Author Archive

New from Claire North, author of HARRY AUGUST and TOUCH: The Gameshouse novellas

At the start of November, we are launching something brand new from Claire North – author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling novels The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and Touch.

Enter the world of the Gameshouse, a world where the best players compete secretly not just for riches – but for political power, for the control of kingdoms, for their very lives… These are the tales of The Serpent (UK|US|ANZ), The Thief  (UK|US|ANZ) and The Master (UK|US|ANZ).

The Gameshouse novellas are three digital stories that can be read separately, but which also fit together to make a complete, intricately woven tale.

Covers for the Gameshouse novellas The Serpent, The Thief and The Master by Claire North, author of thw First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

These stories are thrilling, so rich and beautifully crafted. They’re a perfect example of how Claire’s stories are breathtaking in scope but also painfully intimate. If you’re a fan of her previous novels then we know you’ll love these stories – and they’re also a great way to sample her writing for the first time.

See below for the blurb for the first novella, The Serpent:

In seventeenth century Venice exists a mysterious establishment known only as the Gameshouse.

There, fortunes are made and broken over games of chess, backgammon and every other game under the sun.

But those whom fortune favours may be invited to compete in the higher league . . . a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on a scale as big as the British Isles.

Not everyone proves worthy of competing in the higher league. But one woman who is about to play may just exceed everyone’s expectations.

Though she must always remember: the higher the stakes, the more deadly the rules . . .

All three titles will be released digitally at the start of November 2015, and are available for pre-order now. They will also be available as a complete volume in audiobook.

Cover launch: FIRE TOUCHED, the new Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

We’re very proud to present the UK cover for FIRE TOUCHED, the new Mercy Thompson novel by Patricia Briggs.

Waiting for the next Mercy book can be tough for urban fantasy fans, since we’re all on the edge of our seat to find out what happens next in this gripping series . . . But we’re glad to say that that it’s coming in March 2016 and is available for pre-order now.

Fire Touched, the new Mercy Thompson urban fantasy novel by Patricia Briggs

There’s a real treat in store with this new book . . . see what’s to come below!

Mercy Thompson is back, and she’ll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it’s the children who suffer . . .

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans and the fae, Mercy, Adam and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

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 TRACER bookshop tour – and why meeting booksellers is awesome

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I live at my desk.

It’s the part I like least about being a writer. Most of it is pretty awesome, but spending six to eight hours at a desk every day is no fun. Even in my other career, as a freelance journalist, I spend far more time at my desk than I’d like. Used to be that journalism was about shoe leather and getting out of the office to meet sources; that’s a little tricky when my sources can just as easily be from six time zones away, and when interviews are conducted by Skype. Most walking I do is between desk and kitchen, to get more coffee.

Over the years, I’ve become very used to working by myself. So when Gemma (Orbit’s publicist) suggested we head out on tour in support of TRACER, visiting various bookshops across the UK to meet staff and sign copies, part of me was like, “You mean talk to people? In person? Do I have to wear real clothes, and not just boxer shorts?”

Fortunately, my brain leapt in before I said something stupid, and told her this would be a great idea. So she and I set off from Kings Cross in London on a seriously epic tour, bracketing the book’s UK release date: seven bookshops, six cities, three days.

Rob Boffard with copies of Tracer
This was the first time I saw TRACER on sale, ready to go. It was our first stop of the tour – Leeds, where we swung by the local Waterstones. It was…weird. Good weird, but still weird. Gemma took this photo while Joe from Waterstones watched me like, “Am I gonna have to call security?”

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THE RISING: the superb sequel to THE MECHANICAL by Ian Tregillis

The Rising, book 2 in the Alchemy Wars series following The Mechanical, by Ian Tregillis
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We’re thrilled to present THE RISING (UK | US | ANZ), the stunning new novel in the Alchemy Wars series by Ian Tregillis, coming this December.

It is the gripping tale of Jax, a mechanical man or “clakker”, who has thrown off the bonds of slavery. He is no longer bound to the will of the humans that created him. But now he is on the run – because to be free is to be dangerous . . .

THE RISING is the sequel to THE MECHANICAL (UK | US | ANZ), a novel which was exceptionally well received this year.

Read the reviews below to see just why Ian Tregillis is being lauded as one of the most original new voices in speculative fiction.

‘The first thing readers will say after finishing this splendid book is: “Wow.” The second thing will probably be: “When can I read the next one? . . . This is a rousing SF/fantasy adventure, with a brilliantly imagined and beautifully rendered alternate world’ Booklist

‘One of the sharpest, most intelligent, hugely compelling works I’ve read this year’ Forbidden Planet International

The Mechanical, Alchemy Wars 1 by Ian Tregillis‘The Mechanical is as intricate and exquisite as the clockwork wonders it brings to life’ NPR

‘His characters are as convincing as ever, the plotting is beautifully articulated . . . readers with an interest in dark, intelligent fantasy will find much to admire here’ Kirkus

‘The rich characters and gripping story really make this tale soar’ Publishers Weekly

‘A hugely entertaining novel’ SFX

‘Absolutely fascinating, and unapologetically clever’ Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews

‘So absorbing that readers will be dying for the next entry in this new series’ Library Journal

‘This book is truly unlike anything I’ve ever read before . . . I can’t wait to see what the next installment in The Alchemy Wars will bring’ Bibliosanctum

Look out for THE RISING in December 2015 and see the full cover below. (more…)

SWORDS AND SCOUNDRELS…Introducing the Duellists series by Julia Knight!

Swords And Scoundrels by Julia Knight
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En garde! We have something very exciting in store for fantasy fans this Autumn . . .

Announcing the Duellists trilogy – a brand new adventure fantasy series from the hugely talented British author Julia Knight.

This year we’ll be releasing not just one, but all three books in this fast and furious series – full of ruffians, scoundrels and rogues . . . and more action than you can shake a very pointy stick at!

The three books are as follows:

SWORDS AND SCOUNDRELS (UK | US | ANZ) – October 2015

LEGENDS AND LIARS (UK | US | ANZ) – November 2015

WARLORDS AND WASTRELS (UK | US | ANZ) – December 2015

So what’s the series about? Well, it follows two former champion duellists, a brother and sister named Kacha and Vocho. They’re down on their luck – and have been forced to become reluctant highwaymen. But when they pick the wrong carriage to rob, their simple plan to win back fame and notoriety go south fast . . . and they’ll find themselves mixed up in a plan to reclaim a stolen throne.

Covers for the Duellists books by Julia Knight - Swords and Scoundrels, Legends and Liars and Warlords and Wastrels

The world-building in this series really draws you in and the dynamic between the characters is superb – I can’t wait for you guys to meet Kacha and Vocho. If you’re into the likes of Douglas Hulick, Scott Lynch and Brandon Sanderson then this will be right up your street. And what’s great is, you’ll be able to get your hands on the whole series fast!

Look below for more details and to see the covers in full. You can follow Julia on Twitter as @Knight_Julia and her series is available for pre-order now . . .
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Cover launch: ANGEL OF STORMS by Trudi Canavan

Last month we released the paperback edition THIEF’S MAGIC, from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author Trudi Canavan. It’s book one in a brand new fantasy series called Millennium’s Rule – and judging from the fantastic reader reviews, it’s going down very well indeed!

We can now unveil the cover for the second book in the Millennium’s Rule series – ANGEL OF STORMS – out this November. We think this is looking stunning – if we do say so ourselves! – and we feel it really captures the sense of adventure and mystery that makes this series so thrilling.

The illustration shows the character Rielle, who is going to be swept away on a breath-taking journey in this book – by the Angel of Storms himself. Meanwhile Tyen, who has become a teacher of mechanical magic, will learn that the formidable ruler of all worlds, long believed to be dead, is back and enforcing his old laws . . .

Whether you’re an existing fan of Trudi Canavan or just a fan of fantasy in general, this series needs to be moved to the top of your to be read pile ASAP! #justsayin

The cover for Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan, book two of Millennium's rule and sequel to THIEF'S MAGIC

 

Now available for pre-order

Harry August wins John W. Campbell Memorial Award!

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
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Many congratulations to Claire North, whose THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST (UK | US | ANZ) has won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year.

The Award was presented at the Campbell Conference Awards Banquet and Conference, held at the University of Kansas and which focusses on the writing, publishing, illustration and criticism of science fiction.

Claire flew over from for the ceremony and – despite having had some issues getting the trophy through airport security – she is delighted and honoured to have received this prestigious award.

Congratulations to Claire, and to all the other nominees!

Advance Praise for TRACER by Rob Boffard

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We’ve been getting some impressive early praise for TRACER by Rob Boffard – the blockbuster debut thriller releasing next month.

TRACER is set on Outer Earth – a huge space station floating 300 miles above the planet’s surface. It contains all that remains of humanity – a million souls crammed into this broken-down, rusting, inescapable station.

What’s more, there’s a madman hiding on the station, and he’s about to unleash havoc . . .

If you imagine The Bourne Identity meets Gravity then you’ll be some way towards imagining what a thrill-ride this book is. See below for some of the great things people have been saying so far, and for the eye-catching full UK cover.

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

‘TRACER sets a new standard for all-action SF’ – Ken MacLeod

‘Riley Hale battles to save the last remnants of humanity in the claustrophobic, brilliantly evoked world of a crumbling space station where danger lies around every corner. A stunning debut by Rob Boffard that never lets up, from the nerve-jangling beginning to the explosive end’ – James Douglas, author of The Doomsday Testament

‘Ludicrously fast-paced, with a brilliant sci-fi setting, TRACER is an absolute blast of a read’ David Owen, author of Panther

‘Compelling, compulsive…Thoroughly entertaining – this one’s worth picking up if you’re in the mood for some sci-fi action’ Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews

Full cover for TRACER by Rob Boffard, and science fiction thriller set in space (Click to enlarge)

THE LAZARUS WAR: a brand new space adventure

The Lazarus War: Artefact - a new military science fiction adventure novel by Jamie Sawyer, endorsed by Jack Campbell, author of the Lost Fleet books
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Do you like cool SF adventures in space?

Do you like colossal starships and elite military  teams?

Do you like just general awesomeness?!

Then we have something here that will be right up your street. We’re excited to present THE LAZARUS WAR: ARTEFACT (UK | US | ANZ) – the start of an explosive new space adventure series publishing digitally this March.

It’s from a talented new science fiction author called Jamie Sawyer. My excitement dial got turned up to 11 – hell, maybe even 12 – when I first read this book on submission.

It features Captain Conrad Harris, a man who has died hundreds of times. How so? Well . . . he’s the head of the Simulant Operations Program – an elite military team who remotely operate avatars in a war against an alien race. He runs suicide missions in deep-space battles where no real human could survive. But what happens when Harris finds himself stranded on a hostile alien planet without the use of his simulant bodies? For once, he may have to fight this war for real . . .

If you’re a fan of space opera and military science fiction like James S. A. Corey’s Expanse series and Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet books, or films like The Edge of Tomorrow, Avatar and Alien, then this is for you. The legend Jack Campbell himself describes this as “A gripping read that moves as warp speed.” Couldn’t say it better myself.

We’re releasing this on the 24th March as a low-price digital edition for a limited time. You can read a little snippet below for a taster . . . In the meantime, please welcome Jamie to Orbit list! You can find him on Twitter as  @JSawyerAuthor.

“Do you wish you’d brought along a gun now, Mr Olsen?” asked Blake.

“I’ve never fired a gun in my life,” Olsen said, defensively. “I wouldn’t know how to.”

“I can’t think of a better time to learn,” Kaminski replied. “You know – ”

The overhead lights went out, corridor section by corridor section, until we were plunged into total darkness. Simultaneously, the humming generated by the life support module died. The sudden silence was thunderous, stretching out for long seconds.

“How did they do that?” Olsen started. His voice echoed off through the empty corridor like a gunshot, making me flinch. On a dead ship like the Haven, noise travelled. “Surely that wasn’t caused by the Krell – ?”

I held up a hand for silence.

Something creaked elsewhere in the ship –

“Scanners!” I whispered.

That slow, pitched beeping: a lone signal somewhere nearby…

“Contact!” Blake yelled.

In the jittery pool of light created by my shoulder-lamp, I saw something spring above us: just a flash of light, wet, fast . . .