Archive for Covers

Cover Launch: EMPEROR MOLLUSK vs. THE SINISTER BRAIN by A. Lee Martinez

Like I was saying when I posted the Chasing the Moon wallpapers, I love that Will Staehle’s covers really work together to give the author a cohesive look and feel, but they work as the stand-alone stories they are. I thought Monster was my favorite…until this one came in. A squid riding a body with a suit and tie! I mean come on, that’s hilarious. And the squid has a crown. And the back cover art is pretty fab too, just wait and see. So here’s another great one, to look and and to read, for a tale of intergalactic politics and a galaxy-wide scourge…who just might be sick of keeping up his reputation.

And really, the best reading line i’ve put on a title in a long time. “He came, he squirmed, he conquered!” ha!

Here’s a teaser, and all A. Lee Martinez’s covers together after the jump…

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Cover Launch: ANGEL TOWN (Jill Kismet #6) by Lilith Saintcrow

Here’s a bittersweet cover launch for you – sweet, because it’s another great cover by Calvin Chu, showing one of my favorite Lilith Saintcrow heroines, Jill Kismet. Bitter because it’s the finale of the Jill Kismet series! I love the graphic feel of these covers, it’s been a really fresh take on the urban fantasy style, and both Jill Kismet & Dante Valentine were well-characterized by the illustrations. In this book we really wanted to refer back to the first cover (Night Shift) and bring the series full-circle with a close-up shot. After the jump, see the whole series together, and a teaser…

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Cover Launch: SILVER-TONGUED DEVIL (Sabina Kane #4) by Jaye Wells

Having a long series of books (aka more than a trilogy) is a lot of fun, because over time, just as the reader does, you get a better feel for the character, and it definitely comes out in the cover art. Craig White has been really hitting his stride with Sabina Kane, I feel like each cover has more and more personality. The great photo shoots by Shirley Green with Toni Busker as our model certainly help. Toni is a veteran of many geek projects, and she is super fun to work with as she is always game for climbing about and playing with all kinds of weapons…Actually you may recognize her as a mermaid in the recent Pirates of the Caribbean #4. If that’s not geek cred for a cover model, I don’t know what is.

So, back to the cover at hand – as you can see, Sabina is back and prowling in NYC, and after the jump you can get a little teaser, along with the covers in order…

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THE FOURTH WALL cover launch

The enigmatic Dagmar Shaw returns in Walter Jon Williams’ THE FOURTH WALL, an exhilarating near-future thriller due for release in February 2012.

This striking cover art visual, from our designer Sean Garrehy, perfectly encapsulates the tension and sense of paranoia that the novel invokes.

If you’ve not yet been exposed to the frenetic action of a Walter Jon Williams thriller, then you’ve got time to see what you’ve been missing before THE FOURTH WALL is released. THIS IS NOT A GAME (UK | US | ANZ) and DEEP STATE (UK | US | ANZ) are both available in paperback.

Walter Jon Williams is a New York Times bestselling author and has been nominated multiple times for the Hugo and Nebula awards.

Here’s some praise for his Dagmar Shaw novels:

Powerful ideas, brilliantly executed . . . you should take this as a recommendation” – Charles Stross

“An eerily prophetic thriller” – SFX

“With admirable topicality, DEEP STATE concerns the fomenting of revolution against an repressive regime using modern networked communications” – Telegraph

Cover Launch: THE KINGDOM OF GODS by N. K. Jemisin

Trilogies are a mainstay of science fiction and fantasy and that’s a challenge that comes up for us in the Orbit Art Department over and over again. The first cover is both the hardest (it has to be AWESOME and make a big splash, especially if it’s for a debut author) and the easiest (no preconceptions and rules dictated by previous covers). The second cover is important because you obviously want it to be as cool as the first, and not fall victim to any sequel-slacking. And the third? Well the third is kind of the best, because by the last book in a trilogy, you’ve already got a good feel for the world in question, and the tone of the author, and you usually get something good and dramatic to wrap up with. And while we’re talking about dramatic, I am happy to release the cover for the third book in N. K. Jemisin‘s Inheritance Trilogy: The Kingdom of Gods.

I have been thrilled at how well cover one was received across the fantasy community — it was accepted into the Spectrum annual, and was nominated for a Gemmell Legend Award. We were trying to do something pretty standard (fantasy city) and present it in a fresher way (through the style of Cliff Nielsen‘s awesome artwork), and it really resonated with a lot of people, which is great because the books just happen to be super-fantastic as well. And over the last two books the illustrations have been just as strong, while keeping to that pretty simple formula.

And now we have this illustration, which I don’t want to say too much about, because I wouldn’t want to give anything away about the story…obviously if you have been reading along, the god is Sieh (my favorite)…just trust me, if you have been enjoying The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and The Broken Kingdoms, well The Kingdom of Gods does not disappoint. After the jump, get a teaser, and the whole series of covers… (more…)

Cover Launch: JOE ABERCROMBIE in Trade Paperback!

I am so freaking excited to finally let these covers out into the world. Joe Abercrombie is one of Orbit’s most exciting authors (never mind the snarkiest) and I have been dying to take a fresh look at some of his covers. When I read his books I feel like I am watching a movie, and I just wanted to get across that sense of action and brutality and sheer bloodiness all into the cover at once. So, stealing some style markers from hi-action sports photography married to a lot of fantastic armament (some things you just can’t fake in photoshop), we present to you the most badass covers I have ever had a hand in. As you can see from the process shots after the jump, we got a lot of the shot done in the camera, thanks to the technical wizardry of photographer Michael Frost. Photo-illustrator Gene Mollica hunted down all the proper bits of armor and sharp pointy things (some of which he had custom made because he is such a perfectionist), and then when it was his turn to illustrate, he turned the already-fantastic photos into sheer magic in post-production. We also have to thank Adam Becker for the use of his great action pose ability, and Heather Ann Burton for her scowling personification of Monza.

I admit I was a bit terrified to show these to Joe…these covers have more in common with movie posters than most covers in the fantasy section…and Joe is a really savvy author on visuals — he’s had a lot of different styles, and he’s not afraid to give his opinion. And I was in love with these, which makes it even more stressful showing the author. So what did he say?

“It’s got attitude, it’s got individuality, it’s got big forearms.”

More from Joe (and big cover shots…and animated process covers! ) after the jump…

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Cover launch: The Revenge of the Dwarves

The Dwarves are back. And they will have their vengeance…

Presenting our cover for the third book in this epic series from international bestseller Markus Heitz – about the bravest, sturdiest and most formidable of warriors, the Dwarves. Their hero Tungdil is back – and if you think he’s been through the wars so far then I assure you there is much more adversity waiting on the horizon for this unfortunate fellow. It’s just lucky that he’s a dwarf through and through, because the courage of the dwarves has never been questioned…

The fantastic cover comes from the talented illustrator Bob Lea. His site here is well worth a look – but beware: you could be lost in there for days marvelling at its treasures!

I’m delighted with this image because it’s exactly how I picture the Dwarves:  fearlessly heroic, ever-armed for battle and raising the ferocious war cry. For me the cover says: “In the face of danger, a dwarf never surrenders!”  Well, that – and also: “MWWWAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!!” 

And I’m honoured to say that The Revenge of the Dwarves will be storming the Orbit defences worldwide this coming October. Read on for the blurb and a larger image below… (more…)

Kate Elliott’s COLD FIRE: the cover launch

This is to launch the wonderful, fiery and dramatic cover for Cold Fire (US | UK | ANZ), book two in Kate Elliott’s new Spirit Walker series. This was illustrated by Larry Rostant and designed by Peter Cotton and I think they’ve created a fabulously atmospheric cover.

To me, this gives off hints of magic and danger in an age of adventure, where a young girl must choose her path. It’s certainly exciting stuff and this fantasy adventure is published by Orbit internationally next month, so not long to wait now! And if you want to quickly get up to speed on the series, Cold Magic (book one, US | UK | ANZ) is published in mass market this month. Elizabeth Moon found it ‘a definite hands-down great read’ and FantasyBookCritic ‘utterly loved it’.

And here’s a little more on the story of Cold Fire itself:

Trapped within a maze of blood, treachery and magic …
Cat and her cousin Bee are key players in a drama of dragons and politics. Warring factions want to use or destroy their growing powers, and they’re closing in. The Cold Mages are conspiring to take them prisoner and the warlord Camjiata thinks it’s their destiny to help him conquer Europa – whether they want to or not. And the man Cat was forced to marry is back, as arrogant and annoyingly handsome as ever. Worse still, as Hallows Night approaches, powers hidden deep within the spirit world are rising. Cat must seek allies against these threats, for if she makes the wrong choices, she’ll lose everything. Only one thing is certain. When Hallows’ Night comes the Wild Hunt will ride – and it feeds on mortal blood.”

GHOST STORY launch and competition

We’ve been counting the days until we can unleash Jim Butcher’s Ghost Story (UK | ANZ) onto the world — and publication day is at last upon us. And you can catch the first four chapters here before you rush out, waving your arms around, to get the new book!

We also have some great GIVEAWAYS, in the shape of five signed hardback cover proofs and five A3 print-outs of front cover artwork. Full terms/conditions plus pictures of the great stuff itself are here and to enter just fill in the small form below this post and click submit. And it’s for UK residents only! Lastly, if you didn’t catch the great mini interview with Jim Butcher on Harry Dresden, plus rereads of the entire series, these are here.

Early reviews have been rightfully amazing too, and we couldn’t agree more …

The Dresden Files defines all odds by getting better and better … If you love Urban Fantasy drop everything to catch up now. There is no other UF series that comes close”
GavReads.co.uk

“Ghost Story is a wonderful addition to the Dresden Files series … one of the most consistently well-written urban fantasy series in existence”
LoveVampires.com

“This stunning, exciting series entry with its heart-stopping action will shock and thrill”
Library Journal

‘Fans will be gratified … plot twists and high-stakes combat with an assortment of supernatural beings”
Publishers Weekly

 

Cover Launch: The Troupe

The Troupe by Shirley Jackson Award winner Robert Jackson Bennett hits shelves February 2012. When you have an intelligent combination of thriller, horror, and Americana…you end up with a book that stands on its own.

I’m going to write more about the process and how I got to the final design. But since we’re so excited about launching the cover, here it is today!

After the jump see the cover full-size with a teaser…

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