Dragon Keeper US cover art (spoiler-free)

[aldaroncastle]

[Image: Dragon+Keeper+US.jpg]
   

*groan* Oh, I'm so tired of bad CGI-ish/photoshoppy artwork. This is quite a downturn; I don't think that Stephen Youll's covers for the US editions were ever bad, though they certainly weren't spectacular, either.

I was disappointed in the UK cover art for Dragon Keeper as well, after all of the glorious, glorious John Howe art spoiled me. At least the UK Dragon Keeper is kind of neutral and inoffensive. I miss you, Mr. Howe.

Am I just being nuts? Anybody else have thoughts on this cover?

Source:
Pat's Fantasy Hotlist

[Mervi]

Woot! Thanks for posting this! I've been away from computer for almost 4 days (painful experience so I would have totally missed this otherwise. Posting in the news in a sec!

[redchild]

Looks like a traditional painting to me. But I agree with you-- John Howe's dragons are hard to top! It also seems like his covers are always full of action and dynamism; his dragons feel so alive. Stephen Youll and Jackie Morris' covers have a completely different approach that looks subdued and calm.

Why do books need have different covers according to region anyway?

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Yeah, I really miss John Howe's covers as well. Nothing wrong with Morris, but Howe's were so much better and more interesting. What I don't get at all, though, is why the old novels got new covers too in the UK - they're not better, so why bother? *Looks fondly at his bookshelf with Hobb novels with the old covers on it.*

[Mervi]

I believe the idea behind "repacking" the books was that they would then attract a larger audience - people who normally keep a distance from anything labeled "fantasy" (but read books with fantastic stories anyway without realizing it). While I agree that Howe's covers are brilliant and beautiful, they are also clearly recognizable as "fantasy covers" - mostly because so many others in the field copy his style these days.

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Well, that is a rationale I can understand. I've been told that this was the thought behind both the new UK and US covers of A Song of Ice and Fire as well. (I would like to note that I liked the old US covers. The new ones are OK, but not as good. The new UK covers I consider to be a vast improvement - I own the books in that edition). And I bet that the same thought is behind the new covers of Feist's books.

But on the other hand, I can't help but think, who are we kidding? the books still have dragons, sea serpents, crowns, etc... on them. And sometimes you wind up with stuff like the chalice on A Feast for Crows. What is the relation to the story there?

There are a lot of really bad traditional fantasy covers out there, but I think John Howe's covers are an example of fantasy covers done right.

[aldaroncastle]

Repackaging a fantasy series once it's popular is definitely the trend these days. I'd really like to talk to a publisher to find out if there's actual sales data to indicate whether that helps.

aka I'm tired of bland covers and I want proof they're making the books more popular.

[n00854180t]

I forget the artist's name, but he did the covers for Mercedes' and Mallory's The Obsidian Trilogy books (as well as the dragons in the 3-3.5e D&D Monster Manual), and he definitely would have been one of my picks for something like this.

[Chrischa]

Speaking as someone who uses Howe's artwork for Ship Of Destiny as desktop background, I totally agree. Does anyone know why John Howe doesn't do the Robin Hobb books anymore? Too expensive?
I always liked his drawings, not only for his style and composition, but also because he has the knack of showing an accurate scene from the book without giving too much away. In this new American cover, the artist forces his image of the main character on you - a very annoying thing imo! And the dragon is way too small compared to her keeper.
A few years ago, when reading the last book from the Dark Tower series which was plagued with artwork inside, I first folded all the pages with drawings on them double so I wouldn't have to see them. :

[aldaroncastle]

I forget the artist's name, but he did the covers for Mercedes' and Mallory's The Obsidian Trilogy books (as well as the dragons in the 3-3.5e D&D Monster Manual), and he definitely would have been one of my picks for something like this.

Todd Lockwood Yeah, Lockwood is pretty fantastic.