New Covers Vale of the Vole Heaven Cent Man from Mundania

For those who don't know, the cover art was changed for the re-issued editions of three Xanth novels. Vale of the Vole (Xanth #10), Heaven Cent (Xanth #11), and Man from Mundania (Xanth #12). All three novels were re-issued in 2000, and Published by TOR. The following are two E-mails about the cover art change.

Mark Cullen

Stopped at the bookstore today and I noticed the new covers on Vale of the Volve and Heaven Cent. I can understand changing the cover on Heaven Cent: Piers Anthony once recounted a tale of a boy having the book confiscated at school because Dolph is nude (discreetly nude) on the original cover. But why change Vale of the Vole?

I suppose it could be as simple as the original volumes were published by Avon and the new volumes are published by Tor. Both the previous covers and the new covers are by Darrel Sweet. The Vale cover barely changed: previously it was Esk, Chex, and Volney before the gargoyle cavemouth on their way to Humfrey's Castle, now it is the same three crossing a lake on their way to Humfrey's Castle. The Heaven Cent cover changed more: the previous was Dolph and Marrow confronting Mela and Fracto on the sea (hmm, Grace'l should have been in that scene too, but was left out), now it is Dolph in dragon form fighting over Marrow Bones with some harpies (Sigh, Marrow looks too inanimate for an animate skeleton--he looks like a nonmagical dead skeleton). The Mela scene was a major plot element, the harpy scene was incidental to the plot. It would have been nice if Darrel Sweet had instead chosen a scene with Nada Naga in it.

Erin Schram (SchramParents at AOL)

I agree with you Erin. The covers are not bad, but I did like the original ones. I wonder how collectable will be to have both the old and new covers for those two novels. And I do think that yes, it could be that since it is a different publishing house, they tried to differentiate the editions. It is not the first time indeed that new re-issues of a novel and a totally different covers. Not only that, I do like the old art than the new one.

I don't know your folks, but I do collect books not only because the writer but also because the artist that do the covers. For example, I am a huge fan of Michael Whelan art. He did the art for the Incarnation of Immortality from 1 to 5, Xanth 1,2, and 4 if I am not mistaken. Other novels that he had done the art was the first issues for the Elric of Melnibone series.

Marisol -- (remove NOSPAM before sending an email)
co-host PATH