Subterranean Press have produced some beautiful editions of my six First Law books already, but they’re cooking up something more than a little bit special for Half a King and its sequels, an oversize 7×10 inch hardcover printed in two colours on 80# Finch (that’s really, really good paper to the layman) and with cover and two full colour internal illustrations by Jon McCoy. Here’s the cover:
Much though I like the graphic covers on the standard UK and US editions, it’s always a thrill to see some quality representative artwork for a book as well. Jon has been a real dream to work with, some fantastic mood, movement and atmosphere in his art and I can tell you the two internal illustrations are just as good.
There are going to be 400 of the numbered hardcover and 52 of a lettered edition leather-bound in a custom tray case, and the plan is to offer a special slipcase for the three books in the trilogy once they’re completed. They’re available for preorder over here, with the typography on the cover just a guide for the time being…
9 comments so far
Really beautiful, cool 😀
While I would love to buy one that really is far out of my price range at this time. I will definitely grab Half a King on the first day of release though.
Cheers man. Hope the book tour goes well in Europe.
Yeah that is a brilliant piece of art and really captures the tone of the book. Dark and foreboding but with a glimmer of colour and hope. Congrats to the artist Jon McCoy
Oh so tempting, but my wife would probably send me through the last door if I gave in and got one! Thankfully though it seems the story lost none of its greatness inside its standard edition cover. Just finished it, and now eagerly await the next one.
Greetings Joe,
I am a gigantic fan of your work, coming from Greece. I’ve read The First Law trilogy which was epic and I bloody loved it. Your writing skills are… are… f***ing magnificent would be a two-word sum up of my description to it.
My big question is; will your other books be translate in Greek? (Only The First Law trilogy is.) I’d really like to read the rest of them.
P.S Please answer, I’m dying to know. [Thanks for your attention]
Got my copy of Half a King!!
Must say a tad disappointed with the matt laminate cover design. Don’t like the feel of it in my hand, so reading it with dust jacket off. Really liked the design and feel of ALL parts of the other books, from ‘The Blade Itself’ through to ‘Red Country”
Sitting here holding my copy of ‘The Heroes’ it just feels ‘right’ in my hand. The paper is an off-white unlike Half a Kings whiter cleaner looking stock and the type size is just right. So why is my copy of Half a King printed in such a HUGE type size. It reminds me some of the ‘Young Adult” fiction I used to read way back in the day.
Sorry! Rant over, and it really isn’t about the look or feel of the book, but about the yarn, and I am sure both Joe and Yarvi are about to take me on one hell of a ride, if past experience is anything to go by!!
These Limited editions look amazing!! Shame student budgets don’t stretch that far.
Hello!
Thank you for the excellent writing first of all.
Secondly, will Half a King come out in audio-book format with Steven Pacey narrating? If so, any idea on when that will be published? Thanks again!
FYI folks, I received an email from Sub Press this AM telling me that their limited edition (only 400 copies, remember) is already over 70% sold out so get your order in now before the US of A wakes up to the fact.
What an incredible cover, so dark and ominous. I hadn’t imagined Yarvi like that but this is better than how I imagined him! He really looks vulnerable.
And I thought my hardback copy was striking! (^ @Graham, I felt the opposite, I love the feel of the dust jacket!) I was going to resist, my primary focus being straight fantasy and not YA fantasy if I can help it, but in this case I just couldn’t help it. The blurb promised me something good and – hey, look at that! Page 138 already. Loving it so far.