Orion Books is launching its first ever podcast later this week to promote Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. Wolf Brother, the first in the three-book series, will be broadcast over 13 weeks from this Thursday (7th June) on Guardian Unlimited and iTunes.

The audio is read by Ian McKellen. The podcast's launch coincides with the publication of the paperback of the third title in Paver's series, Soul Eater, on 7th June. The conclusion will coincide with publication of the hardback of Outcast--the fourth title in the series--on 6th September. The Guardian will drive traffic to the podcast from its website via banners and printed advertising, and Audible is offering a bundle offer on the series downloads for the duration.

Orion will also promote the podcast from its website. Each podcast will be topped and tailed with a recorded message promoting the official series website www.torak.info. "We are lucky to have such an amazing product with which to entice new readers to the series at this stage in its life and see the podcast as the perfect way to do so," said senior marketing manager Claire Brett. "The 13 week lifecycle of the podcast will take us up to publication of the hardback of the next in the series, Outcast, thus creating the perfect platform for the launch."

Redhammer manages and represents Michelle Paver, was instrumental in securing Ian McKellen to read the audiobooks, runs the official worldwide reader fan site (www.torak.info). Redhammer’s Peter Cox hosts and produces the Litopia Writers’ Colony podcast.