Archive for Orbit UK

Cover Launch: THE BITTER CROWN by Justin Lee Anderson

Cover launch! Take your first look at the cover of The Bitter Crown (US | UK) by Justin Lee Anderson! If you haven’t had a chance to pick up The Lost War (US | UK) yet, you still can before The Bitter Crown arrives in December 2023.

The Bitter Crown by Justin Lee Anderson

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto, Cover Illustration by Jeremy Wilson

A war once held in the shadows now escalates into full-scale revolution in the second novel of Justin Lee Anderson’s epic Eidyn Saga.

The fog of war is lifted and the conspiracy at the heart of Eidyn finally exposed. Now that they know the truth, Aranok and his allies must find a way to free a country that doesn’t know it’s held captive. But with divided loyalties and his closest friendship shaken, can their alliance hold against overwhelming odds? The quest to retake the country begins here.

“An eclectic cast of characters traverse a war-ravaged kingdom as Anderson’s cleverly constructed plot winds its way towards a truly unexpected denouement. Rich in action and intrigue, this fantasy adventure with a Scottish flavor is sure to please fans of David Gemmell.” —Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author​

Cover Launch: THE HONEY WITCH by Sydney J. Shields

In case you missed it, take your first look at the cover of The Honey Witch (US | UK) by Sydney J. Shields! You can pick up a copy in Summer 2024.

The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields

Cover Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

The Honey Witch of Innisfree can never find true love. That is her curse to bear. But when a skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic arrives on her island, sparks fly in this deliciously sweet debut novel of magic, hope, and love overcoming all.

Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude has always preferred the company of the spirits of the meadow to any of the suitors who’ve tried to woo her. So, when her grandmother whisks her away to her cottage on the tiny Isle of Innisfree with an offer to train her as the next Honey Witch, she accepts immediately. But her newfound magic and independence comes with a price: no one can fall in love with the Honey Witch.

When Lottie Burke, a notoriously grumpy skeptic who doesn’t believe in magic, shows up on her doorstep, Marigold can’t resist the challenge to prove to her that magic is real. But soon, Marigold begins to care for Lottie in ways she never expected. And, when darker magic awakens and threatens to destroy her home, she must fight for much more than her new home—at the risk of losing her magic and her heart.

Cover launch: FATHOMFOLK by Eliza Chan

We are delighted to launch this gorgeous cover for Orbit debut Eliza Chan’s lush and folkloric fantasy novel, FATHOMFOLK! Coming February 2024…

The cover art is by Kelly Chong and cover design is by Ella Garrett at L,BBG.

This is the front cover for the novel Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan. It shows the author name and title, as well as two mermaids, a kelpie, a water dragon and crashing blue waves over an ornate, red building

Welcome to Tiankawi. Revolution is brewing and tensions are rising like the tide…

The semi-flooded city is a shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears. But in Tiankawi, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below.

For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust of her human colleagues wasn’t hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk royalty, is exiled to the city. When extremists sabotage the annual boat race, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.

Cover Launch: A FEATHER SO BLACK (UK)

Feast your eyes on the UK cover of A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene, a sizzling fantasy romance inspired by Celtic mythology, coming in early 2024.

book cover of UK edition of A Feather so Black by Lyra Selene. An ornate dagger with swans carved into the hilt, surrounded by a Celtic circle design and flowers, with a blue, green and dusky pink background
Designed by Tim Byrne

Set in a world of perilous magic, crumbling castles and moonlit forests, A Feather So Black spins the seductive tale of a changeling princess, her cursed sister, and the dangerous fae lord she must defeat to save her family.

In a kingdom where magic has been lost, Fia is a rare changeling, left behind by the wicked Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen’s daughter and locked the gates to the Otherworld. The Queen treats Fia as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. Meanwhile, the true princess Eala is bound to Otherworld, cursed to become a swan by day and only returning to her true form at night.

When a hidden gate to Otherworld is discovered, Fia is tasked by the High Queen to retrieve Eala and break her curse. But she doesn’t go alone: with her is prince Rogan, Eala’s betrothed and Fia’s childhood best friend.

As the two journey into a world where magic winds through the roots of the trees and beauty can be a deadly illusion, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince. . . and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be more monster than man, but he seems to understand Fia in a way no one ever has.

You can pre-order A Feather So Black now, and you can follow Lyra on Twitter @LyraSelene

Acquisition Announcement: THE KNIGHT AND THE MOTH by Rachel Gillig

Rachel Gillig

Rachel Gillig took the fantasy world by storm with her gorgeous, glittering dark gem of a debut: One Dark Window. So, we are absolutely thrilled to announce that we’ll be publishing not one, not two, but three new books from her! First up is a brand new duology starting with The Knight and the Moth—a romantic, twisting fantasy tale of entwined fates and dark omens.

 

Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. She sleeps, and dreams of seven unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum’s windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.

But just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral, and Sybil dreams of a moth—the death Omen. Then, one by one, the Diviners begin to vanish.

To find them, Sybil enlists the knight’s help. But the world outside the cathedral’s cloister is wrought with peril. The seven Omens are not merely figures that visit her wakeless mind—they are real. Ancient, sorcerous, and cunning, Sybil must face each of them to recover the lost Diviners. And the knight, with whom she has become inextricably entangled, may be one of them.

 

Following that we’ll be publishing Rachel’s very first fantasy rom-com! A warm, whimsical tale of a woman cursed with bad luck who strikes up a deal with a trickster from an enchanted realm—Bad Luck incarnate himself!

Keep an eye out for The Knight and the Moth in Spring 2025, but in the meantime, read One Dark Window (US | UK) and make sure to pre-order the sequel Two Twisted Crowns (US | UK). Or visit Rachel Gillig at her website.

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

Praise for The Shepherd King duology:

“Thick fog, shifting alliances, and clever magic make the perfect backdrop for a sweeping romance—One Dark Window is enthralling from beginning to shocking end.” —Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

“One Dark Window is an evocative tale of romance, mystery and alluring monsters, told in beautifully lush prose. Rachel Gillig has created a story which left me entranced.” —Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

“[T]he steamy romance that emerges between Elspeth and Ravyn delights. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novak, and Hannah Whitten will want to check this out.” —Publishers Weekly

“An enchanting tale with sharp claws and teeth—Gillig’s prose will pull you in and won’t let you sleep. Pulse-pounding, darkly whimsical, and aglow with treacherous magic, One Dark Window is everything I love in fantasy and more.” —Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic

“A beautifully dark fairy tale of blood, rage and bitter choice, that whisked me away to mist-wreathed woods ripe with romance and menace.” —Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer

“A finely detailed magical system enriches Gillig’s debut; fantasy readers will enjoy.” —Library Journal

“Readers will be enthralled with Elspeth’s—and Nightmare’s—riveting adventure.” —Booklist

Acquisition Announcement: TRIAL OF THE SUN QUEEN by Nisha J. Tuli

Orbit is delighted to announce that we’ve acquired TikTok fantasy romance sensation Trial of the Sun Queen and the subsequent three books in the Artefacts of Ouranos series by Nisha J. Tuli. A Court of Thorns and Roses meets The Bachelor with a sumptuous enemies to lovers romance, these books are deliciously bingeable romantasy.

Book cover of Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J Tuli. A bronze and gold background with the type nestled by a golden mirror, glowing pendant necklace and a masquerade mask. Book cover of Rule of the Aurora King. A forest green background with the title in the centre, surrounded by a torch with purple flames, crowns and a glowing purple pendant necklace

Joelle Dieu at Hachette Book Group USA sold UK and Commonwealth rights to Commissioning editor Nadia Saward at Orbit UK, with plans to publish simultaneously with Forever. The ebooks in the first two books, Trial of the Sun Queen and Rule of the Aurora King are published today with paperbacks to follow in October this year. Fans eagerly awaiting Fate of the Sun King won’t need to wait long, as it will be publishing in Summer 2024.

Author photo of Nisha J. Tuli, sitting on a leather couch and smiling, wearing a black top

Please welcome Nisha to Orbit! You can follow her on Twitter @NishaJT and via her website.

Acquisition Announcement: New S.T. Gibson series

Orbit is thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired a new series from S.T. Gibson, author of the cult Sunday Times bestseller A Dowry of Blood and the upcoming dark academia romance An Education in Malice. Her new trilogy is Wuthering Heights meets The Cruel Prince, a luscious fantasy romance set in the Scottish Highlands featuring fairy bargains, crumbling old mansions and multiple steamy romances.

Tara Gilbert at KT Literary sold World English rights in the new trilogy to Nadia Saward, Commissioning Editor at Orbit UK, in a six-figure deal. Executive Editor Brit Hvide has acquired for Orbit US and publication is planned for 2025.

A photo of S.T. Gibson in a floral dress, standing near some gothic ruins

We can’t wait to share Saint’s new series with readers in 2025, but in the meantime you can follow Saint on Twitter @s_t_gibson, on Instagram @stgibsonauthor.

Cover Launch: THE FRACTURED DARK by Megan E. O’Keefe

Take your first look at the cover of The Fractured Dark (US | UK) by Megan E. O’Keefe! If you enjoyed The Blighted Stars (US | UK) earlier this year, you won’t have to wait long until the release of The Fractured Dark. Pick up a copy in September 2023!

The Fractured Dark by Megan E. O'Keefe (The Devoured Worlds #2)

Cover Design by Lauren Panepinto; Cover Illustration by Jamie Jones

Dying planets, dangerous conspiracies, and secret romance abound in the second installment of the Devoured Worlds trilogy by award-winning author Megan E. O’Keefe.

Naira and Tarquin have escaped vicious counter-revolutionaries, misprinted monsters, and the pull of a dying planet. Now, bound together to find the truth behind the blight that has been killing habitable planets, they need to hunt out the Mercator family secrets. But, when the head of Mercator disappears, taking the universe’s remaining supply of starship fuel with him, chaos breaks loose between the ruling families. Naira’s revolution must be put aside for the sake of humanity’s immediate survival.

The Devoured Worlds
The Blighted Stars (US | UK)
The Fractured Dark
(US | UK)

More from Megan E. O’Keefe
Velocity Weapon (US | UK)
Chaos Vector
(US | UK)
Catalyst Gate (US | UK)
The First Omega (US | UK)

Cover Launch: An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka

Million-copy-bestseller Benedict Jacka is BACK this October! And today we can share with you the glitteringly gorgeous new cover to his brand new fantasy series.

This cover for AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC is designed by the talented Ella Garrett at Little, Brown UK.

When it comes to writing fantasy, Benedict is known as the ‘master of magical London’, and his new series holds all of the excitement, adventure and magical mayhem of the Alex Verus series his fans know and love: with a richly dark academic twist. Read on below for more about AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC . . .

the book cover for An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka, with heraldry showing a gold shield with three gold keys and gold flourishes underneath, on a dark blue background

 

ANYONE CAN USE MAGIC – IF THEY CAN AFFORD THE PRICE . . .

In a world where everything magical is bought up and controlled by the super rich – Stephen Oakwood has inherited a rare natural talent for magic. Plunged by his father’s disappearance into a glittering world of scheming dynasties, warring patriarchs and vicious scions, Stephen must navigate magical high society and learn to control his gifts.

Dangerous enemies await the Oakwood heir, and even more dangerous allies: if Stephen cannot master his magic quickly and learn to distinguish friend from foe, his name may end up on the missing persons list, just like his father.

‘Jacka has drawn a potent new world of magic controlled by a privileged few, and Stephen Oakwood is the sigl-wielding rebel we didn’t know we needed’ New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill.

AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC is book one in a new fantasy series of super rich magical dynasties and warring heirs – from the author of the million-copy-selling Alex Verus series. For readers of contemporary fantasy who enjoy the methods and magicians of dark academia.