Archive for Orbit US

Cover launch: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

The Princess Bride meets You’ve Got Mail in THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCY by Megan Bannen, an enchantingly quirky enemies to lovers fantasy rom-com.
Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Hart Ralston is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the wasteland of Tanria, hunting for drudges. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy Birdsall never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat – despite definitely not being a son – in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart Ralston, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the unlikely pen pals grow closer, so does the danger posed by the drudges. And suddenly their old animosity seems so small compared to what they might be able to do: end the drudges forever. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?

Cover launch: THE HUNGER OF THE GODS by John Gwynne

Sharpen your axes – it’s time to return to the Battle-Plain!

Orbit is thrilled to reveal the cover for THE HUNGER OF THE GODS, the action-packed second novel in John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn series, which began with THE SHADOW OF THE GODS (UK/US). Prepare to continue this sweeping adventure of myth, magic and bloody vengeance . . .

Design by Bekki Guyatt, art by Marcus Whinney

 

Publishing in April 2022, THE HUNGER OF THE GODS is available for pre-order now (UK/US)

Here’s a little taste of what to expect . . .

 

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest.

As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own – and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance.

Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her.

Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon.

Their only hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead . . . and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth.

 

 

Praise for The Bloodsworn series:

‘A masterfully crafted, brutally compelling Norse-inspired epic’ Anthony Ryan

‘Visceral, heart-breaking and unputdownable’ Jay Kristoff

‘A world stunning in its immensity’ Robin Hobb

‘A masterclass in storytelling . . . epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart’ FanFiAddict

‘Quintessential Gwynne honed to perfection . . . The Shadow of the Gods is absolutely stunning, one hell of an epic series opener and a spectacular dose of Viking-flavoured fantasy’ The Tattooed Book Geek

‘Reminds me of all that I love in the fantasy genre. The Shadow of the Gods is an action-packed cinematic read’ Fantasy Hive

 

John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He’s played double bass in a rock ‘n’ roll band and travelled the USA and Canada. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne, where he is part of a Viking re-enactment group. When not writing he can often be found standing in a shield wall with his three sons about him.

Follow John on Twitter and Instagram.

Cover launch: ONE FOOT IN THE FADE by Luke Arnold

We’re excited to launch the newest cover for the Fetch Phillips series! A world recovers from losing its magic in this brilliantly-voiced contemporary fantasy series by Luke Arnold – perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch or Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.

AN ANGEL FALLS IN SUNDER CITY…

In a city that lost its magic, an angel falls in a downtown street. His wings are feathered, whole – undeniably magical – the man clearly flew, for all that he plummeted to his death moments after.

The mystery will set Fetch – in his quest to bring magic back to his beloved city – on a journey involving necromancers, djinn and shadowy secret societies. Fetch will search Sunder’s wildest forests and dingiest dive bars for the answer, and when he finds it, nothing will ever be the same again.

The Book cover for One Foot in the Fade, a fantasy by Luke Arnold. Cover shows a corss section of a fantasy map

 

banner showing the three Fetch Phillips covers so far

The new cover art is by Patrick Knowles, and was designed at Little, Brown Book Group by Matt Byrne.

Praise for this series:

‘Verve and charm in abundance’ Andrew Caldecott, author of Rotherweird

‘The first instalment of an effortlessly readable series that could be the illegitimate love child of Terry Pratchett and Dashiell Hammett’ Kirkus

‘[A] standout debut . . . winningly combining the grit of Chinatown with the quirky charm of Harry Potter, this series opener is sure to have readers coming back for more’ Publishers Weekly

‘This book was a marvellous noir voice; Luke Arnold has captured the spirit of the genre perfectly and wrapped it around a fantasy setting with consummate skill’ Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones

‘Sunder City [is] an evocative creation, it has echoes of Ankh-Morpork, but also a broken melancholy all of its own’ SFX

 

neon sign advertising character as a P.I.

Acquisition Announcement: Empire of Exiles

Photo credit: Kevin Goodier

Enter a world where the history of a broken empire is sealed inside the mysterious Imperial Archives, where mages and librarians unearth the secrets of magical artifacts, historic tomes, and powerful relics. And what they uncover just may be the key to revealing a conspiracy that could topple the empire once and for all.

We’re thrilled to announce the acquisition of EMPIRE OF EXILES by Erin M. Evans. EMPIRE OF EXILES has everything you’re looking for in your next epic fantasy read – a stunning tale of revolution, wonderfully unique fantasy races and cultures, wise-cracking apprentices and fierce librarian-sorcerers, and a mystery around every corner of the lush world.

We can’t wait to bring you EMPIRE OF EXILES next year—in the meantime, please join us in welcoming Erin M. Evans to Orbit! Follow along for updates on Twitter at @erinmevans.

Twenty-seven years ago, a Duke with a grudge led a ruthless coup against the empire of Semilla, killing thousands. He failed. The Duke was executed, a terrifyingly powerful sorcerer was imprisoned, and an unwilling princess disappeared.

The empire moved on.

Now, when Quill, an apprentice scribe, arrives in the capital city, he believes he’s on a simple errand for another pompous noble: fetch ancient artifacts from the magical Imperial Archives. He’s always found his apprenticeship to be dull work. But these aren’t just any artifacts — these are the instruments of revolution, the banners under which the Duke lead his coup.

Just as the artifacts are unearthed, the city is shaken by a brutal murder that seems to have been caused by a weapon not seen since the days of rebellion.

Since Quill is the only reliable witness to the murder, and no one in power believes his story, he must join with a young mage, a seasoned archivist, and a disillusioned detective to find the truth of the attack. And what they uncover will be the key to saving the empire – or destroying it for good.

 

Orbit US editor Bradley Englert acquired North American rights from Bridget Smith of JABberwocky Literary Agency.

Acquisition Announcement: The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft

Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of a brand new series from author Josiah Bancroft, the brilliant mind behind Senlin Ascends and The Books of Babel, the phenomenon fantasy series described as “future classics” (Los Angeles Times).

The Hexologists introduces us to a new world and the dynamic duo of Hexologists Iz and Warren Wilby: two private investigators who solve magical problems with magical solutions. While their usual quests are never more alarming than the occasional incubi infestation or mournful ghost haunting, their latest mission has given them an impossible task: save the king himself.

While you eagerly await the arrival of this newest arcane mystery series, you can find out more about Josiah Bancroft at his website thebooksofbabel.com.

For an early peek at Iz and Warren’s first adventure, read on!

Iz and Warren Wilby are quite accustomed to helping desperate clients with the bugbears of city life. Aided by hexes and a bag of charmed relics, the Wilbies have recovered children abducted by chimney-wraiths, removed infestations of barb-nosed incubi, and ventured into the Gray Plains of the Unmade to soothe a troubled ghost. Well-acquainted with the weird, the Hexologists never shy away from a challenging case.

But when they are approached by the royal secretary and told the king pleads to be baked into a cake—going so far as to wedge himself inside a lit oven—the Wilbies soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery that could very well see the nation turned on its head. Their effort to expose a royal secret buried under forty years of lies brings them nose to nose with a violent antiroyalist gang, avaricious ghouls, alchemists who draw their power from a hell-like dimension, and a bookish dragon who only occasionally eats people.

Armed with a love toughened by adversity and a stick of chalk that can conjure light from the darkness, hope from the hopeless, Iz and Warren Wilby are ready for whatever springs from the alleys, graves, and shadows next.

 

Orbit US editor Bradley Englert acquired World English rights to the books from Ian Drury of Sheil Land Associates. Orbit UK editor Emily Byron has secured UK rights.

The Book of Gothel is now available for pre-order!

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

Cover launch: The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope

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. 

Acquisition announcement: NOTORIOUS SORCERER by Davinia Evans

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.

 

Cover launch: Eversion by Alastair Reynolds

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.