Welcome to Shelf Candy, my weekly feature for a favorite cover, featuring the designer, photographer or illustrator. If you would like to participate, write a Shelf Candy post of your own and link to your Shelf Candy post by filling out the Link Form at the bottom of this page. Please remember to link back. If you need to know more you can read How To Participate In Shelf Candy.
The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman
♥ Goodreads ♥ Amazon ♥ Author’s Blog
Why It Is Shelf Candy
This is wonderful illustration that manages to tell a story. I have not read The Obsidian Blade yet, but I tend to think that the ball represents the disk of air as described in the synopsis. The cover calls draws me in and sends out the message that I can expect adventure inside.
Overview
Kicking off a riveting sci-fi trilogy, National Book Award winner Pete Hautman plunges us into a world where time is a tool – and the question is, who will control it?
The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished – only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing – one right on top of the roof – hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he’s launched on a time-twisting journey
- from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker’s actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.
Cover Designer/ Art Director Christopher Stengel
Since 2007, Christopher Stengel has been hard at work as the Associate Art director for Scholastic Corporation, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology and children’s media. His past work experience includes working for Harper Collins as Senior Designer.
“Sometimes photography is the correct approach for a certain book depending on the age range and content, and other times, an iconic and graphic direction is needed. It’s a matter of picking the right tool(s) for the job, I guess.”
You may recognize the work of Christopher Stengel on Maggie Stiefvater’s, The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy:
What do you think of cover for The Obsidian Blade? Is it calling your name?
That Obsidian cover looks awesome!!! It makes you think of an awesome action packed UF or Dystopian book. Great choice!!;)
Thanks for sharing!
That is indeed a great cover! Although, I do like his work for "The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy" better.
Great choice! I love that cover!
I've had my eye on this one for a while now. It's on my TBR shelf at Goodreads. I LOVE that cover!! First of all, there's a sphere right smack in the middle. I've always felt attracted to circular shapes, whether they be flat or three-dimensional. Next, there are those trails of wispy, light-blue vapor, or sperhaps smoke. Whatever they are, they're blue, and that, as you know by now, is my favorite color!
I also gravitate toward very bold, large designs, and this cover certainly fits the biill! In short, I applaud you on your choice! This guy is really talented, because he used a completely different, yet just as effective, type of design for the Stiefvater covers!
Thanks for featuring this eye-catching shelf candy!! : )
Ooh, I really love this cover! The smoky effect is fantastic.
I love your pick for this week!
You can see mine here: http://wtfareyoureading.blogspot.com/2012/02/come-and-get-some-shelf-candy-1.html
That cover is gorgeous!! Great pick this week.
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Great cover! I love it! I'm so glad he's still doing amazing covers. I love the covers for the Wolves of Mercy Falls. So original! Thanks for sharing. Happy Saturday!
Wow. I love this cover!! You know I'm a big fan Christopher Stengel and this cover is another great creation from him. The book sounds so interesting. I'm going to have to add it to my TBR pile. You find the best covers!
That is an incredibly awesome book cover! Thanks for sharing!
What a great choice! I agree, you can definitely expect action inside this book! I love the play on the colors on this cover. The shades of gray and black in varying degrees. It's really striking and is that ball smoking?? lol. This for sure looks like an enticing read! Great choice!
Awesome Steph! That is amazing an gorgeous and simple. I love it! Have a great weekend!