Posts Tagged ‘acquisition announcement’

Acquisition Announcement: THE RAVEN SCHOLAR by Antonia Hodgson

Antonia Hogdson

Orbit is delighted to announce we’ve acquired The Raven Scholar, the first book in a new epic fantasy trilogy by award-winning author Antonia Hodgson. This is a masterfully woven tale of imperial deceit, cutthroat competition, and one scholar’s quest to uncover the truth—even if it changes her world forever, perfect for fans of Robin Hobb, Samantha Shannon, and readers who want a fresh take on classic fantasy.

 

She might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.

After twenty-four years on the throne, it is time for Bersun the Brusque, emperor of Orrun, to bring his reign to an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders will compete to replace him. Trained in secret at rival monasteries, each contender is inspired by a sacred animal—Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound. An eighth warrior—the Dragon proxy—will be revealed only once the trials have begun. Eight exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists—the best of the best.

Then one of them is murdered.

It falls to the emperor’s High Scholar, the brilliant but idiosyncratic Neema Kraa, to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, even darker forces are gathering. If Neema succeeds in her task, she could win the throne—whether she wants it or not. But if she fails, she will sentence herself to death—and set in motion a sequence of events that could doom the entire empire.

 

The Raven Scholar will publish in April 2025. In the meantime, you can find Antonia on X @AntoniaHodgson.

Antonia Hodgson is a freelance editor, and author of the bestselling Thomas Hawkins historical crime series. Her first novel, The Devil in the Marshalsea, won the CWA Historical Dagger Award and was shortlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. She lives in Kent, England, where she has been visited by a fox and a raven, and a tiger in the form of her neighbour’s ginger cat. No dragons as yet. The photo of the author was provided by Rebecca Douglas.

Hodder publisher Nick Sayers acquired World rights, with Hodderscape publishing director Molly Powell editing, from Clare Conville at C&W. North American rights were sold to senior editor Nivia Evans, while at Orbit US, with associate editor Angelica Chong editing.

Acquisition Announcement: RED RABBIT GHOST by Jen Julian

Jen Julian

Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Red Rabbit Ghost by debut author Jen Julian, a haunting, luminous Southern Gothic novel following a young man returning to his hometown to finally solve the mystery of his mother’s death. With confident, assured prose, a lived-in southern setting, and a weird fiction edge, this is perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher and Jeff VanderMeer. We’re so excited to welcome Jen to our Redhook list in Summer 2025–read on for a peek at what’s in store!

 

Jesse Calloway hadn’t planned to return to his repressive, backwoods hometown of Blacknot, North Carolina, after only one year away at college, but an anonymous messenger has lured him home. Eighteen years ago, his mother died under unexplained circumstances. Every story he has heard is incomplete. Now, the messenger claims to have the answers. But Jesse will have to hunt for them.

Alice Catherine, the daughter of a local pork manufacturer, obsesses over Jesse in turn. To her, he is a key player in unearthing the dark family history she’s convinced her father is concealing. Alice knows Jesse must find the answers himself, with the hope that once he does, he’ll help her change both their futures. 

But Jesse’s path to Alice isn’t a straight line, and his questions are stirring up issues with locals, including his much older and well-armed ex-boyfriend, Harlan. When an old fling of Jesse’s goes missing and Alice’s plans start to unravel, it’s clear there’s more at stake than either of them could imagine. On a collision course littered with psychotropic fungi, time-warping magic, and far too many alligators, Jesse and Alice will need to determine how far they are willing to go for the truth, and whether they can trust each other enough to get there…

 

Jen Julian’s previous publications include a short story collection, Earthly Delights and Other Apocalypses (Press 53, 2018), which was the winner of Press 53’s Short Fiction Prize, as well as work in numerous literary journals, most recently a story in Third Coast Magazine, which received distinction in Best American Short Stories 2023. Jen holds a PhD in English from the University of Missouri and an MFA in Fiction from UNC Greensboro. A 2016 Clarion Alumna, she has contributed fiction both to the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the Texas Book Festival. These days, Jen lives in the mountains of North Georgia with her enormous ginger cat and teaches creative writing at Young Harris College.

You can find Jen at @jennicjul on X, @screaminglemur on Instagram, or at her website https://jenjulian.com/.

Orbit US Executive Editor Bradley Englert acquired North American rights from Jessica Felleman at Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency.

Acquisition Announcement: THE MERCY MAKERS by Tessa Gratton

Tessa Gratton

Orbit is thrilled to announce we’ve acquired The Mercy Makers, the first book in a new epic political fantasy trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Tessa Gratton! In the vein of Kushiel’s Dart and The Priory of the Orange Tree, this book is a darkly sexy, queer, and complex exploration of the ethics of faith, the nature of empire, and how the interplay between romance and politics can upend the levers of power completely.

 

In an empire where dabbling in the magic of human architecture is the most transgressive, heretical act imaginable, Iriset is an outlaw. A prodigy in human architecture and the daughter of a powerful undermarket criminal, she uses her secret skills to create disguises for those in her father’s organization. But she longs to do more with her forbidden pursuit: to enhance what it means to be human by giving people wings, night-sight, and other abilities; to unlock the possibilities of gender and parenthood; to cure disease and even to end mortality itself.

But everything changes when Iriset’s father is captured and sentenced to death for his crimes. To save him, Iriset must use the magic of human architecture to infiltrate the palace and the empire’s fanatical ruling family.

As she races against time, Iriset realizes she has a chance, and therefore an obligation, to do more than just save her father—she could bring down the entire corrupt system. To do so, though, she’ll have to entangle herself in the lives of the emperor and his sister, getting them to trust and even to love her. But love is a two-way street, and the magic of Iriset’s own heart is the most mysterious and impenetrable human architecture of all.

 

 From author Tessa Gratton: “In 2010 I wrote down the first line from the Jack Gilbert poem “Failing and Flying”: “Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew.” The idea of ecstasy being worth the fall gradually developed into ambitious, dangerous Iriset and her fracturing world. Like all my books it’s about love, but here love might not be what saves you, it’s what burns the world to the ground. I’m dying to share it with readers, especially through the support and editorial genius we’ve found at Orbit.”

From editor Angelica Chong: “I am over the moon to be working with Tessa on this incredible book. I knew from the first page that I was reading something special, and every subsequent page proved me right, all the way to an ending that made me want to read the sequel immediately. If you like books that explore the entanglements of politics, power, and sex; messy, reckless, morally questionable female leads; and maybe more than a touch of weirdness to your fantasy—you’ll love The Mercy Makers!”

The Mercy Makers will publish in Summer 2025. In the meantime, you can find Tessa on Instagram @tessa.gratton and at her website https://www.tessagratton.com/.

Tessa Gratton (she/they) is the New York Times bestselling author of adult and YA SFF novels and short stories that have been translated into twenty-two languages, nominated twice for the Otherwise Award, and several have been Junior Library Guild Selections. Though she has lived all over the world, she currently resides at the edge of the Kansas prairie with her wife.

Orbit US associate editor Angelica Chong acquired World rights from Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Acquisition Announcement: THE OUTCAST MAGE by Annabel Campbell

The Outcast Mage by Annabel Campbell

Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of The Outcast Mage by debut author Annabel Campbell, which begins a major new epic fantasy series packed with heart, high stakes, and earth-shattering magic.

In the glass city of Amoria, magic means everything, and Naila risks exile if she can’t master her own latent power. She must trust unlikely allies if she wants to survive: the most powerful wizard in Amoria, and a priest sworn to kill mages. But when war threatens the continent, it seems Naila’s power is behind it. With her life and her friends in danger, Naila must find out if she’s meant to save the world – or destined to destroy it.

The Outcast Mage will publish in January ’25.

About Annabel Campbell

Annabel writes fantasy with fierce female characters and disaster wizards, and believes everything is improved by dragons. She lives in a tiny village in Scotland, where most of her neighbours are sheep. She has a PhD in cardiovascular science, and when not making things up for a living, she works as a Medical Writer. Her other joys are red wine, playing games, or showing you too many pictures of her dog.

Acquisition Announcement: BLOOD OF THE OLD KINGS by Sung-il Kim

Orbit UK is delighted to have acquired the UK & Commonwealth rights to a brilliant epic fantasy series from South Korean author Sung-il Kim, translated into English by the award-winning Anton Hur. The first book, BLOOD OF THE OLD KINGS, will publish in October ’24. Senior Commissioning Editor James Long pre-empted rights from Chris Scheina at St Martins.

 

 

There is no escaping the Empire.
Even in death, you will serve.

In an Empire run on necromancy, dead sorcerers are the lifeblood. Their corpses are wrapped in chains and drained of magic to feed the unquenchable hunger for imperial conquest.

Born with magic, Arienne has become resigned to her dark fate. But when the voice of a long-dead sorcerer begins to speak inside her head, she listens. There may be another future for her, if she’s willing to fight for it.

Miles away, beneath a volcano, a seven-eyed dragon also wears the Empire’s chains. Before the imperial fist closed around their lands, it was the people’s sacred guardian.

Loran, a widowed swordswoman, is the first to kneel before the dragon in decades. She comes with a desperate plea, and will leave with a sword of dragon-fang in hand and a great purpose before her.

Step into a world of necromancy, murder, and twisted magic. A world in need of a hero.

 

About Sung-il Kim

Sung-il Kim was born in Seoul, in 1974. Despite his lifelong dream of writing fiction, he only got around to it in his forties. He writes science fiction, fantasy, horror, or some blend of those. In South Korea, he is known for Blood of the Old Kings, I Will Go to Earth to See You, and The Knight of La Mancha, the last of which earned him an Excellence Award in SF Awards 2018. He spends most of his time in his downtown Seoul apartment with his wife and two cats.

Acquisition Announcement: THE RADIANT KING by David Dalglish

David Dalglish (Photo Credit: North Myrtle Beach Photography)
Photo Credit: North Myrtle Beach Photography

Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of a new epic fantasy series from USA Today bestselling author David Dalglish! The Astral Kingdoms trilogy kicks off with The Radiant King, a sweeping tale full of heretical magic and millennia-spanning feuds that is written with David’s signature flair for heart-pounding action and characters you love to hate—and hate to love.  

 

Once, there were six ever-living siblings, blessed and cursed with immortality, who remembered nothing of their creation. They vowed to wear no crowns and sit upon no thrones. But when Eder, the eldest, forsakes this sacred promise, those closest to him must stop him before he breaks their family—and the world—apart.   

Faron vows to crush his brother’s kingdom and destroy his fanatical church, and he isn’t the only one hunting Eder. There are those who decry Eder as a blasphemer; there are those who simply want revenge for the havoc his rule has wrought. But will their combined strength be enough to stop this powerful, single-minded tyrant?  

 The story starts with the burning of a brother. And it will end with the burning of the world.

 

The Radiant King lands in bookstores in Winter 2025! In the meantime, you can follow David on Twitter @thatdalglishguy and learn more about his work, including the Vagrant Gods trilogy, at www.ddalglish.com.

 Orbit US executive editor Brit Hvide acquired World rights from Michael Carr at Veritas Literary.   

Also by David Dalglish:

The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish The Sapphire Altar by David Dalglish The Slain Divine by David Dalglish

Acquisition Announcement: T. Kingfisher’s Saint of Steel series and SWORDHEART

Orbit UK is so thrilled to have acquired 5 books from two-time Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher. This includes the previously self-published cult hit Saint of Steel series that begins with Paladin’s Grace and standalone cosy romantasy Swordheart.

The books are utterly refreshing fantasy: by turns cosy and heart-warming but with a darker edge, appealing to romantasy readers as well as fans of classic fantasy and Dungeons & Dragons.

black and white photograph of T Kingfisher in a graveyard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary Agency sold UK and Commonwealth rights in five of T. Kingfisher’s books to Nadia Saward, Commissioning Editor at Orbit. The ebooks of Paladin’s Grace, Paladin’s Strength, Paladin’s Hope and Swordheart are on sale now from Orbit, with Paladin’s Faith publishing in early December. Orbit will be redesigning the covers and will be releasing paperbacks of all five books in Spring 2025.

Acquiring editor Nadia Saward said: ‘T. Kingfisher has always had a lifelong, devoted fan in me; I’ve read the Saint of Steel books more times than I can count. T. Kingfisher has the rare ability to write characters that I would willingly walk across coals for and create peculiar and utterly memorable fantasy worlds. We’re so excited to be working on these amazing books in the UK.’

Author T. Kingfisher said: ‘Seeing a weird little series I mostly wrote at my kitchen table go global is both wonderful and surreal. I’m delighted to work with Orbit UK on bringing these books to a wider audience!’

About the author: T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name author Ursula Vernon uses when writing for adults. In another life, she writes children’s books and weird comics. As Kingfisher, she has won the Hugo, Nebula, Locus and Dragon Awards. When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies. You can follow T. Kingfisher on X @UrsulaV

 

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.

Acquisition Announcement: THE THIRD RULE OF TIME TRAVEL by Philip Fracassi

Philip Fracassi (Photo Credit: Stephanie Simard)
Photo Credit: Stephanie Simard

We’re thrilled to announce the acquisition of The Third Rule of Time Travel, a pulse-pounding sci-fi thriller from the mind of Bram Stoker-nominated author Philip Fracassi coming in Winter 2025. At once a propulsive near-future mystery and a poignant meditation on grief, The Third Rule of Time Travel is perfect for fans of Here and Now and Then and Severance. You won’t want to miss this meticulously researched stunner—read on for a glimpse at what’s to come! 

Scientist Beth Darlow has discovered the unimaginable. She’s built a machine that allows human consciousness to travel through time—to any point in the traveler’s lifetime—and relive moments of their life. An impossible breakthrough, but it’s not perfect: the traveler has no way to alter or control the outcome. They can only observe.

After Beth’s husband, Colson, the co-creator of the machine, dies in a tragic car accident, Beth is left to raise Isabella—their only daughter—and continue the work they started. Mired in grief and threatened by her unscrupulous funder, Beth pushes herself to the limit to prove the value of her technology.

With each new observation she makes, her own timeline begins to warp. The changes are small at first. Then they become horrifying.

With her reality constantly shifting, Beth is on the clock to reverse altered history. But once the dominoes have been tipped, can they ever be reset?

Orbit US Senior Editor Bradley Englert has acquired World English rights from Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Services, with Commissioning Editor Nadia Saward acquiring for Orbit UK.

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.