Cover Launch: THE MASK OF MIRRORS by M. A. Carrick

Today, we are so excited to welcome you to Nadežra, known as the City of Dreams, with the cover launch for M. A. Carrick’s spectacular new fantasy, THE MASK OF MIRRORS.

Nadežra is a city of dark intrigue and glimmering magic. A place where szorsas can read your fate in the face of a pattern card, and creatures of shadow and claw can devour your nightmares. In Nadežra, a mask might hide the face of a beautiful con artist, a daring vigilante, a charming criminal…or someone far more sinister. And we think this stunning cover, illustrated by Nekro, designed by Lauren Panepinto, is the perfect embodiment of all the secrets the city contains.

Releasing in January 2021, THE MASK OF MIRRORS is the highly anticipated start of the Rook & Rose trilogy by M. A. Carrick, the pseudonym for the dazzling author duo of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms. You can read the first excerpt on io9 here, and preorder it now in the US or from your favorite UK retailer.

This is your past, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither.

Arenza Lenskaya is a liar and a thief, a pattern-reader and a daughter of no clan. Raised in the slums of Nadežra, she fled that world to save her sister.

This is your present, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither.

Renata Viraudax is a con artist recently arrived in Nadežra. She has one goal: to trick her way into a noble house and secure her fortune.

This is your future, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither.

As corrupt nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the City of Dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled–with Ren at their heart. And if she cannot sort the truth from the lies, it will mean the destruction of all her worlds.

Acquisition Announcement: FOR THE WOLF by Hannah Whitten

“The First Daughter is for the throne. The Second Daughter is for the Wolf.”

From the first lines, we knew that Hannah Whitten’s debut fantasy FOR THE WOLF was special. Dark, lush, romantic, and epic, it’s the kind of fantasy that sweeps you off your feet and never puts you back down again, destined to join the ranks of books like Spinning Silver and The Bear and the Nightingale. And, we are thrilled to have acquired world rights to the novel and its sequel in a pre-empt. Here’s a little bit more about the novel:

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose—to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods. 

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood—and her world—whole.

Get excited for FOR THE WOLF to publish in summer 2021, and in the meantime go say “hello” to the author Hannah Whitten on her website hannahfwhitten.com, on Twitter @hwhittenwrites, or on Instagram @hwhittenwrites!

Cover Launch: OUT PAST THE STARS by K. B. Wagers

It’s almost time for our favorite gunrunner empress, Hail Bristol, to go on her final adventure. Full of nonstop action and intrigue, intergalactic battles, and warring alien species, OUT PAST THE STARS is the dazzling conclusion to the Farian War.

While you have to wait until February 2021 to see how Hail’s journey ends, you can check out the spectacular cover now!

Art by Stephan Martiniere and designed by Lauren Panepinto

When Hail confronts the Farian gods, the last thing she expected was to discover they were part of an alien race called the Hiervet who’d attacked the galaxy long before humanity’s ancestors had crawled out of the sludge of Earth’s oceans.

The discovery carries with it dire news: The Hiervet are returning and this time they won’t stop until everyone bends to their will. Now the fate of the galaxy is on the line and Hail will have to make one final gamble to leverage chaos into peace. But success may cost her everything – including her life.

Haven’t picked up this action-packed space opera yet? Go check out THERE BEFORE THE CHAOS (US | UK) and DOWN AMONG THE DEAD (US | UK)!

Praise for the Farian War trilogy:

“Twisty and clever and magnificent, full of political maneuvers, space action, and genuine feeling.” –Beth Cato, author of The Clockwork Dagger

“An exciting dose of space opera and political intrigue peppered with hard choices. Highly recommended for fans of science fiction with assertive female characters.” –Booklist

“A perfect blend of political intrigue and realistically-conveyed action…. Kick-butt women, space battles, complex relationships, and fiendish plots abound.” – Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

“Action- and emotion-packed, folding political tension, personal relationships, and trauma into a vivid space opera that does not pull any punches.” –Library Journal (starred review)

Press Release: THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND optioned for TV

Exciting news! THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND by Jackson Ford @realjacksonford (who has just revealed his secret identity) is being developed for a TV series by none other than the production company behind the Star Trek TV franchise! See an excerpt from the press release sent out below:

In a competitive situation, rights for the Jackson Ford novel The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with her Mind have been optioned by Secret Hideout, the CBS Television Studios production company behind the Star Trek television franchise, who plan to develop it for television. The deal was brokered by Emily Hayward Whitlock at the Artists Partnership in association with Ed Wilson at Johnson & Alcock.

Described by author Maria Lewis as ‘Alias meets X-Men in a grimy LA setting’ and by the Guardian as a ‘madcap adventure, with some terrific jokes and plenty of tension’ that moves at ‘breakneck speed’, The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with her Mind tells the story of a woman with telekinetic abilities who works as a secret government operative. It is published worldwide by Orbit UK and Orbit US.

Jackson Ford is a pseudonym for the author Rob Boffard, a South African author currently living in Vancouver. He has previously released four science fiction novels with Orbit under the name Rob Boffard, and was a journalist for over a decade, writing articles for publications and sites including The Guardian, the BBC, Wired Magazine and io9. 

Now’s the perfect time to check out THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND (UK|US|ANZ) if you haven’t done so already. And we’re pleased to say the sequel RANDOM SH*T FLYING THROUGH THE AIR (UK|US|ANZ) is coming this July!

Follow Jackson Ford here on Twitter and Instagram.

Cover Launch: THE POISON PRINCE by S. C. Emmett

Set in an imperial court filled with hidden agendas, deadly schemes, and ambitious royals, S. C. Emmett’s sumptuous East Asia-inspired fantasy continues with THE POISON PRINCE! Perfect for fans of Kate Elliott, Ken Liu, and K. Arsenault Rivera, it lands on shelves in November. And here’s an early look at the absolutely stunning cover.

Illustrated by Miranda Meeks and designed by Lisa Marie Pompilio 

The crown princess has been assassinated, reigniting tensions between her native Khir and the great Zhaon empire. Now her lady-in-waiting, Komor Yala, is alone in a foreign court, a pawn for imperial schemes. To survive and avenge her princess, Yala will have to rely on unlikely allies-the sly Third Prince and the war-hardened general who sacked her homeland. 

But as the Emperor lies upon his deathbed, the palace is more dangerous than ever before-for there are six princes, and only one throne.

Praise for THE THRONE OF THE FIVE WINDS:

“Intricate, elegant and sharp as a blade — The Throne of the Five Winds is sweeping political fantasy at its finest.”  — Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

“With a deliberate pace and fine attention to details of dress and custom, Emmett weaves a masterful tale of court intrigues.”  — Booklist (starred review)

“Brimful of thrilling palace drama and menacing court intrigue.”— Kate Elliott, author of Black Wolves

“Action and intrigue takes place within a layered and beautifully realized fantasy world that will appeal to readers of Evan Winter’s The Rage of Dragons and K. Arsenault Rivera’s The Tiger’s Daughter.”— B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

Acquisition Announcement: THE WORLD GIVES WAY by Marissa Levien

We’re thrilled to announce that Orbit’s sister imprint, Redhook, has acquired Stony Brook MFA graduate Marissa Levien’s stunning literary sci-fi debut. THE WORLD GIVES WAY is an unforgettable portrait of a society in freefall, and finding humanity even at the end of it all.

The World Gives Way is set on a generation ship carrying those wealthy enough have escaped Earth—and the contract workers bound to serve them for the ship’s two-hundred-year journey. Myrra Dal was born an indentured worker on this ship, but her generation will live to see the journey’s end and the expiration of their contracts; she just has to spend the next fifty years serving the powerful Carlyles first. But when Myrra discovers the catastrophic secret the elites have been harboring, everything changes. There’s a crack in the ship’s hull, and everyone on board has two months left to live—if that. Burdened with the secret of a lifetime, and the Carlyles’ infant daughter, she runs—but someone is hot on her trail, and not even the end of the world can stop him.

Bursting with evocative world-building and beautifully drawn characters, The World Gives Way is a captivating debut, and we can’t wait to share it with you next year. In the meantime, please join us in giving Marissa a warm welcome! You can find her at @marissalevien on Twitter and Instagram.

 

Welcome to the #OrbitTavern!

Did you enjoy last week’s #OrbitTavern? What? You couldn’t make it? Well don’t worry. The #OrbitTavern will be back again this week!

Join us on Thursdays at 5PM EST on the Orbit US Instagram channel for a mixology lesson with Creative Director Lauren Panepinto. Each week, Lauren will be sitting down with a new Orbit author to talk about their latest book and suggest the perfect cocktail to accompany it.

Here is the schedule for the next few weeks. Cheers!

April 23rd: Jon Skovron, author of THE RANGER OF MARZANNA (US | UK)

April 30th: Louisa Morgan, author of THE AGE OF WITCHES (US | UK)

May 7th:  Laura Lam, author of GOLDILOCKS (US)

May 14th: Alix E. Harrow, author of
THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY (US | UK)

May 21st: Rowenna Miller, author of RULE (US)

Cover Launch: THE THOUSAND DEATHS OF ARDOR BENN by Tyler Whitesides

We’re thrilled to announce that THE THOUSAND DEATHS OF ARDOR BENN (US | UK) is getting a stunning new cover – and two more books to complete the trilogy!

In the Kingdom of Grit series, master con artist Ardor Benn is hired to pull off a string of wildly complex heists, that starts with stealing a crown and escalates to saving the whole damn world. What could be easier? But he won’t manage it on his own: Ard will need the skills and quick fingers of Quarrah, who has made a name for herself as an up-and-coming thief in the city, and the brawn and brains of his longtime best friend Raek. If you like your fantasy full of elaborate quests, fast-talking thieves, plot twist upon plot twist, explosive magic, dragons, and nonstop action – starring a rogue with a heart of gold – then this is the trilogy for you.

And you’re not going to need to wait years for this epic trilogy to be completed: the fantasy saga will be entirely published before the end of this year. The new paperback edition of THE THOUSAND DEATHS OF ARDOR BENN, which features the phenomenal cover art by Ben Zweifel, will be on sale in October, followed by book two in November and book three in December.

Oct. 6th, 2020

Nov. 3rd, 2020

Dec. 1st, 2020

Liar. Thief. Legend.

Ardor Benn is no ordinary thief. Rakish, ambitious, and master of wildly complex heists, he styles himself a Ruse Artist Extraordinaire.

When he gets hired for his for the most daring ruse yet, Ardor knows he’ll need more than quick wit and sleight of hand. Assembling a dream team of forgers, disguisers, schemers, and thieves, he sets out to steal a crown from the most powerful king the realm has ever known.

But it soon becomes clear there’s much more at stake than fame and glory – Ard and his team might just be the last hope for human civilization.

Want to know more? Listen to an excerpt read by the author!

Design by Lauren Pane pinto
Illustration by Ben Zweifel

Cover Launch: MEMORIA by Kristyn Merbeth

To welcome you back to the star-studded, action-packed world of the Nova Vita system, we’re launching the incredible new cover for MEMORIA, the sequel to Kristyn Merbeth’s FORTUNA. In book two of this space opera trilogy, the Kaisers find themselves stuck on a planet on the brink of war. Once again, humanity is forced to rely on our favorite family of space smugglers to ensure that the system is not destroyed by fighting – or by the ancient alien technology that continues to threaten their peace.

Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

The Kaiser Family helped the Nova Vita system avoid a catastrophic multi-planet war, one that the Kaisers might have accidentally caused in the first place. In their wake, two planets have been left devastated by ancient alien technology.

Now, the Kaisers try to settle into their new lives as tenuous citizens of the serene water planet, Nibiru, but Scorpia Kaiser can never stay still. So, she takes another shady job. One that gives her a ship where spaceborn like her belong. 

But while Scorpia is always moving forward, Corvus can’t seem to leave his life as a soldier behind. Every planet in the system is vying to strip his razed home planet Titan of its remaining resources, and tensions are high. The Kaisers will need to discover the truth behind what happened on Gaia and Titan, or Corvus will be forced again to fight in an unwinnable war – and this time, all of Nova Vita is at stake.

Praise for FORTUNA:

“Kristyn Merbeth has created a desperate, gritty world in her newest book Fortuna, an epic space opera about the lengths a family will go to survive not only each other, but a world out to kill them . . . . Merbeth is a voice to watch in space opera!”  — K. B. Wagers, author of There Before the Chaos

“The narrative is powered by a cast of deeply developed characters. Scorpia, in particular, is impressively multidimensional . . . . The nonstop action and varying levels of tension make this an unarguable page-turner.”  — Kirkus

“Merbeth’s multiple narrators and plotlines converge beautifully into a suspenseful tale of family. The characters are distinct and grounded, and each interaction is filled with purpose and emotion that brings all of them, regardless of differences, into the fray together. SF fans who have been waiting for a crime family spin on space opera will find nothing but joy in this whirlwind story.”  — Publishers Weekly

“High energy, high stakes, and lots of high notes.”   — Library Journal

“Merbeth’s world building is fascinating-five human-settled planets, each distinct and littered with alien technology-but her multifaceted characters and their troubled relationships give this action-packed family drama its heart. A good readalike for Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles Vorkosigan books, John Scalzi’s Collapsing Empire (2017), and for those who want a grittier version of Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series.”  — Booklist

“This is an engaging start to a series that blends crime family drama with the sort of character-focused sci-fi that made Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series an award-winning favorite.”   — B&N Reads

“It’s everything you could ask for in a space opera.”   — The Arcanist 

Cover Launch: HOW TO RULE AN EMPIRE AND GET AWAY WITH IT by K. J. Parker

Are you a “hidden gems” person or a “blockbusters” person when you’re browsing Netflix? It’s fine to be both, of course, but if you’re in a “hidden gems” mood we think you might like to check out the books of K.J. Parker. A great place to start would be SIXTEEN WAYS TO DEFEND A WALLED CITY (US | UK). However, if you already know all there is to know about defending walled cities, maybe you’d be more interested in the messy business of ruling an empire? We’re delighted to present the cover for K.J.Parker’s new novel, HOW TO RULE AN EMPIRE AND GET AWAY WITH IT (US | UK), coming in August. It’s set in the same world as SIXTEEN WAYS, but entirely stand-alone. Essential reading for anybody thinking of changing direction and getting into empire-building.

Design by Lauren Panepinto

This is the story of how the City was saved, by Notker the professional liar, written down because eventually the truth always seeps through.

The City may be under siege, but everyone still has to make a living. Take Notker, the acclaimed playwright, actor and impresario. Nobody works harder, even when he’s not working. Thankfully, it turns out that people enjoy the theater just as much when there are big rocks falling out of the sky.

But Notker is a man of many talents, and all the world is, apparently, a stage. It seems that the Empire needs him – or someone who looks a lot like him – for a role that will call for the performance of a lifetime. At least it will guarantee fame, fortune and immortality. If it doesn’t kill him first.

Praise for SIXTEEN WAYS TO DEFEND A WALLED CITY:

“Full of invention and ingenuity . . . Great fun.” — SFX

“Launches a witty adventure series . . . Readers will appreciate the infusion of humor and fun-loving characters into this vivid and sometimes grim fantasy world.” — Publishers Weekly

“As with most of Parker’s work, there is a mel¬ancholy undercurrent that gives the humor weight. As heroes go, Orhan is a reluctant and flawed one . . . . [but] when Orhan works the problem, we can’t help but watch.” — Locus