I love this cover.
That's probably a weird announcement coming from someone who panned Morgan's recent covers, which follow almost exactly the same design, but it's true. I guess the difference is between something serviceable and plain and something garnished and polished to a state of blinding brilliance. The sword conveys some nice epic, adventuring fun, while the background displays the background conveys both further epicness and, also somewhat important, depth. At least to me.
The Dragon's Path is something I've been looking forward to ever since I heard about it, after loving The Long Price Quartet, which, we need to all remember, has quite possibly the best set of covers in fantasy (or, at least, did until the omnibus editions came about). On the subject of the Long Price, I'm planning to reread and review it at some point, though likely not for some time.
In addition to The Dragon's Path, one of Abraham's psuedonyms [though this psuedonym's done some inbreeding with Ty Franck] has something coming out, too:
It is, I hear, a rather kickass space opera. It's got a great cover too. Do I see a trend? Wait, nevermind. Still, Abraham's still got quite a few covers, and books, under his belt to be quite proud of.
I can't say I love the art for The Dragon's Path. A sword is far better than some anonymous intern wearing a cloak, but that sword distinctly reminds me of the sort you find for $40 in a mail order catalogue.
ReplyDeleteThat's totally true, and I do definitely get an over the top fantasy feel from it that I didn't from any of Abraham's prior novels (under his own name). But Dragon's Path is supposed to be more traditional and more fun, so I think it works. Perhaps love is too strong a word for what I feel, it's nowhere near the Long Price covers, but it's still one that I'd rate high up in the pile.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a bad cover, I like the rest of it, it is just the sword that sticks out like a sore thumb.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it doesn't really matter. It is getting to the point that I really don't care about cover art these days. You get some nice ones, you get an avalanche of terrible ones, and you are going to buy it anyway.
Although, I will say that the change to Ken Scholes' covers has left me livid and I'm just waiting for the paperback after having bought the last two in hardcover on release. (Tor has screwed two series I enjoy, Abraham's is one, Scholes' is the other).