LEVIATHAN WAKES and RULE 34 are 2012 Locus Award Finalists!
Locus yesterday announced the 2012 Locus Award finalists, including James S.A. Corey’s Leviathan Wakes (US | UK | ANZ) and Charles Stross’s Rule 34 (UK | ANZ) for Science Fiction!
Archive for Orbit UK
Cover launch: BITTER SEEDS by Ian Tregillis
In July we’re extremely excited to be publishing Ian Tregillis’s acclaimed debut novel Bitter Seeds – a sinister reimagining of the Second World War in which scientifically-enhanced German superhumans clash with chilling sorcery. Or, as Cory Doctorow puts it, “Mad English warlocks battling twisted Nazi psychics? Yes please, thank you.”
We’ll talk a little more about this brilliant book nearer the time of release; for now, here’s the front cover in all its gritty military glory, courtesy of our designer Sean Garrehy (who as always has done a superb job).
New Regional Facebook Pages
We are pleased to announce a new way to get the latest news from all of us at Orbit. Orbit Books now has four Facebook pages sharing news, exclusive deals, and giveaways to readers specific to Orbit’s publishing imprints around the world.
Stealing from the fantastic past
Did you know that Henry VIII, famously infamous Tudor king of England, was the first English monarch to build a public toilet block? Well, he was. And if you’re wondering why he built it, that’s because he couldn’t stop his male courtiers from pissing inside his palace.
Hard to believe, isn’t it? Henry was the most magnificent, the most awe-inspiring, the most kingly king England had seen in a very long time. He was charismatic, athletic, intellectual . . . and ruthless. Everyone remembers him for the six wives and the two beheadings. What a lot of people don’t know is that he also had executed – or judicially murdered – more people than any monarch before him, or after. Over two hundred people killed: men, women, young, old, guilty – or simply inconvenient. They died because Henry wanted them dead.
And yet . . . despite his indisputable, terrifying power . . . he couldn’t stop his male courtiers from pissing inside his palace. On the floor, up the walls, in the corners – they were incorrigible, those male courtiers. And Henry couldn’t stop them. He couldn’t stop the massive thieving by his servants, either. His household budget was always ridiculously in the red because he couldn’t stop his underlings from pinching things, double-dipping, fudging accounts, eating more than their fair share, selling food out of the kitchens.
More power than any man or woman in his kingdom . . . and still, Henry was powerless. An extraordinary paradox, isn’t it? Surprising. Intriguing. (more…)
Wallpapers for 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
So… I’ve been sitting on this project for quite some time now and super excited to show you. 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (UK | US | AUS) is one of those projects that immediately hit home with me. You’ll be able to read more about the design and development of the cover in the coming week. But for now, you get to adorn your digital devices with the in-your-face art from this epic book.
Here’s all the wallpaper download links…if anyone needs a specific dimension made, let us know!
1024 x 768 | 1280 x 800 | 1440 x 900 | 1680 x 1050 |1920 x 1200 | iPhone | iPad | Facebook
N. K. Jemisin’s new fantasy novel, THE KILLING MOON, is out now!
At the end of 2010, a manuscript dropped into my inbox. It was from Lucienne Diver, who said that it “knocked her socks off.”
I was curious as I do love Lucienne’s taste (being the agent for Carol Berg, Lynn Flewelling, & Rachel Caine to name a few). I was slow to realize that this Nora’s next novel that she’d been working on!
Nora , whom some of you might know better as N.K. Jemisin, is the Locus Award-winning and World-Fantasy, Hugo & Nebula nominated author of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, The Broken Kingdoms & The Kingdom of Gods.
The novel that was then newly submitted eventually came to be called THE KILLING MOON (US/UK/AUS) and it was everything Lucienne said and more. Exotic, thrilling and thoroughly mesmerizing, it will, even more than her first three novels, establish her as a writer to watch. But don’t trust me – just check out the early praise below!
“The Killing Moon is a great tale of magic, religion and war but it’s also a story of all the hard lessons and choices growing up entails, no matter how old you are in terms of years. Beautifully written and brought to life The Dreamblood duology is sure to cement Jemisin’s place as one of the most exciting and innovative new fantasy authors of recent years.”
—io9
“Jemisin’s gripping series launch immerses readers in an unfamiliar but enthralling world as well as a rousing political and supernatural adventure.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Absolutely fascinating.”
—RT BookReviews
If you’d like a bit more about the novel:
In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and amongst the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers – the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe . . . and kill those judged corrupt.
But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh’s great temple, Ehiru – the most famous of the city’s Gatherers – must question everything he knows. Someone, or something, is stalking its prey both in Gujaareh’s alleys and the realm of dreams. Ehiru must now protect the woman he was sent to kill – or watch the city be devoured by war and forbidden magic.
And read the first chapter here!
An Interview of James S. A. Corey by Daniel Abraham
DANIEL: Well. This is odd, isn’t it? I mean, I’ve done interviews before, but seeing that I’m half of the team that writes as “James S. A. Corey” and you are James S. A. Corey, this whole project feels a little meta.
JIMMY: Eh. Meta’s for chumps. Meta and twee have been what’s wrong with science fiction for decades. You got me here to ask questions, ask questions. I’ll answer ’em. I got nothing to hide.
DANIEL: All right. So Leviathan Wakes is the first book in the Expanse series. That’s been out for almost a year now. How has your view of the book changed since it came out?
JIMMY: More distance, mostly. It’s not like I go back and reread it. Did that enough when it was in production. The editing pass, the copy edits, the galley proofs. I still go back if there’s something I’m looking for, but you have to understand, I’m coming in sight of the end of the third book. The opening page of Leviathan Wakes is a long way from here. Like what I remember, though. Not a bad book. Still love that cover though.
Robert Jackson Bennett wins an Edgar!
Last night Robert Jackson Bennett took home the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original for his novel The Company Man (US |
UK | ANZ). You can see the MWA‘s press release here. Earlier this month, The Company Man also received the Special Citation of Excellence from the Philip K. Dick Award. Congratulations, Robert!
Don’t miss Robert’s most recent novel, The Troupe (US | UK | ANZ), which came out in February. And if you didn’t watch it yesterday, now’s a good time to check out the book trailer for Robert’s… next project.
Robert Jackson Bennett Gets Personal
Robert Jackson Bennett, author of The Troupe (US | UK | ANZ), recently took some time out of his busy writing schedule to introduce us to his new project.
When someone asked me what I would title my autobiography, I immediately said, A Sexual Experience: The Robert Jackson Bennett Story. This produced a sprinkling of light applause in the room, and I decided it’d be cruel of me to limit my sexual charisma to a story all about myself. It’d be like clipping the wings of a beautiful parrot, or setting a whale on fire, or something.
So I knew it would have to be a novel.
Now, Orbit does not publish such sublimely graphic material – and nor does any publishing house catering to the North American market – but they have kindly given me the opportunity of pitching my novel directly to you, the reader.
So, please enjoy. And you may want to wear oven mitts while you watch this – it often inspires people to… massage themselves.
Robert’s The Company Man (US | UK | ANZ) received a Special Citation of Excellence from the Philip K. Dick Award earlier this month, and is up for an Edgar Award for Best Original Paperback tonight, April 26th!
An excerpt (or two) from Mira Grant’s BLACKOUT
Chapter one of Mira Grant’s Blackout, the final book in her Newsflesh trilogy, is now available on io9! WARNING: this excerpt contains HUGE spoilers for the first two books. Proceed with caution.
Today, an intrepid Newsie hacked into the CDC computer system and liberated another file. For this one, though, you’ll have to do a little digging…
Each of these five blogs has part of the code you’ll need to access this second, top-secret document:
Rose-Owls and Pumpkin Girls (The Journal of Seanan McGuire)
The Mary Sue
Sword & Laser
SF Signal
Fantasy Café
Once you’ve gathered all five codes, you can access the encrypted document here on the Orbit site.