Archive for Contents

WAKE OF VULTURES – A Major New Acquisition!

lila bowen - cr von tuck.JPGWe are over the moon to announce a new novel called WAKE OF VULTURES. At its surface, it is a novel of a young girl who is awakened to the supernatural in the world around her and must start hunting monsters. But this novel is much more than that — and in a league of its own. WAKE OF VULTURES challenges conceptions of race, gender and humanity, yet remains completely engrossing and fast-paced. You will fall instantly in love with Nettie and will get lost in her world. WAKE OF VULTURES is a thought- and discussion-provoking novel — and one I hope you enjoy! We’ll be publishing in the UK and the US this October.

In case you wanted to know a bit more about the novel:

A rich, dark fantasy of destiny, death, and the supernatural world hiding beneath the surface.

Nettie Lonesome lives in a land of hard people and hard ground dusted with sand. She’s a half-breed who dresses like a boy, raised by folks who don’t call her a slave but use her like one. She knows of nothing else. That is, until the day a stranger attacks her. When nothing, not even a sickle to the eye can stop him, Nettie stabs him through the heart with a chunk of wood, and he turns into black sand. And just like that, Nettie can see. But her newfound sight is a blessing and a curse. Even if she doesn’t understand what’s under her own skin, she can sense what everyone else is hiding—at least physically. The world is full of evil, and now she knows the source of all the sand in the desert. Haunted by the spirits, Nettie has no choice but to set out on a quest that might lead her to her true kin… if the monsters along the way don’t kill her first.

So I’ll let you in on a secret — the author is Lila Bowen, but you might be more familiar with her real name, Delilah Dawson. And I think she’s at the top of her game with this one.

But want more? Don’t trust the editor (I know! I wouldn’t either!) How about these guys? Some early reviews are in for this awesome new hardcover:

“I don’t care what else you’ve seen in the bookstore today. Buy this book because it’s the thrilling, delightfully written, and important one you’ve always wanted to read.”
     — Kevin Hearne

“Sharp as a silver Bowie and unsentimental as a stray bullet, Lila Bowen’s Nettie Lonesome earns a place among the legends of the Weird West.”
     — Matthew Stover

“WAKE OF VULTURES doesn’t just fly — it soars. Delilah S. Dawson brings in a wild fantasy quite unlike anything I’ve ever read, with a voice that’s weird and wonderful. Dawson is truly a talent to watch. Hot damn, is this book good.”
     — Chuck Wendig

Jim Butcher to visit London, Manchester and Liverpool next month!

We release the paperback of Jim Butcher’s Number One Sunday Times bestselling SKIN GAME today, which seems like a fantastic time to announce some of the dates for Jim’s first ever UK visit! As well as appearing at Eastercon 2015 from 3-6 April, we can announce today that Jim will be appearing at:

Forbidden Planet, London (179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JR) @ForbiddenPlanet
Tuesday 7th April, 6pm

Waterstones Deansgate, Manchester (91 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2BW) @WaterstonesMCR
Wednesday 8th April, 7pm

Waterstones Liverpool One (12 College Lane, Liverpool L1 3DL) @L1Geekery
Thursday 9th April, 6:30pm

There are more dates to be confirmed, so sign up below to stay up to date!

Sign up for updates on Jim Butcher’s UK Tour with exclusive news and giveaways

THE LAZARUS WAR: a brand new space adventure

Do you like cool SF adventures in space?

Do you like colossal starships and elite military  teams?

Do you like just general awesomeness?!

Then we have something here that will be right up your street. We’re excited to present THE LAZARUS WAR: ARTEFACT (UK | US | ANZ) – the start of an explosive new space adventure series publishing digitally this March.

It’s from a talented new science fiction author called Jamie Sawyer. My excitement dial got turned up to 11 – hell, maybe even 12 – when I first read this book on submission.

It features Captain Conrad Harris, a man who has died hundreds of times. How so? Well . . . he’s the head of the Simulant Operations Program – an elite military team who remotely operate avatars in a war against an alien race. He runs suicide missions in deep-space battles where no real human could survive. But what happens when Harris finds himself stranded on a hostile alien planet without the use of his simulant bodies? For once, he may have to fight this war for real . . .

If you’re a fan of space opera and military science fiction like James S. A. Corey’s Expanse series and Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet books, or films like The Edge of Tomorrow, Avatar and Alien, then this is for you. The legend Jack Campbell himself describes this as “A gripping read that moves as warp speed.” Couldn’t say it better myself.

We’re releasing this on the 24th March as a low-price digital edition for a limited time. You can read a little snippet below for a taster . . . In the meantime, please welcome Jamie to Orbit list! You can find him on Twitter as  @JSawyerAuthor.

“Do you wish you’d brought along a gun now, Mr Olsen?” asked Blake.

“I’ve never fired a gun in my life,” Olsen said, defensively. “I wouldn’t know how to.”

“I can’t think of a better time to learn,” Kaminski replied. “You know – ”

The overhead lights went out, corridor section by corridor section, until we were plunged into total darkness. Simultaneously, the humming generated by the life support module died. The sudden silence was thunderous, stretching out for long seconds.

“How did they do that?” Olsen started. His voice echoed off through the empty corridor like a gunshot, making me flinch. On a dead ship like the Haven, noise travelled. “Surely that wasn’t caused by the Krell – ?”

I held up a hand for silence.

Something creaked elsewhere in the ship –

“Scanners!” I whispered.

That slow, pitched beeping: a lone signal somewhere nearby…

“Contact!” Blake yelled.

In the jittery pool of light created by my shoulder-lamp, I saw something spring above us: just a flash of light, wet, fast . . .

 

A New Series by David Dalglish!

David Dalglish - credit Mike Scott PhotographyToday, Orbit US & UK are very excited to announce the international acquisition of a new trilogy called the Seraphim by David Dalglish, author of the Shadowdance novels. We’ll be publishing the first, Skyborn, this November. I asked David to tell me about about why he is so excited about.

“With, I get to start from scratch in a brand new world, and try out ideas that wouldn’t work in a more traditional fantasy setting. But not everything’s changing. I love throwing fireballs around, and I love intricate sword fights. It’s what I do. It’s what I’m good at. In the Seraphim books, you’ll experience aerial battles at break-neck speed between elite soldiers flinging ice and fire and lightning at one another before clashing with their blades. How can you not have fun with that?”

Sounds good? I know! You can’t wait till November? Don’t worry. I’m reading it now and I’m telling you — its worth the wait!

Glenda Larke’s THE LASCAR’S DAGGER shortlisted for the Aurealis and Ditmar Awards!

Please join us in congratulating Glenda Larke who has been shortlisted not once but twice already for her epic fantasy tale THE LASCAR’S DAGGER!

She’s on the Ditmar shortlists alongside Trudi Canavan’s THIEF’S MAGIC, and she’s just been announced today as an Aurealis finalist!

The Ditmar will be announced at the Australian Natcon over Easter in Perth, and the Aurealis at a dedicated award ceremony the following weekend in Canberra. Best of luck to Trudi, Glenda and all the shortlistees!

THE LASCAR'S DAGGER and THIEF'S MAGIC

TOUCH by Claire North: “I am left staggered into an awed slow-clap”

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live someone else’s life?

TOUCH (UK|US|ANZ) by Claire North is out now. It’s a high-concept thriller about a being who can jump from body to body, just with a touch.

Claire North is the author of THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST (UK | US | ANZ), one of the UK’s bestselling SFF novels of last year. And her new book TOUCH is wowing critics across the board:

I am left staggered into an awed slow-clap at everything North has accomplished here. Touch is touching, horrifying, magnificent; step into it, and it will step into you’ NPR

As intriguing and breathless as it is brilliantly original, constantly defying expectations and a step (or two) ahead of the reader . . . this one will keep you awake at night in the search for answers’ LOVE READING

‘A dark thriller that asks readers to imagine whom they would be if they could be anyone. . . The high stakes and breakneck pace of the plot will draw readers in, and the meditations on what it means to be human and to be loved will linger long after the last shot is fired’ KIRKUS

‘Bolstered by an impeccable sense of setting, a challenging central character and a sinister plot that doesn’t for a second stop, Touch is its own singular, spirited thing, as fascinating and affecting as its predecessor’ TOR.COM

‘The quality of the writing and the dazzlingly imaginative heart of this exciting book will seduce even scifi sceptics, and keep readers absolutely hooked to the dramatic conclusion’ SUNDAY MIRROR

Triumphant . . . This novel is utterly engaging, addictive, and thought-provoking . . . simply superb’ CIVILIAN READER

‘Seriously I cannot get over how amazingly good Claire North is. I could have read this book forever. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August was so smart, Touch is beyond genius. This will be one of THE books of 2015. Mark my words’ BITE THE BOOK

Powerful, disquieting, and provocativePORNOKITSCH

‘The writing is stunning; the action . . . exhilarating; the depth and emotion – always – thought-provoking and touchingTHE LITERARY TREE

‘One of the cleverest, most compelling books I’ve read in a long time . . .  Claire North is one hell of a writerC. L. Taylor, author of THE ACCIDENT

‘A work of sparkling originality that works both as mesmerising thriller and exploration of what it means, at the most profound level, to be human’ Alex Marwood, author of THE WICKED GIRLS

‘Touch is fast, smart, cinematic and with a cracking central idea. This is absolutely destined to be one of the biggest thrillers of 2015Rick O’Shea, radio presenter

‘I was totally and utterly gripped, it’s just extraordinary. Absolutely mesmerisingClare Mackintosh, author, feature writer and columnist

‘The writing is gorgeous. As I read, my fingers were itching to underline quotes on virtually every page. The characters are richly drawn and compelling. The plot is utterly riveting. The book is pretty much perfect, is what I’m saying’ BOOKTOPIA

Fast-paced, imaginative . . . There is plenty of conspiracy and intrigue in this deftly paced novel, but North also poses subtle questions about identity and love’ WASHINGTON POST

Absolutely phenomenal. It is an intricate, edge-of-your-seat book that is unforgettable. It is thought provoking in ways that I never really expected or anticipated, and toys with that moral grey area that I love so much . . . My final thoughts: Read this book. Read it nowBOOKWORM BLUES

Intrigued?

TOUCH is out now from Orbit in the UK and Redhook in the US.

Follow Claire North on Twitter as @ClaireNorth42

BREAKING: NEW YORK IS CHASING CHICAGO

From the Hugo Award-winning author Will McIntosh comes an enchanting new short story: CITY LIVING:

Enter a world of moving cities. The war is over and Hitler is dead, but rumors are flying that Chicago has just attacked Boston. That Moscow has crossed into the US and attacked Chicago. And New York is on the way to chase down the Windy City. Some cities are rumbling that they don’t feel like part of the USA anymore.

But what form of energy is giving them the power of locomotion?

City Living is available now in the US and UK. And don’t miss the author’s other work: Defenders (US | UK | AUS), Love Minus Eighty (US | UK | AUS), The Perimeter, and The Heist.

Ann Leckie’s ANCILLARY SWORD is a Nebula Award nominee!

Today, SFWA announced the list of 2014 Nebula Award nominees and Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Sword has been nominated for Best Novel, an award that her debut novel Ancillary Justice won last year. Congratulations to Ann and all the nominees!

NOVEL

The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Tor)

Trial by Fire, Charles E. Gannon (Baen)

Ancillary Sword, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

The Three-Body Problem, Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu (Tor)

Coming Home, Jack McDevitt (Ace)

Annihilation, Jeff VanderMeer (FSG Originals; Fourth Estate; HarperCollins Canada)

You can see the full list of nominees on the SFWA website.

Speaking of Ann Leckie and the Imperial Radch series, B&N’s Sci-Fi & Fantasy blog has the exclusive cover reveal and blurb of the third Ancillary novel, ANCILLARY MERCY!

Fall 2015 – Winter 2016 US Cover Launch

Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 3.31.39 PM

Mondays can be pretty dull sometimes. The weekend is over and everything seems a little grey and colorless…but not this Monday! To brighten your day with a splash of color and a full serving of awesomeness, here is a collection of our upcoming Fall 2015 and Winter 2016 titles.

Click on the images below to see a larger version and appreciate each cover in its full glory. Pin, tweet, and comment away with reckless abandon! We’d love to hear which books have already piqued your interest!

Grant_Chimera-HC Elliott_BlackWolves-TP Leckie_AncillaryMercy-TP

Carriger_Imprudence-HC Watson_ReignofIron-TP  Sykes_MortalTally-TP

Abraham_SpidersWar_TP Carriger_Prudence-TP Grant_Symbiont-TP 

Marshall_CrownColdSilver-TP McClellan_AutumnRepublic-TP McClellan_AutumnRepublic-TP

CHIMERA: Design by Lauren Panepinto; ANCILLARY MERCY: Art by John Harris, Design by Kirk Benshoff; BLACK WOLVES: Art by Larry Rostant, Tattoo Design by Stephanie Tamez, Design by Lauren Panepinto; IMPRUDENCE:Photo by Shirley Green, Illustration by Don Sipley, Type by Chad Roberts, Design by Lauren Panepinto; REIGN OF IRON: Art by Larry Rostant, Design by Ceara Elliot; THE MORTAL TALLY: Design by Lauren Panepinto, Images Arcangel; THE SPIDER’S WAR: Design by Kirk Benshoff; PRUDENCE: Photo by Shirley Green, Illustration by Don Sipley, Type by Chad Roberts, Design by Lauren Panepinto; SYMBIONT: Design by Lauren Panepinto A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER: Design by Lauren Panepinto, Map by Tim Paul; THE AUTUMN REPUBLIC: Art by Gene Mollica and Michael Frost, Design by Lauren Panepinto; RADIANT STATE: Design by Lauren Panepinto, Images Trevillion

Autumn 2015 – Winter 2016 UK Cover Launch

Autumn2015OrbitUK

The Orbit design team has been very busy, and this morning we are very excited to present to you a selection of the beautiful art they’ve been working on for books coming out this Autumn and Winter 2016!

Click on the cover thumbnails below to see a larger version, and feel free to sound off in the comments (or hit us up on Twitter and Facebook) about your favourites.

Grant_Chimera-HC Elliott_BlackWolves-TP Leckie_AncillaryMercy-TP

Carriger_Imprudence-HC Watson_ReignofIron-TP Abraham_SpidersWar_TP

Marshall_CrownColdSilver-TP McClellan_AutumnRepublic-TP

CHIMERA: Design by Lauren Panepinto; ANCILLARY MERCY: Art by John Harris, Design by Kirk Benshoff; BLACK WOLVES: Art by Larry Rostant, Tattoo Design by Stephanie Tamez, Design by Lauren Panepinto; IMPRUDENCE:Photo by Shirley Green, Illustration by Don Sipley, Type by Chad Roberts, Design by Lauren Panepinto; REIGN OF IRON: Art by Larry Rostant, Design by Ceara Elliot; THE SPIDER’S WAR: Design by Kirk Benshoff; A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER: Design by Lauren Panepinto, Map by Tim Paul; THE AUTUMN REPUBLIC: Art by Gene Mollica and Michael Frost, Design by Lauren Panepinto;