Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’

Cover Launch: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CONQUERING THE WORLD by K. J. Parker

If you’re already adept at defending walled cities and successfully ruling empires, and you’re looking for your next big challenge, we’ve got the perfect book for you. With the launch of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CONQUERING THE WORLD (US | UK) this November, World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker brings his acclaimed sequence of novels that began with SIXTEEN WAYS TO DEFEND A WALLED CITY (US | UK) to a refreshingly pragmatic conclusion. We’re thrilled to present the final book’s cover below.

Design by Lauren Panepinto

Praise for SIXTEEN WAYS TO DEFEND A WALLED CITY (US | UK) and HOW TO RULE AN EMPIRE AND GET AWAY WITH IT (US | UK)

“Readers are ensured a good time and a barrel of laughs to boot.” –Publishers Weekly

“Parker’s latest epic fantasy proves that all the world is, indeed, a stage, and Parker himself is a master impresario.” — Library Journal

“Full of invention and ingenuity . . . Great fun.” — SFX

“As with most of Parker’s work, there is a melancholy undercurrent that gives the humor weight. As heroes go, Orhan is a reluctant and flawed one . . . . [but] when Orhan works the problem, we can’t help but watch.” —Locus

“Launches a witty adventure series . . . Readers will appreciate the infusion of humor and fun-loving characters into this vivid and sometimes grim fantasy world.” –Publishers Weekly

Acquisition Announcement: THE STARDUST THIEF by Chelsea Abdullah

Get ready for the biggest fantasy debut of the year! Orbit is thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired World English rights to a stunning, Arab-inspired epic fantasy: Chelsea Abdullah’s The Stardust Thief.

Set in a world filled with dangerous jinn, magical artifacts, and shifting dunes, The Stardust Thief tells the story of a legendary smuggler and a cowardly prince who are forced to quest out across the desert in search of the long-lost city of the jinn and a magical lamp. Weaving together tales from One Thousand and One Nights, American-Kuwaiti author, Chelsea Abdullah has crafted an enchanting novel that feels both familiar and entirely new. Perfect for readers of The City of Brass and The Bone Shard Daughter (US | UK), this epic quest will captivate and enthrall you, sweeping you away into a land where the line between stories and reality blur, and where magic lurks in the most unexpected places.

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Neither here nor there, but long ago…

Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land.

With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything—her enemy, her magic, even her own past—is not what it seems.

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We can’t wait to share The Stardust Thief with you next year! And, in the meantime, please join us in welcoming Chelsea to Orbit. You can find her on Twitter @chelsabdullah and at https://www.chelseaabdullah.com/

Orbit US senior editor Brit Hvide acquired World English rights from Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency. Orbit UK editor Emily Byron has secured UK rights.

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Cover Launch: AGE OF ASH by Daniel Abraham

We couldn’t be more excited to reveal the cover for AGE OF ASH, the start to a new epic fantasy series from New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author Daniel Abraham, co-author of The Expanse. George R. R. Martin described Daniel’s previous series, The Dagger and the Coin, as “everything I look for in a fantasy.” Brandon Sanderson said the second book in Daniel’s The Long Price Quartet series, A Betrayal in Winter, was “exactly the kind of book I love.”

So you can understand why we’re thrilled to launch Daniel’s monumental new trilogy. Each book in the trilogy unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year, where every story matters, and the fate of the city is woven from them all. AGE OF ASH is coming to shelves near you in February 2022.

Design by Lauren Panepinto. Illustration by Daniel Dociu.

Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories unfold.

This is Alys’s.

Alys is simply a petty thief from the slums of Longhill, but when her brother is murdered, she sets out to discover who killed him and why. But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more dangerous than knives.

Swept up in an intrigue as deep as the roots of Kithamar, where the secrets of the lowest born can sometimes topple thrones, the story Alys chooses will have the power to change everything.

Cover Launch: THE FALL OF BABEL by Josiah Bancroft

THE FALL OF BABEL is the incredible final book in the word of mouth phenomenon fantasy series that began with Senlin Ascends. “The “Books of Babel” are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade — future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes.” (Los Angeles Times)

The final book in the Books of Babel series is nearly here, and the good folks over at The Fantasy Inn launched the cover last week. For those who pre-order the book, keep your receipts! There’s a special digital surprise coming soon for those who order early. Follow the author on Twitter at @BancroftJosiah and @orbitbooks for more info.

Book cover for The Fall of Babel by Josiah Bancroft. A golden figure emerges from the a shattering city. Mechanical legs are visible beneath the figure's armor.

Credits: Illustration by Ian Leino, design by Lauren Panepinto

As Marat’s siege engine bores through the Tower, erupting inside ringdoms and leaving chaos in its wake, Senlin can do nothing but observe the mayhem from inside the belly of the beast. Caught in a charade, Senlin desperately tries to sabotage the rampaging Hod King, even as Marat’s objective grows increasingly clear. The leader of the zealots is bound for the Sphinx’s lair and the unimaginable power it contains.

In the city under glass at the Tower’s summit, Adam discovers a utopia where everyone inexplicably knows the details of his past. As Adam unravels the mystery of his fame, he soon discovers the crowning ringdom conceals a much darker secret.

Aboard the State of Art, Edith and her crew adjust to the reality that Voleta has awoken from death changed. She seems to share more in common with the Red Hand now than her former self. While Edith wars for the soul of the young woman, a greater crisis looms: They will have to face Marat on unequal footing and with Senlin caught in the crossfire.

And when the Bridge of Babel is finally opened, and the Brick Layer’s true ambition revealed, neither they nor the Tower will ever be the same again.

Book jacket for Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft. The cover shows a man scaling the rings of a tiered city as clouds drift by. Book jacket for The Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft. A blue mechanical arm reaches up through the rings of a many tiered city. Book jacket for The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft. A woman falls through the rings of a many tiered city. Cracks in the city walls are visible.

Praise for The Books of Babel

“Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action‑packed, warm, witty, and thought‑provoking. I can’t wait for more.” — Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe

“It’s rare to find a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I’m wildly in love with this book.” — Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising

“Senlin Ascends is one of the best reads I’ve had in ages . . . I was dragged in and didn’t escape until I’d finished two or three days later.” — Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns

“Deeply compelling . . . A classic in the making.” — B&N Sci‑Fi & Fantasy Blog

“Wonderfully unique and superbly well written. I loved every page.” — Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“Senlin is a man worth rooting for, and his strengthening resolve and character is as marvelous and sprawling as the tower he climbs.” — The Washington Post

“I loved it, and grabbed the next one as soon as I turned the last page.” — Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names

“Brilliant debut fantasy . . . This novel goes off like a firework and suggests even greater things in the author’s future.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Acquisition Announcement: THE FAIRY BARGAINS OF PROSPECT HILL by Rowenna Miller

Author photo of Rowenna Miller.

Orbit is delighted to announce the acquisition of Rowenna Miller’s enchanting new historical fantasy novel, THE FAIRY BARGAINS OF PROSPECT HILL.

Set in the waning years of the Gilded Age, THE FAIRY BARGAINS OF PROSPECT HILL follows two sisters, one managing the family farm and the other a rising socialite, as they make increasingly treacherous bargains with the Fae to help one sister escape her abusive marriage. With its charming and lush writing, rich historical details, and a delightful cast of characters, The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill is sure to sweep you off your feet. We can’t wait for you to read it!

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On Prospect Hill, you can get nearly anything you want from the Fae—if you know how to ask and if you can pay the price.

There is no magic on Prospect Hill—or anywhere else, for that matter. But just on the other side of the veil is the world of the Fae, and all their magic. Generations ago, the first farmers on Prospect Hill learned to bargain small trades to make their lives a little easier—a bit of glass to find something lost, a cup of milk for better layers in the chicken coop.

Much of that old wisdom has been lost as the riverboats gave way to the rail lines and the farmers took work at the copper works and the cotton mill. Alaine Fairborn’s family, however, was always superstitious, and she still hums the rhymes to find her lost shoe and ensure dry weather on her sister Delphine’s wedding day.

But when Delphine confides her new husband is not the man she thought he was, Alaine will stop at nothing to help her sister escape his abuse. Small bargains buy them time, but the progress of locomotives and factories hasn’t given way to equitable laws for women. A major bargain is needed, but the price for sweeping change may be more than they’re willing to pay.

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While you wait patiently, you can read Rowenna’s debut fantasy series, The Unraveled Kingdom, consisting of TORN, FRAY, and RULE. Follow her on Twitter @RowennaM and find out more at rowennamiller.com.

Book cover for Torn by Rowenna Miller. A line of needles are strung together with a red thread to form the silhouette of a city skyline. Book cover for Fray by Rowenna Miller. The silhouette of a castle is cut from a pool of red cloth.  Book cover of Rule by Rowenna Miller. Cover shows embroidery of a silver crown wreathed in fire.

Orbit US senior editor Nivia Evans acquired World rights from Jessica Sinsheimer at Context Literary.

 

Acquisition Announcement: ONE DARK WINDOW by Rachel Gillig

My magic moves. My magic bites. My magic soothes. My magic frights. You are young, and not so bold. I am unflinching—five hundred years old.

Like an epic ballad or a passed-down spell, Rachel Gillig’s debut fantasy ONE DARK WINDOW bewitched us completely. Orbit is thrilled to have acquired this lush, atmospheric fantasy and its sequel, perfect for readers of Uprooted and The Year of the Witching. Read on for more about this gorgeously dark fantasy with gothic inspirations:

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Get excited for ONE DARK WINDOW to publish in winter 2022, and in the meantime give a warm welcome to author Rachel Gillig on Instagram @rmgillig, Twitter @rachelgillig, and her website rachelgillig.com!

ICYMI: SON OF THE STORM by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Feast your eyes on the stunning cover for SON OF THE STORM by Suyi Davies Okungbowa, the highly-anticipated first novel in the Nameless Republic trilogy. Inspired by the pre-colonial empires of West Africa, this is an epic tale of violent conquest, buried histories, and forbidden magic. Make sure you head over to io9 to read the excerpt!

Illustration by Dan dos Santos; Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto

In the thriving city of Bassa, Danso is a clever but disillusioned scholar who longs for a life beyond the rigid family and political obligations expected of the city’s elite. A way out presents itself when Lilong, a skin-changing warrior, shows up wounded in his barn. She comes from the Nameless Islands- which, according to Bassa lore, don’t exist- and neither should the mythical magic of ibor she wields.

Now swept into a conspiracy far beyond his understanding, Danso and Lilong will set out on a journey that reveals histories violently suppressed and magic only found in lore.

SON OF THE STORM is out in May 2021. In the meantime, you can connect with Suyi at https://suyidavies.com/ and on Twitter at @IAmSuyiDavies.

 

Acquisition Announcement: THE SUN AND THE VOID by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

We are delighted to have acquired a sweeping debut fantasy from Venezuelan-American writer Gabriela Romero Lacruz. Full of twisted family politics, dark magic, and fantastical beings, THE SUN AND THE VOID transports readers into a lush world inspired by the history and mythology of 1800s South America.

When Reina arrives at Aguila Manor, her heart stolen from her chest, she’s on the verge of death—until her estranged grandmother, a dark sorceress in the Don’s employ, intervenes.  Indebted to a woman she never knew—and smitten with the upper-caste daughter of the house, Celeste—Reina will do to earn – and keep – the family’s favor. Even the bidding of the ancient god who speaks to her from the Manor’s foundations.

With a brilliantly realized magic system, completely fresh world-building, and piercing insights on identity and colonialism, this incredible story is sure to captivate. We can’t wait to share THE SUN AND THE VOID with you—in the meantime, be sure to follow Gabriela on Twitter.

Orbit US Editor Angeline Rodriguez bought North American rights from Naomi Davis at BookEnds Literary in a two-book deal.

 

Cover Launch: FOR THE WOLF by Hannah Whitten

If you’ve been looking for your next lush, folklore-inspired fantasy, look no further—debut author Hannah Whitten has arrived with your new favorite read, FOR THE WOLF, Book One of the Wilderwood. Full of forbidden forests, dark magic, and a mysterious figure more monster than man, For the Wolf will hit shelves in June 2021. Lay eyes on the gorgeously dreamy cover below, and read on for more about the book!

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover Illustrations by Arcangel and Shutterstock

The first daughter is for the Throne.

The second daughter is for the Wolf.

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose- to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood -and her world- whole.

For more information watch the replay of the live cover reveal on our Crowdcast channel.