2011 Chesley Award Finalists

ASFA, the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, have announced the 2011 Chesley Award Finalists. I'm thrilled to be nominated for a fourth time in the category of Best Art Director (I won in 2009), and equally happy to see two Pyr cover illustrations make the list. Congratulations to Todd Lockwood for his nomination for the cover for Tom LLoyd's The Ragged Man and to Stephan Martiniere for his nomination for the cover illustration for Ian McDonald's Ares Express. Both are in the category of Best Paperback. And congratulations to all the nominees. Please follow the link above and check out all the amazing work.

BSFA Award Nomination for Desolation Road

Ian McDonald's brilliant "Vishnu at the Cat Circus," the original story that closes out Cyberabad Days, has made the 2010 BSFA Award Shortlist, in the category of Best Short Fiction. Being a UK award, this is for the Gollancz edition, so we won't list it here on (ahem) Pyr's list of amazing accomplishments. But we are thrilled for Ian, and with this, and the PKD nomination for the entire collection, wonder what other award nominations might be in store for Ian... (cough, cough).

Meanwhile, I was equal parts delighted and surprised to see the cover for Desolation Roadup for a BSFA as well in the category of Best Artwork. It's got to be rare for a US cover to get a nod from the British Science Fiction Association Awards, right? And from the look of the press release, the nomination is shared equally between illustrator Stephan Martinière and designer Jacqueline Nasso Cooke, which thrills me no end.

More Best of 2009

Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews have published their Awards for 2009. The UK edition of Jasper Kent's Twelve, which we'll be releasing in 2010, comes in #4 in their Top Ten Reads. Meanwhile, Stephan Martiniere's illustration for Ian McDonald's Desolation Roadis one of the winners of Best Cover Artwork.

While over at Book Chick City, they list their Top Ten Most Anticipated Reads 2010, and George Mann's Ghosts of Manhattanshows up at # 7.

Rock on.

For Your Viewing Pleasure: Geosynchron

Geosynchron© David Louis Edelman

Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere

Design by Jacqueline Cooke

The Defense and Wellness Council is enmeshed in full-scale civil war between Len Borda and the mysterious Magan Kai Lee. Quell has escaped from prison and is stirring up rebellion in the Islands with the aid of a brash young leader named Josiah. Jara and the apprentices of the Surina/Natch MultiReal Fiefcorp still find themselves fighting off legal attacks from their competitors and from Margaret Surina's unscrupulous heirs -- even though MultiReal has completely vanished.

The quest for the truth will lead to the edges of civilization, from the tumultuous society of the Pacific Islands to the lawless orbital colony of 49th Heaven; and through the deeps of time, from the hidden agenda of the Surina family to the real truth behind the Autonomous Revolt that devastated humanity hundreds of years ago.

Meanwhile, Natch has awakened in a windowless prison with nothing but a haze of memory to clue him in as to how he got there. He's still receiving strange hallucinatory messages from Margaret Surina and the nature of reality is buckling all around him. When the smoke clears, Natch must make the ultimate decision - whether to save a world that has scorned and discarded him, or to save the only person he has ever loved: himself.

Coming February 2010

For Your Viewing Pleasure: The Dervish House

The Dervish House© Ian McDonald
Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere
Design by Jacqueline Cooke

In the sleepy Istanbul district of Eskiköy stands the former whirling dervish house of Adem Dede. Over the space of five days of an Istanbul heatwave, six lives weave a story of corporate wheeling and dealing, Islamic mysticism, political and economic intrigue, ancient Ottoman mysteries, a terrifying new terrorist threat, and a nanotechnology with the potential to transform every human on the planet.

Coming July 2010

For Your Viewing Pleasure: Desolation Road

Desolation Road © Ian McDonald

Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere
Design by Jacqueline Cooke

It all began 30 years ago on Mars, with a greenperson. But by the time it all finished, the town of Desolation Road had experienced every conceivable abnormality from Adam Black's Wonderful Travelling Chataqua and Educational Stravaganza (complete with its very own captive angel) to the Astounding Tatterdemalion Air Bazaar. It's inhabitants ranged from Dr. Alimantando, the town's founder and resident genius, to the Babooshka, a barren grandmother who just wants her own child grown in a fruit jar; from Rajendra Das, mechanical hobo who has a mystical way with machines to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with and married the same woman.

For Your Viewing Pleasure: Killswitch mmpb

Killswitch © Joel Shepherd

Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere
Design by Jacqueline Cooke

Two years after the unhatching of Callayan President Neiland’s plot to make the capital city of Tanusha the center of the Federation, Callay is under siege. So begins the third installment of this gripping trilogy from an exciting new sci-fi author.

A powerful faction of conservative Fleet captains has surrounded Callay, at Earth’s behest, and is threatening a blockade – or worse. A fearful Earth does not wish to lose direct control of its precious war machine, and there are fears of civil war.

All that Callay has to oppose the warships of the Fleet is the Callayan Defense Force (CDF) – a newly formed group of raw recruits led by a politically hamstrung general. However, the CDF is largely trained and organized by Major Vanessa Rice and her best friend, Callay’s combat-android, Commander Cassandra Kresnov. But when Cassandra’s lover, Special Agent Ari Ruben, discovers a plot to kill her using a killswitch, which her old masters in the League built into her brainstem, Sandy is forced to go underground to stay alive.

Stephan Martiniere Love @ SF Signal

Geosynchron doing more than okay in the latest Book Cover Smackdown.

For Your Viewing Pleasure: David Louis Edelman's Geosynchron

Geosynchron© David Louis Edelman

Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere
Design by Jacqueline Cooke
Coming February 2010

DAVID LOUIS EDELMAN'S BUSINESS SCIENCE FICTION SAGA THAT BEGAN WITH INFOQUAKE AND MULTIREAL COMES TO A STUNNING CONCLUSION WITH GEOSYNCHRON, THE LAST BOOK OF THE JUMP 225 TRILOGY.

The Defense and Wellness Council is enmeshed in full-scale civil war between Len Borda and the mysterious Magan Kai Lee. Quell has escaped from prison and is stirring up rebellion in the Islands with the aid of a brash young leader named Josiah. Jara and the apprentices of the Surina/Natch MultiReal Fiefcorp still find themselves fighting off legal attacks from their competitors and from Margaret Surina's unscrupulous heirs -- even though MultiReal has completely vanished.

The quest for the truth will lead to the edges of civilization, from the tumultuous society of the Pacific Islands to the lawless orbital colony of 49th Heaven; and through the deeps of time, from the hidden agenda of the Surina family to the real truth behind the Autonomous Revolt that devastated humanity hundreds of years ago.

Meanwhile, Natch has awakened in a windowless prison with nothing but a haze of memory to clue him in as to how he got there. He's still receiving strange hallucinatory messages from Margaret Surina and the nature of reality is buckling all around him. When the smoke clears, Natch must make the ultimate decision -- whether to save a world that has scorned and discarded him, or to save the only person he has ever loved: himself.

For Your Viewing Pleasure: Prince of Storms by Kay Kenyon

Prince of Storms© Kay Kenyon

Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere
Design by Jacqueline Cooke

The fourth, and final, volume in Kay Kenyon's magnificent The Entire and the Rose series, coming January 2010. Plenty of time to catch up on what SFRevu hails as, "the most ambitious epic science fiction series of the current decade. "

Full (Non)Metal Jackets: Blood of Ambrose & Brasyl

Blood of Ambroseby James Enge
Cover Illustration © Dominic Harman
Jacket Design by Jacqueline Cooke

Brasyl(trade paperback) by Ian McDonald
Cover Illustration © Stephan Martiniere
Jacket Design by Jacqueline Cooke

For Your Viewing Pleasure: 2 Forthcoming Book Jackets

End of the Centuryby Chris Roberson.

Art by Dan Dos Santos.
Design by Nicole Sommer-Lecht.


Cyberabad Daysby Ian McDonald.
Art by Stephan Martiniere.
Design by Nicole Sommer-Lecht.

Nice, yes?

Cover Debut: the trade paperback edition of A World Too Near

Here is the jacket for the trade paperback edition of Kay Kenyon's A World Too Near,a book of which Realms of Fantasy said, "It would be criminal if this book didn't make year's best lists at the end of 2008."
As with the hardcover, art is by Stephan Martiniere, design by Jacqueline Cooke.

Tor.com Analyses Brasyl Covers

In his series on the Hugo Novel nominees, Pablo Defendini of Tor.com is taking a look at both the US and UK covers for Ian McDonald's Brasyl.Our cover was designed by Jacqueline Cooke, illustration by Stephan Martiniere. The U.K. Edition Illustration & Design is by Dominic Harman, (another fine artist that we have engaged for our upcoming James Enge title, btw.)

Full analysis and subsequent discussion well-worth checking out, but I'm particularly gratified that Pablo got what the overlays of the title were meant to represent:

"The neon/florescent color scheme for both the painting and the type certainly communicates a sense of electric vibration, which ties in nicely with the concept of quantum computing (and certainly reminds us of Terry Gilliam’s film by the same name). Perhaps florescent or otherwise special inks were used in printing—the final effect is blindingly intense. Overlaying three instances of the title, off-register with each other and in three different neon colors adds to this vibration. It also complements the bustle depicted in the street scene nicely. Additionally, the three instances of the title relate conceptually to the three-story structure of the novel. While the choice of typefaces is somewhat orthodox, and could be perceived as boring under other circumstances, I think it works in this case: anything more complicated or ornate for the title would have rendered it much harder to read, when coupled with the three-instance treatment; and the simplicity and directness of the sans-serif typeface used for the author’s name serves as a nice contrast to the busy, hectic feel of the title proper. It also adds a solid, light-valued area to the top of the composition, which helps balance out the lightest areas of the illustration towards the bottom, and tie the composition together a little better."

Podcast: Stephan Martiniere

Artist Stephan Martiniere is interviewed on Sidebar today, in a podcast available here. They cover his days in art school, his work on Mr Gadget in Japan, his concept illustration for Hollywood films (such as I, Robot), his work for Midway games, much more. Sadly, not enough about his incredible book cover illustration. But a very informative, very worthwhile, very interesting podcast nonetheless.

Lou on the Web

Lots of Lou on the Web!

SFSignal is back with another Mind Meld. This one looks at Hollywood Science Fiction and asks "What other story, or stories, do you believe are deserving of being made into movies and why?" In addition to Yours Truly, responses are from Peggy Kolm, Michael L. Wentz, Michael Blackmore, SciFiChick, and the always interesting John C. Wright. Wright argues that, as a visual medium, "A science fiction movie that does not involve spectacle and special effects is not taking advantage of the primary strength of movies." I concur. I'd pick my list from some newer works though, as nothing dates like the future. Still, as I say in my own piece, with the cost of CGI dropping, there's going to be more of everything, so I think they'll be enough to keep us all happy.

Meanwhile, I'm interviewed about illustrator Stephan Martiniere over on io9.com in "The Future Will Be Bio-Mechanical." Some very nice samples of his work, including the concept art he did for the I, Robot film that happens to be the piece that lead me to put him on our edition of River of Gods.(And speaking about Ian McDonald books, although I'm not in it, there is an interview with Ian talking about both Brasyland the forthcoming The Dervish House up at Post-Weird Thoughts.)

Finally, GalleyCat uses the occasion of Michael Moorcock's Grand Masterhood to quote me and others talking about John Picacio's genius in a piece titled "A Grand Master's Greatest Character Reborn." This is, of course, about Picacio's recent work conceiving and illustrating Moorcock's Elric: The Stealer of Soulsreissue for Del Rey as well as our own The Metatemporal Detective.Michael Whelan's Elric has always been the definitive portrayal of the character for me. Until now. Go see why.

City Without End takes Silver Spectrum Award

A huge congratulations to Stephan Martiniere, whose cover illustration for the third book in Kay Kenyon's ongoing space opera quartet entitled The Entire and the Rose, the forthcoming City Without End, just won the Silver Spectrum award in the book category. All of Stephan's covers in this series have been amazing. Book one, Bright of the Sky,made the Spectrum annual the year it was released, and we're hearing good things about A World Too Near- which just hit shelves this week. (For a look at these two covers side by side, see Kay's website.) And now, unveiled here for the first time, the winning cover of City Without End. This is my favorite of the three "Entire" pieces, and maybe one of my favorite Martiniere illustrations ever.

What do you think?

Meanwhile, long as we're talking about The Entire and the Rose, I've just spotted some very thoughtful, articulate (and spoiler ridden) reviews of Bright of the Sky and A World Too Near up at SF Reviews. Of book one, they say, "If what you crave in your SF is a fresh and dynamic approach to world-building, wed to epic storytelling with believably flawed heroes and vividly imagined alien cultures, and you're frustrated that nobody seems to be bloody doing it, odds are you've been skipping over the Kay Kenyon novels every time you go to the bookstore." Meanwhile, looking at book two, they say, "...it must be said that at the end of the day, this series, exciting as it's turning out to be, is in many ways pure fantasy formula — just tricked out in the most gorgeous production values imaginable. But who cares if it's formula as long as the entertainment value is blowing your doors, right? A World Too Near is sweet, splendid entertainment. Kay Kenyon will have you solidly hooked with this series, and if you've never had her name down on your reading list before now, it's way past time you added it."

Hugo and Chesley Awards

I am back from Japan and the Hugo Awards, where it was a great honor to accept the award for Ian McDonald. Ian won Best Novelette for "The Djinn's Wife", originally published in Asimov's July 2006 issue. "The Djinn's Wife" is, of course, part of the future India milieu Ian created in his Hugo-nominated novel River of Gods.Pictured left is co-host George Takei, Yours Truly, and Ian's beautiful Hugo, which featured a statue of long-running Japanese SF hero Ultraman.

Meanwhile, the evening before, I was equally honored to accept a Chesley Award on behalf of Stephan Martiniere in the category of Best Cover Illustration - Hardcover for the wonderful work he did for the cover of River of Gods.

My full convention report is here. Also, be sure to see Jay Lake's LiveJournal for some more great pictures from the show.