Scoundrels! Grave-robbers! Spinsters! Heiresses! Hot on the heels of its decision to double the size of its list in the US, Orbit welcomes four new stars of fantasy fiction.

Orbit is pleased to announce the upcoming releases of four new books from four new stars of fantasy fiction: BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie (June 2009); THE SAD TALE OF THE BROTHERS GROSSBART by Jesse Bullington (Sept. 2009); SOULLESS by Gail Carriger (Nov. 2009); and THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by N.K. Jemisin (Sept. 2009).

When Joe Abercrombie burst onto the fantasy scene with his widely-praised First Law Trilogy SFF World called his books “compelling, character-driven, adult fantasy, for readers who want to be entertained as well as challenged.” BEST SERVED COLD will be his hardcover debut in the US. A stand-alone novel of mercenaries, gruesome deaths, and twisted plans, BEST SERVED COLD returns readers to the world introduced in the First Law Trilogy, but with an all-new cast of scoundrels.

Jesse Bullington came to the attention of the SFF world when author and critic Jeff VanderMeer posted on his blog about a novel handed to him by a young man in his local video store. That novel was THE SAD TALE OF THE BROTHERS GROSSBART, and VanderMeer wrote: “The odds of being handed a novel by a new, relatively young writer and being blown away by what you read are…very low. But that’s exactly what happened.” At Orbit we were blown away too. This tale of philosophical grave-robbers on the run is bloody, grim and thoroughly engaging.

Gail Carriger’s SOULLESS introduces Alexia Tarabotti, a spinster who foils an attack by a vampire (with a parasol, no less) only to be dragged into the supernatural politics of Victorian London (where parasols will become increasingly handy). A novel with equal parts wit and action, SOULLESS is a comedy of manners with vampires – a thrilling and hilarious debut.

THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS, by N.K. Jemisin, is a brilliantly original debut fantasy. A young woman vies to become the heir to the throne of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, and must bargain with the gods themselves to save her life – and her people.

About the Authors

Joe Abercrombie is a freelance film editor, working mostly on documentaries and live music events for bands from Coldplay to Iron Maiden. He lives and works in London. He was nominated for the 2008 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Visit Joe Abercrombie online at www.joeabercrombie.com.

Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, Jesse Bullington spent his childhood alternating between deep pine woods and rich libraries. He currently conspires with his lovely wife to escape the muggy climes of the South for the Pacific Northwest. Upon receiving his Magna Cum Laude Bachelor degrees in both History and English Literature from Florida State University, he immediately set to work on THE SAD TALE OF THE BROTHERS GROSSBART.

Gail Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an ex-patriot Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of Armenian lovers, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit.

N.K. Jemisin is a career counselor, political blogger, and would-be gourmet living in New York City. She’s been writing since the age of 10, although her early works will never see the light of day.

About Orbit

Launched in 2007, Orbit US is the new Science Fiction and Fantasy imprint at Hachette Book Group USA.

Orbit is also the leading SF and Fantasy imprint in the UK, where it was launched in 1974.
Visit orbit online at www.orbitbooks.net

Share/Bookmark

Editor Devi Pillai says: “We’ve been looking for a new urban fantasy author who really stands out, and in Jaye Wells we know we’ve found one! Jaye Wells is a fabulous writer whose characters just pop off the page. Sabina Kane is sure to be a character that readers will come back to again and again.”

Jaye Wells comments: “The challenge of writing a new urban fantasy series is to create something that hasn’t been seen before. To that end, I focused on creating a world that takes vampire mythology in a whole new direction.”

Half-mage and half-vampire, Sabina Kane’s mixed blood has made her the red-headed stepchild of the vampire race. Despite this, she is loyal to the Dominae, the vampire rulers who raised her to be an assassin. But when Sabina discovers the Dominae’s secret plans to wage war against the mage race, she must choose between the only family she’s ever known and the one that disowned her at birth.

Jaye Wells has worked for a large credit card company, a motivational speaker, a museum, and a magazine publishing company. Since 2002 she has been a freelance writer, with dozens of articles published in regional publications, and has done several copy editing projects for major retail web sites. She lives in Texas with her husband and five-year-old son. You can find her online at www.jayewells.com.

Share/Bookmark