'Thark, Hawkmoon?'

[MJR]

[broken link]

I came across this image in a book, 'Space Wars Worlds and Weapons,' that was a favorite when I was young It's the same image that was used for the cover of the DAW paperback version of 'The Jewel In The Skull.'
The caption for the picture in 'Space Wars..,' states:

The Hordes of Thark pursued by winged harpies, malevolent robot slodiers of the Thark Lord, a Human sweating in a replica of an early armoured suit, rides from the 'challenge' the ritual contesting of human rights.

:?:

[Ant]

I remember Space Wars, Worlds and Weapons, too! I might even still have it in the loft/attic...

As I recall, it featured a lot of book-cover images with totally spurious captions, like the one you cite.

Ciao,
Ant

[Governor of Rowe Island]

I've seen that picture before, but obviously not from the image gallery, it's not in the Jewel album. Does anyone have the DAW edition they can add to the gallery so we can compare it?

(Incidentally, could whoever added the Cawthorn artwork to Limbo, confirm my suspicion that it comes from 'The Distant Suns' (as in Limbo at present), or add the pertinent information as to its origin so it can be moved to the relevant album.)

(Thanks, by the way, it looks great.)

[Pietro_Mercurios]

Slightly off topic. I picked up a copy of the first Mayflower paperback edition of The Jewel in the skull, today (1969), 5/- from all good bookshops. I've uploaded a copy of the cover to the image gallery.

[broken link]

[manmiles]

Gah, I'm glad I didn't get into Mike until only recently. Those old 70's covers are murder on the old eyeballs.

[Typhoid_Mary]

What? The 70s covers are the best, especially the ones by Bob Habberfield. They're so distinctive!

[PsychicWarVeteran]

Re: 'Thark, Hawkmoon?'

I had Space Wars, Worlds and Weapons too, when I was a kid. Lost, I believe, in a house fire. How I miss it.

The Hordes of Thark pursued by winged harpies...

:?:

Concurring with Ant, I do remember many of the captions being rather apocryphal, describing scenarios that had nothing to do with the actual art and were to be found nowhere in novels. Whelan's cover for The Vanishing Tower (
[link expired]) also had an inaccurate caption as I recall.

FWIW, I just so happen to be re-reading the John Carter of Mars books and, well, it's quite clear the Tharks look like this. 8) There was a Boris painting in Space Wars, Worlds and Weapons called "A Guide to Barsoom" in which these creatures were more accurately depicted (though not close enough for my tastes).