Archive for Covers

Cover Story: THE KING’S BLOOD by DANIEL ABRAHAM

WEAPONS! Where might one go to procure something if  …  say… you wanted to reenact the Knights of the Round Table, or Edward James Olmos in Miami Vice*, or find an axe for the cover of Daniel Abrahan’s THE KING’S BLOOD? You go to Weapons Specialists in downtown (or downton if you want to be chi chi) Manhattan. Which is what I did one blistering hot day last summer. Check out the video of my visit and revel in the fact that the folks who work there have THE BEST JOB in the world. I would like to apologize in advance for the rather large sweat stains I’m sporting in the video. It’s like my armpits had a pool party the rest of the body wasn’t invited to. So… yea.

I had very specific details for the axe and the final weapon needed to scream warrior. In other words, the axe needed to look used. Obviously this combination of elements isn’t something that you just find off the interwebs, so I needed to create the final image from composites of multiple weapons.

After leaving Weapon’s Specialists with a rifle case full of medieval cutlery, which by the way is really surreal carrying through Grand Central, I needed to photograph everything and start working on what you see on the final book. Here are the weapons I got to play with.

 
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Cover launch: BITTER SEEDS by Ian Tregillis

In July we’re extremely excited to be publishing Ian Tregillis’s acclaimed debut novel Bitter Seeds – a sinister reimagining of the Second World War in which scientifically-enhanced German superhumans clash with chilling sorcery. Or, as Cory Doctorow puts it, “Mad English warlocks battling twisted Nazi psychics? Yes please, thank you.”

We’ll talk a little more about this brilliant book nearer the time of release; for now, here’s the front cover in all its gritty military glory, courtesy of our designer Sean Garrehy (who as always has done a superb job).

Cover Launch: RED COUNTRY by JOE ABERCROMBIE

 

So, yesterday I got about a bajillion tweets and emails after the cover leak saying in general, “WTF NO ABERCROMBIE?!” Nothing I like more than enthusiastic fans. I’m sorry, we just weren’t ready in time for the cover leak. But what a difference a day makes! So here, feast your ravenous curiosity on the cover for RED COUNTRY. I know there’s been heated speculation over the cast of characters to be expected, and I have to admit, I think our cover lets a very serious cat out of the bag. Whew, glad to release that, the security around this has been intense.

Here’s a bit of teaser to get you guys even more excited:

Shy South comes home to her farm to find a blackened shell, her brother and sister stolen, and knows she’ll have to go back to her bad old ways if she’s ever to see them again. She sets off in pursuit with only her cowardly old stepfather Lamb for company. But it turns out he’s hiding a bloody past of his own. None bloodier.

Their journey will take them across the lawless plains, to a frontier town gripped by gold fever, through feuds, duels, and massacres, high into unmapped mountains to a reckoning with ancient enemies, and force them into alliance with Nicomo Cosca, infamous soldier of fortune, a man no one should ever have to trust . . . .

Red Country is out in hardcover November 2012!

And here’s all the covers together, click to see them biggified:

  

I’m super excited to be able to continue our new US cover style from the trade paperbacks of The Heroes and Best Served Cold into the hardcover of Red Country. These have been the most epic photo shoots I’ve ever participated in, and Michael Frost and Gene Mollica have done an excellent job casting, styling, and producing fantastic images. The model for this shoot was particularly into the shoot, having been Pierce Brosnan’s Bond stunt double! Extra credit.

We were so focused on getting the cover exactly right (moar blood! moar dirt! big pointy sword!) that I couldn’t do a video of the shoot, but I do have some fun behind-the-scenes pictures I can share…some days, my job is unbelievably awesome, I can’t deny.

Breakfast (and Weaponry) of Champions
Tricks of the Epic Fantasy Trade
Arming Up
Live Capture as we're shooting helps me envision covers

 

Fall 12 Winter 13 US COVERS: EARLY LOOKS

So we’re still in development on a lot of new covers for the Fall 2012/Winter 2013 Season, but many covers are done (or very very close to final) so we wanted to share those with you. There are some amazing titles here, which I can vouch for, since you know I read as much as I can while I’m working. As usual, we’ll be launching these one by one with some fabulous behind-the-scenes videos, covers in development, etc. So stay tuned! And keep checking in for the covers that are so deep in development that we can’t even show you yet…

I’ll be releasing the full credits in the individual cover launches, but I know some of you are going to be reposting, so here are the quick credits: Spirit’s End illustration by Sam Weber, design by Lauren Panepinto. American Elsewhere design by Kirk Benshoff, Folly of the World design by Lauren Panepinto, The Queen is Dead photo by House of Indulgence, Illustration by Don Sipley, design by Lauren Panepinto. The Red Knight illustration by Epica Prima, design by Lauren Panepinto. Seven Kings illustration by Richard Anderson, design by Lauren Panepinto. Out for Blood illustration by Nekro, design by Lauren Panepinto. Wolfhound Century design by Lauren Panepinto. 3 x Michael Cobley illustrations by Steve Stone, design by Kirk Benshoff. Godspeaker photo by Shirley Green, design by Kirk Benshoff. Jill Kismet photo by Michael Frost, Illustration by Gene Mollica, design by Lauren Panepinto. The Soddit illustration by Douglas Carrel, design by Lauren Panepinto. Emperor Mollusk illustration/design by Will Staehle. Cold Fire illustration by Larry Rostant, design by Peter Cotton. Sapkowski x 3 illustrations by CD Projekt Red & Massive Black, design by Lauren Panepinto. Rebellion design by Lauren Panepinto.

Golems, Gulags, and Sentient Rain … WOLFHOUND CENTURY by Peter Higgins

We’re thrilled to announce that Orbit will be publishing WOLFHOUND CENTURY in the US early next year. Peter Higgins’ debut, set in an alternate Stalinist Russia, can be described in quite a few different ways – the genres it combines, the novels it might be compared to, the world in which it’s set – but one word is enough. Brilliant.

The cover has been designed by our very own, ridiculously talented Lauren Panepinto, and here’s a little taste of the story…

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Cover launch: A brand new look for David Gemmell’s Drenai series

David Gemmell needs little introduction; widely regarded as Britain’s ‘king of heroic fantasy’, he wrote more than thirty novels in his lifetime and his books have sold millions of copies worldwide.

While he sadly passed away in 2006, Gemmell’s books remain hugely popular, with a new generation of readers discovering his grand tales of adventure, heroism and sacrifice.

To celebrate Gemmell’s legacy, we’ve reissued the classic Drenai novels that orginally earned him his reputation as a master storyteller. All six novels have gorgeous new covers courtesy of our designer Sean Garrehy and the talented illustrator Tim Byrne, who together have perfectly captured the grittiness of Gemmell’s books. In addition, two of the biggest names in modern fantasy – Brent Weeks and Joe Abercrombie – have given their seals of approval.

If you’ve not yet experienced the thrill of a David Gemmell novel, then now is the perfect time to find out what you’ve been missing. These reissues will be hitting bookstore shelves in May and June.

Heroism and heartbreak . . . Gemmell is adrenaline with soul” – Brent Weeks

“The hard-bitten champion of British heroic fantasy” – Joe Abercrombie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing THE RED KNIGHT …

THE RED KNIGHT is a book that any hot-blooded fantasy fan will find pretty hard to resist. You’ll be hearing a lot more about Miles Cameron’s amazing debut over the coming months, but to whet your appetite here’s a little something about the story and an exclusive – yes, exclusive – first look at the US cover.  Read on for all the gritty details.

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Wallpapers for THE LEGEND OF ELI MONPRESS by Rachel Aaron

So things have been a little hectic wrapping up the Fall 2012/Winter 2013 season here in the Orbit Art Department, but expect to see a lot more action from us in the coming weeks. To start off with a bang is wallpapers for one of my favorite covers, and one of my favorite Orbit series, THE LEGEND OF ELI MONPRESS by Rachel Aaron. Actually this book is a trade paperback omnibus collecting the first three books in the series (Spirit Thief, Spirit Rebellion, and Spirit Eater) and to celebrate, we had the amazing artist Sam Weber take a crack at personifying Eli, the most famous thief in the world. If you want to see more behind the scenes on the cover, read this post.

And if you haven’t met Eli yet, then you’re missing out — the best comparison I an give is The Princess Bride by way of The Lies of Locke Lamora. And I don’t invoke Dread Pirate Roberts lightly, mind you. Honestly, when you have the artist calling wanting the next manuscript early for the next book, that’s a winner.

Stay tuned, because we’ll be launching more books in the series — with a video visit to Sam’s studio.

Here’s all the wallpaper download links…if anyone needs a specific dimension made, let us know!

 

1024 x 768 | 1280 x 800 | 1440 x 900 | 1680 x 1050 |1920 x 1200 | iPhone | iPad

 

Kitschies nominations competition

Equations of Life by Simon Morden cover - a black and white spiral optical illusion pattern with lime green spineThe Enterprise of Death by Jesse Bullington cover - featuring a black and white 'Death and the Maiden' motif by Niklaus Manuel with white background and a red title

We are delighted that two Orbit titles have been shortlisted for this year’s Kitschies – awards that celebrate the most ‘progressive, intelligent and entertaining works of genre literature’, run by the excellent Pornokitsch website.

Jesse Bullington’s The Enterprise of Death is a finalist for the Red Tentacle for best novel, and the cover for Simon Morden’s Equations of Life is a finalist for the Inky Tentacle for best cover.  Congratulations to Jesse and our very own designer Lauren Panepinto!

To celebrate we want to give you the opportunity to read these great books and judge for yourselves.  We have 10 copies of each to give away.  Just fill in your details below and we’ll pick the winner in two weeks time, the day before the winners are announced at the SFX Weekender 3 Kitschies Award Ceremony (sponsored by Kraken Rum, making it even more certain to be a great event).

Please read the full terms and conditions.

Gathering of the Lost – We Unveil the Cover!

We’re really pleased to reveal the cover for the second volume of Helen Lowe ‘s epic fantasy series, THE GATHERING OF THE LOST, (UK|ANZ) which will be out this April! Click on the images below for the super high-resolution versions…

The cover for Helen Lowe's second Wall of Night novel, Gathering of the Lost. Shows a girl standing against a forest background, holding a sword, with the rain beating down and the moon shining through the trees.

The covers have been designed by Duncan Spilling, one of our in-house designers here at Orbit, and we feel that they really get across the spirit of this fantastic series. The first book in the Wall of Night series, HEIR OF NIGHT (UK|ANZ), is coming out in paperback next week, on January 19th! HEIR OF NIGHT has also got a beautiful cover, we’re sure you’ll agree… 

the cover for the heir of night - a girl stands in a castle doorway, surrounded by fire and smoke