13 replies to this topic

[Righty007]

I thought it was time to move the Free Country discussion from Free Agent into its own thread.



Pre-order @ Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order @ Amazon.com (Coming Soon)

[terminus]

I like the cover, but my copy of Free Agent is the blue cover with the golden plane and gun so it won't go with that cover. Might need to buy the new FA edition just so it matches covers - plus, I do prefer reading paperbacks.

[whiteskwirl]

The UK cover for Free Agent was quite good. The US cover was a generic thriller cover. It's too bad they went the American route for Free Country's cover. Seriously, how many thrillers/crime novels have you seen with a silhouette of a man on the cover? The stock photo usage for covers needs to stop.

[Righty007]

The UK cover for Free Agent was quite good. The US cover was a generic thriller cover. It's too bad they went the American route for Free Country's cover. Seriously, how many thrillers/crime novels have you seen with a silhouette of a man on the cover? The stock photo usage for covers needs to stop.

Yeah, the stock photo of the silhouette man is getting really old. I think it has to do with marketing but I can't imagine people are so stupid that they need to see a running shadowy man in order to know that it's a thriller.

I personally would be less inclined to buy a book like that. I'm disappointed that they didn't continue to use the same style as the fantastic UK hardcover art.

[whiteskwirl]

The UK cover for Free Agent was quite good. The US cover was a generic thriller cover. It's too bad they went the American route for Free Country's cover. Seriously, how many thrillers/crime novels have you seen with a silhouette of a man on the cover? The stock photo usage for covers needs to stop.

Yeah, the stock photo of the silhouette man is getting really old. I think it has to do with marketing but I can't imagine people are so stupid that they need to see a running shadowy man in order to know that it's a thriller.

I personally would be less inclined to buy a book like that. I'm disappointed that they didn't continue to use the same style as the fantastic UK hardcover art.

It's also surprising to me that the paperback cover of Free Agent has swapped it around. The UK hardcover is far superior to the US, but the US paperback cover is far better than the UK cover. The UK cover goes for the generic thriller look and the US cover does something interesting. They should have used the UK hardcover and the US paperback cover for both the UK and US releases. They look better and it would have saved the publishers money.

Disheartening for the UK hardcover is that now it's going to be harder to tell that this is a trilogy because the Free Agent cover looks so much different from the Free Country cover. The Free Country cover should have been done in a similar style to the Free Agent cover, if for no other reason than for branding purposes.

I don't know what companies are thinking sometimes.

[terminus]

Exactly why I'm pondering procuring the FA paperback - almost got it today. And given I didn't pay for my copy of FA (got it free through a competition) it wouldn't mean I'd paid for the book twice.

[marktmurphy]

I have to admit I hated the hardback cover to Free Agent: looked a bit amateurish to me- I never quite got over how badly drawn that plane was. I don't know what style it was aiming for.

This US paperback cover is much better.

[DAN LIGHTER]

For me, the plane didn't look amateurish, it was the 60's retro feel vibe. I think it worked, but it each to their own. I guess the change from Free Agent Hardcover to the Free Country cover was all to do with what sells better. I should imagine the first UK edition will be quite collectible in the future plus the Authors somewhat like Fleming in the fact that he hasn't signed that many, which will only increase the value of a signed copy. Look at Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Trilogy" for collectability now the first film has been made. A collection of firsts is over £500. Ok, I might be getting ahead of myself, but with the BBC interest these things do take off so it's sometimes pays of as a wise investment. Besides FA was the best book I read last year, full stop.

Yep, the man in a shadow is in abundance for spy thrillers. Although I am quite fond of Free Country's cover, I can look at it and know it's Paul Dark somewhere in Europe.

Something that the first chapter of Free Country does is draw the reader in. It's original, unexpected and makes me think August cant come quick enough. I thought the same of Free Agent's first chapter. Original and not hiding behind it's influences with the whole M Bond thing. And then turning it on it's head when you least expected it.

[Righty007]

Paul Dark's dossier is now online.

Also, you can get a limited edition (only 100 copies available) signed and numbered copy here.

Edited by Righty007, 03 August 2010 - 07:31 PM.

[Righty007]

Free Country has been published in the UK.

[terminus]

Will need to see if I can grab it on Wednesday in Manchester.

[Righty007]

Also, you can get a limited edition (only 100 copies available) signed and numbered copy here.

I got #10.

[terminus]

Didn't have it in Manchester when I looked. Will need to check in a week or so.

[Mr. Blofeld]

I miss its author...