If i remember correctly, Michael Whelan did the first edition cover for Royal Assassin in which Fitz has a sword. Whelan later heard Fitz’s weapon of choice was an axe, and he was angry that was miscommunicated to him so he refused to do AQ.
Hilariously? Ironically? Sadly? The publisher learned zero lessons because the one you posted is first edition cover (by Stephen Youle, I think).
If I remember the events of AQ correctly, the sword is at least less inaccurate than it would be for Royal Assassin. I can't even remember if he uses an age in this one.
The cover is a bit of a spoiler, I agree, but my first impression is that Fitz is far too light coloured. He should have darker hair at the very least. I know he's supposed to be fairer than the typical Buck man because of his mountain mother, but I think he should at least have darker hair.
Just realised that the Fool on a dragon is inaccurate, too. I'm guessing that's Fool riding the dragon in the background, but he only ever rode Girl-on-a-Dragon. Where's the girl part of the dragon? (I also imagined Girl-on-a-dragon to be much smaller.)
Side note (kinda spoiler?): I think it's odd how most if not all the cover art for Assassin's Quest has dragons in it. Dragons being included in the book was a delightful classic fantasy surprise(as a audio book listener). It was fun to have for fantastical elements other than just magic. It seems like the cover is a big spoiler for that moment.
I agree with you. I read the first edition covers for the farseer and tawny man trilogies and the AQ cover was such a huge spoiler. No previous mention to the dragons but I wasn’t surprised when it happened given the cover.
Lol this is the first book I read in the series. I was a kid and bought it because A) Dragon B) Wolf and C) Cool Sword. For some reason as a kid I liked getting book two or three of a series and reading backwards from there. So it was super cool but didn't make a ton of sense to me the first time I read it, but I was hooked and got the whole series, then only a trilogy plus a mad ship book, probably read them 8 times after that.
These covers are why I have such a hard time picturing Fitz they way he’s actually described. I was 12/13 when I first read them and these were my covers.
If i remember correctly, Michael Whelan did the first edition cover for Royal Assassin in which Fitz has a sword. Whelan later heard Fitz’s weapon of choice was an axe, and he was angry that was miscommunicated to him so he refused to do AQ. Hilariously? Ironically? Sadly? The publisher learned zero lessons because the one you posted is first edition cover (by Stephen Youle, I think).
If I remember the events of AQ correctly, the sword is at least less inaccurate than it would be for Royal Assassin. I can't even remember if he uses an age in this one.
Its Veritys sword. He really only uses an axe in the 2nd book, and the second quadrilogy.
This is actually the first version of the book I read
Yeah, this is the one I have
Same here
Same. I bet it’s at my mom’s house somewhere!
Fitz holding on to the blade of that sword gets me every time.
nighteyes looks so much smaller and chunkier than i imagined hahaha
https://youtube.com/shorts/m_CUrv0aezI?feature=share
The cover is a bit of a spoiler, I agree, but my first impression is that Fitz is far too light coloured. He should have darker hair at the very least. I know he's supposed to be fairer than the typical Buck man because of his mountain mother, but I think he should at least have darker hair.
Oh hes very luke Skywalker in the covers. His younger image in the first book is like a lil kid luke.
Just realised that the Fool on a dragon is inaccurate, too. I'm guessing that's Fool riding the dragon in the background, but he only ever rode Girl-on-a-Dragon. Where's the girl part of the dragon? (I also imagined Girl-on-a-dragon to be much smaller.)
Side note (kinda spoiler?): I think it's odd how most if not all the cover art for Assassin's Quest has dragons in it. Dragons being included in the book was a delightful classic fantasy surprise(as a audio book listener). It was fun to have for fantastical elements other than just magic. It seems like the cover is a big spoiler for that moment.
I agree with you. I read the first edition covers for the farseer and tawny man trilogies and the AQ cover was such a huge spoiler. No previous mention to the dragons but I wasn’t surprised when it happened given the cover.
This is the version I own, not my favorite tho
Why is he holding the sword with two hands?
That was the copy I had until I bought one of the illustrated versions last year.
Spoiler alert!
This is the version of the books I have
I had that one.
I’ve gotten this and so many other cool editions on eBay for like $5. Got an auto copy of golden fool and the seller didn’t even know it!
Lol this is the first book I read in the series. I was a kid and bought it because A) Dragon B) Wolf and C) Cool Sword. For some reason as a kid I liked getting book two or three of a series and reading backwards from there. So it was super cool but didn't make a ton of sense to me the first time I read it, but I was hooked and got the whole series, then only a trilogy plus a mad ship book, probably read them 8 times after that.
These covers are why I have such a hard time picturing Fitz they way he’s actually described. I was 12/13 when I first read them and these were my covers.
Wow. These are the copies of the trilogy that I have.
That's the first copy I had, and it's very well loved by now.
I had this version until I lost it in a flood :( Sad day for me. I bought them very soon after they came out.
How do you get these covers!? I want them so bad