Posts Tagged ‘space opera’

Cover Launch: FORBIDDEN SUNS by D. Nolan Clark

Behold, the fantastic cover for FORBIDDEN SUNS by D. Nolan Clark, the explosive conclusion to the Silence trilogy, an epic space adventure tale of fighting against impossible odds – and the terror of realizing that we’re no longer alone in the unforgiving vastness of space.

 

In the cold of space, the fire of revenge still burns.

Aleister Lanoe has been on a mission since before he can remember. Honing his skills as a fighter pilot and commander through three centuries of constant warfare, he has never met a foe he cannot best.

But now he faces a mission which may be his last: take vengeance on the alien race who has coldly and systematically erased all the sentient life in its path.

In all his years at war, the stakes have never been higher…

Praise for the Silence trilogy:

“No less intriguing and action-packed than its predecessor. Here, sci-fi tropes such as AI and space aliens are turned into something entirely thoughtful and original.”— RT Book Reviews on Forgotten Worlds

“Unforgettable characters and is jam-packed with action [and] adventure… one readers will not want to miss.” —Booklist on Forsaken Skies

“About as exciting an action story set in space as any this reviewer has seen in print in quite some time. It is worth the read… a terrific and thrilling novel.” —SciFi Magazine on Forsaken Skies

“Gripping writing, a brilliantly realized future culture and sympathetic characters… an entertaining and compelling read.” —SFX Magazine on Forsaken Skies

Design by Lauren Panepinto
Illustration by Victor Mosquera

 

Cover Launch: FORGOTTEN WORLDS by D. Nolan Clark

Behold, the marvelous cover for FORGOTTEN WORLDS by D. Nolan Clark, the action-packed second novel in the Silence trilogy, an epic space adventure tale of fighting against terrible odds – and the terror of realizing that we’re no longer alone in the unforgiving dark of the universe.

Forgotten Worlds

Aleister Lanoe has won a stunning victory against the alien armada that threatened Niraya, but it’s not enough to satisfy his desire for vengeance. He won’t rest until he’s located the armada’s homeworld and reduced it to ashes.

Yet his personal vendetta will have to wait. Lanoe now faces a desperate race against time, and the merciless Centrocor corporation, if he’s to secure the Earth’s future – and discover the truth he seeks.

The battle is over. But the war has only just begun.

Praise for FORSAKEN SKIES (US | UK | AUS):

“Unforgettable characters and is jam-packed with action [and] adventure… one readers will not want to miss.”—Booklist

“About as exciting an action story set in space as any this reviewer has seen in print in quite some time. It is worth the read… a terrific and thrilling novel.”—SciFi Magazine

“Gripping writing, a brilliantly realized future culture and sympathetic characters . . . an entertaining and compelling read.”—SFX Magazine

Design by Lauren Panepinto
Illustration by Victor Mosquera

Cover Reveal: REVENGER by Alastair Reynolds

Orbit is proud to be publishing Alastair Reynolds’s next exciting new space opera, REVENGER and two more science fiction novels. Revenger is pure, adrenaline-filled space adventure set in the rubble of our solar system in a dark, distant future – a tale of space pirates, buried treasure, and phantom weapons, of unspeakable hazards, single-minded heroism and, of course, vengeance. And that cover by blacksheep-uk.com? Gorgeous! You can get your hands on Revenger in eBook on September 20th, 2016 in the US and in trade paperback on February 28th, 2017. Say hello to Alastair Reynolds on twitter @AquilaRift 

reynolds_revenger-pb

The galaxy has seen great empires rise and fall. Planets have shattered and been remade. Amongst the ruins of alien civilizations, building our own from the rubble, humanity still thrives. 

And there are vast fortunes to be made, if you know where to find them… 

Captain Rackamore and his crew do. It’s their business to find the tiny, enigmatic worlds which have been hidden away, booby-trapped, surrounded by layers of protection – and to crack them open for the ancient relics and barely-remembered technologies inside. But while they ply their risky trade with integrity, not everyone is so scrupulous. 

Adrana and Fura Ness are the newest members of Rackamore’s crew, signed on to save their family from bankruptcy. Only Rackamore has enemies, and there might be more waiting for them in space than adventure and fortune: the fabled and feared Bosa Sennen in particular.

*Revenger is being published by Gollancz in the UK.

Cover Launch: FORSAKEN SKIES by D. Nolan Clark

Behold, the glorious cover for FORSAKEN SKIES  by D. Nolan Clark, the stunning first novel in the Silence trilogy, an epic space adventure tale of survival against the odds – and the terror of realizing that we’re no longer alone in the cold vacuum of space.

Orbit_Clark_ForsakenSkies

After centuries of devastating interplanetary civil war, mankind has found a time of relative peace.

That peace is shattered when an unknown armada emerges from the depths of space, targeting an isolated colony planet. As the colonists plead for help, the politicians and bureaucrats look away.

But battle-scarred Commander Aleister Lanoe will not abandon thousands of innocents to their fate.

Cover design by Kirk Benshoff. Illustration by Victor Mosquera.

Live Free or Die Again: Cover Launch for THE CORPORATION WARS: INSURGENCE

We’re excited to launch the cover for INSURGENCE, which is the second volume in the Corporation Wars by Ken MacLeod, a space opera trilogy which gives a robot’s eye view of a robot revolt. The cover is designed by Little, Brown Book Group designer Bekki Guyatt:

The Corporation Wars: Insurgence

The Corporation Wars Book One: DissidenceLook out for THE CORPORATION WARS: DISSIDENCE, the first in this trilogy, releasing next month:

One of SFX magazine’s Most Anticipated Books for 2016, DISSIDENCE is an epic vision of man and machine in the far reaches of space

Carlos is dead. A soldier who died for his ideals a thousand years ago, he’s been reincarnated and conscripted to fight an A.I. revolution in deep space. And he’s not sure he’s fighting for the right side.
Seba is alive. By a fluke of nature, a contractual overlap, and a loop in its subroutines, this lunar mining robot has gained sentience. Gathering with other ‘freebots’, Seba is taking a stand against the corporations that want it and its kind gone.

As their stories converge against a backdrop of warring companies and interstellar drone combat, Carlos and Seba must either find a way to rise above the games their masters are playing, or die. And even dying will not be the end of it.

Praise for Ken MacLeod:

‘Prose sleek and fast as the technology it describes . . . watch this man go global’
Peter F. Hamilton

‘MacLeod’s novels are fast, funny, and sophisticated. There can never be enough books like these: he is writing revolutionary SF. A nova has appeared in our sky’
Kim Stanley Robinson

‘MacLeod is up there with Banks and Hamilton as one of the British sci-fi authors you absolutely have to read’
SFX

Cover launch: THE LAZARUS WAR: ORIGINS

The Lazarus War Origins by Jamie Sawyer - a science fiction space opera adventureToday we can reveal the cover for THE LAZARUS WAR: ORIGINS (UK|US|ANZ), the third and final book in the Lazarus War Trilogy by British author Jamie Sawyer, coming this August.

Jamie is one of the hottest new talents in science fiction, and readers are digging this series so much that he’s already had a fan club set up in his honour. His series follows the hero known as “Lazarus”, who runs suicide missions in the depths of space using simulant bodies. He’s died hundreds of times, but he always comes back . . .

If you want a piece of this explosive space opera action, the first book in this series, THE LAZARUS WAR: ARTEFACT (UK | US | ANZ) is available in print and ebook now. The second novel THE LAZARUS WAR: LEGION (UK | US | ANZ) is available in ebook now and releases in print at the end of May. And here’s what you can expect from the third novel ORIGINS in August:

For someone who has died and come back as many times as Conrad Harris, the nickname Lazarus is well-deserved. His elite military team are specialists in death – running suicide missions in simulant bodies to combat the alien race known as the Krell.

But now the Krell Empire has wreaked such devastation that military command is desperate for a new strategy against the alien foe.

Harris and his team are being sent on a mission that could finally turn the tide of the war. Intelligence has been uncovered that indicates the location of the UAS Endeavour, a ship that went missing years ago deep in Krell territory. The ship could hold secrets to harnessing an ancient alien technology – possibly the most powerful weapon in the known universe. But if this power falls into the wrong hands, the consequences for humanity are unimaginable . . .

Covers

 

Cover Launch: BABYLON’S ASHES by James S. A. Corey

We’re excited to be able to share the cover for Babylon’s Ashes (coming out in June 2016), the sixth novel in James S.A. Corey’s New York Times bestselling Expanse series – now a new original series from the Syfy Channel, premiering December 14th 2015.

Corey_BabylonsAshes_HC
Artist Daniel Dociu, Designer Kirk Benshoff.

A revolution brewing for generations has begun in fire. It will end in blood.

The Free Navy – a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships – has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them.

James Holden and his crew know the strengths and weaknesses of this new force better than anyone. Outnumbered and outgunned, the embattled remnants of the old political powers call on the Rocinante for a desperate mission to reach Medina Station at the heart of the gate network.

But the new alliances are as flawed as the old, and the struggle for power has only just begun. As the chaos grows, an alien mystery deepens. Pirate fleets, mutiny, and betrayal may be the least of the Rocinante’s problems. And in the uncanny spaces past the ring gates, the choices of a few damaged and desperate people may determine the fate of more than just humanity.

If you haven’t started the series then don’t delay!

The Lascar's Dagger

 

For more work by Daniel Dociu, visit his website.

Cover Story LAZARUS WAR by Jamie Sawyer

I love me a great sci fi novel, and these are great sci fi novels! I got assigned the Lazarus War series by Jamie Sawyer (US | UK | AUS)  which is set in a future where mankind battles a hostile alien race. All that protects us are an elite military team, remotely operating avatars in the most dangerous theatres of war.

Lauren had reached out to the ever talented Ioan Dumitrescu to work on the series. Jon took the proverbial bull by the horns and came back with illustrations that blow you away like an old school Maxell Ad. It only seemed appropriate to have the art keep pace with the story, so we wanted movement and action that jumps off the page!

Here’s Jon (Ioan) to talk about the project!

Hi everybody, my name is Ioan Dumitrescu and im a professional concept designer / ilustrator for games and movies.

And sometimes im in that zen zone where i get to do sci fi book covers. This time that opportunity came with Lazarus War by Jamie Sawyer.

Story about incredible space battles between starships and behemoth alien flotillas, plasma shooting crazy dudes, in short an adrenaline rush ride.

My first assignment came from Lauren P, and i was briefed to work around a lead ship. The thing i love about doing book covers is they give me a great freedom to experiment and see where it can take me. The starship was supposed to be a bulky, can take a hit, huge gun/ cannon.

The vibe i followed was to make a very dynamic image, and show a race for life. I took advantage of 3d to get the best angle and shapes. After that the image started coming along, having a huge star like explosion, which i thought would show how anything can happen at any given moment. We also see a glimpse of the aliens, the Krell ( thats a cool alien name) with their smaller needle attack ships, that swarm and overwhelm. The colors of orange yellows described the imeddiate danger the starship is in, but you can also see hints of blue and green at the front which gives hope to escaping alive.Next came the email from Kirk B, saying to start focusing on the second book, which would come down to showing what the Krell are all about, behemoth motherships, 10 times the size of the starships, that deliver thousands of expendable attack ships. Process was similar, using 3d to decide on the best angle. I wasnt ready to give up on the dynamic action packed feeling, and i also wanted to be different from the „all out” first cover.I decided to show the moment before the Krells choose and attack their targets. Having left the last battle in the background, now stands the mothership, in all its biomechanic glory, in a somehow proud stance, a relic of times unknown, that conquers everything it sets it sight on, no fear, no emotion. I choose to make it a bit more slimy and also a small tribute to the genius of H.R Giger. It just felt right! All the attack ships are waiting to jump at their target when given the order! Tension in the air treated with an unearthy like calm. The colors followed that feeling, having the ship wrapped in serene white light and surrounded by blacking greens. The touch of red is also a sign of the carnage that might follow.

This can now only get me thinking of what might be the 3d book cover, im thinking of something more intimate, that would bring the viewer and reader closer to the characters that take the action further.

I hope you enjoy the past and future covers to come!

Thank you
Ioan Dumitrescu

So, without adieu, I’m thrilled to present the covers to the first two books in the Lazarus War series by Jamie Sawyer!


Sawyer_LazarusWarArtefact-EB
Sawyer_LazarusWarLegion-EB

The Lazarus War: Artefact and The Lazarus War: Legion is out now!

Cover launch for THE LAZARUS WAR: LEGION

Today we’re excited to unveil the cover for THE LAZARUS WAR: LEGION (UK | US | ANZ).

If you like gripping action and adventure in deep space, along with tales of elite fighters and frightening alien tech (we certainly do!), then this series is for you. We love it with a passion . . .

Book cover for The Lazarus War Legion by Jamie Sawyer - a science fiction adventure

This great artwork comes from the artist Ioan Dumitrescu. This is the second book in the series following THE LAZARUS WAR: ARTEFACT (UK | US | ANZ), which is already available digitally. It features Conrad Harris, otherwise known as Lazarus. He’s a man who has died a hundred deaths. There are some battles in deep space which no human could survive . . . So Lazarus and his team run suicide missions against a hostile alien race in remotely operated simulant bodies.

This series is from Jamie Sawyer, a great new talent on the SF scene. You can find him on Twitter as @JSawyerAuthor. Check out what some other great science fiction authors have been saying about his series:

Lazarus War Artefact by Jamie Sawyer‘A gripping read that moves at warp speed’ Jack Campbell, author of the Lost Fleet novels

‘Starships sporting particle beam weapons, railguns the size of skyscrapers, laser batteries, missiles… And then there are the uber-human super-soldiers clad in powered armour and wielding plasma weapons… Is that enough for you?…This, dear readers, is the good stuff. Recommended’ Neal Asher, author of the Agent Cormac novels

‘A highly promising science fiction debut – a fun, gripping adventure story, with a mystery at its core that kept me turning the pages’ Gary Gibson, author of STEALING LIGHT

‘An adrenaline shot of rip-roaring military SF packed with cinematic action sequences and tightly drawn characters’ Stephen Deas, author of ELITE: WANTED, EMPIRES: EXTRACTION

THE LAZARUS WAR: ARTEFACT (UK | US | ANZ), is already available as an ebook, and THE LAZARUS WAR: LEGION (UK | US | ANZ) is available for pre-order now. It releases as a digital-first edition in under a month, on the 1st September 2015.

The complete series will be released in print next year, but now’s a great time to get ahead of the game and snap it up in ebook for a reduced price. You’ll see just why Jamie is such an exciting new talent with big things to come!

Check out the blurb for THE LAZARUS WAR: LEGION below… (more…)

The Expanse at SDCC!

It was great seeing so many of you at San Diego Comic-Con last weekend. For those of you who couldn’t make it this year, we brought you back a souvenir!

Check out DRIVE by James S. A. Corey on Syfy.com. This free short story is set 150 before the events of LEVIATHAN WAKES (US | UK | AUS) and concerns the invention of the Epstein Drive.

We also brought back pictures of Syfy’s Expanse Cafe, which you can check out on the James S. A. Corey Facebook fan page.

The main event of the weekend was The Expanse panel where the first episode was screened in its entirety. While you’ll have to wait until December to see it on television, you can check out some of the panel highlights and reviews by io9 and B&N’s Sci-Fi & Fantasy blog right now!

Last but certainly not least, Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive on a new extended trailer. Go. Now. Watch. Is it December yet?