Archive for Covers

Cover Launch: THE PURSUIT OF WILLIAM ABBEY by Claire North

We’re thrilled to reveal the stunning cover for THE PURSUIT OF WILLIAM ABBEY (UK|US|ANZ) by Claire North, the award-winning and bestselling author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and 84K.

 

William Abbey

Design by Steve Panton

 

Coming this autumn, THE PURSUIT OF WILLIAM ABBEY is a hauntingly powerful novel about how the choices we make can stay with us forever.

Read on to find out more:

South Africa, 1884. A young and naive English doctor by the name of William Abbey witnesses the lynching of a local boy by white colonists. He’s guilt-struck, but too cowardly to stand up against this horrific act. And as the child dies, his mother curses William.

William begins to understand when what the curse means when the shadow of the dead boy starts following him across the world. It never stops, never rests. It can cross oceans and mountains. And if it catches him, the person he loves most in the world will die . . .

Moving, thought-provoking and utterly gripping, Claire North’s stunning new novel proves again that she is one of the most original and innovative voices in modern fiction.

 

And if you can’t wait until November for your next Claire North fix, never fear! Her latest book has just hit the shops: THE GAMESHOUSE is a mesmerising tale of a mystical gambling house whose deadly games of chance and skill control the fate of empires.

Gameshouse

 

Praise for Claire North:

‘North’s talent shines out’ Sunday Times

‘Claire North goes from strength to strength’ Guardian

‘An original and even dazzling writer’ Kirkus

‘North is a true original, a master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination’ Alex Marwood

‘Claire North’s writing is terrific, smart and entertaining’ Patrick Ness

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF HOPE cover

84k, a science fiction dystopian novel by Claire North

Cover Launch: A LITTLE HATRED by Joe Abercrombie

The world is about to feel A LITTLE HATRED. And we’re thrilled to be able to show you its newest face. Check out the gorgeous (and just a bit menacing) cover for Joe Abercrombie’s eagerly anticipated epic fantasy A Little Hatred.

Art by Sam Weber. Design by Lauren Panepinto.

If you’ve never read Abercrombie (and how could this be true…), A Little Hatred will be a fantastic starting point. For the rest of us who already know that a new Abercrombie book means shifting all priorities to the wayside, all we can say is that you’re going to love this one, and you’ll be able to get your hands on it on September 17th.

The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But old scores run deep as ever.

On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal’s son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments.

Savine dan Glokta – socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union – plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.

The age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. With the help of the mad hillwoman Isern-i-Phail, Rikke struggles to control the blessing, or the curse, of the Long Eye. Glimpsing the future is one thing, but with the guiding hand of the First of the Magi still pulling the strings, changing it will be quite another…

“Abercrombie continues to do what he does best . . . Buckle your seat belts.” — Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author.

“Abercrombie squeezes your heart till it matches his beat. No one writes with the seismic scope or primal intensity of Joe Abercrombie.” — Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A Little Hatred is Abercrombie at his very best: witty, wise, whip-smart. Masterfully plotted . . . . I had high hopes for this book, and it exceeded them all.” — Nicholas Eames, author of KINGS OF THE WYLD (US | UK)

“Brutal, unforgiving, and terribly fun. Everything awesome readers have come to expect from Joe Abercrombie.” — Brian McClellan, author of SINS OF EMPIRE (US | UK)

“Rife with emotion with wit to spare, both honed to an effortlessly fine edge. A Little Hatred is the joy of watching a master of the craft with his tools at their sharpest.” — Sam Sykes, author of SEVEN BLADES IN BLACK 

“Joe Abercrombie’s powerful voice raises the bar in any literary genre. Fantasy fans are beyond fortunate he chose this one.” — Myke Cole, author of The Armored Saint

THE UNLIKELY ESCAPE OF URIAH HEEP by H. G. Parry

We’re delighted to present the beautiful cover for THE UNLIKELY ESCAPE OF URIAH HEEP (US|UK|ANZ), designed by Orbit’s amazing Lisa Marie Pompilio. If you loved The Magicians, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, or The Invisible Library, don’t miss this ultimate book-lover’s fantasy, which features a young scholar with the power to bring literary characters into the world.

 

 

For his entire life, Charley Sutherland has concealed a magical ability he can’t quite control: he can bring characters from books into the real world. His older brother, Rob – a young lawyer with an utterly normal life – hopes that this strange family secret will disappear with disuse, and he will be discharged from his duty of protecting Charley and the real world from each other.

But then, literary characters start causing trouble in their city, making threats about destroying the world, and for once, it isn’t Charley’s doing. There’s someone else out there who shares his powers and it’s up to Charley and a reluctant Rob to stop them – before anyone gets to The End.

Praise for The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep:

“Many have tried and some have succeeded in writing mashups with famed literary characters, but Parry knocks it out of the park . . . Just plain wonderful.”—Kirkus

“A delightful blend of adventure and mystery and marvel, a story in which the fantastical becomes real…. Beautifully-written.”—Louisa Morgan

“With vibrant characters and a passion for story that shines through every word, this engaging read establishes Parry as a writer to watch.”—Kat Howard

“Daring…. Parry writes with the keen insight of Sherlock Holmes, the generous heart of David Copperfield, and the haunting soul of Dorian Grey.”—Jordanna Max Brodsky

“A joyous adventure through all the tales you’ve ever loved. Funny, charming, clever and heartfelt.”—Tasha Suri

“Clever, emotionally compelling, and teeming with witty allusions…. Reminiscent of the literary world-bending adventures of Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next.”—Cass Morris

“Engaging and intelligent… kept me turning the pages.”—Rowenna Miller

“A rollicking adventure that thrills like Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere mashed up with Penny Dreadful in the best post-modern way…. One of your most fun reads this year.”—Mike Chen

Cover Launch: THE WOLF’S CALL by Anthony Ryan

Anthony Ryan’s epic blockbuster BLOOD SONG (UK /ANZ) set the fantasy world alight in 2013, with its incredible mix of razor-sharp action and shadowy intrigue. The adventure continued in TOWER LORD (UK /ANZ) and was brought to a spectacular conclusion in QUEEN OF FIRE (UK /ANZ) , both New York Times bestsellers.

Now – having completed his superb Draconis Memoria trilogy – Anthony Ryan is returning to the world of his Raven’s Shadow series with his brilliant new novel THE WOLF’S CALL (UK /ANZ). Here’s the amazing cover . . .

Photography by Nik Keevil, design by Duncan Spilling

 

. . . and here’s what you can expect from THE WOLF’S CALL!

Vaelin Al Sorna is a living legend. It was his leadership that overthrew empires, his sacrifice that saved the Unified Realm from destruction. Now he lives a quiet life, his days of warfare behind him.

Yet whispers have spread across the sea of an army called the Steel Horde, led by a man who believes himself a god. When Vaelin learns that Sherin, the woman he lost long ago, has fallen into the Horde’s grasp, he resolves to confront this powerful new threat.

This vow leads him to the realms of the Merchant Kings – a dangerous land ruled by honour and intrigue. And as the drums of war echo across kingdoms riven by conflict, Vaelin learns that there are some battles even he cannot hope to win.

We publish THE WOLF’S CALL in July in hardback, trade paperback, ebook and audio.

Follow Anthony Ryan on Twitter and at his website.

Praise for Anthony Ryan

‘A master storyteller’ – Mark Lawrence

‘Fabulous . . . Sure to be another fantasy classic’ – Huffington Post UK

‘Memorable characters and great action’ – Django Wexler

‘The world Ryan has created for his dragon adventure is a joy to visualise’ – SciFiNow

‘Excellent epic fantasy’ – BookBag

Cover Launch: THE SHADOW SAINT by Gareth Hanrahan

Earlier this year, Gareth Hanrahan’s highly anticipated debut, THE GUTTER PRAYER took the fantasy world by storm, introducing a world of sorcerers and thieves, broken gods and dangerous magic.

The epic tale will continue in THE SHADOW SAINT, the gripping second novel in the Black Iron Legacy and we’re thrilled to reveal the stunning cover below:

 

Shadow Saint

Illustration by Richard Anderson
Design by Steve Panton

 

AS THE GODSWAR DRAWS EVER CLOSER AND TENSIONS WITHIN THE CITY ESCALATE, HOW LONG WILL THE PEOPLE OF GUERDON BE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR ENEMIES AT BAY?

The Shadow Saint will hit the shops in January, so if you haven’t discovered the magic of The Gutter Prayer yet there’s still plenty of time to dive in! It’s available in paperback, ebook and audio, read by the wonderful John Banks.

Praise for The Gutter Prayer:

‘Ground breaking and extraordinary’ Peter McLean
‘Captivating’ Nicholas Eames
‘Mind-blowingly stellar in every respect’ Novel Notions
‘Absolutely stunning’ Michael R. Fletcher
‘We can’t wait to dive in to book two’ SciFiNow
‘A gripping, darkly inventive tale’ James Islington
‘Masterful drama, expert dialogue, brilliant characters’ Fantasy Book Review
‘I await the sequel with the keenest anticipation’ Anthony Ryan
‘A mercurial masterpiece . . . Astounding’ Fantasy Hive
‘Put simply, you need to read this’ The Fantasy Inn
‘A brilliant, imaginative debut’ Fantasy Book Critic
‘Undoubtedly, the debut of the year’ Booknest

 

Gareth Hanrahan’s three-month break from computer programming to concentrate on writing has now lasted fifteen years and counting. He’s written more gaming books than he can readily recall, by virtue of the alchemical transmutation of tea and guilt into words. He lives in Ireland with his wife and twin sons.

Follow him on Twitter at @mytholder.

Introducing QUEEN OF THE CONQUERED by Kacen Callender

We’re thrilled to announce Orbit’s acquisition of award-winning author Kacen Callender’s first novel for adults, QUEEN OF THE CONQUERED, from Beth Phelan at Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency! It’s the first of two books set in a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world embattled by colonial oppression, where an ambitious young woman with the power to control minds seeks vengeance against the royals who murdered her family.

If you’re a fan of V. E. Schwab, Kiersten White, or the latest Marlon James, you’ll love QUEEN OF THE CONQUERED. It drops this November, but to whet your appetite now, here is its stunning cover, designed by the fabulous Lisa Marie Pompilio.

Click here to find out more. 

Cover Launch: THE GAMESHOUSE by Claire North

A new Claire North novel is always a cause for excitement – and this year, we are publishing not one, but two books from the author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August! First up is THE GAMESHOUSE (UK|US|ANZ), which will hit shops in May. It’s a mesmerising tale of a mystical gambling house whose deadly games of chance and skill control the fate of empires.

The lovely people at Fantasy Hive revealed the stunning cover earlier this week. Click here to take a look, or  feast your eyes on it below.

 

Gameshouse

Cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio 

Read on for a taste of what’s in store:

Everyone has heard of the Gameshouse. But few know all its secrets . . .

It is the place where fortunes can be made and lost though chess, backgammon – every game under the sun.

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

Among those worthy of competing in the higher league, three unusually talented contestants play for the highest stakes of all . . .

 

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS THREE DIGITAL-ONLY INSTALMENTS: THE SERPENT, THE THIEF AND THE MASTER.

 

Praise for Claire North:

‘North’s talent shines out’  Sunday Times

‘Claire North goes from strength to strength’  Guardian

‘An original and even dazzling writer’  Kirkus

‘Claire North is a true original, a master of ingenious plotting and feats of imagination’  Alex Marwood

‘Claire North’s writing is terrific, smart and entertaining’  Patrick Ness

 

ICYMI: VELOCITY WEAPON by Megan E. O’Keefe

What makes space opera’s like ANCILLARY JUSTICE (US | UK), Old Man’s War, and LEVIATHAN WAKES (US | UK) so great? Is it the huge space battles and intricate planetary politics? Is it the breakneck pacing and bold plot twists? Or is it the incredible characters that you just can’t help but fall in love with?

Whatever is in that special space opera sauce, VELOCITY WEAPON (US | UK) has got it in spades!

The last thing Sanda remembers is her gunship breaking up around her as her preserving pod expanded, sealing herself away for salvage-medics to pick up. She expected to awaken in friendly hands, patched up and patched back into a new gunship. Instead, she awakens 230 years later upon an empty enemy smartship, The Light of Berossus or, as he prefers to be called, “Bero”. The war is lost. The star system is dead.

 However, Bero may not exactly be telling the whole truth.

This incredible space opera by Morningstar Award winning author Megan E. O’Keefe is coming out in the US and UK in June 2019. But people are already calling this “one of the best science fiction novels of 2019!” (K. B. Wagers)

And of course a great book needs a great cover. Check out the amazing art by Sparth and cover design by Lauren Panepinto or read the first chapter HERE.

 

Acquisition Announcement: Hostage of Empire trilogy by S. C. Emmett

We’re delighted to announce that Orbit has acquired a sweeping new fantasy trilogy by S. C. Emmett, Hostage of Empire, from Miriam Kriss at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency! In this epic story, the lady-in-waiting to the princess of a vanquished kingdom must survive the innumerable hidden agendas of their captors’ treacherous imperial court, where two queens, two concubines, and six princes vie for the throne of a vast empire.

Sound tempting? The first volume, THE THRONE OF THE FIVE WINDS, publishes this October. Meanwhile, we’re thrilled to present the gorgeous cover, illustrated by Miranda Meeks and designed by Lisa Marie Pompilio.

The Emperor’s palace—full of ambitious royals, sly gossip, and unforeseen perils—is perhaps the most dangerous place in Zhaon. The lady Komor Yala has only her wits and her hidden blade to protect herself and her princess Mahara, sacrificed in marriage to the enemy, a hostage for her conquered people’s good behavior, to secure a tenuous peace.

But the Emperor is aging, and the Khir princess and her lady-in-waiting soon find themselves pawns in the six princes’ deadly schemes for the throne—and a single spark could ignite fresh rebellion in Khir.

When the Emperor falls ill, a far bloodier game begins…

Cover Launch: THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND by Jackson Ford

Sh*t is about to hit the fan for Teagan Frost, AKA THE GIRL WHO COULD MOVE SH*T WITH HER MIND (UK|US|ANZ), in Jackson Ford’s action-packed debut. Full of imagination, wit and random sh*t flying through the air, this insane adventure from an irreverent new voice will quite possibly blow your mind.

You can meet Teagan when books hit the shelves in June. But in the meantime, we’re thrilled to reveal the shiny new cover below designed by our very own Steve Panton!

 

Jackson Ford

 

Read on for a taste of what’s in store:

Teagan Frost is having a hard time keeping it together. Sure, she’s got telekinetic powers – a skill that the government is all too happy to make use of, sending her on secret break-in missions that no ordinary human could carry out. But all she really wants to do is kick back, have a beer, and pretend she’s normal for once.

But then a body turns up at the site of her last job – murdered in a way that only someone like Teagan could have pulled off. She’s got 24 hours to clear her name – and it’s not just her life at stake. If she can’t unravel the conspiracy in time, her hometown of Los Angeles will be in the crosshairs of an underground battle that’s on the brink of exploding . . .