Author Archive

Cover Launch: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CONQUERING THE WORLD by K. J. Parker

If you’re already adept at defending walled cities and successfully ruling empires, and you’re looking for your next big challenge, we’ve got the perfect book for you. With the launch of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CONQUERING THE WORLD (US | UK) this November, World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker brings his acclaimed sequence of novels that began with SIXTEEN WAYS TO DEFEND A WALLED CITY (US | UK) to a refreshingly pragmatic conclusion. We’re thrilled to present the final book’s cover below.

Design by Lauren Panepinto

Praise for SIXTEEN WAYS TO DEFEND A WALLED CITY (US | UK) and HOW TO RULE AN EMPIRE AND GET AWAY WITH IT (US | UK)

“Readers are ensured a good time and a barrel of laughs to boot.” –Publishers Weekly

“Parker’s latest epic fantasy proves that all the world is, indeed, a stage, and Parker himself is a master impresario.” — Library Journal

“Full of invention and ingenuity . . . Great fun.” — SFX

“As with most of Parker’s work, there is a melancholy undercurrent that gives the humor weight. As heroes go, Orhan is a reluctant and flawed one . . . . [but] when Orhan works the problem, we can’t help but watch.” —Locus

“Launches a witty adventure series . . . Readers will appreciate the infusion of humor and fun-loving characters into this vivid and sometimes grim fantasy world.” –Publishers Weekly

Cover Launch: LEVIATHAN WAKES 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by James S. A. Corey

Can you believe it’s been a full ten years since LEVIATHAN WAKES first published? The first book in the Expanse launched a stellar New York Times-bestselling nine-book space opera series that went on to connect with millions of readers, win a Hugo Award, and inspire a hit TV show. To celebrate, we’re launching a beautifully designed 10th anniversary edition of the book that started it all on September 21st (Pre-order in the US | Pre-order in the UK). Featuring a reversible cover, painted edges, a black and magenta foil case, and a stunning endpaper map, this edition is the best way to celebrate the modern masterwork of science fiction before it comes to a close later this year.

For the design of this anniversary edition, we wanted to highlight the incredible fanbase that has grown up around the Expanse, including all the great artists — both fans and professionals — who have contributed to the universe that grew around the books and show. We found poster artist Jay Clark’s homage to the Rocinante and his solar system map online, and commissioned him to adapt his work to this new edition. Meanwhile, we decided to honor Daniel Dociu’s original Leviathan Wakes cover art by reprinting it in its uncropped glory on the inside of the book jacket.

Praise for The Expanse

“It’s been too long since we’ve had a really kickass space opera. LEVIATHAN WAKES is interplanetary adventure the way it ought to be written.” ―George R.R. Martin

“This is the future the way it was supposed to be.” ―The Wall Street Journal

“As close as you’ll get to a Hollywood blockbuster in book form.” ―io9.com

“Riveting interplanetary thriller.” ―Publishers Weekly

“The science fictional equivalent of A Song of Ice and Fire…only with fewer beheadings and way more spaceships.” ―NPR Books

“High adventure equaling the best space opera has to offer, cutting-edge technology, and a group of unforgettable characters.”  —Library Journal (starred review)

Cover Launch: AGE OF ASH by Daniel Abraham

We couldn’t be more excited to reveal the cover for AGE OF ASH, the start to a new epic fantasy series from New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author Daniel Abraham, co-author of The Expanse. George R. R. Martin described Daniel’s previous series, The Dagger and the Coin, as “everything I look for in a fantasy.” Brandon Sanderson said the second book in Daniel’s The Long Price Quartet series, A Betrayal in Winter, was “exactly the kind of book I love.”

So you can understand why we’re thrilled to launch Daniel’s monumental new trilogy. Each book in the trilogy unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year, where every story matters, and the fate of the city is woven from them all. AGE OF ASH is coming to shelves near you in February 2022.

Design by Lauren Panepinto. Illustration by Daniel Dociu.

Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories unfold.

This is Alys’s.

Alys is simply a petty thief from the slums of Longhill, but when her brother is murdered, she sets out to discover who killed him and why. But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more dangerous than knives.

Swept up in an intrigue as deep as the roots of Kithamar, where the secrets of the lowest born can sometimes topple thrones, the story Alys chooses will have the power to change everything.

Cover Launch: THE WISDOM OF CROWDS by Joe Abercrombie

Last week we revealed the stunning cover for the final book in The Age of Madness trilogy, THE WISDOM OF CROWDS. You can rewatch the cover reveal here, where author Joe Abercrombie was joined by cover artist Sam Weber and Orbit’s Creative Director, Lauren Panepinto, to chat about the trilogy and answer fan questions! The Wisdom of Crowds comes to bookshelves near you this September.

Chaos. Fury. Destruction.
 
The Great Change is upon us . . .

Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds.

With nothing left to lose, Citizen Brock is determined to become a new hero for the new age, while Citizeness Savine must turn her talents from profit to survival before she can claw her way to redemption. Orso will find that when the world is turned upside down, no one is lower than a monarch. And in the bloody North, Rikke and her fragile Protectorate are running out of allies . . . while Black Calder gathers his forces and plots his vengeance.

The banks have fallen, the sun of the Union has been torn down, and in the darkness behind the scenes, the threads of the Weaver’s ruthless plan are slowly being drawn together . . .

Praise for The Age of Madness:

“A master of the genre.” — Lev Grossman, #1 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

“Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say that he’s a master of his craft.” —Forbes

“Abercrombie continues to do what he does best . . . Buckle your seat belts for this one . . . . A vivid and jolting tale.” — Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author

“Abercrombie’s satisfying plotting and expert subversion of genre expectations are sure to please. Readers will be gripped.” —Publishers Weekly

 

Cover Launch: THE FALL OF BABEL by Josiah Bancroft

THE FALL OF BABEL is the incredible final book in the word of mouth phenomenon fantasy series that began with Senlin Ascends. “The “Books of Babel” are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade — future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes.” (Los Angeles Times)

The final book in the Books of Babel series is nearly here, and the good folks over at The Fantasy Inn launched the cover last week. For those who pre-order the book, keep your receipts! There’s a special digital surprise coming soon for those who order early. Follow the author on Twitter at @BancroftJosiah and @orbitbooks for more info.

Book cover for The Fall of Babel by Josiah Bancroft. A golden figure emerges from the a shattering city. Mechanical legs are visible beneath the figure's armor.

Credits: Illustration by Ian Leino, design by Lauren Panepinto

As Marat’s siege engine bores through the Tower, erupting inside ringdoms and leaving chaos in its wake, Senlin can do nothing but observe the mayhem from inside the belly of the beast. Caught in a charade, Senlin desperately tries to sabotage the rampaging Hod King, even as Marat’s objective grows increasingly clear. The leader of the zealots is bound for the Sphinx’s lair and the unimaginable power it contains.

In the city under glass at the Tower’s summit, Adam discovers a utopia where everyone inexplicably knows the details of his past. As Adam unravels the mystery of his fame, he soon discovers the crowning ringdom conceals a much darker secret.

Aboard the State of Art, Edith and her crew adjust to the reality that Voleta has awoken from death changed. She seems to share more in common with the Red Hand now than her former self. While Edith wars for the soul of the young woman, a greater crisis looms: They will have to face Marat on unequal footing and with Senlin caught in the crossfire.

And when the Bridge of Babel is finally opened, and the Brick Layer’s true ambition revealed, neither they nor the Tower will ever be the same again.

Book jacket for Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft. The cover shows a man scaling the rings of a tiered city as clouds drift by. Book jacket for The Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft. A blue mechanical arm reaches up through the rings of a many tiered city. Book jacket for The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft. A woman falls through the rings of a many tiered city. Cracks in the city walls are visible.

Praise for The Books of Babel

“Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action‑packed, warm, witty, and thought‑provoking. I can’t wait for more.”  Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe

“It’s rare to find a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I’m wildly in love with this book.” — Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising

Senlin Ascends is one of the best reads I’ve had in ages . . . I was dragged in and didn’t escape until I’d finished two or three days later.” — Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns

“Deeply compelling . . . A classic in the making.” — B&N Sci‑Fi & Fantasy Blog

“Wonderfully unique and superbly well written. I loved every page.” — Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“Senlin is a man worth rooting for, and his strengthening resolve and character is as marvelous and sprawling as the tower he climbs.” — The Washington Post

“I loved it, and grabbed the next one as soon as I turned the last page.” — Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names

“Brilliant debut fantasy . . . This novel goes off like a firework and suggests even greater things in the author’s future.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Cover Launch: THE SEVEN VISITATIONS OF SYDNEY BURGESS by Andy Marino

Possession is an addiction.

From an electrifying new voice in horror, Andy Marino, comes the haunting tale of a woman whose life begins to unravel after a home invasion — and then an unnatural voice begins to whisper. With a brand-new spin on the possession story featuring a whip-smart, but potentially unreliable narrator you can’t help but root for, this terrifying novel is certain to keep you up late at night, stringing you along page after page. And we’ve got the perfect cover to match, giving you your first peek into Sydney’s shattered mind. Luckily you won’t have to wait long: THE SEVEN VISITATIONS OF SYDNEY BURGESS hits shelves this September. Read more about the book below!


Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Sydney’s spent years burying her past and building a better life for herself and her young son. A respectable marketing job, a house with reclaimed and sustainable furniture, and a boyfriend who loves her son and accepts her, flaws and all.

But when she opens her front door, and a masked intruder knocks her briefly unconscious, everything begins to unravel.

She wakes in the hospital and tells a harrowing story of escape. Of dashing out a window. Of running into her neighbors’ yard and calling for help.

The cops tell her a different story. Because the intruder is now lying dead in her guest room—murdered in a way that looks intimately personal.

Sydney can’t remember killing the man. No one believes her.

Back home, as horrific memories surface, an unnatural darkness begins whispering in her ear. Urging her back to old addictions and a past she’d hoped had burned away.

As Sydney searches for the truth among the wreckage of a past that won’t stay buried for long, the unquiet darkness begins to grow. To change into something unimaginable.

To reveal terrible cravings of its own.

Cover Launch: THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG by K. S. Villoso

In this incredible finale to the critically acclaimed Chronicles of the Bitch Queen series, Queen Talyien finally takes back her throne – and what a sight it is to behold. Feast your eyes on this glorious cover, depicting Talyien at the peak of her power, determined to unite her people against the enemies who threaten to tear her country apart. #HailTheBitchQueen indeed!

Art by Simon Goinard. Design by Lauren Panepinto

THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG  (US | UK) releases in May.

Queen Talyien is finally home, but dangers she never imagined await her in the shadowed halls of her father’s castle.

War is on the horizon. Her son has been stolen from her, her warlords despise her, and across the sea, a cursed prince threatens her nation with invasion in order to win her hand. 

Worse yet, her father’s ancient secrets are dangerous enough to bring Jin-Sayeng to ruin. Dark magic tears rifts in the sky, preparing to rain down madness, chaos, and the possibility of setting her nation aflame.

Bearing the brunt of the past and uncertain about her future, Talyien will need to decide between fleeing her shadows or embracing them before the whole world becomes an inferno.

Praise for The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen

The power plays are woven tightly into the action, as Villoso broadens her worldbuilding and adds some surprising twists … A must for epic fantasy readers.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“Villoso crafts believable, complex characters and spices up the politics with dragons and magic. Fantasy readers will enjoy this intricate epic and be pleased by the broadening scope of the series.” —Publishers Weekly 

The Wolf of Oren-yaro is intricate, intimate, and intensely plotted. Full of subtle poignancy and remarkably genuine characters-even the rotten ones. I loved this book.”   —Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“Intimate and epic. It compels you to read on, because it’s a story about people not characters, civilizations not settings, and deadly power plays not sanitized throne-room politics.”   —Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons

“Deeply compelling and wonderfully entertaining, The Wolf of Oren-yaro feels at once timely and timeless. K. S. Villoso’s lush and finely crafted world envelops readers from the first page, as she takes us on an adventure full of heartache, hope, and triumph. It’s a fabulous read!”   —Josiah Bancroft, author of Senlin Ascends

“A tale balanced on the blade’s-edge between intrigue and action – and then Villoso twists the knife.”   —Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer

“[A] remarkable tale of nonstop tension, action, and betrayal . . . This excellent work will appeal to all readers of epic fantasy.”   —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Villoso’s debut draws on Filipino culture and myths to create a detailed fantasy world and uses the first person narrative of a beleaguered queen to explore a tale of secrets, lies, betrayal, and treason.”   —Booklist

“K.S. Villoso dismantled the heavily stereotyped strong female character within epic fantasy and built it anew. Queen Talyien is flawed, beautifully so, making her one of the more realistic female characters I’ve read to date.”    —Hypable

Art by Simon Goinard. Design by Lauren Panepinto

 

Cover Launch: DISCORDIA by Kristyn Merbeth

The entire star system is on the brink of war in Discordia, the explosive final book in the action-packed space opera trilogy, The Nova Vita Protocol.

Book Cover: Discordia by Kristyn Merbeth A spaceship emerges from a wormhole, its guns charged and ready to fire.

Design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Scorpia is finally back among the stars, far away from the memories of the war she and her family started – and ended – on Nibiru. Her first order as captain of the Memoria is to keep her crew safe, and she is all too happy not to get involved in dangerous political games for once.

Corvus is haunted by what he experienced at the hands of the Titan attack, and he’s just as eager for a new beginning. He knows that not all Titans are built for war, and that the system can find peace, even as Deva and Pax begin to rattle their sabers.

Now the Kaisers are on the run again. Though they may be responsible for diverting a multi-planet war, the planetary leaders are wary of the knowledge they hold. Better to lock them up and keep their dark secrets hidden. But the Kaisers are the only ones who know the truth about the threat of the ancient world-ending alien weapons rooted in each planet – and they may be the only ones who can save the system from total annihilation.

The Nova Vita Protocol:

Book Cover: Fortuna by Kristyn Merbeth. A woman stands before a space shuttle looking at it against a neon blue and pink sunset. Book Cover: Memoria by Kristyn Merbeth. A spaceship soars through a red nebula cloud while neon green lasers chase at its heels. Book Cover: Discordia by Kristyn Merbeth A spaceship emerges from a wormhole, its guns charged and ready to fire.

Cover Launch: THE TROUBLE WITH PEACE Trade Paperback Edition by Joe Abercrombie

To pack a bigger punch, (and make sure the paperback editions match on your bookshelves!) we’ve slightly redesigned the cover for THE TROUBLE WITH PEACE for its paperback publication on July 27th, 2021. In this sequel to New York Times-bestselling A LITTLE HATRED, a fragile peace gives way to conspiracy, betrayal, and rebellion. But, If July is too long of a wait, the hardcover, eBook, and audio book editions are out now! You’ll want to be sure you’re caught up on this stunning sequel before the final book in The Age of Madness trilogy comes out from Joe Abercrombie, “a master of the genre” (Lev Grossman).

Art by Sam Weber. Design by Lauren Panepinto.

Praise for The Age of Madness Trilogy

“Abercrombie’s satisfying plotting and expert subversion of genre expectations are sure to please. Readers will be gripped.” — Publishers Weekly

“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

“Abercrombie continues to do what he does best . . . Buckle your seat belts for this one . . . . A vivid and jolting tale.” — Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author

“Highly recommended ‑ a funny, finely‑wrought, terrifically energetic work of high fantasy. Seek it out.” — Joe Hill

“Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie, say that he’s a master of his craft.” — Forbes 

A Little Hatred is Abercrombie at his very best: witty, wise, and whip‑smart. Masterfully plotted . . . . I had high hopes for this book, and it exceed them all.” — Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“Brutal, unforgiving, and terribly fun. Everything awesome readers have come to expect from Joe Abercrombie.” — Brian McClellan, author of Sins of Empire

“With expert craft, Abercrombie lays the groundwork for another thrilling trilogy.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)  

“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

“Abercrombie unerringly juggles a large cast of multifaceted, morally ambiguous characters, each embroiled in their own complicated story.” — Booklist (starred review) 

“A critical, compelling epic fantasy loaded with wonderfully drawn characters, the bloodletting tempered with sharp social commentary and a touch of satire . . . . It doesn’t feel like a stretch to say Abercrombie’s on his way to writing another masterpiece of epic fantasy.” — B&N Sci‑Fi & Fantasy Blog 

A Little Hatred may be the most accomplished work from a writer who many already consider a master.” — SFF World 

“[Abercrombie] might have his most important series of novels yet.” — Locus

Acquisition Announcement: Orbit has acquired a new trilogy from R. S. Ford!

Are you looking for the next big epic fantasy series? Orbit is thrilled to announce the acquisition of a brand-new trilogy from author R. S. Ford. With a unique magic system inspired by inventors and artificers, and a compelling cast of characters, this new series follows one family as they struggle to stop a dark revolution from tearing their country – and their family – apart.

The nation of Torwyn is ruled by the Guilds – a powerful group of families who control the country’s varying magical and mechanical industries. Over centuries the influence of the Guilds has grown, and now the people of Torwyn revere these idols of industry more than their history. But the once powerful Draconate Ministry has a new leader, and he is determined to restore the power of his faith. When a foreign emissary travels to Torwyn to broker peace, Lady Rosomon, matriarch of the Hawkspur Guild, is summoned to the capital with her children. Before she knows it, her heirs – an artificer, a mage-turned-diplomat, and a military captain – are sent to the far reaches of the nation, each with their own personal quest to defend Torwyn from those who would see it burn. 

This trilogy is truly epic in scale, engineering a brilliant tale of impending revolution, prophesied draconic gods, magical artifice creations, loyalty, family, and more—a real doorstopper. You don’t want to miss out on this one, publishing in early 2022. Follow the author on Twitter to learn more about the lore.

Orbit US editor Bradley Englert acquired the trilogy for World rights from John Jarrold.