Posts Tagged ‘Promise of Blood’

New Short Fiction for the New Year!

Happy New Years everyone! We hope 2015 is already off to a smashing start for each and every one of you. To kick off another great year of publishing, let us tell you about two brand new novellas that are available now in the US and UK! If you made a resolution to read more this year, there is no time like the present to get started!

FireWater_JayeWellsFIRE WATER by Jaye Wells

Rookie cop Kate Prospero only has one more training assignment to pass before she’s officially sworn in to Babylon Police Department. But the veteran cop in charge of the river patrol boat is a salty old guy isn’t happy about playing tour guide to a rookie and seems even less interested in real police work. But while on patrol, they stumble on to what appears to be a floating dirty magic lab. This highly combustible situation might finally be the key to these two unlikely partners finding common ground.

For more adventures of Kate Prospero, check out DIRTY MAGIC (US | UK | AUS).

ReturnToHonorRETURN TO HONOR by Brian McClellan

Captain Vlora is a powder mage in the Adran army. Once the favored, adopted daughter of the field marshal, she is now a pariah amongst those she called her family. Her superior officers would like nothing more than to send her to a far off posting and forget about her, but no one is exempt when there is a war – and powder mages are desperately needed.

When a traitorous guard captain goes on the run with information that could harm the war effort, Vlora is sent on his trail. She has three days to find him; she will have to make new friends and test the limits of her skills. Fail, and good soldiers will die. Succeed and maybe, just maybe, she can begin to work her way back into the field marshal’s good graces.

A new story set in the world of the Powder Mage trilogy, the most acclaimed and action-packed new epic fantasy series in recent years. RETURN TO HONOR takes place directly following the events of book one, PROMISE OF BLOOD (US | UK | AUS).

Five Side Characters I Loved Writing In The Crimson Campaign

THE CRIMSON CAMPAIGN (US | UK | AUS), Book 2 of the Powder Mage Trilogy, releases today! In The Crimson Campaign, all your favorite characters are back (plus a few new faces!), and there will be bloody times ahead for everyone.

If you’re new to the series, check out the beginning of  PROMISE OF BLOOD (US | UK | AUS)—available now in ebook, audio, and tradepaperback formats!

Below, Brian McClellan names his five favorite side characters. We’d love to hear who your favorites are in the comments!

Side characters are often the most fun for me to write. I can give them little quirks and write them with more freedom than point-of-view characters. Their lives are more “off-screen” than those of our heroes, and that can make them more mysterious and interesting to both myself and the reader. Here are five of my favorite side characters from Promise of Blood and The Crimson Campaign.

Be warned, there will be minor spoilers from Promise of Blood!

Ka-poel

A red-headed, freckled “savage” from the distant country of Fatrasta, very little of Ka-poel’s history is known. She uses a sorcery outside the recognized schools of magic in the Nine Nations, and the mystery of her motives and powers are compounded because she was born a mute. She only communicates through hand gestures and facial expressions.

This last bit has proved a challenge to write. It limits what I can do to build her character and has forced me to, quite literally, “show” instead of “tell.” But I love how mysterious her character is and she has turned out to be delightful to write. Ka-poel is an example of a side character who develops into an integral part of the story during the writing process.

Olem

Olem and Field Marshal Tamas meet at the beginning of Promise of Blood, when the field marshal is in need of a new bodyguard. They develop an immediate mutual respect for each other, and Olem’s skills as a soldier and his Knack–the ability to go without sleep–make him a natural choice for a bodyguard.

Field Marshal Tamas tends to take himself very seriously. Maybe too seriously. Lucky for us, Olem is there to watch his back and remind him, often in a rather sardonic manner, that there is more to life than pride and duty. Olem is deeply loyal, and while he often stretches the bounds of what would normally be appropriate to say to a field marshal, Tamas tolerates his familiarity for the sake of their friendship.

In The Crimson Campaign, however, we’ll discover that even Olem can go too far with Field Marshal Tamas.

Vlora

The ex-fiancée of Taniel Two-shot, Vlora is in the awkward position working alongside Taniel’s father. In original drafts of Promise of Blood, she had a lot more screen time that wound up getting cut along the way and it was fun to explore her character in more depth in The Crimson Campaign.

Vlora resonates with readers because she is complicated and conflicted, her most important relationships destroyed by a single mistake just before the start of Promise of Blood. Next to Taniel and Tamas, she is one of the most gifted Powder Mages in the world. In The Crimson Campaign, we get to discover her side of the story and see her in action. (more…)

2013 Goodread Choice Awards: Final Round

The final round of voting for the 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards is here at last! Below are your nominees from Orbit!

FantasyVOTE NOW!
A MEMORY OF LIGHT by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (UK | AUS)
A MEMORY OF LIGHT 

Paranormal FantasyVOTE NOW!
COLD DAYS by Jim Butcher (UK | AUS)
FROST BURNED by Patricia Briggs (UK | AUS)
HUNTED by Kevin Hearne (UK | AUS)

COLD DAYS FROST BURNED Hunted

Science FictionVOTE NOW!
EARTH AFIRE by Orson Scott Card & Aaron Johnson (UK | AUS)
ABADDON’S GATE by James S.A Corey (US | UK | AUS)
EARTH AFIRE Abaddon's Gate

HorrorVOTE NOW!
PARASITE by Mira Grant – Parasite (US | UK | AUS)
Grant_Parasite-HC

Debut Goodreads Author – VOTE NOW!
PROMISE OF BLOOD by Brian McClellan (US | UK | AUS)

PROMISE OF BLOOD

Graphic Novels & Comics – VOTE NOW!
THE INFERNAL DEVICES: CLOCKWORK PRINCE story by Cassandra Clare, art by Hyekyung Baek (UK | AUS)

Infernal Devices

This last round of voting closes on November 25th so don’t forget to cast your vote before then.

Goodreads Readers Choice Awards: Semifinal Rounds

The second round of voting for the 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards is officially open! Thanks to you, ANCILLARY JUSTICE, AMERICAN ELSEWHERE, and THE INFERNAL DEVICES: CLOCKWORK PRINCE have been added to the list of nominees via write-in decision. Below are the Orbit books up for a Readers Choice Award.

FantasyVOTE NOW!
A MEMORY OF LIGHT by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (UK | AUS)
THE CROWN TOWER by Michael J Sullivan (US | UK | AUS)
PROMISE OF BLOOD by Brian McClellan (US | UK | AUS)

A MEMORY OF LIGHT crown-tower-highRez PROMISE OF BLOOD

Paranormal FantasyVOTE NOW!
COLD DAYS by Jim Butcher (UK | AUS)
FROST BURNED by Patricia Briggs (UK | AUS)
HUNTED by Kevin Hearne (UK | AUS)

COLD DAYS FROST BURNED Hunted

Science FictionVOTE NOW!
EARTH AFIRE by Orson Scott Card & Aaron Johnson (UK | AUS)
ABADDON’S GATE by James S.A Corey (US | UK | AUS)
ANCILLARY JUSTICE by Ann Leckie (US | UK | AUS)

EARTH AFIRE Abaddon's Gate Leckie_AncillaryJustice_TP

HorrorVOTE NOW!
PARASITE by Mira Grant – Parasite (US | UK | AUS)
THE REMAINING: FRACTURED by DJ Molles (US | UK)
AMERICAN ELSEWHERE by Robert Jackson Bennett (US | UK | AUS)

Grant_Parasite-HC Molles_TheRemainingFractured-TP.jpg Bennet_AmericanElsewhere_TP

Debut Goodreads Author – VOTE NOW!
PROMISE OF BLOOD by Brian McClellan (US | UK | AUS)

PROMISE OF BLOOD

Graphic Novels & Comics – VOTE NOW!
THE INFERNAL DEVICES: CLOCKWORK PRINCE story by Cassandra Clare, art by Hyekyung Baek (UK | AUS)

Infernal Devices

The second round of voting closes on November 16th so don’t forget to cast your vote before then.

Goodreads Readers Choice Awards: Opening Rounds

The first round of voting for the 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards is officially open! Below are the Orbit books we’re thrilled to see still on the list.

FantasyVOTE NOW!
A MEMORY OF LIGHT by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (UK | AUS)
THE CROWN TOWER by Michael J Sullivan (US | UK | AUS)
PROMISE OF BLOOD by Brian McClellan (US | UK | AUS)

A MEMORY OF LIGHT crown-tower-highRez PROMISE OF BLOOD

Paranormal FantasyVOTE NOW!
COLD DAYS by Jim Butcher (UK | AUS)
FROST BURNED by Patricia Briggs (UK | AUS)
HUNTED by Kevin Hearne (UK | AUS)

COLD DAYS   FROST BURNED   Hunted

Science FictionVOTE NOW!
EARTH AFIRE by Orson Scott Card & Aaron Johnson (UK | AUS)
ABADDON’S GATE by James S.A Corey (US | UK | AUS)

EARTH AFIRE   Abaddon's Gate

HorrorVOTE NOW!
PARASITE by Mira Grant – Parasite (US | UK | AUS)
THE REMAINING: FRACTURED by DJ Molles  (US | UK)

Grant_Parasite-HC   Molles_TheRemainingFractured-TP.jpg

Debut Goodreads Author
PROMISE OF BLOOD by Brian McClellan (US | UK | AUS)

PROMISE OF BLOOD

The first round of voting closes on November 9th so don’t forget to cast your vote before then. This is also your only chance to write-in titles for the various categories. Let your voice be heard!

Great Generals from History

McClellan_PromiseofBlood-TPThe legends of King Arthur sparked my imagination as a young boy. The majesty of his court, the magic, the intrigue, politics, civil war, and immense battles. It was all so interesting and incredible, and I was a very disappointed ten year old when I learned that he wasn’t, in fact, real. As I grew older, I came to learn about historical figures that were just as fascinating as King Arthur, and far more real.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar had a tumultuous life. He was an orator, a politician, and a military man. He survived political purges, being captured by pirates, and was at one point a high priest of Jupiter. He conquered Gaul and invaded Britain. Plutarch claimed that Caesar’s armies killed a million men and enslaved that many again during that campaign—though the number is likely propaganda.

He ignited a civil war in Rome, eventually emerging victorious, and went on to implement much-needed reforms with the goal of strengthening Rome’s central government and reducing corruption. He instituted the new Julian Calendar, which was the basis for the calendar we still use today.

Arthur Wellesley

Arthur Wellesley entered the British army as an ensign at the age of eighteen. Twenty-six years later he was a field marshal and was soon after granted a dukedom, becoming the 1st Duke of Wellington. He fought in wars all around the world, and served as a Prime Minister in Great Britain, earning the nickname of the “Iron Duke” for his political resolve.

He was Napoleon Bonaparte’s greatest enemy in the Peninsular Campaign and led the troops that defeated Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo.

Napoleon Bonaparte

It says interesting things about a man that he could have lost not one but two wars hundreds of years ago and still be known as one of the greatest military commanders of all time. A Corsican, he rose through the ranks of the French army and eventually staged a coup, installing himself as the First Consul and later emperor of France. He was known for his military prowess and often defeated numerically superior armies.

He initiated civil reforms that included advancement by merit and religious freedom, as well as laws written and accessible to the average man—reforms that stayed in place after his ultimate defeat. He had a keen mind for politics and popularity that pandered to the people rather than the established aristocracy.

Most of us live our lives knowing that we won’t have much influence on the grand scheme of things. That’s normal. With so many billions of people on this planet, how could we? Yet there are some people who change everything. These are the movers and the shakers, the great generals and statesmen. Looking back on some of these men and seeing their imprint on history one might believe they were forces of nature.

Field Marshal Tamas, the protagonist of PROMISE OF BLOOD, came about because I wanted to write someone like that. He’s a flawed man who does bad things for good reasons—and he does them on a monumental scale. In most stories, he would be the villain. Tamas is not the villain of this story, but he’s no saint. He doesn’t pretend to be. There’s enough blood on his hands to drown a city and there’ll be more before he’s done.

There is a little bit of each of those three men in Tamas. Like Caesar, he’s loved by his troops and by the people. Like Wellesley, he is a hard-headed man known for his resolve. Like Napoleon, he staged a coup, and both his friends and enemies respect his military prowess. As with all three of them, he shapes the world around him.

Join Brian on reddit/r/fantasy tomorrow for a Q&A or read the first four chapters from PROMISE OF BLOOD (US | UK | AUShere or on Facebook

The Age of Kings is dead, but The Powder Mage Trilogy has just begun!

PROMISE OF BLOOD (US | UK | AUS) is out today in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats. This is the first book of an exciting epic fantasy trilogy by debut author, Brian McClellan. In the video below, Orbit editor Devi Pillai is going to tell you about what’s so great about The Powder Mage Trilogy and why we can’t wait for you to get your hands on it, dear readers. Enjoy!

More Stories: 

Promise of Blood: Book One of t=The Powder Mage TrilogyRead the first four chapters from PROMISE OF BLOOD
Become a fan of The Powder Mage Trilogy on Facebook
Request a signed book plate from Brian McClellan (while supplies last)
The Difficulty of Names
Listen to an audio excerpt from PROMISE OF BLOOD
Researching Realty for a Fantasy World
Download a wallpaper for your computer and favorite electronic devices
Goodreads interviews Brian McClellan
Check out the cover of book 2: THE CRIMSON CAMPAIGN
Learning to Write from Brandon Sanderson
Mark your calendars: on April 23rd Brian will be on reddit/r/fantasy answering your questions.

 

Wallpaper: PROMISE OF BLOOD by Brian McClellan

promise-of-blood-wallpaper-mockup
PROMISE OF BLOOD (US | UK | AUS) the debut epic fantasy novel by Brian McClellan will be out in only one more week! We’re thrilled by the response we’ve received for this new series launch, and one thing that keeps coming up is how much you all love the cover. And for good reason! Michael Frost (photo), Gene Mollica (illustration) and Lauren Panepinto (design) knocked it out of the park. Oh and here’s another fun fact: the model for Field Marshal Tamas was stunt double for Pierce Brosnan in the Bond films. How cool is that!?

So here is a set of wallpapers for your computer and electronic devices, and if you haven’t done so already, become a fan of The Powder Mage page on Facebook and read the first four chapters from PROMISE OF BLOOD early.

1024 x 768  | 1280 x 800  | 1440 x 900 |  1680 x 1050 | 1920 x 1200 | iPhone | iPad Facebook

First Looks: Fall 2013 – Winter 2014 US Covers

Winter 2013/Fall 2014

A new season of books is inbound, and it sure looks like it’s going to be an exciting one! Here’s the first crop of covers from the Fall 2013 – Winter 2014 season. We’re still putting the finishing touches on a few more, but you’ll be seeing them soon.

Because the smaller scale doesn’t do any of these fantastic covers justice, click on the images below to see a larger version. So pin, tweet, and comment to your heart’s content and tell us which books are already on your “Must have!” lists!

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