Nov 25
Click for full imageRich Comments: One of my favouite books of all time. If I had judged by the cover, I wouldn’t have ever touched it.
Published 1966
Many thanks to Rich!
(Average: 8.83 out of 10)
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Rich Comments: One of my favouite books of all time. If I had judged by the cover, I wouldn’t have ever touched it.
Published 1966
Many thanks to Rich!
(Average: 8.83 out of 10)Loading...
(9.25 out of 10) (9.18 out of 10) (9.01 out of 10) (8.97 out of 10) (8.93 out of 10) (8.93 out of 10) (8.93 out of 10) (8.92 out of 10) (8.88 out of 10) (8.88 out of 10)
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November 25th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Looks like they have their universe raping clothes on.
November 25th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Is that Jeff Dunham and his puppet Ahmed The Dead Terrorist?
November 25th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Talk about quoting a novel out of context… jeez!
“And now, in our series ‘How To Make People Run Screaming Away From A Book And Never, Ever Pick It Up,’ we come to THIS cover…”
November 25th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
THE DEMOLISHED LUCHADORE
November 25th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
So, it isn’t the penguin talking about all of that universe-raping? It’s the trick-or-treaters?
November 25th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
I’m just going to be over here in this corner, rocking back and forth and crying in horror.
November 25th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
The good news is that this would only set you back 3/6.
November 25th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
I need to re-read this book. I don’t remember that scene at all.
November 25th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
I dunno, I kinda like it…
November 25th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
The penguin is blushing with embarrassment: that’s how bad this cover is.
November 25th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Is this cover required to enroll in the sex offenders registry? If you look closely, you can see that the picture is actually a still shot taken by a security camera during one of their escapades. Mommy, I’m scared.
November 25th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
This is what Bester originally intended for Reich to use to distract attacking telepaths. Instead of that ‘tension, apprehension’ nonsense he’d just stick a giant skull in their faces and terrify the living daylights out of them (or make them laugh too hard to give chase).
He changed it and sent the result back in time (using a variant of the techniques described in _The Stars My Destination_) after seeing this cover.
November 26th, 2010 at 4:02 am
Was the artist on something? Hey, I took this picture of two kids at my door for halloween … we can use that.
November 26th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
classic. peephole cam for the win!
December 2nd, 2010 at 6:40 am
If I was that penguin, I’d be red with embarassment, too.
December 4th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I’ve got a copy of this edition
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidcowie/79916038/
And I didn’t submit it. Doh!
December 20th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Yes, Virginia, some editors really do hate writers.
March 21st, 2013 at 1:06 am
I want this book, with this cover! Not to read, but to hold prominently the next time I am in my doctor’s waiting room. Bet the lady with the screaming kid coughing and sneezing on everyone finds another seat, far across the room.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:33 am
Worst. Marionette. Ever.
August 14th, 2014 at 12:15 pm
Jimmy Savile saw this cover and immediately bought ten copies.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:11 pm
I’d say the universe was asking for it.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:11 am
I think this is probably done by Alan Aldridge as well – looks similar to the often macabre photo work he was doing at the time. Seen from 2014, it also really resembles something from the Scarfolk Council site.
December 11th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Turns out I was wrong: it is in fact by Lester Waldman: http://www.penguinsciencefiction.org/08.html
August 25th, 2015 at 2:23 am
That looks like a photo of a really bizarre Day of the Dead decoration. I suspect Mr. Bester would not approve.
April 20th, 2016 at 1:01 pm
I’ve just submitted the same cover! I can’t believe two people actually bought this book despite its artwork.
I have three copies of this book all with equally hideous front covers.
April 20th, 2016 at 5:55 pm
The trick or treaters turned into publlic menaces during 1966, “That’s a very nice man you’ve got. It’d be a shame if someone demolished him.”
June 9th, 2016 at 7:34 pm
The Stanford Men’s swim team are wearing unconventional outfits this year.
…or is it too early?
October 28th, 2016 at 9:14 pm
And, a jolly Hallowe’en to you all!
January 14th, 2017 at 7:46 am
I don’t remember any Day of the Dead references in this novel, nor disguised children, or… any of this. Thankfully this is not the cover I read it in, or I wouldn’t have.
June 8th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
The rapey blurb is just setting you up for the big ‘Sleepawy Camp’ reveal.
June 8th, 2022 at 10:43 pm
Were there a lot of drugs going around Penguin at the time?
checks date Yep, London in 1966, everyone in Mary Quant and doing LSD. And just slapping random covers on random books.