April 4th, 2010
By Jeff Elmquist
Cover art by Gene Szafran
“The Music of a demigod takes over the minds of a country, and even a continent…”
Wonderful Gene Szafran good-girl-art graces the cover of this newly discovered, far-out and freaky psychedelic science fiction novel. The Book of Stier by Robin Sanborn was published by Berkley in 1971. The cover is traditional Szafran and can immediately be confirmed as his; the artist’s signature is visible just below the girl’s left foot. This cover is somewhat reminiscent of those that Szafran did for Poul Anderson’s Corridors of Time, and Rosel George Brown’s Waters of Centaurus. I like the color scheme with warm blues and reds, and of course the GGA is nice. While I haven’t read the book, the cover doesn’t really seem to evoke the essence of the novel, at least not as provided in the back cover blurb:
The Snowchildren were going wild over Stiermusic. Its far-out sounds were sweeping the continent. Everyone was electrified by the music of Richard Stier. His high priestesses, the beautiful Magdelaine, Winnie, Terhikki, and Mrs. Chen, were faithfully fanning the flames of his renown into a high cult.
Paul Odeon, assigned by his agency to the promotion of Stiermusic – this extraterrestial rock that went beyond rock – sensed something funny about the account from the beginning. Why did Richard Stier always wear white? Why had no one ever seen him? Why did Stier’s wife, Adrianne, avoid Odeon’s probing?
First there was the Fifth Advent of Iliyu. People described its effects as the Second Coming of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Then there was the Shakespeare festival at Stratford, which would honor the long-awaited second opera of Richard Stier. And then it happened – and no one was quite sure of what they had seen…
That’s some groovy cover blurb! I’m not sure what it all means, or where it all leads, but one thing’s for sure – this book is truly out-there! It should be no surprise to anyone that Internet searches seem to reveal that The Book of Stier is Robin Sanborn’s one-and-only novel. A classic example of 70s psychedelic…sorry, extraterrestial…rock-n-roll sci-fi? Regardless of the merits of the book, this is one great Gene Szafran cover. Enjoy!
Posted in Artists, GGA, Site Updates, Szafran | No Comments »
March 29th, 2010
By Jeff Elmquist
Cover art by Dan Dos Santos
I’ve finally added a Dan Dos Santos cover art checklist to the pages here at Paperback Fantasies. If you’re not already a Dos Santos admirer, I’m sure you soon will be. Great cover art from a truly phenomenal artist! His covers often differ widely in style; from covers with urban good-girl-art (see his covers for Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series), to…
Cover art by Dan Dos Santos
works with a wonderfully unusual visual perspective (such as Hoffman’s Spirits That Walk in Shadow), to…
Cover art by Dan Dos Santos
the delightfully chaotic (see Lee’s Indigara).
Dos Santos seems to really be in touch with his fans as well. He keeps his website updated on a regular basis, and participates in online forums where he sometimes gives “sneak peeks” of new work. He also gives free “how-to” lectures and has produced an instructional DVD teaching how to paint book covers.
I’ve tried to assemble as complete a checklist as possible. Some of the books listed have not actually been released yet, and their inclusion on the list is based on announcements made at Dos Santos’ website. One book, Kris Greene’s The Dark Storm may not actually be a Dos Santos cover. The cover artist is not credited, but it sure looks like Dos Santos to me.
Check out the Dan Dos Santos Cover Art Checklist, and enjoy!
Posted in Artists, Dos Santos, GGA, Site Updates, Uncategorized | No Comments »
March 22nd, 2010
By Jeff Elmquist
Cover art by Jeffrey Jones
Over 30 new images have been added to the Jeff Jones Cover Art checklist here at Paperback Fantasies. Thank again to Brian Maginnity for contributing many of these. The list has also been largely expanded to include many book, magazines, fanzines, etc., that were not previously listed. If any of you know of items with Jeff Jones covers that are not listed, please post that information in the comments section, or send me an email. It’s always my goal to continue making the checklists at Paperback Fantasies as exhaustive as possible.
I was very happy to see that the artist’s official website is now full of content. For a long while it was basically an empty shell. Now there is a wealth of extremely interesting biographical information, as well as a vast number of images; both completed fine-art paintings, as well sketches, concept drawings/paintings, etc.
Check out the Jeff Jones Cover Art Checklist, and enjoy!
Posted in Artists, Jeff Jones, Site Updates | No Comments »
March 12th, 2010
By Jeff Elmquist
Cover art by Enric?
The Enric Cover Art Checklist has been newly updated with many additional images. Some are from my own collection, others are thanks, again, to Brian Maginnity. Thanks Brian!
With these updates comes a mystery. While hunting for books I came upon a copy of A Planet in Arms by Donald Barr. The cover art is, in my opinon, similar in style to Enric. But there’s no artist credited, nor a visible signature. The Internet Speculative Fiction Database does not list a cover artist. What do you all think? Enric or not Enric?
Check out the new updates to the Enric Cover Art Checklist, and Enjoy!
Posted in Artists, Enric, Site Updates | No Comments »
March 10th, 2010
By Jeff Elmquist
Cover art by Charles Moll
I’m very happy to announce a brand new addition to the cover art checklists here at Paperback Fantasies: a checklist for surrealist Charles Moll.
I have found very little information on Moll. Jane Frank does not include an entry for him in her new book, and internet searches have turned up nothing. Robert Weinberg’s A Biographical Dictionary of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists (Greenwood Pr., 1988) says: “Moll is a decorative surrealist illustrator who began working in the paperback field in the 1960s. He did a great deal of science fiction during the early years of his career and now does primarily romance and horror cover paintings.”
“Surrealist” is right! To me, Moll was doing in paint what J. K. Potter does with photography. Moll’s cover art is often bizarre and macabre stuff. Very cool! And his signature (the initials CM in bold letters) is quite often clearly visible in his work, making it easy for the collector to identify Moll’s covers.
I’ve assembled the Charles Moll Cover Art Checklist using Weinberg’s book, ISFDB, and internet searches of various online booksellers to generate the information. If you know of Moll covers not included in this list, please post bibliographical info in the comments, or send me an email. Enjoy!
Posted in Artists, Charles Moll, J.K. Potter, Site Updates, Uncategorized | No Comments »