After yesterday’s travesty, I thought it was time to redeem the Cover Art section of the website to its former glory. As with most Pyr novels, The Dervish House by Ian McDonald is a marvel to look at.
Lou Anders, who wears many hats at Pyr has another hit on his hands. Patrick, over at Stomping the Yeti, sums up my thoughts rather accurately:
This is a great, great cover. Stephan Martiniere is responsible as usual. I can’t count the number of times I see a cover and think to myself, “Wow, I wonder who did that” and then go on to find its a Martiniere. The computer circuitry gives a subtle touch to an image that otherwise appears fairly timeless. I also really dig the text box and the way the horizontal banners and building interplay with the sharp angles of the title and author borders. Sometimes great cover art is ruined by bad font choice or placement. This is not one of those times.
And, hey, the book itself sounds like a winner, also:
In the sleepy Istanbul district of Eskiköy stands the former whirling dervish house of Adem Dede. Over the space of five days of an Istanbul heatwave, six lives weave a story of corporate wheeling and dealing, Islamic mysticism, political and economic intrigue, ancient Ottoman mysteries, a terrifying new terrorist threat, and a nanotechnology with the potential to transform every human on the planet.
McDonald’s books have been on my radar for a while now, but every time I think about buying up, I get a little intimidated. The Turkish setting of this one appeals to me more than India and Brazil, which might just push me over the edge.
