For the reader and the writer, a story starts in vastly different places. You, the reader, will (I hope) shortly be reading a book called The Last Stormlord. You will open the cover and find the first page. That will be your beginning. But for me, that same story started a long time ago. (more…)
It’s time for the next instalment in Jeff Somers’ ingeniously speedy recap of the Avery Cates series so far. Presenting: ‘The Digital Plague in One Minute’. OK, so as pointed out on the previous video, maybe it’s just a little longer than a minute, but I guess Jeff figured that ‘The Digital Plague in One Minute and Forty-Two Seconds’ isn’t nearly as catchy . . .
***SPOILER ALERT!***
Disclaimer: As Jeff’s publisher we cannot *quite* back up the veracity of his final statement…
Fantastic news: Sony have optioned the movie rights to Jeff Somers’ Avery Cates novels. A very wise move in our opinion, as there’s no doubt that these books would make the most awesomely full-throttle, kick-ass movies ever.
Read all about it here, and if you haven’t been lucky enough to experience the explosive, pedal-to-the-metal action-fests that are the Avery Cates novels yet, check out the third instalment, The Eternal Prison (UK/US/ANZ), released in February in the UK and Austalia, and already available in US. And while you’re at it, why not take a peek at our very attractive reissues of The Electric Church (UK/US/ANZ) and The Digital Plague (UK/US/ANZ).
This month, Orbit is proud to release Beyond the Wall of Time (UK/US), the final instalment in Russell Kirkpatrick’s spectacular Broken Man trilogy. With Russell’s previous works earning comments such as ‘Not since Tolkien have I been so awed’ from the wonderful Trudi Canavan, perhaps it’s no surprise that his Across the Face of the World was the US’s bestselling debut fantasy novel of 2008.
Beyond the Wall of Time yet again showcases Russell’s talent for strikingly vivid description and truly epic plotting. Find it in all good bookstores now!
The wall of time has fallen, leaving the Gods free to indulge their hunger for violence. Few know of their escape into mortal lands – and these few struggle against the control of the malevolent mage Husk and with their own problems.
Queen Stella, still in hiding, must make a deal with the Undying Man. His word is suspect, but her options are limited. Fisherman Noetos seeks revenge for the deaths of his loved ones, not yet realising the enemy is closer than even he can imagine. And the unconventional cosmographer Lenares is the only one with the power to prevent the Gods destroying the world – if she can get someone to believe her.
The queen, fisherman and cosmographer must travel to Andratan to confront Husk. But whether they can break free of his hold on them, and defeat the Gods, is another matter entirely.
Miss Tarabotti, as some of you may well know, is rather fond of comestibles. Thusly, the holiday season is one of great joy to her, from a food standpoint if nothing else. (The shopping, it must be admitted, she could very much do without. Her sisters are overly enthusiastic on the subject.) However, she has some tips for coping with the holidays Victorian-style. (more…)
That’s how the Sydney Morning Herald has described Marianne De Pierres’ phenomenal Sentients of Orion series. Out this week is the fantastic third instalment of the series, Mirror Space (UK/ AUS), and readers are in for a treat.
We continue to follow Mira Fedor, a young baroness with the ability to pilot sentient spaceships, in her attempt to liberate her home planet Araldis from hostile forces. As the Orion League of Sentient Species seems unable or unwilling to help, she’s forced to enlist the help of ruthless mercenary captain Rast Randall. But Rast’s contacts may have their own, more sinister agenda in mind . . .
With previous books in the series being lauded as: ‘Brilliant in all sense of the word’ (Sean Williams), and ‘A beautifully plotted, full-on action ride with gorgeous twists’(Aurealis), we suggest you take the advice that Hub Magazine gave about the series:
‘Readers who hunger for perceptive, intelligent and unflinching literary science fiction should seek this book out as soon as possible’
You can read an extract here.
I love it when aliens with giant veiny foreheads come down to tell us how inferior we are and how they’re going to blast us into dust because of their superiority.
I love it when someone spontaneously evolves into a future being with a giant veiny forehead, and then proceeds to threaten humanity with his awesome future intellect.
I love atomic brains from outer space. Y’know the kind I’m talking about. They’ve grown beyond the need for a body and just float around, causing all sorts of cosmic mischief.
I love radiation. Radiation is always sure to be fun. If it doesn’t kill you, then maybe you’ll get superpowers! Isn’t that swell?
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One of the things that intrigues me as a writer is the question: “And then what happened?”
That’s one reason why I’m so excited to be writing The Fallen Kings Cycle for Orbit, carrying my characters and world from The Chronicles of the Necromancer into all-new adventures. It gives me the chance to ask, and answer, my favorite question and to share that answer with readers.
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I like toys. We all do, whether we admit it or not. Cars, houses, and clothes are grown up toys. Ninety-five percent of the SUV owners in the universe are merely expressing their inner child’s frustration that they can’t buy a sportscar that transforms into a robot. And if most of us were honest with ourselves, we’d just go ahead and admit that we’d pay through the nose if we could pull a hidden lever and have our house change into a secret command bunker.
Games can be a great way of indulging our inner child while engaging our outer adult. Studies have shown that playing video games not only increases visual acuity, but can have positive psychological effects. Tetris helps reduce post-traumatic stress. Halo teaches us to always keep an eye on our forcefield meter. And if I ever have to fight a giant robot, experience tells me to look for the glowing points because that’s the only way to drain the robot’s health. (more…)
My first addition to the official Orbit blog page. This is serious. This is important. This is something to think about. So I’m going to just leap into the fray and admit something.
Fantasy is silly.
It just is. There’s no way around this, and to think otherwise is an unnecessary strain on your justification cortex. (I don’t know if there’s such a thing but seems like there should be if there isn’t.)
Science Fiction is (mostly) silly, too. It’s all absurd, ridiculous, nonsensical stuff. It’s whimsy. It’s make-believe. It’s escapist. It’s childish. It’s all these wonderful things and more. (more…)
