Sunday, July 20, 2008

And who is that bearded bloke?

Amazon Germany tells me that the Pellinor books are doing nicely over there (many thanks, Bastei-Lübbe: you've done me proud). They've just bought The Singing, which is apparently due out there in March next year, hot on the heels of the US edition. No one can say the Germans are not efficient.

But the cover image suggests that the designer is yet to read the book. At least, who is that bearded Bard looking all, well, wizardly on the cover of Das Baumlied? Any suggestions gratefully received...

Meanwhile, Pellinor's plot to take over the world continues with the purchase by a Portuguese publisher of The Gift and The Riddle...

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wahaha! I love the cover to the book. I think the designer is suffering from 'Post-Harry Potter' withdrawal symptoms. It's great to see that Dumbledore is making guest appearances.

Anonymous said...

Ps. Can't wait to see you in Melbourne on your book tour!

Alison Croggon said...

I'll let you know as soon as I know - Penguin keeps saying in a couple of days... I'm in the Melbourne Writers Festival, but Under My Other Hats. But that needn't stop you learning about a great Russian poet called Anna Akhmatova, no? Or theatre? Well, maybe I'll just release the Pellinor dates when I know them...

Alison Croggon said...

PS My husband thought it was Gandalf. Or Nelac. I don't think it's any sort of spoiler to say that what either of them are doing beats me.

Anonymous said...

Yeah. I don't get it either. I would love to check out the Writer's Festival some time; so if university or work doesn’t hold me hostage, I will definitely be there.

You having replied seems very surreal: not in a bad way though! Thank you :)

P.S. I agree with your husband. It's definitely Gandalf.

Anonymous said...

It has to be Nelac ... though whoever commissioned the cover picked a really weird character to include.

Alison Croggon said...

I'll be interested to see if they change the cover once they read the book. It is clearly rushed out to be an image for the forthcoming volume... and it so clearly will puzzle anyone who reads the book! Not to mention the author. :)

Any more suggestions on who it might be?

Unknown said...

Maybe a really old Cadvan?

Rain said...

That's what I was thinking. An old Cadvan.

Seneca said...

Could it be the Nameless One? I don't know.....

Yay! Pellinorites rule! One day, I know, everyone wil know Pellinor. Hope the Portuguese like the books as much as everybody else (though I don't see why they wouldn't).

Thanks for the update, Alison!

Charlie X said...

Ahh! It's the artist! He's trapped on the wrong side of the page!

You can clearly see where he got yellow on his hands from painting the lire.

Alison Croggon said...

Dammit, you're right Jasonakamax! Why didn't I see it?

Mandy Bee said...

Maybe it's Nelsor... you know, when he created the lyre

Mailin said...

I really doubt that the designer knew anything about the book. He just wanted to make it look ...cool? But then again; what do I know, unfortunately I haven't read The Singing yet either. I am german, therefore I'll get my copy not before september 1st. I can'T wait. Love them:)

Alison Croggon said...

Yvonne said - before I accidentally deleted her comment:

My first thought is "that's Gandalf!" Second thought, after disregarding a Middle-Earth inhabitant showing up here is Nelac. Then again, what if it's a new character? You would know, though, so that doesn't really make sense unless you're pulling our collective leg ;-)

To which I say: me? legpulling? Nevah!

lizibell88 said...

Hmmm it could be a 'symbolic' Nelac, shrouded by the black cloak that represents the darkness within us all...?? Ha ha I love it when book covers don't match the product! You would think that the artists do at least need to read a book before they can produce the cover?!

Can't wait for the Singing to be released in the UK!

briana said...

aww man i i just finished the crow today (i know it took me ages, can never find time anymore) but i want the singing to come out sooner. and i would like to believe the cover is Gandalf. it just makes me feel better. and i think i agree with yvonne aboout the leg pulling alison! =]

Dwaggi said...

Maybe it's Enkir? It would be awesome if it were Nelsor, though.

mike said...

my first thought was that is was nelac(while actually my first thought was dumbledor but when i though about pellinor charactor's i thought of nelac). but nelsor is a good guess. but i livein the u.s. so i haven't read it yet...still can't wait. It could be Imank f he wasn't destroyed in the crow...or maybe a really bad picture of an elemental?

dino35 said...

I like all your ideas... I think its most likely its Nelsor... Or maybe it's an Elidhu in the shape of Dumbledore... Or maybe its Dumbledore himself. I like the thought that Bards and Wizards are related and can travel between each other's worlds.
I started the Naming about a week or so ago (I know, I have been ignorant to genius for too long) and I am now about half way through the Crow. I'm convinced they are likely the best books I have ever read an I'm actually really surprised I never heard of them before.
Maybe the guy on the cover is supposed to represent how ancient the Treesong and the lyre are. Well, they have one thing in common: they're a riddle.

Alison Croggon said...

Thanks Dino35! And your comments are much appreciated. (As fantasy authors go, I'm still a newbie). We're all still puzzled here, but people are buying the book in Germany, so that's ok...

Anonymous said...

Last night I finished this tale and in the end it was so fantastic, that today I have a hard hangover, something, which happens not so often to me.

I really loved all the books (and, as I started the first on last week I was lucky not to have to wait, till the others were published, I could read them one after the other), although I have two points of criticism: Sometimes, a sentence reminded me very much to the 'Lord of the Rings' and the card was not complete in the Northern area. As I love good cards in a fantasy book and I often take a look on them, I missed this in book two.

Perhaps, this old man on the cover is the bard, which caused all the problems??? It really makes no sense.

Thank you for some wonderfull hours!
Best regards,
Bianca

greenfeed said...

the designer make this what the
Publishing house say.
One cannot read the book before.
frank fiedler
www.greenfeed.deviantart.com

The BoredMaster said...

Did you know that Das BaumLied means The Treesong?

Alison Croggon said...

Yup. My German is that good!

Thanks Greenfeed; I know it varies between different publishers. The designer for my English Walker covers - the wonderful Patrick Insole - in fact read the books closely before making his designs, and discussed them in depth with me. Which is perhaps why I like them so much.