The Josh Kirby Discworld Portfolio by Josh Kirby (26-Apr-2001) Paperback

by Josh Kirby

"I'm one of the very few [writers] who wait anxiously to see what new delights the book cover will bring."--Terry Pratchett. Original artworks of rare distinction--all born from a very special partnership between an author and the painter who faithfully brings his fantastical universe to life in images. When Josh Kirby received the commission to do the cover for Terry Pratchett's first Discworld novel, he had no inkling that this would lead to something much bigger than a one-off assignment. However, since that time, their partnership has expanded beyond the series to include two earlier sci-fi and several children's books, as well as Eric, a fully-illustrated novella. Here, in richly dazzling colors and vividly energetic designs, are the wizards, witches, bizarre creatures, and (of course!) voluptuous maidens that populate this unusual world--a disc of sea and land balanced on the backs of four elephants, which themselves ride on the back of a cosmic turtle that swims through space. a selection of paintings from their other collaborations.

Genres: Fantasy, Art

Paperback

First published June 30, 2001

Reviews

[Lindsay John Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice to see full paintings but a) while Kirby’s art has great energy and imagination, it is a bit odd and doesn’t quite feel right for the books, and b) there’s no text to provide additional insights

[David Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to get a close look at some of these images. I'm surprised Pratchett and Kirby didn't meet until the 4th or 5th book he worked on, considering how much Pratchett liked having control over his work, as well as some of the mistakes made in the first cover done for him.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple but engaging portfolio of the cover artworks for the early Discworld books illustrated by Josh Kirby.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations give the impression that Kirby hears Pratchett's stories third-hand, rather than actually reading them himself. I rarely get the thrill of recognition from them. That said, his chaotic style suits Pratchett's lesser books: you're not sure what you're looking at, but you know it's silly.