otomo Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 I shall let Michael Whelan and his art speak for itself: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/07/brandon-sanderson-words-of-radiance-cover-reveal-michael-whelan 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Thanks for the heads-up otomo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+eojsmada Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Already set as my iPad background. Will soon make it to my PC. Such amazing artistry. Michael whelan always does great work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADIMORTIS Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 The cover has been revealed for the second book of The Stormlight Archive - Words Of Radiance... http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/07/brandon-sanderson-words-of-radiance-cover-reveal-michael-whelan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 It looks like Szeth on the back cover. The sword is wrong (Szeth's blade is double-edged), but otherwise appears to be Szeth. Looks like we do indeed get a fight between Kaladin and Szeth in WoR. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windborne Sword Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Holy cow that looks nice. It looks like we get to see Kaladin in his Kholin uniform, and is that Szeth we see on the expanded cover? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurkistan Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Here's hoping the pile of bodies Szeth is standing on isn't Bridge Four... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windrunner Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Anyone notice what I presume to be a gemheart in Kaladin's hands? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingtoastr Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Is the gel leaking from Kaladin's hand Stormlight? Or is it some kind of substance that holds Stormlight that we haven't seen yet? Interesting. E: A rough gemheart would also make sense. Edited July 29, 2013 by flyingtoastr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windrunner Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Otomo posted this just before you Adimortis, so I'm gonna merge the two topic really quick. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crysanja Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 ok the cover looks good, but why would anyone get in a stance like this? Oo for someone so accustomed to combat/readyness, its even more odd - i mean you cant get much more out of balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windborne Sword Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 ok the cover looks good, but why would anyone get in a stance like this? Oo for someone so accustomed to combat/readyness, its even more odd - i mean you cant get much more out of balance. That's my only critique for the cover is that Kaladin looks like he's going to trip and hit his face into those rockbuds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windrunner Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 That's actually what I thought it was. The way I saw it is that Kaladin is midway into a hard landing and trying to avoid falling on his face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Wow, great . From the colored picture I don't think it's a gemheart (a gemheart that big lying around somewhere?). But in this draft it really looks more like a gem than a puddle. I think he's "on the hop" (aware of his surroundings and "jumpy") but he kind of kneels reaching down at the gemheart-puddle. I don't see him out of balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truthless Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 It's a super unnatural position. First thing I noticed, and I can't get over it. For the foot to be flat on the ground while the leg is extended so far - I guess Kal has been practicing his gymnastics. The face is distracting as well. He looks like he's 40. It reminds me of a Darrell K. Sweet cover, basically, except that Whelan picked an important and visually attractive scene as opposed to something random. I know I'm being really critical, but art is important to me. Reading the story of the cover, it's clear that getting this done was a struggle for Whelan. To his credit, it's gorgeous, just with some distracting quirks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natans Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 OK, I really liked the red head bandana that Kaladin is using to cover his slavemarks, because I was curious to know what he would do about it. Very Rambo like =) Better yet, I already can see Kal taking off the bandana for suprise factor when some noble bad mount the slave or such =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Is the gel leaking from Kaladin's hand Stormlight? Or is it some kind of substance that holds Stormlight that we haven't seen yet? Interesting. E: A rough gemheart would also make sense. It looks to me to be a visual representation of a lashing being done. Edit: I am a little bit sad that Kaladin's face turned out a bit cartoony for my tastes. Edited July 29, 2013 by Shardlet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pechvarry Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 I assume that's a glowing bag of gems, not goo. This means we don't know which way is _down_. Which might explain some of his posture. Though really, I think he's just action-crouching to get the sweet, sweet gem juice whilst leaning on the butt of his spear. Headband to cover scar. Ok. But headband makes me think of the 80s hair Wheel of Time covers. Kinda making me cringe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) ... action-crouching ... That describes what I tried to say. edit: Trying to take a closer look I think these "things" might be gems indeed. And I found something disturbing: He's an absent look. Not really wary . Edited July 29, 2013 by Meg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceBaka Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Given the direction Kaladin is looking, I wonder if he and Szeth are not fighting each other (at least at this particular moment) and are instead fighting someone, or something, else? Also, did anyone else notice the flying "beetles"? Are these new animals, or different forms of something we've already seen? Mr. Whelan included some insect-like animals in sketches and early watercolors, but I don't recall any shelled creatures with powered flight in WoK. Based on their placement and coloring, I'm struggling to determine if the "beetles" (not sure what else to call them at this point) are small and nearby or big, perhaps very big, and far away. If the latter, then perhaps they are pre-pupation chasmfiends? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rags Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) Here's hoping the pile of bodies Szeth is standing on isn't Bridge Four... Scary thought! But if you notice there are a lot more swords and armor than spears and leather in the pile of bodies.....I think they are mostly of light-eyed soldiers in that heap......at least I hope so. It would suck if Szeth slaughtered bridge four. Also, did anyone notice the weird sketch in Brown of the creature(?) with the strange hair(?), domed skull, angular face and rather pointy ears? Some kind of new creature or was that an attempt at a hitherto unknown parshendi form?? Edited July 30, 2013 by rags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADIMORTIS Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) stormform maybe..... EDIT: Otomo posted this just before you Adimortis, so I'm gonna merge the two topic really quick. Thanks!Thanks... Edited July 30, 2013 by Windrunner Please don't double post. Simply edit your first post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaa Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) It looks like Szeth on the back cover. The sword is wrong (Szeth's blade is double-edged), but otherwise appears to be Szeth. Looks like we do indeed get a fight between Kaladin and Szeth in WoR. I'm not sure if you've seen Wetlandernw's reply to your comment on Whelan's article: Shardlet @4 – If you zoom in on the picture, Szeth’s sword appears to be double-edged, despite the slight curve. I am no sword expert so I really have no opinion on the matter. As for the rest of the scene depicted in the cover, I'm really starting to worry about Kaladin. Szeth has had a lot more experience with Windrunning, and we can see here that Kaladin doesn't even have Shardplate when they finally face each other. My only hope is that Szeth has run out of Stormlight by that point, or that Syl has an awesome trick up her sleeve to help Kaladin fight Surgebinding Shardbearers. Edited July 30, 2013 by skaa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takeshi Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 I'm actually disappointed with the cover. Given that this was going to be Shallan's book, I was expecting her to be the focus of the cover. It's also strange to me that he used the same setting for both books (the shattered plains with a storm in the background). Was really hoping for Shadesmar for the cover. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Consider Takeshi, TWoK is Kaladin's book, but Kaladin is not on the cover. It is Eshonai and Dalinar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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