Archive for Orbit UK

Cover Launch: INTO THE DYING LIGHT by Katy Rose Pool

Hearts will shatter, cities will fall, and a god will rise in INTO THE DYING LIGHT (UK|ANZ),  the spectacular conclusion to Katy Rose Pool’s Age of Darkness trilogy.

You’ll have to wait until September to get your hands on this YA fantasy blockbuster packed with magic, prophecy and adventure, but, in the meantime, feast your eyes on the stunning cover below.

 

Katy Rose Pool

 

Praise for the the Age of Darkness:

‘Masterful . . . Katy Rose Pool is a writer to watch’ Sebastien De Castell, author of Traitor’s Blade

‘Adventurous relic-hunting, mind-blowing twists, budding love and terrible betrayals feature in this multiple-narrator, character-driven study of power, agency and identity’ Kirkus (starred review)

‘Unforgettable . . . feels both utterly original and like the best of classic fantasy’ Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

‘Solidifies Katy Rose Pool’s status as one of the best fantasy writers of the 21st century’ Popsugar

‘Katy Rose Pool combines lovable characters, a gorgeously tangible world and an intricate puzzle-box plot to create a story that will pull you inexorably toward the explosive end’ Sarah Holland, New York Times bestselling author of Everless

If you haven’t discovered this remarkable series yet, there’s still time to dive in before book three arrives!

Katy Rose Pool

 

Cover Launch: FAR FROM THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN by Tade Thompson

We’re thrilled to announce that Arthur C. Clarke winner Tade Thompson is making a triumphant return to science fiction with FAR FROM THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN (US | UK: link coming soon), an unforgettable vision of humanity’s future among the stars. If you can’t wait until October 2021, head on over to io9 to see the spectacular cover and read an exclusive excerpt.

The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having travelled light years from home to bring one thousand sleeping souls to safety among the stars.

Some of the sleepers, however, will never wake – and a profound and sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel. Its skeleton crew are forced to make decisions that will have repercussions for all of humanity’s settlements – from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet of Bloodroot, to other far flung systems and indeed Earth itself.

Praise for Tade Thompson:

‘Tade Thompson is a writer of enormous heart and talent. Just brilliant’ Dave Hutchinson

‘Smart. Gripping. Fabulous!’ Ann Leckie on Rosewater

‘A magnificent tour de force, skilfully written and full of original and disturbing ideas’ Adrian Tchaikovsky on Rosewater

‘Mind-expanding and utterly addictive’ Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, on Rosewater

You can find Tade Thompson on Twitter @tadethompson.

Cover Launch: BLOOD OF THE CHOSEN by Django Wexler

Set in the ruins of an ancient, technologically advanced civilization, Django Wexler’s epic fantasy about two siblings on opposite sides of a magical civil war is bursting with imagination, magic, and mystery. Book one, ASHES OF THE SUN garnered praise from authors like Anthony Ryan who called it “A fast-paced and highly entertaining ride through a compelling and original world” and Nicholas Eames who said it was “Fantasy at its finest”.

Book two won’t be out until October 2021, but in the meantime, you can pre-order and get a load of this epic cover for BLOOD OF THE CHOSEN!

Art by Scott M. Fischer and cover design by Lauren Panepinto

In the second book of Django Wexler’s epic fantasy trilogy about two siblings divided by magic and revolution, Gyre must travel across the Splinter Kingdoms to rally the rebels to his side, while his sister Maya uncovers the secrets of a powerful artifact that could change everything.

Gyre finally sees a way to overthrow the all-powerful Twilight Order. But he’ll have to gain the alliance of both the ghouls and the human rebels to the south to even stand a chance. And uniting them won’t be so simple.

His sister Maya is still a soldier of the Order. But after clashing with her brother, she isn’t so certain where her loyalties lie. Chasing the origins of a mysterious artifact to a long-lost library, she just might find the answers she’s looking for.

Praise for Ashes of the Sun:

“Ashes of the Sun is fantasy at its finest: deliciously inventive, brimming with ancient evils, fallen empires, mysterious technology, and devastating magic. Best of all, however, are its characters, each one crafted with deliberate care and developed in meaningful ways as their story unfolds.”―Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“Magic, mutants, and mayhem abound in Django Wexler’s Ashes of the Sun, but there’s also plenty of brain food to be had in this tale of a post-catastrophe world suffering under the yoke of unbending authoritarian rule. A fast-paced and highly entertaining ride through a compelling and original world”―Anthony Ryan, NYT bestselling author of Blood Song

“Reminiscent of Final Fantasy, Masters of the Universe, and Moorcock’s The Jewel in the Skull, ASHES OF THE SUN is a science-fantasy adventure brimming with everything that is weird and wonderful about a world where magic and technology have fused in the fires of a fallen civilization.”―Jonathan French, author of The Grey Bastards

“Ashes of the Sun shows that Wexler is a master of high fantasy. His plotting and this post-apocalyptic setting will warp your mind!”―S. M. Stirling, NYT bestselling author

“Gorgeous writing, powerfully-drawn characters, and an exciting storyline!”―K.D. Edwards, Author of The Last Sun and The Hanged Man

“Exciting. Immersive. Epic. A perfect page turner and a phenomenal start to a new series.”―Peter Clines, author of The Fold and Ex-Heroes

“This is a book whose characters and world will stay with you well after the last page. Do yourself a favor and read it. Now.”―Douglas Hulick, author of Among Thieves and Sworn in Steel

“Ashes of the Sun uses awesome worldbuilding and complex, diverse characters to fuse the aesthetics of Star Wars with the brainfeel of Fullmetal Alchemist. Ancient secrets! Queer ladies! Snark! I demand a TV adaptation ASAP!”―Foz Meadows

“Ashes of the Sun is the best sort of fantasy. With fascinating characters, a richly realized world, and romances both steamy and adorable, Gyre and Maya are epic heroes you’ll want to know.”―Robyn Bennis, author of The Guns Above

“Ashes of the Sun brings to life an ancient world of magic broken by war. It’s a simmering post-apocalyptic fantasy that feels like the literary equivalent of a ticking time bomb. The book lights a fuse in its first few pages, slowly setting up stakes and a conflict big enough to break the bonds of love, loyalty, duty, and even family, all before the full burn of its last few chapters and the finale’s thunderous explosion.”―Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons

Cover Launch: CATALYST GATE by Megan E. O’Keefe

VELOCITY WEAPON (US | UK)  and CHAOS VECTOR (US | UK)  hooked readers with its huge space battles, intricate planetary politics, breakneck pacing, and bold plot twists. Now, with the third book on the horizon and the fate of the universe hanging in the balance, you can finally feast your eyes on the gorgeous cover for the final book in the trilogy:

With art by Sparth and design by Lauren Panepinto, this cover promises more heart-stopping action, more adventure, and more loveable AI from a master of modern science fiction. Pre-order it now (US |UK) Or start with the first book in the series (US | UK).

The universe is under threat and an ancient alien intelligence threatens to bring humanity down unless Major Sanda Greeve and her crew can stop it in the final book of this explosive Philip K. Dick award-nominated space opera.

The code has been cracked. The secrets of the Casimir gates have been revealed. But humanity still isn’t safe. The alien intelligence known as Rainier and her clones are still out there, hell-bent on its destruction. And only Sanda can stop them.

With the universe’s most powerful ship under her command and some of the most skilled hackers, fighters, and spies on her team, it will still take everything she has to find the key to taking down an immortal enemy with seemingly limitless bodies, resources, and power.

Acquisition Announcement: A MASTER OF DJINN by P. Djèlí Clark

Our friends at the Fantasy Inn shared the exciting news  that Orbit UK has acquired P. Djèlí Clark’s phenomenal debut novel, A MASTER OF DJINN (UK|ANZ).

Set in an alternate version of Cairo, where djinn live and work alongside people, A MASTER OF DJINN follows special investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi, as she tries to get to the bottom of a mysterious case involving magic and murder.

The good news is there’s not long to wait! A MASTER OF DJINN is set to publish in the UK this summer, with an early ebook in May followed by a paperback release in August. And if that isn’t enough to get you excited, here’s a few more reasons:

‘Clever, wickedly fun . . . with an excellent balance of humour and heart. I loved it’
S. A. Chakraborty, bestselling author of The City of Brass

‘A Master of Djinn has all the tricky twists I want in a police procedural and all the djinns, magic and wonder I want from fantasy’
Mary Robinette Kowal, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of The Calculating Stars

‘An epic tale of magic and mystery, this is sure to wow’
Publishers Weekly

‘A Master of Djinn is everything you might expect from Clark: cinematic action, a radical reimagining of real history, and magic on every page. I loved it’
Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

‘The kind of book you don’t want to put down’
Marie Brennan, World Fantasy and Hugo Award-nominated author

 

About the author:

Born in New York and raised mostly in Houston, P. Djèlí Clark spent the formative years of his life in the homeland of his parents, Trinidad and Tobago. He is the author of the novellas The Black God’s Drums; The Haunting of Tram Car 015 and A Dead Djinn in Cairo. His short story ‘The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington’ has earned him both a Nebula and Locus award. He currently resides in New England and ruminates on issues of diversity in speculative fiction. A Master of Djinn is his debut novel.

Follw P. Djeli Clark on Twitter at @pdjeliclark

Author photo by Le Image Inc., Brooklyn, NY

Cover Launch: THE QUICKSILVER COURT by Melissa Caruso

Bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic, Melissa Caruso’s wildly original fantasy series, Rooks and Ruin, continues with THE QUICKSILVER COURT.

You’ll have to wait until October 2021 to get your hands on this one, but, in the meantime, feast your eyes on The Quicksilver Court’s stunning cover.

Designed by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Art by Mike Heath/Magnus Creative

Ryxander, Warden of Gloamingard, has failed. Unsealed by her blood, the Door hidden within the black tower has opened. Now, for the first time since the age of the Graces, demons walk the world.

As tensions grow between nations, all eyes—and daggers—are set on Morgrain, which has fallen under the Demon of Discord’s control. When an artifact with the power to wipe out all life in a domain is stolen, Ryx will do whatever it takes to save her home from destruction. But success may demand a larger sacrifice from Ryx than she could have imagined.

Praise for Rooks and Ruin

“Populated by a vibrant cast of characters and an intricate setting that’s practically a character itself, The Obsidian Tower deftly balances two of my favorite things: razor-sharp politics and characters investigating weird, dark magic. A must-read for all fantasy fans.”―Emily A. Duncan, author of New York Times bestseller Wicked Saints

“Block out time to binge this can’t-stop story filled with danger and unexpected disaster. From the fresh take on time-honored tropes to a crunchy, intrigue-filled story, The Obsidian Tower is a must-read for lovers of high fantasy.”―C. L. Polk, World Fantasy award-winning author of Witchmark

“With The Obsidian Tower, [Melissa Caruso] hits another level in terms of prose and tension. This is a truly excellent fantasy, and an epic beginning for a new trilogy.”―Locus

“A classic, breathtaking adventure brimful of dangerous magic and clever politics. This is a book that will thrill and delight any fantasy fan.”―Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

“Brimming with delights: gripping suspense, bombastic magic, political scheming, fascinating creatures, and ill-advised romance. Yet what I love most is that at its heart, it is simply the story of a young woman opening herself up to the world and embracing her own potential.”―Jon Skovron, author of The Ranger of Marzanna

Cover Launch: NOTES FROM THE BURNING AGE by Claire North

We’re thrilled to unveil the cover for a phenomenal new novel from Claire North. Presenting the stunning look for Notes from the Burning Age (UK | US | ANZ), illustrated by Leo Nickolls and designed by Siobhan Hooper at Little, Brown Book Group.

Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North book cover

Notes from the Burning Age will release worldwide this July and is available for pre-order now (UK | US | ANZ). You can also read a press release about the acquisition below!

Orbit acquires award-winning North’s Notes from the Burning Age

Orbit UK has acquired a new novel from the multi-award winning Claire North entitled Notes from the Burning Age, described by the publisher as ‘a spellbinding speculative fiction novel set in a future utopian society that is thrilling, moving and thought-provoking in equal measure’.

Meg Davis at the Ki Agency sold World Rights to Publisher Anna Jackson at Orbit UK, who will publish alongside sister imprint Orbit US in a co-ordinated global release this July.

Claire North is a pseudonym for the author Catherine Webb. Her first book under the Claire North name was the word-of-mouth bestseller The First Fifteen lives of Harry August, which is currently being adapted as movie by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners and will be directed by ‘Maze Runner’ director Wes Ball.

North has since published several critically acclaimed novels and won the World Fantasy Award and the John W. Campbell Award, and has been shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, the Locus Award and the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award. Her novels have sold over 750,000 copies in the English language and have been sold in translation in over 20 territories.

Acquiring editor Jackson says ‘Claire continues to amaze me with the scope of her imagination, and Notes from the Burning Age really wowed me with its sheer brilliance and originality. Set in an age after the world has burned, it’s a visionary tale that asks whether humankind can change the paths we seem fated to follow. Claire has already achieved so much in her writing career to date, and this book is going to take her to new heights.’

Cover Launch: THE FIRST OMEGA by Megan E. O’Keefe

Megan E. O’Keefe proved she’s a science fiction master with her debut trilogy The Protectorate and now she’s bringing her prodigious talents to bear in this razor-sharp, action-packed new dystopian novella: The First Omega. Get excited to meet Riley—a hunter of men, a protector of the wasteland, and a goddamn force of nature—on March 30th.

Cover design by Lauren Panepinto and Lisa Marie Pompilio
Cover images by Shutterstock

Mad Max meets X-Men in this high-octane new dystopian novella by the Philip K Dick award-nominated author of Velocity Weapon.

It doesn’t matter what you call her. Riley. Burner. She forgot her name long ago. But if you steal from the supply lines crossing the wasteland, her face is the last one you’ll see. She is the force of nature that keeps the balance in the hot arid desert. Keep to yourself and she’ll leave you well enough alone. But it’s when you try to take more than you can chew that her employers notice and send her off to restore the balance. Then she gets the latest call. A supply truck knocked over too cleanly. Too precise. And the bodies scattering the wreckage weren’t killed by her normal prey of scavengers. These bodies are already rotting hours after the attack. Cowering in the corner of the wreckage is a young girl. A girl that shouldn’t be there. A girl with violently blue eyes. Just like hers.

Want to read more from the author? Check out VELOCITY WEAPON (US | UK) book one of The Protectorate.

Cover Launch: THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG by K. S. Villoso

In this incredible finale to the critically acclaimed Chronicles of the Bitch Queen series, Queen Talyien finally takes back her throne – and what a sight it is to behold. Feast your eyes on this glorious cover, depicting Talyien at the peak of her power, determined to unite her people against the enemies who threaten to tear her country apart. #HailTheBitchQueen indeed!

Art by Simon Goinard. Design by Lauren Panepinto

THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG  (US | UK) releases in May.

Queen Talyien is finally home, but dangers she never imagined await her in the shadowed halls of her father’s castle.

War is on the horizon. Her son has been stolen from her, her warlords despise her, and across the sea, a cursed prince threatens her nation with invasion in order to win her hand. 

Worse yet, her father’s ancient secrets are dangerous enough to bring Jin-Sayeng to ruin. Dark magic tears rifts in the sky, preparing to rain down madness, chaos, and the possibility of setting her nation aflame.

Bearing the brunt of the past and uncertain about her future, Talyien will need to decide between fleeing her shadows or embracing them before the whole world becomes an inferno.

Praise for The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen

“The power plays are woven tightly into the action, as Villoso broadens her worldbuilding and adds some surprising twists … A must for epic fantasy readers.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“Villoso crafts believable, complex characters and spices up the politics with dragons and magic. Fantasy readers will enjoy this intricate epic and be pleased by the broadening scope of the series.” —Publishers Weekly 

“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

“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

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

Art by Simon Goinard. Design by Lauren Panepinto

 

Cover Launch: THE FREE BASTARDS by Jonathan French

Following the runaway success of Jonathan French’s critically acclaimed fantasy debut, THE GREY BASTARDS, and its sequel, THE TRUE BASTARDS, comes the third comes the third and final novel in the Lot Lands series, THE FREE BASTARDS. Feast your eyes on the epic cover below, designed by Larry Rostant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lot Lands series has taken the fantasy world by storm with its brilliant bawdy characters, bloodthirsty action, exhilarating pace and sharp-as-hell sense of humour. And the half-orcs have come on quite the journey since this series began with THE GREY BASTARDS.

Now, in this hugely dramatic third and final book, Oats will take centre stage and events are about to reach a crescendo. Bastards fans – saddle up and get ready for one hell of a ride. THE FREE BASTARDS publishes in September 2021 and is available for pre-order now.

If you haven’t encountered the hog-mounted half-orcs known as the Bastards yet, it’s time you made their acquaintance. Check out the first two novels in the Lot Lands series below. And as the saying goes:

LIVE IN THE SADDLE, DIE ON THE HOG.

THE GREY BASTARDS | THE TRUE BASTARDS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise for the Lot Lands:

‘An addictively readable – and undeniably cool – fantasy masterwork’ Kirkus

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

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

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

Jonathan French is on Twitter @JFrenchAuthor