Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’

Cover Launch: HOW TO SUMMON A FAIRY GODMOTHER by Laura J. Mayo

Take your first look at the cover for How to Summon a Fairy Godmother (US), the debut fantasy novel by Laura J. Mayo, coming October 2024!
How to Summon a Fairy Godmother by Laura J. Mayo

Cover Design by Alexia E. Pereira; Illustration by Zoë van Dijk

If a fairy godmother can get one sister into a marriage, getting another out of one should be easy…

Lady Theodosia Balfour has certainly gotten the short end of the stick—her stepsister, the newly crowned Princess Beatrice, is telling everyone in polite society that Theo, her sister, and their mother are evil, wicked, and horrid people who treated her like a slave. Though Theo knows this isn’t exactly true, it seems her life is thoroughly ruined by the rumor. With the Balfour family estate on the verge of bankruptcy, Theo’s only path forward is a forced betrothal to the Duke of Snowbell, a foul-tempered geezer who wishes only to use her as a brood mare for spare heirs.  

Desperate for help, Theo clings to the only thing that might save her: the rumor of a fairy godmother, one that supposedly helped her stepsister secure a prince. After discovering a way to summon a fairy in Beatrice’s old room, Theo thinks her prayers have been answered. But the fairy she meets isn’t at all what she imagined. Drop-dead gorgeous, incredibly cunning, and slightly devious, Cecily of the Ash Fairies is much more interested in gathering powerful favors and smoking her pipe than providing charitable magic for humans in a bind. 

Before she receives magical assistance, Cecily sets Theo to three tasks, seemingly to prove that Theo is a selfless and kind person. Helping her along the way are Cecily’s familiars, the flirty human-turned-mockingbird Phineas and the aloof Kasra, a fox shapeshifter who should not be as handsome as he is for someone with such cutting remarks. As Theo works on her tasks, she shockingly finds kinship with the magical creatures she’s helping, and starts to wonder if a continued life among her human peers is what she really wants after all. 

From debut author Laura J. Mayo comes a hilarious new spin on the Cinderella tale!

Cover Launch: THE SCARLET THRONE by Amy Leow

Take your first look at the cover for The Scarlet Throne (US | UK), the debut fantasy novel by Amy Leow, coming September 2024!
The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Marcos Chin

A dark, heart-thumping political epic fantasy by debut author Amy Leow—full of scheming demons, morally grey heroines, talking cats, and cut-throat priests, this delicious tale of power and corruption will captivate from beginning to end.

Binsa is a “living goddess,” chosen by the gods to dispense both mercy and punishment from her place on the Scarlet Throne. But her reign hides a deadly secret. Rather than channeling the wisdom of an immortal deity, she harbors a demon.

Though, one cannot remain a living goddess forever. When her temple’s priests decide that Binsa’s time in power has come to an end, a new girl, Medha, is selected to take over her position as goddess. But Binsa refuses to be discarded into a life of uncertainty as a young woman, and she strikes a deal with her demon: She will sacrifice her people’s lives in order to magnify his power, and in return, he will help her seize control from the priests once and for all.

But how much of her humanity is she willing to trade for the sake of ambition? Deals with demons are rarely so simple.

Cover Launch: A CROWN SO SILVER by Lyra Selene

Take your first look at the cover for A Crown So Silver (UK | US), the second installment in the Fair Folk trilogy by Lyra Selene, coming January 2025!
A Crown So Silver by Lyra Selene

Cover Design by Tim Byrne (UK); Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio (US)

On a mysterious snowy island ruled by a trickster king where magic comes at a price, a deadly trial commences. The prize: a chance for vengeance.
 
After her sacrifice on the Ember Moon, Fia is flush with powerful magic and eager to rush into battle against her murderous sister, Eala. However, Fia’s new husband Irian suggests they bide their time and retreat to the Silver Isle, a snowy island at the edge of the fae world.
 
Ruled by the cunning smith-king, the Silver Isle proves far from a safe haven. Fia and Irian become embroiled in the Tournament of Kings competing for a magical forging of immense power. Their relationship will be put to the test as they navigate their conflicting motivations, shifting allegiances, and ancient magic.  
 
With the end of the tournament looming and Eala’s threat growing, Fia must decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to defeat her sister.

Also by Lyra Selene
Fair Folk
A Feather So Black (UK | US)
A Feather So Black by Lyra SeleneA Feather So Black by Lyra Selene

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.

Cover Launch: THE GODS BELOW by Andrea Stewart

Take your first look at the cover for The Gods Below (US | UK), the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy from Andrea Stewart, coming September 2024!The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Sasha Vinogradova

The Gods Below begins a sweeping epic from fantasy’s newest master world-smith Andrea Stewart, a story of magic, betrayal, love, and loyalty, where two sisters will clash on opposite sides of a war against the gods.

A divine war shattered the world leaving humanity in ruins. Desperate for hope, they struck a deal with the devious god Kluehnn: He would restore the world to its former glory, but at a price so steep it would keep the mortals indebted to him for eternity. And, as each land was transformed, so too were its people changed into strange new forms – if they survived at all.

Hakara is not willing to pay such a price. Desperate to protect herself, and her sister Rasha, she flees her homeland for the safety of a neighboring kingdom. But when tragedy separates them, Hakara is forced to abandon her beloved sister to an unknown fate.

Alone and desperate for answers on the wrong side of the world, Hakara discovers she can channel the magic from the mysterious gems they are forced to mine for Kluehnn. With that discovery comes another: her sister is alive, and only the rebels plotting to destroy the God Pact can help rescue her.

But only if Hakara goes to war against a god. 

Also by Andrea Stewart
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Drowning Empire
The Bone Shard Daughter (US | UK)
The Bone Shard Emperor (US | UK)
The Bone Shard War (US | UK)

Cover Launch: BITTER WATERS by Vivian Shaw

Take your first look at the cover for Bitter Waters (US | UK), a new novella in the Dr. Greta Helsing series by Vivian Shaw, coming June 2024!

Bitter Waters by Vivian Shaw

Cover Design by Alexia E. Pereira & Will Staehle

A witty, charming standalone novella starring Greta Helsing, doctor to the undead, who must get to the bottom of a mystery involving a newly turned child vampire. 

A barrow-wight shows up on Greta and Varney’s doorstep one night with 11-year-old Lucy Ashton who’s been newly—and forcefully—bitten and turned. Who did this to her, and why? With the help of her vampiric friends, Greta is determined to find out.

The Dr. Greta Helsing Novels
Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw Dreadful Company by Vivian Shaw Grave Importance by Vivian Shaw
Strange Practice (US | UK)
Dreadful Company (US | UK)
Grave Importance (US | UK)

Cover Launch: REBEL BLADE by Davinia Evans

Take your first look at the cover for Rebel Blade (US | UK), the finale in The Burnished City trilogy by Davinia Evans coming December 2024!

Rebel Blade by Davinia Evans

Cover Design by Stephanie Hess

Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans

Shadow Baron by Davinia Evans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Burnished City
Notorious Sorcerer (US | UK)
Shadow Baron (US | UK)

Cover Launch: THE SCHOLAR AND THE LAST FAERIE DOOR by H. G. Parry

Take your first look at the cover for The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door (US | UK), a new standalone novel by H. G. Parry coming October 2024!

The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H. G. Parry

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

From the author of The Magician’s Daughter comes The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door, a mythic, magical tale full of secret scholarship, faerie curses, and the deadliest spells of all—the ones that friends cast on each other. 

All they needed to break the world was a door, and someone to open it.

Camford, 1921. Gilded and glittering, England’s secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.

But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country’s magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.

Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends—and now doesn’t quite know what to call—if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know it.

Also by H. G. Parry
The Magician's Daughter by H. G. Parry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Magician’s Daughter (US | UK)

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.

Cover Launch: SORCERY AND SMALL MAGICS by Maiga Doocy

Take your first look at the cover for Sorcery and Small Magics (US | UK), the debut cozy fantasy novel by Maiga Doocy coming October 2024!

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

From debut author Maiga Doocy comes the charming tale of an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival as they venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell that can break the curse between them—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics. He can summon butterflies with a song or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Though such minor charms don’t earn him much respect, anything more elaborate always blows up in his face, and so Leo vowed long ago never to use powerful magic again.

That is, until a mishap with a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime rival, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and absolutely insufferable. The only thing they can agree on is that revealing the curse between them would mean the end of their respective magical careers. They need a counterspell, and fast.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To break the curse, they will have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.