NEW YORK & LONDON--(SCIFI-PR-WIRE) --HarperCollins Voyager, the fantasy and science fiction imprint of HarperCollins, are currently in the process of re-jacketing many of the old classics on their list to bring the novels up-to-date.
Some of the first re-covers to hit the market will be for the Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts’ ‘Empire’ trilogy – while British fantasy author Stephen Hunt’s works are also being re-designed, with the paper-back of his 4th novel in the Jackelian series, ‘Secrets of the Fire Sea’, breaking away from the look of the current hardback’s jacket. These new designs will be on sale in September 2010.
When word of Stephen Hunt’s redesign filtered through the market, the original hardback for ‘Secrets of the Fire Sea’ sold out of its last print run on Amazon within days, with collectors purchasing what they anticipate now becoming a collectable.
The original designs for Stephen Hunt’s Jackelian fantasy series featured a line-work motif that echoed the Victorian level of society which features in Hunt’s imagined ‘Kingdom of Jackals’ – a post-ice age take on what England transforms into millions of years in the future, filled with page-turning jeopardy, intrigue, strange races and the debris of lost civilisations.
The new jacket designs feature a more contemporary take on Hunt’s deeply imaginative creations, suggestive of the mystery, romance and adventure which runs through the novels.
Literary agent John Jarrold, who represents Stephen Hunt, said the designs “are quite dashing”, while Hunt commented, “It’s an opportune moment with the print runs for the Jackelian books still selling out and new editions about to hit the bookshops, to seize the opportunity to do something distinctive and fresh for their covers.”
Books in the series include ‘The Court of the Air, ‘The Kingdom Beyond the Waves’, ‘The Rise of the Iron Moon, ‘Secrets of the Fire Sea’, ‘Jack Cloudie’ (pub: 2011), and a 6th as yet untitled work in the series due for publication in 2012.
All well and good (and the new cover doesn't look bad I guess) but I always feel sorry for the people who end up with a different cover halfway through a series. It just doesn't look right on the bookshelf does it? This, coming from the guy who has mismatched 'Felix Castor', 'Malazan Book of the Fallen' and 'Wheel of Time' cover art on his shelves... I haven't read the 'Jackelian' books though, anyone here read them?
I totally get that publishing is an industry and there to make money first and foremost, of course it is. It would be an awfully run business if it wasn't! I just wish they'd let me finish collecting a series before messing around with the covers...
5 comments:
Agreed. There are a lot of books out there with two or three covers with different formats and when we try to have a beautiful collection in the house we fail. It's awful.
Another thing that I am seeing now a lot more in the american books it's their lenght. They are a big bigger than the usual.
Black Library had a change as well in 2001 I think. I have several books with one lenght and then puff. Another lenght.
Sometimes the cover/size does matter eheh...
It messes with my bookshelf!!
Don't you know that there is a big conspiracy behind it?
Target is to get rid of all the paper and sell solely ebooks.
People who still buy real books are a back number.
"...seize the opportunity to do something distinctive and fresh for their covers."
I don't know about you guys, but I think the new cover is distinctly less "distinctive" than the old.
Ah hell. I have the first 4 Steven Hunt UK hardbacks and I really like the look of the the covers and am planning on buying the other 2 when they come out. I rather hate this new look. Grumble.
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