Archive for Contents

Cover Launch: BLACKLIGHT BORN by Alexander Darwin

Take a look at the cover of Blacklight Born (US | UK) by Alexander Darwin, the third and final installment in The Combat Codes series coming December 2024!

Blacklight Born by Alexander Darwin

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto, Cover Art by Peter Bollinger

The final book in an action-packed science fiction trilogy set on a far-future world where the fate of nations is determined by single combat: “that rare book that fully satisfies me as an action fan.” (Fonda Lee, author of Jade City)

The Grievar War has engulfed the Empire of Kiroth and Silas the Slayer has given voice to his warrior kin, igniting a revolution within a people once bound by a thousand years of servitude.

Cego is released into a war-torn world where the lines between shadow and light are blurred. He must decide which path to follow: one of his brother’s righteous rebellion or the one that leads to the family he’s finally found.

Once famed knight, Murray Pearson, leads a group of Lyceum students on an adventure across Kiroth to follow the path of combat mastery. But Murray seeks something more on this long road. Redemption.

In this explosive conclusion to the Combat Codes Saga, the truth will be revealed and one final question must be answered as they step back into the Circle: What is the cost of losing the fight?

The Combat Codes
The Combat Codes (US | UK)
Grievar’s Blood (US | UK)

Cover Launch: The Wilderwood Duology Collector’s Edition by Hannah Whitten

Take your first look at the collector’s edition of The Wilderwood Duology (US) by Hannah Whitten!

The Wilderwood Duology Collector's Edition by Hannah Whitten The Wilderwood Duology Collector's Edition by Hannah Whitten

Art Direction by Lauren Panepinto; Illustration by Abigail Larson; Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Enter the world of the Wilderwood with this stunning, deluxe collector’s edition of Hannah Whitten’s unforgettable New York Times bestselling duology, For the Wolf and For the Throne, which features:

  • An exclusive box illustrated by Hugo Award-winning artist Abigail Larson
  • A signed copy of For the Wolf
  • Fabric-bound hardcover editions
  • Brand new foil-stamped covers
  • Gold foil edges
  • Colored endpaper art
  • A ribbon bookmark
  • An exclusive bonus scene

The first daughter is for the Throne.
The second daughter is for the Wolf.

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose—to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep her beloved sister Neve, the First Daughter, safe. But the legends lie. The old gods stir. And the monsters of the Wilderwood and beyond are not all what they seem in this dark and romantic debut duology that became an instant New York Times bestseller and word-of-mouth sensation.

Acquisition Announcement: A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST

Colour photo of author M. H. Ayinde

Orbit UK are thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired a stunning epic fantasy trilogy from debut author M. H. Ayinde, winner of the 2021 Future Worlds Prize. The first book in the series, A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST, will be published in spring 2025 and launches a gripping tale of revenge and rebellion in a vividly drawn world inspired by multiple pre-colonial cultures.

We can’t wait to share A Song of Legends Lost with readers! With its large cast of complex, vibrant characters, rich worldbuilding and propulsive narrative, it’s perfect for fans of The Rage of Dragons, The Bone Shard Daughter and The Unbroken.

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

In the Nine Lands, only those of noble blood can summon the spirits of their ancestors to fight in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she finds it could hold the key to ending a centuries-long war. But not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor. And some of the spirits that can be drawn from the ancestral realm are more dangerous than anyone can imagine.

M. H. Ayinde was born in London’s East End. She was the 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize, which was created to discover new writers of science fiction and fantasy from ethnically diverse backgrounds. She lives in London with three generations of her family and their Studio Ghibli obsession.

Please join us in welcoming Modupe to Orbit. She can be found on X @MHAyinde or at her website  www.mhayinde.com.

Cover Launch: THE ENCHANTED LIES OF CÉLESTE ARTOIS by Ryan Graudin

Ryan Graudin (Photo Credit: David Strauss)
Photo Credit: David Strauss

Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois (US) by Ryan Graudin, a magical tale of con artists and thieves set under the glittering lights of 1900s Paris. Filled with unforgettable characters, lyrical imagery, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected of places, it’s a perfect read for fans of V.E. Schwab and Alix E. Harrow. We’re so excited to bring you this title in July 2024—read on for a glimpse of what’s in store, and take your first look at the cover!

Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those dreams, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. And even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.

But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by the salon, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if only one knows where to look.

Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there’s more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.

The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Cover Launch: THE MERCY OF GODS by James S. A. Corey

Take a look at the cover of The Mercy of Gods (US | UK) by James S. A. Corey. Pick up a copy in August 2024. If you missed the title & cover reveal virtual event featuring the authors, you can watch a replay here!

The Mery of Gods by James S. A. Corey

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Daniel Dociu

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Expanse comes a spectacular new space opera that sees humanity fighting for its survival in a war as old as the universe itself.

How humanity came to the planet called Anjiin is lost in the fog of history, but that history is about to end.

The Carryx—part empire, part hive—have waged wars of conquest for centuries, destroying or enslaving species across the galaxy. Now, they are facing a great and deathless enemy. The key to their survival may rest with the humans of Anjiin.

Caught up in academic intrigue and affairs of the heart, Dafyd Alkhor is pleased just to be an assistant to a brilliant scientist and his celebrated research team.  Then the Carryx ships descend, decimating the human population and taking the best and brightest of Anjiin society away to serve on the Carryx homeworld, and Dafyd is swept along with them.

They are dropped in the middle of a struggle they barely understand, set in a competition against the other captive species with extinction as the price of failure.  Only Dafyd and a handful of his companions see past the Darwinian contest to the deeper game that they must play to survive: learning to understand—and manipulate—the Carryx themselves.

With a noble but suicidal human rebellion on one hand and strange and murderous enemies on the other, the team pays a terrible price to become the trusted servants of their new rulers.

Dafyd Alkhor is a simple man swept up in events that are beyond his control and more vast than his imagination.  He will become the champion of humanity and its betrayer, the most hated man in history and the guardian of his people.

This is where his story begins.

Acquisition Announcement: THE BONE RAIDERS by Jackson Ford

Jackson Ford author photo - credit Brooke McAllister

Orbit is excited to announce that we have acquired The Bone Raiders, a fast-paced and highly entertaining new epic fantasy from Jackson Ford, author of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind. We’ll be publishing it globally in Spring 2025.

This epic fantasy follows the story of the Rakada, a fearsome band known as the Bone Raiders, due to their charming habit of wearing the bones of those they kill on their armour. But being a raider is tough these days, especially when the High Chieftain is trying to wipe out you and your kind. When Sayana, a young Rakada scout, finds herself face-to-face with a fire-breathing lizard of legend during a raid-gone-wrong, she comes up with an audacious plan to save the Rakada and preserve their way of life. A plan that involves convincing the lizard to let her ride it . . .

We can’t wait to share The Bone Raiders with readers! With a fast pace, great sense of humour and a superb ensemble cast, it’s perfect for fans of lively epic fantasy with attitude such as Kings of the Wyld, The Grey Bastards, The Blacktongue Thief and The Blade Itself.

Author Jackson Ford said: ‘Bad guys are always the best fun to write – especially bad guys who have everything to lose. I fell hard for the Rakada, and especially for Sayana, who has no idea what she’s about to get into. I had a wild time creating the world of The Bone Raiders, and I can’t wait for readers to get their teeth into it.’

If you’re not already following Jackson, you can find him on Instagram as @realjacksonford, on X as @realjacksonford or at jacksonfordauthor.com.

Orbit UK Publisher Anna Jackson acquired World English language rights in two novels set in the world of the Bone Raiders from Ed Wilson @ Johnson & Alcock. Bradley Englert, Senior Editor at Orbit US, has acquired rights in US & Canada. Orbit will publish the book globally in May 2025.

Cover Launch: RUINATION: A LEAGUE OF LEGENDS NOVEL Collector’s Edition

Cover launch! Take a look at the cover for our collector’s edition of Ruination: A League of Legends Novel (US | UK) by Anthony Reynolds. Pick up a copy in December 2023.

Ruination: A League of Legends Novel Collector's Edition by Anthony Reynolds

Ruination: A League of Legends Novel Collector's Edition by Anthony Reynolds Ruination: A League of Legends Novel Collector's Edition by Anthony Reynolds

Cover Design by Greg Ghielmetti & Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Valentina Remenar

This collector’s edition hardcover includes:

  • A beautifully designed case
  • Striking new cover artwork
  • Stained edges
  • Illustrated endpapers
  • Color illustrations of characters from the novel
  • Six new illustrations from scenes in the novel
  • Color illustrations of artifacts from Ruination and League of Legends
  • Color maps
  • Color chapter titles
  • A bookmark ribbon
  • An exclusive new chapter featured at the end of the novel
  • Individual art cards featuring Viego, Kalista, Erlok Grael, the maps from the world, and a diagram of the sword, Sanctity

Discover an epic tale of magic, revenge, and an empire on the verge of ruin in the first ever novel set in the blockbuster universe of League of Legends.

Camavor is a brutal land with a bloody legacy. Where the empire’s knights go, slaughter follows.

Kalista seeks to change that. When her young and narcissistic uncle, Viego, becomes king, she vows to temper his destructive instincts, as his loyal confidant, advisor, and military general. But her plans are thwarted when an assassin’s poisoned blade strikes Viego’s wife, Isolde, afflicting her with a malady for which there is no cure.

As Isolde’s condition worsens, Viego descends into madness and grief, threatening to drag Camavor down with him. Kalista makes a desperate gambit to save the kingdom: she searches for the long lost Blessed Isles, rumored to hold the queen’s salvation, if only Kalista can find them.

But corruption grows in the Blessed Isles’ capital, where a vengeful warden seeks to ensnare Kalista in his cruel machinations. She will be forced to choose between her loyalty to Viego and doing what she knows is right–for even in the face of utter darkness, one noble act can shine a light that saves the world.

Cover Launch: THESE DEATHLESS SHORES by P.H. Low

Cover launch! Take a look at the cover of These Deathless Shores (US) by P.H. Low. Pick up a copy in July 2024.

These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover Illustration by Balbusso Twins

Gorgeous and devastating, P. H. Low’s debut fantasy is a richly reimagined tale of Captain Hook’s origin, a story of cruelty, magic, lost innocence, and the indelible power of stories.

Jordan was once a Lost Boy, convinced she would never grow up. Now, she’s twenty-two and exiled to the real world, still suffering withdrawal from the addictive magic Dust of her childhood. With nothing left to lose, Jordan returns to the Island and its stories—of pirates and war and the heartlessness of youth—intent on facing Peter one last time, on her own terms.

If that makes her the villain… so be it.

Cover Launch: BEYOND THE LIGHT HORIZON by Ken MacLeod

We’re thrilled to reveal the cover of Beyond the Light Horizon, the jaw-dropping conclusion to the Lightspeed trilogy from science fiction legend Ken MacLeod, a thrilling tale of politics, AI and the far reaches of space.

Designed by Duncan Spilling, Beyond the Light Horizon is publishing in May 2024, and is available to pre-order now.

Beyond the Light Horizon by Ken MacLeod. A tank-like space craft flies into the orbit of a blue Earth-like planet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘IF YOU LIKE SCIENCE FICTION YOU WILL LOVE THIS. . . A ROLLICKING GOOD READ’ Scotsman on Beyond the Hallowed Sky

‘MACLEOD’S BEST BOOK TO DATE‘ SFX on Beyond the Hallowed Sky

Humanity has taken to the stars, using faster-than-light travel to reach distant planets and new worlds. But in the far reaches of the galaxy, John Grant will discover a planet of humans who believe he has travelled not only through space to find them, but time.

On Apis, the mysterious Fermi appear to have vanished, taking with them knowledge of the universe that humanity desires. But Marcus Owen, the robot AI now plagued with sentience, knows that the Fermi would not easily abandon the native life of Apis, and that they won’t take kindly to mankind asserting dominance on a world that does not belong to them.

Cover Launch: The Weavers of Alamaxa by Hadeer Elsbai

Following up on one of the most exciting fantasy debuts, The Daughters of Izdihar, Hadeer Elsbai concludes her Alamaxa duology, inspired by Egyptian history, with a tale of magic, betrayal and love.

We’re thrilled to launch the gorgeous cover for The Weavers of Alamaxa, publishing in March 2024. The cover was designed by Ella Garrett, and you can read on below for a taste of what’s in store.

Weavers of Alamaxa by Hadeer Elsbai. A vibrant orange Arabic geometrical shape takes up the centre of the image, with green swirls and fire in each corner. The design has an intricate border.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magic is no longer banned in Alamaxa, but across the border the Zirani are readying their cannons. They will stop at nothing to end what they perceive is a threat not only to their way of life, but to the world.

But the last time a Weaver fought back, the whole world was shattered.

Two incredible women are all that stands before an entire army. But they’ve stood up to power before, and they won then. This time, though, it’s no longer about rhetoric.

This time it’s about magic and blood.  

Praise for this series:

‘A gorgeous, clever feminist fantasy novel rich with magic, politics, hunger and fire. An absolute must-read’ Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

‘A wondrously rich fantasy that highlights the true struggle to revolutionize a society. . . a debut not to be missed’ Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

‘Action-packed, magic-filled, and led by two fierce, vividly-rendered women, The Daughters of Izdihar is a compelling and empowering debut’ Ava Reid, author of Juniper and Thorn

‘A thrilling tale of two women’s fight for rights in their patriarchal society, peppered with elemental magic, politics, and a relentless desire for that which is wrongly forbidden.’ Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

‘A powerful fantasy novel filled with clever magic, intriguing politics, and compelling characters who forge a path toward justice, no matter the obstacle’ Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief

‘An absolutely enthralling tale of two women striving for a better world’ Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Queen of Blood

‘Magnificent, complex, compelling’ Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer