Daily Archives: Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Orbit Books launches Short Fiction store

From the press release:

Starting today, we are publishing digital editions of original short stories from some of your favorite authors! The stories will be available at all major ebook retailers – initially in the US, further afield in the very near future.

We’ve got a fantastic launch list of stories including apocalyptic SF from zombie-maven Mira Grant, kick-ass urban fantasy stories from Jaye Wells and Jennifer Rardin, and military SF from newcomer T.C. McCarthy.

And there’s plenty more to come, including Perfect Shadow, an original novella by Brent Weeks, available in June.

We’ll be announcing new stories as they become available, so visit us at orbitshortfiction.com or “like” us on Facebook for updates.

Happy reading!

Since first picking up my eReader last year, I’ve been exposed to the huge, wonderful world of Short Ficiton. It’s incredibly accessible, the perfect venue to find new authors and, often, exactly what I need after finishing the nth doorstopper Epic Fantasy of the year. I’m glad to see Orbit Books getting on board and encouraging their authors to write and publish short fiction.

Unfortunately, the only announced title that I’m interested in (and sure to be their big seller) is Weeks’ “Perfect Shadow”, a novella set in the same world as his Night Angel Trilogy, doesn’t hit for a few more weeks. I’ve not read Weeks’ trilogy, but having enjoyed Black Prism well enough, I figure this novella would be a good way to stick my toe in the waters and see how I like it.

Oddly, though the website has been set up with details about all the stories, one can’t actually purchase the stories directly from Orbit Book and instead must use any of the various major eBook retailers. Too bad. And with places like Tor.com (who I write for, blah blah blah, moneyhats), not to mention all the wonderful eZines (Strange Horizons, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Clarkesworld, Fantasy Magazine, etc…) giving away their short fiction for free, a full pay model seems a little strange.

The stories can be found on the official Orbit Books Short Fiction Store.

Game of Thrones PosterHot on the heels of the show’s first episode, Martin has revealed that HBO has already renewed the show for a second season:

HBO RENEWS GAME OF THRONES FOR SECOND SEASON

LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2011 – Following strong critical and viewer response to the series’ April 17 debut, HBO has renewed GAME OF THRONES for a second season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.

“We are delighted by the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have brought George R.R. Martin’s amazing book series to the screen, and thrilled by the support of the media and our viewers,” said Lombardo. “This is the continuation of an exciting creative partnership.”

The gross audience for the premiere night of GAME OF THRONES on the main HBO channel was 4.2 million viewers.

I’m currently reading A Clash of Kings right now, and I’m scratching my head wondering how the hell they’re going to fit that book (which is much larger in scope, cast and plot than A Game of Thrones into 10 episodes. Perhaps, if Game of Thrones is a success, we’ll see the season expanded somewhat? Personally, I can’t wait to see that scene between Theon and Asha. So awkward in the book and so much potential on the screen. Also, Davos. Yes.

I think the obvious question, however, is when will we see season six and seven. Right? *instant rimshot*

For those who watched the first episode of Season One: what did you think?