Cover Unveiled for Never Knew Another by J. M. McDermott

Art by Julian Alday

Never Knew Another is J.M. McDermott's second novel after 2008's Last Dragon. I believe the art is by Santiago Caruso, but I haven't been able to confirm that. The ink and scratching technique is one of Caruso's know styles that he does exceptionally well and I'd call this piece exceptional.  Even if this isn't Caruso I love this cover as the two tone sepia sketch works really well and the touch of color draws me in.  UPDATE: The art is by Julian Alday who is new to me and the layout by Federico Piatti and Victoria Maderna.  Here is the description:

J. M. McDermott delivers the stunning new fantasy novel, Never Knew Another -- a sweeping fantasy novel that revels in the small details of life.

Fugitive Rachel Nolander is a newcomer the city of Dogsland, where the rich throw parties and the poor just do whatever they can to scrape by. Supported by her brother Djoss, she hides out in their squalid apartment, living in fear that someday, someone will find out that she is the child of a demon. Corporal Jona Lord Joni is a demon's child too, but instead of living in fear, he keeps his secret and goes about his life as a cocky, self-assured man of the law. Never Knew Another is the story of how these two outcasts meet.

I'd like a fuller description to know a bit more about the story and world, but this is one of those books where the cover is enough to get me to buy it. Never Knew Another is the first in the Dogsland Trilogy, which will be released in February 2011. This is another to add to the checkout list next year. This list keeps getting longer.

As an added bonus here is the unadulterated art called 'Jona's Tears', which is from Alday's blog.  Also, he did a write-up on the process for the cover.

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