Well, I applaud Tor for putting an old(ish) guy on the cover, and leaving his face unobscured by a silly cloak/hood. Otherwise, it looks a lot like a Dresden Files novel, and not a whole lot like the awesome covers that the series originally debuted with. I don’t mind Chris McGrath’s art, but I think it’s a poor fit for Scholes’ series.
And, to meet my ‘obscure videogame culture reference of the day’ quota, the man’s a dead-ringer for Jeff Green (not this Jeff Green), formerly of Computer Gaming World Magazine, then Games for Windows: The Official Magazine, then Electronic Arts, then PopCap Games, then, by virtue of the universe’s perverse sense of irony, Electronic Arts, again, thanks to their acquisition of PopCap Games. *Phew*
That is so sad! Don’t get me wrong, Chris McGrath is among the best artists nowadays… Greg Manchess, however, is my second favorite artist ever.
it’s the dad from twin peaks!
totally agree – these are good, but the original style was just better.
I was thinking he looked more like an older James Vanderbeek.
I like it…but yeah you’re right the initial art for this series was FAR superior…..but MCgrath is a decent replacement. And I like this. Need to read the 3rd book still.
Looks like the lovechild of James Vanderbeek & Mandy Patinkin… Aged. Good, though. Like the contrast between red & grey
Gods, now I can’t unsee Vanderbeek. LOL. What are the odds that McGrath used a pic of him as model?
Guy in a dress with a shiny staff is better than a guy in a hood? As a regular hood wearer I must disagree.
More like, “Guy in a dress with a shiny staff is less overdone in Fantasy cover art than a guy in a hood? Yes.”