The Big Book of Earthsea 2018 by Saga Press

[maeda]

Saga has officially announced that they’ll publish all Earthsea in one volume in 2018 — a grand present for a Wizard’s fiftieth birthday.

Ursula K. Le Guin: A Blog (2016)
Charles Vess Talks Slipping Into Ursula K. Le Guin’s Brain to Draw Earthsea Dragons

Anybody else happy about this?

 

[Overread]

The reprint in a single volume is nice but not essential nor important I would argue.
What is important and of greater interest is the use of illustrations within the novel. It sounds like they are really going to town in making the pages themselves part of the experience not just gathering up the words and sticking them on pages. I often lament the fact that in fantasy (and sci-fi) we often get some great cover-art; but within books themselves almost next to nothing (we might be lucky enough to get a little chapter icon or creative first letter of a chapter).

I'm reminded that one of my first fantasy stories (first read to me by my father long before I read it) was an illustrated edition of The Hobbit. To me the artwork within the story became part of the experience and sadly has almost remained one locked to Tolkien (indeed it seems every year or occasion they can think of there's a new print edition with new illustrations by a new artist). I hope it sells well and takes off in a way to promote artwork to other publishers and authors to use more so within their works.
Cover art is great - back art is good - maps inside are (often times) essential - but come now we can have some more art too

 

[Jojo999]

I agree. I always thought that books with artwork help the readers imagination meld with what the author imagined.