• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

DS9 - Enigma Tales by Una McCormack pre-release thread

Enterprise1701

Enterprise1701

Commodore
Commodore
Here's a dedicated thread to discuss Una McCormack's upcoming Engima Tales, due out 27 June 2017. Featuring Garak, everyone's favorite Cardassian, Enigma Tales looks to follow up on McCormack's previous tales The Crimson Shadow and The Missing.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Fall comes a compelling and suspenseful tale of politics and power set in the universe of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Elim Garak has ascended to Castellan of the Cardassian Union...but despite his soaring popularity, the imminent publication of a report exposing his people's war crimes during the occupation on Bajor looks likely to set the military against him. Into this tense situation come Dr. Katherine Pulaski—visiting Cardassia Prime to accept an award on behalf of the team that solved the Andorian genetic crisis—and Dr. Peter Alden, formerly of Starfleet Intelligence. The two soon find themselves at odds with Garak and embroiled in the politics of the prestigious University of the Union, where a new head is about to be appointed. Among the front-runners is one of Cardassia’s most respected public figures: Professor Natima Lang. But the discovery of a hidden archive from the last years before the Dominion War could destroy Lang’s reputation. As Pulaski and Alden become drawn into a deadly game to exonerate Lang, their confrontation escalates with Castellan Garak—a reluctant leader treading a fine line between the bright hopes for Cardassia’s future and the dark secrets still buried in its past...
Click to expand...
 
This book is definitely one I want to buy.I really her ds9 books.
 
Last edited:
startrek.com has posted the cover for the book:

enigma_zpsiholgyiz.jpg


http://www.startrek.com/article/first-look-at-ds9-enigma-tales-cover
 
That is probably one of the most half-arsed and downright embarrassing covers of recent times, it looks like it could have been created in ten minutes; seven minutes to find the image of Cardassia and then Garak and highlight him and then the next two to paste Garak and the banner onto the image of Cardassia, another minute to add the extra text.

In short, it's shite.
 
I've always loved the design of Cardassian cities, but this looks like it's following the exact design principles of the Hearts and Minds cover, which I found uninspiring. Garak's head clashes terribly with the cityscape. It looks for all the world like someone just glued Garak's picture to a Cardassian-city wallpaper.

If you're going back to an era of floating-head covers for some reason - and I have no idea why you would want to when we have the ability to make A Pocket Full of Lies-style covers - use The Final Reflection as your model, where the floating head hovers over characters performing actions!
 
Dimesdan said:
That is probably one of the most half-arsed and downright embarrassing covers of recent times, it looks like it could have been created in ten minutes; seven minutes to find the image of Cardassia and then Garak and highlight him and then the next two to paste Garak and the banner onto the image of Cardassia, another minute to add the extra text.

In short, it's shite.
Click to expand...
C'mon, they put a red filter on the Cardassia stock shot, that must have taken a minute.
 
Stevil2001 said:
C'mon, they put a red filter on the Cardassia stock shot, that must have taken a minute.
Click to expand...

Given how long it takes me to make changes in Photoshop to create a new background image, that can easily be put in those original seven minutes as it would take literally 20 seconds to change the colour of that stock image.
 
I have to agree, it's a pretty lackluster design. It's not even a proper floating head; Having a full shot of Garak just makes it look more like he's leaning back over a balcony to try and get the cityscape into his selfie. I don't think it'd be prohibitive to do a photomanipulation where it looked like Garak was actually standing on Cardassia, if that's what they were going for.
 
I honest to God hope this is a placeholder. As in, "this is a general placeholder thingie, do you want us to finetune it". Because if Pockets runs with this, for shame. Really, for shame.

Honestly, we have some of the authors on this forum. If you guys read this, please, let Pockets know what we feel about this shit.
 
Mage said:
Honestly, we have some of the authors on this forum. If you guys read this, please, let Pockets know what we feel about this shit.
Click to expand...

I think they've said before that the cover art is pretty much entirely up to the artist and the author doesn't really have much say unless the artist decides to talk to them about it?
 
O.K., I don't really get the hate for the cover. While not in my Top Ten of ST covers, there were tons of covers in the last years that were far worse IMO (both Pocket and Cross Cult).
 
Defcon said:
O.K., I don't really get the hate for the cover. While not in my Top Ten of ST covers, there were tons of covers in the last years that were far worse IMO (both Pocket and Cross Cult).
Click to expand...
Well, I don't disagree with that. It has been a pretty rum run of covers over the last few years.
 
Defcon said:
O.K., I don't really get the hate for the cover.
Click to expand...

Well for me, I wouldn't call it hate, as I said already, it's embarrassing and half arsed in its execution. Even the second and third Prey book covers are high art compared to this given someone took actual time and effort over their executions. (and I'm critical of those covers too)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top