Kevin's Watch

Has anyone heard if the first 6 Thomas Covenant books might be re-issued with new covers in paperback when the Third Chronicles begin? It would be a smart move. IMHO, the current covers (which have been around for, what, 10 or 15 years?) are incredibly inferior to the Darrell Sweet art we enjoyed in the 70s and 80s. And if the series is to be jump-started in October, we'll need to see some halfway interesting covers.

...Actually, while writing this I've looked at Amazon.com, and they're showing some strange new covers. They're pretty basic: just close-ups of a ring. Not sure if this is an improvement or not. But I work in a bookstore and haven't seen these covers on a book yet. Anyone else actually seen them on a physical book?

Adam

I'd be very happy if Michael Whelan redid them all-in addition to his upcoming work on the 3rd Chronicles...

While browsing at Borders Books I ran across the new paperbacks. They look pretty cool but nothing really spectacular. I'll be buying 'em though. I can't resist.

danlo wrote:I'd be very happy if Michael Whelan redid them all-in addition to his upcoming work on the 3rd Chronicles...

Mw is doing the covers for the 3rd chronicles? Whaaa?

Yes-you didn't know that?--**runs off to bump**

TOM C wrote:While browsing at Borders Books I ran across the new paperbacks. They look pretty cool but nothing really spectacular. I'll be buying 'em though. I can't resist.

Did you see new covers for all 6 books?

I guess the ring motif has to be expected... It will catch the eyes of many people who saw the Tolkien movies. Still, so much more could have been done with those covers! I'd love to see an artist come up with a cavewight or ur-vile character design good enough to put on a cover.

Adam

So far, DelRey is only re-releasing the first three (and Daughter of Regals). But I'm sure the rest will follow soon after (and probably with the same cover motif).

They're the ones with the yellow gold ring, right?

Yup.

I kinda like the ones they have already...why change it if it works?

I just wish I could do that sorta detailed art.

*goes back to drawing 'toons...*

-Dutch

You know...I dunno if I would buy the paperback editions again, as beat up as mine are...for one thing, I LOVE the covers Michael Herring did, and for another, I think I wanna get them in hardcover if I get them again. I'm always lending my books out and they get SO beat up *grimace*...any idea if one can still get the first and second chronicles in harcover?

yellow gold ring covers......bitch.....moan......complain......

dlbpharmd wrote:yellow gold ring covers......bitch.....moan......complain......

I guess white gold just wasn't visually impressive... Seriously though: as a bookseller myself, one thing that bothers me is that these covers too closely resemble one of the more successful self-help books around. Check it out:

www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0609805797/

Would have been easy enough to do white gold...just put it on a black background...jerks just weren't thinking...*grin*

Oh, I think they WERE thinking. Remember - their job is to sell books. I'm not surprised at the resemblence to another ring that caused sweeps at the oscars for the past three years.

But it causes the author - who has nothing (and wants nothing) to do with marketting - to cringe.

Romeo wrote:Oh, I think they WERE thinking. Remember - their job is to sell books. I'm not surprised at the resemblence to another ring that caused sweeps at the oscars for the past three years.

But it causes the author - who has nothing (and wants nothing) to do with marketting - to cringe.

Well, according to Del Rey, SRD is 'very pleased' with the new covers. I suspect that means he's 'very pleased' that they didn't inflict Darrell Sweet on him again!

This has been discussed elsewhere, too. I'll bump the thread for those interested--I got the same info from Del Rey you did, Variol.

Variol Farseer wrote:Well, according to Del Rey, SRD is 'very pleased' with the new covers. I suspect that means he's 'very pleased' that they didn't inflict Darrell Sweet on him again!

Are you serious? Donaldson didn't care for Sweet's work?

awalter wrote:Are you serious? Donaldson didn't care for Sweet's work?

Honestly, some of the covers Sweet did are really horrible. For instance The One Tree, those garish colours make you wonder just what kind of med he was taking at the time... Or what about The Wounded Land, with Covenant starring as Jesus and Brinn sitting by the lake looking like he's suffering from shock. And White Gold Wielder just looks wrong.

The first chronicles are treated a bit better. Lord Foul's Bane and The Illearth War are ok I guess. But with The Wounded Land something has gone wrong. Icky green colour and Bannor and Foamy are wearing diapers.