Archive for New Titles

Cover Launch: THE TYRANNY OF FAITH by Richard Swan

We’re delighted to reveal the cover for THE TYRANNY OF FAITH by Richard Swan, the sequel to his Sunday Times bestselling debut THE JUSTICE OF KINGS.

 

Design by Lauren Panepinto; Illustration by Martina Fačková

 

A Justice’s work is never done.

The Battle of Galen’s Vale is over, but the war for the Empire’s future has just begun.

Concerned by rumours that the Magistratum’s authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.

Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor’s grandson has been kidnapped – and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince.

His quest will lead Vonvalt – and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir – to the Empire’s southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights . . . and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

 

THE TYRANNY OF FAITH will be published in February ’23. Pre-order UK / US

 

Praise for the Empire of the Wolf series:

 

‘Stunning’ RJ Barker

‘Utterly compelling’ Nicholas Eames

‘Fantastic’ Peter McLean

‘Standout of the year’ British Fantasy Society

‘Addictive’ SciFi Now

‘A brilliant debut’ James Islington

 

Acquisition announcement: INFINITY GATE by M. R. Carey

M. R. Carey is back! And in colossally epic style . . .

You might know M. R. Carey from his million-copy bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts, or perhaps his brilliant The Book of Koli, which received the special citation at the Philip K. Dick Awards.

He’s been said to heft ‘astonishing storytelling power’ by Locus and has been described as ‘one of the most inventive voices in contemporary fiction’ by i09.

Well now we’re excited to announce a brand new novel from Mike that’s going to knock your science fictional socks off.

Releasing in March 2023, Infinity Gate (UK|US) is a major new SF novel set in the multiverse. It’s the first book in a duology called the Pandominion, with the second book due to release in Spring 2024.

We’re excited to show you the cover for Infinity Gate below, from our very talented designer Nico Taylor.

Book cover for INFINITY GATE by M. R. Carey showing Earth from space, with different coloured sections to represent alternate versions of Earth in other dimensions

Infinity Gate is a thrilling tale set of humanity’s expansion across millions of alternate dimensions, and the AI technology that might see it all come to an end . . .

INFINITY IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

The Pandominion is a political and trading alliance of a million worlds – except that they’re really just the one world, Earth, in many different realities. And when an AI threat arises that could destroy everything the Pandominion has built, they’ll eradicate it by whatever means necessary, no matter the cost to human life.

Scientist Hadiz Tambuwal is looking for a solution to her own Earth’s environmental collapse when she stumbles across the secret of inter-dimensional travel. It could save everyone on her dying planet, but now she’s walked into the middle of a war on a scale she never dreamed of.

 

Here’s what the esteemed Tade Thompson has to say about it:

‘Infinity Gate is a powerful exploration of the near-future, skilfully and seamlessly weaving different realities and different iterations of AI . . . Carey has the experience, imagination and verve to pull it off. A compelling entry and a must-read!’ Tade Thompson, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of Rosewater

Infinity Gate is coming in March next year. It’s available for pre-order now (UK|US).

Cover launch: ITHACA by Claire North

Following our exciting acquisition news about ITHACA by Claire North, we’re now thrilled to reveal the stunning cover, designed by the hugely talented Lisa Marie Pompilio at Orbit US.

Book cover for ITHACA by Claire North, featuring a contemplative woman in a Greek robe pulling loom threads through her fingers

Claire North is renowned for being one of the most original and innovative voices in modern fiction, and now she has turned her hand to the classical age with incredible results . . .

ITHACA is a powerful retelling of the Greek myth of Penelope from the Odyssey. It is perfect for anyone who has enjoyed Circe by Madeline Miller or Ariadne by Jennifer Saint—but it also has its own completely unique flavour, told through the eyes of the goddess Hera. It’s poetic, thrilling, and heartbreaking all at once, and it’s already receiving superb praise:

‘Claire North brings a powerful, fresh and unflinching voice to ancient myth – darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking’ Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne

ITHACA is out this September and it’s available for pre-order now (UK | US) . Read on to hear more about it:

This is the story of Penelope of Ithaca, famed wife of Odysseus, as it has never been told before. Beyond Ithaca’s shores, the whims of gods dictate the wars of men. But on the isle, it is the choices of the abandoned women – and their goddesses – that will change the course of the world.

Seventeen years ago, king Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them have returned, and the women have been left behind to run the kingdom.

Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. Whilst he lived, her position was secure. But now, years on, speculation is mounting that husband is dead, and suitors are starting to knock at her door . . .

But no one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus’ empty throne – not yet. Between Penelope’s many suitors, a cold war of dubious alliances and hidden knives reigns, as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip one way or another. If Penelope chooses one from amongst them, it will plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war. Only through cunning and her spy network of maids can she maintain the delicate balance of power needed for the kingdom to survive.

On Ithaca, everyone watches everyone else, and there is no corner of the palace where intrigue does not reign . . .

From the multi award-winning Claire North comes a daring, exquisite and moving tale that breathes life into ancient myth, and tells of the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men. It’s time for the women of Ithaca to tell their tale . . .

‘Like Penelope at her loom North both weaves and unweaves, teasing out the threads of Homeric myth to recombine them into something unique, wonderful and urgently contemporary’ M. R. Carey, author of The Girl With All the Gifts

Pre-order ITHACA by Claire North now (UK | US).

Acquisition announcement: ITHACA by Claire North

Claire North, author of Ithaca and The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of a trio of novels from the award-winning Claire North that retell the ancient Greek myth of Penelope, wife of Odysseus.

The first book, Ithaca, is narrated by the goddess Hera. It is a daring, exquisite tale that breathes new life into ancient myth, and tells of the women who stand defiant in a world ruled by ruthless men.

In the words of Jennifer Saint, author of Sunday Times bestseller Ariadne, “Claire North brings a powerful, fresh and unflinching voice to ancient myth – darkly fascinating, raw and breathtaking.”

Orbit UK and Redhook US will publish Ithaca globally this September. Books two and three in the series after will follow in 2023 and 2024 and will be narrated by the goddesses Aphrodite and Athena respectively.

Holding cover for the novel Ithaca by Claire NorthOrbit UK Publisher Anna Jackson says “There is a great hunger for tales set in the classical age right now, but Ithaca is a retelling like no other . . . Claire North is widely recognised as one of the most unique and innovative voices in modern fiction, and her readers will be thrilled to see her turn her hand to ancient Greece – with such flair. This bold, captivating and moving novel tells the story of Penelope and the other women left on Ithaca when the men of their island have sailed off to war. And as the world around them is torn apart by men and gods alike, it is the women who defend their isle and hold a fragile peace. Ithaca is a novel that’s beautiful and brutal, irreverent and utterly devastating all at once, and in the words of author M. R. Carey, feels “urgently contemporary”.”

Claire North says “A lot of stories set in this time write about women as either victims, their agency stripped away, or as mere cyphers to the lives of the men around them. Penelope is not a victim, but if people think she is, she is very willing to use that to further her aims. This book is the secret history of the women the poets ignored, as they plotted, schemed and waged war.”

Claire North is a pseudonym for the author Catherine Webb. Her first book under the Claire North name was the word-of-mouth bestseller The First Fifteen lives of Harry August, which is being adapted as movie by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners and will be directed by ‘Maze Runner’ director Wes Ball.

Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North

North has since published several critically acclaimed novels and won the World Fantasy Award, and has been shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, the Locus Award and the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award.

Meg Davis at the Ki Agency sold World Rights to Publisher Anna Jackson at Orbit UK. Senior Editor Priyanka Krishnan at Orbit US has secured North American rights for publication on the Redhook imprint.

Claire North’s most recent novel, Notes from the Burning Age (UK | US | ANZ), is out in paperback in the UK on 10th February. Ithaca is available for pre-order now (UK | US).

Cover launch: ONE FOOT IN THE FADE by Luke Arnold

We’re excited to launch the newest cover for the Fetch Phillips series! A world recovers from losing its magic in this brilliantly-voiced contemporary fantasy series by Luke Arnold – perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch or Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.

AN ANGEL FALLS IN SUNDER CITY…

In a city that lost its magic, an angel falls in a downtown street. His wings are feathered, whole – undeniably magical – the man clearly flew, for all that he plummeted to his death moments after.

The mystery will set Fetch – in his quest to bring magic back to his beloved city – on a journey involving necromancers, djinn and shadowy secret societies. Fetch will search Sunder’s wildest forests and dingiest dive bars for the answer, and when he finds it, nothing will ever be the same again.

The Book cover for One Foot in the Fade, a fantasy by Luke Arnold. Cover shows a corss section of a fantasy map

 

banner showing the three Fetch Phillips covers so far

The new cover art is by Patrick Knowles, and was designed at Little, Brown Book Group by Matt Byrne.

Praise for this series:

‘Verve and charm in abundance’ Andrew Caldecott, author of Rotherweird

‘The first instalment of an effortlessly readable series that could be the illegitimate love child of Terry Pratchett and Dashiell Hammett’ Kirkus

‘[A] standout debut . . . winningly combining the grit of Chinatown with the quirky charm of Harry Potter, this series opener is sure to have readers coming back for more’ Publishers Weekly

‘This book was a marvellous noir voice; Luke Arnold has captured the spirit of the genre perfectly and wrapped it around a fantasy setting with consummate skill’ Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones

‘Sunder City [is] an evocative creation, it has echoes of Ankh-Morpork, but also a broken melancholy all of its own’ SFX

 

neon sign advertising character as a P.I.

Cover launch: Dead Water by C. A. Fletcher

Let your eyes drink in the cover for Dead Water, the upcoming folk horror novel from the author of A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World.

A water-borne blight hits a small community on a remote Scottish island. The residents are a mix of island-born and newcomers seeking a slower life away from the modern world; all have their own secrets, some much darker than others. Some claim the illness may be a case of mass hysteria – or even a long-buried curse – but when ferry service fails and phone towers go down, inconvenience grows into nightmarish ordeal as the outwardly harmonious fabric of the community is irreversibly torn apart.

Dead Water is an atmospheric, suspenseful tale of folk horror and isolation within a small island community – perfect for fans of Midnight Mass and The Pine. Available for preorder now.

Cover art is by kid-ethic and design is by Sophie Harris at L,BBG.

the cover for the horror novel DEAD WATER by C. A. Fletcher

 

 

Acquisition Announcement: EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES

We’re thrilled to announce the acquisition of EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES by Heather Fawcett, an utterly charming, cosy fairy tale with a heart-warming romance, set in a gorgeous, wintery Icelandic setting. Full of enchanting magic and mischievous faeries, this is The Ten Thousand Doors of January meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, with the whimsy of The House in the Cerulean Sea.

Nadia Saward acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in a pre-empt from Rachel Clements at Abner Stein. Del Rey hold NA rights.

Photo of the author with light brunette hair, smiling at the camera

Professor Emily Wilde may not know how to make small talk at a dinner party—or be invited to one in the first place—but she’s managed to become one of the world’s most renowned dryadologists, a scholar of the Folk. Authoring the first comprehensive encyclopaedia of fairies will make her career, she needs only to complete the final chapter on the mysterious Hidden Ones who dwell in the arctic country of Ljosland.

But scholarly Emily is a fish out of water when she arrives in the beautiful, hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik. Almost entirely cut off from the outside world, the villagers rely on each other to survive, and Emily manages to offend half the village with her poor social skills. Things are further complicated by the arrival of Professor Wendell Bambleby, Emily’s academic rival, who is working on his own paper on the Hidden Ones. When the charismatic Bambleby offers a partnership, Emily is forced to agree or risk having him take credit for any discoveries—though Emily knows that Wendell is more than he appears, and not to be trusted.

To Emily’s astonishment, she finds herself not only observing the Folk of Ljosland from a scholarly distance, but caught up in their malevolent games. And if she and Wendell are to help the villagers, Emily may need to risk not only her cherished scientific objectivity, but her life.

We can’t wait to charm you with EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES in 2023, but in the meantime please join us in welcoming Heather Fawcett to Orbit! You can find Heather on Twitter @heathermfawcett.

 

 

Acquisition Announcement: SOME DESPERATE GLORY by Emily Tesh

Orbit UK is  delighted to announce the acquisition of  World Fantasy Award-Winning author Emily Tesh’s highly anticipated debut novel, SOME DESPERATE GLORY. A thrillingly told queer space opera full of complex characters and boundless imagination. By turns epic and intimate, it’s coming-of-age story about what empires and systems of war do to the young soldiers in their care. It’s about overcoming indoctrination and who you must become when every choice is stripped from you.

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

Kyr lives in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, training for the day she can avenge the destruction of planet Earth at the hands of the all-powerful, reality-shifting weapon known as the Wisdom. She trusts and even loves Command, but when they assign the wrong missions – her beloved brother Magnus to a useless suicide and her to bear sons until she dies trying – she knows she has to 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.

 

Emily Tesh, a two-time Astounding Award finalist, is the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning Greenhollow Duology. She grew up in London and studied Classics at Trinity College, Cambridge, followed by a Master’s degree in Humanities at the University of Chicago. She now lives in Hertfordshire, where she passes her time teaching Latin and Ancient Greek to schoolchildren who have done nothing to deserve it. She has a husband and a cat. Neither of them knows any Latin yet, but it is not for lack of trying.

We can’t wait to share Some Desperate Glory with you next year! In the meantime, please join us in welcoming Emily to Orbit. You can find her on Instagram and at emilytesh.net.

Acquisition Announcement: THE MONSTERS WE DEFY by Leslye Penelope

Are you ready to discover the magical side of Washington D. C.? Orbit is delighted to announce the acquisition of THE MONSTERS WE DEFY, a riveting historical fantasy novel by Leslye Penelope, author of the Earthsinger Chronicles.

Set in 1925 Washington D. C., The Monsters We Defy follows a woman with the unique ability to communicate with spirits who must assemble a ragtag crew bestowed with magical gifts to pull off a daring heist and save her community from malevolent beings. Blending rich historical details, African American folk magic, and sharp social commentary, Leslye has crafted a caper that is sure to delight fans of Alix E. Harrow, P. Djeli Clark, Leigh Bardugo, and N. K. Jemisin.

I’m sure you’re eager to know more! Here are a few words from Leslye about what inspired her to write this novel:

“Girl Kills Detective,” “Sniping Negress Held for Slaying” — the headlines of the newspaper articles tell their version the story of Clara “Carrie” Minor Johnson, a seventeen-year-old girl from Washington, DC who was arrested during the Red Summer riots of 1919 for killing a policeman. 

That detective had been one of the policemen to burst into Carrie’s bedroom during the middle of the riot. Police claimed there had been a sniper shooting from the roof—neighbors dispute this. Carrie and her father hid under the bed. Shots were fired at the intruders and the police fired back, injuring both father and daughter. They lived; Detective Harry Wilson died. Eighteen bullet holes were left in the door to Carrie’s bedroom.

A jury convicted Carrie of manslaughter, but she was given a new trial after her original judge, on his deathbed, regretted not allowing her to use self-defense. The new district attorney dropped the charges, basically admitting the young woman was in fear for her life and that he would not get another conviction.

She was freed from jail at the age of nineteen and then disappears from history. Six years after Red Summer, in August of 1925, the Ku Klux Klan marched down Pennsylvania Avenue. The climate of oppression and terror for Black Americans had changed little. How might Carrie at twenty-three have viewed her world? What might she have done with her second chance?

I imagine a future for Carrie—this girl who fought back, who shot back, and lived, and ultimately went free. I imagine a life of struggle and agitation, of magic and love, and becoming an agent of change in her community. 

The Monsters We Defy uses Carrie’s history as a springboard for a story weaving Black folk magic, history, and romance into the adventure of a caper. A story not of Black pain, but Black survival and the pursuit of joy.

…

THE MONSTERS WE DEFY publishes Summer 2022. In the meantime, please join us in welcoming Leslye to Orbit! You can find her at https://lpenelope.com/ and on Twitter at @leslyepenelope.

Orbit US senior editor Nivia Evans acquired World English rights from Sara Megibow at kt literary.

 

Acquisition Announcement: THE STARDUST THIEF by Chelsea Abdullah

Get ready for the biggest fantasy debut of the year! Orbit is thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired World English rights to a stunning, Arab-inspired epic fantasy: Chelsea Abdullah’s The Stardust Thief.

Set in a world filled with dangerous jinn, magical artifacts, and shifting dunes, The Stardust Thief tells the story of a legendary smuggler and a cowardly prince who are forced to quest out across the desert in search of the long-lost city of the jinn and a magical lamp. Weaving together tales from One Thousand and One Nights, American-Kuwaiti author, Chelsea Abdullah has crafted an enchanting novel that feels both familiar and entirely new. Perfect for readers of The City of Brass and The Bone Shard Daughter (US | UK), this epic quest will captivate and enthrall you, sweeping you away into a land where the line between stories and reality blur, and where magic lurks in the most unexpected places.

…

Neither here nor there, but long ago…

Loulie al-Nazari is the Midnight Merchant: a criminal who, with the help of her jinn bodyguard, hunts and sells illegal magic. When she saves the life of a cowardly prince, she draws the attention of his powerful father, the sultan, who blackmails her into finding an ancient lamp that has the power to revive the barren land.

With no choice but to obey or be executed, Loulie journeys with the sultan’s oldest son to find the artifact. Aided by her bodyguard, who has secrets of his own, they must survive ghoul attacks, outwit a vengeful jinn queen, and confront a malicious killer from Loulie’s past. And, in a world where story is reality and illusion is truth, Loulie will discover that everything—her enemy, her magic, even her own past—is not what it seems.

…

We can’t wait to share The Stardust Thief with you next year! And, in the meantime, please join us in welcoming Chelsea to Orbit. You can find her on Twitter @chelsabdullah and at https://www.chelseaabdullah.com/

Orbit US senior editor Brit Hvide acquired World English rights from Jennifer Azantian at Azantian Literary Agency. Orbit UK editor Emily Byron has secured UK rights.

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