Solaris Books is an
imprint which focuses on publishing science fiction, fantasy and
dark fantasy novels and
anthologies. The range includes titles by both established and new authors. The range is owned by
Rebellion Developments and distributed to the UK and US booktrade via local divisions of
Simon & Schuster.
History
Solaris Books was founded in February 2007 by
BL Publishing, to trade alongside their existing licence-based imprint the
Black Library, and the then-existing
Black Flame imprint. When asked why BLP had started the new imprint, Consulting Editor
George Mann stated that "...between... the major corporate publishers... and... the small and independent press... there seems to be little or no room left for the midlist,"[1] and that Solaris would provide a mass-market platform for up-and-coming writers, or established writers with smaller readerships.
In September 2009, it was announced that Solaris Books had been bought by
Rebellion Developments, who also publish comics and graphic novels under 2000 AD imprint and genre fiction under the
Abaddon Books imprint, for an undisclosed sum.[2] The imprint came under the leadership of Abaddon editor
Jonathan Oliver, who ran both imprints side by side as Editor-in-Chief, along with editors David Moore and Jenni Hill.[3]
As of August 2023, Solaris had published over 300 titles,[4] including anthologies and new editions of out-of-print titles.
Alastair Reynolds' story "The Fixation", from The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction: Volume Three, won the 2009
Sidewise Award for Alternate History (Short Form).[5]
Mary Rosenblum's story "Sacrifice", from Sideways in Crime, won the 2008
Sidewise Award for Alternate History (Short Form).[11]Tobias Buckell's story "The People's Machine", and
Kristine Kathryn Rusch's story "G-Men", both from Sideways in Crime, were nominated in the same category.
Paul Cornell's story "One of Our Bastards is Missing", from The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction: Volume Three, was nominated for the 2010
Hugo Award for
Best Novelette.[12]