Lightship by Jim Burns. Text: Chris Evans
01/10/2002 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
Pub: Paper Tiger. 125 page coffee-table size softback. Price: £14.99(UK), $21.95, $31.95 (CAN). ISBN: 1-85028-011-8. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. Check out website: www.papertiger.co.uk
It wasn't until last year that I realised
Paper Tiger had re-released this superb Dragon's World volume of one
of the UK's best SF cover artists, Jim Burns.
Prior to this, the only chance I had to see this book was through
a library request. My reaction then is still pretty much the same
as now.
 You
get lost in this book. The art is that good and it's about time
some computer software firm that specialises in computer wallpaper
arranged to have these paintings decorate your computer screen.
Of course, you could always buy the book.
Those of you who picked up his later volume, 'Transluminal', have
either got this book already, got this latter edition cos yours
is worn out or eager to see some of Jim Burns' early work.
Just browsing through this book is likely to make anyone a fan
of his cover art. Burns is at home painting exotic spacecraft as
he is with peculiar landscapes, futuristic cities, aliens and humans.
You look at his paintings and get lost in the detail. Even more
rewarding is the fact that Burns reads the books he paints the covers
for so they have a lot more relevance to the content.
To say I'm full of praise for Jim Burns art is putting it mildly.
'Lightship' is regarded as a seminal book to be owned by all SF
book cover fans. No doubt helped by its none-standard size allowing
room for all the pictures not to be messed with by the centre crease.
The fact that this is 17 years old does nothing to spoil the pleasure
of spending a pleasant few hours strolling through this book from
time to time. This is art at it's timeless best. Let's hope Paper
Tiger (hello Paul) won't be long in getting out a third volume of
Jim Burns' work on the shelves.
What amazes me even more is without Paper Tiger's catalogue, I
wouldn't have realised this book had been re-released. Either all
Paper Tiger's artbooks are sold quickly off the shelves - which
means you wouldn't have seen them anyway - or the media shops aren't
re-stocking or ordering in the first place.
Either way (all right, so I've given three reasons, but you don't
say 'Triple way'), I've also noticed that a lot of their back catalogue
hasn't been properly reviewed in the UK media mags let alone let
loose here before the review column got to full strength.
Over the next few months, with the kind help of Paper Tiger, expect
to see some of these books examined here.
GF Willmetts
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