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Apr 06

The cover artist runed this book for meClick for larger image

Ryan Comments: We three kings of Orient are,
Wielding edged weapons,
And a green star.

Published 1999

Actually, that cover IS a classical work of art!I would touch it without protective gloves.I've seen worse. Far, far, worse.Interesting, but I would still read it in public.Middlng: Neither awful nor awfully goodWould not like to be seen reading that!Awful... just awful...That belongs in a gold-lame picture frame!Gah... my eyes are burning! Feels so good!Good Show Sir! (Average: 6.00 out of 10)
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22 Responses to “Beyond the Pale”

  1. Bruce A Munro Says:

    “Get lost, Vigo! My bro needs his Zs.”

  2. Francis Boyle Says:

    Sadly, the trend of embedding high powered lasers in book covers died a quick death when publishers realised the cost of printing in braille.

  3. THX 1139 Says:

    Ronald D. Moore was determined to channel his TV success into being the Fabio of sci-fi paperbacks.

  4. fred Says:

    ‘The Last Selfie’.

  5. Griz Says:

    Friends, Norsemen, Countrymen!

  6. JuanPaul Says:

    “I’ve removed his evil spleen! Quickly now, send the cursed organ to the abyss!”

  7. Bibliomancer Says:

    Judging by the head antenna, the horse must have a dashboard AM/FM radio.

  8. Max Bathroom Says:

    @Bibliomancer
    You mean that he has a well-pimped ride?

  9. Tor Mented Says:

    The Last Rune? Well, it’s dagaz if you’re using Elder Futhark. Might be ēar if you go by plain old Anglo-Saxon futhorc.
    All this makes me wonder why runic alphabets are not in alphabetical order.

  10. B. Chiclitz Says:

    I guess this is what things look like when you get Beyond the Ale ?

  11. Max Bathroom Says:

    @B. Chiclitz
    I’d not thought of that, but there are four of them on the cover: is this the true details of how Simon Hinckler left The Mission?

  12. Raoul Says:

    Art direction: “I want this cover embossed so hard you’ll bloody your knuckles trying to read it.”

  13. Bruce A Munro Says:

    @Max Bathroom: not counting the horse there’s just three, although it does look at first glance as if the man holding the magical mcguffin has a headless midget taking shelter under his cloak.

  14. GSS ex-noob Says:

    Shiny AND embossed, that’s how you know it’s quality litrachur.

    Is the lowest one taking a nap?

    So we’ve got one guy taking a nap, being watched over by a guy who has an odd-looking right arm and cloak and is wielding a TING! who’s holding off…

    Oh! Top dude is The Pale.
    See how completely white he is? He’s annoyed that the other two are Beyond him.

    It’s a fine line between runes and random line-scratches. This book is Beyond that line too.

    @Tor: because they’re in futhark-ial order, silly.

  15. Tat Wood Says:

    @GSS ex-Noob: I’ve spent all day half-dreading you making some peurile anti-English joke (it’s not as if any of us is great at resisting low-hanging fruit). Thanks.

    And during that time I’ve been wondering: what’s with Beardyman’s right fist? Is he planning to punch the green glowing object into submission? Is this some weird quasi-mediaeval beach Volleyball tournament? Did Pale-and-Interesting get his hat from a Christmas Cracker?

    I’m with the languid bloke at the bottom: like, whatever.

  16. Bruce A Munro Says:

    I wonder if it’s “beyond the pale” in the sense of “someone does something icky” (the man on the horse, probably) or if the writer is trying to be clever and is committing medievalism (it’s “pale” as in “pale of settlement” or “pale of Calais” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_of_Calais ) and it’s a road trip novel?

  17. Rick Deckard Says:

    Beyond the Palomino

  18. Bibliomancer Says:

    Bruce – I saw that too!

  19. Ryan Says:

    The guy in the middle has air-guitared so hard that he has sparked off electricity from his left hand, knocked out Orange Gloves, and enraged B. Ond the Pale to violence.

  20. Tat Wood Says:

    Top to bottom: Maurice, Barry and Robin.

  21. GSS ex-noob Says:

    @Tat (19): GSS!!!! Perfect.

    @Bruce (16): maybe the author thought he was Real Clever and combined your idea and mine.

  22. A. R. Yngve Says:

    “I was just going to take the elevator to the top of the castle to fix a window, but I pressed the wrong rune button, and the door opened to the Evil Mage level. I was mortified…”

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