Sep 06
Click for larger imageRaoul Comments: A Novel of the Endswordsworldswoman
Published 1982
(Average: 6.30 out of 10)
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Raoul Comments: A Novel of the Endswordsworldswoman
Published 1982
(Average: 6.30 out of 10)Loading...
(10.00 out of 10) (9.27 out of 10) (9.21 out of 10) (9.03 out of 10) (9.00 out of 10) (9.00 out of 10) (8.97 out of 10) (8.96 out of 10) (8.95 out of 10) (8.95 out of 10)
September 6th, 2017 at 10:31 am
This one kind of makes me mad. This clearly sounds like a book about upending a fantasy gender stereotype, so of course the illustrators were sure to put the female character in skimpy clothing and a provocative pose. Note that the author is female, so this also lines up with my thesis that overtly female authors get more sexualized cover art.
Oh wait, we’re supposed to write funny comments.
Something about this cover really BUGS me!
September 6th, 2017 at 10:49 am
Anti-anty-auntie.
September 6th, 2017 at 10:50 am
She’s no Lucinda Dickey.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmstSqUoSRE/Vm0HxFV-mOI/AAAAAAAAp4o/QIXq3d38yEA/s1600/ninja1.jpg
September 6th, 2017 at 11:17 am
Hooters, but no neck.
@Tom: thanks for going that extra mile for us. 😉
September 6th, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Tom, I totally agree. That being said, it doesn’t appear so much that she is about cleave an ant in two as she is about to scratch a really annoying itch.
September 6th, 2017 at 12:31 pm
The cover art I’ll leave to others to judge… but the text, oy vey, it’s almost illegible. Like one of those “text goes into a spiral” jokes for children…
September 6th, 2017 at 12:36 pm
Female SF/F writers have used initials and pseudonyms to escape discrimination since the days of Gernsback. I wonder whether the author experienced pressure from publishers to use “J.A. Salmonson”…
September 6th, 2017 at 12:42 pm
Luke on the top, Leia on the bottom:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/72/48/9b/72489b89a5764738e1308e02158482fe.jpg
September 6th, 2017 at 12:45 pm
@Tom Noir – So sexist. I agree.
The correct term is The Swordsperson.
September 6th, 2017 at 12:49 pm
It was definitely more sexist back then. She was actually awarded the
“1980 Broad Fantasy Award.”
September 6th, 2017 at 12:53 pm
Even her last name is sexist. It should be Salmonsdottir. Assuming her father was a Salmon.
September 6th, 2017 at 1:00 pm
That pose and foes rang a bell.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7e/85/6f/7e856f3d4f74d83d4537c5e5f03d630c.jpg
September 6th, 2017 at 1:52 pm
It’s good that her warrior guild found a job cleaving ants for her, because with the whole left leg being eight inches longer than her right thing going on, she’s only going to be able to keep her balance on sidehills.
September 6th, 2017 at 1:55 pm
Bug on the right, center of page: “All this gender-construction/genre discourse is well enough, but tiresome. I just like the way that cute little karate suit rides up in the back. What a view! Hyunh, Hyunh . . .”
September 6th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
When did JIM BÆN go full Æsop?
September 6th, 2017 at 3:09 pm
I’ll play the Devil’s Advocate here and ask outright: “But does the cover sell the book?”
(And mind you, we’ve seen lots of covers here that should make any sane person run screaming for cover…)
September 6th, 2017 at 3:09 pm
Sorry, I know this is an inappropriate comment, but in the service of free speech and the right to be offensive, I say we need an “Outsized Papillae” tag for this cover. Lookit those bumps!
September 6th, 2017 at 3:20 pm
@BC: those bumps, those bumps, those lovely formicidae lumps! 😉
@fred: The pose rings another bell too….
September 6th, 2017 at 3:37 pm
Was there a second publication?
And is the critter on the left generating the lightning that seems to be at least partially responsible for our heroine’s pose? She ought to know better than to heft a metal object in a thunderstorm, especially when she ran out of the shower to do it.
She should, at least, be wearing wellies.
September 6th, 2017 at 4:18 pm
@THX – AAA comment!
September 6th, 2017 at 6:26 pm
Is it me, or do the ants have swords as well?
September 6th, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Better title: The Cleavage
September 6th, 2017 at 8:54 pm
Two covers in two days with the protagonists in very similar poses.
Did she get attacked just after coming out of the bath? Because that would be really annoying.
@Tom Noir: Completely agree with you on the unnecessary sexualisation, especially since I’ve heard of this cover before. While the heroine does fight giant bugs, she doesn’t do it with one of the magic swords in the book, and certainly not while so impractically dressed.
September 6th, 2017 at 8:55 pm
@DSWBigT—I am not talking simple bug-eyed ants, compadre, I’m talking good old amurrican space nipples!😎
September 7th, 2017 at 4:21 am
First thought: That’s so 80’s.
Second thought: Wait, those books are all feminist and empowering — why is she in a robe from Fredrick’s of Hollywood?
Third thought: For an expert swordswoman, that’s lousy technique. Could she stab them with the title font?
Fourth thought: Does she know a previous cover? With the person of indeterminate capitation and thunder thighs? From our old pal Jennifter, who acquired a BS on the horrible 2-hour trek across Arizona? http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk/?p=12593
@BC: There have been some oversized papillae on menfolk on these covers too. Apparently to make up for all the covers where nobody has nipples.
@Lillie: You’re right. Need the “anatomical issues” tag. Seriously, look at her left leg and foot and compare them to the right leg.
@Tat: I think far left critter is certainly holding/directing the lightning — it might be coming from behind him! created by some other fighter… perhaps a lightning bug.
(I’m sorry I’ll get my coat)
@Anti-Sceptic: the ants look to have the same swords as she does. Maybe she’s using one of theirs.
BÆN!cracklethunderting
September 7th, 2017 at 5:30 am
@GSSxn . . . make up for all the covers where nobody has nipples.
Some of my faves there.
May 21st, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Idly flicking through the covers of Jo Clayton’s books on Goodreads and came across this: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7520797-geisterjagd?from_search=true
So GSSxn, no need to worry about why she is in a robe from Frederick’s of Hollywood.
May 21st, 2018 at 6:52 pm
@LL – Nice catch. I’m sure they lose the bra and its tits ahoy on the French cover.
May 21st, 2018 at 7:37 pm
Sorry, but there doesn’t seem to have been one. The only translation ISFDB knows about is the German one.
May 22nd, 2018 at 1:56 am
@Longtime_lurker: Egad. Who’d have thought there’d be a worse rendering of this?
This artwork got around, eh wot? Two completely different books — but both by women, which goes back to @Tom (1).
You’re very good at researching these things.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:46 am
Another bit of the story on the two covers. I hang out on LibraryThing (don’t know it? Make its acquaintance. You won’t regret it.) and posted links to the 2 covers on a thread about books with similar covers. LibraryThing member sylak emailed the artist Carl Lundgren and got this reply:
February 27th, 2019 at 10:24 am
@LL: Hey, that’s really cool! Also, don’t Google Corinne unless you really like tan lines.
February 27th, 2019 at 4:19 pm
Uh-huh. So she was supposed to look like a bimbo, not an empowered woman.
A longer jacket would have looked less stupid, ironically. Or the chain mail would at least have been more practical.
Well, glad Carl got his ya-yas out, I guess?
February 27th, 2019 at 8:21 pm
@GSS x-n: Either way, she looks fresh out of the shower.
February 28th, 2019 at 4:59 am
Nothing worse than being attacked by giant ants when you’ve just stepped out of the shower (and blow-dried your 80s feathered hair).
March 1st, 2019 at 3:17 am
@L_L (#31):
I thought she looked vaguely familiar. She was in the sketch comedy movie “Amazon Women on the Moon” (though billed under her married name, Corinne Wahl).
March 1st, 2019 at 6:26 am
@Hammy: AWotM was pretty amusing. We still riff on Don “No Soul” Simmons.
At least she got divorced before her sword experience was needed against him.