Archive for New Titles

Cover Launch: ADRIFT by Rob Boffard

Lost in the depths of space . . . No contact with civilisation . . . no way home . . . what would you do?

We’re very proud to present the cover for a gripping new science fiction novel we have coming in June 2018:

Adrift - a science fiction adventure novel by Rob Boffard

Rob Boffard’s ADRIFT is a tale of survival against all odds in the depths of space.

We just love the premise of this: An unsuspecting group of space tourists have their short pleasure trip turn into a nightmare – when they find themselves the only survivors of a devastating attack, drifting in space, with no way home and a terrorist ship on their tail . . .

This is pulse-pounding stuff, and it’s already getting some brilliant reactions from a whole host of science fiction authors:

‘AN EDGE-OF-THE-SEAT EPIC OF SURVIVAL AND ADVENTURE IN DEEP SPACE’ Gareth L. Powell, the BSFA award-winning author of Embers of War

‘A UNIQUE MIX OF THRILLER, SPACE ADVENTURE AND CONSPIRACY NOVEL – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED’ Jamie Sawyer, author of the Lazarus War novels

‘ADRIFT IS RICH IN DEEP CHARACTER-DRIVEN DRAMA, BUILT ON A HIGHLY SUSPENSEFUL PREMISE‘ D. Nolan Clark, author of Forsaken Skies

Sounds pretty cool, huh? Believe us – IT IS.

ADRIFT is perfect for fans of Alastair Reynold’s Revenger, John Scalzi’s The Collapsing Empire, Becky Chamber’s The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and Adrian Tchaikovksy’ Children of Time.

Read on for the blurb below, and look out for ADRIFT in a galaxy near you in June 2018.

In the far reaches of space, a tour group embarks on what will be the trip of a lifetime – in more ways than one . . .

At Sigma Station, a remote mining facility and luxury hotel in deep space, a group of tourists boards a small vessel to take in the stunning views of the Horsehead Nebula.

But while they’re out there, a mysterious ship with devastating advanced technology attacks the station. Their pilot’s quick thinking means that the tourists escape with their lives – but as the dust settles, they realise they may be the only survivors . . .

Adrift in outer space on a vastly under-equipped ship, they’ve got no experience, no weapons, no contact with civilisation. They are way out of their depth, and if they can’t figure out how to work together, they’re never getting home alive.

Because the ship that destroyed the station is still out there. And it’s looking for them…

Winner of Africa’s First Speculative Fiction Award Announced alongside Orbit Publishing Deal

Tade Thompson, author of ROSEWATER (photo credit David Thompson)Please join us in welcoming Tade Thompson to the Orbit family! The news is out – we will be publishing his Rosewater trilogy next year.

Tade’s also just had another VERY exciting bit of news to announce, as Rosewater was awarded Best Novel today at the inaugural Nommo Awards. These are the first awards ever given for African speculative fiction or science fiction – a landmark moment for the genre and for Tade!

The winners were announced as part of the Ake Arts and Book Festival in Abeokuta, Nigeria, and also included Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti winning Best Novella and a tie between Lesley Nneka Arimah and Tendai Huchu for Best Short Story. The awards were set up by the African Speculative Fiction Society.

While Rosewater was originally published by indie press Apex Book Company agent Alexander Cochran (C+W Agency ) sold world rights in this and two more novels in the trilogy to Orbit last month. The trilogy will chronicle the effects and aftereffects of a biological catastrophe first on an individual, then on a community and finally the world.

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless – people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumoured healing powers.
Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn’t care to again – but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realisation about a horrifying future.

Tade Thompson is the author of Rosewater, a John W. Campbell Award finalist and Best Novel winner for the inaugural 2017 NOMMO Awards for African speculative fiction. His novella The Murders of Molly Southbourne has recently been optioned for screen adaptation. He also writes short stories, notably ‘The Apologists’ which was nominated for a British Science Fiction Association award. Born in London to Yoruba parents, he lives and works on the south coast of England where he battles an addiction to books.

Cover launch: 84K by Claire North

This is a very exciting time for Claire North.

She’s just won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for The Sudden Appearance of Hope  (US|UK|ANZ). She’s been shortlisted for the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award for The End of the Day (UK|US|ANZ).

And now we’re thrilled to present the cover for her new novel 84K, coming next year.

84K by Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

84K is remarkable, innovative, gripping and utterly thought-provoking.

It’s a startling vision of a world where nothing is so precious it can’t be bought . . . and where our lives are defined only by numbers.

Theo Miller knows the value of human life – to the very last penny. 

Working in the Criminal Audit Office, he assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.

But when his ex-lover is killed, it’s different. This is one death he can’t let become merely an entry on a balance sheet. 

Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don’t add up.

This is a book which will resonate with readers around the world, and it will confirm Claire North’s place as one of the most original voices in modern fiction.

84K is coming in May 2018, and is available for pre-order now.

Praise for Claire North’s novels:

‘Poignant and intensely gripping’ Guardian

‘Little short of a masterpiece’ Independent

‘Ambitious, immensely humane and full of philosophical panache’ Sunday Times

‘Well-paced, brilliant and balanced’ New York Times

‘Extraordinary . . . wildly impressive’ Lucy Hughes-Hallett, BBC Radio 4

‘One of the fiction highlights of the decade’ Judy Finnigan, Richard and Judy Book Club

Benedict Jacka Cover Launch: The Bumper Issue

We’re delighted to launch the cover for MARKED, designed by Ceara Elliot and Emily Courdelle! This is the ninth book in Benedict Jacka’s magic-filled Alex Verus series, publishing in July next year.

MARKED sees probability mage Alex Verus tracking down dangerous magical items unleashed into the world by dark mages. When the Light Council decide they need his help in negotiating with the perpetrators, Alex must use all his cunning and magic to strike a deal…

MARKED continues the bold, colourful new look for the series that we established with BURNED and BOUND. Now – at Alex’s request (and who are we to deny a probability mage’s predictions?) – we’ve given the first six books brand new designs to match. If you think these new covers are vivid and irresistibly eye-catching, well . . . Alex Verus knew you would!

These fabulous new designs – also courtesy of Ceara Elliot and Emily Courdelle – will be appearing in bookstores throughout 2018.

(more…)

Cover Launch: THE LIGHT OF ALL THAT FALLS by James Islington

Hot on the heels of AN ECHO OF THINGS TO COME [UK/US/ANZ], the bestselling second novel in James Islington’s Licanius trilogy which published last month, we’re delighted to reveal the cover for the final volume – THE LIGHT OF ALL THAT FALLS.

Illustration by Dominick Saponaro, cover design by Lauren Panepinto

We’ll be publishing THE LIGHT OF ALL THAT FALLS in 2018, so if you haven’t yet plunged headlong into this remarkable adventure of powerful magic, ancient secrets and memorable characters, there’s still plenty of time for you to get up to speed!

Praise for James Islington’s Licanius trilogy:

‘Action-packed epic fantasy’ Bookbag

‘A storytelling assurance rare for a debut . . . Fans of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson will find much to admire’ Guardian 

‘A traditional saving-the-world epic fantasy [with] the flavour of something new . . . You’ll be left wanting more’ SFX

‘Numerous surprises . . . action aplenty’ SCIFINOW

‘Will appeal not only to Wheel of Time readers, but to anybody looking for a coming-of-age fantasy tale with likeable characters and strong worldbuilding’ Fantasy Faction

‘Like the Wheel of Time? This is about to become your new favourite series’ Barnes & Noble SF & Fantasy Blog 

 

SUCCESSOR’S PROMISE: A message from Trudi Canavan

Succesors Promise, book 3 of Millennium's Rule by Trudi Canavan

SUCCESSOR’S PROMISE (UK|US|ANZ), the third instalment in Trudi Canavan’s Sunday Times bestselling Millennium’s Rule series is out now.

Following THIEF’S MAGIC (UK|US|ANZ) and ANGEL OF STORMS (UK|US|ANZ), this dramatic fantasy novel is set in a time of chaos – where worlds are at war, torn apart by magic and power-hungry sorcerers.

For us and legions of fantasy fans around the world, the release of this new book is a very exciting event!

Trudi filmed the video below to tell readers just what they can expect from this series and SUCCESSOR’S PROMISE – and to send a big thank you to her fans all around the world for everything they do to support her books!

Cover launch: OUTER EARTH by Rob Boffard

Welcome to Outer Earth: a vivid, dangerous world where every day is a desperate struggle for survival . . . 

. . . and one wrong move could spell the end for humanity.


OUTER EARTH - a science fiction adventure from Rob Boffard

We’re very proud to present  the cover for OUTER EARTH (UK | US | ANZ), a thrilling science fiction adventure from Rob Boffard.

Outer Earth is a huge space station orbiting the ruins of our planet. Dirty, overcrowded and inescapable, it’s humanity’s last refuge . . . and possibly its final resting place. There are dark forces at work on the station who are seeking to unleash chaos. And if they succeed, there will be nowhere left to run.

This new edition of the OUTER EARTH series contains three adrenaline-fuelled novels: Tracer, Zero-G and Impact. It’s the kind of gripping story which will get a whole range of SF and space opera readers hooked, and it’s already received some very impressive praise:

‘Fast, exhilarating and unforgettable, and once you start it you can’t stop’ Sarah Lotz, author of The Three

‘Sets a new standard for all-action SF’ Ken MacLeod

‘Relentlessly fast pace . . . Vivid action scenes’ SFX

‘Exhilarating and guaranteed to keep you hooked until the very last page’ Glamour

‘If you’re after a fast-paced, action-packed, cinematic space adventure, then [this] is absolutely for you’ Civilian Reader

OUTER EARTH (UK | US | ANZ) will be entering our orbit in February 2018.

And in the meantime, we also have some very exciting news about Rob Boffard: I’m delighted to say we’ve acquired three new books from him!  The first book will be called ADRIFT and will be releasing in June 2018.

Set in the far reaches of space, ADRIFT is about a group of tourists who board a small vessel for a trip around Sigma Station – a remote space mining facility and luxury hotel. But when a mysterious ship attacks the station with devastating consequences, the tourists end up stranded in the depths of space, out of contact with civilisation and with no way home . . .

This is such a dramatic, original SF adventure and we can’t wait to tell you more . . . Stay tuned for details!

Cover launch: A PLAGUE OF GIANTS by Kevin Hearne

This October, an invasion is coming.

From the east will come the Bone Giants. And from the south, the fire-wielding Hathrim . . .

A Plague of Giants, a new epic fantasy from Kevin Hearne, author of the Iron Druid Chronicles

Check out our UK cover for A PLAGUE OF GIANTS (UK| ANZ), a colossal new epic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling Kevin Hearne.

You can expect truly great things from this fantasy adventure. Think shape-shifting bards, astonishing beasts and monstrous giants . . .

Kevin is an exceptional storyteller. If you’ve read his bestselling Iron Druid Chronicles, you’ll already know what an original, absorbing and exciting writer he is.

But this entirely new world called the Seven Kennings feels so fresh and is on such an epic scale, fans old and new are about to be wowed.

Readers of Anthony Ryan, Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle and Markus Heitz’s Dwarves series: you might just have found your new favourite author here.

But don’t just take my word for it – listen to these guys:

‘This isn’t just a breath of fresh air for the genre, it’s a damned hurricane’
Jason M. Hough, New York Times bestselling author

‘Absorbing epic fantasy, with clever storytelling that allows its many threads to each feel important, personal, and memorable’ James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost

‘Human-facing, optimistic, a much-needed reimagining of what epic fantasy can be’ Chuck Wendig

‘A rare masterpiece that’s both current and timeless . . . merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who’ll break your heart’
Delilah S. Dawson

A PLAGUE OF GIANTS (UK| ANZ) is available for pre-order now.

Cover Launch: BLACKFISH CITY by Sam J. Miller

We’re thrilled to reveal the cover for BLACKFISH CITY by Sam J. Miller, courtesy of Little, Brown’s very own designer, Ellen Rockell. Feast your eyes on this beauty:

Blackfish City

 

Publishing in April 2018, BLACKFISH CITY is a mesmerising, fearlessly imagined novel from an exciting new voice in science fiction.

After the climate wars, a floating city was constructed in the Arctic Circle. Once a remarkable feat of mechanical and social engineering, it has started to crumble under the weight of its own decay – crime and corruption have set in, a terrible new disease is coursing untreated through the population, and the contradictions of incredible wealth alongside deepest poverty are spawning unrest.

Into this turmoil comes a strange new visitor – a woman accompanied by an orca and a chained polar bear. She disappears into the crowds looking for someone she lost thirty years ago, followed by whispers of a vanished people who could bond with animals. Her arrival draws together four people and sparks a chain of events that will lead to unprecedented acts of resistance.

‘Blackfish City is an exhilarating tour of a post-catastrophe future that’s both fantastical and eerily convincing . . . A saltwater-splashed refuge for misfits and cutthroats, teeming with mystery and intrigue, Blackfish City is a place you might never want to live in – but as a reader, you won’t want to leave’
Adam Sternbergh, author of The Blinds

‘Miller gives us an incisive and beautifully written story of love, revenge, and the power (and failure) of family in a scarily plausible future. Blackfish City simmers with menace and heartache, suspense and wonder.’
Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Clarke Awards

 

Sam J. Miller is a writer and a community organizer. His debut novel The Art of Starving, was called ‘Funny, haunting, beautiful, relentless and powerful . . . a classic in the making’ by Book Riot, and received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly. His stories have been nominated for the Nebula, World Fantasy and Theodore Sturgeon Awards and have appeared in over a dozen ‘year’s best’ anthologies. He’s a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Workshop, and a winner of the Shirley Jackson Award. He lives in New York City.

SOUL OF THE WORLD by David Mealing is available now!

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“An impressive fantasy debut by Mealing with three main compelling characters
and a unique magic system sure to capture a fantasy reader’s attention.”
— RT Book Reviews

“Strong characters and rich worldbuilding.”
— Publishers Weekly

“A story of magic, ambition, greed, betrayal, and war.”
— Booklist

David Mealing’s SOUL OF THE WORLD released this week in print, digital, and audio formats. If you love rich world-building, complex magic systems, and high-stakes battles you’re going to love SOUL OF THE WORLD and the Ascension Cycle. Read the first chapter now, or start your journey by checking out the map of the Sarresant colonies illustrated by Tim Paul.


The Saressant Colonies - David MealingClick to Enlarge New Sarresant - David MealingClick to Enlarge