Oh, I am a very happy camper. Would you like to know why? Shall I tell you? Indeed I shall. This is why: my amazing, fantabulous wonderful designers at Orbit have sent me the cover art for The Rebel Prince: Book Three of the Moorehawke Trilogy. So, I now have all three covers to smile over and stroke fondly, and call my very own.
I must say I. LOVE. THESE. COVERS. I love everything about them. I love Steve Stone’s wonderful art work – in particular that fact that he didn’t just pick a generic fantasy boy and girl for the first and last covers but actually made them look like Wynter and Alberon ( Not having read The Rebel Prince, he even went to the trouble of contacting me to ask what Alberon looked like!) Steve’s artwork rocks. Go! Now! Run to his website and check out all the great covers he’s done. I love how designer Peter Cotton has incorporated a vital element of the story into each cover. For example:
The castle from book three
The throne on book one
The funeral pyre on book two
I also love all the little design touches that Peter and Steve follow through on each cover. Like these, the lovely wreathed Ravens that are placed on each spine (I use birds symbolically throughout the trilogy). Touches like this – along with the illustrations under the blurbs: the ghosted ‘Arabic’ script and the framing of each character in foliage – flow from cover to cover, to give a sense of unity and cohesion to the three books.
And finally I love that each cover has its own colour scheme. Somehow the palates seems to perfectly suit the very different stories they illustrate: the cool greens of the first reflect the suppressed emotions of The Poison Throne; the reds and oranges of the second convey the frenzied violence of The Crowded Shadows, and somehow the third palette reminds me of armour and gunmetal – the cold, hard colours of the instruments of war. Wonderful work. Just wonderful. Thank you Peter and Steve!
The Poison Throne
The Crowded Shadows
The Rebel Prince
about the author
Featured Orbit titles by Celine Kiernan
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The Poison Throne
Debut fantasy author Celine Kiernan spins a gothic tale of intrigue, adventure, and romance about a girl who defies a kingdom.
"Striking debut novel, a fascinating historical fantasy characterized by vivid, colourful writing." — The Irish Times
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The Crowded Shadows
Wynter Moorehawke is about to discover that saving her kingdom is far more dangerous than she feared in this exciting sequel to The Poison Throne.
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The Rebel Prince
The mesmerizing conclusion to The Moorehawke Trilogy.
Liz
March 11, 2010
at 11:04 am
Wowser – these are indeed very beautiful. I am incredibly pleased on your behalf too, Celine. Orbit genuinely do amazing covers and you are particularly blessed in this instance. I am looking forward to reading The Poison Throne and the rest of the series.
Celine Kiernan
March 11, 2010
at 12:04 pm
Thanks so much, Liz! I’ll just sit gazing soulfully at them for a while longer, I think. (Hope you enjoy Poison Throne!)
Helen
March 16, 2010
at 1:06 pm
Well done!! These covers are fantastic and are just getting me so hyped up for the last book. Can’t. Wait.
I admire orbits artists creativity but I hope you continue aswel to draw your little sketches at the start of each chapter. =]
I love the way you draw and write together!!! Looking foward to The Rebel Prince.
Thanks a million =]
Celine Kiernan
March 16, 2010
at 1:20 pm
Oh thanks so much, Helen! I really appreciate it, but I can’t take credit for the awesome wee drawings at the start of the Irish or Aus edition chapters. They were done by Elise Hurst (Aus edition) and Finbarr O’Conner (Irish Edition)
You are right though! I do draw and write simultaneously, and I have a dream of doing a Moorehawke related graphic novel at some stage (if I ever get the chance – graphic novels take so much time. They’re almost always a labour of love.)
I hope you do enjoy The Rebel Prince, and that it’s a satisfying end to the trilogy for you!
Lauren Panepinto
March 11, 2010
at 11:59 am
I love it when our authors love their covers! Thanks to the Orbit UK Art Director, Peter Cotton, and the always-fabulous Steve Stone!
Celine Kiernan
March 11, 2010
at 12:05 pm
Love them? I’m divorcing my husband and *marrying* them!
Claire
March 11, 2010
at 1:32 pm
I work in a book store and got an advanced copy of Poison Throne to read a few weeks ago (Wow is it good, but thats not what were talking about so back to the point), but now I’m gonna have to buy all three to sit nicely on my bookself and look pretty together.
Celine Kiernan
March 11, 2010
at 1:36 pm
SQUEAL! I’m sooooo glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know… Ahem, I mean, yes, I’m delighted you liked the cover. (they will look so pretty together won’t they? Can’t wait to have them sitting side by side on my bookshelf too.)
Kate Elliott
March 11, 2010
at 3:07 pm
Wonderful covers! I can’t wait to read the series. But NOT because of the covers, I mean — no, no, I can’t be that shallow.
Celine Kiernan
March 12, 2010
at 4:04 am
Thank you, Kate! (I must confess – if I’m browsing a bookshop a good cover is what usually draws me to a book. Cover draws me in, then a good blurb makes me crack the cover, then a good 1st and 100th page makes me buy.)
Angela
March 12, 2010
at 8:08 pm
Absolutely gorgeous! Cannot wait to see them in print.
Rebel Prince in a Ghost Town | Literary Escapism
March 12, 2010
at 11:19 pm
[...] Kiernan has unleashed the cover for the third novel in her Moorehawke Trilogy, titled The Rebel Prince, which releases [...]
Melissa (My World...in words and pages)
March 14, 2010
at 11:30 am
These covers do look amazing. I am always amazed at the covers and how they are created. I have added these books to my list to get, as not only do they look wonderful but sound like amazing stories!
Celine Kiernan
March 14, 2010
at 2:52 pm
@ Angela: Thanks, Angela! Neither can I.
@Melissa: Thanks so much, Melissa. (I’m a sucker for good cover art myself) And thanks so much re the stories, I hope you enjoy them
madonnaearth
March 16, 2010
at 3:50 pm
Man! Please tell me the movies are going to look that good!
madonnaearth
March 16, 2010
at 3:50 pm
Cuz they’re AWESOME!!!
Celine Kiernan
March 16, 2010
at 5:28 pm
LOL! Thanks so much! Films? Really? I dunno – I’d have to be convinced!
Kerri
March 17, 2010
at 7:01 am
Those covers are to die for! And I know it’s high praise from you, being the uber-talented artist yourself.
Celine Kiernan
March 17, 2010
at 8:48 am
*Blush*
Thanks so much, Kerri! Orbit have asked me to do a limited edition drawing for the launch of each book. I’m going to enjoy that!
Melissa (My World...in words and pages)
April 9, 2010
at 1:37 pm
Okay, I am half way through The Poison Throne. And I just had to stop back to say I am loving it! I am trying to find when the next 2 books are coming out in the US, but I am not seeing anything. I know you are working on the covers, here, but was curious is there was any idea on the dates. Thank you!
Celine Kiernan
April 9, 2010
at 7:31 pm
I’m so glad you’re enjoying PT, Melissa! I hope you enjoy it to the end.
The Crowded Shadows is due out in July and The Rebel Prince will be released in October