Posts Tagged ‘fantasy’

THE HEIR OF NIGHT wins the David Gemmell Morningstar Award!

The first book in the Wall of Night epic fantasy seriesWe’re all absolutely thrilled to announce that Helen Lowe has won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for her brilliant debut fantasy THE HEIR OF NIGHT! (UK | ANZ)

Biggest congratulations go to Helen – we can’t think of anyone who deserves this more. We’re constantly amazed by her hard work and her skillfully plotted fantasy writing, (we just can’t wait for her third novel, DAUGHTER OF BLOOD) and we’re delighted that she’s been recognised in this way.

The win was announced on Friday evening, in a glamorous ceremony held at the Magic Circle Headquarters in London – some photos of the awards ceremony below. Congratulations also go to the other winners on the night: Patrick Rothfuss, who won the Legend Award, and Raymond Swanland, who took home the Ravenheart Award for best cover art.

The Morningstar is awarded to the Best Fantasy Newcomer of the year. Here’s Helen’s announcement on her website, and the acceptance speech that was read out on the night.

Helen Lowe's trophy for Best Fantasy Debut
The award itself! To be posted very carefully to New Zealand today.
Orbit Commissioning Editor Anna Gregson and Editorial Assistant James Long
Orbit’s James Long and Anna Gregson chatting to agent John Berlyne at the awards ceremony
Orbit Commissioning Editor Jenni Hill collects the Morningstar award on behalf of fantasy author Helen Lowe
The award is collected by Orbit on behalf of Helen Lowe. Credit to Stan Nicholls and Sandy Auden for their photos of the ceremony.

Assassins, dreamworlds and a plague of nightmares: welcome to THE SHADOWED SUN

The fantasy novel THE SHADOWED SUN by the multilple-award winning N. K Jemisin - featuring assassins, dreamworlds and a plague of nightmaresThere are books that come along that I don’t just thoroughly enjoy, but that I feel intensely, overwhelmingly privileged to work on. THE SHADOWED SUN is one of those novels.

I don’t need to tell everyone what a stunning high fantasy writer N. K. Jemisin is. Her talents are already widely acknowledged, given that her debut novel THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS (UK | US | ANZ) was nominated for pretty much every fantasy award out there.

But even so, I underestimated just how utterly captivated I would be by THE KILLING MOON (UK | US | ANZ) and THE SHADOWED SUN (UK | US | ANZ ), books 1 and 2 in the Dreamblood duology. I didn’t think anything could top the Inheritance novels, but if it’s possible I was even more intoxicated. I09 seemed to agree when they said:

The Dreamblood duology is sure to cement Jemisin’s place as one of the most exciting and innovative new fantasy authors of recent years.

There’s something beautifully poetic about a little girl’s dreams becoming a plague upon a city.

Both novels in the Dreamblood duology are based around a religion of dreaming. It’s a dual world, where the realm of dreams is as real a place as the realm of waking. Where a soul that wonders in the dreamworld can find peace or be lost to ever-lasting torment.

In the city of Gujaareh, the priests of the dream goddess are able to harness the magic of the sleeping mind. These priests are both revered and feared, as they can use this gathered magic to either to heal . . . or kill those judged corrupt. And they move silently across the rooftops of the city at night to administer the chosen judgements. (more…)

Ten Things I Will Never Do

THE SPIRIT WAR by Rachel AaronNow that the fourth Eli Monpress book, The Spirit War, is officially out, I feel the time has come to make some commitments. Three books is a long time, but four? That’s an investment. You, gentle reader, have stuck with me through two years, multiple covers, and an omnibus makeover, and for that you deserve something concrete. So, without further ado, here are ten things I swear to you on my still living mother’s grave that I will never do in the Eli series.

1. I will not place all power in an easily losable object

This is a classic, and better writers than I have fallen for its simple charms. But the Eli Monpress books have always been about personal problems on a global scale, and ain’t no one getting out that easily. So, despite the absolutely insane amount of epic magic flying around in the final Eli books, there is no Tesseract, One Ring, Sword of Omens, or Holy Grail. I know I’m killing my merchandising options here, but art requires sacrifice.

2. It will not end in a wedding or an awards ceremony

I couldn’t book John Williams or Hans Zimmer to do the music, so the plot had to be rewritten. Also, Eli refused to wear anything that might make him look respectable. A man has to think of his reputation.

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Cover launch! New fantasy from Tim Lebbon – THE HERETIC LAND

The cover for Tim Lebbon's new fantasy novel THE HERETIC LAND

After the success of ECHO CITY (UK | ANZ), we’re really excited to be publishing Tim Lebbon’s next fantasy novel THE HERETIC LAND (UK | ANZ) this August! The book is a dark, atmospheric fantasy with a haunting setting and an intriguing cast of  merfolk, convicts, soldiers and magicians . . .

This fantastic cover was designed by freelance designer Sean Freeman and Sophie Burdess at Little, Brown.

AN ISLAND PRISON. AN OCEAN FULL OF MONSTERS. NO CHANCE OF ESCAPE.

Arrested by the Ald, scholar Bon Ugane and merwoman Leki Borle awake on a prison ship bound for the island of Skythe – a barren land warped and ruined by ancient conflict. Survival is tough and the colony’s original inhabitants are neither friendly nor entirely still human.

But something else waits on the island, a living weapon whose very existence is a heresy. Destroyed many years ago, it silently begins to clutch at life once more.

Wallpapers for THE KING’S BLOOD by Daniel Abraham

You got to see the behind the scenes of creating this cover. Now you can beautify your computation devices with the art from the newly released THE KING’S BLOOD by Daniel Abraham (US | UK | AUS). Tell your friends. Scare your neighbors. All in the name of DRAGONS.

Here’s all the wallpaper download links…if anyone needs a specific dimension made, let us know!

 

 

 

1024 x 768 | 1280 x 800 | 1440 x 900 | 1680 x 1050 |1920 x 1200 | iPhone | iPad | Facebook

Elizabeth Moon on the BBC

The BBC World Service logo in blueThis weekend our very own Elizabeth Moon will be appearing on the BBC World Service to take part in a discussion about Future Wars.

Elizabeth is a much-loved author of fantasy and science fiction, and during the writing of classic SF series such as The Serrano Legacy and Vatta’s War she’s done a lot of thinking about the way that future wars might be fought. She’s also seen active service in the United States Marine Corps, attaining the rank of First lieutenant.

The Forum will be broadcast at these times: Sat 19 May 2012 23:05 BST, Sun 20 May 2012 02:05 BST and Sun 20 May 2012 12:05 BST. It will also be available as a podcast, on the BBC World Service website.

the covers for science fiction epic: the Serrano Legacy

The Forum goes out on the BBC World Service which reaches 166 million listeners worldwide each week. It is broadcast on the weekend for forty minutes and the discussions are generally chaired by Bridget Kendall, the BBC’s Diplomatic Correspondent. More information is available at bbcworldservice.com/forum.

Helen Lowe and Robin Hobb on Reddit

the logo for Reddit forum r/Fantasy showing the Reddit logo dressed up as Gandalf!Fantasy author Helen Lowe will join Robin Hobb in an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on Reddit today, Wednesday 16th May, at 8pm CST.

The chat will be found on Reddit’s Fantasy forum, r/Fantasy, at http://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/.

Don’t forget that Helen, with her epic fantasy novel THE HEIR OF NIGHT, is one of five authors shortlisted for the David Gemmell Morning Star Award for Best Fantasy Newcomer and that you can still get your votes in here until 12 Noon GMT 31st May.

Orbit authors N. K. Jemisin and Brent Weeks have also taken part in Reddit AMAs recently, and it looks like they had a great time of it!

EMBER AND ASH wins Aurealis Award!

the cover for Pamela Freeman's award-winning fantasy novel EMBER AND ASH Big congratulations from the Orbit team to Pamela Freeman, whose epic fantasy novel EMBER AND ASH won the Aurealis Award for the best fantasy novel of the year! The awards were announced in Sydney last Saturday.

The Aurealis Awards represent the best of Australian fantasy, science fiction and horror across thirteen different categories. Trudi Canavan and Trent Jamieson have both been previous winners of the awards.

EMBER AND ASH (UK | US | ANZ) is available as an Orbit ebook or paperback.

Two peoples have been fighting over the same land for a thousand years. Invaders crushed the original inhabitants, and ancient powers have reluctantly given way to newer magics. But Ember was to change all this with a wedding to bind these warring people together – until her future goes up in flames.

Ember’s husband-to-be is murdered by a vengeful elemental god, who sees peace as a breach of faith. Set on retribution, she enlists the help of Ash, son of a seer. Together they will pit themselves against elementals of fire and ice in a last attempt to end the conflicts that have scarred their past.

They must look to the present, as old furies are waking to violence and are eager to reclaim their people.

Cover launch: The new-look Terry Brooks

Wards of Faerie - the new title from bestselling master of fantasy Terry Brooks - endorsed by Christopher PaoliniToday we’re very excited to unveil a brand new cover look for one of the biggest and best-selling names in epic fantasy. In the words of Christopher Paolini:

‘If you haven’t read Terry Brooks, you haven’t read fantasy.’

And if you haven’t read  Terry Brooks yet – this is the perfect place to start! He’s writing at the top of his game, and I was just bowled over by this manuscript when it came in.

Set in Terry’s original and most popular core Shannara world (the one which fans have been begging him to return to for years) the new Dark Legacy of Shannara series is perfect both for steadfast Terry Brooks readers, and those discovering the world of Shannara for the first time.

Book 1, Wards of Faerie is released in just a few months’ time on 23rd August.

We hope you’ll agree that the fantasy illustrator Stephen Youll has done an awesome job on this dragon skull (who wants one on their wall? I do!!).

Don’t forget that you can also get hold of the paperback edition of Terry’s previous novel, The Measure of the Magic (UK / ANZ), on 2nd Aug 2012.

Check out a cover close-up and more information on Wards of Faerie below. (more…)

Cover Story: THE KING’S BLOOD by DANIEL ABRAHAM

WEAPONS! Where might one go to procure something if  …  say… you wanted to reenact the Knights of the Round Table, or Edward James Olmos in Miami Vice*, or find an axe for the cover of Daniel Abrahan’s THE KING’S BLOOD? You go to Weapons Specialists in downtown (or downton if you want to be chi chi) Manhattan. Which is what I did one blistering hot day last summer. Check out the video of my visit and revel in the fact that the folks who work there have THE BEST JOB in the world. I would like to apologize in advance for the rather large sweat stains I’m sporting in the video. It’s like my armpits had a pool party the rest of the body wasn’t invited to. So… yea.

I had very specific details for the axe and the final weapon needed to scream warrior. In other words, the axe needed to look used. Obviously this combination of elements isn’t something that you just find off the interwebs, so I needed to create the final image from composites of multiple weapons.

After leaving Weapon’s Specialists with a rifle case full of medieval cutlery, which by the way is really surreal carrying through Grand Central, I needed to photograph everything and start working on what you see on the final book. Here are the weapons I got to play with.

 
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