The IX - A Cover Story
With the advent of a new IX adventure and imminent cover reveal, I
thought it would be a good idea to skip back over the previous novels, and
refresh our memories regarding the hint each cover gives the reader about what’s to come.
Fans of the IX series will remember I’ve done this before, but
it’s always good to be reminded of all the thought put into the artwork and design of
each cover.
(And all praise to Roy Mauritsen for his wonderful representation
of my ideas).
Okay, so let’s begin with the story that started it all off: The IX
*********
Roman legionnaires, far from home, lost in the mists of Caledonia.
A US cavalry company, engaged on a special mission, vital to
the peace treaty proposed by Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln.
A twenty-first century Special Forces unit, desperate to prevent a
nuclear catastrophe.
From vastly different backgrounds, these soldiers are united when
they are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing. Thinking they
may have been granted a reprieve, imagine their horror when they discover they
have been transported to a failing planet on the far side of the galaxy, where
they are given a simple ultimatum. Fight or die. Against all odds, this group
of misfits manages to turn the tide against a relentless foe, only to discover
the true cost of victory might exact a price they are unwilling to pay.
How far would you be willing to go to stay alive?
The IX.
Sometimes, death is only the beginning of the adventure.
*********
So, bearing the blurb in mind, now take a look at the cover.
The Roman Numerals and the letters SPQR tell you the
inspiration behind the story. The legendary lost 9th Legion
of Rome, an entity comprised of more than five thousand men who walked into the
mists of Caledonia circa AD 100 A.D. and were never seen again.
But there’s much more to this adventure than the lost ninth
legion. As the story evolves, other facets begin to stand out. . .
For example, the quantum gateway that snatches our heroes from
Earth also shifts them through time. Do you note the elements relating to the
passage of the centuries by the weathering on the stonework of the IX itself?
It’s crumbling, and the silvered edging is tarnished to black in places. But
how long has passed? Ah, will we ever know?
The quantum gateway I mentioned. Do you see it in operation? The
blue-white prisms symbolized in beams of light that split the lens of reality
as the mortality cipher locks onto its next victims. The lilac hue as the
transporter begins its arcane process, shifting vast armies through light-years
of space.
And have you ever wondered on the strange patterns within the
thickest shaft of light? Well, that’s a representation of human and Ardenese
DNA, the key to the future as the re-genesis template goes to work, creating a
metamorphosis of wondrous scope.
But much more is revealed as the story unfolds, for our heroes are
the ninth and final intake to be selected, Arden’s last hope in her hour of
need. What’s more, some of our protagonists are dream walkers;
spirit counselors who help guide our refuges through the trials and
tribulations before them. Of note is the fact that our antagonists, the Horde,
have their own equivalent of such shamans, Ix walkers.
Yes, connections abound, and are all blended perfectly together in
a cover that is as rich in meaning as it is in color.
And this is only the first story we come to.
Next time out, we’ll delve into Exordium of Tears and see how our
story progresses via its cover.
(And once again, ‘thank you’ to Roy Mauritsen for his fantastic
artwork).
