Author Archive

Cover launch: The new-look Terry Brooks

Wards of Faerie - the new title from bestselling master of fantasy Terry Brooks - endorsed by Christopher PaoliniToday we’re very excited to unveil a brand new cover look for one of the biggest and best-selling names in epic fantasy. In the words of Christopher Paolini:

‘If you haven’t read Terry Brooks, you haven’t read fantasy.’

And if you haven’t read  Terry Brooks yet – this is the perfect place to start! He’s writing at the top of his game, and I was just bowled over by this manuscript when it came in.

Set in Terry’s original and most popular core Shannara world (the one which fans have been begging him to return to for years) the new Dark Legacy of Shannara series is perfect both for steadfast Terry Brooks readers, and those discovering the world of Shannara for the first time.

Book 1, Wards of Faerie is released in just a few months’ time on 23rd August.

We hope you’ll agree that the fantasy illustrator Stephen Youll has done an awesome job on this dragon skull (who wants one on their wall? I do!!).

Don’t forget that you can also get hold of the paperback edition of Terry’s previous novel, The Measure of the Magic (UK / ANZ), on 2nd Aug 2012.

Check out a cover close-up and more information on Wards of Faerie below. (more…)

Gail Carriger UK Tour competition: the winners!

Announcing the winning entries to our very special Gail Carriger UK Tour competition! Gail has now perused all the photos at length and wants to emphasise that picking the winners has been very tough indeed – as every photo has been delightful in its own special way. But a decision must be made. So . . . In first place, winning this darling teapot, is:

The Heroic Valerie Hernandez!

Valerie Hernandez's winning photo for the Gail Carriger competition
1st prize: Valerie Hernandez

 

And the two runners-up prizes, each winning a twee tea strainer, go to:

Maria Diana Broughton’s photo of the darling Ane Victoria and Eirin

Maria Diana Broughton's photo of the darling Ane Victoria and Eirin - runner up in the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
Runner up: Maria Diana Broughton

 
And Terry Kroenung’s capturing of a feisty low-kick

Terry Kroenung's photo of a lovely low-kick, runner up for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
Runner up: Terry Kroenung

 

 Well done everyone, and your prizes, which Gail signed for us when she visited the UK offices, will be with you shortly.

You can follow the progress of the rest of Gail’s European Tour here, and don’t forget to catch up on Gail’s latest adventure Timeless (UK | US | ANZ), as well as the manga edition of Soulless (UK | US | ANZ) if you haven’t done so already!

Gail Carriger’s UK Tour report & final competition entries

What a splendid time we’ve had here in the UK with the admirable Gail Carriger, author of The Parasol Protectorate novels.

Our booksellers’ evening last Wednesday at the gorgeous Drink, Shop, Do was a glory to behold. See Gail’s report of the event here.

The steampunk event at Waterstones Nottingham last Friday was also a storming success, with around a hundred people in attendance – many attired in full costume – to pay tribute to the honourable Gail and fellow steampunk fashion icon Jema Hewitt. See below for some of the wonderfully impressive regalia displayed on the night:

Steampunk event at Waterstones Nottingham for Gail Carriger, author of the steampunk urban fantasy romance series The Parasol Protectorate
Gail Carriger and Jema Hewitt (top left hand corner) as well as a whole host of other wonderful costumes at the steampunk event at Waterstones Nottingham

And whilst all this was happening in the UK, fans from across the world were sending us fabulous parasol photos for our very special teapot competition. See the final entries below (and earlier entries here and here), and tune back in this Friday 20th for the announcement of the winners!

Maria Diana Broughton's photo of the darling Ane Victoria and Eirin for the Gail Carriger competition
Maria Diana Broughton's photo of the darling Ane Victoria and Eirin
 
Kirsten's entry for the Gail Carriger competition
The beautifully coy Kirsten

 

Elizabeth Dixon's entry for the Gail Carriger competition
The delightfully daring Elizabeth Dixon
  
Jaymee's entry for the Gail Carriger competition
The just divine Jaymee
 
Katelynn Hickman's entry for the Gail Carriger competition
The heavenly Katelynn Hickman
 
 
Terry Kroenung's entry for the Gail Carriger competition
Terry Kroenung's capturing of a feisty low-kick

 

And don’t forget that Gail is now off to swan around the rest of the European continent. See her tour details here!

More Gail Carriger parasol competition entries . . .

We invite you to be so kind as to look below for some more entries to our competition to celebrate Gail Carriger‘s UK tour. What these lovely beauties are all hoping to win is a beautiful teapot or one of two tea strainers, which Gail signed for us when she graced the UK office with her presence on Wednesday. Be sure to send in your entry by 5pm UK time today to be in with a chance of winning. More entries and winners will be posted next week!

And don’t forget that tonight there will be a Steampunk Extravaganza held in Gail’s honour at the Waterstones in Nottingham. It looks like it’s turning out to be quite a party indeed . . .

Jennifer Arnold's submission for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The alluring Jennifer Arnold

 

Valerie Hernandez's submission for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The heroic Valerie Hernandez

 

Rebecca Campbell's submission for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The charming Rebecca Campbell

 

Sarah E. Miller's  submission for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The mystical Sarah E. Miller

 

Janet Smith's submission for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The surperb Janet Smith and handsome hubby

 

Gail Carriger UK Tour competition – entries so far . . .

The cake selection on offer at the steampunk soiree held in honour of author Gail Carriger
The cake selection on offer at the steampunk soiree - photo courtesy of Meg at http://bowtiesare.blogspot.co.uk/

Reports confirm that Ms. Gail Carriger, author of the Parasol Protectorate series, is having a terribly splendid time here in the British Isles.

Gail Carriger, author of the steampunk urban fantasy series The Parasol Protectorate, at Foyles during her UK tour
Gail Carriger in fine attire at The Steampunk Soiree

The Steampunk Soiree held at Foyles in London on Monday night was a deliciously delightful affair, with many a cup of tea supped and innumerable French fancies nibbled.

In addition to the guest of honour – Gail herself – the charming Lauren O’Farrell, author of  Stitch London, was also in attendance – displaying her crafty knitting talents in all their glory.

Gail’s reading from Soulless ( UK | US | ANZ) was a glory to behold, and many a question from  inquisitive fans meant that we were all gossiping late into the evening. The Soulless Manga Edition (UK | US | ANZ) seemed a particularly popular subject of conversation.

You can see more photos of this splendid event right here.

And we simply cannot wait for Friday’s event at Waterstone’s Nottingham!

* * *

But enough of this tittle-tattle, and on to the very important matter of our teapot competition.

We have had entries flying in thick and fast. Be sure to send in yours by 5pm UK time this Friday 13th April if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning this darling teapot or these twee tea strainers as runner-up prizes, all signed by Gail’s fair hand.

And in the meantime, please see below for just a small selection of some of the fabulous entries so far. We shall be posting more of these in due course!

Elisabeth Weigel's Entry for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The wonderful Elisabeth Weigel
 
 
Galena Ostipow's entry for the Gail Carriger Uk tour competition
The adorable Galena Ostipow
 
 
Jaime Rainwater's entry for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The ravishing Jaime Rainwater
 
 
Caroline Laronze's entry for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The lovely Caroline Laronze
 
 
Sernella Volpe and Stek's entry for the Gail Carriger UK tour competition
The stylish Sernella Volpe and Stek from Steampunkitalia

Orbit acquires towering new fantasy FADE TO BLACK by Francis Knight

I’m delighted to say we’ve acquired World Rights in a fabulous new fantasy series from British author Francis Knight (@Knight_Francis). Orbit will be publishing the 3-book series internationally, with book 1, Fade To Black, being released in February 2013.

This highly original fantasy novel really captured our imagination. It’s set in the ‘vertical’ fantasy city of Mahala – a city built up in layers, not across, where streets are built upon streets and buildings balance precariously upon buildings. A city that the Ministry rules from its lofty perch at the sunlit summit, and where the forsaken lurk in the shadowy depths of the Pit.

Thrown into the middle of this entrancingly dark and atmospheric setting is the bounty hunter Rojan. Everyone knows he’s a rogue, a womaniser, a shirker of all responsibility. But what they don’t know is that he’s also a pain-mage: someone able to draw magic from his own and other people’s pain. Rojan’s not keen on using this magic (not least because it’s outlawed), but when his niece is abducted, Rojan may be forced to unleash his powers . . .

Look out for more info on this exciting new series soon – and if you’re attending Eastercon this weekend, keep an eye out for Francis! She’ll be appearing on the following panels on Sunday 8th April:

You got your robot elf sex in my SF – 3pm, Commonwealth

The Future of Ebooks – 5pm, Royal A + C

FAIR GAME by Patricia Briggs

Fair Game, an urban fantasy title in the Alpha Omega series from bestselling author Patricia BriggsPatricia Brigg‘s Fair Game  (UK / ANZ) was released this month and has got off to a storming start. With a current average of 5 stars on the UK Amazon site, and a positive plethora of great reviews plastering the web (including this fantastic top 10 of why you should read Fair Game from Paranormal Romance Fanatic), make sure you check out this third instalment in the Alpha and Omega series if you haven’t done so already. Here’s why:

‘[Patricia Briggs] spins tales of werewolves, coyote shifters and magic and, my, does she do it well’ USA Today

‘I freaking loved this book! I loved the mystery, I loved Charles and Anna! I loved the glimpses of Adam and the Mercy Thompson world’ BadassBookReviews.com

‘Best book I ever read!’ Paranormal Romance Fanatic

‘I LOVE how Briggs writes her wolves . . . I seriously can’t get enough of this world. So well built’ Smexybooks.com

‘This is a very hard book for me to review simply because I loved it. I don’t want to come across as a babbling fan girl but I’m afraid I might’ 104 Reviews

‘Double bonus points for a spectacular ending . . . I can’t wait to see what happens next’ RedHotBooks.com

BRIN IS BACK. And with an exclusive 3D cover.

Orbit UK is proud to announce the release in June of a spectacular new novel from a grand master of science fiction – with a very special limited edition cover.

Over 20 years ago, David Brin began the Uplift series – a set of novels that would sweep the board for science fiction awards year after year. David would go on to create a vast range of fiction, computer game storylines and graphic novels – as well as having his novel The Postman turned into a major motion picture.

Now, 10 years after his last book, David Brin returns in epic style with Existence (UK | ANZ), an all-encompassing novel of the near future. Both brilliant and terrifying, the book portrays mankind facing a crisis and potentially its imminent demise.

We are also thrilled to unveil the news that the first edition of Existence, released on 21st June 2012, will feature a cover with a unique 3D “lenticular” effect. The cover gives an impression of floating in space miles above Earth, and its distinctive nature means this book is likely to fast become a collectors’ item. There will be just one print run of this edition – and it will only be available until stocks last.

See the video below for a preview of what’s to come:

And see below for some of the exceptional praise the book has already received.

 ‘David Brin takes on one of the fundamental themes in science fiction – and one of the fundamental questions humanity faces in this century. Since Brin is both a great storyteller and one of the most imaginative writers around, Existence is not to be missed’ Vernor Vinge, Hugo award-winning author of Fire Upon the Deep

‘Take a world soaked in near-future strangeness and complexity . . . Hotwire with wisdom and wonder  . . . Brin is back.’ Stephen Baxter, bestselling author of Ark

 

Epic fantasy fans rejoice – more Terry Brooks ebooks now available!

The classic epic fantasy title The Sword of Shannara by bestselling author Terry Brooks - now available as an ebook
The Sword of Shannara - ebook now available

Great news for all Terry Brooks and fantasy fans! We had previously already released a whole host of Terry Brooks titles as ebooks . . . but this week Orbit UK has released even more, meaning that all of the books listed below are now available to download for your digital pleasure.

And we’re sure that many people will be interested to hear that featuring among their ranks is Terry’s classic The Sword of Shannara (UK | ANZ) – this year celebrating its 35th anniversary of publication.

Devices at the ready! Feast your eyes on the list of digital delights that are available below . . .

(more…)

THE DREAD – Dark magics, swordmanship and sorcery

The Dread, the second fantasy title by Gail Z Martin in the Fallen Kings cycle, set int he same world as the Summoner seriesOut now is The Dread (US | UK | ANZ), the second and final part in Gail Z. Martin‘s Fallen Kings Cycle. This compelling epic fantasy series began with The Sworn ( US | UK | ANZ) and is set in the same world as her highly regarded Chronicles of the Necromancer series, and I’m very happy to say this has turned out to be a magnificent finale to the whole story arc. If you haven’t tried any of Gail’s books yet – don’t worry, you can jump right in at The Sworn without having read any of the Necromancer series. And here’s why it’s worth giving it a go:

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. (more…)