Orbit UK

The Friday Face-Off: Action

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Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme here at Books by Proxy. Join me every Friday as I pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe. Check out Lynn’s-Books for upcoming themes!

The Empire of Ashes by Anthony Ryan

Welcome to the Friday Face-Off where this week we’re comparing book covers that depict action!

Amongst the many action-packed and bloody covers that grace the fantasy genre, I decided that it was about time some awe-inspiring and dynamic dragons featured on Books by Proxy. The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan was one of my favourite reads of 2017 and it just so happens that the series, The Draconis Memoria, has some incredibly beautiful and action-packed covers to choose from – The Empire of Ashes being the third and final instalment of the trilogy.

With Orbit’s cover by Jeffrey Read going head to head with Ace’s cover by Leesha Hannigan, scroll down to see which one is your favourite!

Orbit | Cover #1

Cover Art by Jeffrey Read

Ace | Cover #2

Cover Art by Leesha Hannigan

| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

The Ace cover is a dramatic and beautifully rendered image of two dragons in the midst of a battle. In a swirl of water and wings, the two dragons snap and snarl at one another in this action-packed composition. Despite Leesha Hannigan’s beautiful illustration, I feel this cover is let down by the blocky typeface and the flames that eat away at the page. This artwork, like the Orbit cover, deserves a clean, full-page spread to truly appreciate it.

The Orbit cover on the other hand is, for me, as close to perfection as possible. Jeffrey Read has captured a dramatic and suspenseful scene as two figures throw up a glowing shield as they are wreathed in flames. The dragon is menacing and terrifying, a true vision of a ‘monster’, and the bright colours of magic and flame provide a stark contrast to the dark and smokey backdrop. The typeface is clean and simple and only complements this simply stunning cover.

I highly recommend that you check out Jeffrey Read’s website too, his concept art is truly second to none.

Cover Art for The Draconis Memoria by Jeffrey Read

Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Next week’s theme is:

Spectacular

  A cover featuring glasses or spectacles

Remember to check Lynn’s Books for upcoming themes

| Links |

Lynn @ Lynn’s Books

Steve @ Books and Beyond Reviews

Mogsy @ The Bibliosanctum

Tammy @ Books, Bones & Buffy

Sarah @ Brainfluff

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Teaser Tuesdays: How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It

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Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays – a weekly feature hosted by The Purple Booker. Expect a new teaser every week!

| Teaser Tuesdays: July 07 |

How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It

Book Two of Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City

by K.J. Parker

Fantasy | 384 Pages | To be published by Orbit on 18th August 2020

“Artavasdus was enjoying the blood. Fair enough; as Saloninus says, the man who’s tired of killing is tired of life, and at least he made no bones, no pun intended, about it.“

~ Act 1, Chapter 15 | 35% | How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It by K.J. Parker

| Synopsis |

This is the story of how the City was saved, by Notker the professional liar, written down because eventually the truth always seeps through.

The City may be under siege, but everyone still has to make a living. Take Notker, the acclaimed playwright, actor and impresario. Nobody works harder, even when he’s not working. Thankfully, it turns out that people appreciate an evening at the theatre even when there are large rocks falling out of the sky.

But Notker is a man of many talents, and all the world is, apparently, a stage. It seems that the Empire needs him – or someone who looks a lot like him – for a role that will call for the performance of a lifetime. At least it will guarantee fame, fortune and immortality. If it doesn’t kill him first.

This is the story of Notker, an occasionally good man and a terrible liar. With razor-sharp prose and ferocious wit, K.J. Parker has created one of fantasy’s greatest heroes, and he might even get away with it.

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

| Join In |

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Please leave a comment with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here!

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Waiting on Wednesday: Successor’s Promise

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Welcome to Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine.

| Waiting on Wednesday: July 05 |

Successor’s Promise

Book Three of the Millennium’s Rule Series

by Trudi Canavan

International No.1 bestselling author Trudi Canavan returns with the third instalment in the Millennium’s Rule series – her most powerful and thrilling adventure yet.

Five years have passed since the Rebels confronted the Raen. Five years, in which the boy Rielle rescued, Qall, has grown up among the Travellers, with no memory of the life that was stolen from him.

Five years of chaos, barely contained by Baluka and the Restorers. Worlds are at war, some overrun by deadly machines, some drained of magic by power-hungry sorcerers.

As Qall comes of age, and Rielle and Tyen’s hard-won peace is threatened, their loyalties are tested – and Qall’s very existence is at stake.

Because Dahli is still determined to restore Valhan to power, and he will stop at nothing to succeed.

Escape to a new world.

Discover the magic of Trudi Canavan.

To be published by Orbit on 21st September 2017

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

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Cover Reveal: Daughter of Blood by Helen Lowe

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Cover Reveal

| Daughter of Blood by Helen Lowe |

Orbit UK has just revealed the full cover – the back, synopsis, spine and everything! – of the third book in Helen Lowe’s The Wall of Night series: Daughter of Blood. I absolutely love the UK covers of The Wall of Night. In fact, I only picked up the first two books, The Heir of Night and The Gathering of the Lost, because they were so pretty! And not only is the Daughter of Blood cover exceedingly pretty with its eerie green colour scheme but based on the first two novels it is sure to be a hit. Take a look at the covers and see what you think!

Daughter of Blood

Book Three of The Wall of Night

by Helen Lowe

Artwork by Silas Manhood

Orbit UK – 26th January 2016

Daughter of Blood by Helen Lowe

| Synopsis |

A falling wall, a broken shield… and an enemy that will exploit every weakness

Malian and Kalan are coming home, but already it may be too late. The Wall of Night, dangerously weakened by civil war among the Derai families that garrison it, is on the verge of failing. Everywhere their ancient enemy, the Darksworn, is on the move as the threads of an old pattern begin to tighten.

In Grayharbor and in the Red Keep, a child and a young woman are caught in conflict’s maw, as whispers gather around Dread Pass and a Darksworn prophecy points to Malian herself being the stake the ancient enemy will drive into the heart of the Derai Alliance.

| UK vs. US |

Orbit UK Edition vs. Harper Voyager Edition

| The Orbit UK Covers |

Artwork by Silas Manhood

| The Harper Voyager Covers |

Artwork by Greg Bridges

What do you think of the cover reveal for Daughter of Blood? Which are your favourite covers – UK or US?

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