I saw some highly entertaining cheesy SF novel covers over at i09….Of course, these things are always a matter of taste. There’s no doubt that this is utterly vile, while this makes a mockery of a major author’s work. While this may be one of the vilest covers of all time.
But what about this cover for a Conan novel? Cheesy or mind-blowing? Or this H.P. Lovecraft cover? Naff, yes, but also chilling?
Here are a selection of some SF covers I’ve been looking at recently….A history of the genre told in lurid covers. From Chris Foss’s stylish sexless spaceship covers to Frank Franzetta’s crazed musclemen and buxom women, and more…
Jaguar God, by Frank Franzetta
Frank R.Paul
Okay this is REALLY cheesy - Franzetta again
A rather subtle Frank R. Paul
Okay, forget subtle - it's Frank again...
Jeff Jones, Tarzan Rescues the Moon
Frank R. Paul
Chris Foss, Second Foundation cover
Alex Toth
Images of Barsoom
Monster Men by Frank Franzetta
??? ?? NOT Jim Burns as I erroneously said originally (see comment)
John Schoenherr
Hey this isn't an oldie & goldie, but I love this cover
Rick De Marco
Robert K. Abbett
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The artist who provided the illustration for The Electric Church is Jae Lee. He’s a Korean-American artist who is currently adapting the prequal series to Stephen King’s Dark Tower saga for Marvel comics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jae_Lee
http://marvel.com/catalog/?artist=Jae%20Lee
Thanks a million for that! I couldn’t remember the artist’s name and now I shall never forget it.
I’ve spent half an hour scrolling through the images of Jae Lee’s art for THE DARK TOWER on the second of the two links above – and it’s all just utterly utterly majestic, a vision of the young Roland and his world that is convincing and beautiful and eerily compelling. And I was delighted to see the book is being co-written by my fave author Peter David.
Now I have a problem with The Dark Tower – and I speak here as Stephen King’s ‘greatest fan’ (cackle cackle.) My problem is this: Book 1 is genius. Book 2 is flawed genius. Book 3, in my view, is really awful – but sometimes great writers take great risks, so bizarrely, I can forgive awful.
Book 4, however, Wizard and Glass, is in my view MEDIOCRE. It jogs along, one damn thing happens then another, the mythologies are jumbled, the characters are flat and cliched, and there’s not a single solitary thing that compares with the majestic sequence in The Gunslinger when Roland kills every single inhabitant of a sleepy Western town.
I stopped reading Dark Tower after Book 4 – I do fancy the graphic novel prequel, but as far as the books are concerned, I lost faith in King’s ability to sustain his story over all 7 volumes (plus an 8th being muttered about.)
Am I wrong? Am I missing something? Should I be barred from the Stephen King fan club? (And should me and Kathy Bates form a separate club of our own?)
Wizard and Glass is by far the weakest of the series. It took me nearly two months to work through it. HOWEVER, the fifth book, Wolves of the Calla more than makes up for the fourth books meandering and grating pace. From there on in the series moves at breakneck speed towards its conclusion.
Give it a shot.
Yes, Jae Lee’s work is slight beautiful isn’t it:)
Okay, you’ve got me hooked again…I read an online review of books 5-7 that sank my spirits, but if I don’t have faith in King…what hope is there…?
Hi Philip…
All fascinating and informative stuff as usual..but I thought, in the interests of accuracy that whilst, yes – I have done the cover art for an earlier edition of Peter F. Hamilton’s ‘A Quantum Murder’..the one above is not it. Mine was the UK edition (way back)..and the above illo was US Tor edition some years ago. Don’t know who the artist is..and although I might be tempted to suggest John Picacio..I think it’s a bit too early for that young whippersnapper!
Damn I’m so sorry about that Jim! I’ll try and track the right cover. In the meantime, for anyone reading this, here’s a link to Jim’s ACTUAL artworks:
http://www.alisoneldred.com/th.....s-0-1.html
I’ve been meaning to do that blog of your covers based on the wonderful book you gave me at Eastercon – it’s in the works and will DEFINITELY check with you to make sure I’ve got the right images up.
I find that artwork on the cover of a sci-fi book is a big draw for me especially when I am looking for new books not by a favorite author. I have to say I am not a fan of the art work on any of your books after the first DS cover. Thankfully I bought that one and got hooked or I may never have read any of your books.
I agree about the power of artwork…the artwork on the books since Red Claw is certainly bold and there was QUITE some debate about Red Claw itself. On the lines of; it doesn’t represent anything in the actual story. I love ‘em because they’re so colourful and pulpy without being retro. But these things are always highly subjective.
Anyway, I’m darn glad you got hooked despite not liking the covers…