Mar 31
NoiselessPenguin Comments: I tried to make a list of what’s wrong with this cover, and stopped when I realised: EVERYTHING.
Thanks to NoiselessPenguin, I’ve never laughed so much!
NoiselessPenguin Comments: I tried to make a list of what’s wrong with this cover, and stopped when I realised: EVERYTHING.
Thanks to NoiselessPenguin, I’ve never laughed so much!
March 31st, 2010 at 9:21 am
Some people buy motorbikes. Others, expensive sports cars. And then there are the silent few who ride killer whales. His appendage must be huge!
March 31st, 2010 at 10:27 am
Free Knobul!
March 31st, 2010 at 10:34 am
The Destiny of the ‘Sword’.
March 31st, 2010 at 10:44 am
Do you think his whale can walk on land? Kinda limits exactly where one can be a hero.
March 31st, 2010 at 10:55 am
I think this was meant to be an Aquaman tie-in, but DC rejected it.
Sadly, later in life the whale and man become estranged, the whale turns white due to stress and Knobul changes his name, becomes a sea captain.
Things go generally downhill from there.
March 31st, 2010 at 11:45 am
Knobil. Well, I suppose your knob would be il after riding an orca bareback. That cartilaginous hide can be soooo rough.
March 31st, 2010 at 11:47 am
I really love this cover, it speaks to me of a child like joy of life or possibly of a homeless mans joy of life, more specifically, a homeless man whos best friend is a killer whale… I shed a single tear when i saw the reprint cover , it was like being told santa wasnt real
March 31st, 2010 at 12:14 pm
James> Strangely sounds like you’ve had experience riding a whale bareback. I find that a little disturbing… just a little. haha
March 31st, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Of course the hero’s name would have the word “knob” in it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Worth $2000 at least, so long as he doesn’t want to marry another dude. Unless that killer whale is a dude. Then … well … I’m going to stop talking now.
April 20th, 2010 at 3:52 am
So this is what Sea World will look like after the apocalypse…
April 23rd, 2010 at 2:53 am
Dave Duncan, author of “The Destiny of the Sword” and also “The Sword of Destiny” and also “The Destiny Sword” and also “The Sword Destiny”. Not to be confused with David Duncan, author of “The Fate of the Blade” and also “The Blade of Fate” and also….
April 24th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Oh my Cthulhu! I just bit into my keyboard… Real hard!
April 30th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Let’s keep Cthulhu out of this no need to wake the Elder Gods.
: P
May 4th, 2010 at 12:50 am
This cover needs a faithful otter sidekick. Or maybe a pod of evil dolphins. Everyone knows dolphins are evil, right.
May 4th, 2010 at 8:33 am
Well, it certainly looks like a Sweet show from here!
As with all the Good Show Sir covers, if there are any details missing or incorrect please leave a comment or get in touch using the sumbit form.
May 5th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
You are seeing a man about to fall off, i think…
May 6th, 2010 at 1:25 am
Caption: “Wheeeeeeeeee!” Scene not in book. Nothing even vaguely resembling scene in book. Disturbing insight into the artist’s personal life gratefully received.
June 1st, 2010 at 3:38 am
‘West of January’ perhaps. Somewhere south of taste and decency, certainly.
June 27th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
CSA @ 7: Publisher’s Weekly clearly had the original cover edition in mind when they gave their opinion on this one:
“Painted in bold strokes with pleasingly offbeat and entertaining results.”
August 20th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
I know that Del Rey hired Darrell Sweet to do most of their fantasy
covers in the ’80s even though they thought he was a lousy artist
because his covers sold books.
Lawrence Watt-Evans in the Usenet group rec.arts.sf.written.
Archived here
December 18th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
OW – OW – OW – OW – OW –
May 23rd, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Women love his orca….
June 12th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
If whales have good brakes… That guy should’ve fitted a saddle.
July 25th, 2011 at 6:15 am
I did my post before checking out the top ranked covers. I can’t even breathe . . . Knobul!!!
February 17th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
And the guy looks like Chuck Norris….
April 19th, 2012 at 7:22 pm
I wince everytime I look at this.
The two of them better maintain a synchronous speed, or “Chuck” there is going to smack his “Knobil” into the dorsal.
June 3rd, 2012 at 9:29 pm
The anatomy on the killer whale is off. Killer whales have actual snouts, meaning that their fronts don’t end bullet-shaped like hers. Yes, it’s a her, you can tell from the dorsal fin, which is awfully far forward. The eye is out of place, it should be further up and a bit back.The pectoral fins should be in front of the dorsal fin. Also, there’s a hairy git riding her, which is goofy. Unless you’re wearing armour and your son’s life is on the line (and God help you if you get that ref!)
June 4th, 2012 at 10:33 pm
The thing I find fascinating about this entry at goodshowsir is that the word “blowhole” doesn’t appear in any of the comments. Must I be the one to gather the low-hanging fruit?
June 5th, 2012 at 10:27 am
The thing I find fascinating is that I have looked at this one a hundred times, but apparently never commented. How remiss of me.
All I can think of is: “Shamu! Shamu!”
June 10th, 2015 at 9:27 pm
@DSWBT: Well OF COURSE it’s a her. Only a classy lady like this could ensnare Knobul’s heart.
June 11th, 2015 at 12:27 pm
@Yoss: Blowhole? Now that’s what I call an orcasm!
January 4th, 2016 at 2:35 pm
What an orca-dork.
December 8th, 2017 at 6:35 am
I wonder if Nobby is related to Dick Blade.
Whatever his family, his legs are three times longer than they ought to be. Maybe Orca stopped abruptly at some point in the past.
December 8th, 2017 at 7:56 am
Frashback Fliday?
Sorry. I’m still thinking of yesterday’s books.
My comment was very igknobil.
December 8th, 2017 at 8:07 am
Is this guy related to Sos the Rope and pals?
Knob the Bow, maybe?
December 8th, 2017 at 12:50 pm
How many other variations of ‘noble’ did Mr Duncan consider before settling on Knobil.
That would be about the best episode of ‘River Monsters’ ever.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:03 pm
This image will be my spirit guide for the day.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Shamu. Shame you.
December 8th, 2017 at 1:05 pm
I am a big naked man riding an orca
I am a big naked man riding an orca
I am a big naked man riding an orca
…
December 8th, 2017 at 6:38 pm
@Tat Wood (33)—it’s a classic example of cramming hard to pass the “How to Draw Feet” class at the Unknown Artist’s Institute but then forgetting to register for the “How to Put Feet On Legs” elective offered in the following semester.
December 8th, 2017 at 9:28 pm
Needs “anatomical issues” for those lower legs. No wonder he has to ride an orca-esque thing; walking must be a bitch with his shins so out of proportion.
Also, not an “unknown artist”. Alas.
I think he miiiight be wearing a loincloth, which is trailing way too much extra cloth behind him. And at the angle the cloth’s fluttering, I do mean “behind”.
@BC (40): Judging by the covers we’ve seen, I find it hard to believe that there is a “How to Draw Feet” class at UAI. If there is, it’s certainly an elective, probably senior level, and many don’t ever take it. Maybe it’s only offered in alternate years and nobody likes the professor.
December 9th, 2017 at 12:15 am
“No, Orca, wait, that’s not Bo Dereeeeeeek…!”
December 9th, 2017 at 4:57 am
arts council 46th annual report and accounts
April 1st, 2018 at 4:04 am
@Raoul (#43):
It’s a novel by Dave Duncan, of course.
April 5th, 2018 at 10:31 pm
This looks like rejected Lisa Frank concept art.
April 6th, 2018 at 1:11 am
@Thea: Rejected for not enough colors and sparkles?
April 7th, 2018 at 11:36 am
All this time and I only just noticed that the main character’s name is KNOBIL. Shame on me!
February 9th, 2020 at 7:38 pm
I saw this book at a store in Anaheim this weekend, and I knew that there was NO WAY that GSS would have missed this one.
Also, shame on you for your negative comments regarding his feet and shins. They are epic masterpieces compared to 99.9999% of cover appendages.
February 10th, 2020 at 2:16 am
@Ryan: It’s exciting finding a GSS entry in the wild, isn’t it?
I agree that the feet are pretty well done, staggeringly well done by GSS standards. But there really is no excuse for his shins to be that long.
Knobil. Snerk.