Whoever coined the phrase, “You can’t judge a book by its cover” certainly never saw the incredible science fiction and fantasy book cover images from illustrators who capture our imaginations and hold our wallets hostage each and every time we enter a bookstore.
Recently I recalled that there was a site that posted all of the science fiction and fantasy book and magazine covers each year. My limited research was turning up dead ends so I turned to a couple of science fiction bloggers who I thought might have the answer. Within a very short space of time John DeNardo of SFSignal had my answer: Locus Magazine! He promptly sent me the link, which was exactly the site I had in mind from the previous year.
As we are into the second week of the Sci Fi Experience I thought it might be a great idea to point you over to the Locus Online 2008 Cover Art Gallery as well as to show you some of the examples of book covers from last year that certainly caught my eye.
I have limited this to a handful of the science fiction covers that came out last year. I strongly encourage you to visit the Locus link yourself to view all of the remaining science fiction covers as well as the fantasy covers. There is a treasure trove of great illustration there and it is a wonderful place to get inspired about your next science fiction or fantasy read.
All images are copyright of the artists listed. I decided, with a couple of exceptions, to show you the cover illustrations sans graphics. However, if you click on those images, a separate window or tab will open to show you what the book cover itself looks like.
And away we go…
The Dragon Never Sleeps, a book released last year by Nightshade Books, is graced by a cover image by the master illustrator, John Berkey. John Berkey is one of a handful of science fiction illustrators whose work inhabits my memories for as far back as I can recall holding sci fi novels in my hands. He passed away in April of 2008, a tremendous loss to the science fiction community and to the community of illustrators at large.
I own a copy of this book and, what I’ve read so far, is interesting and unlike any science fiction I have read before.
The above image is by artist Nicolas Bouvier (Sparth) for Michael Flynn’s book January Dancer. The movement of this illustration reminds me of the ships taking off from Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back.
Ekaterina Sedia’s latest book, The Alchemy of Stone, sports one of my favorite covers from 2008. This image, The Collector, is by artist David DeFigueredo. I had to pick up this steampunk tale the moment it was released and although it has not been read…yet…I never tire of seeing the cover on my to be read pile.
Daniel Dociu is the artist of this great book cover for Paul Melko’s novel, Singularity’s Ring. If I wasn’t already wanting to plunk down money on this book because of the cover (and I am), Greg Johnson’s reference to 1950’s juvenile science fiction in his review for SF Site would have me running for my closest bookstore.
Implied Spaces is another Nightshade Books offering. I was sent a copy of this for review and was immediately drawn to the various things going on behind the lenses in this image by Dan Dos Santos. From what I’ve read of the book the cover image ties in really well thematically with the story. Dos Santos was a previous subject of Friday Favorites.
I chose to go against the grain a bit here and post the actual Bob Eggleton cover for Subterranean Press’ limited edition Robert Heinlein book, Project Moonbase and Others. This image reflects the kind of old-timey, classic science fiction that makes me feel nostalgia for a time well before I was born. When I close my eyes and picture what I thought the future might be like when I was a kid, an image like this comes up as often as something Star Wars inspired does. The full image is great as well and if you click on the image above you can see it without the title graphics. Eggleton has several covers on the Locus site that were on books and magazines last year. This is my favorite, followed at a close second by the cover for The Wreck of the Godspeed. I would love to own a copy of this book…to read, but also so that I could stare at that rocket ship. 🙂
Grimspace, the 2008 novel by Ann Aguirre, sports a cover by another of my longtime favorites from Spectrum art volumes, Scott Fischer. Fischer manages to coax the most amazing colors out of whatever medium he uses. I like how his images have a bit of a watercolor look to parts of them and portions that look like they were done with colored pencils as well as painted. A book with a Scott Fischer cover always manages to catch my eye.
This is the only image I could find for Leigh Brackett’s Lorelei of the Red Mist, but I cannot complain. It is the only version of the image I need. I had already heard good things about Leigh Brackett from others and when I saw this book online with this Frank Kelly Freas cover I instantly added it to my wishlist. I find the color combinations on this image very eye-catching but it is the nostalgic feeling that I get from looking at it that really hits home with me.
It is very odd to post a John Harris image that is not of a space ship. Harris is one of the very best, he belongs in the upper echelons of science fiction illustration along with John Berkey. The red-orange of Mars always makes for attention-grabbing art and this scene, with a lander that makes me think of 1950’s science fiction, is a really interesting image. Tor commissioned this image for their release of the Ben Bova novel, Mars Life. I have yet to read any of Ben Bova’s work, but a John Harris cover makes me want to remedy that situation.
Those of you who have visited Stainless Steel Droppings for awhile may recognize the above image by artist Daniel Kvasznicza. It is the cover image to the John Joseph Abrams’ edited anthology, Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse which I reviewed last year.
Wastelands is a fantastic collection and one I highly recommend. The larger version of this image, found on the artist’s website, makes for one hella good desktop wallpaper, especially during Sci Fi Experience time.
This image by Pawel Lewandowski reminds me of work by John Berkey. The rich blues of the night sky make me want to step outside and dream underneath the stars. This image was chosen for The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction Volume Two. I’m glad I am not in a bookstore right now. I’d be throwing money around like there was no tomorrow!!!
This book, Dru Pagliossotti’s Clockwork Heart, was recommended to me by one of my fellow bloggers recently and I immediately put it on my wishlist. The cover by Timothy Lantz is great. In fact Timothy Lantz’ site is filled with great artwork. I really like all the steampunk themed imagery in the cover–gears excite me. This is one I really look forward to reading.
For the second year in a row Stephan Martiniere topped the list with the most book covers published during the year. And deservedly so as his digital illustrations are the contemporary equivalent of what Berkey and Harris have done for science fiction for decades. Martiniere creates iconic covers. If I had the resources to do so I would own every book with a Martiniere cover and would create a wall of Martiniere book art! This cover for the Larry Niven/Ed Lerner collaboration, Juggler of Worlds, sports this monstrous ship that dominates the image, in a good way. Some day I will finally read Ringworld. At that point I won’t feel so guilty about my desire to dive into the many Larry Niven books that now have Stephan Martiniere covers.
I could not resist posting another Stephan Martiniere image. This one is for R.M. Meluch’s latest U.S.S. Merrimack book, Strength and Honor. As I sat in the theater on opening night watching Revenge of the Sith and saw that incredible opening space battle sequence I would not have been surprised to have looked down at myself to see that I had once again become a child. That sequence is a young boy’s dream of what war in space might look like. The images for the Merrimack novels make me feel the same way. There is something ominous and cool about them. I would love it if some company took these images and made toys or models out of them. Wouldn’t it be cool to own/build one of Martiniere’s ships? Ah, one can dream.
Glen Orbik is a modern day pulp fiction illustrator. His covers for various Hard Case Crimes novels are second only to those of Robert McGinnis in making me want to take them home. I picked up a copy of A. Lee Martinez’ book, The Automatic Detective, when David of The Breathing Corpse, reviewed it last year. It sounded so fun, and the great cover image didn’t hurt either. The 1950’s flying cars and the alien billboard combine with the classic noir foreground characters to make for a very fun illustration.
And to close this small sampling of the science fiction (and fantasy) covers of 2008 I give you this fantastic robot by children’s illustrator, Adam Hunter Peck. The perspective of this image is really fun. This was the cover for the Spring 2008 issue of the magazine Talebones. I had not heard of this “semi-pro magazine featuring science fiction and dark fantasy from established and up-and-coming writers”, but after seeing the great covers on the current issue and back issues I wish I had them all.
That is all for this week’s science fiction/book related Friday Favorite post (it is still Friday after all! Just barely.). I hope you check out the rest of the great books on the Locus site. I wish you a weekend filled with images that catch your eye and stories that make you see images this incredible, and more so, when you close your eyes and dream.
Man, your Friday Favorite posts are addicting! I find myself having a hard time breaking away from them. And all the links…how on earth is a person to get anything done?!! 😉 Thanks, Carl. Off to check out the Locus site.
I love the cover of Alchemy of Stone. I might have to check that one out for the illustration alone! The Lantz illustration is cool too, I love how the circle behind the head is like a halo and teh repetitive patterns on the sides like wings. Very nice!
Beautiful post, Carl! Thanks for all the time and effort you lavish on these Friday posts – it’s deeply appreciated!
Ekaterina Sedia’s book has been on my wish list since it came out. Probably because of the cover… I have no idea what the book is about, although I do believe I saw it reviewed somewhere. Dru Pagliossotti’s also looks interesting. I don’t believe I have seen that one before. Out of curiousity, does the cat talk in Implied Spaces? I have a thing with talking cats lately. ha ha
Kailana: the cat does indeed talk in Implied Spaces. I know little more than that as I’m not far into it.
Phil: Thank you! I sometimes struggle with what to do each week and when I get an ‘aha!’ moment, like I did this morning, it makes it much easier to do these fun things.
Danielle: I like that about Lantz’ image as well. I’d love to see that part of the image made into a sculpture.
Debi: You’ll enjoy the Locus site. Its becoming a great place to find new artists every year.
I’ll wait for your review, then. I don’t go looking for talking cats, they just seem to be finding me lately. 🙂
WOW! What a incredible group of artists. I didn’t realize John Berkey had passed away this April. I’m still amazed with the scale and detail he infused his paintings with using more traditional painitng methods in comparision to the digital works of so many modern day artists.
I love so many of the other artist’s as well above. What another great way to bring us the Scifi experinece. Thank you Carl and Locus! Your efforts are appreciated.
a lot of beautiful work here..
one time at one of the autograph shows Bob Eggleton was supposed to be there in the same room with Roger Kastel but he never showed up.. I was hoping to see more of his work and sorry he never came.. who knows, maybe one day he will yet!
I’m really keen to get a copy of Alchemy of Stone but am trying to curb my book buying this year (sigh). Wonderful image…..
What a beautiful macabre post! YOu just keep adding to me TBR pile!
Here, pick an award for yorself:
http://readingandmorereading.blogspot.com/2009/01/weekly-geeks-is-back.html
loved them all!
Geez, Carl. I am having a hard time keeping up with all these posts! I have racked up a couple science fiction books this month, thanks to you. I’ll let you know when I finish the reviews. The images in this post are incredible. I have been having strange, other worldly, dreams….
Interesting. Everybody says you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes it’s just hard not to. Great Pics Carl.
arhharhrharhrahrahrhrahr!!!!!!!
guurrggle grlrrlgglle…
😀
These covers are amazing! My fav is the cover to Ekaterina Sedia’s novel. In fact, I just went and put it on my wishlist because of the cover :p I really wasn’t that big of a fan of The Secret History of Moscow either, but with a cover like that, I can’t pass it up. And there was enough good in Moscow for me to give her another shot!
Chris: I haven’t read Secret History…actually that isn’t entirely true, I read about half of it before it was due back to the library and had a looong wait list so I felt bad keeping it. I had enjoyed what I had read to that point. It seems pretty common that the book had mixed reviews with some praising it and some deriding it. What I have glanced at in reviews of Alchemy indicates that almost everyone, regardless of how much they may have liked Secret History (of those who did), was really pleased with the story.
Jean Pierre: We’ll get the paramedics right over, hang in there!
Stuart: It is indeed. Although I have read a great many wonderful books with not so appealing covers, it is great to see such talented illustration going into a genre of books that I love.
Qugrainne: I’ve been on a bit of a role here lately, really enjoying the blog.
Valentina: Me too!
Gautami: thank you so much, I really appreciate the award and the kind thoughts that generated it. And I keep adding to my own to read pile as well!!!
Bride: I am too, trying to use the library more. Where it gets really difficult is when I want to own the books as much for the work of art of their covers as I do for the pleasure of reading them.
Deslily: I’m sorry he didn’t make it. I ‘see’ Bob Eggleton on Irene Gallo’s site, The Art Department, often and always enjoy what he has to say.
Jeff S.: I was sad when I read about it. Surprised I didn’t talk to you about it. Or maybe you were ignoring me per usual. 😉 “That Carl, blah, blah, blah…”
Kailana: They do have medicine for that, you know! 🙂
i love every single one of those pics. science fiction covers are one of the things that makes me happiest in the world. what these guys do is so underrated in mainstream society – i mean by critics.
you know, these covers are amazing at establishing the context of the story. and then at the same time, because they are so intriguing or stunning, they’re then also so good at luring you into the book.
most of all i love them for how they capture that thing that is intangible about the story they are representing and about science fiction in general – be it the sense of otherworldlyness, of mindblowing conceptness, of horror or simply a sheer sense of wonderment.
and even when they don’t even properly depict whats going on in the book i still love them! those times when the artists just go for it and just knock your socks off with a crazy-ass pic! 😀
Okay, JP, I’m hiring you to write my copy from now on. 🙂
I couldn’t have said it better myself and couldn’t agree more.
One of the things I constantly did when I was a kid was turn back frequently to the cover when I was reading fantasy or sci fi, just to catch that little glimpse of what the artist rendered to represent the story. Depending on the quality of the cover, a great deal of time could be spent day-dreaming about adventure in other worlds. Cover artists would jump start my imagination. They do the same thing today. Maybe I do not always have the carefree time I did as a child to become lost in them, but I do take the time to let art, particular science fiction and fantasy illustration, take me away and inspire me.
Thanks for sharing all the great art, Carl. I particularly love the cover of the Ekaterina Sedia book and the Adam Hunter Peck art. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” doesn’t quite work for me 😛
Whoosh!! Love those steampunk covers!! I need to dig into some steampunk lit, I really do. Thank you for the link to the Locus cover gallery, too.
Also! I don’t know if you’re on Facebook so I didn’t get a chance to tag you for this meme!
http://www.elizabethgenco.com/2009/01/11/16-or-25-things-about-me/
Would love to hear YOUR 16 or 25 things about you. 🙂
Hi – wandered over from dewey’s reads challenge blog which I’m part of. The covers are amazing and you did a great job. Enjoying reading your blog. I used to be a big science fiction/fantasy reader back 25 odd years ago and fell away from the genre for some reason. Starting to come back to it and your blog and pictures create the desire to read even more. Will be exploring for a while and adding to my TBR pile. 🙂 Looking forward to the mini challenge next weekend.
Robin: I’m excited that you are getting the urge to read the genre(s) again. Please let me know what you are reading. I commend you and Chris for your work in keeping the memory of Dewey alive by hosting this challenge. I know what it is like to lose an internet friend who you feel close to and who inspires you and being able to contribute to this remembrance of someone who meant a lot to you is a real honor.
Elizabeth: I just redid my “About Me” section last night and I may just add the 16 or 25 things to it in a few days for the fun of it. I really enjoyed reading yours and would encourage everyone else to pop over there and enjoy it too…and do the meme if they so choose.
Nymeth: I was wondering if you had that book. If I remember correctly…and I wouldn’t put any money on that…you really enjoyed Secret History of Moscow. I’m looking forward to picking it back up later in the spring and finishing it.
Carl,
Thanks, but I’m not THAT Robin. I’m a different one, taking part in the challenge, but not hosting it. The Robin hosting the challenge is from A Fondness for Reading. Easy mistake though – we all look alike in cyberland. 🙂
Oops, sorry Robin. I didn’t even bother to check the website, just made an assumption. My mistake. Perhaps it was the fact that you made it so obvious which Robin you were with your name in the first comment that blinded me to the truth. 😉 LOL! I’m equally as glad you are taking part in the challenge in honor of Dewey. And thanks for pointing out my silliness! 🙂
These are some very talented artists who can not only visualize and bring to life vivid imagery, but the sheer magnitude of detail is quite profound. Their talent would have been helpful when illustrating my recently published book.
Elizabeth: I am planning on reading some steampunk over the next few months and will be doing at least one Steampunk Week as part of the Sci Fi Experience. It is something I wanted to do last year and didn’t get to it. I highly recommend James P. Blaylock’s Langdon St. Ives stories. There were recently collected in a complete volume by Subterranean Press called The Adventures of Langdon St. Ives. I reviewed one of the stories, Homunculus, a few years back on this site and I’ve very impressed with his work.
haha, thanks carl! 😀
ah… i can so relate to that. isn’t it just the best!?! its so wonderful when you get an artist who has really taken the time to insert little details like that into a cover pic. especially those details that you wouldn’t necessarily pick up on initially, but only look for once its mentioned in the book.
and you’re so right – those covers jump start one’s imagination – thats exactly what they do!
To be frank, I am not much into spaceships to immediately love the art behind the books or should I say on the books, but I have to say that the techniques used on some of these titles are impressive. I would have to say that Timothy Lantz stole it for me. He is one of my favorite artists ever. Other favorites include Alchemy of Stone, which I have yet to obtain and devour and the Lorelei title. As I can see no one is getting tired of that name and hopefully the myth as well.