Cover & novel teaser - "The Heroes" by Joe Abercrombie

Joe Abercrombie will delight his fans and the fantasy readers with another stand-alone novel next year, “The Heroes”. Orbit Books revealed an initial design for the cover artwork of Joe Abercrombie’s future novel. I say the initial design because the map on the cover is the same with the one on the cover of “Best Served Cold” and will be replaced with a new one once the artist finishes the map. The artist who made the artwork is Steve Stone.

I can’t honestly say that I am a fan of the cover artwork, but I still have to wait for that particular map. However, I can’t say that the amount of blood works in favor of the artwork for me. It is a bit too much and a bit too red. I mean that blood doesn’t always create a clear pellicle, as clear as to generate such a reflection. Or I believe so, because I don’t have such an experience and I don’t wish for one either. Also because of the artwork and the author’s name it is easy to miss the map at a first glance on the cover and that will be a shame since I am certain that the artist will make efforts for a good one. Overall, I cannot say that it is a bad cover, but it is not an excellent one either. At least for me.

Also on the Orbit Books website we can find a teaser of “The Heroes” and that one makes me forget about the cover artwork, because it promises a dark reading focused on characters:

War: where the blood and dirt of the battlefield hide the dark deeds committed in the name of glory. THE HEROES is about violence and ambition, gruesome deaths and betrayals; and the brutal truth that no plan survives contact with enemy. The characters are the stars, as ever, and the message is dark: when it comes to war, there are no heroes…
Meet THE HEROES.
Curnden Craw: a ruthless fighter who wants nothing more than to see his crew survive.
Prince Calder: a liar and a coward, he will regain his crown by any means necessary.
Bremer dan Gorst: a master swordsman, a failed bodyguard, his honor will be restored—in the blood of his enemies.
Over three days, their fates will be sealed.