Exactly! I agree with all the comments on here regarding both price and design. If these books don't match the rest of the deluxe series, what is the point of the release? And Stu, yes, your mockup looks so much better; how hard was it for them to design something simple like this, I wonder!

Has anyone reached out to HC in the past to voice concerns about stuff like this? And do they hear us out? After all, for these sorts of releases (obscure works in deluxe formats that cost 100s of $$) we are their core customer base :-/

Earl wrote:
Has anyone reached out to HC in the past to voice concerns about stuff like this? And do they hear us out? After all, for these sorts of releases (obscure works in deluxe formats that cost 100s of $$) we are their core customer base :-/

I know that feedback has been previously given on various things, and I think they do sometimes swing by this site. It is worth re-iterating that the pre-release renders often do differ from what finally gets released - usually only in minor details, but it is possible the final result will be better than the render on Amazon. Giving HC the benefit if the doubt, they might have just hacked something together quickly for marketing.

Put Stu's renderings in individual slipcases and make sure they aren't printed in China and I'd buy them.

Edit: I'll agree that early renders are usually wrong - heck less than a month before B&L released and there was still a wrong rendering that had a weird line on the spine that didn't match with the others. So maybe we can still hold out some hope ;)

And a box, whilst I am at it...

Stu, they should hire you for their design department :)

Yeah I guess for now it's "watch and wait". Hopefully those renders are for early marketing purposes, and the actual design is as beautiful as the rest of the deluxe series.

I don't have any 3d tools, so this is just using perspective transforms of 2d stuff..

Anyway, better do some actual work so as to avoid getting fired....

[image deleted - replaced below]

Haha! Sometimes the urge to mock up fan versions of official products can be (understandably) irresistible.

Indeed it can. Final render.

If they make this, I'll buy it.

Maybe.

Count me in too

Also, I'm wondering why the laziness with the motif on HC's part. Don't they have the rights to use Tolkien's art, images and motifs? There are so many beautiful ones; and seeing as these are mainly stories of the Elder Days, one would think they'd be spoiled for choice.

Yeah, I agree it seems a bit lazy. The only positive is that the pre-publication mockups for the original Quarter-bound leather version (2000) bore no resemblance at all to the final product. So there is precedent for the product turning out very different. I doubt they will sell a huge number, so I can see them not wanting to spend a giant amount, but just basic consistency with the current deluxe range doesn't seem a like a big ask, IMHO.


Can never resist tinkering...