Archive for Orbit Australia

Return to the Winter Kingdoms

Gail Z. Martin’s The Sworn is out now! A whole new series set in the world of The Chronicles of the Necromancer, The Sworn and the sequel out next summer, The Dread, make up a new duology following the adventures of Tris Drayke and his allies.

“Well written and full of action, this grabs the reader on the first page and refuses to let go until the very last page.” — RT Book Reviews (4 Stars)

“Fans of Martin’s previous series as well as those who enjoy the large-scale fantasy of George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan should enjoy this series opener.” — Library Journal

“Martin’s launch of a new series in the world of her Chronicles of the Necromancer books (The Summoner, etc.) is fun and accessible…a solidly told story and very friendly to new readers.” — Publishers Weekly

“Top notch, engrossing fantasy.” — sfrevu.com

Also, check out Gail’s site for a list of upcoming appearances and events! Or follow her on twitter at @gailzmartin.

Science Fiction Isn’t Predictive, Except When it Is

The general public often thinks science fiction writers are supposed to predict the future.

Science fiction writers, of course, know better.

Sometimes, all the same, fiction and reality unexpectedly — and uncannily — overlap.

The narrative of Walter Jon Williams’ new novel DEEP STATE, correlates in any number of ways with the ongoing situation in Egypt. He writes about how he came about he did this, and what he thinks about it, both as the latest Big Idea at John Scalzi’s Whatever, and on io9.com today.

Check out what he has to say — then go read the book, to see for yourself.

Shadowheart

With just 2 days to go until the official release date of Shadowheart (UK / ANZ), the final book in Tad Williams’ captivating Shadowmarch series, we thought we’d give you a little preview to whet your tastebuds. Read the prologue here!

Barrick Eddon, prince of Southmarch, is no longer entirely human. He has vowed to safeguard the legacy of the dark Qar race, and must now decide where his loyalties lie.

His twin sister Briony has a difficult choice of her own. Her father, King Olin, is held captive by the Autarch, a mad god-king who plans to use Olin’s blood to gain unlimited power. And the castle of Southmarch still remains in the possession of Hendon Tolly, Briony’s murderous relative. As time runs out, will Briony decide to save her father’s kingdom . . . or her father?

As the foretold Great Defeat draws near, history is stripped of its costume of lies. Poets and players, mortals and fairies, warriors and gods, all will have their roles to play as the fate of the known world hangs in the balance.

And don’t forget that Shadowrise (UK / ANZ) is also out now in paperback . . .

THE DRAGON’S PATH: the Prologue

Now up at A Dribble of Ink — the prologue from what we are sure will be one of the major fantasy titles of the year, Daniel Abraham’s THE DRAGON’S PATH. The book itself will be on-sale April 7 but in the meantime, whet your appetite for the rest of this epic, unforgettable narrative. And don’t just take our word for it:

“Daniel Abraham gets better with every book” — George R.R.Martin

“Intricate, elegant, and almost hypnotically told — to call Daniel Abraham an exciting new author is to wildly understate the case” — Connie Willis

“Welcome to Daniel Abraham. If you are meeting him for the first time, I envy you: you are in for a remarkable journey” — Junot Diaz

A taste of Venice and The Fallen Blade

Jon Courtenay Grimwood was recently described in the Guardian as making ‘the fusion of genre energy and literary depth his calling card,’ and his latest book certainly fits such a description. If you’ve read his posts this week, you may already suspect this truth: The Fallen Blade is probably unlike anything you would have read before.  This is a novel that simultaneously reclaims the vampire myth, crafts a thrilling political landscape, fits in both romance and brutal violence and portrays a fifteenth century Venice so vividly that you’ll swear you’ve been there (and then!).

So in this trailer for The Fallen Blade, we’re taking you there…

You can read the first chapter here.

Four Orbit titles on io9’s ‘Best of 2010’ list!

We’re delighted to see four Orbit titles on io9’s ’15 Best Speculative Fiction Books of 2010′ list!

The four titles are as follows:

THE WINDUP GIRL by Paolo Bacigalupi

“One of the strengths of The Windup Girl, other than its intriguing characters, is Bacigalupi’s world building. You can practically taste this future Thailand he’s built…It’s rare to find a writer who can create such well-shaded characters while also building a weird new future world.”

SURFACE DETAIL by Iain M. Banks

“This triumphant return to Banks’ beloved Culture series wasn’t just one of the best books we read this year – it’s also one of the best books in a series full of outstanding tales of far-future astropolitics. A character study and a tale of revolutionary change that shakes multiple civilizations, Surface Detail is a smart, satiric look at what happens to the concept of Hell in a posthuman galaxy.”

FEED by Mira Grant

“The action scenes (crossbows!) and setting were what kept me going all the way to its very emotional end, which I think is a testament to how well-written the characters and setting are…The first in the proposed Newsflesh trilogy, Feed is a thought-provoking and entertaining read that makes me eager to see what Grant will serve in her next novel, BLACKOUT.”

THE BROKEN KINGDOMS by N. K. Jemisin

“Someone has found a way to kill gods, and unless Oree discovers the truth, the gods and this new god-slaying serial killer will tear the city apart between them. It’s the set up for a really great mystery, but Jemisin manages to turn it into a thought-provoking, haunting story…that keeps you turning pages long past your bedtime.”

Plenty of other Orbit books made various ‘best of 2010’ lists – see our earlier post for the full details!

Io9’s Power List

We’re thrilled to see Orbit VP and Publisher Tim Holman on I09’s  Power List for 2010.

Looking at Orbit’s 2010 titles, you’re struck by their range, from hard science fiction icon Greg Bear to space opera master Iain M. Banks, and from postmodern epic fantasy author N.K. Jemisin to steampunk innovator Gail Carriger. Not to mention a lot of weird zombie books, from Mira Grant’s Feed to Jesse Petersen’s Flip This Zombie. Holman has been instrumental in making Orbit a force to be reckoned with in the United States.

Thanks I09! Tim promises to only use his power for good.  With his jetpack, however, he makes no guarantees.

2010, Over and Out!

Power down the reactor-core,  that’s all from us until the New Year.

Congratulations to our epic loot winners: Abdel M, Katie B, Leeann P, Jennifer K, Storm H, Rachel K, Neal S, and David M!

And if you find yourself here over the next week — and you still need holiday cheer — be sure to check out ‘Twas the Night Before the Uprising,  our Holiday Study of the Genus Elvum, and Robert Jackson Bennett on The Truth About Santa Claus.

See you in 2011!

Epic Loot #8: Necromancer Posters!

Update – This giveaway is now closed!

The year is winding down, and so are our Epic Loot Giveaways. To finish it off, we’ve got posters of the first two books of The Necromancer Chronicles by Amanda Downum. Sign up after the jump for a chance to win these two art prints, along with copies of The Drowning City and The Bone Palace. We’ll select the winner on Thursday the 23rd of December. And thanks everyone for reading!

(more…)

Epic Loot #7: An Orbit Festive Stocking!

Update – This giveaway is now closed!

It’s that time of the year — good cheer, decorations, warm fires, and of course: Loot! We’ve traveled deep into the Orbit HQ dungeon and returned with a chest of magnificent offerings that we’re giving away for the holidays. So check back here (or follow us on twitter or facebook) for updates, and chances to win.

We’ve got a stocking full of goodies from the London office. Enter after the jump for a chance to win it. We’ll select one winner on Thursday, December 23rd!

(more…)