(Found) Green Fly Insect Sitting on Throne Classic Image, Book?

[BurtonGuster]

Does anyone have any idea of the title/author for this book? I believe its science fiction, not fantasy (though the human in the image has a sword). And it probably goes back to the 70s or so.

 

[Danny McG]

The artist is Michael Whelan, the picture was used on a heavy metal album cover by Cirith Ungol (who were influenced by Elric books), but I can't learn it's origin

 

[BAYLOR]

The artist is Michael Whelan, the picture was used on a heavy metal album cover by Cirith Ungol (who were influenced by Elric books), but I can't learn it's origin

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I could be misremembering but I swear this was on the Elric novel The Vanishing Tower.

 

[otistdog]

@BAYLOR, ISFDB says that you're correct.

 

[Danny McG]

Well done @BAYLOR !

(Original book title - The Sleeping Sorceress -1971)

 

[Vince W]

I'm too late. I have that exact copy.

 

[BurtonGuster]

Thanks everyone!

I have some of Michael Whelan's art books and thought it might be him or Jim Burns that created it, but couldn't find it.

You guys are always the best source to go to online for obscure science fiction references...

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Thanks everyone!

I have some of Michael Whelan's art books and thought it might be him or Jim Burns that created it, but couldn't find it.

You guys are always the best source to go to online for obscure science fiction references...

A superb gang of geeks

 

[BAYLOR]

Well done @BAYLOR !

(Original book title - The Sleeping Sorceress -1971)

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I enjoyed the Eternal Champion Saga. My favorite parts was when the the diffract incarnations of them came together to battle a muitversal threat.

 

[gOff2fish]

I enjoyed the Eternal Champion Saga. My favorite parts was when the the diffract incarnations of them came together to battle a muitversal threat.

Yes, that is a brilliant scenario, and shows up in the story-cycles of each of the Avatars, each with a varying perspective/pov. I found the idea of these characters looking at different iterations of themselves, and some Avatars dislike/distrust other Avatars.

 

[BAYLOR]

Yes, that is a brilliant scenario, and shows up in the story-cycles of each of the Avatars, each with a varying perspective/pov. I found the idea of these characters looking at different iterations of themselves, and some Avatars dislike/distrust other Avatars.

Look up Elric Tales of the White Wolfe One the stories it contains is A Gothic Touch By Karl Edward Wagner . In this story Elric. Stormbringer and Moongluym meet up with Kane the Mystic Swordsman . Have you ever raised that series ? Its quite good. The first book to read in that series Bloodstone.

 

[gOff2fish]

Look up Elric Tales of the White Wolfe One the stories it contains is A Gothic Touch By Karl Edward Wagner . In this story Elric. Stormbringer and Moongluym meet up with Kane the Mystic Swordsman . Have you ever raised that series ? Its quite good. The first book to read in that series Bloodstone.

No, I dont think of read any in that series; must be later works. I read a lot of Moorcock in High School (over 30 years ago) and only recently (last 5-6 years) gone back to reread the titles I enjoyed then. I have some catching up to do. At that time, and in my middle class, california, suburban environ, i was uber-uncool for reading "obscure" pulp fiction authors like Moorcock and Lovecraft. Who's laughing now?

 

[BAYLOR]

No, I dont think of read any in that series; must be later works. I read a lot of Moorcock in High School (over 30 years ago) and only recently (last 5-6 years) gone back to reread the titles I enjoyed then. I have some catching up to do. At that time, and in my middle class, california, suburban environ, i was uber-uncool for reading "obscure" pulp fiction authors like Moorcock and Lovecraft. Who's laughing now?

Karl Edward Wagner began writing Kane stories in the late 1960's . In all, he wrote 5 books 3 of which are fulll length novels the last tow in the series are Novellas and short stories. Kane is an immortal heroic villain/antihero. This series is slowed and scored with a very lovcratian vein
1. Bloodstone
2. Darkness Weaves
3. Dark Crusade
4 Dear Angles Shadow
5. NightWinds

He also wrote an excellent Conan pastiche Conan The Road of Kings and another Howard Character Bran Mak Morn The Legion From the Shadows. With David Drake he court and excellent science fiction horror novel Killer nd he di excellent anthology of his bet horror stores In A Lonely Place

He was editor of and excellent 3 volume fantasy anthology series Echos of Valor I. II an III

For the record there's nothing uncool bout reading Michal Moorrock and H P Lovecraft. I also recommend Clark Ashton Smith and Robert E hpwrd very highly. Also Abraham Merritt , William Hope Hodgson , Francis Stevens C J Cutcliffe Hynd , Manley Wade Wellman

The Complete Tales of Jules De Grandin by Seaboard Quinn. He was contemporary of H P Lovecrat, Robert E Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. he was not nearly as well known but at a water . he was every bit their equal.

Also Jack London's astral projection fantasy novel The Star Rover . Its totally unlike anything. else London ever writer and, it's great book .

 

[gOff2fish]

Karl Edward Wagner began writing Kane stories in the late 1960's . In all, he wrote 5 books 3 of which are fulll length novels the last tow in the series are Novellas and short stories. Kane is an immortal heroic villain/antihero. This series is slowed and scored with a very lovcratian vein
1. Bloodstone
2. Darkness Weaves
3. Dark Crusade
4 Dear Angles Shadow
5. NightWinds

He also wrote an excellent Conan pastiche Conan The Road of Kings and another Howard Character Bran Mak Morn The Legion From the Shadows. With David Drake he court and excellent science fiction horror novel Killer nd he di excellent anthology of his bet horror stores In A Lonely Place

He was editor of and excellent 3 volume fantasy anthology series Echos of Valor I. II an III

For the record there's nothing uncool bout reading Michal Moorrock and H P Lovecraft. I also recommend Clark Ashton Smith and Robert E hpwrd very highly. Also Abraham Merritt , William Hope Hodgson , Francis Stevens C J Cutcliffe Hynd , Manley Wade Wellman

The Complete Tales of Jules De Grandin by Seaboard Quinn. He was contemporary of H P Lovecrat, Robert E Howard and Clark Ashton Smith. he was not nearly as well known but at a water . he was every bit their equal.

Also Jack London's astral projection fantasy novel The Star Rover . Its totally unlike anything. else London ever writer and, it's great book .

Yes, I know there is nothing uncool about these writers, was more commenting how the mainstream comes around decades later to catch up with the avant garde. Like Kate Bush's Running up that Hill all of a sudden blowing up again almost 40 years after its release. Yes, Ive read Howard, and much of Lovecraft's 'Circle of Weird.' i live not far from Ashton Smith's birthplace in Placer County, CA. (I am working on a serialized 'Lovecraftian Noir' in which the Femme Fatale is named Gelsamine Ashton Clark, in reference to smith; the intrepid forensic investigator is named Howard Phillips). I may actually have read the Road of Kings, and recognize Wagner's name and that of his Swordsman, but never pursued him. Was really into Cormac Mac Art for a moment, a legendary figure developed by Howard in fragments and short stories, then picked up and continued by Andrew Offut. I will have to look for Seaboard Quinn; him, I have not heard of, and did not know of Jack London story. Do you read Neal Stephenson? The Mongoliad Trilogy is an interesting collaboration (with Greg Bear and others) that feels a lot like Howard's Legendary Heroic Fiction. The impulse for rhe project came from Stephenson's disatisfaction with his own ability to describe combat sequences, so he enlisted the aid of a group of historical combat enthusiasts ( similar to Creative Anachronists?) who not only collected, restored and fabricated historically accurate arms and armour, but trained in their use. It appears Stephenson and his circle of like minded writers and amateurs would get together for mock combat and reenactments, and write what they observed. Like a figure drawing class for action sequences. Thank you for your reccomendations.

 

[BAYLOR]

Yes, I know there is nothing uncool about these writers, was more commenting how the mainstream comes around decades later to catch up with the avant garde. Like Kate Bush's Running up that Hill all of a sudden blowing up again almost 40 years after its release. Yes, Ive read Howard, and much of Lovecraft's 'Circle of Weird.' i live not far from Ashton Smith's birthplace in Placer County, CA. (I am working on a serialized 'Lovecraftian Noir' in which the Femme Fatale is named Gelsamine Ashton Clark, in reference to smith; the intrepid forensic investigator is named Howard Phillips). I may actually have read the Road of Kings, and recognize Wagner's name and that of his Swordsman, but never pursued him. Was really into Cormac Mac Art for a moment, a legendary figure developed by Howard in fragments and short stories, then picked up and continued by Andrew Offut. I will have to look for Seaboard Quinn; him, I have not heard of, and did not know of Jack London story. Do you read Neal Stephenson? The Mongoliad Trilogy is an interesting collaboration (with Greg Bear and others) that feels a lot like Howard's Legendary Heroic Fiction. The impulse for rhe project came from Stephenson's disatisfaction with his own ability to describe combat sequences, so he enlisted the aid of a group of historical combat enthusiasts ( similar to Creative Anachronists?) who not only collected, restored and fabricated historically accurate arms and armour, but trained in their use. It appears Stephenson and his circle of like minded writers and amateurs would get together for mock combat and reenactments, and write what they observed. Like a figure drawing class for action sequences. Thank you for your reccomendations.

Wagner's series is definite worth reading My very favorite Clark Ashton Smith story is The City of the Singing Flame . I have 5 volume edition of his work that put out Nightshade Books . Ive read and re read hims quite bit over the years. Smith wrote one full length novel The Black Diamonds, he was teenager when he wrote it. Its a conventional adventure story , a bit rough but , a good read. Robert E Howard was one of two writers that got really me interested in reading , the other writer was Harlan Ellison. If you like Howard you might check out Harold Lamb , he write historical adventure stories and he was a very good writer and was influential on Howard as a writer. Howard also knew, read and admired London's novel The Star Rover. Ive read Howard Cormac art stories and I read Offut's continuation which I also enjoyed. ive read all of his Kull stories , Bran Mak Morn , Solomon Kane and many others. My Favorite non Conan story is Kings of the Night, In this sotyr you have three of hoards tother at the sane time King Kull , Bran Mac Morn and Cormac art. Kull has summoned form the past to Bran defeat the Roman. Magnificent stuff !

Its Seabury Quinn not Seaboard . A slight l typo on my part. Until recently Seabury Quinn was largely forgotten by everyone , he rarely saw print in later years and until recently there was never published a compete collection of his Jules De Gradin stories. Quinn wrote 90 plus of the stories between n 1925 and 1951 This includes one full length novel . A few years ago Nightshade books put all of them together in 5 volumes
1. The Horror on the Links
2. The Devils Rosary
3. The Dark Angel
4. A Rival From the Grave
5. Black Moon

Jules De Grandin is a supernatural detective /investigator . Both he and his associate Dr Trowbridge investigate and do battle with the forces of supertntural l darkness and human chicanery. Thesestories have a bit of fills vide alot with Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson with a litter Hammer Horror thrown in.

Ive read Snowcrash by Stephensen. Brilliant stuff . I plan to read more of him.

 

[gOff2fish]

Oh, fantastic. Yes, I need to read the Jules de Gandin. It sounds much like I was imagining with the Howard Phillips adventure; occult detective and Natural Philosopher. And I am hunting down the "Star Rover" right now. Will look for Kings of the Night as well. "Snowcrash was my introduction to Stephenson as well, and its fun, very cyberpunk; but later works have really blown my mind; I think, literally, rearranged neural pathways. There are novels I just couldn't enter, but others I'm transported. His Baroque Cycle is epic in a macro and micro level. The trilogy is historic in its setting, Sir Isaac Newton, Leibniz, Robert Hook and the Members of the Royal Society all play significant roles in the narrative; it is science fiction in the sense that it is grounded in the scientific spirit of the times, the spirit of inquiry and accompanying naiveté; touching upon social sciences as well economics, physics, geography; and the decline of alchemy even as it laid the foundation for the scientific method. I last read the Mongoliad Trilogy, pandemic reading. The Diamond Age is also amazing; you might call it Nano-punk; cyberpunk at the level of engineering information and intelligence. More akin to Bruce Sterling than WIlliam Gibson. There is always so much left to read.

 

[BAYLOR]

Oh, fantastic. Yes, I need to read the Jules de Gandin. It sounds much like I was imagining with the Howard Phillips adventure; occult detective and Natural Philosopher. And I am hunting down the "Star Rover" right now. Will look for Kings of the Night as well. "Snowcrash was my introduction to Stephenson as well, and its fun, very cyberpunk; but later works have really blown my mind; I think, literally, rearranged neural pathways. There are novels I just couldn't enter, but others I'm transported. His Baroque Cycle is epic in a macro and micro level. The trilogy is historic in its setting, Sir Isaac Newton, Leibniz, Robert Hook and the Members of the Royal Society all play significant roles in the narrative; it is science fiction in the sense that it is grounded in the scientific spirit of the times, the spirit of inquiry and accompanying naiveté; touching upon social sciences as well economics, physics, geography; and the decline of alchemy even as it laid the foundation for the scientific method. I last read the Mongoliad Trilogy, pandemic reading. The Diamond Age is also amazing; you might call it Nano-punk; cyberpunk at the level of engineering information and intelligence. More akin to Bruce Sterling than WIlliam Gibson. There is always so much left to read.

You can find the Star Rover via project Gutenberg online .

Of further interest.

Kothar The Barbarian series by Francis Garden Fox . 6 volumes It takes place in far future on different planet , Science has gone away and magic has returned. Francis Gardner Fox wrote fantasy store and he also wrote for the comic books. He was one the co creators of the DC Character Dr Fate . he basal contributor to Warren Magazines Eerie and Creepy illustrated Horror , fantasy and science magazine which were around from the 1960's to about hotel 1980's He did a Conan the Barbarian Comics

Robot Titans of Gotham by Novel Page first book in the long running Spider superhero crimfigher novel series . he was one oifthe inspiration for Batman . Page is among one the best pulp writers of all time.

The Dark World by Henry Kuttner a fantasy novel with a most unusual protagonist
Elak of Atlantis by Henry Kuttner
Black Gods Kiss by C L Moore contain all of her wonderful Jirel of Jory Stories
Northwest of Earth by C L Moore her classic pulp space hero Northwest Smith
John Erik Stark of Mars by Leigh Brackett
GingerStar by Leigh Brackett she contributed to the scree play for the The Empire Strikes Back
Darker then You Think by Jack Williamson his calls werewolf novel
The Humanoids by Jack Williamson one the greatest at and most chilling technology book ever written . William also wrote one the greatest end of the world short satires of all time Born of the Sun. His writing career began in 1928 and he continued to write until 2006 the year of his death. His life spanned much of the modern era of science fiction. He coined the terms Terraforming and Genetic Engineering .
Lest Darkness Fall by L Sprague De Camp is one the frost alt history ever written a 290th century man Martin Padway visiting Rome gets hit with bolt of lighting and find himself in 6th center Rome.
The Great White Space by Basil Copper one the gbest lovecratian novels ever written
Islandia by Austin Tappan Wright a novel about a land that never was but you wish existed.
Donovans Brain by Kurt Siodmak This author wrote the very first Lon Chaney Werewolf film and he even invented the werewolf lore that went with it
Death Bird Stories by Harlan Ellison
Night shade and Damnations by Gerald Kersh
The Dreaming Jewels by Theodore Sturgeon
Day of the Giants by Lester Del Rey
The Moon Pool by Abraham Merritt
The Ship of Ishtar by Abram Merritt
The Metal Monster by Abraham Merritt
The Dwellers in the Mirage by Abraham Merritt
The House oon the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson
The Lost Continent by C J Cutcliffe Hynd The very first fantasy novel dealing with Atlantis ever written
The Nightmare and other Tales of Dark Fantasy by Francis Stevens
John the Balladeer by Malley Eade Wellman
Waystation by Clifford Simak

Custer at the Alamo by Gregory Urbach In this Las histoyer novel George Armstrong Custer an his men , instead of dying at Little Bighorn in 1876 find themselves sent back in time to 1836 and the Alamo . This is a fantastic alt history novel !



Sorry , My lists do tend to get long .

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

The artist is Michael Whelan, the picture was used on a heavy metal album cover by Cirith Ungol (who were influenced by Elric books), but I can't learn it's origin

They must have been influenced by Tolkien, as well, as they have taken the name of a place in LOTR. Cirith Ungol is "Spider Pass" in one of Tolkien's elvish languages.

(The creature on the throne appears to have 8 legs, and is therefore probably a spider or other arachnid.)

Does anyone know whether the image was first used for a book cover or an album cover?

 

[gOff2fish]

The DAW paperback edition of Vanishing Tower was published in 1977, the Cirith Ungol album "One Foot In Hell" was released in 1986. I am fairly certain Michael Whelan was commissioned to produce the covers for the entire (at that time) Elric series.

Cirith Ungol Albums and Discography | AllMusic

Cirith Ungol albums and discography on AllMusic including all best, old, and new album information.

www.allmusic.com

The Allmusic page for Cirith Ungol shows that the band used other Michael Whelan from the same Elric series.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I think it's not unusual for artists (who retain copyright for their own artwork) to license their art for use by multiple companies and in various media. Everything from jigsaw puzzles to foreign language editions of other writers' books.