Nice. I've actually got a copy of Orbus, which I've had my eye on for a while since I quite enjoyed Asher's Shadow of the Scorpion. Not sure if I can read it on its own though, or whether I ought to check out the other Spatterjay novels first - I'm presuming the latter.
While we're on subject, here's the hardback cover. Prefer the paperback cover (above) myself.
8 comments:
Agreed, the paperback cover easily takes the cake.
Can't say I've read any Neal Asher in my time, for all that I've heard, and that Daily Mail cover quote makes me decidedly nervous to...
Although the first Spatterjay novel is only so so, the second one is pretty good. I'd recommend trying to read them both, I think having some of the background on the world would help with Orbus (which I haven't read).
Best to read the first two: The Skinner & Voyage of the Sable Keech.
Why does the cover quote make you nervous N R Alexander?
@ Neal Asher
Only because of its source. We're all Brits here, aren't we? I can quite understand why the publisher went with a quote from the most broad-reaching national paper possible, but The Daily Mail, to be blunt, rather makes my skin crawl.
Still, there are no shortage of other readers and reviewers whose recommendations I hold in higher regard. I've been meaning to read one of your novels for years now, Neal; certainly I'll keep an eye out for The Skinner, as per your advice.
If I were to only judge this book by its cover, I'd never even bother picking it up. The conclusions that I would draw from the cover would lead me to believe that this is not the kind of sci-fi book that I'm interested in. Again, I'm saying this as if I knew nothing about the book.
Now, upon doing a bit of online research, finding a little bit about the book's premise, it might be something that I'd read and enjoy.
More than likely the reality is, and sad as it is to say it, I'd probably never pick the book up just because of the cover and the presumptions it conjures.
Of course the eternal dilemma is, for every reader like Kristopher Neal stands to lose because of what we might deem an insipid piece cover design, he could well gain tenfold more who're drawn in primarily for that reason.
For all the objective worth of a good piece of art on the front of your book - not to say a scary alien and a big gun don't equal serious potential - its target market and the hive-mind opinions of a few focus groups will always count for more with publishers.
I also prefer the paperback version. Have you read the Agent Cormac books by Neal Asher? I love a series and I haven't read anything by this author before, so a good place to start?
I've only read the Cormac book Shadow of the Scorpion, which is decent. Although not the first Cormac book to be published, it is chronologically the first, so it's a good place to start.
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