The Last Dark cover art revealed

[Mega Fauna Blitzkrieg]

Isn't Bhapa one of Hami's cords, who sort of got adopted by Mahrtiir, as he was comparatively younger and destiny filled, not content to just tend the Ranhyn and eager for battle? And thus was the Manethrall selected to leave the herd and go off with Linden.

I think Doan was the old Manethrall who seemed to be like a first among equals thing, when they were all at the Verge of wandering.

Why oh why did I loan away my runes of the smurfs?

[dlbpharmd]

Bhapa was included because he was related to the Cord that was mauled by the Kresh - I think Saha was her name.

[Mega Fauna Blitzkrieg]

Yeah he is, so is Pahni. But they aren't originally Mahrtiir's cords, I think. I really really remember them describing Mahrtiir as 30s. Oi Oi I wish I could check.

Then again, look how tiny Revelstone is on the original Ill-earth war cover. Also how different Caerroil Wildwood looks on the Ill Earth war re-release, compared to the Fatal Revenant re-release cover.

I feel like the covers aren't going through enough tcaf checking, or being rushed, or the artist is doing too much coke, or some other issue.

[dlbpharmd]

You're correct, they were originally Hami's Cords.

[Mega Fauna Blitzkrieg]

Do they describe Mahrtiir's age/physical appearance much when he is first introduced in Runes of the dearth? The suspense is kind of killing me. Maybe I just picked up this whole notion of him being young from his...zealousness?

[Krilly]

Cover art, across all mediums, is notoriously... um... well let's just say the more specific the artist tries to be to the contents the more discrepencies there are. Music seems to have solved this by taking the nonsensical approach. Books still seem to suffer from the same difficulties old 8-bit games used to have. Just look at Mega Man. Heck, there's even a Watch Item called Covenant's Sword & Armor or something (see: Second Chrons artwork)

[Mega Fauna Blitzkrieg]

Cover art, across all mediums, is notoriously... um... well let's just say the more specific the artist tries to be to the contents the more discrepencies there are. Music seems to have solved this by taking the nonsensical approach. Books still seem to suffer from the same difficulties old 8-bit games used to have. Just look at Mega Man. Heck, there's even a Watch Item called Covenant's Sword & Armor or something (see: Second Chrons artwork)

Oh yes I agree! In fact, most people probably assume your avatar is a cute little version of Megaman redone as a Haruchai. But it is of course the cover art from Megaman 3: Gaiden: Megaman gets his groove back. Is it not?

Edit: That all actually sounded a bit too sarcastic, I actually do agree. Am I to take that to mean that I am not alone in thinking Mahrtiir looks too aged on that cover, and we are writing this off as 'cover art will be cover art'?

[peter]

There is a distnctly Christian aspect to the gesture of his right hand - probably unconciosely done but there nevertheless

[IrrationalSanity]

For what it is worth, I'll vote Mahrtiir, as a Forestal, appearing with Young One Tree and the Wraiths of Andelain. Exclusively playing for the next 20 millennia.

I dunno - suddenly I have this vision of the

Spoiler

crippled little robot tending the garden dome as it sails off into deep space at the

end of Silent Running...

edit: spoilered, just in case someone who hasn't seen the movie wants to watch...

[finn]

Has anyone mentioned the stars could be Elohim? Wasn't there some connection between them and stars discussed at one point?

The picture could be a young One Tree if Maahtir were installed as guardian in the past. Alternately, he might be the successor to the Forestal; blindness seems to be a job requirement. Will there be a new collossus to keep Foul and the surviving ravers at bay.... a sand gorgon would be a good candidate.

People can become physical symbols in the Land. I wonder if Linden will become a new staff of law (runes on clothes, previous affinity to the staff/the law and the physician personified to protect the "health" of the Land).... or even a new one tree, Covenant becomes Foul - opposites making a whole, male/female, ying/yang, classic/romantic, order/chaos, law and wild magic.... fulfilling the core theme of paradox.

[Jussi]

UK cover:

[I'm Murrin]

Sky! Called it! (Or close enough.)

Interesting two-tone colouring. The rest were all a flat colour.

[thewormoftheworld'send]

"Something entirely out of the ordinary" was recycled from a book review for the 1st Chrons.

UK cover:

[Sffasia]

Orlion wrote:

TheWormoftheWorld'sEnd wrote:

Guardian of the new One Tree.

Now you're just reaching... we don't even know if the world can be made anew, let alone if another One Tree can be created, would be necessary, or even wanted. Besides, since the Guardian is an Elohim construct, there is no natural reason to even have a new Guardian with a new One Tree... further, there is no need to set it up the same way as with the Old Guardian.

(Jumping in with both feet n headfirst) I havent read any ARCs of Covenant, so complete speculation here, maybe Mahrtiir

Spoiler

becomes Guardian of a New One Tree after the worm destroys the world of the Land,

Spoiler

foul escapes to our earth

and

Spoiler

TC & LA together re-create a new LAND where as the creators they cannot enter it or else they'll destroy the new LAND's arch of time (bonus to me, I hope: this would destroy THOOLAH for all time (our world), so thats a bonus if true. Pls dont anyone whos read TLD tell me if true or not; cant wait for Oct to come soon enough (is it coming out on or near my birthday like "Feast of Crows" {in 2005, i mean}?

My first post outside summonsing, pls forgive any mistakes. Thanx. (also havent re-read 1,2,3Last Chrons or 1&2TCTC in many years, so completely out of my aarse this may be. Really happy that even the cover art has so many clues to Last Chrons (i own n read the overseas export edition of UK Last Chrons, so no clues there altho i love the UK covers of 1,2&3TC).
edit to correct theory.

[Verement]

Love the new cover! As enigmatic as the rest. And it fits with the collection!

[deer of the dawn]

My first thought on seeing this was that it was Covenant. The gaunt face, the grey hair... but then I also thought Mahrtiir; I envision the Ramen as Native-American-ish and the features and the blindness went along with that as well.

I just read through the encounter with Caerroil Wildwood in Fatal Revenant. The US cover art is a good pic but does not quite picture Wildwood for me, either (too Gandalf).

I'm hemming and hawing about purchasing the hardcover or the Kindle. The Kindle would give me instant gratification, but in Nigeria I have the first 3 hardcovers in the Last Chrons and it would be nice to be consistent.

[Savor Dam]

Hardcover, deer. SRD can sign all four next June for you.

[deer of the dawn]

But me and the books will be in Africa then!!

I did pre-order the hardcover. I am comforted (perversely) by the fact that the hc ships 2 days before the Kindle is available. I hated the thought that Watchers would be reading the Kindle and posting all kinds of stuff leaving the rest of us in the dust.

[Savor Dam]

Still hoping -- and walking shadow to shift realities -- so that you and so many others WILL be able to attend Elohimfest.

[peter]

{Hi Sffasia - welcome to the Watch. For some reason missed your above post but have a question or two relating to it} My memory is not as it once was and I'm struggling to remember the events at the end of TOT. Did the One Tree perish then? And when it is said that the Guardian is an Elohim construct - can somebody run that by me again; I thought one of the Insequant was fought and defeated by Brinn at the Isle [nb I'm not doubting the correctness of Orlions post - I just need to be given a re run and I don't have a copy of TOT to check it out for myself]

Roll on Oct 17 [in the UK at least. When and where is the next Elohimfest - I would'nt be able to make it, but would much like to be aware it is going on so I could 'raise one' to you guys in spirit!