Question for folks at large: we are getting closer to the unveiling of the cover art. I have a rendition of the front cover with the typography on it.
Gorgeous!
But here is the question posed to the dedicated readership: the art is high key color at the top, and this time, the graphic designer opted NOT to do the ‘fade to white’ that bled out the color underneath the typography - so the 'backdrop artwork has been left at full saturation…the cover type IS THE SAME format/likewise the arrangement of icon and seardluin gargoyles/so the Format matches past volumes.
Would it bother you to have this cover ‘stand out’ from the rest by NOT having the pale wash out at the top???
It is a ‘collector’ question - probably means nothing to anyone else…the full saturation is absolutely STUNNING so no problem with me, with the image.
I just wondered if there would be flak for the imprecise ‘match’ with the rest of the series.
Also: update not yet available about the early appearance of the ‘preorders’ showing without art, and with staggered dates for US and UK release. My prior editor LEFT and I have a brand new person starting up - the word is, ‘being looked into’ and I am still waiting for a detailed response.
My understanding was: press run was to happen in NOVEMBER, to enable stocking to the USA and simultaneous release - evidently somebody flipped a different switch, no reason why yet…I won’t rest until I know, but understand: some stuff in the machinery is not under my control…there have been hideous issues with stocking/a defective printing (rectified, but it delayed stocking of Ships of Merior and some books bound with a missing page are still cropping up/the publisher WILL make good on them if they are shown evidence: apply to HarperVoyager UK with a photo of the defect.
Further, if you have a copy like this: I can post the missing copy HERE on request/so your read is not disrupted.
Other news: livestream by the PageChewing crew this Saturday for Warhost of Vastmark, I will be along for the ride. IF they don’t broadcast live, they will post it for public viewing on Tuesday AM - links will show on The Fantasy Thinker’s channel, and on Varsha’s: Reading by the Rainy Mountain. There may be a historical tidbit if I get the time to assemble one for the broadcast.
Does not bother me if it does not fade out at the top.
Now if they want a more informed opinion, they can always show us both a faded version and the full saturation version and let us vote on it. But I am sure the graphic designer had a reason for not fading out the cover art.
I would have to say my opinion of HarperCollinsUK and the way they fail to cash in on our enthusiasm for the next book has not changed, Janny released the cover, HC as usual seemed lacking in enthusiasm. The pre-orders as usual started without a cover and with no synopsis for Song of the Mysteries, we are almost to October now, many online book stores still do not have a cover image, some still do not even have pre-orders up yet, and none of them have a synopsis for SotM. The bricks and mortar bookshops seem clueless as usual, HC failed to inform them it seems that pre-orders were meant to be starting. They will all take your pre-order anyway, they want your money, but I thought the publisher was meant to be encouraging book stores to actually get pre-orders?
Ah, I just checked the Canadian and UK Amazon sites and both have SOTM. I’d rather add to the total for Amazon US, but I might just order it from Canada…
I seem to recall the US fans having trouble with the initial Destiny’s Conflict release date which was Jan 2018, a lot of fans got their hardback from the UK (19th Oct 2017) or Canada (21st Nov 2017) and in the end even the US bookshops seemed to get their early stock from Canada, so they could have it on sale earlier than expected.
As usual the US release date (July 30th) is later than everyone else, which might explain the lack of pre-order availability. For the final book, I expect any self respecting US book seller will do the same as they did with Destiny’s Conflict, rather than have all their sales of SotM go to a UK or Canadian book seller.
There is a synopsis out there if anyone cannot wait for HarperCollinsUK to get around to releasing it.
Just got a notice on my Amazon US preorder that it’s “shipping earlier than expected” with a release date lining up with the UK edition (May 28, 2024)!
I preordered my hardcover, and I’m still waiting for Amazon U.S. to offer the one for the kindle version. I check for it periodically but nothing so far.
