Three Book Deal for Claire North

Orbit UK has acquired three more novels from the award-winning author Claire North, with the first scheduled for release, Slow Gods, described as “a spectacular intergalactic tale of conspiracy, war and the fall of empires”.

Meg Davis at the Ki Agency sold world rights to publisher Anna Jackson at Orbit UK. North American rights were acquired by Angelica Chong at Orbit US, who will publish simultaneously alongside Orbit UK, in “a coordinated global release with a major campaign” in September 2025.

Jackson said: “Claire North is widely recognised as one of the most original and innovative voices in modern fiction, and they have turned their hand with ease to many different styles of novel in the past: time travel, fantasy, speculative thrillers, dystopian fiction and, most recently, Greek myth retellings. They have proven that they can master any genre and that there are no limits to their imagination and creativity.

“I was so excited to now see them move into space opera, a genre which suits Claire’s ingenious voice perfectly. Slow Gods is an impeccable novel: a gripping tale about the only pilot in the universe who can traverse deep space without going mad, who becomes embroiled in conspiracy, an intergalactic war and the supernova death of a world. This book will thrill not just Claire’s existing fans but also a whole new generation of space-opera readers.”

Claire North is a pseudonym for Catherine Webb, who wrote several novels in various genres before publishing their first work as Claire North, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (Orbit), in 2014. They have since won the World Fantasy Award and the John W Campbell Memorial Award, and been shortlisted for the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award, the Arthur C Clarke Award and the Philip K Dick Award. North’s most recent novel, The Last Song of Penelope, was released in paperback on 4th February 2025.

North said: “I had loads of fun exploring Ancient Greece for the Songs of Penelope series, but it turns out that three books of needle-sharp family politics make you yearn for some broad horizons, and nothing says broad horizons quite like the infinity of space. The possibilities are, if anything, too big and half the writing process is about eliminating possibilities, cutting things down until you can tell a human-scale story of hope and loss on a galaxy-scale canvas of supernovas and worlds in flame.”

Davis added: “I’m delighted that Claire is signing a new deal with Orbit, who have published all of their books to date. Orbit is a wonderful partner, responding admirably to Claire’s changing interests and subject matter. I’m thrilled, too, that Claire’s readership has now surpassed the one million mark, which demonstrates their multi-layered storytelling and dazzling range of ideas.”

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