Whelan's first collection features a good deal of early work, which of course isn't as good as it would be in years to follow, but it is still interesting to see the evolution of style. And, quality aside, it is nice to go back to a time when book covers weren't all stock photography. The book is divided into genre sections for science fiction, sword & sorcery, horror, etc. and has introductions for each by Poul Anderson, Anne McCaffrey, Alan Dean Foster, C.J. Cherryh, and Gerald W. Page. Most of the cover art (there are a few personal pieces as well) I have never seen on books in hand. ( )

Wonderworks was published before Michael Whelan won his first Hugo or World Fantasy Award. This book clearly shows why he came to dominate science fiction, fantasy, and (to a lesser extent) horror cover illustrations. For cover you need a compelling image, but you also need to leave room for for the book's information. What set Whelan apart from so many artists is he took the time to read the books he illustrated. He captured the characters, their world, and the mood of the book. There are so many iconic images (for me): Anne McCaffrey's dragons, Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone, C.J. Cherryh's Morgaine, and H. Beam Piper's Fuzzies. Long out of print, it is worth having. ( )