Although similar to the recent DRAGON’S DREAM book, MAGNETIC STORM expands on the work of artist Roger Dean, plus his similarly minded brother, Martyn. Roger is best-known for some iconic prog-rock album covers of the 1970s, but as this shows, he did a lot more than just that, even if it was all in the same, fanged-fonted vein.
For example, publishing. I had no idea Roger had ventured too far beyond painting for LPs, but here are covers for books by H. Rider Haggard and collections of Dan Dare adventures, among others, all in the brothers’ unmistakable fantasy style. Similarly, the work for Jeff Wayne’s WAR OF THE WORLDS prog musical is top-notch, what with the tripod robots.
Roger’s fascination with pod-like cities must be in the genes, because here, Martyn’s designs for personal pods are shown in detail. These allow one (or two) to escape from the world and retreat inside for solitary video, audio or other activities of stimulation.
Collins Design’s hardcover release is a reissue, originally published in 1984. The drawback is it kind of smells that old, too, as if 25 years of cigarette smoke have permeated its pages. Must be the stock. Anyway, should the crystalline stage designs of Yes stoke your fires of fancy, MAGNETIC STORM is something to which you’ll be attracted. —Rod Lott
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• DRAGON’S DREAM by Roger Dean
Related posts:
- The Dresden Files: Storm Front — Volume One: The Gathering Storm
- Forecast: DEEP STORM moving in for Child
- Deep Storm
- Sun Storm
- QUICKGASM >> 11.06.08
