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Acquisition Announcement: ONE DARK WINDOW by Rachel Gillig

My magic moves. My magic bites. My magic soothes. My magic frights. You are young, and not so bold. I am unflinching—five hundred years old.

Like an epic ballad or a passed-down spell, Rachel Gillig’s debut fantasy ONE DARK WINDOW bewitched us completely. Orbit is thrilled to have acquired this lush, atmospheric fantasy and its sequel, perfect for readers of Uprooted and The Year of the Witching. Read on for more about this gorgeously dark fantasy with gothic inspirations:

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Get excited for ONE DARK WINDOW to publish in winter 2022, and in the meantime give a warm welcome to author Rachel Gillig on Instagram @rmgillig, Twitter @rachelgillig, and her website rachelgillig.com!

ICYMI: THE BODY SCOUT by Lincoln Michel

Orbit is thrilled to share the cover for Lincoln Michel’s diamond-sharp sci-fi neo-noir, THE BODY SCOUT. When his brother is murdered at home plate, a hardboiled baseball scout will have to plumb the underbelly of a New York transformed by climate change body modification to get revenge—but this is a game far bigger and more dangerous than he could have imagined.

Lithub unveiled the striking cover for The Body Scout, designed by Orbit’s own Lauren Panepinto, along with an early excerpt—click through for a sneak peek of the first chapter!

The Body Scout will be out in print, ebook, and audio in October. Read on for a short description of this unmissable near-future thriller:

In the future you can have anybody you want–as long as you can afford it.

In a New York ravaged by climate change and repeat pandemics, Kobo is barely scraping by. He scouts the latest in gene-edited talent for Big Pharma-owned baseball teams, but his own cybernetics are a decade out of date and twin sister loan sharks are banging down his door. Things couldn’t get much worse.

Then his adoptive brother—Monsanto Mets slugger J.J. Zunz—is murdered at home plate.

Determined to find the killer, Kobo plunges into a world of genetically modified CEOs, philosophical Neanderthals, and back-alley body modification, only to quickly find he’s in a game far bigger and more corrupt than he imagined. To keep himself together while the world is falling apart, he’ll have to navigate a time when both body and soul are sold to the highest bidder.

Diamond-sharp and savagely wry, The Body Scout is a timely science fiction thriller set in an all-too-possible future.

 

 

Cover Launch: WE CRY FOR BLOOD by Devin Madson

Devin Madson’s bold and brutal epic fantasy series continues with the action-packed third novel, WE CRY FOR BLOOD. If you like your fantasy with “feudal political maneuvering, shifting alliances, and visceral descriptions of combat and its aftermath” (Booklist), you’ll want to snap this up when it publishes in August 2021!

Cover illustration by Nico Delort; Cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Ambition and schemes have left the Kisian Empire in ashes. Empress Miko Ts’ai will have to move fast if she hopes to secure a foothold in its ruins. However, the line between enemies and allies may not be as clear-cut as it first appeared.

After failing to win back his Swords, former Captain Rah e’Torin finds shelter among the Levanti deserters. But his presence in the camp threatens to fracture the group, putting him on a collision course with their enigmatic leader.

Assassin Cassandra Marius knows Leo Villius’s secret—one that could thwart his ambitions to conquer Kisia. But her time in Empress Hana’s body is running out and each attempt they make to exploit Leo’s weakness may be playing into his plans.

And, as Leo’s control over the Levanti emperor grows, Dishiva e’Jaroven is caught in his web. To successfully challenge him, she’ll have to decide how many of her people are worth sacrificing in order to win.

 

Don’t forget to check out the first two books in the Reborn Empire series if you haven’t already!

You can find Devin at her website and on Twitter.

 

Cover Launch: AZURA GHOST by Essa Hansen

NOPHEK GLOSS  (US | UK) stunned readers with its widescreen adventure, boundless imagination, bubble universes, alien species, and warm characters. Alastair Reynolds called it “A sucker punch to the senses…. A killer story with real heart and soul.” Now, its sequel AZURA GHOST  has a cover just as breathtaking as the story itself. Keep an eye out for Azura Ghost publishing November 2021 from Orbit US and UK!

Design by Lauren Panepinto, Illustration by Mike Heath/Magnus Creative 

Following Nophek Gloss comes the second book in this imaginative new space opera trilogy by debut author Essa Hansen – an action-packed adventure perfect for fans of Star Wars, Children of Time and A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.

​Caiden has been on the run for ten years with his unique starship in order to keep his adversary, Threi, imprisoned. But when an old friend he’d once thought dead reappears, he is lured into a game of cat and mouse with the one person whose powers rival Threi’s: Threi’s sister Abriss. Now with both siblings on the hunt for Caiden and his ship, Caiden must rescue his long-lost friend from their clutches and uncover the source of both his ship’s power and his own origins in order to stop Abriss’s plan to collapse the multiverse.

 

Cover Launch: DISCORDIA by Kristyn Merbeth

The entire star system is on the brink of war in Discordia, the explosive final book in the action-packed space opera trilogy, The Nova Vita Protocol.

Book Cover: Discordia by Kristyn Merbeth A spaceship emerges from a wormhole, its guns charged and ready to fire.

Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Scorpia is finally back among the stars, far away from the memories of the war she and her family started – and ended – on Nibiru. Her first order as captain of the Memoria is to keep her crew safe, and she is all too happy not to get involved in dangerous political games for once.

Corvus is haunted by what he experienced at the hands of the Titan attack, and he’s just as eager for a new beginning. He knows that not all Titans are built for war, and that the system can find peace, even as Deva and Pax begin to rattle their sabers.

Now the Kaisers are on the run again. Though they may be responsible for diverting a multi-planet war, the planetary leaders are wary of the knowledge they hold. Better to lock them up and keep their dark secrets hidden. But the Kaisers are the only ones who know the truth about the threat of the ancient world-ending alien weapons rooted in each planet – and they may be the only ones who can save the system from total annihilation.

The Nova Vita Protocol:

Book Cover: Fortuna by Kristyn Merbeth. A woman stands before a space shuttle looking at it against a neon blue and pink sunset. Book Cover: Memoria by Kristyn Merbeth. A spaceship soars through a red nebula cloud while neon green lasers chase at its heels. Book Cover: Discordia by Kristyn Merbeth A spaceship emerges from a wormhole, its guns charged and ready to fire.

Cover Launch: THE SHADOW OF THE GODS by John Gwynne

Last week saw the reveal of the dragon-tastic cover for THE SHADOW OF THE GODS, John Gwynne’s new Norse-inspired epic fantasy. If you missed it, then behold the cover below in all its awesomeness!

Illustration by Marcus Whinney, design by Bekki Guyatt

But that’s not all. Check out the full illustration for the complete ‘Wow, that’s a big dragon’ experience!

 

Set in a brand-new, Norse-inspired world, and packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance, THE SHADOW OF THE GODS begins an epic new fantasy saga from bestselling author John Gwynne.

A century has passed since the gods fought and drove themselves to extinction. Yet their bones remain, promising great power to those brave enough to seek them out.

As whispers of war echo across the land of Vigrið, fate follows in the footsteps of three warriors. And all three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods . . .

THE SHADOW OF THE GODS – book one of the Bloodsworn Saga – publishes in May 2021. Pre-order: UK / US/ ANZ

Praise for John Gwynne:

‘John Gwynne is one of the modern masters of heroic fantasy’ Adrian Tchaikovsky

‘Reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place’ Robin Hobb

‘John Gwynne writes fantasy with the heart of a hero and the inventiveness of a master mage’ Sebastien de Castell

‘Extraordinarily good . . . Gwynne is setting a new benchmark in fantasy’ Giles Kristian

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. His dogs think he is their slave.

Find John online at his website, on Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

 

Acquisition Announcement: THE GREAT WITCH OF BRITTANY

Witches of the world rejoice! We’re delighted to announce Orbit’s sister imprint, Redhook, has acquired a gorgeous new novel from author Louisa Morgan. Set during a time of witch burnings and revolution, THE GREAT WITCH OF BRITTANY follows young Ursule Orchière as she discovers a magic within her that will change the course of her life and reshape her family for generations to come.

Here are a few words from the author about what inspired her to write The Great Witch of Brittany:

For a writer, creating a character is like meeting a complete stranger who you get to know really well. When several readers of A Secret History of Witches asked to know more about the “great witch Ursule,” ancestress to the Orchière witches, I was intrigued by the idea and began to wonder what her story might be. 

In my own life, I’m inspired by the women I have watched endure and rise above the most difficult circumstances, women who may not be physically prepossessing, but are so strong spiritually and morally that they are unbreakable. Ursule turned out to be all those things. It was fascinating to me to ‘discover’ her roots and to witness the triumphs and tragedies which shaped her, and the challenges she met with the strength of her character, enhanced by the magic of the Orchière line. 

At the end of this process, I hated saying goodbye to Ursule. She was everything I had hoped she would be–not only as a great witch, but as a woman. I hope the readers who asked about her will be as pleased as I was to learn her story.

While you wait for this wonderful book to hit shelves, you can read Louisa’s previous standalone novels: A SECRET HISTORY OF WITCHES (US | UK), THE WITCH’S KIND (US | UK), and THE AGE OF WITCHES (US | UK). You can find her on Twitter at @WriterLouisa and https://www.louisemarley.com.

Orbit US editor Nivia Evans acquired World All Languages rights from Peter Rubie at FinePrint Literary Management. Orbit UK will publish in the UK.

 

 

 

Acquisition Announcement: THE BALLAD OF PERILOUS GRAVES by Alex Jennings

We’re delighted to announce that Orbit’s sister imprint, Redhook, has acquired an evocative and richly-detailed debut novel from author Alex Jennings.

THE BALLAD OF PERILOUS GRAVES reveals New Orleans as you’ve never seen it before. From sky trolleys to haints, from the Dead Side of Town to songs that walk, talk, and keep the spirit of the city alive, this is an imaginative story that will sweep you off your feet.

Eager to know more? Here are a few words from Alex on what inspired him to write his novel:

I’m beyond thrilled to work with Redhook on The Ballad of Perilous Graves. This novel has been long in the making. I moved to New Orleans the summer after Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of the Federal Levees. At the time, the city was terribly wounded but its fighting spirit was never diminished. In many ways, Ballad is a love letter to my city, my family, and Black American Music.

As the city recovered from the storm, I read and heard stories of children forced to return without their parents. I connected those stories to Pippi Longstocking adventures I read as a child. Pippi lived on her own with no parents to tell her what to do and adventured with her neighbor friends. It seemed perfectly natural to speculate what Pippi would be like if she were a black girl growing up in a timeless, storm-damaged New Orleans. In many ways, growing up Black is learning to thrive against a backdrop of deep trauma and pain, empowered by music and culture and the will to survive no matter what. As the story grew, I realized to tell it properly I needed to aim it at adults.

When I was small, my father read The Lord of the Rings aloud to me and my brother. At one point, he put the book down and said, “I wish there was a fantasy novel where everyone was Black, and where the darkest, blackest one was the greatest of heroes.” That wish stuck with me, and I realized during the writing of this novel that the title character, Perilous Graves, is a young version of my father. He would be the perfect complement to Peaches Lavelle. My father gave me fantasy, so I’m giving him The Ballad of Perilous Graves.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves publishes Winter 2022. In the meantime, please join us in welcoming Alex Jennings. You can find him at http://www.alexjennings.net/ and on Twitter at @Magicknegro.

Cover Launch: THE WORLD GIVES WAY by Marissa Levien

A surreal world, a fatal secret, and a woman on the run against time itself come together in Marrisa Levien’s stunning debut, THE WORLD GIVES WAY. Bursting with evocative worldbuilding and beautifully drawn characters, this novel is an unforgettable exploration of a society in freefall, and finding humanity in the most unlikely of places.

This incredible story now has an equally gorgeous cover—feast your eyes on THE WORLD GIVES WAY below, coming to your nearest bookstore June 2021. And be sure to say hello to Marissa on Twitter at @marissalevien after preordering or adding it to your TBR!

Cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

In a near-future world on the brink of collapse, a young woman born into servitude must seize her own freedom in this stunning debut with an unforgettable twist

In fifty years, Myrra will be free.

Until then, she’s a contract worker. Ever since she was five, her life and labor have belonged to the highest bidder on her contract–butchers, laundries, and now the powerful, secretive Carlyles.

But when one night finds the Carlyles dead, Myrra is suddenly free a lot sooner than she anticipated–and at a cost she never could have imagined. Burdened with the Carlyles’ orphaned daughter and the terrible secret they died to escape, she runs. With time running out, Myrra must come face to face with the truth about her world–and embrace what’s left before it’s too late.

A powerful novel with a darkly glimmering heart, The World Gives Way shows us an impossible world that uncannily reflects our own, and embraces the fierce drive to live even at the end of it all.

 

 

 

 

 

Cover Launch: CHAINS OF THE EARTH by David Mealing

David Mealing’s intricate and epic fantasy trilogy comes to a close with the highly anticipated finale: CHAINS OF THE EARTH. In a tale filled with epic scale battles and intricate magic systems, our heroes Sarine, Arak’Jur, and Erris d’Errant will break all the rules and fight the gods themselves in order to save their world from eternal darkness. Haven’t caught up yet? Check out the other books in The Ascension Cycle. And in the meantime, check out this gorgeous cover!

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio
Cover Images by Shutterstock

Praise for The Ascension Cycle trilogy:

“A great epic fantasy debut. Memorable characters, intriguing magic systems and a well-realised world”―James Islington

“Soul of the World is a magical book, almost overflowing with originality.”―The Quill to Live

“A riveting debut. It’s got everything I could possibly want in a fantasy book.”―Powder & Page Book Reviews

“The magic systems in this book are epic and the comparison to Sanderson and Rothfuss is quite deserved.”―On Starships and Dragonwings Book Reviews