Funny, I’ve been thinking about buying second copies of some of my imported Pratchett, because I can’t stand Josh Kirby. I’d seen Discworld novels in stores for years and always skipped them because of the crap covers. Didn’t start reading him until Small Gods came out in that nifty blue cover with the stylized turtle on the cover. Ever since, I’ve been bitter at Kirby for making me miss out on these great books. I just wish there were some folk wisdom or pithy saying that could have prevented me from making such a mistake.
Kidby I like better, but I haven’t seen any British editions of TP’s stuff since Kirby kicked it. Have to cruise over to Amazon and check it out.
You see, I think Kirby’s covers look fantastic, and I cannot stand the stylised American versions! But, then, I suppose that’s because they’e the covers I’m used to, and have helped to shape the way I visualise the books in my head. Heck, I even have an A! poster fo the cover of Soul Music on my bedroom wall!
Kidby has attempted to get back into Kirby’s style (IMHO), but he doesn’t quite cut it. The covers are still prety cool though.
Kidby’s art in there prodded some serious buttock, imhoe. I think he finally captured a proper looking Rincewind, and his Librarian was note-perfect, and…well, all of them really, except maybe the weird beards on the brothers Ridcully and the fact that Vetinari will always and only look like Alan Rickman in my minds eye…
I think I might go read it again…
'vark
p.s. as an engineer, the Leonard da Quirm sketches and notes seemed particularly marvellous to me, esp. “note primitive pressure sensing device (if eye pieces go red, head has exploded)” I larfed about that one for DAYS!
Nice phrase that. And yes, I have read TLH, and think copies of the book should be sent to every geriatric home in the country. I’m sure the inmates (sic) will love it
You can find several TP covers at http://www.rumil.de/pratchett/books/books.html
This is a German site, and some of the covers are German covers. But most are the British ones. There are covers both by Josh Kirby and Paul Kidby, all on one large page.
Question for everyone : do Kirby’s covers, the PSB ones, appeal more to British types than American? I’m a Britype who crossed the Atlantic four years ago. Can they be described as chauvinistic? I mean, you see as much flesh of Conan as you do of Conina, but the general probability that a character shows flesh (witches, wizards and wizzard excepted) is higher for female characters.
I personally think Kirby’s covers were unique, and don’t like the British hardback covers that spend more real estate on titles. Kidby’s are good in their own way, but miss out on Josh’s detail.
Yes, I can see how it could be said that Kirby’s covers are quite chauvinistic. All the women on the covers do tend to be rather busty, and flesh revealing.
Kirby had his own unique style, as does Kidby, but IMHO, Kirby might have been more chauvinistic, but Kidby doesn’t quite get the attention to detail, even though his covers do have bags and bags of personality, in that he’ll draw on one aspect of the plot, and bring it out. Which is nice.
