Posts Tagged ‘science fiction’

Cover launch: AUTONOMOUS by Annalee Newitz

We’re thrilled to announce that Orbit UK is publishing Annalee Newitz’s stunning new novel AUTONOMOUS – a wildly inventive science fiction debut from the co-founder of io9.

Released in the US this autumn, AUTONOMOUS has already received tonnes of praise and we’re delighted to be bringing it to a new audience with a colourful twist on Will Staehle’s wonderful cover.

Look out for our early ebook release (available now) or buy the audio or paperback edition from 15th March 2018.

Earth, 2144. Jack is an anti-patent scientist turned drug pirate, traversing the world in a submarine as a pharmaceutical Robin Hood, fabricating cheap medicines for those who can’t otherwise afford them. But her latest drug hack has left a trail of lethal overdoses as people become addicted to their work, doing repetitive tasks until they become unsafe or insane.
Hot on her trail is an unlikely pair: Eliasz, a brooding military agent, and his indentured robotic partner, Paladin. As they race to stop information about the sinister origins of Jack’s drug from getting out, they begin to form an uncommonly close bond that neither of them fully understands.
And underlying it all is one fundamental question: is freedom possible in a culture where everything, even people, can be owned?

‘Autonomous is to biotech and AI what Neuromancer was to the internet’ NEAL STEPHENSON
‘Something genuinely and thrillingly new’ WILLIAM GIBSON
‘Holy hell. Autonomous is remarkable’ LAUREN BEUKES

Acquisition announcement: Rich Larson’s ANNEX

Orbit has acquired world rights to up-and-coming speculative fiction author Rich Larson’s stunning debut novel, ANNEX, about Violet, a young transgender girl who must fight to take back her city. In this astonishing work of science fiction, Rich introduces the world to one of the most affecting young protagonists since Nailer in Paolo Baciagalupi’s Shipbreaker.

At first it is a nightmare. When the invaders arrive, the world as they know it is destroyed. Their friends are kidnapped. Their families are changed.

Then it is a dream. With no adults left to run things, Violet and the others who have escaped capture are truly free for the first time. They can do whatever they want to do. They can be whoever they want to be.  

But the invaders won’t leave them alone for long…

Combining all the thrills of an action movie with his award-winning, literary writing, Larson turns the alien invasion novel inside out. The first book is scheduled for July 2018, but in the meantime read some of Rich’s acclaimed short fiction on http://richwlarson.tumblr.com

Cover Launch: ADRIFT by Rob Boffard

Lost in the depths of space . . . No contact with civilisation . . . no way home . . . what would you do?

We’re very proud to present the cover for a gripping new science fiction novel we have coming in June 2018:

Adrift - a science fiction adventure novel by Rob Boffard

Rob Boffard’s ADRIFT is a tale of survival against all odds in the depths of space.

We just love the premise of this: An unsuspecting group of space tourists have their short pleasure trip turn into a nightmare – when they find themselves the only survivors of a devastating attack, drifting in space, with no way home and a terrorist ship on their tail . . .

This is pulse-pounding stuff, and it’s already getting some brilliant reactions from a whole host of science fiction authors:

‘AN EDGE-OF-THE-SEAT EPIC OF SURVIVAL AND ADVENTURE IN DEEP SPACE’ Gareth L. Powell, the BSFA award-winning author of Embers of War

‘A UNIQUE MIX OF THRILLER, SPACE ADVENTURE AND CONSPIRACY NOVEL – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED’ Jamie Sawyer, author of the Lazarus War novels

‘ADRIFT IS RICH IN DEEP CHARACTER-DRIVEN DRAMA, BUILT ON A HIGHLY SUSPENSEFUL PREMISE‘ D. Nolan Clark, author of Forsaken Skies

Sounds pretty cool, huh? Believe us – IT IS.

ADRIFT is perfect for fans of Alastair Reynold’s Revenger, John Scalzi’s The Collapsing Empire, Becky Chamber’s The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and Adrian Tchaikovksy’ Children of Time.

Read on for the blurb below, and look out for ADRIFT in a galaxy near you in June 2018.

In the far reaches of space, a tour group embarks on what will be the trip of a lifetime – in more ways than one . . .

At Sigma Station, a remote mining facility and luxury hotel in deep space, a group of tourists boards a small vessel to take in the stunning views of the Horsehead Nebula.

But while they’re out there, a mysterious ship with devastating advanced technology attacks the station. Their pilot’s quick thinking means that the tourists escape with their lives – but as the dust settles, they realise they may be the only survivors . . .

Adrift in outer space on a vastly under-equipped ship, they’ve got no experience, no weapons, no contact with civilisation. They are way out of their depth, and if they can’t figure out how to work together, they’re never getting home alive.

Because the ship that destroyed the station is still out there. And it’s looking for them…

Winner of Africa’s First Speculative Fiction Award Announced alongside Orbit Publishing Deal

Tade Thompson, author of ROSEWATER (photo credit David Thompson)Please join us in welcoming Tade Thompson to the Orbit family! The news is out – we will be publishing his Rosewater trilogy next year.

Tade’s also just had another VERY exciting bit of news to announce, as Rosewater was awarded Best Novel today at the inaugural Nommo Awards. These are the first awards ever given for African speculative fiction or science fiction – a landmark moment for the genre and for Tade!

The winners were announced as part of the Ake Arts and Book Festival in Abeokuta, Nigeria, and also included Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti winning Best Novella and a tie between Lesley Nneka Arimah and Tendai Huchu for Best Short Story. The awards were set up by the African Speculative Fiction Society.

While Rosewater was originally published by indie press Apex Book Company agent Alexander Cochran (C+W Agency ) sold world rights in this and two more novels in the trilogy to Orbit last month. The trilogy will chronicle the effects and aftereffects of a biological catastrophe first on an individual, then on a community and finally the world.

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless – people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumoured healing powers.
Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn’t care to again – but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realisation about a horrifying future.

Tade Thompson is the author of Rosewater, a John W. Campbell Award finalist and Best Novel winner for the inaugural 2017 NOMMO Awards for African speculative fiction. His novella The Murders of Molly Southbourne has recently been optioned for screen adaptation. He also writes short stories, notably ‘The Apologists’ which was nominated for a British Science Fiction Association award. Born in London to Yoruba parents, he lives and works on the south coast of England where he battles an addiction to books.

Cover launch: 84K by Claire North

This is a very exciting time for Claire North.

She’s just won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for The Sudden Appearance of Hope  (US|UK|ANZ). She’s been shortlisted for the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award for The End of the Day (UK|US|ANZ).

And now we’re thrilled to present the cover for her new novel 84K, coming next year.

84K by Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

84K is remarkable, innovative, gripping and utterly thought-provoking.

It’s a startling vision of a world where nothing is so precious it can’t be bought . . . and where our lives are defined only by numbers.

Theo Miller knows the value of human life – to the very last penny. 

Working in the Criminal Audit Office, he assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.

But when his ex-lover is killed, it’s different. This is one death he can’t let become merely an entry on a balance sheet. 

Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don’t add up.

This is a book which will resonate with readers around the world, and it will confirm Claire North’s place as one of the most original voices in modern fiction.

84K is coming in May 2018, and is available for pre-order now.

Praise for Claire North’s novels:

‘Poignant and intensely gripping’ Guardian

‘Little short of a masterpiece’ Independent

‘Ambitious, immensely humane and full of philosophical panache’ Sunday Times

‘Well-paced, brilliant and balanced’ New York Times

‘Extraordinary . . . wildly impressive’ Lucy Hughes-Hallett, BBC Radio 4

‘One of the fiction highlights of the decade’ Judy Finnigan, Richard and Judy Book Club

Cover Launch: INTO THE FIRE by Elizabeth Moon

We’re delighted to reveal the stunning cover for INTO THE FIRE (UK|ANZ), the thrilling second book in the Vatta’s Peace series by Nebula-Award-winning author Elizabeth Moon.

Into the Fire

Cover design by Sean Garrehy
Illustration by Steve Stone @ Artist partners

INTO THE FIRE will be hitting shops in February 2018 and is available for pre-order now! Read on for a taste of what’s in store:

When Admiral Kylara Vatta and a ship full of strangers were marooned on an inhospitable arctic island, they uncovered secrets that someone on Ky’s planet was ready to kill to keep hidden. Now, the existence of the mysterious arctic base has been revealed, but the organisation behind it still lurks in the shadows, doing all it can to silence her.

It is up to the intrepid Ky to force the perpetrators into the light, and uncover decades’ worth of secrets – some of which lie at the very heart of her family’s greatest tragedy.

Praise for Elizabeth Moon:

‘Sheer delight’ – Anne McCaffrey
‘Absolutely compelling’ – Greg Bear
‘Full of thrills’ – Locus
‘Unforgettable’ – Jack McDevitt
‘Hard to put down’ – SFSite.com
‘Continues to get better with every volume’ – Guardian
‘Superlative’ – Booklist
‘She deserves all her success – and more’ – SciFi.com

Cover Launch: ONE WAY by S. J. Morden

We are currently in the middle of the next space race. No, not to the moon, but to Mars. And our latest acquisition, by bona fide rocket scientist S.J. Morden, posits what happens when you take that space race and add a little bit of corporate greed: Budget cuts and some dangerously slim margins for success. In ONE WAY, the corporation in charge decides the cheapest option is to send prisoners with certain skills on a one way trip to Mars to help build the first human settlement on Mars. But the landscape of Mars is a hostile one, and when you send untrained civilians to space, bad things can happen…

We’re so excited for this book that we already have a cover for it. Take a look below and make sure to say hello to the author on twitter at @ComradeMorden.

Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio
Art by Shutterstock

Cover launch: OUTER EARTH by Rob Boffard

Welcome to Outer Earth: a vivid, dangerous world where every day is a desperate struggle for survival . . . 

. . . and one wrong move could spell the end for humanity.


OUTER EARTH - a science fiction adventure from Rob Boffard

We’re very proud to present  the cover for OUTER EARTH (UK | US | ANZ), a thrilling science fiction adventure from Rob Boffard.

Outer Earth is a huge space station orbiting the ruins of our planet. Dirty, overcrowded and inescapable, it’s humanity’s last refuge . . . and possibly its final resting place. There are dark forces at work on the station who are seeking to unleash chaos. And if they succeed, there will be nowhere left to run.

This new edition of the OUTER EARTH series contains three adrenaline-fuelled novels: Tracer, Zero-G and Impact. It’s the kind of gripping story which will get a whole range of SF and space opera readers hooked, and it’s already received some very impressive praise:

‘Fast, exhilarating and unforgettable, and once you start it you can’t stop’ Sarah Lotz, author of The Three

‘Sets a new standard for all-action SF’ Ken MacLeod

‘Relentlessly fast pace . . . Vivid action scenes’ SFX

‘Exhilarating and guaranteed to keep you hooked until the very last page’ Glamour

‘If you’re after a fast-paced, action-packed, cinematic space adventure, then [this] is absolutely for you’ Civilian Reader

OUTER EARTH (UK | US | ANZ) will be entering our orbit in February 2018.

And in the meantime, we also have some very exciting news about Rob Boffard: I’m delighted to say we’ve acquired three new books from him!  The first book will be called ADRIFT and will be releasing in June 2018.

Set in the far reaches of space, ADRIFT is about a group of tourists who board a small vessel for a trip around Sigma Station – a remote space mining facility and luxury hotel. But when a mysterious ship attacks the station with devastating consequences, the tourists end up stranded in the depths of space, out of contact with civilisation and with no way home . . .

This is such a dramatic, original SF adventure and we can’t wait to tell you more . . . Stay tuned for details!

Cover Launch: A BIG SHIP AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE by Alex White

Alex White’s brilliant new book A BIG SHIP AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE has an equally brilliant cover to match. This explosive space opera tells the tale of two women, fighting for their lives and for a treasure so great it could change the universe. Look out for the book on May 15, 2018 and say hello to Alex at his website or on twitter @alexrwhite.

Boots Elsworth was a famous treasure hunter in another life, but now she’s washed up. She makes her meager living faking salvage legends and selling them to the highest bidder, but this time she might have stumbled on something real–the story of the Harrow, a famous warship, capable of untold destruction.

Nilah Brio is the top driver in the Pan Galactic Racing Federation and the darling of the racing world–until she witnesses the murder of a fellow racer. Framed for the murder and on the hunt to clear her name, Nilah only has one lead: the killer also hunts a woman named Boots.

On the wrong side of the law, the two women board a smuggler’s ship that will take them on a quest for fame, for riches, and for justice.

Cover design Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover art Shutterstock

New Acquisition: A BIG SHIP AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE by Alex White

Alex R. WhiteSpace is filled with treasure. No, not natural resources. Actual treasure, like gigantic ancient spaceships that contain secrets and riches untold. Enter author Alex White. We’ve acquired Alex White’s breakneck science fiction adventure series, The Salvagers. The first book in the series A BIG SHIP AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE introduces you to Nilah, a gutsy young racer, and Boots, a semi-retired (to put it nicely) treasure hunter. The two become wrapped up in a dangerous hunt for a mythical spaceship at, you guessed it, the edge of the universe. If you’re looking for non-stop, action-packed science fiction, then this series is perfect for you. Go say “hi” to Alex at his website: alexrwhite.com.

Boots Elsworth was a famous treasure hunter in another life, but now she’s washed up. She makes her meager living faking salvage legends and selling them to the highest bidder, but this time she might have stumbled on something real–the story of the Harrow, a famous warship, capable of untold destruction.

Nilah Brio is the top driver in the Pan Galactic Racing Federation and the darling of the racing world–until she witnesses the murder a fellow racer. Framed for the murder and on the hunt to clear her name, Nilah only has one lead: the killer also hunts a woman named Boots.

On the wrong side of the law, the two women board a smuggler’s ship that will take them on a quest for fame, for riches, and for justice.

Orbit has acquired World rights in three books from Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary Agency, and the first book will hit shelves in Spring 2018.