Archive for Orbit Australia

Deals and Deliveries: Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series – plus cover art news!

On the subject of the talented Jim Butcher, we’ve just acquired the last two books in his traditional fantasy series.

The Codex Alera sequence is set in a colourful Roman-esque world, where Alerans fight against the aggressive races that inhabit this world and against each other, helped by their unique bonds with elemental creatures of fire, water, earth and air. It’s a brutal land at times, the action being set against a background of ambition and power as the First Lord of Alera grows old and lacks an heir. Noble houses manoeuvre to place their people in influential positions, and a war of succession looms on the horizon.

Princep’s Fury (book 5) will appear in the UK in December 2009 and First Lord’s Fury (book 6) will be out in May 2010.

And as a reminder, the first four books will appear in Orbit from May this year. There’s plenty of drama to come and click here for more on book one, plus see the fantastic cover art here!

Furies of Calderon - Codex Alera bk1Academ's Fury - Codex Alera bk2
Cursor's Fury - Codex Alera bk3Captain's Fury - Codex Alera bk4

The Magician’s Apprentice – Trudi Canavan’s Australian Event Details

The Magician's Apprentice

The Magician’s Apprentice is Trudi Canavan‘s latest novel, and is a prequel to her bestselling Black Magician Trilogy. Trudi is visiting both Canberra and Sydney next week for book signings, so be sure you don’t miss out on meeting Australia’s highest selling speculative fiction author!

CANBERRA
Tuesday 3 March
5.00 – 6.00 p.m.
Gaslight Books
Unit 10, 83 Wollongong Street
Fyshwick ACT 2609

SYDNEY
Thursday 5 March
5.30 p.m.
Gaslight Books
143 York Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Please contact the bookstores for more information on these signings and don’t forget to check with them before you travel, in case of last-minute alterations.

More Dresden Files by Jim Butcher – Turn Coat extract

To get you in the mood for the next eagerly-awaited instalment of the Dresden Files, we thought we’d pass on a few sample chapters of Turn Coat, out in hardback in April.

In this latest outing for Harry Dresden, professional wizard, Harry is placed in the unlikely position of helping his long-time nemesis Morgan. This is a man with “hard, steady eyes, and all the comforting, reassuring charm of a dental drill” and all he wants is for Harry to clear his name and save his life. But one false step could spell disaster for Chicago’s leading freelance wizard-for-hire. Needless to say, this is action-packed, completely un-put-downable and contains all the hallmarks of a top-notch urban-fantasy noir.

The summer sun was busy broiling the asphalt from Chicago’s streets, the agony in my head had kept me horizontal for half a day, and some idiot was pounding on my apartment door.

I answered it and Morgan, half his face covered in blood, gasped, “The Wardens are coming. Hide me. Please.”

His eyes rolled back into his skull and he collapsed.

Oh.

Super.

Up until that moment, I’d been labouring under the misapprehension that the splitting pain in my skull would be the worst thing to happen to me today.

I’d been completely wrong.

Read the full extract here.

Deals and Deliveries: two new novels from Kate Elliott

I am delighted to say that we have just acquired Traitors’ Gate – book three in Kate Elliott’s stunningly atmospheric Crossroads sequence – in addition to the as-yet untitled book four in the series.

This is a fabulous fantasy adventure where a few key individuals play their parts in a violent struggle for land and power, against a colourful backdrop of different cultures and religions. We follow spies, temple-trained assassins and otherworldly Guardians whose function is to administer justice – until corruption turns their powers to dark purposes.

Spirit Gate and Shadow Gate are already out in mass market paperback, and Traitors’ Gate will now follow in large format paperback in September 09.

Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott, UK paperbackShadow Gate by Kate Elliott, UK paperback

New Book Deal with Leading Australian Author Ian Irvine

Hello and Greetings from Australia. This is my first contribution to the Orbit blog and I’m delighted to start with news of an exciting acquisition. We have bought the rights to Ian Irvine‘s new trilogy, which we’ll be publishing around the Orbit world, beginning in 2010.

Ian is an outstanding and well-loved author of bestselling fantasy novels and futuristic eco-thrillers, including the Three Worlds Cycle and the Runcible Jones Quintet. He is also a highly regarded marine scientist who has developed some of Australia’s national guidelines for the protection of the oceanic environment. You can check out his website at www.ian-irvine.com.

We’ll tell you more about the trilogy over the next few months, and let you know when the first book will be available.

David Gemmell Legend Award update

David Gemmell Legend Award

Just a quick reminder that the public ballot to decide the finalists of the inaugural David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy opens on December 26th.

Following a recently announced change to the voting system, the five most popular fantasy titles of 2008 – as decided by the voters – will then be put forward to a second round of public voting in April 2009 (as opposed to the original panel of judges) for final consideration, with the winner announced on Friday 19th June 2009.

The final long-list of eligible nominated titles – including entries from Orbit authors Brian Ruckley, K.J. Parker, Brent Weeks, Kate Elliott, Jennifer Fallon, Karen Miller and Russell Kirkpatrick – has been made available via the DGLA website as a pdf download and an online voting form will be available from Thursday, with an additional incentive to participate early: the fist 100 voters will receive a limited edition DGLA wristband.

Visit www.gemmellaward.com for more information on the award, or to discuss the nominated titles. And don’t forget to vote, from December 26th onwards!

Orbit Links for December 19th 2008

Hello and welcome to the last Orbit Links round-up of 2008. Lots to tell you about this week, so – with but a brief segue to wish all our readers a happy, healthy and utterly book-filled holiday season – here we go:

See you in 2009!

Three Orbit authors shortlisted for 2008 Aurealis Awards

Many congratulations to three of our Australian authors whose novels have been named on the shortlists for the 2008 Aurealis Awards – recognising the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror writers – as follows:

Chaos Space by Marianne de Pierres, UK paperback Earth Ascendant by Sean Williams, UK paperback The Riven Kingdom by Karen Miller - UK paperback
  • Chaos Space by Marianne de Pierres for Best Science Fiction Novel
  • Earth Ascendant by Sean Williams for Best Science Fiction Novel
  • The Riven Kingdom by Karen Miller for Best Fantasy Novel

Sean Williams has also been shortlisted in three other categories: Best Collection (for Magic Dirt: The Best of Sean Williams from Ticonderoga Publications), Best Young Adult Novel (for The Changeling from Angus & Robertson) and Best Children’s 8-12 Years (for The Changeling sequel volume Dust Devils).

The Winners will be announced at the Aurealis Awards ceremony in Brisbane on Saturday the 24th January 2009. For more information on the 13th annual awards, visit www.aurealisawards.com.

In Their Own Words: Brent Weeks on BEYOND THE SHADOWS

Brent says:

Beyond the ShadowsBeyond the Shadows finishes the Night Angel Trilogy with a bang. There are revelations in this book that are going to send readers back to the beginning of the trilogy to read it all over again. Kylar comes into the fullness not just of his power, but of his identity, his purpose.

It’s a story of sacrifice and redemption, of the good and evil in each of us, of people who love each other so much they’ll give everything, of friends who will stand and be counted. It’s a story of looming catastrophe, and always – always – hard choices. There’s armies and war and magic and political brinkmanship. The stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s a story of friends who have to choose between loyalty and duty.

I’d love to be more specific, but when one’s strength is surprises, it behoves one not to drop spoilers…

Shadow’s Edge (UK | US | AUS) is out now and you can find it at all good high street and online booksellers.

Book one in the Night Angel Trilogy, The Way of Shadows, and book two, Shadow’s Edge are also available now. Check out our first chapter extract from the very beginning of the series and see what Brent had to say about The Way of Shadows and Shadow’s Edge in his previous In Their Own Words pieces for us.

Orbit Links for November 28th 2008

“Happy Thanksgiving / Black Friday shop-til-you-drop-fest!” to our US readers. “Chin-up, it’s nearly the weekend!” to our UK readers. “Smile, it’s the weekend already!” to our Australian readers. And to everyone else: hello, and welcome, whatever your timezone, to our regular round-up of Orbit Author links: