Archive for Contents

Cover Launch: ADRIFT by Rob Boffard

Lost in the depths of space . . . No contact with civilisation . . . no way home . . . what would you do?

We’re very proud to present the cover for a gripping new science fiction novel we have coming in June 2018:

Adrift - a science fiction adventure novel by Rob Boffard

Rob Boffard’s ADRIFT is a tale of survival against all odds in the depths of space.

We just love the premise of this: An unsuspecting group of space tourists have their short pleasure trip turn into a nightmare – when they find themselves the only survivors of a devastating attack, drifting in space, with no way home and a terrorist ship on their tail . . .

This is pulse-pounding stuff, and it’s already getting some brilliant reactions from a whole host of science fiction authors:

‘AN EDGE-OF-THE-SEAT EPIC OF SURVIVAL AND ADVENTURE IN DEEP SPACE’ Gareth L. Powell, the BSFA award-winning author of Embers of War

‘A UNIQUE MIX OF THRILLER, SPACE ADVENTURE AND CONSPIRACY NOVEL – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED’ Jamie Sawyer, author of the Lazarus War novels

ADRIFT IS RICH IN DEEP CHARACTER-DRIVEN DRAMA, BUILT ON A HIGHLY SUSPENSEFUL PREMISE‘ D. Nolan Clark, author of Forsaken Skies

Sounds pretty cool, huh? Believe us – IT IS.

ADRIFT is perfect for fans of Alastair Reynold’s Revenger, John Scalzi’s The Collapsing Empire, Becky Chamber’s The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and Adrian Tchaikovksy’ Children of Time.

Read on for the blurb below, and look out for ADRIFT in a galaxy near you in June 2018.

In the far reaches of space, a tour group embarks on what will be the trip of a lifetime – in more ways than one . . .

At Sigma Station, a remote mining facility and luxury hotel in deep space, a group of tourists boards a small vessel to take in the stunning views of the Horsehead Nebula.

But while they’re out there, a mysterious ship with devastating advanced technology attacks the station. Their pilot’s quick thinking means that the tourists escape with their lives – but as the dust settles, they realise they may be the only survivors . . .

Adrift in outer space on a vastly under-equipped ship, they’ve got no experience, no weapons, no contact with civilisation. They are way out of their depth, and if they can’t figure out how to work together, they’re never getting home alive.

Because the ship that destroyed the station is still out there. And it’s looking for them…

Cover Launch: THE WOLF by Leo Carew

Here at Orbit, we love fantasy that is big, bold, and bloody. THE WOLF, the first book in the Under the Northern Sky series, is all of these things and more. If you’re a fan of only the most epic tales of war and political power plays, then we think you’ll love The Wolf too. The appropriately striking cover is below. Design by Patrick Insole.

Violence and death have come to the land under the Northern Sky.

Ready or not, Roper has been thrust into a position of leadership that he’s woefully ill prepared for. Now, a massive army approaches from the south, old allies turn against him, and new rivals seek to undermine his rule. Facing attack from within and without, Roper must forge reckless alliances, no matter the cost, to save his kingdom.

Bellamus is a brash but capable southern general, a commoner with the rare honor of having the discreet support of the Queen. Rising quickly from the minor ranks he was born into, Bellamus leads the march on the North. Victory means glory, power, and the favor of the king, but defeat promises much worse than disgrace.

A tale of war, rivalry, and honor, The Wolf creates a world that is both familiar and uncanny — one where the fiercest enemies are always closer than they seem.

 

Winner of Africa’s First Speculative Fiction Award Announced alongside Orbit Publishing Deal

 Tade Thompson, author of ROSEWATER (photo credit David Thompson)Please join us in welcoming Tade Thompson to the Orbit family! The news is out – we will be publishing his Rosewater trilogy next year.

Tade’s also just had another VERY exciting bit of news to announce, as Rosewater was awarded Best Novel today at the inaugural Nommo Awards. These are the first awards ever given for African speculative fiction or science fiction – a landmark moment for the genre and for Tade!

The winners were announced as part of the Ake Arts and Book Festival in Abeokuta, Nigeria, and also included Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti winning Best Novella and a tie between Lesley Nneka Arimah and Tendai Huchu for Best Short Story. The awards were set up by the African Speculative Fiction Society.

While Rosewater was originally published by indie press Apex Book Company agent Alexander Cochran (C+W Agency ) sold world rights in this and two more novels in the trilogy to Orbit last month. The trilogy will chronicle the effects and aftereffects of a biological catastrophe first on an individual, then on a community and finally the world.

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless – people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumoured healing powers.
Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn’t care to again – but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realisation about a horrifying future.

Tade Thompson is the author of Rosewater, a John W. Campbell Award finalist and Best Novel winner for the inaugural 2017 NOMMO Awards for African speculative fiction. His novella The Murders of Molly Southbourne has recently been optioned for screen adaptation. He also writes short stories, notably ‘The Apologists’ which was nominated for a British Science Fiction Association award. Born in London to Yoruba parents, he lives and works on the south coast of England where he battles an addiction to books.

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

Goodreads Choice Awards 2017: FINAL Round

We’re excited to announce that three Orbit titles are in the FINAL round of the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards! Want to see your favorite Orbit authors and books win the awards this year? Cast your vote!

Voting for the final round ends November 27.

Fantasy – VOTE NOW

THE STONE SKY by N. K. Jemisin (US | UK | AUS)

Horror – VOTE NOW

THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE by M. R. Carey (US | UK | AUS)

Science Fiction – VOTE NOW

BABYLON’S ASHES by James S. A. Corey (US | UK | AUS)

 

Cover Launch: DREADFUL COMPANY by Vivian Shaw

DREADFUL COMPANY is the second riveting contemporary fantasy novel in the world of STRANGE PRACTICE (US | UK | AUS), featuring Dr. Greta Helsing, whose family has been keeping the supernatural community not-alive and well for generations.

If you can’t wait for the release of DREADFUL COMPANY in July 2018, here’s a sneak peek at Will Staehle’s amazing cover!

When Greta Helsing, doctor to the undead, is unexpectedly called to Paris to present at a medical conference, she expects nothing more exciting than professional discourse on zombie reconstructive surgery and skin disease in bogeymen — and hopefully at least one uneventful night at the Opera.

Unfortunately for Greta, Paris happens to be infested with a coven of vampires — and not the civilized kind. If she hopes to survive, Greta must navigate the darkest corners of the City of Lights, the maze of ancient catacombs and mine-tunnels underneath the streets, where there is more to find than simply dead men’s bones.

Praise for Strange Practice:

“In Vivian Shaw’s Strange Practice, a charmingly unusual doctor and her charges keep the city of London from grave danger. In the process, they peel back the covers of familiar (and according to them, somewhat “libelous”) stories to find that reality—especially with the undead—is more poignant and complex than it seems at first glance. An excellent adventure.”
—Fran Wilde, award-winning author of Updraft, Cloudbound, and Horizon

Strange Practice is written with elegance, wit, and compassion. The prose is gorgeous, the wit is mordant, and the ideas are provocative. Also, there are ghouls.”
—Laura Amy Schlitz, Newbery Medal winner

“A satisfying and surprising read, with rich imagery, nuance, and real compassion for its characters—give Strange Practice a shot!”
—Elliott James, author of Charming

“A darkly delicious adventure featuring a quirky new heroine. Strange Practice breathes new life into the undead.”
—James Bennett, author of Chasing Embers

“An exceptional and delightful debut, in the tradition of Good Omens and A Night in the Lonesome October.”
—Elizabeth Bear, Hugo-award winning author

“Shaw balances an agile mystery with a pitch-perfect, droll narrative and cast of lovable misfit characters. These are not your mother’s Dracula or demons … Strange Practice is a super(natural) read.”
Shelf Awareness

“An appropriately dark breath of fresh air.”
—Booklist on Strange Practice

“Readers will look forward to more of Greta’s adventures. An imaginative, delightfully droll debut.”
Kirkus

“A book to settle into. A warm quilt of a thing that’s made for curling up with … I miss this newest Helsing already.”
NPR

“This book is a joy to read, unlocking every bit of delicious promise in the premise.”
B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

Goodreads Choice Awards 2017: Semifinal Round

We’re excited to announce that all of the Orbit titles moved to the second round of nominations for the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards—including a new write-in! Want to see your favorite Orbit authors and books make it to the final round? Cast your vote!

Voting for the semifinal round ends November 12.

Fantasy – VOTE NOW

SINS OF EMPIRE by Brian McClellan (US | UK | AUS)

KINGS OF THE WYLD by Nicholas Eames (US | UK | AUS)

THE STONE SKY by N. K. Jemisin (US | UK | AUS)

SILENCE FALLEN by Patricia Briggs (UK | AUS)

 

Horror – VOTE NOW

THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE by M. R. Carey (US | UK | AUS)

THE DELIRIUM BRIEF by Charlie Stross (UK)

 

Science Fiction – VOTE NOW

PROVENANCE by Ann Leckie (US | UK | AUS)

BABYLON’S ASHES by James S. A. Corey (US | UK | AUS)

**SIX WAKES by Mur Lafferty (US) ** — New write-in!

   

Debut Goodreads Author – VOTE NOW

KINGS OF THE WYLD by Nicholas Eames (US | UK | AUS)

If your favorite Orbit title of 2017 isn’t listed, you can also enter a write-in vote at the bottom of each genre page.

Claire North wins the World Fantasy Award!

The winners of the 2017 World Fantasy Awards were announced last night — including THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF HOPE (Redhook US | Orbit UK | Orbit ANZ), by Orbit’s own Claire North! Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees. You can see the full list here.

If you’re new to North’s work, also be sure to check out THE END OF THE DAY (US | UK | ANZ), TOUCH (US | UK | ANZ), and THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST (US | UK | ANZ).

Congratulations go, too, to Terry Brooks, who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Fantasy Convention this weekend. His most recent book is THE BLACK ELFSTONE (UK).

Cover Launch: INTO THE FIRE by Elizabeth Moon

We’re delighted to reveal the stunning cover for INTO THE FIRE (UK|ANZ), the thrilling second book in the Vatta’s Peace series by Nebula-Award-winning author Elizabeth Moon.

Into the Fire

Cover design by Sean Garrehy
Illustration by Steve Stone @ Artist partners

INTO THE FIRE will be hitting shops in February 2018 and is available for pre-order now! Read on for a taste of what’s in store:

When Admiral Kylara Vatta and a ship full of strangers were marooned on an inhospitable arctic island, they uncovered secrets that someone on Ky’s planet was ready to kill to keep hidden. Now, the existence of the mysterious arctic base has been revealed, but the organisation behind it still lurks in the shadows, doing all it can to silence her.

It is up to the intrepid Ky to force the perpetrators into the light, and uncover decades’ worth of secrets – some of which lie at the very heart of her family’s greatest tragedy.

Praise for Elizabeth Moon:

‘Sheer delight’ – Anne McCaffrey
‘Absolutely compelling’ – Greg Bear
‘Full of thrills’ – Locus
‘Unforgettable’ – Jack McDevitt
‘Hard to put down’ – SFSite.com
‘Continues to get better with every volume’ – Guardian
‘Superlative’ – Booklist
‘She deserves all her success – and more’ – SciFi.com

Cover Launch: BLOODY ROSE by Nicholas Eames

Nicholas Eames took the fantasy world by storm with his stellar debut KINGS OF THE WYLD (US | UK | AUS) about a band of mercenaries getting back together for one last impossible mission. Now, we’re excited to reveal the stunning cover to his follow up, BLOODY ROSE  where he’s introducing us to a brand new band. Art by Richard Anderson, cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio.

Live fast, die young.

Tam Hashford has always dreamed of living through glory days of her own. With a renowned mercenary for a mother and an illustrious bard for a father, battles and adventure seem the only way to really live.

So when she learns that the most revered mercenary crew in Grandual is in need of a bard, she grabs her lute and goes on tour. Led by the infamous Bloody Rose, Tam and her new band embark on a mission that will earn them everlasting fame — or certain death.

It’s time to take a walk on the wyld side.

 

KINGS OF THE WYLD is also up for the Best Fantasy award in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Congratulations, Nicholas Eames!

Praise for Kings of the Wyld:

“A rollicking, page-turning, edge-of-your-seat road-trip of a book. Great characters, loveable rogues that I genuinely cared about and all manner of fantastical monsters.” – John Gwynne

“Fantastic, funny, ferocious. Hugely recommended. Read it now.” – Sam Sykes

“In short: it rocks.” – B&N SF & Fantasy Blog

“Absolutely awesome . . . Full of heroes, humor, and heart.” – Jon Hollins

“Nicholas Eames brings brazen fun and a rock & roll sensibility to the fantasy genre.” – Sebastien de Castell

“An outstanding debut which will make you laugh and cry and hold your breath.” – K. J. Parker