Covering Covers: The Heroes (w/ final summary)

  UK Cover                                                               US Cover

Map: Dave Senior                                                    Artist: Steve Stone

      Axe: Didier Graffet.                                           Design: Lauren Panepinto

Design: Laura Brett                                                                              

Coordination: Gillian Redfearn                                                                          

I have to declare victory for the team over at Gollancz for yet another great cover. The bloody US cover is alright (and much better than the atrocity that was their version of Best Served Cold) but Abercrombie covers have become synonymous with objects placed over a bloody map. It just conveys the tone of looming bloodshed so perfectly, and so much more subtly than the gorefest on the US cover.

Earlier this week, Abercrombie shared the final copy for The Heroes over on his blog:

“They say Black Dow’s killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbour, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they’ve brought a lot of sharpened metal with them.

Bremer dan Gorst, disgraced master swordsman, has sworn to reclaim his stolen honour on the battlefield. Obsessed with redemption and addicted to violence, he’s far past caring how much blood gets spilled in the attempt. Even if it’s his own.

Prince Calder isn’t interested in honour, and still less in getting himself killed. All he wants is power, and he’ll tell any lie, use any trick, and betray any friend to get it. Just as long as he doesn’t have to fight for it himself.

Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North, has gained nothing from a life of warfare but swollen knees and frayed nerves. He hardly even cares who wins any more, he just wants to do the right thing. But can he even tell what that is with the world burning down around him?

Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail…

Three men. One battle. No Heroes.”

More Black Dow! Very excited for that. Right now I plan on ordering the UK version for the cover art continuity but as I mentioned yesterday, The Heroes is probably my most anticipated fantasy tome for 2011. I may just defer to whichever method gets me the book faster.

The Heroes will be published by Gollancz in the UK on Jan 20th, 2011. Orbit will publish the US edition two months later in March. I don't think I'll be able to wait.