Cover Launch: THE NEON COURT
- - March 15th, 2010
I know I maybe say a lot of Orbit books are “favorites” of mine, and considering I was a geek way before I was a cover designer, I think I can be forgiven for this. I’m really lucky, as I have to read books for work that I would have read anyway, so I’m understandably a little overenthusiastic. And luckily, I’m a fast reader. It’s a point of pride with me that I read almost every manuscript before I start designing – the only time I don’t is when for scheduling reasons the full manuscript isn’t available by the time I have to start work. (In that case I resort to mercilessly pumping the editor for as much info as I can get.) A pet peeve of mine as a fan is to have a cover misrepresent a book, and I work really hard to make sure that doesn’t happen on any Orbit books. So, all that said, I read a TON of books. And I have a lot of favorites in Orbit authors. And then above those Orbit favorites, there’s Orbit books I would have preordered, waited on line, had to buy on opening day, if I didn’t work here.
The Matthew Swift series by Kate Griffin is absolutely that series. And this is not just a cover post, it is a love letter.
The first book, A Madness of Angels (now out in mass market, so you have no excuse not to pick it up) got me right in my geek soft spot. It has Kate’s lyrical, literary writing that made me think immediately of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, a really inventive magic system (Image’s Phonogram comics are the only similar feel I can think of, although it has nothing to do with music), and such good description of London that I spent my whole last trip there remembering bits of book 2, The Midnight Mayor, which I had most recently read. When I knew The Neon Court was put on the list I plagued the editor daily for the manuscript. And I was thrilled to find out this series is really developing, and getting better. I’m not the only one here who feels this way – even some other Orbit authors were begging to get an early copy of The Midnight Mayor (just released in March).
So what are you waiting for? Go out and read A Madness of Angels already! Maybe you should pick up Midnight Mayor while you’re there — out now in Hardcover — I’m pretty confident it’ll save you a trip.
Okay, whew, sorry. For you guys out there that are already hooked, here’s a teaser:
Mid-sentence and mid-kebab, Matthew Swift is surprised to discover himself summoned across London to a burning tower block. Inside, there are a variety of angry and/or dead people, having a minor war.
There is also Oda, with a stab wound through her heart and the symbol of the Midnight Mayor drawn on the floor next to her. Curious thing about Oda, though, is the way in which, despite having a hole in her heart, she’s not dead. That, and she keeps on saying ‘we’ when she means ‘I’…
It will be up to Matthew Swift to stop an impending war, find a mysterious ‘chosen one’, and figure out if Oda has been inhabited by his very own electric angels – or something far more malevolent.
Available now in hardcover and mass market paperback
Available now in hardcover
Out in hardcover March 2011
Tags: Art, Covers, Kate Griffin, London, Matthew Swift, Neon Court, Urban Magic
Taken & Tormented by Jealousy | Literary Escapism
March 15, 2010
at 11:36 pm
[...] Books has unleashed the cover for The Neon Court by Kate Griffin, the latest novel in her Matthew Swift [...]
N. K. Jemisin
March 16, 2010
at 1:31 pm
I’m not the only one here who feels this way – even some other Orbit authors were begging to get an early copy of The Midnight Mayor
Yeah, I would be one of them. And having seen this, my unprofessional reaction is
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!
(Translation: holy crap that cover’s phenomenal and I’m not quite done with book 2 yet but already I can’t wait for book 3 want it now OMGWTFTOFU!!)
My professional reaction is, great cover! Can’t wait.
(Translation: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!)
Lauren Panepinto
March 16, 2010
at 2:50 pm
thats officially the best comment ever. haha! arent you LOVING midnight mayor? so good.
Melissa (My World...in words and pages)
March 16, 2010
at 9:36 pm
Oh, I have Madness of an Angle on my list to get. And you just reminded me to try and bump it up the list here. These sound like amazing books, and have heard many great things on them. Thanks for the reminder!
Adrian Hillier
March 17, 2010
at 5:22 pm
Just found this blog after reading on Kate’s blog that ‘The Neon Court’ was being released in March next year, so I thought I’d look to see what other info I could glean. Great to be able to read the comments of the cover artist, and I have to say, fantastic job. Your covers are very distinctive, and thankfully don’t labour the fantasy elements too much, while still managing to convey the fact that it is fantasy, rather than straight SF. I totally agree with your comments about Kate’s writing, she just describes London in a way I’ve never seen before, and I honestly think she outdoes Neil Gaiman’s ‘Neverwhere’, which takes some doing. Kate just writes characters so well. ‘Course, the real big problem here is the fact I’ve got to wait. One. Whole. Year. Arrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhh! And I’ve just finished Midnight Mayor. Still, she’s got a new Horatio Lyle coming very soon, but that will only last a week, or less. *Sigh* At least she writes quicker that William Gibson, his books take eons to come out…
Nice to be able to pass on compliments to the cover artist of a favourite author, and to find the artist loves the books as much as I do. Fabulous work, congratulations, and I truly can’t wait to see the book.
Lauren Panepinto
March 17, 2010
at 5:37 pm
I love to hear from readers, it’s great feedback, so thank you! And I can promise I liked Neon Court as much if not more than Midnight Mayor, so hold on, it’s so worth it!
Emily C
March 19, 2010
at 12:45 am
Wow. I thought it was just wishful thinking when I went out in search of news on book 3 right after I finished Midnight Mayor. A year wait may kill me, but I guess it’s not so bad. Love the cover and teaser. Thanks for sharing.
Book-o-sphere Round–up: 21 March Edition – NextRead
March 21, 2010
at 9:01 am
[...] Cover Launch: THE NEON COURT | Orbit Books | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy The Matthew Swift series by Kate Griffin is absolutely that series. And this is not just a cover [...]