Archive for Covers

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 

Cover launch for A BAD DEAL FOR THE WHOLE GALAXY and THE WORST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS

Alex White’s first book in The Salvagers series A BIG SHIP AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE is already getting a lot of attention:

“White combines magic and space opera to create a fast-paced adventure with charismatic characters and formidable enemies in a realized universe of greed and power.” -ALA Booklist Starred Review

“[…] the bold start of a brand-new science fiction adventure” June Pick for Kirkus Reviews

 “Racing! Treasure and smuggling! A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe is a gripping quest for justice among salvage and magic–I really loved it.”—Mur Lafferty

“A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe is perfectly paced, full of intense, inventive action and refreshingly honest characters. It’s the seamless hybrid of fantasy and sci-fi that you didn’t know you always needed.”—Nicholas Eames

And we’re just getting so carried away with the excitement that we thought we’d release the covers for books two and three early! Check them out below and be sure to pre-order A BIG SHIP AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE which will be publishing in the US on June 26th.

A BAD DEAL FOR THE WHOLE GALAXY will be publishing this winter, and THE WORST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS will be publishing in Summer 2019.

 

Cover design Lisa Marie Pompilio; Cover art Shutterstock

Cover Launch: the Illustrated Edition of SOULLESS by Gail Carriger

My, my! What’s that gorgeous confection I see over there? Is it.. No. Can it really be??

It is! It’s the cover for the SOULLESS Illustrated edition. And what a charming cover it is, too.

Soulless is a sheer delight of a book, and adding ten darling illustrations by Jensine Eckwell is just icing on the cake.

As a special bonus, Ms. Carriger will be signing the entire first US print run, so make sure to pre-order your copy today!

Pre-order SOULLESS now:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | More Stores

Illustration by Jensine Eckwell. Design by Lauren Panepinto.

Cover Launch: SEVEN BLADES IN BLACK by Sam Sykes

We’re delighted to unveil the stunning cover for the new novel by Sam Sykes, SEVEN BLADES IN BLACK, an unforgettable epic fantasy that introduces an outcast magician caught between two warring empires.
Design by Lauren Panepinto
Illustration by Jeremy Wilson

 

Among humans, none have power like mages. And among mages, none have will like Sal the Cacophony. Once revered, now vagrant, she walks a wasteland scarred by generations of magical warfare.

 

The Scar, a land torn between powerful empires, is where rogue mages go to disappear, disgraced soldiers go to die and Sal went with a blade, a gun and a list of names she intended to use both on.

 

But vengeance is a flame swift extinguished. Betrayed by those she trusted most, her magic torn from her and awaiting execution, Sal the Cacophony has one last tale to tell before they take her head.

 

All she has left is her name, her story and the weapon she used to carved both.

 

Vengeance is its own reward.

 

Preorder Now!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks | Other retailers

 

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 Launch: the Spellslinger series by Sebastien de Castell

We can’t wait for you to read Sebastien de Castell’s witty adventure fantasy series! Kicking off in July, feast your eyes on the fantastic covers for Spellslinger, Shadowblack, Charmcaster, and Soulbinder, all designed by Lauren Panepinto.

Kellen is moments away from facing his first duel and proving his worth as a spellcaster. There’s just one problem: his magic is fading.

Facing exile unless he can pass the mage trials, Kellen is willing to risk everything – even his own life – in search of a way to restore his magic. But when the enigmatic Ferius Parfax arrives in town, she challenges him to take a different path. Daring, unpredictable, and wielding magic Kellen has never seen before, she may be his only hope.

Four books in one year! How lucky are Orbit readers. It gets even better. The final two books in the series are due out in 2019.

Praise for Spellslinger:

“Told with the conviction of Ursula Le Guin and the dash of Alexandre Dumas” —New Statesman (UK)

“A bucket-load of tension is offset with humour, power struggles, lots of magic and some great characters. Fantasy junkies will devour with relish.” —Guardian (UK)

Spellslinger is the start of something truly special. Sebastien de Castell is a master of breakneck pacing, dagger-sharp dialogue, and twists you didn’t see coming–and this series has it all.” —Nichols Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“This book is dangerously addictive. It has it all: compelling world-building, breathtaking plot-twists, a page-turning pace, and characters who soon feel like old friends. I can’t wait for the next one!”  —Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage

“Exotic, original and gripping from the get-go, Spellslinger is a must-read” —Jonathan Stroud, author of the Lockwood and Co series

“A tremendously fun read full of wit and action.” —James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost

“Written with such obvious joy and brio that it demands to be read.” —RJ Barker, author of Age of Assassins

“Hugely enjoyable… fast-paced, compassionate, wise and with terrific characters.” —Amanda Craig, author of Hearts and Minds

“We can confidently say that de Castell’s new series has hit the ground running.” —Starburst Magazine

“There’s room for wit and playfulness amid the high-stakes duels and death matches, and Kellen’s career is likely to run and run.” —The Observer (UK)

“It has cliff hangers, pace, humour, life lessons, and a memorably feisty squirrel cat.”—Sunday Times (UK)

 

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

 

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…