Cover Art - Imperial Assassin

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by Aerin

This is probably so far-fetched.. But hey, I'm having fun.

You keep having fun! Some of what you speculated was close to the truth, though the scene in the picture, is actually the artist's impression of a scene from the book. It's not quite how I would have mentally pictured the event, but it is very impressive artwork nonetheless. The spider is of significance, and the fact that it is silver is also of significance. Those who have read The Darkweaver Legacy might guess something of the significance of the silver, but then again, maybe they won't!

[Cosmo]

i like it mark, mainly the pictur, not so much the title

[Aerin]

I knew silver was important!! xP I also had a bad feeling that the whole thing was pretty much just a scene from the book. Oh well.

[Jordan Kirk]

Mark brilliant cover art very intriguing, i would definitely pick up this book if i was walking by in a shop

Having read the blurb you posted I think that it is good at the moment but still may need a little adjusting. I wrote my own version tell me what you think if you come to read this.


Femke has triggered a war in the city of Shandrim. The Guild of Assassins, declared outlaws by the Emperor, strike back hard. Time is running out for Emperor Surabar, he must find a way to infiltrate the Guild. Femke, his trusted Governor and Spy is already known to the Guild. So Reynik, the young legionnaire, must penetrate their inner circle to discover the Guild's secrets.

Reynik must tread carefully for great danger lies ahead of him. The Guild was able to keep its secrets safe for 5 centuries for a reason. But even the best training cannot prepare you for everything.

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by Jordan Kirk

Mark brilliant cover art very intriguing, i would definitely pick up this book if i was walking by in a shop

Having read the blurb you posted I think that it is good at the moment but still may need a little adjusting. I wrote my own version tell me what you think if you come to read this.


Femke has triggered a war in the city of Shandrim. The Guild of Assassins, declared outlaws by the Emperor, strike back hard. Time is running out for Emperor Surabar, he must find a way to infiltrate the Guild. Femke, his trusted Governor and Spy is already known to the Guild. So Reynik, the young legionnaire, must penetrate their inner circle to discover the Guild's secrets.

Reynik must tread carefully for great danger lies ahead of him. The Guild was able to keep its secrets safe for 5 centuries for a reason. But even the best training cannot prepare you for everything.

Thanks for your suggested blurb changes, Jordan. However, it is not Femke who has triggered the war, it is the Emperor. Also, Femke is not a Governor and I have to be careful to make sure that the blurb is technically correct, or the readers will be onto me in a flash! I did particularly like your sentence 'Reynik must tread carefully for great danger lies ahead of him.' Again, however, there is a minor problem - it introduces more words. The word count in a blurb is very tightly controlled.

Your proposed blurb flows very well, but the one I proposed has shorter, sharper sentences. The point of this is to convey the idea of fast moving, almost breathless action. I very much appreciate you taking the time to do a re-write for me, though. It did make me study what I'd written very carefully, which can only be a good thing.

[Saeltari]

I think it looks quite intriguing. It is good enough that if I saw it I would pick it up to see more. The Cover is more important than a lot of people realize, based on some of the covers I have seen. A cover will not affect my choice to buy a book, but it will certainly make a difference in me actually getting to a book. The cover is an advertisement, the better the add, the better the respose to it. I think yours does its job well.

[Threddy]

Silver in the darkweaver legacy is a metal that magic is easily put into but it is also a weak metal!

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by Threddy

Silver in the darkweaver legacy is a metal that magic is easily put into but it is also a weak metal!

Hold on to that thought ...

[Aerin]

What exactly does 'weak metal' mean? As in, it's easily bent or broken?

[Paradox 99]

I just took a look at his gallery - he's got quite a portfolio hasn't he!?
Just the sort of style I'd love for my own novel if it ever gets that far.
Is he expensive? Booked up for the next umpteen years? Exclusive? I'm just wondering about making enquiries myself should the time come.

[Marky Lazer]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

i like it mark, mainly the pictur, not so much the title

Me too. The spider kind of weakens it. And still it's a great cover, which only means the cover itself, without the spider in the title, is VERY strong.

[Threddy]

Originally Posted by Aerin

What exactly does 'weak metal' mean? As in, it's easily bent or broken?

Yep, that's right, Aerin,

[Cosmo]

i doubt my book will ever get published nay, i'm sure my book will never get published but i'm really set on having a cover where there is a big circle on the front with a hand coming in from either side, one on fire and one glazed in water, (only relevent to those who have read my bits in critiques) but i'd really like that cover.

[charles]

i luv the way aniamls are worked into the title, this really catchy, although for me seing mark robson titled author means grab, run to que, start reading!

[Balinor]

Originally Posted by Threddy

Silver in the darkweaver legacy is a metal that magic is easily put into but it is also a weak metal!

Hmm, well, that is if it is Silver. Would there be a lot of Blood in this book Mark (if you get what I mean).

About the cover, It looks amazing. The one thing I would change is to make the spider into more of an A shape. Bring the legs closer, but if the book is as good as the cover im not gonna complain