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Robin Hobb has unveiled new covers for the Liveship Traders trilogy, with art from French artist Didier Graffet, and they’re mighty fine.

The previous North American covers for the Liveship Traders series were, umm… less than ideal (though perhaps ahead of their time for artist Stephen Youll’s illustration of a strong woman on the cover, without her boobs hanging out), and these are a big improvement. It’s too bad that that beveled text has become part of Hobb’s brand, though.

Graffet’s work might be familiar to Hobb fans for his work on the French graphic novel adaptation of the Farseer trilogy. “I was delighted when I first saw his images of the Farseers on the various covers [Graffet] did for the Soleil graphic novels of The Farseer Trilogy,” said Hobb. “So I am delighted to now have his work on the US paperback covers.”

Discussion
  • Paul Weimer May 29, 2014 at 8:17 am

    I don’t mind the US Ship of Magic’s cover…but yeah, that Mad ship cover. My eyes. My eyes.

    These are gorgeous, even with beveled typography :)

  • Rob B May 29, 2014 at 10:07 am

    I like the original covers quite a bit, but these covers….are some of the best I’ve ever seen. Wow. Just wow.

  • Carl V. Anderson May 30, 2014 at 3:45 am

    Oh my, those are gorgeous. Particularly the cover for Ship of Destiny. I certainly feel compelled to buy the books because of these cover images.

    Just fyi, when trying to click over to this link on my Feedly account, it attempts to take me elsewhere and I get a site warning from my PC. Not sure what that is all about. It isn’t happening with other Feedly links from today.

  • […] these character-centric Robin Hobb covers that works for me. While not quite the homerun that the new covers for Hobb’s Liveship Traders trilogy are, the aging of Fitz, from young adult to weathered, handsome dude is a great touch for past fans […]