Archive for Press – US

The Witcher Is a Publishing Phenomenon – Orbit Printing More Than Half a Million Books To Meet Demand.

The Last Wish CoverWith the Witcher, Andrzej Sapkowski created one of the most memorable characters in modern fantasy. The series inspired one of the most popular videogames of recent years and we’re thrilled that the Netflix adaptation, which launched in December, is introducing the Witcher to a whole new audience.

The demand for all eight books in the series increased steadily last year in anticipation of the Netflix launch. Since its release, sales have been phenomenal in all formats – print, ebook and audio – and Orbit’s US division is currently reprinting over 500,000 copies to meet the exceptional demand.

We’re aware that the novels might not be available everywhere at this time, but our inventory team and printers are working incredibly hard and all books will be back in stock and flying out of our warehouse very shortly.

Learn more about how to read The Witcher here.

A brand new fantasy trilogy by Andrzej Sapkowski, New York Times bestselling author of the Witcher novels!

It’s an abundance of riches for Andrzej Sapkowski fans: Not only are the Witcher books in production with Netflix, but we are delighted to announce that the beloved author is launching a brand new series: The Hussite Trilogy. Taking place during the vibrantly depicted Hussite Wars, the trilogy begins with The Tower of Fools, and follows the epic adventures of Reinmar of Bielau, known as Reynevan, a hero who is forced on the run across a war-shadowed landscape after being caught in an affair with a knight’s wife. He is pursued not only by a pair of brothers bent on vengeance, but also by the Holy Inquisition, while strange, mystical forces gather in the shadows. Fans of Geralt of Rivia will find much to love in Reynevan, and it goes without saying that the books will feature the rich lore and gritty action that have become Sapkowski’s trademarks.

Rights were acquired from Patricia Pasqualini at Patricia Pasqualini Literary Agency. The trilogy will be published by Orbit in the US and Gollancz in the UK and translated by David French, who has worked with Sapkowski on the last six Witcher books.

Andrzej Sapkowski said: ‘The Hussite trilogy is my tour de force. I consider it to be my best work to date. I can’t wait for readers to meet my new hero, Reinmar of Bielau, aka Reynevan, whose adventures take him through a land torn by religious wars. I am thrilled to be working with David French and the energetic Gollancz and Orbit teams again!’

Patricia Pasqualini said: ‘From Poland to the Netflix studios, Sapkowski’s heroes have conquered the hearts of readers everywhere. In the Hussite Trilogy, the hero, Reynevan, is thrown into the whirlpool of History. Readers will love his adventures, which combine fantasy and naughty humour, seriousness and the grotesque, conspiracies and lovable characters. The Witcher saga may be over, but Sapkowski’s devoted fans will find in the Trilogy plenty of adventures to sink their teeth into!’

Andrzej Sapkowski was born in 1948 in Poland. He is now one of Poland’s most famous and successful authors, selling more in his own country than Stephen King or Michael Crichton.

Look for The Tower of Fools in 2020!

 

Acquisition Announcement: EMPIRE OF SAND by Tasha Suri

As announced in Publishers Weekly, Orbit has acquired World English rights to debut author Tasha Suri’s EMPIRE OF SAND, a captivating epic fantasy inspired by Mughal-Indian history. If you loved City of Brass, Uprooted, or The Wrath & the Dawn, EMPIRE OF SAND is your new must-read.

A nobleman’s daughter with magic in her blood. An empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods. 

The Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic she has inherited. Unbeknownst to her, she can manipulate the dreams of the gods to alter the face of the world.

When Mehr’s power comes to the attention of the Emperor’s most feared mystics, she is coerced into their service, as they are determined to harness her magic for the glory of the Empire. She must use every ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist the mystics’ cruel agenda—and should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance…

Look out for EMPIRE OF SAND this fall! While you’re waiting with bated breath, go say hello to Tasha on Twitter at @tashadrinkstea. Please give her a warm welcome to Orbit!

Orbit and Gollancz to Publish Season of Storms by Award-Winning Polish Author Andrzej Sapkowski

  • Buy the Book
  • US
  • UK

NEW YORK, NY and LONDON (May 19, 2017) – Orbit (US) and Gollancz (UK) announced that they have acquired a new novel in the Witcher universe by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.

The Witcher series of fantasy novels, which began with The Last Wish (US | UK), is an international phenomenon, with individual books having appeared on the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists. The most recent, The Lady of the Lake (US | UK), was a USA Today bestseller. Sapkowski recently won the World Fantasy Award – Life Achievement for his career as a fantasy novelist.

The new novel, Season of Storms, has never before been published in English and will be translated by David French. It will be a prequel, in which readers will learn the origin story of protagonist Geralt. It is scheduled for publication in May 2018, in hardcover format in the US and trade paperback format in the UK. It will also be available in both territories as an e-book and audiobook.

Netflix recently announced that a TV adaptation of the Witcher series is in the works, produced by The Expanse executive producers Sean Daniel and Jason Brown as well as Platige Image’s Jarek Sawko and Tomek Bagiński, who is an Acadamy Award-nominated director and will direct at least one episode per season. The Witcher series is also the inspiration for the popular video game series of the same name.

Praise for Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher novels:

“Complex, unsentimental and anchored in brutal shared history.”
— SFX

“Like Mieville and Gaiman, Sapkowski takes the old and makes it new.”
— Foundation

Andrzej Sapkowski is one of Poland’s most successful authors, selling more in his own country than Stephen King or Michael Crichton. He has won numerous awards including the DAVID GEMMELL LEGEND AWARD and the GRAND PRIX DE L’IMAGINAIRE. Born in 1948 in Łódź, Sapkowski studied economics and worked as a financier until the success of his fantasy cycle about the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, turned him into a bestselling writer. His books have now been translated into almost 20 languages and The Witcher games, inspired by Sapkowski’s books, have sold over 20 million copies worldwide. A signed copy of one of his books was given to President Obama as a diplomatic gift by the Polish Prime Minister.

About Orbit
Launched in 2007, Orbit is the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group. Orbit has quickly established itself as one of the market-leading SFF imprints in the US, and the fastest growing imprint in the field. Our authors include New York Times and international bestsellers Joe Abercrombie, M.R. Carey, Gail Carriger, James S.A. Corey, N.K. Jemisin, Ann Leckie, Kim Stanley Robinson, Andrzej Sapkowski, and Brent Weeks. In recent years, we have published two Hugo Award winners: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, and Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, which became the first novel to win every major award in the field.

About Hachette Book Group
Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre (a Lagardère company), the third-largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG is made up of eight publishing groups: Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Grand Central Publishing; Perseus Books; Orbit; Hachette Books; Hachette Nashville; and Hachette Audio.

About Gollancz
Gollancz is the oldest specialist SF & Fantasy publisher in the UK. Founded in 1927 and with a continuous SF publishing programme dating back to 1961, the imprint of the Orion Publishing Group is home to a galaxy of award-winning and bestselling authors. Through our long-running SF and Fantasy Masterworks programme, and major digital initiative the SF Gateway, Gollancz has one of the largest ranges of SF and Fantasy of any publisher in the world.

# # #

The Witcher Is Coming To Netflix – Read the Books That Started It All.

Read the Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski

Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher saga, which started with The Last Wish (US | UK) and has continued over 8 books, is getting the Netflix treatment. In a press release, Netflix Vice President Erik Barmack says, “Andrzej Sapkowski has created a rich and memorable world, at once magical and familiar. We couldn’t be more excited about bringing the Witcher saga to Netflix members around the world.” Sapkowski, for his part, said, “I’m thrilled that Netflix will be doing an adaptation of my stories, staying true to the source material and the themes that I have spent over thirty years writing.”

Sean Daniel and Jason Brown, most recently of The Expanse, will act as executive producers, and Tomek Bagiński and Jarek Sawko from Platige Image, the Polish production and visual effects company that produced many of the cinematics from The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt, will also produce. Additionally, Bagiński will direct at least one episode per season.

 Speaking about the books on which the show will be based, Baginski and Sawko said, “There is a moral and intellectual depth in these books which goes beyond genre. It is a story about today and today’s challenges, hidden under a fantasy cover. It is a story about us, about the monster and the hero inside all of our hearts.”

Where should you start reading the Witcher books? We’ve created a handy guide that will get you up to speed on the lore before the show launches!

Read the official press release: Platige Image – THE WITCHER Saga on Netflix

Orbit Acquires Three Books by Hugo Award-Winning Author N.K. Jemisin

portrait of N.K. Jemisin FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY (January 9, 2017) – Orbit has acquired three new novels by Hugo Award-winning author N.K. Jemisin. All three will be published by Orbit in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and as audio editions by Hachette Audio.

Acquiring editor Brit Hvide said, “N. K. Jemisin is one of the most creative, incisive, and important writers working in fantasy today, and her recent Hugo win only underlines that fact. We at Orbit are proud to continue publishing Jemisin’s work and to amplify her remarkable voice.”

Jemisin is the author of THE FIFTH SEASON (US | UK | AUS), THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS (US | UK | AUS), THE KILLING MOON (US | UK | AUS) and other widely acclaimed fantasy novels. Her Hugo Award win for The Fifth Season was historic, making her the first black writer to take home that award for Best Novel.

The first newly-acquired book, currently untitled, will be Jemisin’s first set in our world, and is a contemporary fantasy dealing with themes of race and power in New York City. It has a projected publication date of April 2019.

N. K. Jemisin said, “I’ve been very happy with Orbit and am thrilled that they’re giving me more chances to explore my creative visions. This is an idea that I’ve been thinking about for a long time and I’m glad to finally be able to put it to the page.

The Fifth Season was also nominated for the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards for Best Novel. It was a New York Times Notable Book of 2015 and has been called “intricate and extraordinary” (New York Times), “astounding” (NPR Books), “amazing” (Bustle), and “unflinching” (Kirkus, starred review). THE OBELISK GATE (US | UK | AUS), the sequel to The Fifth Season, was published by Orbit in August 2016 and the third book in the trilogy, THE STONE SKY (US | UK | AUS) will be published in Summer 2017.

About Orbit

Orbit is the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group.

About Hachette Book Group:

Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre (a Lagardère company), the third-largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG is made up of eight publishing groups: Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Grand Central Publishing; Perseus Books; Orbit; Hachette Books; Hachette Nashville; and Hachette Audio.

# # #

For more information, contact:
Ellen Wright, Senior Publicist

Orbit US Announces Expansion

ORBIT LOGOOrbit, the SF and Fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group, announces a major expansion plan starting from Fall 2016. The imprint will increase the number of titles it publishes by 50% to approximately 90 titles each year. Additional staff, including editorial, marketing, and design, will be recruited to support the expansion.

Tim Holman, Orbit Publisher and Hachette Book Group SVP, said: “There is a huge and diverse audience for SF and Fantasy out there, and it’s the perfect time to be expanding the list. Orbit is currently the fastest growing SF and Fantasy imprint in the U.S. with an increasing number of New York Times bestsellers – most recently Ann Leckie, whose debut ANCILLARY JUSTICE was also the first novel to win every major SF award. Since our launch in 2008, we have been committed to publishing the most exciting authors in the field and looking for creative ways to connect with new readers. We’re very much looking forward to building on the success we’ve had, expanding the publishing team, and welcoming more authors to the list.”

Orbit and Gollancz to publish Sharp Ends, a collection of gritty short stories by Joe Abercrombie

Joe-Abercrombie-credit-Lou-AbercrombieOrbit US and Gollancz are thrilled to announce that they will be publishing a stunning hardback collection of superb short stories featuring best-loved characters from the world of the First Law, by New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling fantasy author Joe Abercrombie. Orbit will publish the collection in the United States and Gollancz in the United Kingdom.

The short stories will be a mix of original and reissued short stories collected together for the first time, including the Locus Award-winning “Tough Times All Over.” The brand-new shorts will feature some of the most popular characters from the First Law world, including Glokta, Jezal, Logen Ninefingers, Bethod, and Monza Murcatto.

Joe Abercrombie said: “I’m very pleased that some widely scattered shorts are going to be brought together in one volume along with some new stories about old friends and enemies, filling in some blanks in the map of the First Law world and offering some different perspectives on key events. I hope readers will have as much fun revisiting some of these much-loved – and much-hated – characters as I have…”

Joe Abercrombie’s novels in the First Law world have sold over half a million copies to date. He is a New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author. Joe’s short stories are in demand for collections put together by some of the biggest names in the industry, including George R. R. Martin.

Joe Abercrombie is the author of the First Law Trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and Last Argument of Kings). His stand-alone novels (Best Served Cold, The Heroes, and Red Country) are also set in the First Law world.

His novels have been shortlisted for the World Fantasy Award, British Fantasy Award, John W. Campbell Award and the David Gemmell Legend Award. His covers are also award winning, and have won both the David Gemmell Legend Award and the World Fantasy Award for best artwork.

Joe formerly worked as a freelance film editor and is now a full time writer who lives in Bath with his family. Follow @LordGrimdark on Twitter for more information, or visit www.joeabercrombie.com.

About Orbit

Orbit is the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group.

About Hachette Book Group:

Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the third-largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG publishes under the divisions of Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, Orbit, Hachette Books, Hachette Nashville, and Hachette Audio.

Sharp Ends: Stories from the World of The First Law, Joe Abercrombie

US: April 12, 2016, hardcover $28.00 / e-book $14.99

UK: April 12, 2016, hardcover £18.99/ e-book £9.99

Tom Bouman Joins Orbit

Tom Bouman has joined Orbit US as an Editor, reporting to Publisher Tim Holman. In his previous role as an Editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Bouman worked with a wide array of authors including Robert Stone, Lou Beach, and Elizabeth Speller, as well as Otto Penzler’s mystery and thriller imprint.

Tim Holman said: “We’re delighted to have Tom join Orbit US. His editorial experience and enthusiasm for science fiction and fantasy make him a great addition to the editorial team, and we’re very much looking forward to working with him.”

Says Tom Bouman: “I’ve always valued fiction that is alive, expertly crafted, and adventurous–and have long enjoyed speculative fiction—so I feel most fortunate to be joining Orbit. What an outstanding list! I am keen to work with authors already signed up, and to bring new authors to the table.”