The Dervish House by Ian McDonald

In SF Signal‘s most recent Mind Meld, we were asked about recent covers that, on an artistic level, blew us. One of my choices was the beautiful cover for Ian McDonald’s The Dervish House. As he usually does, Lou Anders and Jacqueline Cooke at Pyr Books took some wonderful Stephan Martiniere artwork and crafted a sublime cover around it.

Above, you have the UK edition of The Dervish House. It’s nice, and I like that it wears the influences of its setting on its sleeve; but, if you ask me, it’s one of those rare occasions when the UK cover has to work a bit harder against its US counterpart… and comes up a bit short.

Which do you prefer?

Discussion
  • Seak March 17, 2010 at 10:14 pm

    For once I’m with the US one as well. Not that the UK is bad, the US one is just really good.

  • Rachel March 18, 2010 at 1:54 am

    The US one is gorgeous! I suppose they occasionally have to have one over on the Brits…

  • Patrick March 18, 2010 at 4:47 am

    What!?! The US cover is better? I might need to blog about this.

  • Lou Anders March 18, 2010 at 7:08 am

    Thanks folks. Design on the US cover was done by Jacqueline Cook.

  • Lou Anders March 18, 2010 at 7:10 am

    Apologies, that’s Cooke with an e. Hit return too fast.

  • aidan March 18, 2010 at 7:44 am

    Thanks Lou! I’ve gone ahead and amended the post with credit to Jacqueline.

  • Robin of My Two Blessings March 18, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    All McDonald’s cover are pretty awesome. Another one to add to my “I want it now” list.