1JacobeaM
My Dad and I read a novel some years ago that we would like to find again, that was very much a pulp type publication. Oddly, we remember that we liked it, but nothing about it, e.g. plot nor author, who we think must have been obscure one and the book is probably more collectable for its artwork/pulp culture than any (recohnised) literary genius. Gut says the author was probably male. We can only recall that the story a common male protagonist versus an evil wizard type, but definately *not* Arthurian (but likely inspired). The protoganist might have needed to recaim either a femle love interest or a sword (aquired it incidentally?) from the latter. We do remember the cover artwork fairly clearly, vis.:
The book itself was a cheap, mass produced paperback with a dark brown cover. The cover illustration was one of those very lovely '80s drawings, a la Sweet, Whelan and Taylor, of a blue/white, multi-turretted crystal palace within what looked like a soaring cavern, set to the right hand side. In the foreground as if viewing this, very small, the protagonist (with company?) was standing on an outcrop. This was itself in an ornate painting frame type or a stone archway, overlaid at top with the forgotten title which may have included the word crystal.
In addition, the book was published in the 1980s, possibly c. 1983-7, but not excluding the early 1990s as it was borrowed from a British library in the late 2000s. The author might not have had an international profile. It was the first in an intended trilogy, though we don't know if this was completed. While the book came from the teenage section, it was probably considered an adult's novel at initial publication.
(Fairly) confident/confirmed exclusions, including but not limited to: Eddings, Lloyd Alexander, Brian Froud, Robin Hobb, R.A. Salvatore, Feist, McCaffrey, Orson Scott Card, Robert Zelazny, Judith Tarr, Mary Stewart, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Weiss, Phyllis Einstein, Hickman, Michael Moorecock, Piers Anthony, McKiernan, Tepper, Joan Vinges, Gemmell, Dave Duncan, Terry Brooks, Barbra Hambly, McKenna, Jack Vance, Modesitt.
Thank you.
The book itself was a cheap, mass produced paperback with a dark brown cover. The cover illustration was one of those very lovely '80s drawings, a la Sweet, Whelan and Taylor, of a blue/white, multi-turretted crystal palace within what looked like a soaring cavern, set to the right hand side. In the foreground as if viewing this, very small, the protagonist (with company?) was standing on an outcrop. This was itself in an ornate painting frame type or a stone archway, overlaid at top with the forgotten title which may have included the word crystal.
In addition, the book was published in the 1980s, possibly c. 1983-7, but not excluding the early 1990s as it was borrowed from a British library in the late 2000s. The author might not have had an international profile. It was the first in an intended trilogy, though we don't know if this was completed. While the book came from the teenage section, it was probably considered an adult's novel at initial publication.
(Fairly) confident/confirmed exclusions, including but not limited to: Eddings, Lloyd Alexander, Brian Froud, Robin Hobb, R.A. Salvatore, Feist, McCaffrey, Orson Scott Card, Robert Zelazny, Judith Tarr, Mary Stewart, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Weiss, Phyllis Einstein, Hickman, Michael Moorecock, Piers Anthony, McKiernan, Tepper, Joan Vinges, Gemmell, Dave Duncan, Terry Brooks, Barbra Hambly, McKenna, Jack Vance, Modesitt.
Thank you.
2MissSquish
If you squint a bit, the cover sounds a little like Heroes of Zara Keep by Guy Gregory.
3jayspear18
It's a long shot, but you might check out the works of Michael Scott Rohan.
4merrystar
Bit of a stretch, but there is a cover of The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley that roughly fits that description, except that the crystal palace is not in a cavern. this one
For that matter, the matching cover for the prequel The Hero and the Crown also fits; it has more brown, but still no cavern.
For that matter, the matching cover for the prequel The Hero and the Crown also fits; it has more brown, but still no cavern.
5BrainFireBob
Oh my, this is vague.
It could be anything from The Crystal Sword to The Crystal Palace.
The former is an incomplete series of books about a family chosen to seek out Swords of Power. The chosen man has the sheath and must find the woman who is the bearer of the sword. The first one in the series, The Fire Sword, ironically *is* an Arthurian retelling. Each is a take on a classic fairytale if you squint- the Crystal Sword being a take on Sleeping Beauty. The protagonist the the Lord of Horses (or beasts?), and can shapeshift into one, IIRC.
The latter is the second of a trilogy, about the wizard Cray Ormoru. The third was only released as preview copies, since the copyright was held by Meisha Merlin when they went under.
You recall any other details?
It could be anything from The Crystal Sword to The Crystal Palace.
The former is an incomplete series of books about a family chosen to seek out Swords of Power. The chosen man has the sheath and must find the woman who is the bearer of the sword. The first one in the series, The Fire Sword, ironically *is* an Arthurian retelling. Each is a take on a classic fairytale if you squint- the Crystal Sword being a take on Sleeping Beauty. The protagonist the the Lord of Horses (or beasts?), and can shapeshift into one, IIRC.
The latter is the second of a trilogy, about the wizard Cray Ormoru. The third was only released as preview copies, since the copyright was held by Meisha Merlin when they went under.
You recall any other details?
6lorax
Unfortunately we can't directly search Coverguess tags yet, and even if we could they're limited to one arbitrarily-selected cover per title, so unless someone remembers it we can't really search). You may want to browse specifically on sites for fantasy book covers to see if something rings a bell. (Unfortunately searches keep bringing up The Crystal Cave which is clearly not what you're looking for).
