Archive for New Titles

Acquisition Announcement: A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST

Colour photo of author M. H. Ayinde

Orbit UK are thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired a stunning epic fantasy trilogy from debut author M. H. Ayinde, winner of the 2021 Future Worlds Prize. The first book in the series, A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST, will be published in spring 2025 and launches a gripping tale of revenge and rebellion in a vividly drawn world inspired by multiple pre-colonial cultures.

We can’t wait to share A Song of Legends Lost with readers! With its large cast of complex, vibrant characters, rich worldbuilding and propulsive narrative, it’s perfect for fans of The Rage of Dragons, The Bone Shard Daughter and The Unbroken.

Read on for a taste of what’s in store:

In the Nine Lands, only those of noble blood can summon the spirits of their ancestors to fight in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she finds it could hold the key to ending a centuries-long war. But not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor. And some of the spirits that can be drawn from the ancestral realm are more dangerous than anyone can imagine.

M. H. Ayinde was born in London’s East End. She was the 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize, which was created to discover new writers of science fiction and fantasy from ethnically diverse backgrounds. She lives in London with three generations of her family and their Studio Ghibli obsession.

Please join us in welcoming Modupe to Orbit. She can be found on X @MHAyinde or at her website  www.mhayinde.com.

Acquisition Announcement: GREENTEETH by Molly O’Neill

Orbit is delighted to announce the acquisition of GREENTEETH, a heartwarming fantasy novel of fae, folklore and found family by debut author Molly O’Neill. It tells the story of Jenny Greenteeth – a lake-dwelling monster from British myth – and the magical quest she goes on after her peaceful existence is shattered by a witch being thrown into her lake. Packed full of adventure, magic and heart, this utterly charming debut is perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Megan Bannen and Olivia Atwater.

Read on for a taste of what’s in store:

‘The witch looked surprised to see me, her eyes blinking furiously at me through murky waters. I don’t know why she was so astonished. It was my lake she’d been thrown into; she should have expected I’d come and see if there was anyone worth eating.’

Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle-sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce. Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she’s worth saving.

Temperance doesn’t know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor. Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny’s lake and Temperance’s family – as well as the very soul of Britain.

Molly O’Neill is a fantasy author and engineering geologist. She was born and raised in the Cotswolds and moved to Australia in 2019. She now lives in Sydney, on the land of the Gadigal People. Molly writes fantasy books inspired by the beautiful landscapes of her two countries, and by the folklore of the British Isles. She particularly loves the darker Arthurian legends and the Welsh myths of the Mabinogion and often uses them as a foundation for her stories. When not furiously scribbling ideas into a notebook Molly can be found looking intensely at rocks, paddling on the Sydney beaches, or searching for the perfect taco. Greenteeth is her debut novel.

We can’t wait to share Greenteeth with readers in 2025! In the meantime, please join us in welcoming Molly to Orbit. She can be found on Twitter @MollyONeill21

Orbit UK senior commissioning editor Emily Byron acquired World English rights from Sam Edenborough at Greyhound Literary.

Cover launch: BREAKS, an enemies-to-lovers comic by Emma Vieceli and Malin Rydén

As launched today at Bleeding Cool News, we’re excited to share the cover of upcoming Orbit graphic novel, Breaks: Volume One!

With millions of views and thousands of subscribers on webcomic platforms, Breaks is ‘a high school love story, but a little bit broken’.

In 2024, Orbit UK are proud to be bringing the complete three volumes from Emma Vieceli and Malin Rydén into print for the first time. Look out for vol. 1 in February, and the others to follow later in the year.

Before Heartstopper, there was Breaks . . . the enemies-to-lovers queer comic book sensation.
Cortland Hunt has made some dangerous mistakes. Now he’s waiting quietly for those mistakes to catch up with him. Ian Tanner coasts through life denying the spark of anger beneath his laid back exterior. When school politics and personal lives become a battleground, the pair find that what they share may just be their only safe haven. Breaks is the story of two young men discovering who they were, who they are, and who they will become.

This gorgeous cover is drawn by Breaks artist Emma Vieceli, with art direction by Ella Garrett (Little, Brown Book Group).


The cover for the romance comic BREAKS: Volume One

Cover launch: FATHOMFOLK by Eliza Chan

We are delighted to launch this gorgeous cover for Orbit debut Eliza Chan’s lush and folkloric fantasy novel, FATHOMFOLK! Coming February 2024…

The cover art is by Kelly Chong and cover design is by Ella Garrett at L,BBG.

This is the front cover for the novel Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan. It shows the author name and title, as well as two mermaids, a kelpie, a water dragon and crashing blue waves over an ornate, red building

Welcome to Tiankawi. Revolution is brewing and tensions are rising like the tide…

The semi-flooded city is a shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears. But in Tiankawi, humans are, quite literally, on top: peering down from shining towers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below.

For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people. But if earning the trust of her human colleagues wasn’t hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when Nami, a know-it-all water dragon and fathomfolk royalty, is exiled to the city. When extremists sabotage the annual boat race, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Both Nami and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth paying, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.

Cover Launch: An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka

Million-copy-bestseller Benedict Jacka is BACK this October! And today we can share with you the glitteringly gorgeous new cover to his brand new fantasy series.

This cover for AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC is designed by the talented Ella Garrett at Little, Brown UK.

When it comes to writing fantasy, Benedict is known as the ‘master of magical London’, and his new series holds all of the excitement, adventure and magical mayhem of the Alex Verus series his fans know and love: with a richly dark academic twist. Read on below for more about AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC . . .

the book cover for An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka, with heraldry showing a gold shield with three gold keys and gold flourishes underneath, on a dark blue background

 

ANYONE CAN USE MAGIC – IF THEY CAN AFFORD THE PRICE . . .

In a world where everything magical is bought up and controlled by the super rich – Stephen Oakwood has inherited a rare natural talent for magic. Plunged by his father’s disappearance into a glittering world of scheming dynasties, warring patriarchs and vicious scions, Stephen must navigate magical high society and learn to control his gifts.

Dangerous enemies await the Oakwood heir, and even more dangerous allies: if Stephen cannot master his magic quickly and learn to distinguish friend from foe, his name may end up on the missing persons list, just like his father.

‘Jacka has drawn a potent new world of magic controlled by a privileged few, and Stephen Oakwood is the sigl-wielding rebel we didn’t know we needed’ New York Times bestselling author Chloe Neill.

AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC is book one in a new fantasy series of super rich magical dynasties and warring heirs – from the author of the million-copy-selling Alex Verus series. For readers of contemporary fantasy who enjoy the methods and magicians of dark academia.

Cover Launch: RED RIVER SEVEN by Anthony Ryan

Anthony Ryan needs no introduction – the author of the Raven’s Shadow, Raven’s Blade, Draconis Memoria and Covenant of Steel series is one of the biggest names in modern epic fantasy and has sold more than a million books worldwide.

However, Anthony’s storytelling skills extend far beyond the fantasy genre. We’re excited to announce that in October we’ll be publishing RED RIVER SEVEN – an action-packed thriller that combines a gripping mystery with a strong dose of horror. If Jason Bourne meets Annihilation by way of The Last of Us sounds like your sort of thing, then this is a book you won’t want to miss.

Here’s the brilliant cover, designed by Ellen Rockell.

 

 

And here’s what RED RIVER SEVEN is about . . .

Internationally bestselling fantasy author Anthony Ryan – writing as A. J. Ryan – delivers a nerve-shredding thriller in which seven strangers must undertake a terrifying journey into the unknown.

A man awakes on a boat at sea with no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. He’s not alone – there are six others. None of them can remember their names, but all bear the scars of recent surgery.

When a message appears on the onboard computer – Proceeding to Point A – the group agrees to work together to survive whatever is coming.

But as the boat moves through the mist-shrouded waters, divisions begin to form, and the group is plagued by questions. Who is directing them, why have they lost their memories, and what are the screams they can hear beyond the mist?

RED RIVER SEVEN publishes in October.

Pre-order UK / Pre-order US

THE CULTURE: THE DRAWINGS by Iain M. Banks

Orbit is delighted to announce the release date for the hugely anticipated book The Culture: The Drawings by Iain M. Banks.

Packshot of The Culture: The Drawings by Iain M. Banks, showing a landscape-format book with green cover and spaceship drawingWidely acknowledged as the modern master of science fiction, Iain M. Banks created extensive original drawings detailing the universe of his bestselling and beloved Culture novels. Now these illustrations are being published together for the very first time in a book celebrating Banks’s grand vision.

The Culture: The Drawings will release on 7th November 2023. This large-format, landscape artbook will faithfully reproduce Iain’s exceptionally intricate drawings in their original format, and at their original scale.

A deluxe limited edition of The Culture: The Drawings, containing the same extraordinary illustrations, will also be available worldwide for purchase exclusively from the Orbit UK store. Beautifully bound in foiled cloth and displayed in a luxurious presentation box, this heirloom edition will be something to treasure.

 

Orbit UK Publisher Anna Jackson says: “As many fans of Iain M. Banks’ vastly popular Culture series will already know, Iain meticulously designed every element of the Culture’s universe long before the novels were published. The whole of the Culture – from language to nomenclature, from ships to weapons – already existed as intricate sketches, notes, and tables many years before it appeared in any of his fiction. This wealth of material, generously released by the Estate, provides a fascinating insight into the workings of Iain’s extraordinary mind. It will be an essential addition to the collection of any Iain M. Banks fan.”

Further good news for Banks fans is that in late 2024, Orbit is planning to publish the definitive Culture companion book, celebrating the Culture through Iain’s own writing. Curated by Ken MacLeod, it will include all of Iain’s notes, tables and charts relating to the Culture universe. More information about this book will be released in due course.

Find out how to pre-order here, and follow the Iain M. Banks Facebook page here.

Acquisition Announcement: AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC by Benedict Jacka

We’re excited to announce that Orbit UK has acquired a new series by Benedict Jacka, author of the vastly popular Alex Verus novels! This new dark academia-inspired fantasy is set in a world where anyone can use magic – if they can afford the price.

Benedict Jacka author of The Alex Verus series and An Inheritance of Magic.
Photo credit: Chris Murray Photography

The series sees magical power bought and sold by aristocratic dynasties and vast mega-corporations. It tells the story of Stephen, who has a minimum wage job and a cat, but who has inherited an unusual talent for magic from his father, and realises that unlocking that potential will take money and training. The first book – An Inheritance of Magic – will be out in October 2023, with the dates for the next two books as-yet undisclosed.

Jacka said: “With the Alex Verus series complete, I decided for my next series to try something different: a story where the mundane and supernatural worlds were integrated through trade and where you could buy magical powers out of a catalogue.”

Acquiring editor Jenni Hill said: “An Inheritance of Magic shows us a world where the super-rich control everything – including magic. There’s a lot to love here for fans of Benedict’s previous series, as well as fans of dark academia.”

See more info on the Bookseller, and look out for An Inheritance of Magic this October! It’s available for pre-order now.

Acquisition Announcement: LONG LIVE EVIL by Sarah Rees Brennan

Sarah Rees Brennan, the author of Long Live Evil, stands in a yellow dress, matching her yellow and black pixie haircut, holding a pen with her hand on her hip. She wears a necklace that reads ‘antagonist’Time to prepare for your villain era – in the best possible way. We’ve just added the first adult novel from Sarah Rees Brennan to our list for 2024, and it’s her most villainous yet!

Orbit pre-empted world rights in three fantasy novels from cult favourite YA author Sarah Rees Brennan. Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary sold world rights to Editorial Director Jenni Hill at Orbit UK, and Nivia Evans has acquired for Orbit US.

The first adult novel from Sarah is Long Live Evil, in which a young woman wakes in the dangerous fictional world of her favourite fantasy novel. The book will appeal to fans of romantic fantasy and has already won praise from authors such as Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black. Orbit plan to publish in summer 2024.

Long Live Evil is a fantasy novel for everyone who ever rooted for the bad guy.

Editorial Director, Jenni Hill says: “I’ve followed Sarah’s career for a long time and admired her fantasy worldbuilding, her audacious wit and her ability to create romances you can’t tear yourself away from. If you’ve ever been too obsessed with a fantasy TV show, read fanfiction, or wished that a fictional man was real, Long Live Evil is the book for you.”

Agent Suzie Townsend says: Long Live Evil is clever, funny, romantic and page-turning. It’s one of those perfect books for anyone who loves fantasy tropes and enjoys seeing them subverted. Most of all, it’s a fun ride and is simply a joy to dive into amid everything going on in real life. This novel was a joy to share with editors and I am so thrilled that Jenni and the Orbit team love these characters as much as Sarah and I do.”

Sarah Rees Brennan says: “After a life-threatening illness and during Europe’s longest lockdown, I had to write about escaping into the wild joys and perils of fiction. In my first adult work a dying young woman is offered the chance to live by stepping into the world of her favourite fantasy novel, where she must unite its villains in a scheme that will challenge our perception of evil. Long Live Evil asks why we laugh and weep with villains, why we desire them… and why we become them. I’ve read ground-breaking books from Orbit ever since I learned to read, and couldn’t be more thrilled to be published by the perfect partners.”

 

And now hear from some happy readers – whose names you may recognise!

‘Funny, audacious, and supremely satisfying, LONG LIVE EVIL is the chosen one we’ve been waiting for… Get ready to laugh out loud, cry in public, and cheer on the villains as Brennan smashes through tropes with witty, wild glee in this delicious, subversive treat of a book’ Leigh Bardugo

‘Utterly brilliant. I can’t stop thinking about LONG LIVE EVIL, which has rocketed to the top of my list of all time favorite fantasy novels. Pick this up immediately’ C.S. Pacat

‘Brennan’s brilliant Long Live Evil harnesses clever banter, delightful turns of phrase, and epic backdrops in the service of exploring the nature of stories and the freedom that comes with embracing being named a villain — and maybe actually becoming one’ Holly Black

 

About the author: Sarah Rees Brennan was born in Ireland by the sea. After world travel and surviving stage 4 cancer, she settled there in the shadow of a 300 year old library. Writing young adult fiction, she was a Lodestar, Mythopoeic and World Fantasy finalist, Carnegie nominee and New York Times bestseller. Long Live Evil is her first adult work.

 

Cover Launch: SOME DESPERATE GLORY by Emily Tesh

The book cover for Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh, showing a pastel scene of a planet, a moon and a spaceship in orbit

We’re delighted to share the cover for Emily’s Tesh’s debut novel, SOME DESPERATE GLORY.

While we live, the enemy shall fear us.

All her life Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the destruction of planet Earth by an all-powerful, reality-shifting weapon known as the Wisdom. Raised in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet.

Then Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to the nursery to bear sons and she knows she must take humanity’s revenge into her own hands. But she soon learns that not everything she’s been raised to believe is true, and the Wisdom is far more complex and dangerous than she could ever have imagined.

Coming April 2023, SOME DESPERATE GLORY is a thrillingly told space opera about the wreckage of war, the family you find and who you must become when every choice is stripped from you.

 

Cover artwork by Tegnemaskin.no, Cover design by Duncan Spilling – LBBG