It wouldn’t make that bad of a comic book cover, actually, but it’s a book of prose, the font’s bad, and the JPEG artifacts on the cover point to someone’s doing a terrible job compressing the picture.
This still bugs me. Some Asian warriors whose primary weapon was a bow or other weapon would carry a sword in a back scabbard as a backup. Of all the medieval European tribes, the “Cauldron People” or Parisii of Yorkshire used the back scabbard. Otherwise, sword in a back scabbard was not used in medieval Europe, India, or Middle East nor in most of Asia. And it was not a Viking thing. Why do modern authors of medieval fantasy make little effort to get the historical details right? What’s next, a feast in Ragnar Lodbrok’s hall where they heat leftovers in a microwave oven?
Ron Miller
9 years ago
I guess I’ll never get tired of asking this: Why oh why are books like this always part of a series?
When you buy a fantasy book at the store it probably will be part of a series. That is a big part of fantasy books appeal really, a long sweeping epic quest that slowly develops with a grand world and characters you have a long time to get to know.
That is why these books are always part of a series.
Now to be fair, some long epic sweeping stories are going to be much better than others… but I think I would read a three part book series about a handless viking on a quest for magical robot hands or something, because seriously come on, that would be cool. This book isn’t about that though. Pity.
OK, so: what does a handless Viking do with that sword, hunh? I’m all down with the magical mechanical robot hands, but what does this dude do at night, when he wants to sleep, whilst on his quest? Or maybe the sword is just for scratching that heinous mole…no, wait, we’re back at the, he still needs hands for that part….
Am I the only one wondering if that braid was added post-facto to the hairdo? Or, for that matter, that the sword appears to be super-glued to his back?
Axolotl
9 years ago
It does look like a mole. It also looks like he won’t have a pigtail much longer, or perhaps even a functioning spinal cord, if he continues to carry his sword like that.
![cover[1]](https://lousybookcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/cover149.jpg)
It is a set up from the old cover. The only problem is that there are still many many flights of stairs left to go.
The dot on the I in “Dawning” makes it appear this Viking has a mole he really needs to have checked by his primary physician.
Also, he still has no hands.
Oh wow! His arms still end at the forearm guard (vambrace?) nothing past the wrist! Wasn’t that one of the big criticisms of the first cover?
That’s why you wear guantlets with a vambrace: cover the wrist, protect the hands.
LOL! I was just thinking that.
I TOTALLY thought that it looked like a serious skin problem, too!
Note: not a wizard.
It wouldn’t make that bad of a comic book cover, actually, but it’s a book of prose, the font’s bad, and the JPEG artifacts on the cover point to someone’s doing a terrible job compressing the picture.
That Cyclops sword is staring at me.
Move your head from side to side? Does the “eye” appear to be following you? THAT Cyclops “eye” creeps me now that you called attention to it.
This still bugs me. Some Asian warriors whose primary weapon was a bow or other weapon would carry a sword in a back scabbard as a backup. Of all the medieval European tribes, the “Cauldron People” or Parisii of Yorkshire used the back scabbard. Otherwise, sword in a back scabbard was not used in medieval Europe, India, or Middle East nor in most of Asia. And it was not a Viking thing. Why do modern authors of medieval fantasy make little effort to get the historical details right? What’s next, a feast in Ragnar Lodbrok’s hall where they heat leftovers in a microwave oven?
I guess I’ll never get tired of asking this: Why oh why are books like this always part of a series?
It’s even more amazing when it’s volume 3 or 7 or 13 of the series.
Haven’t you ever shopped for Fantasy books? 😀
When you buy a fantasy book at the store it probably will be part of a series. That is a big part of fantasy books appeal really, a long sweeping epic quest that slowly develops with a grand world and characters you have a long time to get to know.
That is why these books are always part of a series.
Now to be fair, some long epic sweeping stories are going to be much better than others… but I think I would read a three part book series about a handless viking on a quest for magical robot hands or something, because seriously come on, that would be cool. This book isn’t about that though. Pity.
Adding to writing bucket list…
It could even just be a short story! No pressure.
OK, so: what does a handless Viking do with that sword, hunh? I’m all down with the magical mechanical robot hands, but what does this dude do at night, when he wants to sleep, whilst on his quest? Or maybe the sword is just for scratching that heinous mole…no, wait, we’re back at the, he still needs hands for that part….
Am I the only one wondering if that braid was added post-facto to the hairdo? Or, for that matter, that the sword appears to be super-glued to his back?
It does look like a mole. It also looks like he won’t have a pigtail much longer, or perhaps even a functioning spinal cord, if he continues to carry his sword like that.