Sep 30
Click for full imageI’m thinking book covers are normally so unrealistic. They have things that are so unbelievable it would make your mother cry. Not us! I propose, a photographic quality drawing of a military man placing his shined boot on the head of his latest kill: a giant ant insect alien creature. It will be just like they are back in the great war…. with aliens…
(Average: 4.00 out of 10)
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(9.25 out of 10)
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September 30th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Loving this one, only possible improvement would be if the rifle butt was resting on the ant-monster’s head. It looks like the author, Toby Smith, has successfully managed to have his own face used as the model for the main character’s illustration – and even more so in the following books in the series. Well done that man!
September 30th, 2009 at 10:34 am
thats pretty awesome he used his own face!
I have to say though, a few of my friends have read this series and highly reccomend it, its aparently very funny, verging on a spoof but still has a good story.
I think the cover is quite accurate at getting across the awesomeness of him.
This one is actually on my to-read list after i get started on Edward Willet.
have i bad taste in this one? i think the cover isnt too bad
September 30th, 2009 at 11:46 am
It’s not that bad really. It’s a filler 🙂 trying to get rid of the bad but not terrible stuff.
That is awesome that he used himself on the cover. Luckily he obviously looked not to bad. I’d love to see all authors on the cover posing in fancy dress!!
September 30th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Well, I don’t know for sure, but there is a certain likeness…
That reminds me, I have some covers to send in, better get on that!
September 30th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Oh ok sorry I read it as if it was a fact 🙂
I found an amazing sci fi shop in Amsterdam yesterday. Couldn’t spend the many hours in there I wanted to but managed to get a few beauties.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Id like to think its him, even if its not…
we did have an author pose for one of my favourites so far:
http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk/2009/03/holysiege/
Nigel posed for that one.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I do admit that I want it to be Toby himself on the cover, and this may be clouding my judgement somewhat.
Have a look at his profile over at Fantastic Fiction and see what you think. Toby’s close up at the top, series’ book covers further down the page.
Come on Toby, let it be you. Be a legend.
September 30th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I dunno…I think the font is pretty diabolical.
June 9th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Hello.
I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you: it isn’t me at all. In reality I look much less spiffing than that.
Otherwise, given that the book is a comedy about space Victorians fighting giant ant-people, it’s fairly accurate (there’s a good deal of parody of old Boy’s Own-type adventures, Dan Dare and the like). I think I would have made the laser gun a bit bigger though. And added some robots, but then there’s a reason they don’t let me do the cover art (and there’s a robot on the cover of the sequel anyway).
I think the artist did a worryingly good job of depicting the sort of thing that goes on in my brain, and looking at it as objectively as I can, I don’t think the cover is bad at all. For anyone with any remaining doubts, I’d suggest you buy a copy. Or three. Hell, buy five. I’m saving up for a yacht.
Regards,
Toby.
June 9th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Toby> Darn it! We have been wishing for a while now it was you!
Thanks for posting! It was a slow day when we posted this one and I had a few of my friends mock me for it, seeing as it is comedy! And it was clear how much they loved it. So a pleasure to see you. Also because it has a low rating and people generally enjoyed it we don’t have to defend ourselves too much!
Please tell me at some stage you have tried to grow a moustache like that!
June 12th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Hello again,
I’ve never tried to grow a moustache quite like that, for fear that my efforts would not be manly enough, thus letting the side down. A friend of mine once turned up at a book signing having grown an impressive moustache, but it did make him look as slightly if he’d changed his name to Sven and gone into the washing-machine repair business.
Perhaps I should grow a handlebar moustache. My author photo would look even more foolish than ever, but it might be good for marketing. Hmm, I see a plan taking shape…
June 16th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Exactly. Moustaches, smoking pipe, deer head, a burning fireplace and a glass full of brandy. If that was on the back of your book I’d buy it simply for that!
June 16th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Its funny, i bought a copy just because it has the words “sex toy” and “hamster” in the same sentence on the back.
The handlebar moustache is due a comeback in fashion any day soon. Capes, canes, hats, pocket watches, robes and full length jackets are on the way back too. Sir Patrick Moore has been couragously single handedly fighting for the monocle for years now.
Thanks for posting Toby. For what its worth, i think the cover is jolly good. But I think Smiths quirky smile on the covers of the sequels makes them way more epic.
June 18th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
Wow, a sale – I knew the rodent/sex toy crossover would pay off! (Ah, I’ll never quite forgive the publishers for that. I don’t get to write the back cover stuff!) Another tiny step closer to my yacht!
I hope you enjoy the book. In a disgraceful piece of shameless self-promotion, I should add that there is a facebook page and a SCS website, which are no more sensible than the novels. There’s also a film trailer for the second book somewhere, all about tea.
Anyway, it’s been a pleasure being here – keep up the good work!
July 12th, 2011 at 9:43 pm
I know Toby, and he’s far more dashing than the image of Cpt Smith!
March 30th, 2013 at 10:18 am
[…] literal interpretation of the events of the story, they did retract the comment that it was bad. http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk/2009/09…captain-smith/ (And I don't know where they got the idea that that was […]
January 6th, 2016 at 7:54 am
Hey, this is a good cover.
January 6th, 2016 at 6:10 pm
Although we all recall ‘Flash Gordon’, ‘Undersea Kingdom with Crash Corrigan’ and ‘King of the Rocket-Men’, the most successful and plentiful 30s chapterplay subgenre was Mounties. Statistically, therefore, something like this must exist in a film vault somewhere.
June 29th, 2018 at 5:06 pm
In a trend that perhaps had better stop (after bloody Fize of the Gabriel Ratchets), I bought this in Waterstones Birmingham today, still with this cover. So far so good. Bought the sequel, God Emperor of Didcot, as well. It does indeed have a robot on the cover. And it’s indeed all about tea. I think the covers are far too good for GSS, although reading them on the bus might get you some odd looks. I’m probably going to be reading the first one on an aeroplane tomorrow—let’s see people move away then. Bwahahaha.
June 30th, 2018 at 7:44 am
@L_l: A new copy? Not used? Toby’s still in print working towards that yacht and possibly mustache? Good Show Sir!
June 30th, 2018 at 4:27 pm
Absolutely a new copy. Well, I did read it on the aeroplane and it was an absolute hoot. I think Toby deserves that yacht.
June 30th, 2018 at 11:35 pm
Good to hear. It looks like fun and Toby seemed nice here. Staying in print that long (or going back into print) in paperback original is an achievement.
December 13th, 2018 at 6:54 pm
Wow! I was just reminded of this after about 5 years and was rather surprised to find more comments here. Cheers guys for reading it – glad you enjoyed it! I hope the plane flight wasn’t too weird…
December 14th, 2018 at 7:52 pm
Hi Toby! Welcome back. Our fans treat these posts like a fine gallery of art; to be browsed and re-enjoyed at their leisure.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:47 am
Toby! Our most faithful responding author, who understands and appreciates the kind of fun we have here. Perhaps he’ll let us party on his yacht when he gets it?
December 15th, 2018 at 5:53 pm
I hope Toby is getting closer to the yacht. I’m still looking for the rest of the series but they seem to be sold only in England and I’m not there often enough. I may have to buy them on (shudder) Amazon.
March 28th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
Toby is a tiny bit closer to the yacht—I’ve just bought the last 2 books, in Waterstones in Birmingham again. They had the full set, which says something. Even a tag on the shelf listing all the titles.
March 28th, 2019 at 9:36 pm
@L_L: Good for you. And for Toby. Having the whole series still in print after 10 years, in these days of shrinking bookstores, is quite an accomplishment.
Ooh, SCS even has his own page on TVTropes, another achievement!
Next time I’m at a con or a bookstore, I must definitely look for these. Sounds like Flashman In Spaaace, and what could be better?
March 29th, 2019 at 3:29 am
I’m in the midst of reading it myself, and all I shall say about it is that it has the funniest parody of a certain well-franchised alien race I have seen.
March 29th, 2019 at 10:21 pm
There seem to be 6 of these books, available new from Amazon in either paperback or Kindle.
Good Show, Toby!
May 27th, 2019 at 5:52 am
Just noticed (after all this time) that TW didn’t tag the artist. The back cover credits the copyright to Angelo Rinaldi, and this cover is on his website.
March 22nd, 2020 at 11:05 pm
Artist is still not tagged.
I enjoyed reading through this again. Toby is quite a good sport, and I hope he’s got a yacht to sail away on in these times.
Maybe I’ll break down and buy one or two, unless someone’s got Kindle and would be willing to share.