Archive for Deals and Deliveries

Acquisition announcement: THE GREY BASTARDS by Jonathan French

Jonathan French, author of gritty fantasy The Grey Bastards

Orbit UK has acquired rights to The Grey Bastards plus a sequel by US author Jonathan French.

It’s a wild and gritty epic fantasy debut that invites you to enter the world of orcs and half-orcs – as you’ve never seen them before . . .

You might have heard of The Grey Bastards because it won Mark Lawrence’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2016 – meaning that a panel of ten top fantasy bloggers picked it as the winner out of hundreds of entries. And this win was thoroughly deserved . . . This fantasy debut is brimming with raucous energy.

It’s the story of Jackal – who is proud to be a Grey Bastard, a member of a sworn brotherhood of half-orcs. Unloved and unwanted in civilized society, the Bastards eke out a hard life in the desolate no-man’s-land called the Lots, protecting frail and noble human civilization from invading bands of vicious full-blooded orcs . . .

Jonathan’s voice stood out to us as one of the freshest we’ve read in years. The story overflows with crisp dialogue, blood-soaked action, an entertaining sardonic voice and a wonderfully compelling cast of characters. It’s an irresistible action tale that will thrill readers of fantasy such as Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, Stan Nicholl’s Orcs series and Markus Heitz’s Dwarves series.

And just look at the whole host of amazing reviews it’s already received!

‘Frankly excellent’ ~ Mark Lawrence, bestselling author of Prince of Thorns

The Grey Bastards dragged me in immediately. A bloody good tale of battles, intrigue, betrayal, duty and war pigs’ ~ Brian McClellan, author of Promise of Blood

‘A gritty adventure with a fantastic, foul-mouthed voice and filthy, lovable characters in a wonderfully original world of half-orcs on giant hogs.  Fans of Abercrombie’s The First Law or the soldierly banter of Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen will like this a lot’ ~ Django Wexler

‘Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdy charm and vicious characters. The Grey Bastards has instantaneously catapulted him into my must-read list’ ~Fantasy Book Critic

‘I’d like to raise a tankard to The Grey Bastards’ brilliance’ ~ Fantasy Faction

‘I f*cking loved this book. The Grey Bastards went down like a shot of good top-shelf tequila: warm and smooth, but with one hell of a spicy kick’ ~ Bibliosanctum

These guys were all pretty darn excited about the half-orcs, and dammit – you should be too. Look out for The Grey Bastards in June 2018.

And as the Bastards say, LIVE IN THE SADDLE, DIE ON THE HOG!

Orbit Acquires Three Books by Hugo Award-Winning Author N.K. Jemisin

portrait of N.K. Jemisin FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY (January 9, 2017) – Orbit has acquired three new novels by Hugo Award-winning author N.K. Jemisin. All three will be published by Orbit in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and as audio editions by Hachette Audio.

Acquiring editor Brit Hvide said, “N. K. Jemisin is one of the most creative, incisive, and important writers working in fantasy today, and her recent Hugo win only underlines that fact. We at Orbit are proud to continue publishing Jemisin’s work and to amplify her remarkable voice.”

Jemisin is the author of THE FIFTH SEASON (US | UK | AUS), THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS (US | UK | AUS), THE KILLING MOON (US | UK | AUS) and other widely acclaimed fantasy novels. Her Hugo Award win for The Fifth Season was historic, making her the first black writer to take home that award for Best Novel.

The first newly-acquired book, currently untitled, will be Jemisin’s first set in our world, and is a contemporary fantasy dealing with themes of race and power in New York City. It has a projected publication date of April 2019.

N. K. Jemisin said, “I’ve been very happy with Orbit and am thrilled that they’re giving me more chances to explore my creative visions. This is an idea that I’ve been thinking about for a long time and I’m glad to finally be able to put it to the page.

The Fifth Season was also nominated for the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards for Best Novel. It was a New York Times Notable Book of 2015 and has been called “intricate and extraordinary” (New York Times), “astounding” (NPR Books), “amazing” (Bustle), and “unflinching” (Kirkus, starred review). THE OBELISK GATE (US | UK | AUS), the sequel to The Fifth Season, was published by Orbit in August 2016 and the third book in the trilogy, THE STONE SKY (US | UK | AUS) will be published in Summer 2017.

About Orbit

Orbit is the science fiction and fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group.

About Hachette Book Group:

Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre (a Lagardère company), the third-largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG is made up of eight publishing groups: Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Grand Central Publishing; Perseus Books; Orbit; Hachette Books; Hachette Nashville; and Hachette Audio.

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For more information, contact:
Ellen Wright, Senior Publicist

More books from Ann Leckie!

We’ve announced the acquisition of two new science fiction books from Ann Leckie, the author of the award-winning ANCILLARY JUSTICE and ANCILLARY SWORD (US | UK | ANZ). One of them will take place in the same universe as the Ancillary books, while the other will be a brand-new science fiction novel. Both books will be published in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Check out the coverage at io9 and the B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog.

Press Release: Orbit announces acquisition of bestselling self-published fantasy series

dalglishThe short version of this post is that I’m excited to announce the acquisition of David Dalglish’s Shadowdance series! For the formal version, the official press release is below.

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NEW YORK, NY (February 15, 2013) – Today Orbit US & UK announced the international acquisition of the Shadowdance novels – an epic fantasy series by self-publishing success David Dalglish. The author has already digitally published the first four books in the series, all of which have been e-book bestsellers.

Dalglish said of the deal, “I’ve seen the limits of what I can accomplish self-publishing and hope that with Orbit I can reach the next level, both in the quality of my writing and the size of my audience. I’m thrilled with everything Orbit has offered me, and feel this is the next step I need to take in my career.”

The Shadowdance series includes the novels A DANCE OF CLOAKS, A DANCE OF BLADES, and A DANCE OF DEATH. Orbit will launch A DANCE OF CLOAKS in October 2013, and the two sequels will follow in consecutive months in November and December.

A dark, gritty epic fantasy, the Shadowdance series is a character-driven tale of assassins, thieves, and treachery. The series begins when Aaron Felhorn – the son of the greatest assassin of the age – is sent to kill the daughter of a priest, but instead chooses to protect her.

Acquiring editor Devi Pillai said, “We are looking forward to building on David’s self-publishing success and helping to make him a worldwide bestseller in all formats.”

Orbit signs up two new novels and three novellas by Mira Grant!

Following the rampant success of Mira Grant’s zombie novels FEED (US | UK | ANZ) and DEADLINE (US | UK | ANZ), and after the forthcoming BLACKOUT (US | UK | ANZ), Orbit will publish three novellas in the Newsflesh world:  Countdown (already released in the US and soon-to-be-published in the UK), San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats, and How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea. As inventive, fast-paced, and dare-I-say charming as the novels, these shorter works provide a more global view of the Rising.

And the centerpiece of the deal is a duology of completely new novels: science fiction thrillers titled PARASITOLOGY and SYMBIOGENESIS, drawing on the author’s abiding fascination with subjects medical, biological, parasitological, and beyond. We are delighted that Mira Grant (alter-ego of bestselling author Seanan McGuire) will be launching a new series with Orbit. It promises to be cool, creepy, and incredibly fun.

Follow along on Facebook for more news about the Newsflesh Trilogy and forthcoming novellas.

New author to the list!

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.

Will McIntosh’s Hugo Award-winning “Bridesicle” to become a novel

I am thrilled to report that Will McIntosh is writing a novel for Orbit based on his stunning 2010 Hugo Award-winning short story “Bridesicle.” Three hundred years in the future, technology has extended the lives of the rich and attractive decades. The wealthy can arrange to be reanimated multiple times (with diminishing returns), while in cryogenic dating farms, dead women await lonely suitors to resurrect them and take them home. In this daring and big-hearted novel, the lovelorn navigate a world in which technology has found the outer limits of morality and romance.

Orbit will also publish a novel based on McIntosh’s short story “Defenders,” as well as a number of original short stories.

Will McIntosh is an acclaimed, unique voice in science fiction, and a writer of impressive range. His first novel was published by Night Shade, his second is forthcoming in 2012, and his short work has been widely anthologized. He has won a Hugo Award and an Asimov’s reader poll, and has received a Nebula Award nomination. A professor of psychology, McIntosh lives in Georgia.

A Fiery New Deal for Michael Cobley with Orbit

SEEDS OF EARTH, the first book in Michael Cobley’s space opera trilogy Humanity’s Fire, was first published in the UK in March 2009. Since then, the series described by Iain M. Banks as “Proper, galaxy-spanning space opera” has kept readers glued to its pages and eager to read more. Given the outstanding quality of Michael Cobley’s science fiction and its major success so far in the UK, Orbit is thrilled to announce a worldwide deal for a new book by this bestselling author. Orbit have acquired World English rights from agent John Parker at the Zeno Agency for a new standalone novel by Michael Cobley, set in the Humanity’s Fire universe.

the three covers for Michael Cobley's Seeds of Earth science fiction trilogy

The new book, WARCAGE, is a high-action space adventure currently scheduled for worldwide hardback release in autumn 2013. Ahead of that publication, all three existing books in the Humanity’s Fire series will be published by Orbit US, who are releasing SEEDS OF EARTH in the US in October, ORPHANED WORLDS in November and THE ASCENDANT STARS in December 2012. Anne Clarke, Editorial Director for Orbit UK, says:

We’re all delighted with the continuing success of Michael Cobley’s superb Humanity’s Fire series, and we’re very excited about WARCAGE and looking forward to sharing it with Mike’s fans next year. Michael Cobley is becoming an increasingly important name in science fiction, so we’re extremely happy that our colleagues in the US will be on this adventure with us too.”

Orbit’s First E-Book Only Launch!

We’re thrilled to announce our first ebook only publication from New York Times Bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow! We’ll be publishing The Hedgewitch Queen in December 2011, and the sequel, The Bandit King, in July 2012 in both the US and the UK.  The series will be available across all digital reader platforms.

The story centers around a young woman who must advance to the throne amidst court intrigue, conspiracies, and magic.

Vianne di Rocancheil is a lady waiting at the Court of Arquitaine, where she studies her books, watches for intrigue, and shepherds her foolhardy Princesse through the glittering whirl. Court is a sometimes-unpleasant waltz, especially for the unwary, but Vianne treads its measured steps well.

Unfortunately, the dance has changed. Treachery is afoot in gilded and velvet halls. A sorcerous conspiracy is unleashed, with blood, death, and warfare close behind. Vianne must flee, carrying the Great Seal of Arquitaine with her. This is the one thing the conspirators need to rule, and they won’t rest until they have it. A life of dances, intrigues, and fashion has not prepared Vianne for this. Nor has it prepared her for Tristan d’Arcenne, Captain of the King’s Guard and player in the most dangerous games conspiracy can devise. Yet to save her country and avenge her Princesse, Vianne will become what she must and do whatever is required.

A Queen can do no less.

Lili is a class act and with such an exciting story – that’s so different from anything she’s done before—we felt we couldn’t pass up this opportunity to try something new.

New authors!

In recent months, we’ve acquired two new authors  — and I’m excited to introduce both of them to you!

Orbit US has also acquired GOD SAVE THE QUEEN plus two others from author Kate Locke, a pseudonym for Kathryn Smith. It’s an urban fantasy novel set in our time period — but with a twist.  Queen Victoria still rules 175 years after her ascension. This is the world that half-blood Alexandra has been born into — a world where horse-drawn carriages, ballgowns, and corsets mesh with the modern fashions of the humans outside of the vampire aristocracy. We’re publishing GOD SAVE THE QUEEN in July 2012 — and trust me it’s worth the wait.

Orbit worldwide has acquired Amanda Carlson in a new three-book deal. She’s a brand new debut author from Minnesota. I had the privilege of meeting her at the Romantic Times convention (and yes, forgetting to post about that too…). Her three novels: FULL BLOODED, HOT BLOODED, and COLD BLOODED will be out in September 2012, March 2013 and August 2013 respectively. Jessica is the only female werewolf born to a race of males. And prophecy claims that her birth will signal the end of their race. Who said it was easy being a girl?