Dear Fantasy & Science Fiction:

I realize the object featured in Tomislav Tiklun's cover painting for your August issue is intended to represent Heaven's Footstool, the space-station "lamasery of the White Monks" used as the setting of Albert E. Cowdrey's "Murder in the Flying Vatican," but did you have to choose an illustration that so obviously borrowed its major design elements from the Imperial Probe Droid from The Empire Strikes Back? Considering that the story continuously refers to the rings, spokes, and hub of the space station, your cover art seems an odd choice. Not to knock Mr. Tiklun's talent, as the image is otherwise quite striking, but the story deserved to be pared with a cover that was not only more original, but truer to the text.



Just wondering,


Ross E. Lockhart





UPDATED (Reply received 6-27-07):

Dear Mr. Lockhart:

Thanks for the valuable feedback. I selected the art in order to give a new artist more exposure. I believe the art was completed without Mr. Tomislav reading the story, to be honest. I'll be curious to see if anyone else makes similar comments. In the past, when I've paired already existing art with a relevant story (such as on the Aug. 2005 issue), we haven't had any negative feedback.

Yours truly,

Gordon Van Gelder
Editor/Publisher
Fantasy & Science Fiction


Right on! Nothing wrong with giving a new artist exposure (and drawing in readers in the process), just so long as subsequent issues don't feature Imperial Walkers, TIE Fighters, and Wampas.