These are the original covers of the four books in
Dawn Cook's (also known as
Kim Harrison) Truth Series. I ran across these books a few years ago now, completely unaware of the Cook/Harrison link. I decided to give the first one a go and liked it well enough to continue through all four. The series is standard quest/sword-and-sorcery fantasy fare, but I liked the small band of characters very much, particularly Alissa's bond with her pet kestrel and her struggle to define her relationship to her world and the various men in her life.
I recently discovered Ace had reissued the series with a set of new, very different covers. Here they are:
I wonder how these new covers will do at getting the series more attention? Noting, as they do, who the actual author is can only help, I'm sure, given the popularity of Harrison's Hollows urban fantasy series. These reissues certainly feature Alissa as more of a delicate lady than the previous artwork. She also looks quite a bit younger and more . . . alluring and mysterious. That said, they are quite pretty in their way and I hope they attract a new set of readers because I think this series deserves them. Look for one or all of them to be featured on an upcoming
Retro Friday post!
Sometimes cover switches can open up new avenues for a book. People sometimes identify with a cover more so than an author.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read these; will be interested to hear more from you! :) I like KH/DC's Decoy Princess books, too. Didn't realise the link until the I read the second one, but they have a wonderful main character.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they're reissuing those... *goes to check*
Kaz
I haven't heard of these or the author. I think I'd be more likely to pick up the old cover than the new, it's more mysterious. How old is Alissa supposed to be? She's certainly looking much younger, maybe she's been using Olay ;)
ReplyDeleteHer hair totally looks like a wig in the reissues. Kind of creeps me out a bit, so I think I prefer the original covers. But I didn't know about the Cook/Harrison connection. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLM, you're absolutely right. I'm assuming they're going for a younger, less traditional fantasy tied audience with these ones.
ReplyDeleteJill, oh, I'm glad someone else read and enjoyed them as well. I still sometimes flashback to that moment in the first one when Strell is hacking on the wall (?) trying to get through to her and what he says=awesome. And I agree on the new covers. It's definitely not the real Alyssa. But I do hope they attract readers. :)
Kaz, are they? I have the first Princess book but haven't read it yet. Should I bump it up? I've heard good things.
Alexa, LOL. Yeah, she's older than the new covers depict her to be. 21 maybe.
Book Rants, yeah. I don't think many people do. Partly why I wanted to highlight the new covers to spread the word because I think this series is worth reading. She does a lot of fun things playing with time and memory in it. Also--dragons!
Raspberry, yup. Marie Antoinette much? :) They really are fun, though.
Hmm... They're not listed on Amazon, but they surely can't be far behind. Then again, they're more recent.
ReplyDeleteI really liked them! If I were using a Smuggler rating, I would give them solid 7s. Maybe an 8 for the second book. :)
Haven't heard of this series before your post but it looks pretty interesting. I'm going to wait to hear more about it in your Retro Friday post.
ReplyDeleteKaz, true. Well, that sounds like a pretty good recommendation! I need to start on the first book. :)
ReplyDeleteChachic, sounds good to me.
The blue and purple dress are the same style - wonder if she has one in every color. Bargain day at the seamstress!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why that popped into my mind, but it honestly did upon first seeing the new covers here.
I'm actually a little confused by HOW they put the Harrison name on there. Cook is her real name and she wrote them AS Cook, but the way they word seems to say she wrote them AS Kim Harrison and not Cook. See what I mean?
Either way, I've been wanting to read the series, glad to hear it has your nod of approval.
Kenda, LOL. And your point is a good one. I find it all a bit odd.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea Harrison had written those under that name! I personally prefer the first images, but I think those can read another crowd of people, which is always good. I'll have to look for them too!
ReplyDelete