagan Frost yet, then you can remedy that straight away. Find links for the first two books below, and you can follow Jackson Ford on Twitter here.

Buy THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND (US | UK | ANZ)

Buy RANDOM SH*T FLYING THROUGH THE AIR (US | UK | ANZ)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise for the Frost Files series:

‘Proceeds at breakneck speed through almost 500 pages of madcap adventure’ Guardian

‘Fast-paced and a lot of fun to read . . . a modern action movie that just happens to be in book form’ The Fantasy Inn

‘A drunken back-alley brawler of a book’ Robert Brockway, author of The Unnoticeables

‘Ford’s breakneck pace keeps the tension high, and the thrills coming the whole way through’ BookPage

‘A fast-paced, high-adrenaline tale’ Kirkus

Cover Launch: VOIDBREAKER by David Dalglish

Your favorite monster-hunter is back and better than ever. Devin Eveson is the Soulkeeper, honor-bound to protect humanity from monsters once thought to be only legend. Devin’s saga began with  SOULKEEPER (US | UK) and its sequel RAVENCALLER (US | UK), and now finds its explosive conclusion in VOIDBREAKER (US | UK). In a world overrun by monsters, Devin will have to face his most dangerous enemy yet—his own sister. Their battle is front and center in VOIDBREAKER’S brilliant cover—check it out!

If you haven’t yet caught up on Devin’s adventures make sure to get in on the action and pick up Soulkeeper and Ravencaller!

When magical creatures storm the gates of Londheim and declare it for themselves, Devin, a warrior priest, must decide who the true monsters are in the final book of USA Today bestseller David Dalglish’s epic fantasy trilogy.

Monsters have retaken the capital city of Londheim and claimed it for themselves. Humanity, fearful of being pushed out for good, has reacted with violence and destruction, and peace between the two races seems all but impossible. Devin will need to bring all his skills to bear in order to find a solution. But the greatest threat to humanity’s safety may well be closer than he expects. Because his sister is the most powerful priestess the world has ever seen… and she’s fighting for the monsters.

The fate of all races, human and magical, rests in their hands, and the only person standing in their way is each other. (more…)

Cover Launch: A RADICAL ACT OF FREE MAGIC by H. G. Parry

Enjoy history as you’ve never seen it before! A RADICAL ACT OF FREE MAGIC is the ambitious sequel to H. G. Parry’s A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAGICIANS (US | UK), which Publishers Weekly gave a starred review and called a “poetic tale of justice, liberation, and dark magic.” While you wait in anticipation for its July 2021 release, feast your eyes on the brilliant cover designed by Orbit’s own Lisa Marie Pompilio.

The Concord has been broken, and a war of magic engulfs the world.

In France, the brilliant young battle-mage Napoleon Bonaparte has summoned a kraken from the depths, and under his command the Army of the Dead have all but conquered Europe. Britain fights back, protected by the gulf of the channel and powerful fire-magic, but Wilberforce’s own battle to bring about free magic and abolition has met a dead end in the face of an increasingly fearful and repressive government. In Saint Domingue, Fina watches as Toussaint Louverture navigates these opposing forces to liberate the country.

But there is another, even darker war being fought beneath the surface: the first vampire war in hundreds of years. The enemy blood magician who orchestrated Robespierre’s downfall is using the Revolutionary Wars to bring about a return to dark magic to claim all of Europe. Across the world, only a few know of his existence and the choices they make will shape the new age of magic.

Praise for A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAGICIANS

“A rich, sprawling epic full of history and magic, Declaration is Jonathan Strange with international politics and vampires. I loved it.”  —Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

“A witty, riveting historical fantasy…. Parry has a historian’s eye for period detail and weaves real figures from history-including Robespierre and Toussaint L’Ouverture-throughout her poetic tale of justice, liberation, and dark magic. This is a knockout.”  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Impeccably researched and epically written, this novel is a stellar start to what promises to be a grand new fantasy series.”  —Booklist (starred review)

“I absolutely loved it. It held my attention from the beginning and throughout. It’s a beautiful tapestry of words, a combination of carefully observed and researched history and a well-thought-out and fascinating system of magic. An absolute delight to read; splendid and fluid, with beautiful and complex use of language.”  —Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library

“Magnificent…[turns] the part of history class you might have slept through into something new, exciting and deeply magical.” —BookPage

“Fans of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell will be enchanted by this sprawling epic of revolution and dark magic.”   —Locus

“It’s no simple task to wrangle fifteen years of tumult in a few hundred pages, but Parry manages it with a deft hand. Her alternate history puts a human face on the titans of the past, while weaving in supernatural elements that add a whole new dimension. I stayed up well past my bedtime to find out what happens next.” —Marie Brennan, author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent series

“Impressively intricate; fans of the magic-and-history of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell will be delighted.”  —Alexandra Rowland, author of A Conspiracy of Truths

Cover Launch: THE QUEEN OF IZMOROZ by Jon Skovron

Orbit US and UK are thrilled to announce next installment in Jon Skovron’s epic fantasy trilogy, the Goddess War. Lushly built and thrillingly plotted, THE QUEEN OF IZMOROZ (US | UK) picks up where THE RANGER OF MARZANNA (US | UK) left off with an epic tale of a continent ruptured by opposite forces—and it’s got a fabulous cover to match!

Here’s a bit more about the must-read next book:

Sonya has brought a foreign army to free her country from imperial rule, but her allies may have other goals in the second book of this thrilling epic fantasy trilogy from Jon Skovron.

The first battle is over, but war yet looms on the horizon. Sonya and her allies–the foreign Uaine and their armies of the undead–have beaten back the imperial soldiers from the capital city. Now they have the rest of the country to free.

Meanwhile, her brother the famed wizard Sebastian has retreated with the imperial forces to regroup and lick his wounds. Betrayed by his sister and his wife, the beautiful noblewoman Galina, he will regain control of his life and his country at any cost.

Orbit US and UK will be publishing THE QUEEN OF IZMOROZ in April 2021. In the meantime make sure to say hello to Jon Skovron on twitter: @jonnyskov. And pick up the first book of the series, THE RANGER OF MARZANNA if you haven’t already!

Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio Illustration by Magali Villeneuve (Website | Twitter | Instagram)

Acquisition Announcement: THE BODY SCOUT by Lincoln Michel

If you’re looking for something truly one-of-a-kind to add to your TBR, scroll no further. Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence MFA instructor Lincoln Michel’s sci-fi thriller THE BODY SCOUT, a diamond-sharp and savagely wry portrait of an all-too-possible future where the human body is just another product.

Set in a future New York ravaged by climate change and repeat pandemics, The Body Scout follows hard-boiled cyborg scout Kobo. Kobo has some problems. His cybernetics are a decade out of date, he’s got a pair of twin sister loan sharks knocking on his door, and his work scouting for a baseball league run by pharmaceutical companies is about to go belly-up. Things couldn’t get much worse. Then his childhood best friend–Monsanto Mets slugger J.J. Zunz–is murdered at home plate. Determined to find the killer, Kobo plunges into the dark corners and glittering cloud condos of a world where genetic editing and advanced drugs mean you can have any body you want-as long as you can afford it. But even among the philosophical Neanderthals, zootech weapons, and genetically modified CEOs who decorate their offices with living bio-sculptures, there’s a curveball he never could have called, and a sordid secret he’ll have to risk everything to uncover.

This is a truly can’t-miss literary thriller that explores the gloriously weird intersection of biopunk, baseball, and the human condition—follow the author on Twitter so you don’t miss any updates!

Read an excerpt from THE UNBROKEN by C. L. Clark

Orbit is so excited to share the cover and a short preview for C.L. Clark’s incredible debut fantasy, THE UNBROKEN.  In a crumbling kingdom inspired by the deserts of North Africa, two women’s lives will become irrevocably changed—one a solider haunted by the past, the other a dethroned princess who saves her from certain death.

Io9 unveiled the striking cover for The Unbroken, designed by Lauren Panepinto with stellar art by Tommy Arnold.

The Unbroken will be out in print, ebook, and audio on March 23, 2021. Read on for the description of this unmissable epic!

Touraine is a soldier. Stolen as a child and raised to kill and die for the empire, her only loyalty is to her fellow conscripts. But now, her company has been sent back to her homeland to stop a rebellion, and the ties of blood may be stronger than she thought.

Luca needs a turncoat. Someone desperate enough to tiptoe the bayonet’s edge between treason and orders. Someone who can sway the rebels toward peace, while Luca focuses on what really matters: getting her uncle off her throne.

Through assassinations and massacres, in bedrooms and war rooms, Touraine and Luca will haggle over the price of a nation. But some things aren’t for sale.

Read the first two chapters now!

Cover Launch: SWEET HARMONY by Claire North

We’re excited to present the cover for a new novella from the multi-award winning Claire North, designed by Bekki Guyatt at Little, Brown Book Group.

SWEET HARMONY (UK | US| ANZ) is a clever and unnervingly plausible stand-alone story set five minutes into the future – in a world where it’s possible to upgrade your mind or body however you choose through an app on your phone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a beautifully-crafted, thought-provoking tale that asks questions about identity, body image, and how far we’d all go to live up to the pressures of society. It shows just why Claire North is hailed as one of the most innovative writers of her generation.

SWEET HARMONY (UK | US| ANZ) releases digitally on 22nd September and is available for pre-order now. Read on for the blurb below, and follow Claire on Twitter here.

Harmony is tired. Tired of working so hard, tired of the way she looks, tired of being average.  

But all that changes when she decides to splash out and upgrade her nanos. And why not? Everyone’s doing it now. With a simple in-app purchase, you can update the tech in your bloodstream to transform yourself – get enhanced brain power, the perfect body or a dazzling smile.

Suddenly, everything starts going right for Harmony. She’s finally becoming the person she always wanted to be. But when she ends up running too many upgrades on her body all at once, the effects will be more catastrophic than she could have imagined.

 

Praise for Claire North:

‘North’s talent shines out’ Sunday Times

‘North goes from strength to strength’ Guardian

‘Terrific, smart and entertaining’ Patrick Ness

‘North is an original and even dazzling writer’ Kirkus

‘A master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination’ Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls

 

Also by Claire North:

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
Touch
The Sudden Appearance of Hope
The End of the Day
84K
The Gameshouse
The Pursuit of William Abbey

 

2020 World Fantasy Award Nominees

We’re thrilled to announce Orbit has three books on the shortlist for the 2020 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel!

  • QUEEN OF THE CONQUERED by Kacen Callender (Orbit)
  • THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY (US | UK) by Alix E. Harrow (Redhook)
  • THE RAVEN TOWER (US | UK) by Ann Leckie (Orbit)

 

This is the first nomination in this category of the award for all three authors. Locus has published the full list of nominees.

The winners will be announced at this year’s (virtual) World Fantasy Convention, which will take place October 29 – November 1.

Acquisition Announcement: Orbit has acquired a new trilogy from R. S. Ford!

Are you looking for the next big epic fantasy series? Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of a brand-new trilogy from author R. S. Ford. With a unique magic system inspired by inventors and artificers, and a compelling cast of characters, this new series follows one family as they struggle to stop a dark revolution from tearing their country – and their family – apart.

The nation of Torwyn is ruled by the Guilds – a powerful group of families who control the country’s varying magical and mechanical industries. Over centuries the influence of the Guilds has grown, and now the people of Torwyn revere these idols of industry more than their history. But the once powerful Draconate Ministry has a new leader, and he is determined to restore the power of his faith. When a foreign emissary travels to Torwyn to broker peace, Lady Rosomon, matriarch of the Hawkspur Guild, is summoned to the capital with her children. Before she knows it, her heirs – an artificer, a mage-turned-diplomat, and a military captain – are sent to the far reaches of the nation, each with their own personal quest to defend Torwyn from those who would see it burn. 

This trilogy is truly epic in scale, engineering a brilliant tale of impending revolution, prophesied draconic gods, magical artifice creations, loyalty, family, and more—a real doorstopper. You don’t want to miss out on this one, publishing in early 2022. Follow the author on Twitter to learn more about the lore.

Orbit US editor Bradley Englert acquired the trilogy for World rights from John Jarrold.

 

Orbit at Comic-Con @ Home!

This year, San Diego Comic-Con will take place online as “Comic-Con @ Home,” and it will be fully open to the public. If you’ve always wanted to attend SDCC, this is your chance!

Join Orbit at our “New Voices in Science Fiction & Fantasy” panel on Thursday, July 23 at 5 PM Pacific (8 PM Eastern). This panel features some of our 2020 debut authors: K.S. Villoso, Luke Arnold, Constance Sayers, Devin Madson, Andrea Stewart, Essa Hansen, and M.A. Carrick. Plus, there will be guest appearances from other, beloved Orbit authors.

Register to watch | Watch on YouTube 

Redhook author Alix E. Harrow will also appear on the “Personal, Political, Fictional, and Factual” panel on Saturday, July 25th at 12 PM Pacific (3 PM Eastern). This panel features authors who address serious, important topics in science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels. It’s a great fit for Harrow’s THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES (Redhook; October), which tackles the women’s suffrage movement, in the 100th anniversary year of the 19th Amendment.

Register to watch | Watch on YouTube