Posts Tagged ‘adventure fantasy’

AN AFFINITY FOR STEEL: The Aeon’s Gate Omnibus

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Sam Sykes is in the middle of his brilliant new Bring Down Heaven trilogy, which began with THE CITY STAINED RED and continues with THE MORTAL TALLY (coming March 29th!). For those who’d like to go back to the beginning, Orbit has just released AN AFFINITY FOR STEEL, an omnibus of his first trilogy, The Aeons’ Gate, available in ebook now with a paperback edition to follow on June 7th.

There are only a few productive things a man can do once he picks up a sword.

And the very lowest of these is to become an adventurer, like Lenk and his companions.

For the right price, no deed is too dirty, no task is too dangerous, no foe too ferocious. Not even a demon.

From wars ancient and terrible, wounds are bleeding. From seas deep and fathomless, demons are rising. From the mouth of hell, the Kraken Queen is calling. And all that stands between the damned and the mortal world are a pack of degenerates and the steel they carry.

Seas will rise. Heaven will fall.

And if you won’t take my word for it, listen to what these masters of fantasy have to say about Sam Sykes:

“Action fantasy with soul — albeit a small, dirty, funny soul.”―Brent Weeks on The City Stained Red

“Insouciant, unrepentant and irrepressible adventures in a powder keg of a city. And that’s just how the story begins.”―Robin Hobb on The City Stained Red

“Sam Sykes continues to reinvent the fantasy adventuring party in a vibrant world of rude magic and good intentions gone bad. Bold and exuberant, never cynical, Sykes fights the good fight on behalf of rich fantasy that nonetheless refuses to apologize for being kick-ass fun.”―Scott Lynch on The City Stained Red

“Sykes has put the fun back in fantasy with fantastic creatures and a lovable crew of malcontents. The City Stained Red is like David Eddings meets Conan the Barbarian.”―Brian McClellan on The City Stained Red

Cover Design by Kirk Benshoff; Photo-Illustration by Gene Mollica and Michael Frost

“The Second Book Can’t Come Soon Enough . . .”

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And now it’s here! THE PARADOX, the very, very, very much-awaited sequel to Charlie Fletcher’s THE OVERSIGHT is out this week, and . . .

“I’ll certainly be reading the next one” Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing

the critics who loved THE OVERSIGHT . . .

“The start of something amazing” Mike Carey

will clearly . . .

“The second book can’t come soon enough” Booklist (starred review)

be . . .

“If there is a sequel to this then I shall be first in line to read it” Fantasy Book Review

very . . .

“It’s going to be something special” SF Site

happy . . .

“I’d read a prequel this evening, a sequel as soon as.” Niall Alexander, Tor.com

to . . .

“Promises a trilogy worth sinking your teeth into” SciFiNow

hear . . .

“Go on and relish The Oversight without further prompting – then we can all wait eagerly for more!” Locus

that.

If you missed Charlie at the Nine Worlds convention last week, he’ll be at Edinburgh Book Fair on 21st August and Sledge-Lit in Nottingham in November. If you can’t make it to the UK, look out for his upcoming slot on John Scalzi’s The Big Idea, or find out what he’s up to on twitter at @CharlieFletch_r. THE PARADOX is out this week in ebook and print.

SWORDS AND SCOUNDRELS…Introducing the Duellists series by Julia Knight!

Swords And Scoundrels by Julia Knight
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En garde! We have something very exciting in store for fantasy fans this Autumn . . .

Announcing the Duellists trilogy – a brand new adventure fantasy series from the hugely talented British author Julia Knight.

This year we’ll be releasing not just one, but all three books in this fast and furious series – full of ruffians, scoundrels and rogues . . . and more action than you can shake a very pointy stick at!

The three books are as follows:

SWORDS AND SCOUNDRELS (UK | US | ANZ) – October 2015

LEGENDS AND LIARS (UK | US | ANZ) – November 2015

WARLORDS AND WASTRELS (UK | US | ANZ) – December 2015

So what’s the series about? Well, it follows two former champion duellists, a brother and sister named Kacha and Vocho. They’re down on their luck – and have been forced to become reluctant highwaymen. But when they pick the wrong carriage to rob, their simple plan to win back fame and notoriety go south fast . . . and they’ll find themselves mixed up in a plan to reclaim a stolen throne.

Covers for the Duellists books by Julia Knight - Swords and Scoundrels, Legends and Liars and Warlords and Wastrels

The world-building in this series really draws you in and the dynamic between the characters is superb – I can’t wait for you guys to meet Kacha and Vocho. If you’re into the likes of Douglas Hulick, Scott Lynch and Brandon Sanderson then this will be right up your street. And what’s great is, you’ll be able to get your hands on the whole series fast!

Look below for more details and to see the covers in full. You can follow Julia on Twitter as @Knight_Julia and her series is available for pre-order now . . .
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NEW ADVENTURE FANTASY ON THE ORBIT LIST!

Jon Skovron - cr Ryan BenyiWe pre-empted a manuscript a few months ago that we read and loved instantly. The reads were unanimous — it was perfect!!  It reminded us of Brent Weeks’s original Night Angel Trilogy, mixed with a drop of Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora and the brilliant characterizations of Brandon Sanderson.   But to be honest, we just fell in love with the characters, HOPE & RED. Red is a thief — and Hope is a trained warrior.  Their meeting — and their adventures will become a legend. . .

So we are over the moon to introduce you to a new author in the adult world, Jon Skovron and his novel, HOPE & RED, which we will be publishing in the summer of 2016.

In a fracturing empire spread across savage seas, two young people from different cultures find common purpose.

A nameless girl is the lone survivor when her village is massacred by biomancers, mystical servants of the emperor. Named after her lost village, Bleak Hope is secretly trained by a master Vinchen warrior as an instrument of vengeance.

A boy becomes an orphan on the squalid streets of New Laven after drugs and disease take the lives of his bohemian parents. He is adopted by one of the most notorious women of the criminal underworld, given the name Red, and trained as a thief and con artist.

When a ganglord named Deadface Drem strikes a bargain with the biomancers to consolidate and rule all the slums of New Laven, the worlds of Hope and Red come crashing together, and their unlikely alliance takes them further than either could have dreamed possible.

Glenda Larke and Trudi Canavan Sweep Australian Awards

We’re excited to announce that Glenda Larke’s fantasy epic THE LASCAR’S DAGGER has won the Best Long Written Work 2014 in the Tin Duck Awards, as well as winning, in a tie with Trudi Canavan’s superb THIEF’S MAGIC, the Best Novel of 2014 in the Ditmar Awards!

The Tin Duck Awards are the Western Australian science fiction achievement awards, given out annually at Swancon. The Ditmar Awards are an Australia-wide award and are given out every year at Natcon, the Australian National Science Fiction Convention. Both are reader-voted awards.

Big congratulations go to Glenda, Trudi and all the other winners!

If you’ve already read and enjoyed THE LASCAR’S DAGGER and THIEF’S MAGIC, watch out for their sequels, THE DAGGER’S PATH (released January this year) and ANGEL OF STORMS (coming in November).

THE LASCAR'S DAGGER and THIEF'S MAGIC

THE CITY STAINED RED — available now!

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How many adventurers to does it take to bring a corrupt city to its knees? Read THE CITY STAINED RED by Sam Sykes and you’ll find out!  This action-packed adventure fantasy is the kind of story that once you start, it’s impossible to put down. So whether you’re buried under a few feet of snow right now or just craving a new book to sink your teeth into, check it out in print and e-book!

More about the story: 

After years in the wilds, Lenk and his companions have come to the city that serves as the world’s beating heart.

The great charnel house where men die surer than any wilderness.

They’ve come to claim payment for creatures slain, blood spilled at the behest of a powerful holy man.

And Lenk has come to lay down his sword for good.

But this is no place to escape demons.

Praise for THE CITY STAINED RED: 

“Action fantasy with soul-albeit a small, dirty, funny soul.”—Brent Weeks

“Insouciant, unrepentant and irrepressible adventurers in a powder keg of a city. And that’s just how the story begins.”—Robin Hobb

“Sykes has put the fun back in fantasy with fantastical creatures and a lovable crew of malcontents. The City Stained Red is like David Eddings meets Conan the Barbarian.”—Brian McClellan, author of Promise of Blood

“Sam Sykes continues to reinvent the fantasy adventuring party in a vibrant world of rude magic and good intentions gone bad. Bold and exuberant, never cynical, Sykes fights the good fight on behalf of rich fantasy that nonetheless refuses to apologize for being kick-ass fun.”—Scott Lynch

“Excitement, vivacity, and sly wit… simply impossible not to enjoy.”—RT Book Reviews (4.5 Stars)

An Epic New Cover — War of Shadows by Gail Z. Martin

There are no words to express how excited I am to share the epic awesomeness that is Gail Z. Martin’s new cover!  War of Shadows has it all—danger, mystery, hope, despair, and the aftermath of battle just finished… or a battle just begun.  Basically, everything you could ever want in an epic fantasy.  

Blaine “Mick” McFadden has scored a victory and restored the magic, but new threats rise from the wreckage of the kingdom of Donderath.  While the magic remains brittle and undependable, warlords both mortal and undead vie for power, fighting for control of the ruined Continent.  McFadden and his unlikely band of convict heroes must choose their allies wisely as renegade talishte take long-awaited vengeance and powerful mages seek to control Donderath’s next king.  Blaine McFadden must protect those loyal to him against the coming storm, and find a way to bind magic to the will of mortals before it destroys him, because time is running out…

War of Shadows is the third novel in the fabulous Ascendant Kingdoms Saga.  If you are unfamiliar with the series, be sure to check out the first two books—ICE FORGED (US | UK | AUS), and REIGN OF ASH (US | UK | AUS)

Praise for the the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga:

” The immediate action in this story pulls the reader in… And with more than a few unexpected twists, this easy-to-follow storyline will leave the reader completely surprised and ready for the next book in the saga.”
— RT Book Reviews 

“There’s plenty of action and plot embroidery, and the pages turn easily.”  — Kirkus 

This week is Gail Z. Martin’s annual #DaysOfTheDead blog tour! Head on over to her website to check out the cool interviews, extras, and giveaways happening all week long.

The High Druid’s Blade & Shannara Family Tree

This week sees the release of THE HIGH DRUID’S BLADE (UK | ANZ), a brand new stand-alone novel by Terry Brooks, set in the Legendary world of Shannara.

This exciting epic fantasy adventure tells the tale of Paxon Leah, a descendant of the royals and warriors who once waged war with magical weapons. But to Paxon, those days of legend are long gone now, and he leads a quiet life – until extraordinary circumstances will rewrite his destiny . . .

To celebrate the release, we’ve designed the beautiful Shannara family tree below (click to enlarge it!) showing the Ohmsford and Leah family lineage. It really demonstrates the richness of the Shannara world. But the great thing about the new book THE HIGH DRUID’S BLADE is that it’s a stand-alone novel, so a great place to discover this world for the first time. You can read an extract here.

Readers in the UK now have the chance to win a beautiful A2 poster of this family tree.Check out our competition on the Orbit UK Facebook Page.

Ohmsford and Leah family tree

Click to see the full size

The New Trudi Canavan THIEF’S MAGIC – out now!

Thief's Magic, the brand new fantasy novel from Sunday Times Bestseller Trudi Canavan, author of the Black Magician Trilogy
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The wait is over! THIEF’S MAGIC (UK|US|ANZ), the brand new fantasy novel from Trudi Canavan, is available this week.

It’s set in a brand new world, featuring a whole new cast of characters, and it’s her most thrilling fantasy adventure yet! You can read a free extract right here on Trudi’s Facebook page.

Trudi Canavan is an absolute phenomenon, with over 2 million copies sold worldwide. Last Christmas, we asked Trudi’s legions of fans to tell us exactly what they love so much about her books. Here’s a selection of the amazing feedback we received – this is why Trudi is loved by millions of readers all around the world:

‘Few fantasy authors can create characters so endearing that you fall in love with them. Trudi takes you on such an enjoyable journey with these characters that it leaves you wanting to re-read the same stories time and again’

‘The only author that wakes my imagination!’

‘I love reading fantasy but Trudi Canavan really stands out. She is one of those rare authors who manages to be both completely accessible and massive in scope’

‘She takes me to another land, a land full of magic and excitement’

‘Trudi’s books really let me escape from normal life, I feel like I’m actually there with the characters!’

‘An exceptional author who writes stories that are left in the imagination for years’

‘Her books help me escape everything that goes on in my day/week, have helped me to accept myself and inspire me to be creative everyday. Thank you Trudi for changing my life’

‘The interesting characters, the amazing world building and the mind-blowing make Trudi Canavan’s books the perfect read!’

Read a free extract of THIEF’S MAGIC by Trudi Canavan

Thief's Magic, the brand new fantasy novel from Sunday Times Bestseller Trudi Canavan, author of the Black Magician Trilogy
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It’s now just over a week until the release of THIEF’S MAGIC (UK|US|ANZ), the brand new fantasy adventure from No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author Trudi Canavan.

Millions of readers worldwide have read and enjoyed Trudi’s fantastic books – and this new novel is something to get VERY excited about.

It’s set in a brand new world, featuring a whole new cast of characters. It’s time to forget what you know about the nature of magic . . .

You can read a free extract of the book right now by visiting Trudi’s Facebook page. The more you share the extracts, the more we’ll unlock!