Photo by JR Blackwell

We are more than excited to announce a new novel by Mur Lafferty to the Orbit list! Her announcement is here. We plan to publish THE SHAMBLING GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY worldwide in Spring/Summer 2013.

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The stormtroopers wasted no time in commandeering the decks . . .

After last year’s shenanigans at the SFX Weekender, we couldn’t wait to do it all over again. Excitement levels were therefore approaching unstable levels last Friday, as the Orbit UK team – along with THE FALLEN BLADE author Jon Courtenay Grimwood and FATED author Benedict Jacka – caught a train to Prestatyn, to attend the third SFX Weekender. The convention – run by top British science fiction magazine SFX – has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in British SFF, and this year was again well-attended by authors, editors, scriptwriters and journalists, as well as TV stars of shows such as Red Dwarf, Torchwood and Doctor Who – not to mention hundreds of happy fans and cosplayers!

Orbit's Anne Clarke on the publishing panel

After settling into our chalets (an upgrade on last year, as they had double-glazing!) we watched our very own Anne Clarke on the How To Get Published panel and enjoyed the Kitschies Awards presented by Pornokitsch’s Anne Perry and Jared Shurin. Later, we met up with INTRUSION author Ken MacLeod and SEEDS OF EARTH author Michael Cobley, and headed to a party thrown by our friends at Tor UK.

On the Saturday, once we’d recovered from our cake and alcohol intake from the previous night, we really got stuck in to the panels and signings. Mike, Ken and Benedict all signed books for fans at the Forbidden Planet booth, and took part in some pretty packed panel discussions! Benedict debated genre definitions with other urban fantasy authors on the What is Urban Fantasy? panel, Mike asked whether literature is the only place still flying the flag for space opera, and Ken MacLeod discussed apocalyptic fiction on the We’re All Doomed! panel, making interesting points about the class aspects of survivalist fiction and the ‘cosy catastrophe’.

Later on, we teamed up with our esteemed colleagues at Gollancz to throw a party (probably setting a world record for ‘number of people crammed into a Pontins chalet’ in the process), before heading to the main stage and throwing some very dubious moves to the legendary Craig Charles’s DJ set. The dancefloor was a surreal mix of fans, authors, and a diverse assortment of aliens, robots and superheroes.

We all had a terrific time, and here are some photos to prove it!

Mike Cobley signs books for fans (including Death apparently) at the Forbidden Planet stand

Benedict Jacka (far left) during his panel on urban fantasy

Ken MacLeod (second right) chats with a fan

James Long and Anna Gregson took time to hang out with some famous faces . . .

The Orbit/Gollancz party proved so popular that the crowd spilled out onto the balcony!

Somewhere in this press of partygoers, the Orbit UK team are shaming themselves on the dancefloor. We like to think what we lacked in style, we made up for in enthusiasm . . .

It's funny how quickly it becomes normal to find yourself rubbing shoulders with huge, scary robots

Orbit's Jenni Hill with one of Dr Who's uber-scary Weeping Angels. Fortunately, this one didn't come to life after the photo was taken!

All of us at Orbit UK extend our thanks to everyone at SFX magazine for organising such a fabulous weekend! Roll on SFX Weekender 4 . . .

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Go here here to download the 20-minute podcast, or  listen to it instantly.

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Gail’s a master at weaving together a world together intricately and spectacularly – and you simply cannot resist being awed by the strong sense of atmosphere she creates . . .  In the dark, medieval-gothic world of the Fallen Kings Cycle, necromancers wield deathly powers of magic, ghosts toy with the living, and vampires, werewolves and demons roam the land.  See some of the fantastic reviews this series has earned so far:

‘Top notch, engrossing fantasy’ SFRevu.com

‘Those who enjoy the large-scale fantasy of George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan should enjoy this’ Library Journal

‘I found myself caught up in the story and the characters almost from the first page …very enjoyable’ Bookgeeks.co.uk

‘Very well-written and intricately plotted . . .  I can’t wait for the second book in the cycle, The Dread’ Civilian Reader

You can also read a sample extract right here.

Summoner-King Tris Drayke takes what remains of the Margolan army north to fight a war Margolan is ill-prepared to fight, as reports from spies confirm Tris’ worst fear. A new threat rises across the sea: a dark summoner who intends to make the most of the Winter Kingdoms’ weakness.

And in Isencroft, King Donelan is assassinated and Tris’s wife, Kiara, will now have no choice except to return and claim the crown. But the rogue mage’s agents will go to any length to prevent her from reaching her goal.

Kiara and Tris must discover the truth behind the dark summoner, the mysterious power surrounding their infant son, and face the awesome power of the Dread as they rise from their barrows for the first time in over a millennium.

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February 2-4th: SFX Weekender
This convention in Prestatyn Sands, North Wales, will play host to several Orbit authors. Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Benedict Jacka, Michael Cobley, and Ken MacLeod will all be on panels and signing books (full schedule) — and we will have exclusive early copies of MacLeod’s Intrusion and Jacka’s Fated available.  Plus, our own Anne Clarke will appear on the “How to Get Published” panel on Friday evening.

Saturday, February 4th
Gail Z. Martin at B&N Carolina Place Mall, Pineville, NC, 1 PM.
Mira Grant (with Stephen Blackmoore) at Borderlands Books, San Francisco, CA, 3 PM.

Friday, February 10th
Gail Z. Martin at B&N Morrison Place, Charlotte, NC.

Saturday, February 11th
Gail Z. Martin at Books-a-Million Concord Mills, Concord, NC.

Wednesday, February 15th
N.K. Jemisin (with Livia Llewellyn) at KGB Fantastic Fiction, New York, NY, 7 PM.

February 17-19: SheVaCon
Gail Z. Martin will be at this science fiction convention in Roanoke, VA.

Thursday, February 23rd
Kate Griffin & Benedict Jacka signing advance copies of their new books (both being published in March) at Forbidden Planet, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, 6pm

February 24-26th: MystiCon
Gail Z. Martin will be at this SFF and horror convention in Roanoke, VA — including a launch party for The Dread in the con suite at 7 PM on Friday.

Saturday, February 25th
Gail Carriger as keynote speaker at the inaugural Passion & Prose Conference, Long Beach, CA.
Walter Jon Williams at Page One Bookstore, Albuquerque, NM, 7 PM.

Sunday, February 26th
Gail Carriger at SF in SF, San Francisco, CA, 1 PM.
Gail Carriger at Borderlands Books, San Francisco, CA, 6 PM.

Monday, February 27th
Robert Jackson Bennett at Book People, Austin, TX, 7 PM.

Wednesday, February 29th
Yes, it’s a leap year! Gail Carriger will be kicking off her tour for Timeless at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hill Crossing, Beaverton, OR, 7 PM.

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This edition contains the three titles The Spirit Thief, The Spirit Rebellion and The Spirit Eater – all in one handy volume and topped off with this gorgeous packaging from Sam Weber (see this great post here showing him at work in his studio on these very illustrations).

Take a minute to stop by Rachel Aaron’s attractive new site, where’s she’s posted some very interesting tidbits recently, such as this fantastic book trailer put together by our friends at Orbit France for the très sophistiquée French version of The Legend of Eli Monpress. Also, check out this extremely creative pictorial review for The Spirit Thief, part one of the Legend. Good effort!

Read on for the blurb and some great reviews:

Eli Monpress is talented. He’s charming. And he’s a thief.

But not just any thief. He’s the greatest thief of the age – and he’s also a wizard. And with the help of his partners – a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls – he’s going to put his plan into effect.

The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he’ll need to steal some big things. But he’ll start small for now. He’ll just steal something that no one will miss – at least for a while.

Like a king.

Aaron’s outstanding fantasy debut is the first in a trilogy about unrepentant thief Eli Monpress . . . Fast and fun, Spirit Thief introduces a fascinating new world and a complex magical system based on cooperation with the spirits who reside in all living objects. Aaron’s characters are fully fleshed and possess complex personalities, motivations, and backstories that are only gradually revealed . . . Highly recommended for all fantasy readers. – BOOKLIST

Witty, smart, snappy, sassy, fast, furious and let’s not forget fun . . . Rachel Aaron isn’t so much knocking at the door as kicking it down – TOM HOLT

The Spirit Thief is a delightfully giddy romp of a novel – KAREN MILLER

Wry humour, engaging characters and full-tilt action - GAIL MARTIN

 

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THE PLAYER OF GAMES is a standalone title in Iain’s hugely successful Culture series of novels, and follows the adventures of Jernau Morat Gurgeh – the Player of Games, master of every board, computer and strategy.

Bored with success, Gurgeh travels to the Empire of Azad to take part in the ultimate game with the ultimate prize: the throne of Azad itself. But it’s a game in which blackmail and murder are part of the rules, and very soon Gurgeh finds himself in the most dangerous game of his life.

The inclusion of THE PLAYER OF GAMES on the World Book Night UK shortlist represents a unique opportunity to introduce thousands of new readers to the wonders of science fiction – and what better way to do it than by giving away copies of one of the finest works by a true master of the genre.

If you’re based in the UK, you can sign up to be a ‘giver’ for THE PLAYER OF GAMES on World Book Night UK by visiting the official website. You’ll be given 24 free copies of the book to distribute throughout your community as you choose, spreading the love of reading and of incredible books. If you’d like to be a part of this amazing event, be sure to sign up by the deadline of 1 February 2012!

Join us in showing the world the wonders of Iain M. Banks and science fiction!

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We are delighted that two Orbit titles have been shortlisted for this year’s Kitschies - awards that celebrate the most ‘progressive, intelligent and entertaining works of genre literature’, run by the excellent Pornokitsch website.

Jesse Bullington’s The Enterprise of Death is a finalist for the Red Tentacle for best novel, and the cover for Simon Morden’s Equations of Life is a finalist for the Inky Tentacle for best cover.  Congratulations to Jesse and our very own designer Lauren Panepinto!

To celebrate we want to give you the opportunity to read these great books and judge for yourselves.  We have 10 copies of each to give away.  Just fill in your details below and we’ll pick the winner in two weeks time, the day before the winners are announced at the SFX Weekender 3 Kitschies Award Ceremony (sponsored by Kraken Rum, making it even more certain to be a great event).

Please read the full terms and conditions.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

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The Mystery Writers of America announced their nominees for the 2012 Edgar Award this morning, and Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Company Man (US | UK | ANZ) will be on the ballot for ‘Best Paperback Original’!

This comes on the heels of The Company Man‘s Philip K. Dick Award nomination, and almost exactly a month before the release of Robert’s new novel, The Troupe (US | UK | ANZ). The Troupe  follows 16-year-old piano prodigy George Carole and the mysterious vaudeville troupe he runs away to join, whose performances have a strange effect on their audiences. George gradually realizes the troupe is not simply touring: they are running for their lives.

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UNCLEAN SPIRITS (UK | ANZ) is out (at last!) in the UK and our international markets this month. It’s the first novel in the Black Sun’s Daughter series by M. L. N. Hanover and we think you’re going to love it: a pacy, action-packed urban fantasy featuring Jayné Heller, a heroine who is strong and sassy, yet who often doubts her ability to tackle the burden that life has given her. As Kelley Armstrong so rightly says, she’s great!

Jayné Heller has always lacked a clear direction in life. She’s just dropped out of college and she really doesn’t get on with her family. So when her uncle Eric dies and leaves all his worldly possessions to her (which just so happens to include properties all over the globe, along with a considerable amount of cash) it seems that she has the chance to start her life afresh.

Except that this new-found wealth comes with a sinister price. It turns out that her uncle spent most of his life fighting a secret battle against ‘riders’ – evil spirits that take over human bodies and then control them. And it seems to be Jayné’s responsiblity to carry on this war from where her uncle left off . . .

UNCLEAN SPIRITS is available now and we’ll be continuing the series over the next few months: DARKER ANGELS comes out in February, VICIOUS GRACE in March and KILLING RITES in April.

Read a sample of UNCLEAN SPIRITS here!

Praise for UNCLEAN SPIRITS:

‘A strong beginning to an intriguing Urban Fantasy series, Unclean Spirits introduces readers to a fascinating new supernatural world. M. L. N. Hanover’s debut novel in the genre teems with promise, and I am excited to see where the next book leads’ - Book Smugglers

Between the novel’s energetic pacing, Jayné’s undeniable charm, and the intriguing concept behind the riders, Unclean Spirits is a solid entry in the urban fantasy genre’ - Fantasy Book Critic

‘Hanover’s treatment of the subject matter makes it a very entertaining book where the pages turn all too easily. I’ll be back for more and I reckon I’ll see you there with me’ – Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review

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