Tor relaunches Malazan series with new artwork, etc.

After reading quite a few posts on a few SF/F blogs decrying Orbit US's cover art decisions in regards to Joe Abercrombie's upcoming Best Served Cold, I wonder if there'll be much talk about two Malazan-related items found in Tor's recently-shipped Spring 2009 catalog. Thumbing through it, I see that not only have Tor purchased the North American rights to Ian Cameron Esslemont's Malazan-setting Night of Knives (and if I recall, the other volumes he plans writing in that setting), due out in May, but Tor also decided that they would change the covers for Steven Erikson's series as well.


What cover is that?


Well, it's the newer UK cover, unmodified. I guess after a while, fan nagging does have an impact on publisher decisions on cover art. Interesting timing on the relaunching of the series in new cover art editions. Perhaps I need to ask someone at Tor (Irene Gallo, perhaps?) sometime the rationale behind this, as I am a bit curious.

As for the other books in this catalog, there are several that are promising. Thomas A. Day's A Grey Moon Over China is getting a wide-release reprint here. Speaking of reprints, or rather an expansion of a previously-released work, Kage Baker's The Empress of Mars is being released in novel form. I read it a few years ago in novella size and enjoyed it enough to want to see how it reads in expanded form. Jay Lake's Green is another that I'd probably like to read/review in the coming months. The US edition of George Mann's steampunk novel, The Affinity Bridge, comes out in July and I'll doubtless get that. Also need to get the second and third volumes of his work first, but I would like to read Daniel Abraham's The Price of Spring by its July release. Curious about Brian Lumley's Necroscope© series, , so I may inquire about the latest volume, Harry and the Pirates shortly. Emma Bull's Bone Dance will be read sometime this year, sooner rather than later, I hope. Sarah McDonald's The Stars Blue Yonder might be worth a gander, or so I hope.

Still waiting for someone (Pat?) to read/review David Bilsborough's A Fire in the North...

Oh, and some guy named Brandon Sanderson has a book coming out. Warbreaker, I believe. Must not be too important, since they only put its cover art on the front page.