Book Cover

Posted on May 19, 2004    Posted by John Scalzi

So, this is what you’ll be looking at when Old Man’s War comes out later this year:

Very classically science-fictiony, no? And I mean that in the good way, not in the bad “breasty heaving centaur-women” sort of way. The artist, incidentally, is Donato Giancola, who everyone tells me I was lucky to get, and of course I agree. He’s worked on books by Steven Brust, Robert J. Sawyer, Robert Heinlein, and Mike Resnick among many other authors far more published than I. I don’t mind having this in common with them.

I’d actually seen the artwork before and as I noted then, it was interesting to look at because for the first time I had could see what my main character actually looked like. Didn’t have that before. I think he looks pretty good. Not exactly sure who the people in the background are supposed to be, but mentally I’ve assigned the the roles of two of the book’s characters. The only thing I’m slightly confused about is the presence of what looks to be an unlit lightsaber on my guy’s belt. I’m not complaining. I want a lightsaber; I assume my character does too. Who wouldn’t?

Overall, very pleased. I’ll be even more pleased when I have a copy of the artwork in my hands, wrapped around a book. Patience. Patience.