The Merchant of Death was first published in 2002 . . . a lifetime ago. So we thought it was time to spiff up the Pendragon series and create new covers.  Over the next year or so, all ten books will come out with the new design. (Paperback only. The hardcovers won’t change)
What do you think of the new Pendragon covers?
Categories: All Posts, Pendragon
Tags: Tags: MacHale, new cover design, Pendragon
Carolyn says:
Hey DJ! Yes I do like the new covers but will say for sure that I liked the old ones better. I started reading these at the age of 14, so I connected immediately with Bobby, making these books almost the story of my life. Finding the courage to step up to your responsibilities and, in the process, finding something inside of yourself that you never expected to find, all starting with a war in a strange place called Denduron. Ok, so not exactly what my life is all about, but close. I just loved how the covers showed Bobby’s aging development because he went first from this scared 14 year old boy to a mature adult who was, in all sense, past his actual age. So as much as I like the representation of the worlds through the covers, I would say that I like the old ones better 🙂 Love your books!!!
amy says:
im not a big fan of the new covers as an artist and a pendragon lover i like the older ones if i walked by the new ones and didnt know they were pendragons i wouldnt pick them up. but thank you for still keeping the orginals on the hard covers
Crim says:
I don’t mind the new covers but I kind of liked the old ones better. I don’t know. Maybe we’re all just too traditional.
Darkness says:
i agree with you crim. maybe we are, but that is what makes us special.
Rosii664 says:
Hey. I’m a huge fan of the Pendragon books, and the earlier covers are epic, so I don’t think the new covers quite show how wicked the series is. They’re great for being simple, symbolic, and all, but they don’t show the scene and the surroundings. I’m more of an awesome-main-character-on-the-cover kind of person, just to kind of set the scene for the oncoming adventure. I like the new covers, but they’re not as exciting as the old ones.
Trisha C says:
Hm. Graphically: the new covers look really cool. They’re colorful, attractive and will draw in a new audience who might not have heard of Pendragon before.
As an artist: I like the old ones better. I appreciate beautiful illustration and a cover that has beautiful illustration is what usually draws me into a book series. That was certainly the case with Pendragon. I had always been curious about them simply because the covers were so lovely. Call me superficial if you want. I realize you can’t judge a book by its cover, but a really nice picture to look at gets a book noticed. (However, if the contents end up being utter crap, that book won’t stay in my hands for very long)
I do have to say: I like that the first of the new covers shows the traveler ring. D.J., you should think of finding a jeweler to craft some of those, I’d definitely buy one.
Trisha
Levi says:
I like the new covers a lot, not to say the old ones are bad though but they are symbolic and should make em for 6-10 too and the reality bug one is awesome with biohazard symbol w/ digital background aja killian is the best p.s. should make a second generationof travelers and new territories and a sequel series that would be beast.
random person says hello says:
i don’t like the new covers(sorry d.j.!!!!). i just don’t think that they really truely express the idea of the Pendragon series. maybe i’m just too wierd (which wouldn’t be too crazy) or something.
erik says:
nice covers but my friend likes the old ones better
i will be a Traveler says:
i don’t really like the new ones very much. they’re ok but i prefer the old ones with his face on the front and side and that reminds me- i need help. i can’t find the one for the 7th book that has his face on the side as well as the front. help me please!!!!
Markus says:
you can’t find them? intersting….
Lead Traveler says:
i can’t find that specific one.
Ross says:
Although the new ones look a little neat, I prefer it when an author choses one style and sticks with it, that way all the books match.
LaBerge says:
For anyone that’s wondering, the eyes on the new black water cover aren’t eyes, they’re the yellow cubes that the gars use for the radio thing in black water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pendragon > Harry Potter says:
I like both the old and new covers. The new covers are symbolic and kind of give tiny hints about the plot when you know what the pictures symbolize. The old ones, however, show the setting of the book and how Bobby is maturing (he looks older each book).
Robbie Ricks says:
I love these new covers I never really liked the old ones i 14 so i like to compare my life to bobby+Robbie-see what I mean
Indigo-soon to be traveler says:
Hey! I really love your books! I just started reading them a couple weeks ago. I was just looking through the shelves and saw Pendragon jumping out at me. I was hooked from the moment I opened the book. I just loved the old covers though! They showed how much Bobby had matured throughout the years. The new ones are okay and describe the territory well but I think the story is more about Bobby than about the territories… don’t you think?
Tiarra Lowery says:
I Love the new covers!!!!! I mean the old ones were good but what i like is how it kinda jumps out at you and how it kinda gives you a feel of a new world, I mean for me the old covers kinda said “Hey come read me you might find me interesting” however the new covers say to me “Hey come read me i’m cool, dangerous and i’ll have you sitting on the edge of your seat before you finish”,
I mean don’t get me wrong i do really like the old covers where you could see bobby maturing and that’s good for all of us who really connected with him, however I like how by looking at the new covers to me they just kinda stand out instead of blending in like the old covers did and that just really draws me to them, but don’t get me wrong i really do like the old covers but i do feel that the new covers are a alot better and not so plain as the old ones 😀
Lead Traveler says:
@Tiarra Lowery
i disagree. the old ones are not plain or boring or anything they said. i don’t like the new ones that much but i’m not going to critize them on what i think they are. i don’t know why i don’t like the new ones. i just don’t. and i think that the old pendragon covers are like, “‘Hey come read me i’m cool, dangerous and i’ll have you sitting on the edge of your seat before you finish.'”
LaBerge says:
I forgot to mention before, i don’t like the new that much. Except The Reality Bug, that one’s cool.
B.C. says:
Eh.. I like the new cover for The Merchant of Death, ’cause it kind of makes sense, it’s when Bobby gets his ring, and that’s pretty major.. in my opinion, at least it is.. >_>
I haven’t read the Lost City of Faar in a while, but if that design actually has something to do with the story, then I’m cool with it, not to mention that the blue theme it’s got going matches Cloral pretty well. Heh.
As for The Never War, I personally would have used a zeppelin instead of that bi-plane. Although, I’m not sure it would look as cool to have a zeppelin instead of the bi-plane under the sun.. it does look nicer, I suppose, with the bi-plane.
I like the new cover for The Reality Bug ’cause it just looks… I don’t know. Mesmerizing, maybe? I just find myself staring at it trying to figure out what a good way to describe it would be. I like how it’s got the coding in the background, and maybe on the.. thing… (I’m not sure what coding would look like on Veelox after all. :P)
Ugh.. to be honest, I don’t like the new cover for Black Water very much. Having said so, I didn’t really like the old one either, though I do prefer it over this one. I can’t manage to actually explain why I dislike this new cover, but it’s definitely not the coloring. Definitely makes me think of poison. Could it be because the design makes me think more of like.. a bug.. than a klee, and definitely not of a gar.
Anyway, I suppose this is my opinion on each of the covers… dang, I think I wrote a bit too much… T_T
today i went to the school i don't want to go to *sighs* says:
first off sorry about the long name. and i can’t really say what i think of the new covers because i’ve only seen them on this website. my town hasn’t gotten them in the bookstores or libraries yet. i don’t know why. anyway, the ones i’ve seen on this website i have to say i’m not impressed with. i prefer the old ones.
Dragonfleas says:
The new covers are decent. They attract a new audiance, but like everyone else is saying i liked the old ones better because of the maturity with Bobby as he’s developing into an adult, and i also like the symbolism and the scenes. The new covers are colorfull and could be easily made with photoshop. No offense to you of course D.J. you just write the books you don’t make the covers (: And what’s this talk i hear about a pendragon movie? I would very much like to see either a t.v. show or a movie. That would be immaculate. It would be popular too. If this does happen i would like to star in it I am 14 and would play a perfect role as bobby. 😛 (Not bragging of course) I would just want to portray a teen’s life changing when he discovers these magical “Flumes” That are powered by dark energy/matter. It’s quite facsinating (I know i spelled that incorrectly) actually when i read Raven Rise I was very intrigued by the way you put the pendragon books in order, and how they all connect eventually. Actually i think these books were written so well that you could read them out of context and totally out of order (Besides out of order on 9 or 10) And be alright with understanding. What i did actually was read 7 8 9 and 10 and then went back and read 1 through 6. Everything made perfect sense. I would love to read some more pendragon books and see how the travelers are doing. Sorry for the long comment as i am just a very excited and happy reader of this indescribable and excellent series. I am all for a t.v. show or movies. Just think how successfull harry potter was.
Lead Traveler says:
exactly. harry potter was successful because the books weren’t as long as Pendragon and they also cut out stuff but people still watched they because they wanted to see how the whole series turned out so they didn’t have to read the freakin books!!!!!!!!!!!! so you see, if people make these books a movie they might stink and they might not. the 6th harry potter was a totally blow-out. it sucked. people these days are too much for movies and not too much for books. i would prefer that these books stayed books and that they didn’t become movies. in my opinion they would never be the same as the books. even if dj directed it himself he would have to cut stuff out. the books are too long. unless he made every book a three-part movie. sorry d.j.!!! and i also liked how you linked the books at the end so it made sense. i’m glad you did that but please don’t make these books show up on t.v or videos. the books are just too good to be spoiled by some dumb producer(besides you). well, sorry about the long post.
Lead Traveler says:
meant them. not they.
Andrew the Traveler says:
i hate the new covers, because i got the first four in the old but when i went to buy the 5 one it was the new one and that was the only one they had, now my collection will be messed up!!!!! sorry about the run on sentence. :>
Andrew the Traveler says:
i also want to know where i put the gamecode from the books!
Swiftpelt13 says:
Both are purty cool looking, but I would rather have the old covers
Lead Traveler says:
me too.
Andrew the Traveler says:
i want the old covers back! no offense DJ
Lead Traveler says:
me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ben7005 says:
I personally prefer the old covers, but the new ones will probably draw more readers into the series who wouldn’t have done it before. I think the old covers were nice because they portrayed the basic background of the book and maybe a couple characters.
ben7005 says:
but i didn’t like the old black water one, that needed some changing.
zaddaprincess says:
The old ones were WAY better!(no offense)
and lots of people agree with me…
BTW… U are AWESOME!! :)<3
Hobey- Ho…Don't Go! Keep on writing Pendragon books!
Lead Traveler says:
I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAKE SOME KIND OF SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Indigo-soon to be traveler says:
Well hello again! I just started reading Morpheus what’s his name… sorry I always forget names. I love it! I love how he used Mark from Pendragon in it. I haven’t read all the books so I don’t really know what happens but… I think it would be soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool if he wrote a sequel. Oh and BTW I am soooooo the lead traveler! HA HA! No but seriously… I am.
Mark says:
I actually like the new covers A LOT more. The old covers are nice and all, but I always found Bobby’s eyes/hairstyle/general look changing distracting. I mean, I understand he’s getting older and all, but since when does he have blue eyes (I’m looking at you, Pilgrims of Rayne)? The new covers are more elegant and simple, and most of all they are consistent. I would consider selling my copies and getting the new ones.
Markus says:
Yeah, i noticed that his hair styles and eye color where a constant different color. What is with that DJ?
Swiftpelt13 says:
I say, make more Pendragon books!!! That would pwn!
Shadik64 says:
im all for these books i read them all this year
Lead Traveler says:
what’s “pwn” mean? sorry i don’t text. so i don’t understand those ones. the only ones i understand are brb, btw, jk, and the two meanings for lol.
@Indigo-soon to be a traveler
I AM THE LEAD TRAVELER!!!!!!!!!! MY NAME SAYS SO AND I’VE BEEN TO ALL 10 TERRITORIES OR 6(?) WORLDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brianna says:
I think the other covers were more detailed, but I couldn’t tell who was who, because they all looked different. Srry, D.J. MacHale! I like these better. Plain, but simple. Amazing!
Hobey ho!
Andrew the Traveler says:
srry about not posting in awhile,been doing stuff but i agree with some people bout the covers. The old ones RULE!!!!!
Andrew the Traveler says:
I hope DJ makes sequels Hobey – Ho
Andrew the Traveler says:
😡 😡 😡 😡 x )
i dont even know water that is lol
second traveler says:
@ Lead Traveler ( real one )
What dose btw and jk stand for
Lead Traveler says:
@second travler
btw means by the way. and jk means just kidding.
Lead Traveler says:
has anyone read Skeleton Creek?
Pendragon Fan says:
The new covers are awesome, personally I don’t like all the morphing bobbys.
Lead Traveler says:
has anyone read Skeleton Creek? the first book?