(almost) Final Cover for Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes now with Blood!

Next year is ramping up to be one of the biggest for Fantasy reads and The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie is certainly amongst them. The semi-finished cover for The Heroes has appeared on many blogs already, but I haven't seen the the final cover elsewhere with added blood.  So behold the bloody goodness.  The blood certainly adds another layer to the already perfect art given the usual look Abercrombie is given in the UK from Gollancz.  The Heroes will be release January 20th in the UK and February 7th in the US.  Gollancz has a good size extract for The Heroes on their blog if you just can't wait.

“They say Black Dow’s killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbour, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they’ve brought a lot of sharpened metal with them.

Bremer dan Gorst, disgraced master swordsman, has sworn to reclaim his stolen honour on the battlefield. Obsessed with redemption and addicted to violence, he’s far past caring how much blood gets spilled in the attempt. Even if it’s his own.

Prince Calder isn’t interested in honour, and still less in getting himself killed. All he wants is power, and he’ll tell any lie, use any trick, and betray any friend to get it. Just as long as he doesn’t have to fight for it himself.

Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North, has gained nothing from a life of warfare but swollen knees and frayed nerves. He hardly even cares who wins any more, he just wants to do the right thing. But can he even tell what that is with the world burning down around him?

Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail…

Three men. One battle. No Heroes.”

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US Cover Unveiled for Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes