Cover Art | The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (UK Edition)
Cover Art Print This Post April 8th, 2010
Hrm. It’s kinda like that old Brent Weeks’ cover (which I didn’t like), had a bastard love child with the UK Mistborn covers (which I loved). I’m not so sure it works so well as Sanderson’s previous Gollancz covers. The ghostly, ethereal feel worked well with Vin (who’s rather lithe, and pretty), but feels awkward with a knight-in-shining-author.
Presumably, this is an early draft of the cover, taken from the Gollancz catalog, so, like the Weeks’ cover, it could change, but, given its similarities to the Mistborn covers and the looming release date, I expect that’s a good idea of what the final version will look like. I’m rather more fond of the US Edition.
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I’d be alright with it. Nothing better than matching book spines on my shelves.
I can’t say that I care for it much at all
This cover doesn’t have spit on the US edition. Of course i’m in love with the US edition so i might have a biased opinion.
Mandorallen
It looks like a worse version of the Mistborn covers (which I could appreciate but not really enjoy) and fits far worse here. It feels like they’re trying for a surreal atmosphere, or at least looks that way, but that couldn’t be more opposed to what the other cover’s doing (and what everything I’ve read of Sanderson up until now has been about).
It looks incomplete to me. Although I like what they are trying to do with it. Having read the first 100 pages, I can tell you at least the armor and the “ethereal feel” of it are well done, as that’s in the book.
This cover is corrupting my expectations for the book. While the U.S. cover evokes aged, sweeping, epic grandeur–very much in line with the all the pre-release info I’ve been hearing about the book–this cover art is cold, ephemeral, and modern. It looks like it belongs on a transient book you pick up at the airport, and then leave behind on an end-table in a lobby somewhere.
I don’t entirely disagree with all the disappointment in the comments, but as Aidan says, this is very like an early version of the art that will end up adorning The Way of Kings. As it stands, no, it’s not half as inviting as the Mistborn covers, but I for one am keeping the faith. And kudos to Gollancz for trying to keep an aesthetic throughline from one Sanderson novel to the next. That, I appreciate, even if what we have here is – admittedly – far from the loveliness of the American spread.
They’ll have to do something about the colours. As it stands, the colours (together with that round object in the upper left corner) screams ‘Japan!’. Yet the knight doesn’t really feel japanese..
As N.R. Alexander said, cheers to Gollancz. There are many writers who write their entire lives and never get this kind of branding. And regardless what the writer says, all writers want to be brand name authors. This consistency in the covers is a good thing. There is a lot of grumbling here about not liking these covers, but if you live in the UK and like Sanderson, you’re gonna have a real easy time identify his books.
I say congrats to the marketing team and soft applause for the art department.
I actually like this one.