What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

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► UNSOLVED: One specific book > Classic sci-fi book - trying to identify by cover alone

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message 1: by Craig (new)

Craig White | 7 comments I'm trying to identify a book that I bought as a teen in the 90s, but was completely unable to read. I remember I was drawn to it purely because of the beautiful, detailed cover.

The book most likely was printed in the 70s or early 80s, the only plot description I can remember at all was that it was about an ancient civilization approaching a crisis point of some kind (this could be miles off, to he honest).

I remember the cover showed a sort of grey stone arch with a fantastical city in the background. Within the arch was some people, I thinking standing before a large, mysterious device.

The most vague request I hope to ever make here, I'll understand if it gets nixed.


message 2: by Alan (new)

Alan (alanjc) | 492 comments Pinterest might be a place to start.

https://au.pinterest.com/nicolecmar/s...

Doubtless there are others.


message 3: by Rainbowheart (new)

Rainbowheart | 28715 comments If the book was published for teens, you might want to check this list.

20th Century YA and Middle Grade Science Fiction


message 4: by Craig (new)

Craig White | 7 comments Thanks for both replies so far - I don't recognise it in either of these lists.

I'm almost certain that it is NOT a teen/YA novel - that was the problem with me trying to read it back then!


message 6: by Kazzie (new)

Kazzie Brown | 2 comments Have you tried describing the cover to Chat GPT?


message 8: by Craig (new)

Craig White | 7 comments Those Zelazny covers are the closest so far to what I'm trying to describe, still not what I'm thinking of though. Thanks, everyone.


message 9: by Taffeta (new)

Taffeta | 66 comments The Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

Or maybe the Demon Princes?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...


message 10: by Craig (new)

Craig White | 7 comments If you could imagine the below cover with the following changes:
-the arch is grey stone rather than brown
-instead of green fields, the background is a cityscape/skyline
-Instead of a big ol' cat filling the arch, there are people near the bottom, possibly with some sort of machine or throne off to one side:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...


message 11: by Juels (new)

Juels | 3314 comments Wild guess:

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson


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