Stu wrote:

I've got to say, I think the Deluxe edition would look way better without the stamped signature. It is really the only thing I don't like about the design they have come up with.

Sometimes less is more. Though I think the sig on the spine looks fine.

Agreed Stu. The signature is a bit too much as it has nothing to do with the motif above it.

And to be honest, I find the contrast of the red and black a bit too harsh, especially in combination with the red slipcase. I wish they’d have used a deeper red like the old leather deluxe edition. This bright red looks like a tomato went splat over everything. ?

Trotter wrote:

Stu wrote:

Also, Trotter, next time you are talking to Chris or David, can you make them promise that it won't look like this

I'm getting a feeling that you are not a big fan of that shade of orange.

Tbh, when I used to have that Lotus, I actually wanted a Chrome Orange one EXACTLY that shade, and my wife wouldn't let me. I have a mixed history with the colour.

eorl wrote:

Stu wrote:

I've got to say, I think the Deluxe edition would look way better without the stamped signature. It is really the only thing I don't like about the design they have come up with.

Sometimes less is more. Though I think the sig on the spine looks fine.

Agreed Stu. The signature is a bit too much as it has nothing to do with the motif above it.

And to be honest, I find the contrast of the red and black a bit too harsh, especially in combination with the red slipcase. I wish they’d have used a deeper red like the old leather deluxe edition. This bright red looks like a tomato went splat over everything. ?

Yeah, I've been mulling over the contrast of the black cloth against the red. I agree a deeper red would probably work better. In reality the colours could end up a lot different from the renders, for better or for worse.

Stu wrote:

onthetrail wrote:

Maybe not so important for an author like Tolkien but pre-orders are very important for authors. Pre-orders help authors get better marketing campaigns and as such better sales.

I always pre-order the books I am buying at the earliest opportunity unless I plan to wait for a cheaper price. It is more about loyalty that I order early, especially with the authors I collect or authors I feel I want to support, like a debut that I like the sound of.

I think you make a decent point for new or not-well-established authors, but I don't think it really applies at all to Tolkien, so I absolutely won't pay more than I need to for Tolkien (I need the money far more than they do!).

Agreed Stu it won't make much difference to HarperCollins or Tolkien's budget. I pre-order for authors I really want to help use the pre-order data.

Is it known yet - or is it too early - if the white edition, the standard one, will have a dustjacket? It's kind of hard to tell from the current photos, as there's something about the image that gives off a 'mock up' look to the image itself.

insurrbution wrote:

Is it known yet - or is it too early - if the white edition, the standard one, will have a dustjacket? It's kind of hard to tell from the current photos, as there's something about the image that gives off a 'mock up' look to the image itself.

It is definitely a mockup - I am sure that images of the actual book will be shared by the publisher(s) closer to release date, when they have the final books in hand from the printers.

It does look to me like they are planning to have a circular cutout in the trade edition (white dustjacket) showing through to the art stamped on the front board. A nice touch if they manage it!

Very high chance that it'll feature a dustjacket, though there have been a very few editions that don't have one.

I believe the best way I can describe the image (especially of the side-on view, with the red pages visible) is that it looks like a digital creation, if that makes sense.

I've been noticing with a few releases (last year's illustrated Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, for instance) is that there are photos of the item itself a few weeks prior to release.

Looking forward to properly seeing these two new editions.

For some reason, I'd thought the white one was a white leather binding, but looking now at the actual listings, I don't see that stated anywhere (I think I hyperventilated myself into a bibliohallucination). It's still a nice design (and similar to previous ones), but much less enticing to me than the white leather of my imagination. Still, if the dust jacketed hardback still has all the extra content (maps, illustrations, pages from the Book of Mazarbul) of the slipcased deluxe (which I did confirm just now, at least on the Book Depository website), this should still be worth my time (and dollars)...but I will be examining future images of the real thing as the publication date approaches.

insurrbution wrote:

I believe the best way I can describe the image (especially of the side-on view, with the red pages visible) is that it looks like a digital creation, if that makes sense.

It most definitely is a digital creation, as the book doesn't exist yet. These early teaser images are from the design team - once the design is settled and agreed upon (in digital format), then the printers can start getting to work on making the real thing - and changes can and do happen as the process is worked through.

The Deluxe mockup looks quite realistic (though still obviously a render). The trade one doesn't look remotely real in the diagonal view. I don't think they expect anyone to think these are the actual books.