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THE HYDROGEN SONATA by Iain M. Banks is a Sunday Times Bestseller!

Iain M. Banks’s brilliant new Culture novel THE HYDROGEN SONATA (UK | US | ANZ), just published last week, is delighting fans and critics alike and will hit #4 on the Sunday Times bestseller chart this weekend. Everyone at Orbit would like to offer our congratulations to Iain for this wonderful achievement, which continues the stellar success of the Culture novels.

THE HYDROGEN SONATA has already received some high praise:

“Banks has created one of the most enduring and endearing visions of the future . . . The Hydrogen Sonata confirms his pre-eminence in the field” – GUARDIAN

“Fantastically good fun that throws in some big ideas about life, the universe and everything” – SCIFI NOW

“Banks’s charming prose and the scale of his imagination continue to delight Culture vultures” – SFX

“The action tumbles along at a dizzying pace, bouncing among a fascinating array of characters and locales. It’s easy to see why Banks’s fertile, cheerfully nihilistic imagination and vivid prose have made the Culture space operas bestsellers and award favorites” – PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY (starred review)

Iain has had a busy couple of weeks, taking part in a Google Hangout with fellow SF authors Peter F. Hamilton and Alistair Reynolds, before embarking on a UK signing tour that took in several cities and included an appearance at Manchester Literary Festival. Many thanks to everyone who attended!

Iain at his Waterstones Piccadilly signing

Iain with Paul and Marc from UK genre website Fantasy Faction

Orbit @ New York Comic Con

Orbit is going to New York Comic Con! We’ll be in the Hachette booth, #1027, with giveaways, raffles, and several author events, so be sure to stop by if you’re in town. Here’s the schedule of events:

 Friday, October 12

1 PM: Kate Locke signing GOD SAVE THE QUEEN @ booth 1027
4 PM: Nicole Peeler signing TEMPEST’S FURY and TEMPEST RISING @ booth 1027
4 PM: Senior editor Devi Pillai will be on the panel “Publisher’s Paradise: Adult Publisher Spotlight” in Rm. 1A06

Saturday, October 13

12:15 PM: Nicole Peeler will be on the panel “Myth Mixology: How Urban Fantasists Create the Perfect Cocktail” in Rm. 1A08
1:30 PM: Creative director Lauren Panepinto will be on the panel “Ladies Who Steam: The Publishing Industry on Women in Steampunk” in Rm. 1A01

Sunday, October 14

11 AM: Michael J. Sullivan will be signing THEFT OF SWORDS @ booth 1027
4 PM: Michael J. Sullivan will be on the panel “The Brave New World of E-Book Publishing” in Rm. 1A07

We’ll also be running raffles every day of the convention, with prizes including books by Gail Carriger, Joe Abercrombie, Iain M. Banks, and Rachel Aaron. See you there!

Introducing THE HYDROGEN SONATA by Iain M. Banks

This doesn’t seem possible to me, but Iain M. Banks’ first Culture novel, CONSIDER PHLEBAS (UK | US | AUS), was published 25 years ago – making this year, according to our calculations, the 25th anniversary of the Culture. For anyone who has experienced the ridiculous awesomeness of the Culture novels, this is of course a rather special occasion demanding a hearty cheer at the very least – and a large statue at most. Or something in between, such as these cupcakes we made to celebrate in our own way.

But what better way to celebrate than with a brand new Culture novel? None! Conveniently released this month around the world, THE HYDROGEN SONATA (UK | US | AUS)  is a science fiction-shaped marvel that is already grabbing the attention of reviewers. Look at these for starters:

“This rich, sweeping panorama of heroism and folly celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Culture, Banks’s far-future semi-utopian society…. The action tumbles along at a dizzying pace, bouncing among a fascinating array of characters and locales. It’s easy to see why Banks’s fertile, cheerfully nihilistic imagination and vivid prose have made the Culture space operas bestsellers and award favorites.” — Publishers Weekly

“Banks’ Culture yarns … brim with wit and wisdom, providing incomparable entertainment, with fascinating and highly original characters, challenging ideas and extrapolations, and dazzling action seamlessly embedded in a satirical-comedy matrix.” — Kirkus Reviews

“One of Banks’ best Culture novels to date.” — Booklist

“A supremely enjoyable read … Banks’ charming prose and the scale of his imagination continue to delight Culture vultures” – SFX

“It’s fantastically good fun” — SciFi Now

To help celebrate the release of THE HYDROGEN SONATA and the 25th anniversary of the Culture, you have three basic options:

  1. Say, “Hip, hip, hurrah for the Culture!”
  2. Read the first chapter of THE HYDROGEN SONATA here.
  3. Try to make Culture cupcakes better than ours.

Choose wisely.

 

The Orbit UK team celebrates 25 years of the Culture series with Iain M. Banks!

Photos From Brent Weeks’s UK Tour!

After two weeks spent travelling around the US on his 15-date book-signing tour, Brent Weeks hopped across the pond to meet his UK fans and sign copies of his New York Times bestselling novel THE BLINDING KNIFE [UK | US | ANZ].

Brent’s UK tour took in nine cities in eight days and involved hundreds of fans who enjoyed a brilliant reading (with a shocking twist for which his editor still hasn’t forgiven him!) before chatting with Brent and getting their books signed. Brent also spent a full day at Fantasycon in Brighton, where he was a Guest of Honour and took part in a variety of panels.

We thought the tour was a huge success – thanks to everyone who attended! – and Brent clearly thought so too:

Here are some photos from Brent’s week in the UK.

We thought we ought to help Brent acclimatise to the UK, so before his tour began we invited him and his wife Kristi along to Orbit HQ in London where we drank tea while discussing the weather.

Brent’s first call of duty was a signing at Forbidden Planet’s flagship store in London, where a huge crowd turned up to meet him. (more…)

ARALORN & Mercy Thompson pin-up calendar!

Aralorn, an omnibus edition of two fantasy novels from Patricia Briggs, author of the Mercy Thompson booksTomorrow sees the release of ARALORN (UK | ANZ) from the multi-talented Patricia Briggs. It’s an omnibus edition of two gripping fantasy novels: Masques and Wolfsbane.

Aralorn’s a shapeshifter who rejects her noble birthright to live a life of adventure as a mercenary spy. (Check out the blurb here!)

I loved these novels and I’m pretty sure anyone who likes the Mercy Thompson books will really enjoy this too. Aralorn might be living in a different age to Mercy Thompson, but rest assured – she’s just as badass . . .

And speaking of Mercy Thompson, check out her recently released hot pic that will feature in an upcoming in this literary pin-up calendar. It’s drawn by the artistic genius Lee Moyer.

Image of Mercy Thompson, a character from Patricia Briggs' novels, featured in a literary pin-up calendar drawn by Lee Moyer and organised by Patrick Rothfuss
Image by Lee Moyer

The calendar’s being arranged by Patrick Rothfuss, and via his own charity Worldbuilders, the proceeds are going to a very worthwhile cause: Heifer International, who work with communities to end hunger and poverty throughout the world.

These calendars are going to be very sought after indeed, featuring twelve sizzling-hot babes from the novels of some of the most popular fantasy authors around – such as Jim Butcher, Neil Gaiman, Charlaine Harris, Jacqueline Carey, Terry Pratchett, George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb and N. K. Jemisin.

So it looks like Mercy and her trusty cross wrench will be in good company . . .

Google Hangout Video – Featuring Iain M. Banks, Peter F. Hamilton and Alistair Reynolds

Last night Google’s UK headquarters in London bore witness to a very special event: a discussion between the UK’s three biggest SF writers, Iain M. Banks, Peter F. Hamilton and Alistair Reynolds. Eight lucky fans from across the world – who were all lucky enough to win a competition to join the conversation – sat in on the debate and supplied questions.

The hour-long discussion covered a wide range of subjects, such as worldbuilding versus characterisation, approaches to writing and the future of science fiction in an increasingly digital age. The entire hour-long session was watched live by hundreds of fans and was also filmed. Many thanks to the Google crew for their hospitality and for making the event possible!

Iain M. Banks is on tour in the UK next week, signing copies of his brilliant new Culture novel THE HYDROGEN SONATA [UK | US | ANZ] – the events are as follows:

Weds 3rd October – Waterstones Piccadilly, London, 7pm
Thurs 4th – Toppings & co., Bath, 8pm
Fri 5th – Waterstones, Yeovil, 1pm
Fri 5th – Waterstones Galleries, Bristol, 7.30pm
Weds 10th – Waterstones West End, Edinburgh, 6pm
Thurs 11th – Manchester Literature Festival, 7pm
Fri 12th – Formby Books, Liverpool, 7pm

THE CROWN TOWER by Michael J. Sullivan

The Crown TowerWe are excited to announce the next book by Michael Sullivan, THE CROWN TOWER! Orbit will be publishing worldwide in August 2013!  It is the first book in the Riyria Chronicles and it will be a two book series, with the second novel, THE ROSE AND THORN, following soon after.

Two men who hate each other. One impossible mission. A legend in the making.

Hadrian, a warrior with nothing to fight for is paired with a thieving assassin, Royce, with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm’s most prized possessions. But it isn’t gold or jewels that the old wizard is after, and if he can just keep them from killing each other, they just might do it.

For more information, please see Michael Sullivan’s website here.

Theft of SwordsRise of Empire

Heir of Novron

Cover art by Larry Rostant, visit his website to see his full portfolio. 

Cover Launch: COLD DAYS by Jim Butcher

In November we’re thrilled to be publishing COLD DAYS [UK | ANZ] – the latest Harry Dresden novel from New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, Jim Butcher.

We’ll talk excitedly about COLD DAYS nearer the time of release, but for now here’s the wonderfully atmospheric cover:

A man in a hat holding a gun, against a snowy background

COLD DAYS publishes on 29 November 2012 in both hardback and ebook formats.

A MEMORY OF LIGHT prologue ‘By Grace and Banners Fallen’ – available 2 October 2012

Orbit UK is thrilled to announce that we can release an early ebook edition of “By Grace and Banners Fallen”, the prologue to A MEMORY OF LIGHT [UK | ANZ] on 2 October 2012, ahead of publication of the hardback next January. This early ebook version of the prologue will be available in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and all our international markets where Orbit UK digital editions are usually sold.

A MEMORY OF LIGHT, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, is the final book in the phenomenally successful Wheel of Time series, which for the last twenty years has enthralled millions of readers around the world.

And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again, that the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and the green things failed, and hope died.

From Charal Drianaan te Calamon, The Cycle of the Dragon

In the Field of Merrilor the rulers of the nations gather to join behind Rand al’Thor, or to stop him from his plan to break the seals on the Dark One’s prison – which may be a sign of his madness, or the last hope of humankind. Egwene, the Amyrlin Seat, leans toward the former.

In Andor, the Trollocs seize Caemlyn.

In the wolf dream, Perrin Aybara battles Slayer.

Approaching Ebou Dar, Mat Cauthon plans to visit his wife Tuon, now Fortuona, Empress of the Seanchan.

All humanity is in peril – and the outcome will be decided in Shayol Ghul itself. The Wheel is turning and the Age is coming to its end. The Last Battle will determine the fate of the world . . .

A MEMORY OF LIGHT publishes in hardback on 8 January 2013.