Covering Covers: The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham

Cover Artist: Lauren Panepinto and Orbit Art Department

This morning Orbit shared the final cover and blurb for Daniel Abraham's much anticipated The Dragon's Path. I like the cover though I'm reserving final judgement until I see the physical book. Based solely on this image, the title and author don't seem to fully mesh with the rest of the cover. This happens a lot with flat JPEGs and I'm guessing the final product will look a lot cleaner, perhaps with raised letters. But I do like the way the blue hue interplays with the red detail of the stream of blood. It's an average to above average cover right now but I really need to see the book up close. I really think Orbit should send me a copy so I can make a final decision. ASAP.

Lauren Panepinto also shared the final blurb:

Summer is the season of war in the Free Cities.

Marcus wants to get out before the fighting starts. His hero days are behind him and simple caravan duty is better than getting pressed into service by the local gentry. Even a small war can get you killed. But a captain needs men to lead — and his have been summarily arrested and recruited for their swords.

Cithrin has a job to do — move the wealth of a nation across a war zone. An orphan raised by the bank, she is their last hope of keeping the bank’s wealth out of the hands of the invaders. But she’s just a girl and knows little of caravans, war, and danger. She knows money and she knows secrets, but will that be enough to save her in the coming months?

Geder, the only son of a noble house is more interested in philosophy than swordplay. He is a poor excuse for a soldier and little more than a pawn in these games of war. But not even he knows what he will become of the fires of battle. Hero or villain? Small men have achieved greater things and Geder is no small man.

Falling pebbles can start a landslide. What should have been a small summer spat between gentlemen is spiraling out of control. Dark forces are at work, fanning the flames that will sweep the entire region onto The Dragon’s Path — the path of war.

I'll admit that the 3 character blurb is a bit fantasy cliche but I have it on good authority that The Dagger and The Coin is anything but. Look for The Dragon's Path April 7th of next year.