Archive for Ebooks

Cover Launch: A MASTER OF DJINN by P. Djèlí Clark

With less than a week to go until the release of the ebook of P. Djèlí Clark’s debut novel, A MASTER OF DJINN (UK|ANZ), we’re thrilled to share the final cover. Anyone wanting to get their hands on a physical copy will have to wait a little longer, as the paperback won’t be hitting the shops until August. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the beautiful design created by Little, Brown’s very own Matthew Burne.

 

Read on for a taste of what’s in store:

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, Al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world fifty years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be Al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and a familiar person from her past, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city – or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems . . .

‘Clever, wickedly fun . . . with an excellent balance of humour and heart. I loved it’
S. A. Chakraborty, bestselling author of The City of Brass

‘A Master of Djinn has all the tricky twists I want in a police procedural and all the djinns, magic and wonder I want from fantasy’
Mary Robinette Kowal, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of The Calculating Stars

‘An epic tale of magic and mystery, this is sure to wow’
Publishers Weekly

‘A Master of Djinn is everything you might expect from Clark: cinematic action, a radical reimagining of real history, and magic on every page. I loved it’
Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

‘The kind of book you don’t want to put down’
Marie Brennan, World Fantasy and Hugo Award-nominated author

 

Shortlist for the 2019 Philip K. Dick Award

The nominees for the 2019 Philip K. Dick Award have been announced! See the shortlist below:

  • 84K by Claire North 
  • AMBIGUITY MACHINES AND OTHER STORIES by Vandana Singh
  • TIME WAS by Ian McDonald
  • THE BODY LIBRARY by Jeff Noon
  • ALIEN VIRUS LOVE DISASTER: STORIES by Abbey Mei Otis
  • THEORY OF BASTARDS by Audrey Schulman

The winner will be announced on Friday 19th April at Norwescon 42 in SeaTac, Washington.

84k, a science fiction dystopian novel by Claire NorthCongratulations to all the authors shortlisted, and in particular to Orbit author Claire North! Find out more about her outstanding novel 84K (UK|US|ANZ) below:

‘An eerily plausible dystopian masterpiece’ Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven

‘An extraordinary novel that stands with the best of dystopian fiction, with echoes of The Handmaid’s Tale‘ Cory Doctorow

‘Absolutely breath-taking . . .  An early and compelling candidate for best novel of 2018. Read it’ Sci Fi Magazine

‘[A] gut-punch of a novel . . . a story that is rare – one of those that is so good I didn’t want it to end . . . Painted in shades of Fahrenheit 451, of Children of Men, Soylent Green and Brave New World‘ NPR

‘Absorbing and timely; a book to wrestle and argue with, but first and foremost, to read‘ New York Times

‘Claire North goes from strength to strength . . . A tense, moving story set in drawing from current political trends to present a draconian future similar to that of Nineteen Eighty-Four‘ Guardian

‘Another captivating novel from one of the most intriguing and genre-bending novelists’ Booklist

Read a sample of 84K here. Follow Claire North on Twitter here.

Cover launch: THE GREY BASTARDS by Jonathan French

BRING ON THE ORCS . . . 

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French book cover

What do you get when you cross:

Orcs  +  visceral action  +  a filthy, sardonic voice  + giant war pigs…?

A SHEDLOAD OF BADASSERY – that’s what.

Today we’re officially launching the cover for THE GREY BASTARDS (UK|ANZ) by Jonathan French – designed by artist and photographer Larry Rostant, along with Little, Brown Book Group creative director Duncan Spilling.

THE GREY BASTARDS is a debut that’s down, dirty and damn good fun. It’s a must-read for fantasy fans in 2018.

You might have heard of this book already because it won Mark Lawrence’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off – meaning it was selected by a panel of top fantasy bloggers as the winner from a shortlist of exceptional fantasy submissions.

You might have heard some of the things people have been saying about it:

‘Frankly excellent’ Mark Lawrence

‘A bloody good tale of battle, betrayal and war pigs’ Brian McClellan

‘Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdry charm and vicious characters. The Grey Bastards has instantaneously catapulted him into my must-read list’ Fantasy Book Critic

‘Fans of Abercrombie’s The First Law . . . will like this a lot’ Django Wexler

‘I’d like to raise a tankard to The Grey Bastards’ brilliance’ Fantasy Faction

Or you might have heard the Bastard’s war cry echoing through the interwebs: LIVE IN THE SADDLE, DIE ON THE HOG!

Whether you know about this book already or are just encountering it for the first time, one thing’s for sure: once you join the Bastards, you’ll never look back.

Available for pre-order now. Follow Jonathan French on Twitter here.

THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE – out this week in paperback

THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE by M R Carey

Four years ago we published THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS (UK|US|ANZ) by M. R. Carey. It became one of the most beloved and bestselling books of recent years, going on to sell over a million copies and becoming a BAFTA Award-nominated film.

We’re delighted to let you know that the paperback edition of THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE (UK|US|ANZ) – the novel which returns to the world of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS – is out now in paperback around the world.

Cover launch: SOMEONE LIKE ME by M. R. Carey

We’re very excited to reveal the cover for a new standalone novel coming from M. R. Carey, author of the million-copy bestselling THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS (UK|US|ANZ).

It’s called SOMEONE LIKE ME and it’s a heart-stopping high-concept thriller with a gripping supernatural twist . . .

SOMEONE LIKE ME book cover by M. R. Carey

SHE LOOKS LIKE ME. SHE SOUNDS LIKE ME.

AND NOW SHE’S TRYING TO TAKE MY PLACE . . .

Liz Kendall wouldn’t hurt a fly. She’s a gentle woman devoted to bringing up her kids in a loving home, no matter how hard times get.

But there’s another side to Liz, one that’s dark and malicious. A version of her that will do anything to get her way – no matter how extreme or violent.

And when this other side of her takes control, the consequences are devastating.

The only way Liz can save herself and her family is if she can find out where this new alter-ego has come from, and how she can stop it.

This book is unlike anything you will have read before . . . imagine Stephen King meets Gone Girl, but with that added touch of M. R. Carey genius and originality! Trust us – you won’t want to miss this. It’s due to be published in late 2018.

And don’t forget – THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE (UK|US|ANZ), the new novel set in the world of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS releases in paperback next week!

The Girl With All the Gifts   The Boy on the Bridge book cover by M R Carey

Acquisition announcement: THE GREY BASTARDS by Jonathan French

Jonathan French, author of gritty fantasy The Grey Bastards

Orbit UK has acquired rights to The Grey Bastards plus a sequel by US author Jonathan French.

It’s a wild and gritty epic fantasy debut that invites you to enter the world of orcs and half-orcs – as you’ve never seen them before . . .

You might have heard of The Grey Bastards because it won Mark Lawrence’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2016 – meaning that a panel of ten top fantasy bloggers picked it as the winner out of hundreds of entries. And this win was thoroughly deserved . . . This fantasy debut is brimming with raucous energy.

It’s the story of Jackal – who is proud to be a Grey Bastard, a member of a sworn brotherhood of half-orcs. Unloved and unwanted in civilized society, the Bastards eke out a hard life in the desolate no-man’s-land called the Lots, protecting frail and noble human civilization from invading bands of vicious full-blooded orcs . . .

Jonathan’s voice stood out to us as one of the freshest we’ve read in years. The story overflows with crisp dialogue, blood-soaked action, an entertaining sardonic voice and a wonderfully compelling cast of characters. It’s an irresistible action tale that will thrill readers of fantasy such as Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, Stan Nicholl’s Orcs series and Markus Heitz’s Dwarves series.

And just look at the whole host of amazing reviews it’s already received!

‘Frankly excellent’ ~ Mark Lawrence, bestselling author of Prince of Thorns

‘The Grey Bastards dragged me in immediately. A bloody good tale of battles, intrigue, betrayal, duty and war pigs’ ~ Brian McClellan, author of Promise of Blood

‘A gritty adventure with a fantastic, foul-mouthed voice and filthy, lovable characters in a wonderfully original world of half-orcs on giant hogs.  Fans of Abercrombie’s The First Law or the soldierly banter of Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen will like this a lot’ ~ Django Wexler

‘Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdy charm and vicious characters. The Grey Bastards has instantaneously catapulted him into my must-read list’ ~Fantasy Book Critic

‘I’d like to raise a tankard to The Grey Bastards’ brilliance’ ~ Fantasy Faction

‘I f*cking loved this book. The Grey Bastards went down like a shot of good top-shelf tequila: warm and smooth, but with one hell of a spicy kick’ ~ Bibliosanctum

These guys were all pretty darn excited about the half-orcs, and dammit – you should be too. Look out for The Grey Bastards in June 2018.

And as the Bastards say, LIVE IN THE SADDLE, DIE ON THE HOG!

Cover launch: 84K by Claire North

This is a very exciting time for Claire North.

She’s just won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for The Sudden Appearance of Hope  (US|UK|ANZ). She’s been shortlisted for the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award for The End of the Day (UK|US|ANZ).

And now we’re thrilled to present the cover for her new novel 84K, coming next year.

84K by Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

84K is remarkable, innovative, gripping and utterly thought-provoking.

It’s a startling vision of a world where nothing is so precious it can’t be bought . . . and where our lives are defined only by numbers.

Theo Miller knows the value of human life – to the very last penny. 

Working in the Criminal Audit Office, he assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.

But when his ex-lover is killed, it’s different. This is one death he can’t let become merely an entry on a balance sheet. 

Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don’t add up.

This is a book which will resonate with readers around the world, and it will confirm Claire North’s place as one of the most original voices in modern fiction.

84K is coming in May 2018, and is available for pre-order now.

Praise for Claire North’s novels:

‘Poignant and intensely gripping’ Guardian

‘Little short of a masterpiece’ Independent

‘Ambitious, immensely humane and full of philosophical panache’ Sunday Times

‘Well-paced, brilliant and balanced’ New York Times

‘Extraordinary . . . wildly impressive’ Lucy Hughes-Hallett, BBC Radio 4

‘One of the fiction highlights of the decade’ Judy Finnigan, Richard and Judy Book Club

SUCCESSOR’S PROMISE: A message from Trudi Canavan

Succesors Promise, book 3 of Millennium's Rule by Trudi Canavan

SUCCESSOR’S PROMISE (UK|US|ANZ), the third instalment in Trudi Canavan’s Sunday Times bestselling Millennium’s Rule series is out now.

Following THIEF’S MAGIC (UK|US|ANZ) and ANGEL OF STORMS (UK|US|ANZ), this dramatic fantasy novel is set in a time of chaos – where worlds are at war, torn apart by magic and power-hungry sorcerers.

For us and legions of fantasy fans around the world, the release of this new book is a very exciting event!

Trudi filmed the video below to tell readers just what they can expect from this series and SUCCESSOR’S PROMISE – and to send a big thank you to her fans all around the world for everything they do to support her books!

Cover launch: OUTER EARTH by Rob Boffard

Welcome to Outer Earth: a vivid, dangerous world where every day is a desperate struggle for survival . . . 

. . . and one wrong move could spell the end for humanity.


OUTER EARTH - a science fiction adventure from Rob Boffard

We’re very proud to present  the cover for OUTER EARTH (UK | US | ANZ), a thrilling science fiction adventure from Rob Boffard.

Outer Earth is a huge space station orbiting the ruins of our planet. Dirty, overcrowded and inescapable, it’s humanity’s last refuge . . . and possibly its final resting place. There are dark forces at work on the station who are seeking to unleash chaos. And if they succeed, there will be nowhere left to run.

This new edition of the OUTER EARTH series contains three adrenaline-fuelled novels: Tracer, Zero-G and Impact. It’s the kind of gripping story which will get a whole range of SF and space opera readers hooked, and it’s already received some very impressive praise:

‘Fast, exhilarating and unforgettable, and once you start it you can’t stop’ Sarah Lotz, author of The Three

‘Sets a new standard for all-action SF’ Ken MacLeod

‘Relentlessly fast pace . . . Vivid action scenes’ SFX

‘Exhilarating and guaranteed to keep you hooked until the very last page’ Glamour

‘If you’re after a fast-paced, action-packed, cinematic space adventure, then [this] is absolutely for you’ Civilian Reader

OUTER EARTH (UK | US | ANZ) will be entering our orbit in February 2018.

And in the meantime, we also have some very exciting news about Rob Boffard: I’m delighted to say we’ve acquired three new books from him!  The first book will be called ADRIFT and will be releasing in June 2018.

Set in the far reaches of space, ADRIFT is about a group of tourists who board a small vessel for a trip around Sigma Station – a remote space mining facility and luxury hotel. But when a mysterious ship attacks the station with devastating consequences, the tourists end up stranded in the depths of space, out of contact with civilisation and with no way home . . .

This is such a dramatic, original SF adventure and we can’t wait to tell you more . . . Stay tuned for details!

Cover launch: A PLAGUE OF GIANTS by Kevin Hearne

This October, an invasion is coming.

From the east will come the Bone Giants. And from the south, the fire-wielding Hathrim . . .

A Plague of Giants, a new epic fantasy from Kevin Hearne, author of the Iron Druid Chronicles

Check out our UK cover for A PLAGUE OF GIANTS (UK| ANZ), a colossal new epic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling Kevin Hearne.

You can expect truly great things from this fantasy adventure. Think shape-shifting bards, astonishing beasts and monstrous giants . . .

Kevin is an exceptional storyteller. If you’ve read his bestselling Iron Druid Chronicles, you’ll already know what an original, absorbing and exciting writer he is.

But this entirely new world called the Seven Kennings feels so fresh and is on such an epic scale, fans old and new are about to be wowed.

Readers of Anthony Ryan, Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle and Markus Heitz’s Dwarves series: you might just have found your new favourite author here.

But don’t just take my word for it – listen to these guys:

‘This isn’t just a breath of fresh air for the genre, it’s a damned hurricane’
Jason M. Hough, New York Times bestselling author

‘Absorbing epic fantasy, with clever storytelling that allows its many threads to each feel important, personal, and memorable’ James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost

‘Human-facing, optimistic, a much-needed reimagining of what epic fantasy can be’ Chuck Wendig

‘A rare masterpiece that’s both current and timeless . . . merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who’ll break your heart’
Delilah S. Dawson

A PLAGUE OF GIANTS (UK| ANZ) is available for pre-order now.