A closer look at the “Aleyara’s Descent” cover!

I just went looking online to see if there were any reviews out yet for “Aleyara’s Descent” in the May/June 2023 Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and while it’s still too early for that, it seems, I found something even better. Eldar Zakirov, the cover artist for the issue, posted the original artwork on his site:

https://ldarro.artstation.com/projects/yDAxoQ

Looking at the cover art blown up, it’s much more impressionistic than I thought it would be (I hope it’s okay to link directly to the image):

“Aleyara’s Descent” cover illustration by Eldar Zakirov

The page also includes a couple of concept sketches, and the one they didn’t go with is fascinating.

“Aleyara’s Descent” concept sketches by Eldar Zakirov

I didn’t intend the Biauru to have an actual tail — just a short pseudo-“tail” where their dorsal crests converge in a boat-prow shape at the base of the spine — but otherwise it’s a really neat interpretation of a Biauru’s brachiation and how their hands and feet grip branches, which is pretty close to what I envisioned. (See https://christopherlbennett.wordpress.com/aliens-of-the-arachne-troubleshooter-universe/#Biauru.) I almost wish they’d gone with this one instead, minus the tail, but I like that the final cover shows the whole quest party.

I’m impressed that Zakirov intuited my intent for the Biauru to have lean, lanky bodies, something I don’t think I really specified in the novelette, since it’s told entirely from Aleyara’s perspective. Maybe it just stood to reason from how I described them as agile, fast brachiators.

Anyway, I’m really glad I found Zakirov’s page, since I’ve been wanting to see a higher-resolution, textless version of this fantastic cover. And now you can all see it too!