Elite: Dangerous authors announced for tie-in novels
Frontier Developments and Gollancz, part of the Orion Publishing Company, have announced the authors who will pen three tie-in novels set in the world of Elite: Dangerous.
Gollancz paid over £13,000 to secure publishing rights on the three tie-ins, and editor Marcus Gipps has selected the authors, who will "ensure continuity and reflect the evolving game world" of the Elite universe.
Here's a list of the novels, along with descriptions of each:
Elite: Wanted by Gavin Deas: A space epic told from two points of view – the hunted, and the hunter. When a routine bit of piracy goes wrong, the crew of the Song of Stone realise that there's a bounty hunter on their tail. One who might, finally, be able to outclass them. The Dragon Queen is feared across space, and for good reason. But even the bounty hunter doesn't realise what she's been hired to do. Or what is in the container she's been sent to retrieve. And she's not the only hunter in the game.
Elite: Nemorensis by Simon Spurrier: Tells the story of star-crossed lovers who steal a spaceship and go on the run, attacking at random and reveling in the fame and glory their violence brings them. Celebrated by the jaded youth of the Federation and urged on to ever more flashy acts of destruction, they know it won't be long before they are caught and killed. But someone is following the couple. Someone who knows why they are so obsessed with each other. Who knows where they are heading. Who knows why. Someone who knows more about them than they do themselves. And has another plan for their deaths.
Elite: Docking is Difficult by Gideon Defoe: Explores what life in the future is really like. On what might be the worst planet in the universe, a young man dreams of the stars. Adventure! Lasers! Women! And the ultimate goal - to become Elite! Unfortunately, Misha has to do his chores first. And learn how to talk to Phoebe, the beautiful customs officer. And leave the planet. But the death of a famous author unexpectedly drags Misha and Phoebe into a system-wide conspiracy, complete with smuggling, international art thieves, multi-system corporations, canapés and exploding pigs. This is Misha's chance to prove he has what it takes! After all, surely anyone can be Elite if they dream.
The books will be available worldwide in both ebook and hardback, at present only, the ebooks are available for pre-order, but at present only through Amazon US and UK and Apple UK. Other ebook retailers will put the books up over the next few days, and the hardback editions should also go live everywhere shortly.
Elite:Reclamation, the Kickstarted novel from writer Drew Wagar, received editorial and Frontier approval at the end of January, and as of the end of February, the promotional material was being prepared. The book is set to release during 2014 at some point.