Archive for Orbit Australia

Cover Launch – 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY by Arthur C. Clarke, 50th Anniversary Edition

This year is the 50th anniversary of Arthur C. Clarke’s classic science fiction novel 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, so we thought we’d celebrate by publishing a new edition in August – and here’s the wonderful cover!

Cover design by La Boca

Written when landing on the moon was still a dream, and made into one of the most influential films of all time, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY remains a classic work of science fiction fifty years after its original publication.

The discovery of a black monolith on the moon leads to a manned expedition deep into the solar system, in the hope of establishing contact with an alien intelligence. Yet long before the crew can reach their destination, the voyage descends into disaster . . .

Brilliant, compulsive and prophetic, Arthur C. Clarke’s timeless novel tackles the enduring theme of mankind’s place in the universe.

Praise for Arthur C. Clarke:

‘The king of science fiction . . . His influence continues to inform the genre’ Guardian

‘Arthur C. Clarke is awesomely informed about physics and astronomy, and blessed with one of the most astounding imaginations ever encountered in print’ New York Times

‘Arthur C. Clarke is one of the truly prophetic figures of the space age . . . The colossus of science fiction’ New Yorker 

‘Dazzling’ Time Magazine 

New Acquisition: THE GUTTER PRAYER by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan

The Gutter Prayer

It’s time to start getting excited, because Orbit has acquired a gripping new epic fantasy from debut author Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan.

THE GUTTER PRAYER is a visceral tale of revenge and betrayal, set in a world of dark gods and dangerous magic.

It follows the story of three friends, who find themselves betrayed by the thieves’ brotherhood – set up to take the fall for a crime they didn’t commit. Their quest for revenge finds them at the heart of a conspiracy to reignite a centuries-old magical war. A war that would bring devastation to their city. And the world beyond.

Buzz is already building for this wildly original debut with some fantastic early reviews:

‘A ground breaking and extraordinary novel . . . Ryder-Hanrahan has an astonishing imagination’
Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones

‘Beautifully written. Gripping. Guerdon is the city of my dreams’
Anna Smith Spark, author of The Court of Broken Knives

‘Laced with the blackest of humour and packed with magic and mayhem, this is fantasy turned up to 11’
Anna Stephens, author of Godblind

THE GUTTER PRAYER will hit shelves in January 2019, with the second book in the series following a year later. We’re thrilled to welcome Gareth to the Orbit family! Say hello to him on twitter @Mytholder.

Author photo by Edel Ryder-Hanrahan.

Lambda Award for Annalee and Audie Award for Ann!

Last night Orbit UK author Annalee Newitz won a Lambda Award for LGBTQ science fiction and fantasy, with her debut novel AUTONOMOUS (UK|ANZ).

AUTONOMOUS has also been shortlisted for the Nebula and Locus Awards this year. Huge congratulations to Annalee (and happy Pride month all)!

It’s a good time for awards as Ann Leckie and reader Adjoa Andoh also won an Audie Award for PROVENANCE (UK|ANZ|US) last weekend, for best science fiction audiobook! The awards were presented at the 23rd Annual Audies Gala at the New York Historical Society, where the Orbit team and Ann herself were in attendance. N. K. Jemisin also presented several awards on the night, too!

Listen to a sample of PROVENANCE here.

Coming Soon: THE WINTER ROAD by Adrian Selby

We’re delighted to share the cover for Adrian Selby’s forthcoming novel, THE WINTER ROAD (US | UK | ANZ). A gritty and epic adventure for fans of Mark Lawrence, Andrzej Sapkowski and Joe Abercrombie, The Winter Road is a fantasy novel which remembers that battles leave all kinds of scars.

The greatest empire of them all began with a road.

The Circle – a thousand miles of perilous forests and warring clans. No one has ever tamed such treacherous territory before, but ex-soldier Teyr Amondsen, veteran of a hundred battles, is determined to try.

With a merchant caravan protected by a crew of skilled mercenaries, Amondsen embarks on a dangerous mission to forge a road across the untamed wilderness that was once her home. But a warlord rises in the wilds of the Circle, uniting its clans and terrorising its people. Teyr’s battles may not be over yet . . .

All roads lead back to war.

Design by Lauren Panepinto
Illustration by Jaime Jones

Cover Reveal: BURNING ASHES by James Bennett

Rascal. Rogue. Antihero. 

Dragon. 

Cover design by Tracey Winwood

Beware – here be dragons! That’s right, Red Ben Garston – the world’s last living dragon – is back in James Bennett’s flame-tastic new novel BURNING ASHES. Once again, Ben finds himself in a whole load of trouble (the magical kind, of course) – and this time there’s not enough whisky left in England to wash away his problems. Because the war to end all wars is coming – and Ben is right in its path . . .

If you’ve not yet joined Red Ben on his adventures (really, what is wrong with you?) then never fear: we don’t publish BURNING ASHES until December, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch up! James Bennett’s action-packed books, where myth comes crashing into the modern world, are perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne and Benedict Jacka.

But don’t take our word for it – here’s what others have been saying about the Ben Garston novels!

‘A thrilling fusion of myth and modernity’ Kevin Hearne

‘Absolutely loving it. Gorgeous use of language, great humour, characterisation and storyline’ Elizabeth Chadwick

‘A superior piece of magical myth-making’ SFFWorld

‘Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher are both fair comparisons to Bennett’s attempts to fuse fantasy with a modern-day setting’ SciFiNow

‘Blending together the best of action, adventure and urban fantasy . . . Chasing Embers is one of my highlights!’ The Eloquent Page

Connect with James Bennett on Twitter: @benjurigan

 

Acquisition Announcement: SOULLESS ILLUSTRATED EDITION

Gentle readers, we are exceptionally proud to announce our acquisition of a new illustrated edition of a marvelous little novel that you just may have heard of: SOULLESS. Yes, our favorite, soulless spinster Ms. Alexia Tarabotti is getting her very own, special illustrated hardcover edition! With 10 delightfully ladylike compositions from the very talented Jensine Eckwall, the illustrated edition of SOULLESS will be releasing on September 18, 2018.

Please partake of this sneak peek of the interior art and get excited for the upcoming release!

Soulless by Gail Carriger, chapter 1 

Cover Launch: ROSEWATER by Tade Thompson

As revealed last week by SciFiNow, here’s the stunning cover for Tade Thompson’s ROSEWATER (design by Charlotte Stroomer)!

Winner of the inaugural Nommo Award for Best Novel – Africa’s first award for speculative fiction
John W. Campbell Award finalist for Best Science Fiction Novel

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien 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.

We publish ROSEWATER in September.

Follow Tade on Twitter – @tadethompson 

Cover Launch: THE RAVEN TOWER by Ann Leckie

We couldn’t be more excited to reveal the cover of THE RAVEN TOWER. A triumph of the imagination and the first fantasy novel by Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Awards. 

Raven Tower

Listen. A god is speaking.
My voice echoes through the stone of your master’s castle. 
This castle where he finds his uncle on his father’s throne. 
You want to help him. You cannot.
You are the only one who can hear me.
You will change the world.
 
Cover design by Lauren Panepinto
Image by Arcangel Images

Cover Launch: EMPIRE OF SAND by Tasha Suri

EMPIRE OF SAND is Tasha Suri’s captivating, Mughal India-inspired debut fantasy about a young woman whose magic might uphold—or destroy—an empire. Perfect for fans of City of Brass, Red Queen, and The Wrath & the Dawn, EMPIRE OF SAND will transport you to a land of dark myths and bloody magic, where the fate of the world hangs on one woman’s choices.

Can’t wait until it’s published in November 2018? As announced on Book Riot, here’s an early preview of the gorgeous cover, designed by Lauren Panepinto, to whet your appetite!

A nobleman’s daughter with magic in her blood. An empire built on the dreams of enslaved gods.

The Amrithi are outcasts; nomads descended of desert spirits, they are coveted and persecuted throughout the Empire for the power in their blood. Mehr is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother she can barely remember, but whose face and magic she has inherited.

When Mehr’s power comes to the attention of the Emperor’s most feared mystics, she must use every ounce of will, subtlety, and power she possesses to resist their cruel agenda — and should she fail, the gods themselves may awaken seeking vengeance…

Cover Launch: THE SISTERS OF THE WINTER WOOD by Rena Rossner

Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner’s debut fantasy THE SISTERS OF THE WINTER WOOD (US | UK | ANZ)  invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods. It’s perfect for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale and Uprooted and is out in September 2018.

We’re delighted to reveal the cover with art by Rebecca Yanovskaya and designed by Lauren Panepinto.

The Sisters of the Winter Wood

Every family has a secret. Behind every secret, there is a story.

Raised in a remote village surrounded by vast forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya live a peaceful, sheltered life.

But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell—despite their mother’s warning to be wary of strangers. And this is not the only danger lurking in the woods….

As dark forces close in on their small village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret passed down through generations. Faced with a magical heritage they never knew existed, the sisters realize the old fairy tales are true…and could save them all. 

Rena Rossner lives in Israel where she works as a literary agent. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University’s Writing Seminars program and McGill University where she studied history. All eight of her great-grandparents immigrated to America to escape the pogroms from towns like Dubossary, Kupel, Riga and Bender. It is their story, together with her love of Jewish mythology and fantasy that inspired her to write The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

Early praise for The Sisters of the Winter Wood:

“Mixes fairy tale, poetry, history, and heart to create an enchanting and mesmerizing tale of sisterly love. I adored this book!” — Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series

“A graceful, poetic, deeply moving novel. Its characters are fantastical and yet essentially human, bound by ambition and desire, fear and prejudice, but above all, love in all its forms. Simply gorgeous book in every sense.”– Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

“This dark fairy tale about sisterly love and Jewish strength and courage, set against the backdrop of a deep and deadly winter forest, will haunt me for a long time. A powerful, emotional debut.” — Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

“Rossner weaves an elegant tapestry of the love between sisters, the value of faith and family, and knowing one’s true friends in times of peril.” — J. Kathleen Cheney, author of The Golden City