Cover Art! 'Island of the Dead' - Brian Keene (Apex Book Company)

While I'm sleeping/trying to get over a monster hangover when I wake up... Have some rather lovely cover art for Brian Keene's forthcoming 'Island of the Dead'. Actually, have some blurb as well... ;o)

World Horror Grand Master Brian Keene returns to zombies in this relentless sword and sorcery horror epic!

Einar, an enslaved barbarian, plots his escape from a war galley transporting troops and a mysterious weapon to far enemy shores. But when an apocalyptic storm at sea leaves Einar and his fellow captives shipwrecked on a strange, uncharted island, friend and foe alike must band together against a ravenous, steadily growing horde of the undead... and even worse dangers.

Not even death is an escape from the... ISLAND OF THE DEAD

No matter what they say, there is always something new to say about zombies and long may that continue :o) I would have read this book anyway (I've been waiting on it ever since its Kindle Vella days (we never got Vella in the UK) but zombies sealed the deal for me, even if I suspect (based on nothing at all) that we won't see Ob and his horde. Keene has stunning form for zombie fiction so I'm in.

But yeah, this is a cover art post so I should at least mention it ;o) In a world where fantasy cover art feels like it's slowly being diluted (at least over here), I love that Apex have gone with a cover that says, 'yes, I'm a fantasy book and once the guy on the cover is done with the zombies, he's coming for you.' This cover art says so much about what kind of book we're getting (pulp sword and sorcery with a generous helping of viscera) and I love that honesty. I wish more books would follow its lead. It also makes me wonder just how tall our 'cover barbarian' is when he unfolds and stands up; I don't fancy any zombie's chances in a fight with him, he is going to fuck them right up.

'Island of the Dead' will be published on the 16th July 2024.

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