Archive for Covers

Cover Launch: SEVEN BLADES IN BLACK by Sam Sykes

We’re delighted to unveil the stunning cover for the new novel by Sam Sykes, SEVEN BLADES IN BLACK, an unforgettable epic fantasy that introduces an outcast magician caught between two warring empires.
Design by Lauren Panepinto
Illustration by Jeremy Wilson

 

Among humans, none have power like mages. And among mages, none have will like Sal the Cacophony. Once revered, now vagrant, she walks a wasteland scarred by generations of magical warfare.

 

The Scar, a land torn between powerful empires, is where rogue mages go to disappear, disgraced soldiers go to die and Sal went with a blade, a gun and a list of names she intended to use both on.

 

But vengeance is a flame swift extinguished. Betrayed by those she trusted most, her magic torn from her and awaiting execution, Sal the Cacophony has one last tale to tell before they take her head.

 

All she has left is her name, her story and the weapon she used to carved both.

 

Vengeance is its own reward.

 

Preorder Now!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks | Other retailers

 

Coming Soon: THE WINTER ROAD by Adrian Selby

We’re delighted to share the cover for Adrian Selby’s forthcoming novel, THE WINTER ROAD (US | UK | ANZ). A gritty and epic adventure for fans of Mark Lawrence, Andrzej Sapkowski and Joe Abercrombie, The Winter Road is a fantasy novel which remembers that battles leave all kinds of scars.

The greatest empire of them all began with a road.

The Circle – a thousand miles of perilous forests and warring clans. No one has ever tamed such treacherous territory before, but ex-soldier Teyr Amondsen, veteran of a hundred battles, is determined to try.

With a merchant caravan protected by a crew of skilled mercenaries, Amondsen embarks on a dangerous mission to forge a road across the untamed wilderness that was once her home. But a warlord rises in the wilds of the Circle, uniting its clans and terrorising its people. Teyr’s battles may not be over yet . . .

All roads lead back to war.

Design by Lauren Panepinto
Illustration by Jaime Jones

Cover Launch: the Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell

We can’t wait for you to read Sebastien de Castell’s witty adventure fantasy series! Kicking off in July, feast your eyes on the fantastic covers for Spellslinger, Shadowblack, Charmcaster, and Soulbinder, all designed by Lauren Panepinto.

Kellen is moments away from facing his first duel and proving his worth as a spellcaster. There’s just one problem: his magic is fading.

Facing exile unless he can pass the mage trials, Kellen is willing to risk everything – even his own life – in search of a way to restore his magic. But when the enigmatic Ferius Parfax arrives in town, she challenges him to take a different path. Daring, unpredictable, and wielding magic Kellen has never seen before, she may be his only hope.

Four books in one year! How lucky are Orbit readers. It gets even better. The final two books in the series are due out in 2019.

Praise for Spellslinger:

“Told with the conviction of Ursula Le Guin and the dash of Alexandre Dumas” —New Statesman (UK)

“A bucket-load of tension is offset with humour, power struggles, lots of magic and some great characters. Fantasy junkies will devour with relish.” —Guardian (UK)

Spellslinger is the start of something truly special. Sebastien de Castell is a master of breakneck pacing, dagger-sharp dialogue, and twists you didn’t see coming–and this series has it all.” —Nichols Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“This book is dangerously addictive. It has it all: compelling world-building, breathtaking plot-twists, a page-turning pace, and characters who soon feel like old friends. I can’t wait for the next one!”  —Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage

“Exotic, original and gripping from the get-go, Spellslinger is a must-read” —Jonathan Stroud, author of the Lockwood and Co series

“A tremendously fun read full of wit and action.” —James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost

“Written with such obvious joy and brio that it demands to be read.” —RJ Barker, author of Age of Assassins

“Hugely enjoyable… fast-paced, compassionate, wise and with terrific characters.” —Amanda Craig, author of Hearts and Minds

“We can confidently say that de Castell’s new series has hit the ground running.” —Starburst Magazine

“There’s room for wit and playfulness amid the high-stakes duels and death matches, and Kellen’s career is likely to run and run.” —The Observer (UK)

“It has cliff hangers, pace, humour, life lessons, and a memorably feisty squirrel cat.”—Sunday Times (UK)

 

Cover Reveal: BURNING ASHES by James Bennett

Rascal. Rogue. Antihero. 

Dragon. 

Cover design by Tracey Winwood

Beware – here be dragons! That’s right, Red Ben Garston – the world’s last living dragon – is back in James Bennett’s flame-tastic new novel BURNING ASHES. Once again, Ben finds himself in a whole load of trouble (the magical kind, of course) – and this time there’s not enough whisky left in England to wash away his problems. Because the war to end all wars is coming – and Ben is right in its path . . .

If you’ve not yet joined Red Ben on his adventures (really, what is wrong with you?) then never fear: we don’t publish BURNING ASHES until December, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch up! James Bennett’s action-packed books, where myth comes crashing into the modern world, are perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne and Benedict Jacka.

But don’t take our word for it – here’s what others have been saying about the Ben Garston novels!

‘A thrilling fusion of myth and modernity’ Kevin Hearne

‘Absolutely loving it. Gorgeous use of language, great humour, characterisation and storyline’ Elizabeth Chadwick

‘A superior piece of magical myth-making’ SFFWorld

‘Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher are both fair comparisons to Bennett’s attempts to fuse fantasy with a modern-day setting’ SciFiNow

‘Blending together the best of action, adventure and urban fantasy . . . Chasing Embers is one of my highlights!’ The Eloquent Page

Connect with James Bennett on Twitter: @benjurigan

 

Cover Launch: ROSEWATER by Tade Thompson

As revealed last week by SciFiNow, here’s the stunning cover for Tade Thompson’s ROSEWATER (design by Charlotte Stroomer)!

Winner of the inaugural Nommo Award for Best Novel – Africa’s first award for speculative fiction
John W. Campbell Award finalist for Best Science Fiction Novel

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless – people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumoured healing powers.

Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn’t care to again – but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realisation about a horrifying future.

We publish ROSEWATER in September.

Follow Tade on Twitter – @tadethompson 

Cover Launch: THE RAVEN TOWER by Ann Leckie

We couldn’t be more excited to reveal the cover of THE RAVEN TOWER. A triumph of the imagination and the first fantasy novel by Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Awards. 

Raven Tower

Listen. A god is speaking.
My voice echoes through the stone of your master’s castle. 
This castle where he finds his uncle on his father’s throne. 
You want to help him. You cannot.
You are the only one who can hear me.
You will change the world.
 
Cover design by Lauren Panepinto
Image by Arcangel Images

Cover Launch: EMPIRE OF SAND by Tasha Suri

EMPIRE OF SAND is Tasha Suri’s captivating, Mughal India-inspired debut fantasy about a young woman whose magic might uphold—or destroy—an empire. Perfect for fans of City of Brass, Red Queen, and The Wrath & the Dawn, EMPIRE OF SAND will transport you to a land of dark myths and bloody magic, where the fate of the world hangs on one woman’s choices.

Can’t wait until it’s published in November 2018? As announced on Book Riot, here’s an early preview of the gorgeous cover, designed by Lauren Panepinto, to whet your appetite!

A nobleman’s daughter with magic in her blood. An empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods.

The Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic she has inherited.

When Mehr’s power comes to the attention of the Emperor’s most feared mystics, she must use every ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist their cruel agenda — and should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance…

Cover Launch: THE SISTERS OF THE WINTER WOOD by Rena Rossner

Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner’s debut fantasy THE SISTERS OF THE WINTER WOOD (US | UK | ANZ)  invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods. It’s perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale and Uprooted and is out in September 2018.

We’re delighted to reveal the cover with art by Rebecca Yanovskaya and designed by Lauren Panepinto.

The Sisters of the Winter Wood

Every family has a secret. Behind every secret, there is a story.

Raised in a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya live a peaceful, sheltered life.

But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell—despite their mother’s warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods….

As dark forces close in on their small village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true…and could save them all. 

Rena Rossner lives in Israel where she works as a literary agent. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University’s Writing Seminars program and McGill University where she studied history. All eight of her great-grandparents immigrated to America to escape the pogroms from towns like Dubossary, Kupel, Riga and Bender. It is their story, together with her love of Jewish mythology and fantasy that inspired her to write The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

Early praise for The Sisters of the Winter Wood:

“Mixes fairy tale, poetry, history, and heart to create an enchanting and mesmerizing tale of sisterly love. I adored this book!” — Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series

“A graceful, poetic, deeply moving novel. Its characters are fantastical and yet essentially human, bound by ambition and desire, fear and prejudice, but above all, love in all its forms. Simply gorgeous book in every sense.”– Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

“This dark fairy tale about sisterly love and Jewish strength and courage, set against the backdrop of a deep and deadly winter forest, will haunt me for a long time. A powerful, emotional debut.” — Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

“Rossner weaves an elegant tapestry of the love between sisters, the value of faith and family, and knowing one’s true friends in times of peril.” — J. Kathleen Cheney, author of The Golden City

Cover Launch: TIAMAT’S WRATH by James S. A. Corey

We are very excited to reveal the cover for TIAMAT’S WRATH (coming out in December 2018), the eighth novel in James S.A. Corey’s New York Times bestselling Expanse series – the third season of the television series premiers April 11th on Syfy in the US and Space in Canada.



For more work by Daniel Dociu, 
visit his website.
Design by Kirk Benshoff and Lauren Panepinto

Cover Reveal: THE EMPIRE OF ASHES by Anthony Ryan

Powerful magic.

Epic adventure.

A desperate battle to defeat an ancient evil.

We’re thrilled to unveil the cover for THE EMPIRE OF ASHES [UK/ANZ] – the fiery conclusion to Anthony Ryan’s Draconis Memoria series – with art by Jeff Read and design by our very own Nico Taylor.

We publish in July, so there’s still time for you to dive into this stunning series of exploration and warfare, explosive magic, spies and assassins – and an ancient power which seeks to reduce the world to ashes. The adventure begins with THE WAKING FIRE [UK/ANZ] and continues with THE LEGION OF FLAME [UK/ANZ]. THE EMPIRE OF ASHES will publish in hardback, trade format, audio and ebook on 5th July.

Here’s what people have been saying about Draconis Memoria:

‘Fabulous . . . Sure to be another fantasy classic’ Huffington Post UK

‘The world Ryan has created for his new dragon adventure is a joy to visualise’ SciFiNow

‘A fascinating world packed with dragons, pirates, political machinations and an interesting magic system to boot’ Fantasy Faction

‘A marvellous piece of imagination with plenty of twists, a refreshingly different setting, and excellent world-building’ Mark Lawrence

‘Memorable characters and great action’ Django Wexler

‘Excellent epic fantasy’ BookBag

Find Anthony Ryan online at his website or on Twitter.