Cover Art - Imperial Assassin

[Mark Robson]

For those who are now anticipating the release of Imperial Assassin, here's a peek at what you're going to be looking for. Once again, Geoff Taylor has excelled. I think this is the strongest cover yet. What do you think?

 

[Marky Lazer]

Swell! I mean that, the other I checked were... so so (better than I can ever do, of course) But I didn't find them too apealing. This one is really great!

 

[genisis2]

Thats an excellent cover.Very exciting. Definately something to be proud of.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

An amazing cover! Now I'm jealous.

 

[dwndrgn]

This is a great cover (even though there is a spider on it instead of a dragon ). The artist has marked out the conglomeration of parts of the story in one shot...hopefully you understand what that meant. Don't know why I'm a bit hazy today, maybe because I just gave blood.

 

[Mark Robson]

Thanks for that instant positive vote of confidence. The trick now will be making the story live up to the cover! The blurb has now been drafted as:

A deadly war has been triggered in the city of Shandrim. Declared outlaws by the Emperor, the Guild of Assassins strike back hard. Emperor Surabar must act fast. He needs someone to infiltrate the Guild. All attempts to locate the assassins' headquarters have failed and Femke is already known to the assassins. So Reynik, the young legionnaire, must penetrate their inner circle to discover the Guild's secrets.

Reynik knows he will face great danger. Secrets kept hidden for over five centuries command a high price. But there are some dangers for which even the best training cannot prepare you.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Oh, I like that cover - extremely striking. I think your policy of getting the cover noticed at a distance can only work really well there.

 

[Paradox 99]

Awesome - I have a thing for purple!

 

[rune]

Love the cover Looks great

 

[kyektulu]

Love the book cover Mark, that is great artwork!


I will be sure to look out for your book in the shops.

 

[kyektulu]

Awesome - I have a thing for purple!

Your not the only one...

 

[Aerin]

Well, my first reaction was "Awesomely awesome!!". My second was "Aww. No dragon. But just as well, I love spiders too! (in fact, I collect stuffed animal ones. Bats too. Maybe that can be your next cover!)" and my third reaction was "Well, that's highly impractical. He/she/it is clearly using illegal means to enter/leave a building, in plain sight of a whole city, and with plently of light(ning) to see him/her/it by."

I could go on for a while, but I think this is enough for now. I have to comment on how the rain is so awesome, though. Oh yes! I have a question for you! How much symbolism is there in your books? Or this cover, for that matter?

 

[GOLLUM]

As per a previuos post possibly in my top/fav 25 fantasy covers of all time...

 

[Mark Robson]

my third reaction was "Well, that's highly impractical. He/she/it is clearly using illegal means to enter/leave a building, in plain sight of a whole city, and with plently of light(ning) to see him/her/it by."

I could go on for a while, but I think this is enough for now. I have to comment on how the rain is so awesome, though. Oh yes! I have a question for you! How much symbolism is there in your books? Or this cover, for that matter?

Thanks again, everyone. I'm delighted that everyone has mirrored my response to this.

Aerin, you're right about being in plain sight, but how many people look up into torrential rain? He's pretty high up there - your point of view is a bird's eye one. Imagine being stood on the ground. Would you be likely to notice him?

There is a lot of symbolism in terms of how the cover is designed. The spider has huge significance to the plot, and the dragon on the first book will make a lot more sense for having read this second one too. As for symbolism inside the cover, could you be more specific? I'm not sure what you mean by the question.

 

[Aerin]

A bird's eye view of a bird at about tower level, if that castle-looking thing has towers. But your argument does rule out just about the whole of the city's population.

Well, let's see about symbolism. There's the spider, which usually stands for poison. The spider is on the word 'assassin', so maybe that's fore-shadowing. There's lightning, which, I always take as standing for a quick unexpected yet shocking event that sheds new light in events, or people. There's the rain, which can stand for someone's frustration of events being their understanding/power to change, since rain is one of those troublesome things you have no control over. Oh, yes, you can't forget the letters seem silver, like a certain someone's bracelet.

This is probably so far-fetched.. But hey, I'm having fun.

 

[Mark Robson]

This is probably so far-fetched.. But hey, I'm having fun.

You keep having fun! Some of what you speculated was close to the truth, though the scene in the picture, is actually the artist's impression of a scene from the book. It's not quite how I would have mentally pictured the event, but it is very impressive artwork nonetheless. The spider is of significance, and the fact that it is silver is also of significance. Those who have read The Darkweaver Legacy might guess something of the significance of the silver, but then again, maybe they won't!

 

[Cosmo]

i like it mark, mainly the pictur, not so much the title

 

[Aerin]

I knew silver was important!! xP I also had a bad feeling that the whole thing was pretty much just a scene from the book. Oh well.

 

[Jordan Kirk]

Mark brilliant cover art very intriguing, i would definitely pick up this book if i was walking by in a shop

Having read the blurb you posted I think that it is good at the moment but still may need a little adjusting. I wrote my own version tell me what you think if you come to read this.


Femke has triggered a war in the city of Shandrim. The Guild of Assassins, declared outlaws by the Emperor, strike back hard. Time is running out for Emperor Surabar, he must find a way to infiltrate the Guild. Femke, his trusted Governor and Spy is already known to the Guild. So Reynik, the young legionnaire, must penetrate their inner circle to discover the Guild's secrets.

Reynik must tread carefully for great danger lies ahead of him. The Guild was able to keep its secrets safe for 5 centuries for a reason. But even the best training cannot prepare you for everything.

 

[Mark Robson]

Mark brilliant cover art very intriguing, i would definitely pick up this book if i was walking by in a shop

Having read the blurb you posted I think that it is good at the moment but still may need a little adjusting. I wrote my own version tell me what you think if you come to read this.


Femke has triggered a war in the city of Shandrim. The Guild of Assassins, declared outlaws by the Emperor, strike back hard. Time is running out for Emperor Surabar, he must find a way to infiltrate the Guild. Femke, his trusted Governor and Spy is already known to the Guild. So Reynik, the young legionnaire, must penetrate their inner circle to discover the Guild's secrets.

Reynik must tread carefully for great danger lies ahead of him. The Guild was able to keep its secrets safe for 5 centuries for a reason. But even the best training cannot prepare you for everything.

Thanks for your suggested blurb changes, Jordan. However, it is not Femke who has triggered the war, it is the Emperor. Also, Femke is not a Governor and I have to be careful to make sure that the blurb is technically correct, or the readers will be onto me in a flash! I did particularly like your sentence 'Reynik must tread carefully for great danger lies ahead of him.' Again, however, there is a minor problem - it introduces more words. The word count in a blurb is very tightly controlled.

Your proposed blurb flows very well, but the one I proposed has shorter, sharper sentences. The point of this is to convey the idea of fast moving, almost breathless action. I very much appreciate you taking the time to do a re-write for me, though. It did make me study what I'd written very carefully, which can only be a good thing.