`Dragonmount`

Posted by Jason on May 25th, 2010 in the Brandon Sanderson, Tor Books, Towers of Midnight category

Tor Books revealed to us today the U.S. hardcover artwork for Towers of Midnight, the thirteenth novel in the Wheel of Time series. As with the previous twelve U.S. covers, the artwork was done by Darryl K. Sweet. Here’s a look:

Towers of Midnight is being completed by author Brandon Sanderson, based on extenensive notes and recordings left by Robert Jordan. It will be released in the U.S. and worldwide on October 26, 2010.

Darryl K Sweet will also complete the artwork for A MEMORY OF LIGHT, the 14th and final Wheel of Time novel, currently expected to be released in late 2011.

So what do you think of the artwork?

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168 Responses to “Towers of Midnight cover revealed”

1
Beast Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:01 am
So.. pretty much the same cover we were teased with at JordanCon.. nicely done. Moraine is coming back
2
Dalven Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Mat, Thom and Noal? No big surprise there. But I’m itching with anticipation with what will happen when they go in!
3
Spencer Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:03 am
Wow. This looks MUCH better than the other one we saw. I may actually grow to like this one.
4
Ben Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Sorry, but I’ve never really liked these covers. The characters don’t look like they do in my mind’s eye. That’s just me though. The e-book covers are much better, IMHO.
5
Rajiv M Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:08 am
I pictured the “shining metal tower” to be smooth and featureless rather than having faux stone insets. But no matter. At long last, we get to see the rescue!
6
Michael Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Much, MUCH better! I’m very pleased to see Brandon stuck on Sweet to make sure he got the covers right. This is a significant improvement over… well, pretty much anything else Sweet’s done for the series. Even Path of Daggers, which was close enough. Mostly ^_^
7
Adam Whitehead Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:10 am
So they fixed the characters but the Tower of Ghenjei has still magically teleported into the middle of a forest from the open grassland it was on in TEotW and TSR? Interesting.
8
Geoff Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:34 am
I guess now we know who the “one other” is.
9
Matt Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Wow the Arinelle shrunk slightly. It’s better than the last couple though. Why dont they release them with the e-book covers??
10
Satish Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Moiraine.. Here they come..
This is great.. can’t wait to see Moiraine back..
11
Paul Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:44 am
This is a Sweet cover? And its not awful? Shocking! I’ll forgive the artistic license for putting it in a forest since the characters at least look right. I did picture the tower as a sort of solid piece monolith but its okay.

Thom clearly has his patch covered cloak. Its clearly Mat there and I’m assuming that’s Noal in the foreground.

P.S. Still not nearly as good as the ebook covers by Giancola or Dos Santos though.
12
Kadere Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:46 am
LOVE IT!
13
Imrahil Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:47 am
The Arinelle is not running besides the Tower of Ghenjey.
Allthough Adam Whitehead IS right about it being on open grassland in other books
But that much artistical freedom is given *g*
14
Krit Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Agreed, shiny smooth tower is better. Forest is off. Thom apparently is a big fan of purple too. It is better than many of the other covers though, very colorful and it actually seems to depict a significant important plot moment that happens as opposed to random made-up/traveling scene in a vaguely familiar location set in that book.
15
Imrahil Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Oh and I forgot completely: very nice cover, I can’t wait to have the real book in my hands!
16
Mason Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 10:06 am
DKS takes so much licensing with his characters sometimes… That may not even be Noal!
(What follows is an actual excerpt from Towers of Midnight:)
“…… as Mat, Thom, and Bela slowly creeped into the Tower, without knowing what they would face…….”
17
Lironah Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I like it. Sure, it’s not perfect, but at least it’s a believable Mat for once, if a little stocky. Dunno about Mr. Charin.
18
talen Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 10:29 am
Hmmmm … Thom is depicted in a strange perspective (look at the feet … is he egyptian? ) and it seems he’s looking at … us?!

Mat seems like is 40 or something ^^
19
TheBeerPatriot Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 10:32 am
LOL @Mason. Can’t wait to see your advance review of ToM

This version is much better than the one revealed at JordanCon. Yes, there are still some creative liberties taken as others have pointed out. However, this is one of the better ones in this series, and I’m seriously fired up for 10/26!
20
Mark Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Eh, I can live with this.
21
Gilmadin Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:15 am
This is pretty good. I didn’t think that I would ever type those words about a cover that DKS painted, but there it is. Of course, it could just be that after seeing the mock-up cover from JordanCon, ANYTHING would look pretty good! Lol. But seriously, DKS did a decent job on this one. Of course, it took the intervention of every member of Team Jordan to get it to look this good… You’d think after 13 other WoT covers (I include New Spring) he wouldn’t need five people to tell him that Mat wears a broad-brimmed black hat…
22
Towers of Midnight cover « Tor/Forge's Blog Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:24 am
[...] See the full artwork on Dragonmount. [...]
23
jemron Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:34 am
His best since EotW. I actually like this! The color and composition feels more right than most of the past covers (especially TGS) and the people seem slightly less ‘posed’ than past covers. Thanks for posting! BTW, I knew it was Noal!
24
Jacob Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:36 am
yeah. what’s with Matrim’s age. jordan makes it pretty clear that these guys are in very early 20′s at the latest, yet they always look to be middle-aged. I have a feeling Noam doesn’t last too long, Olver will be following and quickly take his place in the trio.
25
angelo Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:37 am
why does he keep changing the shape/look of the ashandarei????
26
CK Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Well, none of the characters look like the love child of Fabio and Timothy Dalton, posing for a romance novel. That’s a start. Also it doesn’t appear that any of the characters are in the middle of busting out The Robot on the dance floor. That’s good. He seems to have grown the characters from hobbit to normal human size, also an improvement. No impossible arm angles that remind me of things I drew in 4th grade.

I think secretly Darryl K. Sweet is a true genius artist. How does the man manage to create art, from scratch, that perfectly captures the awkwardness of a live photo shoot featuring models that have absolutely no idea how to look good for the camera? I would have to go through a lot of trouble finding people off the street, dressing them in funny clothes, and telling them to pose for me in some strange scene, in order to perfectly capture that “I have no idea what to do with my hands, eyes or face” look. Sweet can just draw it up freehand. I mean check out the Ben Kingsley/Captain Picard looking guy guarding the back of the line. I can almost hear the artistic director on the photo shoot telling him “Ok, we need this to be a candid shot, do NOT look at the camera!”. I can almost see in real motion Mr. Kingsley-Picard trying his damnedest not to look at the camera, and failing.

I never would have thought to make the Tower of Ghenjei out of that blue river rock I have on my back porch, but it looks pretty classy. I like how the roots of all three of the prominent trees in the background look like the legs of overweight women straddling camels headed in the same direction. And evidently Thom lately finds himself opting for a gleeman’s cloak with a European cut.
27
Sulin Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Yay! Finally a decent cover. Taking into consideration the artistic licenses taken, I like the color and composition of this cover. I seriously can’t wait until Oct. 26!
28
Adam E. Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
As always, his background art is good while the character art leaves a lot to be desired. However, the characters do look a bit better this time, thanks to two of the three men being over middle-aged. But Mat looks plain bad.
29
Jeff Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Sadly, this is one of the better Sweet covers. I can actually look at it without cringing.
30
Gary Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Wow, a pretty decent cover from Mr. Sweet for a change. Only problem is, of course, Mat, who looks ugly and middle-aged (Thom’s not too bad-his cloak should be much longer, though. Noal’s fine, if that is him, which is likely). The background is quite lovely and though the Tower of Ghenjei looks made of stone here, it’s possible it could simply be bizarre stylized metal…it still looks cool if inaccurate. Unlike most of the other book covers, I shall not feel embarassed bringing this one to work to read in the breakroom and the like. The e-book cover that will eventually be released will, of course, be miles better, but this is still his best one (aside from Crown of Swords which is quite good, apart from power-walking Rand and his giant arms of doom…)
31
tbrickey022 Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
This doesn’t seem to be “a shining metal tower”. It appears to be made of stone. Hrm.
32
CK Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
I’m sorry but Rand being in the midst of a Frank the Tank impersonation ruins the A Crown of Swords cover for me.

I wonder how Darryl Sweet feels about the fact that pretty much everyone in existence agrees that the eBook covers are 10,000x better than his?
33
Gilmadin Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
@ CK: Maybe that’s why he tried so much harder for this one. He must have heard that pretty much everyone thinks that the covers suck. We all know he CAN paint well (look at TEotW cover, which is pretty epic) but he just hasn’t in anything he’s painted ever since. You have to admit that this one is much, much better than most other covers that he has done, so maybe he’s just trying to go out with a bang, since he probably won’t be doing too many covers after WoT. He’s not doing the Runelords covers anymore, and his style just doesn’t attract new readers anymore.
34
Andrew Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Awful. It’d be ok if he actually had talent, but 6th form college kids could do better than this.
35
Cartel Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Wow, I’m still laughing about CK’s comments. The love child of Fabio and Timothy Daulton is classic! Rand looks straight outa The Rocketeer ha.
36
Ali Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
It’s really not that bad! I actually kind of like it!
37
Jamenja Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
I love the nature aspects of the cover, but Darryl Sweet loses my interest when it comes to the people in the cover
38
Elisha Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Sweet! They listened to our complaints and made an accurate (and good-looking) cover! I never thought that that would happen!
39
LetsRollTheDice Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I agree with Cartel – CK @ 26, you are one funny guy.
I hardly ever post comments but I feel obliged to tip my hat to that paragraph of comic genius. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at one of Sweet’s ‘attempts’ at depecting a scene again without sniggering.
I love the piece about Ben Kingsley/Captain Picard dude being told to look natural – brilliant!
I’m not familiar with ACoS artwork, as I live in Ireland and (thankfully) we get the plain black covers with the wheel and serpant symbols. I must look ACoS up to see how bad it is.
My own thoughts on this art is same as the general consencious – Mat waaaay to old and Thom’s cloak looks like curtains from the 1960′s. Lastly, I’d love to see them guys actually trying to walk in those gigantic boots they’re all wearing, especially Mat’s – Tuon is one lucky lady if this picture is anything to go by…
40
LetsRollTheDice Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
And I just looked up the artwork for ACoS – aka Rand breaking out “The Guns”. Awful.
41
Jason Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Hey is Noal holding Moiraine’s staff? It looks like the same one that she was holding in DKS’s cover for book 1.
42
Euphrasie Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
I can explain the textured rock and forest locale: this is clearly NOT the Tower of Ghenjei. It’s the secret worm hole tower entrance to the Tower. The title does suggest multiple towers…

How many times can I say tower in one sentence…?
43
Euphrasie Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
You’re right Jason. It does. Hmmm….
44
Mainphramephreak Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
RE: The staff: Moiriane’s staff was burnt up when they came out of the waygate near Fal Dara.
45
Vambram Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
I really like this cover. Without a doubt, this is the best cover that DKS has done for the WOT series in many, many years. Of course, considering the lack of quality in over half the covers he has painted for WOT, saying this is one of his best WOT covers might not be giving him a great compliment. Nevertheless, this cover for [i]Towers of Midnight[/i] is very well done!! This is a cover I will not be ashamed to show to my friends. I like this cover.
46
Angela_P Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Definately the best of Sweet’s work. The twisted tree on the right of the painting is pretty cool. In fact all the trees look good. Improvement over the previous version of this painting. Wish the Tower looked more like steel and less like stone. But otherwise, I have to say not bad!
47
Dan S Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
The Bag, the bag! What is in Mat’s bag??? Why has no one asked that yet? The best thing I can say about this cover is that it doesn’t suck
48
Olivia Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Perhaps Mat is holding some good donuts for Moiraine. I’d imagine she’s pretty hungry.
49
Dave S-J Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
A BOTTOMLESS BAG OF GOLD!!!! AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

nice artwork. AWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEESOOOOOOOOOOOOMMEEEE!!!!!!
50
Bryan V Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
I like this cover. I’m guessing Mat has some fireworks in the bag. Don’t the ‘Finn say you can’t bring any instrument of music, steel, or fire into their world? There ya go.
51
Chris DeFilippis Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Does anyone else feel like it’s the early 90s again, when all reading seemed to have boiled down to filler between the next WoT installment? Now that I see this cover, I can’t wait–especially after the terrific job Sanderson did on “The Gathering Storm.” I hope they send me a review copy.

If you’d like to read my review of The Gathering Storm, please visit my website at http://DeFlipSide.com and let me know what you think!
52
fss Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
I kinda like the cover, but the whole stone tower thing is really bothering me. The BBOBA says that the Tower Of Ghenjei is a “featureless tower of burnished steel”. Unless the stone-like features appear along with a door when Thom makes the sign with the dagger. That would make sense. OK, I’ll wait for the text of ToM.
53
fss Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Oh, and in TEOTW, the Tower was in flat grassland, not hills and trees:

Another time, when the eastward shore had become flat grassland again, broken only occasionally by
thickets, the sun glinted off something in the distance. “What can that be?” Rand wondered aloud. “It looks like
metal.”
Captain Domon was walking by, and he paused, squinting toward the glint. “It do be metal,” he said. His
words still ran together, but Rand had come to understand without having to puzzle it out. “A tower of metal. I
have seen it close up, and I know. River traders use it as a marker. We be ten days from Whitebridge at the rate
we go.”
“A metal tower?” Rand said, and Mat, sitting cross-legged with his back against a barrel, roused from
his brooding to listen.
The captain nodded. “Aye. Shining steel, by the look and feel of it, but no a spot of rust. Two hundred
feet high, it be, as big around as a house, with no a mark on it and never an opening to be found.”
54
redwall_hp Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
Can we get a bigger one, like 1200×800 or larger? I’d like to set it as my desktop background…
55
Charlz Guybon Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
A lot of minor inaccuracies, Mat’s too old, Tower’s not smooth like steel, etc; but the e art is actually quite good and you can actually tell where they are for a nice change.
56
Scott in Minneapolis Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
How sad have we become when we rank this as one of the best covers in the series? How sad it is when that’s actually true!

There are so many inaccuracies in this painting that the term ‘artistic license’ doesn’t come close to covering it! Many have already been pointed out, but here’s what I notice:

1. The ToG itself. Totally wrong. I don’t even understand where DkS got the idea for this totally illogical presentation. Not to mention the plains vs woodland setting error.
2. Matt is Rand, who is 15 years too old. Matt isn’t even wearing his scarf to hide his scar, his spear (I won’t try to spell it) is totally wrong, he’s waaaaay too tall, and poor thing seems to have broken his left ankle.
3. Why yes, that is the same staff that Moiraine was shown carrying in the cover for tEotW.
4. No, that’s not a patch covered cloak Thom is wearing, it’s a striped cloak-shawl like wrap. And what the freak’s up with his hair?
5. Noal’s body looks twisted and deformed. Maybe it’s the coat, but it really looks weird, like his legs are in the process of walking along a tiny plank and his waist is turned completely to the right so he can stare out at you!
6. Not to mention the fact that cover art doesn’t normally contain spoilers and this obviously does…it’s been a mystery since god was a boy as to how anybody gets inside the ToG. Perrin saw nary a seam in the wolf dream. But now thanks to DkS, we know you etch a symbol into the side! Thanks for letting me know, DkS! I’ve always wondered and who needs to actually experience it in the story for the first time when you can just see it with my own eyes without needing to crack the book?

But besides those couple’a things (and a few others), it’s absolutely perfect! The misplaced trees really are quite lovely though!
57
Ali Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
@ Scott in Minneapolis – it’s actually outright said in the books that you use a bronze knife to etch the Snake and Foxes symbol on the side of the tower to enter. In Knife of Dreams, from Birgitte.
58
Scott in Minneapolis Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Beautiful, I guess I missed that detail! Thanks for filling in the gaps for me. I know no one’s perfect but you’d think after all the previous reviews of his work, Sweet would really try to get the details right in one. I’m not saying the overall image isn’t nice in its own style, but it’s not my cup of tea. I much prefer the e-book covers.
59
Abby Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Looks like they changed some of their clothes, including Mat’s hat. Also they changed the texture of the building, and the triangle (the first one has the triangle facing up, the second has it facing down). There are also hair color changes.
60
josh Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
does anybody else think that Noal’s legs are bent at the knees like a fauns?
61
M-jayz Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Love the tree, ten points there, the artistic style and the color palette has been consistent which is also a plus, helps me find the book in the already over saturated bookshelf in the store. I always remember as a kid, loving the visualization of these imaginary worlds. Spent hours day dreaming about each detail and wanting to be able to paint like these dudes. All in all pretty cool artwork, but one thing that always bugged me was the subject matter, I always wanted to see something a little more dramatic. But yep, I ain’t complaining. Sick art mate.
62
Larry Carrigan Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Hi, everyone.

This cover artwork is good, and I like the cover.

Darrell K. Sweet has always had a unique style in his artwork; obviously, some people like this style, and others don’t.

I did look in TSR and found in the text the following sentences on page 322 (hardcover), chapter 28, “To the Tower of Ghenjei”: North and east he (Perrin) ran, over streams and roads and villages and rivers, intent only on the man ahead. The land grew flat and grassy, broken by scattered thickets, without any sign of man.”

So, it seems that Mr. Jordan intended that at least a few trees would be right next to the tower, or at least within a few hundred feet or so.

Also, even if the way DKS drew the tower doesn’t exactly match the description in TSR, it still looks like a magical portal or gateway to another realm, and this should capture people’s attention when they see the book in the stores.

Mat does look somewhat older than we might expect, but he is probably wondering if he will survive rescuing Moiraine, like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, or something; he knows that Rand still needs him, and if he dies attempting to rescue Moiraine, then Rand would only have himself and Perrin as part of the ta’veren threesome for the last battle, which wouldn’t be a good situation at all!

I believe Thom looks like I had pictured him – I think Thom prematurely aged having to deal with Mat’s foolhardy and risky behavior sometimes, like with the fireworks in TDR!

But, I really think DKS did a really good job on this cover, and he deserves credit for wanting to continue doing these covers when many WOT fans seem to really be very disappointed in every cover he has done for the series except for the EOTW cover.

Robert Jordan obviously had faith in DKS to do the artwork for the series.

Also, when I have read the WOT books in public at restaurants, for example, most people who saw the huge books asked me what the books were about, i.e., saying something like, that looks interesting, what’s the book about?; they didn’t say anything like, oh, what horrible artwork, that must be a really stupid book you’re reading.

There’s only 1 more cover left for DKS to do for the WOT, and I believe he will do a really good cover for AMOL; eventually, the e-covers or other artwork will be released on a new set of WOT books, and then the WOT fans who don’t like his artwork won’t have to feel embarrassed about reading the books in public!

DKS has been around for a long time, and he deserves at least some respect from the WOT fans! I’m not an artist, and I never will be, but DKS is an artist who has had a successful career, and if he was at a book signing with Brandon Sanderson, I would get his autograph too, not just Brandon’s.

So, to Brandon and Harriet and the rest of Team Jordan, great job on the cover for Book 13!

Have a good evening, everyone.

Larry Carrigan
63
Rachel Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
well – apart from the obvious errors – thank the light they improved it!
64
Rachel Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
perhaps the plain had become overgrown? or some other factor. but do we really think they would let such a big mistake pass? never mind.
65
Erik Hammarberg Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Well, this was better than most but I still think the cover is dead ugly. As usual I will try to get my hands on the Orbit-version of the book since they usually gets here (to Sweden) at the same time.
66
SqueeEGA Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
the important thing to me is that it depicts an important scene in the book…and whole series. While the e-book covers are clean and crisp, and, on their own, really great, they have just as many detail flaws as the US covers do. Also the e-book covers rarely have anything to do with the actual book. Sure eotw has rand on top of the spray, which happens, but its not all that important of a scene, like the whole gang leaving the two rivers. Who is using the stone ring ter’angreal on the cover of FoH…and why, pray tell, is it glowing? I give this cover a 4 for accuracy, but an 10 for relevance.
67
Chloë Unrau Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Umm… They don’t have shadows!
68
Bob Says:
May 25th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
When taking a look at Crossroads of Twilight, I must say that at least Mat and Thom are pretty consistant on this cover.

And, as someone has mentioned before me, it might as well be a deceptive cover, leading everyone to think it has to be about the Tower of Genjhi. It could be a totally different tower, in a different universe (as we have seen before) where Mat, Thom & Nr. 3 have to enter multiple towers.

I actually like that idea =P
69
Kefka Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 3:04 am
You’re right. *goes to check COT*

HEY!!! Mat’s wearing the exact same thing!!!
70
Chris M Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 4:06 am
The lack of shadows cast by the characters make them look as if they were copy/pasted onto the landscape.
71
~LC Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 4:10 am
I like all the covers he has done with the exception of Gathering Storm… I felt the proportions of Rand on that one where horrible, (head way oversized, body shrinking, hand tiny) this one is a huge improvement from the last.
72
damien byrne Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 5:20 am
Sorry i hate it, and I have always hated this guys covers, but I cant wait for the book
73
Caiaus Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 5:21 am
Awesome
74
Towers of Midnight, Book 13 of the Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson » I AM CURRENTLY READING Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 5:29 am
[...] Dragonmount have posted a finished version of the cover to the next Wheel of Time book, due out (fingers crossed) this October in the US. It ties in with the blurb from the cover that in part says: Matrim Cauthon prepares for the most difficult challenge of his life. The creatures beyond the stone gateways–the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn–have confused him, taunted him, and left him hanged, his memory stuffed with bits and pieces of other men’s lives. He had hoped that his last confrontation with them would be the end of it, but the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The time is coming when he will again have to dance with the Snakes and the Foxes, playing a game that cannot be won. The Tower of Ghenjei awaits, and its secrets will reveal the fate of a friend long lost. [...]
75
Rusty Stubbs Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 5:49 am
I always pictured the tower of Ghenjei as being a solitary tower in the middle of an empty field. Not with trees growing right next to it.
76
unlabled Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 6:10 am
The only covers I have really hated are Lord of Chaos (one of the worst covers I have ever seen in any series), and Crown of Swords.

Otherwise DKS have been tolerable at the worst and intriguing at the best for me.

Check out this alternative cover for CoS:

http://www.dragonmount.com/Books/Crown_of_Swords/Images/cos_alt_lg.jpg
77
Mike Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Hmm I think we are being dooped into thinking this is the tower of Ghenji on the cover. I suspect TowerS of Midnight (notice the plural) is a spoiler and an indication that there are multiple towers. I suspect that Verin puzzled it out for Mat, or perhaps Morainne said more to Thom in her letter then we are led to believe.
78
da gopher Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 8:31 am
Gawd, this guy is terrible. Why couldn’t TOR spring for a Michael Whelan cover?
79
Mike Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 9:50 am
I also believe that mat has an iron chain in the bag and the staff is actually a torch or will be used as a torch.
80
hates darryl k sweet Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 11:18 am
FUCK FUCKING DARRYL! HE’S EITHER A PONYTAIL DOUCHE OR RETARDED!
81
Roshan Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Several people have mentioned that the people on the cover don’t have shadows, but notice that the tower and most of the trees don’t have shadows either. There are two small trees in the background, but near the tower that have shadows, but that’s all. And what’s with the “yard lighting” spots shining up into the trees? I.e., look at the shadows on the trunk of the big tree– they’re above the branches!

I can accept Noal’s head position because it artistically pulls the viewer into the painting. The simplification of Thom’s cloak reduces distraction. And I’m really glad that DKS fixed Matt’s ashandarei and gave him his hat back– even if he is too old and has two right feet.

The forest around the tower is a problem as is the surface of the tower itself, but let’s face it– a cover with noting but a smooth, shiny tower in the middle of a grassy field would actually have been pretty boring.

As others have said, this cover is actually quite good, especially when compared with some of the others (TGS was truly awful) and I can accept the differences. For me, the biggest problem is the absence of shadows for the characters and the tower. That is a truly unfortunate mistake.
82
Orderofolde Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Wow, how easy it is for all the people who have no artistic talent to criticise the artwork. Compared to the early version this is awesome, these are the characters we have come to know. As good and clean as perhaps EoTW. For all you fuddy-duddys, don’t judge a book by its cover.
83
Greg Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
The “yard lighting” is from the symbol that Thom is drawing…it is creating a bright light that is reflecting off of the trees, hence the upward lighting…which might also be a reason why the three character shadows don’t appear normal; I’m sure shadows get very minipulated and distorted by magical inter-dimensional towers when knives are use to draw triangles on them so gateways can form…no?

I love POD cover the best, and this is one of the better ones, but where is Mat’s foxhead medallion? Noal DOES look like a faun, and I like the theory that this might not be the Tower of Ghenjei, but a tower in an alternate universe a la “Lost” or “The Magician’s Nephew” (Narnia)…

I happen to love the covers immensely but if you don’t then you shouldn’t get your hopes up for the cover of AMOL!! Anyway, thank DKSweet, I think you’ve sticked to your own unique vision and I don’t think anyone here has any right to critique so harshly (just a little bit, maybe…)
84
BS Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
CK.. that was spot-on. Hilarious post and so true.
85
Sid Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Sweet’s grand scheme all along has been to lower our expectations to the point where we think this cover is good. The annoying thing is that despite the fact that his style isn’t the greatest in the first place, they could be perfectly acceptable if he’d have actually read the series and worked out the details. If that slight discoloration on Mat’s neck is his scar from Rhuidean, and in that scene he’s not actually wearing his scarf around it, then I’ll bite my tongue.

But it is one of his best covers to date.
86
Noah Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
i like it .though i always pictured the tower smooth not with little squares i always pictured it in a forest rather than a plain how the book said it

im happy moriane is coming back
87
Noah Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
i think some courage to strengthen, iron to bind, music to dazle, and fire to blind are in Mat’s bag thats the poem they recite when playing snakes and foxes
88
Franklin Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Well, I’m not really a fan of DKS, but put into context, I think this is one of his better covers.
89
Jared Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
I knew it was Jain! I’d recognize that neck anywhere!
90
Scott Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
The “Towers of Midnight” refer to the Tower of Ghenjei and the Black Tower. I’m doubting the book cover is depicting some other tower in an alternate universe.
91
heavytabbs Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 4:57 am
this cover is soooo much better than the first sketch. Even though the elements involved are the same I think he finished strongly, much better TGS. Not how I pictured the tower of Ghenji, though it might be something else (highly doubtful though). I thought the tower was more of a bronze-ish metal-looking structure, but I’m probably way off there I’d have to look it up. I think that description came from tEotW when Rand was on the mast of the spray and saw a tower in the distance. so incredibly excited for the book though!
92
Mjolnir Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 5:02 am
Very nice cover. Much better than the other one in my opinion.
93
Sean Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 5:39 am
Just FYI, The Towers of Midnight are located in the land of Seanchan.
94
NevadaNate Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Remember, in order to beat the Aelfinn and Eelfinn you have to “break” the rules, just like the game of snakes and foxes. So, who knows why everything looks different, what’s in the bag, who originally goes in, who follows and who comes out Oh yeah!!! This is going to be sweet and this cover may make a lot more sense as events unfold!!
95
Mike Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
FYI, Sean is right.

The Towers of Midnight form a fortress complex located within the city of Imfaral, located on the northern landmass of the Seanchan continent. There are thirteen towers in the fortress. The Towers of Midnight are first noted in history as the place where Deain, the creator of the a’dam, was imprisoned after being betrayed by Luthair Paendrag Mondwin during The Conquest.

The Towers of Midnight and the city of Imfaral were captured early during Luthair’s invasion, and were the primary base of operations for the invaders before they took Seandar later in the war.
96
Mike Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
I wonder if we are actually seeing Seachan and not Andor in the cover???
97
June Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Best cover I’ve seen in the series since Crossroads of Twilight(and I know I am an oddball for loving that cover and book). Certainly the part of the story I am most interested in. That’s the Tower of Ghenjei. The old man, Mat, and Thom, I think. Is it significant that Thom is wearing Moiraine’s color? The land could look dead as another nod to the Dark One’s touch. Rand’s story may involve the Towers of Midnight in Seanchan, however, the book’s title usually commemorates his story line. Or the Tower of Ghenjei connects to the Towers of Midnight, the Seanchan lands do have many of the creatures akin to what was found in the portal stone world. I also hope Slayer/Lord Luc is a part of this book, maybe he will help Perrin and Mat’s stories converge again and bring them closer together before the Last battle.
98
Jordan Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
VAST improvement over the test cover. I actually kind of like it.
99
IB Says:
May 27th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
I remember the Towers of Midnight being somewhere in Seanchan (saw it on RJs Wheel of Time Guide Book).
100
Auspicum Says:
May 28th, 2010 at 4:33 am
@97 IB

Yes, Towers of Midnight is a Seanchan reference. Renna tells Egwene in Book 2 that the screams of the Aes Sedai who made the first a’dam shook the Towers of Midnight. However, I’m sure it also references the Black and White Towers, and the Tower of Ghenjei.
101
Chubby Monky Says:
May 28th, 2010 at 6:07 am
Towers of midnight is refering to three towers not two. The working project name was the three towers (meant to be scrapped later). So which Towers are they.

Tower of Genji with Mat, and maybe the black tower vs. the white tower?
102
Nick Burns Says:
May 28th, 2010 at 7:07 am
This cover is MUCH better than the one shown in test pictures.
103
Logan Says:
May 28th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Isn’t that Moiraines staff from the first cover? How did Noal (I assume) get it?
104
Greg Says:
May 28th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Don’t forget about Moridin’s new “Dark” Tower in the blight! I think Sanderson chose this title because we are now much after Twilight, midnight has arrived…and dawn, or “A Memory of Light” is still far off. Things will dark in this book. The towers represent perhaps Seandar, Ghenjei, Black vs. White Towers, and the Dark Tower…I think!
105
Moghedian Says:
May 28th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
I like it! =D
106
egsrocks Says:
May 28th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Don’t forget the towers they put channelers in in the Shara
107
eddie Says:
May 29th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Sanderson sucks.
108
eddie Says:
May 29th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
I guess I’m one of the few that kept thinking that the personalities of the characters in The Gathering Storm were “off” at times. The story was good, but the way it was written (at times)was just off.
109
Mark Says:
May 29th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
“eddie says: Sanderson sucks”

Back under your bridge… Troll. Brandon Sanderson did a fine job in my opinion. Stepping into a project this late in the cycle with an already devoted fan base is no small task. I for one am happy to get an ending to a series I’ve been reading for over 10 years
110
Dan S Says:
May 30th, 2010 at 5:20 am
Sanderson in no way sucks. I have read all his other books, and they are quite good. If you’ve read the Mistborn Trilogy, and saw how he wrapped up the cosmological and metaphysical big picture along side the individual character arcs in such a unique and surprising manner, know that he is the right person to finish the WOT.

I actually think Sanderson writes better dialogue than RJ; while RJ was better at descriptive writing.
111
DB Says:
May 30th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
CK, thank you for your comments. I haven’t laughed this hard in many weeks.
112
ekimnnamuab Says:
May 30th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Any variance in character behavior could be a side effect of the pattern changes resulting from Rand using so much balefire on the Forsaken and their followers/Lairs. the Dark Ones Touch as well could be grazing across those threads, after all he can locate those in webs of destiny that are forming even against his will.
113
StrangeCat Says:
May 31st, 2010 at 4:50 pm
That looks good! A typical WOT cover. And I am not complaining. Great Job!
114
Helane Says:
May 31st, 2010 at 6:39 pm
LOVE IT~!
115
Dragon Says:
May 31st, 2010 at 10:18 pm
@eddie I agree that the characters where ‘off’ at times, do I mind? not at all, I recall Sanderson saying somewhere that he had no intention of trying to imitate RJs writing, and I think this was the corrent decision, in stead of a poor imitation of RJs epic writing we get something that is, while not as good as RJ (I loved his work too much ) still more than acceptable. What would you have rathered Sanderson do? try and pretend he is somebody he is not? write in a style that is not his? make a complete mess of the entire thing as a result? I think not, while I might not like Sandersons writing style as much as RJs, I respect him for not trying to imitate it, and finishing WoT in the best possible way he knows how.

Just my thoughts,
Dragon
116
eddie Says:
June 1st, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Blaming changes in the pattern is a cop out. I know he didn’t want to copy the writing style, and that’s cool. My problem is how the personalities changed. At times it was like a cheap imitation. I shouldn’t have said he sucked, but he should have stayed close to RJ’s recording. Maybe then it would have seemed more natural a change.
117
Charles Clark Says:
June 1st, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I like the cover art and I cannot wait to read the book!!
118
cb Says:
June 1st, 2010 at 5:23 pm
The usual cover style, rockin. I know Sanderson can’t connect with the reader on the emotional level that RJ’s writing conveyed; yet he’s probably the best we got… n you gotta admit we just want to know how the greatest fantasy of all time plays out.
119
Jonn Says:
June 1st, 2010 at 9:29 pm
I’ll have to agree that The Gathering Storm featured a style that sometimes felt like you were reading an RJ book, sometimes kind of felt like a Sanderson book…sometimes it was a very silly book.
I’ve never felt that the Wheel of Time was silly. The reason I’ve read it for so long was because though it was fantasy, it was never silly. The emotional stakes were always deadly high. The silliest thing about the series was and still is cover art. And the art really isn’t that silly. With the exception of The Gathering Storm, I’ve always been thrilled at seeing the slightly disproportional and often inaccurate artwork.
This cover passes though.
120
Maze Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 1:19 am
Nice art work once again . and to add to the discussion RJ vs. BS writing style: personally, after reading The Gathering Storm, i bough all of Brandon’s book to check them out. i must say the Mistborn thrillogy just swept my away, and in that regard, im glad the TGS ended up doing the same.

Both Elantris and Warbreaker where books where i’d had to chew through the first half of it, before it would become a catching read. luckaly no so with the WoT AMOL books.

And personally im not all that disturbed with the diffrent writing style, what matters is that the story is told in a way that captivates us as readers, and that we finally get to know who killed Asmodean…

RJ’s writing it will not be, but then again: that wasnt Brandon’s goal now was it? personally i enjoyed reading TGS as a book, and style asside… secretly didnt you too?
121
RACQUETBALL Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 9:48 am
Brandon’s style is a little darker than RJ’s and fits perfectly with the ending of the Third Age. I compare it to Batman the TV series vs. Batman the movie. I like it.
122
Jonn Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 11:24 am
Darker than Robert Jordan? It’d take a lot more than just saying so to make me buy that.
So the Age is changing, that’s why the style has to be different?
Look it’s really not so much about style as it is characterization. I liked reading the book well enough, but honestly I don’t have much desire to read it again. Maybe one or two parts, but mostly no.
I’ve been reading this series since 1993, and I’ve some to expect a certain pace, flow, characterization when I read a Wheel of Time book.
Just like the cover art, I have deeply founded expectations. However many flaws I can see, I expect to see a DK Sweet painting wrapped around the bindings. I happen to think that The Gathering Storm’s cover was probably the worst I’ve ever seen in this series. It almost set the tone for how the book read. It was familiar but a little disappointing. Something was just off and you noticed it even from the cover.
Now this cover is actually much improved, richer and very familiar. I am hoping to see the series return to form if the cover art is any indication.
123
BB61 Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:46 pm
I was very sceptical of Sanderson taking over for RJ. But, and I know this is heresy, RJ had lost control of the series and the story was getting stuck and old. Sanderson, at the very least, adds a new dimension and restarts the series. As for the artwork, I like it. I think it adds to the story and keeps the new dimension the series desparately needed.
124
BP Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:33 pm
@BB61 – I’m not sure where “stuck and old” is coming from. One of the last things RJ did during his horrible illness and before he died (which is why a new author was needed not because RJ lost control of the series) was write New Spring, which was the epitome of new, crisp, fresh storyline. Light-hearted, almost, despite the ironically dark tale that was to unfold. Harriet’s pick is good enough for me. She wouldn’t pick someone that wasn’t worthy of the job.

Out of Sweet’s covers so far, this is my fave.
125
StrangeCat Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:11 pm
BB61 your comment is total BS! there is no author that can do what RJ did. WOT is pretty insane. When you start making silly comments like yours you need to reread the whole thing one book at a time and realize just how well each and every book flows into the the next~!
126
Didgya Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:24 pm
I imagine that Tor has Sweet under contract or something, backgrounds are beautiful, and dont judge a book by its cover (as we have seen throughout the WOT) I would rather read a great book with a (way better than me)mediocre cover than the other way around. Anyway we are all excited and spoiled on a great series, lets soak it in while we can
127
Jonn Says:
June 2nd, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I really think Sanderson is capable of doing a lot with the closing of the series. It just needs the time to be done. I think The Gathering Storm was a rushed book. It felt like it. I was taken aback by how uneven it really was. It boded ill even from the cover art. THAT seemed very rushed, as if they asked DK Sweet to paint it on short notice because of the last minute decision to split the final book. I mean it really looked as if it weren’t painted at all, but done in colored pencil. Trust me, you can do a lot with colored pencil, but it really isn’t the same as paint media, even rushed.
The artistry of this finale should take time, and I think we should all as fans appreciate that. I am actually quite glad that perhaps now Sanderson is spending more time on the work instead of dwelling on the pressure of releasing it all at once in a more rushed fashion. I do really hope he actually does take his time though.
I remember reading The Gathering storm over a long weekend trip over the course of a few days, but at times I felt like I was laboring to finish it. I had never felt that way when RJ was at the helm. I was even slower through the first readings when RJ was alive because I loved to languish my way through it, absorbing detail and character, pondering the depth of the world and work. There was a lack of refinement in Sanderson’s entry into the series. I found it to be acceptable in the end but…still lacking and rushed. Such was the character of the front cover. It seemed less rich in detail and rushed.
This new cover is actually quite nice to look at, rich with color and detail, and there is something happening in it. It looks like Sweet had the time to really work on it and refine it. Let us hope that Sanderson’s work on the next installment has prompted the quality upgrade or at the least he has followed Sweet’s effort with his own.
128
RACQUETBALL Says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:09 am
Fortunately for Tor, My comments do not have to sell RJ’s books. =) I have a daily 3 hour commute so my perspective is from the audiobooks. If Poe finished ‘Old Man in the Sea’for Hemmingway, the book would still be classic and quite interesting I think. Yes, the characters in general are slightly ‘off’. Matt is not as rascally, but personally I like Brandon’s female characters more. Less hurrumphing, paddling of bottoms, and braid pulling, more mature dialogue. I also think Brandon will do a fine job with the The Dark One’s chosen who will figure more prominently in the last two books. I loved TGS and the renewed energy Brandon brought to the table. Just one man’s opinion.
129
Devin Velazquez Says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 1:57 pm
This pretty much confirms for me that Noal will be the 3rd man Moiraine doesn’t know. And for Raquetball and BB61, you guys are rediculous saying BS is basically better at WoT than the man who authored it! Wow such blatant disrespect, opinion or otherwis should be kept in your head and rotting there….no one is better for this series than RJ and BTW RJ did write most of the book, BS is only adding pieces so think before sharing. Thanks.
130
cindy Says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:04 pm
i don’t think RJ was particularly into censorship, or against freely sharing opposing opinions.

but i’m also not sure in my heart that he really wanted someone else to finish his life’s work. maybe he thought he owed us an ending? i don’t know.

i’ll buy them and listen to the audiobooks anyway.

i’d just hate to see this get to be a VC Andrews deal.
131
Bursie Says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 4:54 pm
I didn’t see these problems mentioned:

1) Tom’s mustache is a very distinctive feature. Where did it go?

2) Noal uses knives as weapons, not a staff. Obviously if they are iron knives he could not take them in. However, apparently steel knives do not count as iron because Mat took steel knives through one of the doorways, During the time period of the books, steel knives seem to be the norm, and long iron knives would be heavy and impractical in the close-quarters combat we see Noal involved in. Perhaps Noal is using the staff as a walking stick, but it looks more like a weapon than a walking stick.

3) In the picture the third person looks to me like an elderly lord that has led a healthy but pampered life. The book portrays Noal as rather battered.

Of course, if the third is not Noal then points 2 and 3 are irrelevant.
132
beerdestroyer Says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 6:42 pm
What is in that bag and where is that foxhead!?
133
Mikey Says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 6:49 pm
This is one of the best covers Sweet has done. The typeface designer also made a good choice with the white lettering and red outline. It really catches the eye and looks classy.

9/10 — Sweet’s characters still look stiff and lifeless
134
Matthijs Says:
June 4th, 2010 at 3:47 am
Hmm…
I can only say: I am happy that can order both US and UK versions in Holland.
Definitely buying the UK version. (although if they ever publish a printed set with the covers from the E-books I would consider rebuying the entire series)
135
CHUCK Says:
June 4th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Ok,now I’m even more excited for this to come out.
As to the staff Noal[?] is holding,maybe Thom brought it, nowing Moraine as well as he does and he’s just holding it as he opens the portal in the tower.
136
NevadaNate Says:
June 4th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
People have asked what’s in the bag? Could it be a bag full of “dragon eggs”? That would be sweet to have Matt blow the Aelfinn and Eelfinn straight to HELL!!!
137
Alex Says:
June 4th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
i thought it was understood that Mat and company were going to have to cheat to beat the snakes and foxes, meaning that they would use fire, music, and iron to defeat them…guess i was mistaken.
138
DaViD Al'Bookreader Says:
June 5th, 2010 at 5:44 am
Sanderson is doing a great job so far, and I expect he will continue. He had ridiculously large boots to fill, and he did it respectfully. The characters are growing perfectly. He even stripped out some of the annoying details (skirt smoothing, snorting, braid pulling) that all the true Jordon followers were ready to leave behind. People, it’s okay to like both Sanderson and Jordan. Jordan would not mind. You are not betraying anyone’s memories by continuing to enjoy the series via Sanderson’s vision.
139
Dark_Spawn Says:
June 7th, 2010 at 6:50 am
I think the staff belongs to moraine.. as i remember in book 1 it looks the same..
140
W. Brian Lane Says:
June 8th, 2010 at 7:24 am
I’m almost bothered by the fact that there are no Trollocs lurking in the forest on the back cover (a la Books 2 & 4). If Trollocs are afraid to go near the Tower of Ghenjei…
141
nickyou Says:
June 8th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Does anyone know what happened to Moraine’S staff after she took Lanfear with her into the Elfinn/Alfinn dimension? If she took it with her, and that is indeed Moraine’s staff on the cover, maybe this is what happened: Mat, Thom, and Noal arrive to the Tower of Ghenji and one of them asks “Where should we enter at?” Then they travel around the tower trying to discern an appropriate “entrance” when they see the staff lying there. Thus, Moraine was able to, somehow, push the staff out of the tower in a way to mark where they should enter….probably in line with her vision at Rhuidean which showed her where they should enter to have the highest chance of success.
142
Felix Velarius Bos Says:
June 8th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Well, we certainly know what will happen, that’s for sure. =)
I almost completely love it except I don’t like what Mat is wearing. Too Robin Hood-y for me, and anyway, he doesn’t have his scarf or his fox medallion (at least, we can’t see it). Course, he might’ve lost it somewhere along the way in the book, but still.
Other then Mat, though, the cover is quite good.
143
ToNickyou Says:
June 8th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Hey Nick, I’m in the middle of a re read of Eye of the world, and I just so happened to read what happened to Moiraines staff last night! At the end of there journey threw the ways, Machin Shin comes, as a last resort she uses the one power to hold it back while everyone escapes, after she gets threw she discards her charred staff, never to be touched again. So yeah, she looses it towards the end of book one.
144
nickyou Says:
June 9th, 2010 at 8:11 am
Thanks for the very interesting info. Is it possible that she acquired another one of the exact same design before the incident with Lanfear? Or does Sweet just use the same staff design whenever a cover calls for a staff?
145
stormcrow Says:
June 9th, 2010 at 8:25 am
a few thoughts…

1st off I think Sweet is a great artist, but his work takes some getting used too. Someone pointed out that Michael Whelan could probably do some good WoT covers. The difference between the two is I think Michael’s characters are larger than life action heroes that jump right off the canvas, where Sweet’s figures almost seem like an afterthought next to his detailed backgrounds and horses, which you can clearly tell he loves to paint.

However, if you look closer, and realize that even the clearest scan doesn’t do an oil painting justice, you’ll see his figures are quite detailed and expressive. Give his art a chance, I didn’t like it when I was first exposed to it, but I have grown to really appreciate just how talented the guy is.

That being said I thought the Gathering Storm art sucked, it looked like a draft that was rushed to complete in time for the publish. Given that Sweet is in his late 70s I can only assume he has assistants doing alot of the work for him. This cover is much more rendered and its clear alot more time was put into producing it.

I wouldn’t read to much into the cover for clues as to what is in the book. They have said in the past the Sweet doesn’t read the books and just goes with the direction he is given. Think of him as a real painter in the WoT world, like a Renaissance master trying to depict the life of Jesus.

That being said, take a look at the character I can only assume is Noal Charin (blue coat). I think it’s interesting that he is looking over his shoulder directly at the viewer, in a knowing, almost sinister fashion. It’s already been hinted that Noal is Jain Farstrider, is it possible he is actually one of the Forsaken, maybe Demandred or Moridin himself? I’ll have to visit theory land to see if this has been brought up, but something about Noal here definately gives me the chills. I also think it’s interesting his posture and demeanor have changed since the last draft he saw, where he was looking at Mat intent on the task at hand. Seems to me that someone passed Sweet a note with some further instructions about what to do with this specific figure. Someone also pointed out that his posture seemed almost egyptian with the feet positioned as they are, while that person said it was just lousy perspective, I think it might be intentional represented as someone the egyptians would paint, a powerful god/man type figure.

Anyway glad to see the improvement over the last cover. WoT is in good hands. Cheers.
146
Shaikata Says:
June 11th, 2010 at 4:26 am
Nice work. The best since TEOTW so far!
First of all, why do you all people get so embarrassed with the tiny details. It’s artwork! It doesn’t need to be exact to the point!
Several things worth mentioning IMHO:
1. Mat looks too old… why not? I’ve always kinda hated his childish outlook whenever he is presented. The books just say he has some tricky flames in the eyes, not that he is a babyface. If you think of what he has passed through *suspended on a tree – remember?*, he needs to look grown-up. And I daresay he looks like a married man who knows he is facing a great danger and misses his wife.
Thom’s cloak looks like a striped blanket, I agree.
As for Noal… that’s the way, aha, aha, I like it, aha, aha! I like his posture and expression. That’s how I have always imagined him. Farstrider to the backbone!
Surely there was much of a pressure by Sanderson & Co to force some improvements. The triangle was turned upside down because this is the right triangle. A triangle pointed down symbolizes a fox head and a wave-line symbolizes a snake. IMHO the wrong triangle was the greatest error in the draft version.
The staff… I’ve got no clue about it…
As for the missing scarf – If I were Mat I would remove it when facing the enemy who had scarred me.
The forest is splendid. It much better of a background than an open space would ever be.
4 and a half months! I hope my sister will be again on a trip to England like the previous year on the release date, because here in Bulgaria it was not available in bookstores even a month after that. /as for the translated version – it was not ready until April this year/.
147
CrankyBastard Says:
June 11th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
This cover sucks. DKS sucks. I’ll even go a step further; the cover for TEOTW sucks, too. The guy clearly paints landscape well but is clueless when it comes to the proportions of living things. A person’s head is NOT TWELVE TIMES THE SIZE OF THEIR ASS! On TEOTW cover Lan looks like an Ogier riding a pony, Moiraine looks like she’s 3′ tall, and Rand looks like he’s retarded.

82
Orderofolde Says:
May 26th, 2010 at 2:18 pm

“Wow, how easy it is for all the people who have no artistic talent to criticise [sic] the artwork. Compared to the early version this is awesome, these are the characters we have come to know. As good and clean as perhaps EoTW. For all you fuddy-duddys, don’t judge a book by its cover.”

@82: I actually do have artistic talent but it’s not in visual arts. I’m a composer (classically trained). Despite that, since when, in the history of humans, has actually being an artist been a requirement for judging artistic work? You don’t actually have to be able to paint, dance, compose, or whatever, to understand the parameters by which something artistic can be evaluated. I can tell you with 100% certainty, the whole of every artistic work is not 100% subjective. Any of you who are trained in the arts know this damn well.

Also, because something looks good by comparison does not mean that it is good. That’s faulty reasoning. The work of Phillip Glass, when compared to the 12 year-old neighbor kid who has been playing guitar for a month, sounds pretty good. This, however, does not mean that Glass is a good composer. It only means he’s better than the kid.
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amysedai Says:
June 12th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
I have been reading a lot of gunk about how the TGS cover is the worst in the series, but seriously don’t you all remember the cover of KoD? That’s the worst cover in the series, really. If you thought Rand looked retarded on TEOTW, he looks horrific on KoD. Why did they even have him in that scene? Perrin looks like a 45-year old cookoo clock repairman in Switzerland. I hate that cover, and I’ve even removed the dust jacket from my hardcover so I don’t have to look at it. In fact, I think Perrin looks stupid on every cover he appears on after TDR, where they all look about 12 years old, but they are idyllic and pretty on that cover, and it remains my favorite.

Each cover has its share of faults and inconsitencies, but they are a part of the series and it wouldn’t be the same without them – I recently came across a paperback of CoS where there is no artwork, just a maroon color with the writing; it was a shock to see, and I even had a mortifying feeling that I was looking at the very definition of blasphemy. I shuddered and moved on. Cos will always be blue with a body-builder dressed in Randland clothing standing menacingly in Shadar Logoth.

Having said all of that, I really like the ToM cover, and I think, despite the strangeness of Noal the mystery of the staff, and the obscene absence of Mat’s scarf, it is beautifully done. I, too, was a bit unnerved by the absence of lurking trollocs. I’m just glad that this cover is focused, for the first time since TDR on a VERY important plot point, rather than just some lame, inconsequential ‘scene’ like TSR (the absolute worst as far as plot is concerned), CoT, KoD, or even most recently TGS.
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garinohmsford Says:
June 13th, 2010 at 6:44 am
Frankly, I liked the original working cover better. It seemed better painted. Also, it always seems that DKS does all his people to like alike. He does the artwork for L. E. Modesitt, Jr.’s Recluce series and it almost looks identical to WoT. So does David Farland’s Runelords series. An EotW is not DKS’s worst cover, his worst cover is Terry Brooks’ The Black Unicorn. It’s just horrid.
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eddie Says:
June 13th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
They should’ve never had Sanderson write these books. They should’ve just did the audio of Robert Jordan telling the story the way he envisioned it, or had Harriet finish it like he wanted. I think the only reason they had Sanderson finish it was to put Sanderson’s name out there and pull some WOT fans to his work.
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brent Says:
June 14th, 2010 at 9:37 am
don’t be a hater Eddie,your negativity and bitterness is not appreciated
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clyde Says:
June 14th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
eddie, you are way off base. Have you actually tried to read any of Brandon Sanderson’s works? He’s a fully capable author and longtime fan who is very dedicated to finishing the work of an author he respected in memory and remembrance.
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stormcrow Says:
June 14th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
I think Sanderson breathed some life into a series that had gotten stagnant, tragic as RJs passing was and as amazing as his body of work was/is.
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egsrocks Says:
June 15th, 2010 at 9:20 am
@Eddie

Begone troll, your kind aren’t welcome here
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Visterking Says:
June 15th, 2010 at 11:41 am
Not sure why no one has mentioned this. or is it that they just dont wish to recognize these things;

1: Before he died, Robert Jordan hand picked Brandon Sanderson to finish his work. (it’s not a ploy or a trick, or a underhanded way to get people to read Brandon Sanderson’s other books) (BTW one of Brandon Sanderson’s main influences/inspirations for becoming a writter was Robert Jordan.)

2: Robert Jordan had much of what was written in The Gathering Storm down on paper (if not edited) before his death. These were included almost unedited into the final draft of the book(I noted many spelling/grammer errors in my copy of the book, in the sections that I recognized as Robert Jordan’s style and pace of writing)

3:As such The Gathering Storm was something of a binary spattering of 2 different styles of writing in the final product of the book. Many people found this quite jarring. I found it interesting.

As for me I think I will not chose to condemn Brandon Sanderson before the full extent of his works on this great series is done. So far It seems to be progressing well.

Now for the subject of this thread
I like the cover the abnormalities in it get my brain thinking on all kinds of things that could have happend since the last book to that point. (and isn’t that what it’s supposed to do)like;

the Trees-Is this Rand fighting back against the Dark One’s Taint or is he Reshapping the world making forest grow where there were none?

the Staff-Did Moiraine Damodred prepare the staff and perhaps a few other items for Thomdril Merrilin to retrieve at a certain point after the letter was recieved.

the (missing)”scarf”-I do like the theory that Matrim Cauthon would face the Aelfinn and Eelfinn with his scar showing.

the bag-supplies for cheating at snakes and foxes perhaps,then I remember “You tell me what use I might have for a bellfounder,…” hmmm a “bell”, Iron & fire sounds familliar to me. perhaps the small prototype of the dragons and dragon eggs are in his bag.

I do think that I like where this cover is going.
as for some of the other concerns i have read on here;

the Foxhead medalion-is under his shirt as always, you wouldn’t be able to see any of it with the shirt he has on.
Texture on the Tower of Ghenjei-It would just look artistically unappealing to have a column of any one color (brushed metal or shiney) taking up that much room on a book cover, or any other picture for that matter.
the boots-I have worked at many a Renaissance Faire and yes there are boots that high and they can make you look a bit like a fuan in the legs. especially if your leaning forward on a staff.

Wether you like Darryl K Sweet’s artistic style or not it has become the iconic art for Wheel of Time. I know that when I see this style of artwork I think of this fantastic world and the characters that Robert Jordan created.

Now the real question when are they gonna start making the movies. and who will play who?????
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Ghenjei Says:
June 15th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Re: The Cover-

Goodjob DKS. This isn’t your best (EoTW, PoD) nor is it your worst (TSR, CoS, CoT). It’s solid-middling work (LoC, TDR).
Sure it’s not 100% accurate, but it looks like you actually gave a shit when you wrote this. TGS’ cover looked like something he whipped out in 30 mins. This is a solid effort.

I do like the idea of Moraine’s staff re-appearing. Gives me the warm and fuzzies from 19 years ago when I first picked up EoTW. Also the characters look pretty accurate.
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kjb Says:
June 15th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Depends upon the purpose of the artwork.

As a purely compositional piece of art, it is very good. The flow is good, leading from left to right. The color is beautiful with the brightest colors at the focal point, and the rest muted and less contrasty, the better for overlaying text. The repetition is good, if a little mechanical. The detail of the forest foreground is outstanding, and I’m sure the original is much better. Even the detail on the people are good. This is a beautiful painting. The biggest issue I have with the composition is the inaccurate lighting and shadows. The red reflection on the left side of the tower should come from something, but there is only forest with green leaves, white trunks, and yellow leaves. The light emanating from the inscribed triangle should only give light out and away from the inscription. Not behind the tower, and certainly not from above the tower, as above right of the triangle. The shadows are reversed. That being said, I do understand that these paintings take a long time. The level of detail demands that time.

As for content, every one of the covers make me cringe. And, of course he does not read the book he is painting for. It is not finished yet. If these are the final products, though, I’m glad I never see the original sketches. Human forms have basic dimensions, shadows always act the same way, etc. His people are awful half the time, and to not be able to replicate major characters across 14 books or paintings either shows his lack of skill with people, or his lack of interest in what the readers think.

Because that is the way business works, and reveals the true purpose of the image. He has no obligation to the readers, but to the author and to the book sellers. His obligation is to create a visually appealing graphic that catches the interest of the casual browser to increase the sales of said book. It is not for the fan base. It’s not as if we won’t buy the book because of the bad cover, because we will.

Oh, btw, I’m looking at my copy of Winter’s Heart, and there is a woman on the front who has a staff like Moiraine’s, only it is white (or silver), but I don’t remember any mention of it in the book.

And the trees remind me of the brooms in Sorcerer’s Apprentice, they look like they are going to uproot and come a-walkin’. Creepy.

Oh, and I’m glad he didn’t try to PAINT a shiny metal tower. Even the Horn of Valere on the cover of TGH was not shiny enough. Take a look at all the metal across all the covers. DKS does not achieve a shiny metal anything. This is something that is easy to do with electronic drawing tools, but I think he uses traditional media and paints by hand.
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heavytabbs Says:
June 16th, 2010 at 4:31 am
just read book 4 again and something ticked at my mind. In the land of the fins, when mat went in Tear, he described seeing 3 towers curved to point at the same apex. these three spires (towers) then switched sides of corridors illogically and they seemed to be more important to me then just setting the precedent of chaos and disorder. I know it’s been established that the “towers of midnight” are in Seanchan, but these could be portals into randland. Say one of the three could be the entrance “spire” for the tower of Ghenjei and the other two could be for one in say seanchan, shara, or the isle of madmen (or somewhere we don’t know). Just a thought…
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ken Says:
June 17th, 2010 at 10:26 am
it looks awesom i was only led into the series about 6 years ago and i have read and re read all the books so far i cannot wait for the 13 novel to come out…..and although brian sandersons change in pace for the 12 book was a littl jarrin i will agree with Visterking although i do think they could have asked someone like R.A. salvatore to finish the series seeing as he has continued his works so well so far and would have suited the position just that little bit better with his knowledge of lore
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Alex Says:
June 21st, 2010 at 8:07 am
I have to echo what everyone’s saying, the e-book covers are much better. I wish actual books were released with them.
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Sarma T V S Says:
July 4th, 2010 at 4:26 am
Finally we seem to be getting into the Tower of ghenjei, and the three are if I am correct , are Thom, Mat and Noal
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Aaron Says:
July 7th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
For the series being my favorite of all time the artwork is just terrible. That little creek to their left leads to an open meadow yet the just on top seem to stretch out forever. Aldo the pictures are just terrible. IMO
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Greg Says:
July 29th, 2010 at 8:54 am
I have to agree with Aaron, the artwork is sub-par. I am just glad the paradoxical open meadow under the tree gets bent around the spine and most likely covered by text when it goes to print.
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Bonkers Says:
August 1st, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I’m thinking that creek might lead to a river. I like the art work….only expected to see a scar around Mat’s neck!!
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Hello Says:
August 3rd, 2010 at 8:35 am
Never been a fan of his artwork, but I think this is probably one of the better covers of the series. At least everyone is proportional and looks (somewhat) like they’re supposed to…
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Ollie Says:
August 10th, 2010 at 8:18 am
I like it though it is not how I see Jordan’s world or characters. Interesting take on it. I can’t wait to see what goes on in The Tower of Ghenjei
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Michael Says:
August 11th, 2010 at 8:12 am
I don’t understand why the e-book covers are so much better. The book covers aren’t only bad but the people are frequently out of proportion and missing details like Mat’s scar. If there is ever a re-issue of the series they need to find a better artist. The current artist needs to be doing children’s coloring books not the best fantasy series of our time.
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Dan Says:
August 18th, 2010 at 3:44 am
“Say ‘friend’ and enter!”

Pretty much a direct rip-off of FOTR. Lame.

168 Responses to “Towers of Midnight cover revealed”

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