Miscellaneous Musings about Books

[ScarletBea]

Positive: I'm reading a Malazan book, will read (probably) 2 more afterwards, and it's great.
Negative: it takes me a book a month and so I can't participate in the 'what are you reading' comments, hehe

Also, the amount of societal commentary that those books have is incredible, totally relevant for today's world!

[S. K. Inkslinger]

Have anyone ever felt creep out by the cover of a novel? I've been reading Red Sister lately, and I got this version of the cover.



Which seriously kinda creep me out. It's like Nona's jet black eyes are staring into my soul or something, and I think that played quite some part in my enjoyment of the book too (since I can't really get into the book without noticing the disquieting cover). I'm just going to cover this front cover with some paper for now, and if the book turned out to be pretty good I'm planning on buying the entire trilogy but with alternate covers.

[ScarletBea]

Yeah, I'm not keen on that cover either.

These are the covers of the UK paperback editions (so the others aren't that bad/creepy):


Red Sister had a different one for the hardcover, originally:


Usually I prefer the UK covers to the american ones, but not this time - these are the american covers:


I'm lucky I got a proof copy

[S. K. Inkslinger]

I'm definitely going for the American covers this time, hahah. Much better.

[xiagan]

I specifically bought the American version of Red Sister (even though it was more expensive) because the other cover is so incredibly ugly. Have the others though, Grey Sister is okay and Holy Sister is ugly but at least not creepy...

[Alex Hormann]

I have that original UK cover. The only saving grace is that the changed cover for the reprint means it might become valuable some day.

[Neveesandeh]

The original UK cover is based on a alternative cover for 'Prince of Thorns' where the protagonist was a woman. It was made for a competition Mark did on his blog or something like that. The artwork and background are from different places and they were photoshopped together. It worked well enough for its original context but as an actual cover for the book it's not great. If you google 'Princess of Thorns' it should come up.

[cupiscent]

The original UK cover is based on a alternative cover for 'Prince of Thorns' where the protagonist was a woman. It was made for a competition Mark did on his blog or something like that. The artwork and background are from different places and they were photoshopped together. It worked well enough for its original context but as an actual cover for the book it's not great. If you google 'Princess of Thorns' it should come up.

I was so fascinated by this I went hunting for the details. Someone else has an entire book called "Princess of Thorns" and there's some interesting discussion there about the gender difference in covers between the two. The photoshop contest was actually for Prince of Fools, and the results - including the very recognisable genderswap original - are on Lawrence's blog here.

[Rostum]

I would just note that anyone with a UK or US hardback of Red Sister is quids in. Don't lend it loan it or donate it. Likewise, but more so with your Proof copy Bea.

[ScarletBea]

I would just note that anyone with a UK or US hardback of Red Sister is quids in. Don't lend it loan it or donate it. Likewise, but more so with your Proof copy Bea.

Oh I'll never do that with all my personally signed Mark Lawrence's books
Don't plan on selling them either

[Rostum]

I didn't think you would. All my signed books will become the sprogs problem when I shuffle off this mortal coil. Last Time I looked it was about £300 for Red Sister in hardback which is impressive considering how new it is.

[Bender]

Like any other collectibles, I'd only consider splashing that much money only if I knew the series would be considered in high regard down the line. LotR for example. Red Sister, definitely not. Paperback is as good as it gets.

[ScarletBea]

(I apologise in advance for the indulgence, bear with me hehe...)

Remember when I said, as I restarted reading Malazan after a hiatus of several months (and the same thing I've been saying ever since I started the series, at each grouped reading), that it's like being thrown in the deep end of the pool, with Erikson leaving us to sink or swim without really giving us any floating device to help?

Well, expanding the water metaphor, it must be as I imagine big-wave surfing to be.
At first you're on the beach looking at the gigantic waves wondering if it's worth it...
Then you're taken and dropped at the dangerous bit, you don't know if you'll be able to do it, will it even be worth it?
Finally you're up there in the wave and everything is perfect, and things are converging and making sense and the sense of exhilaration is immense and you don't want it to end!
 

[S. K. Inkslinger]

What do you guys think of Adrian Shelby's Snakewood and Rebecca Levine's Smiler's Fair? I've stumbled across these two books at a promo in an online book fair I'm visiting, so I'm wondering if they're gonna be worth a buck.

[Peat]

What do you guys think of Adrian Shelby's Snakewood and Rebecca Levine's Smiler's Fair? I've stumbled across these two books at a promo in an online book fair I'm visiting, so I'm wondering if they're gonna be worth a buck.

Snakewood is ambitious as all hell and has some enjoyable moments but it's uneven as a narrative, often confusing, and sometimes falls flat. Also quite grimdark if that matters.