First of all, it obviously has worked for the intended purpose of getting new people interested in the game, according to testimonials. For that alone I would stop my mutterings.
I just looked at it again, trying to figure out why I didn't care for it. The red goddess priestess is drawn beautifully, and I have no complaints about her. The opposed barbarian is actually composed quite well, his lightning sword is well done, and so on. I suppose I always thought he just didn't look very Heortling. The blue stripes are supposed to be woad, I suppose. What his pants are supposed to be I don't know, they look a little bit like silk track pants. Then it hit me. This is not the picture done by an outsider drawing a contest between the red goddess and Orlanth, or between some of their heroes. This is a painting done by someone from within the empire, showing the combat between the red goddess or her hero against Rebellus Terminus, or some representative. The figure in blue is just supposed to be a token barbarian, easily recognized by the masses of the empire. No doubt in the next panel of the painting you see the woman in red triumphant.
Looked at that way, it makes perfect sense to me.
Of course, I'm probably going to cover the book in brown paper anyway, but that is at least in part to protect it from wear and tear from being hauled around in a back pack.
--Bryan
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