McKillip creates such unusual, lush worlds. Even the one I read recently that took place on the Pacific US coast had an other-worldly feel to it.
I'm with you about the covers. I had a copy of The Forgotten Beasts of Eld and the cover was so realistic looking that it bothered me. I'd much rather have an artistic interpretation, or imagine it myself.
My favorite of hers (though this latest I read, Ombria in Shadow, rivals it now) was the Od Magic one, with it's ____ Quarter...forget what it was called. Oh, and the library underworld of Alphabet of Thorn was great.
So a simple subgenre of romantic fantasy cover (which in tone would be right, but thematically all wrong) can't cover it. I can go for a book that the same artist covered. I read Chasing Vermeer because of Brett Helquist's art, familiar from Series of Unfortunate Events. Sometimes publishers do a really good job with that--Helquist also did The Floating Island's interior art (the cover, he didn't do, was bleh) and I loved that one, too.
I need to reread Alphabet of Thorn sometime. I didn't like it much but I think if I read it now I would.
For some reason this discussion just made me think of Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I read the novel and thought it was wonderful, then bought a version illustrated by Charles Vess and it is to die for.
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Also, for the heads up about Jim Butcher's site...I am on some other forums, but that sounds like a good one.
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I'm with you about the covers. I had a copy of The Forgotten Beasts of Eld and the cover was so realistic looking that it bothered me. I'd much rather have an artistic interpretation, or imagine it myself.
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So a simple subgenre of romantic fantasy cover (which in tone would be right, but thematically all wrong) can't cover it.
I can go for a book that the same artist covered. I read Chasing Vermeer because of Brett Helquist's art, familiar from Series of Unfortunate Events. Sometimes publishers do a really good job with that--Helquist also did The Floating Island's interior art (the cover, he didn't do, was bleh) and I loved that one, too.
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For some reason this discussion just made me think of Stardust by Neil Gaiman. I read the novel and thought it was wonderful, then bought a version illustrated by Charles Vess and it is to die for.
I agree, Chasing Vermeer has a great cover.
Ha, so much for not judging a book by its cover.
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