ANNOUNCEMENT

GAMES WORKSHOP PUTS SOLARIS BOOKS IMPRINT UP FOR SALE

Games Workshop PLC today announced its intention to make its Solaris Books publishing imprint available for sale.

BL Publishing, the publishing division of Games Workshop, has two imprints, Black Library and Solaris. Its core business is the Black Library, an imprint which publishes fiction set in the dark fantasy worlds of Games Workshop’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 settings. It has seen consistent double
digit like-for-like growth over the last 3 years.

Solaris is an original fiction imprint of BL Publishing and releases around 20 science fiction, fantasy and horror titles a year. Renowned for its back-to-basics approach and innovative marketing, this imprint was started in 2006 and has very quickly become established as a global brand in midlist, mass market fiction.

Both the Black Library and Solaris are distributed in the UK and US by Simon & Schuster.

Games Workshop’s Head of Publishing, George Mann, said in a statement: “In recent years our Black Library imprint has more than doubled in size and scope and we have decided that we should focus all our attention in growing this core part of our business. Whilst we see plenty of growth potential with
Solaris, we are looking for a buyer who is interested in developing this global brand.”

I have heard rumours of a surprising potential buyer.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Prometheus/Pyr swoop in – something of a synchronicity and partnership (Lou Anders editing a Solaris anthology and Solaris publishing MMPB of Edelman’s novels) already exists.

Rob B: this would be interesting, especially if Pyr wanted to put a toe in the UK market as well (Solaris publishes in both).

According to Paul the Monarchies reprints are going ahead whilst the new Macht books are on hold.

The Solaris SF/F imprint has been put up for sale by its owner, Games Workshop. Solaris is publishing Lord of Silence in July, and I’m told that publication will still go ahead, as will every book announced up to early 2010.

Whatever release date you’ve heard for book two is simply untrue. There is no release date because the book isn’t finished yet. I’m working on it right now. Or rather, I would be working on it if I wasn’t writing this blog.

Yeah. It sucks. I wish it was finished too. My life would be really great right now if book two were done.

I’ve been avoiding writing this blog for a while. It’s not fun to write, and it’s not going to be fun for most people to read. The truth is, I’d much rather work on the book.

As you might guess from the title, Best Served Cold is a tale of revenge. Monzcarro Murcatto,The Snake of Talins, Butcher of Caprille is a mercenary. A bloody good one. Her formidable reputation has been forged in the heat of battle leading the Thousand Swords across Styria, her beloved brother at her side, defeating the League of Eight city-by-city and bringing them under the rule of her ruthlessly ambitious employer, Grand Duke Orso, the man who plans to unite all of Styria under his rule.

…

This is deep, dark stuff but it’s a mark of that nice Mr. Abercrombie’s talent that he can wrap such complex themes in the kind of rip-roaring adventure that is so utterly compelling that, from the first page, it is impossible to put down.

…

Best Served Cold is however a standalone novel, still a refreshing change in a genre awash with trilogies, although it does weigh-in at a healthy 644 pages. This is great news for those of you unfamiliar with the world or the characters because you can dive right in and enjoy this tale for what it is without feeling left behind and for fans the authors previous work it’s a thoroughly absorbing way to get your Abercrombie ‘fix’ without having to wait another year to find out what happened next.

Either way you’d be well advised to place your orders now so you’re not disappointed when it finally hits the streets. Me, I’m actually going to read it again. It’s that good.

An ancient weapon has completely destroyed the city of Windwir. From many miles away, Rudolfo, Lord of the Nine Forest Houses, sees the horrifying column of smoke rising. He knows that war is coming to the Named Lands.

Nearer to the Devastation, a young apprentice is the only survivor of the city – he sat waiting for his father outside the walls, and was transformed as he watched everyone he knew die in an instant.

Soon all the Kingdoms of the Named Lands will be at each others’ throats, as alliances are challenged and hidden plots are uncovered.

This remarkable first novel from an award-winning short fiction writer will take readers away to a new world – an Earth so far in the distant future that our time is not even a memory; a world where magick is commonplace and great areas of the planet are impassable wastes. But human nature hasn’t changed through the ages: War and faith and love still move princes and nations.