Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
It's time for #BeyondTheCover, where we show you the amazing art behind our gorgeous book covers!
Today we are showcasing Sam R. Kennedy's art for The Winds of Fate by S.M. Stirling!
About the artist: Sam R. Kennedy has 12 years of experience doing a wide variety of art jobs in the game business and freelance illustration market. Most of the time it has been conceptual or highly polished key illustration, but he has also done storyboards, character animation, and cinematics. Sam likes to work hard and be prolific. He loves the entertainment industry because of the loud dramatic pictures it allows him to draw. He particularly enjoys working in a variety of styles with different approaches. Some of his best work is photo realistic illustration. Sam uses the latest technologies to create bold, eye popping 3D images for video games. He is also strong in the area of drawing and painting things in a comic style. In his spare time you will find Sam drawing comics, children’s art, fantasy, and sci-fi art for freelance assignments.
About the book: The Winds of Fate (Book #2 of Make the Darkness Light) by S.M. Stirling
Artorius and his team must race against time to thwart a looming clash between two ancient powers, navigating a treacherous landscape where their actions could rewrite history and spark a catastrophic conflict.
In a world where history can be rewritten at will, the threads of destiny intertwine in ways no one could have foreseen.
Years after their groundbreaking journey into the past, Artorius and his team stumble upon a devastating revelation: the Chinese government has dispatched five time-travelers and a trove of advanced technology back to 165 CE, during the waning days of the Han dynasty. While believed they were guiding Rome toward a new era of modernization and unity, the emergence of Chinese influence threatens to unravel everything they have fought for.
As whispers of innovation ripple through the ancient world, Artorius and his companions realize they are in a race against time—not just to protect their vision for a united future, but to prevent a catastrophic clash that could bring about nuclear war centuries sooner than they ever imagined.
With their own presence now at risk of exposure, they must navigate the treacherous waters of politics, technology, and culture in a world caught between two colossal powers. As the balance of history teeters on a knife's edge, loyalties will be tested, alliances forged, and the very fabric of fate will hang in the balance.
To see more of the artist’s work, go to: samrkennedy.artstation.com
To learn more, go to: simonandschuster.com/books/The-Winds-of-Fate/S-M-Stirling/Make-the-Darkness-Light/9781668073384
To get the ebook, go to: baen.com/the-winds-of-fate.html
#BaenBooks #BeyondTheCover
It's time for #BeyondTheCover, where we show you the amazing art behind our gorgeous book covers!
Today we are showcasing Sam R. Kennedy's art for The Winds of Fate by S.M. Stirling!
About the artist: Sam R. Kennedy has 12 years of experience doing a wide variety of art jobs in the game business and freelance illustration market. Most of the time it has been conceptual or highly polished key illustration, but he has also done storyboards, character animation, and cinematics. Sam likes to work hard and be prolific. He loves the entertainment industry because of the loud dramatic pictures it allows him to draw. He particularly enjoys working in a variety of styles with different approaches. Some of his best work is photo realistic illustration. Sam uses the latest technologies to create bold, eye popping 3D images for video games. He is also strong in the area of drawing and painting things in a comic style. In his spare time you will find Sam drawing comics, children’s art, fantasy, and sci-fi art for freelance assignments.
About the book: The Winds of Fate (Book #2 of Make the Darkness Light) by S.M. Stirling
Artorius and his team must race against time to thwart a looming clash between two ancient powers, navigating a treacherous landscape where their actions could rewrite history and spark a catastrophic conflict.
In a world where history can be rewritten at will, the threads of destiny intertwine in ways no one could have foreseen.
Years after their groundbreaking journey into the past, Artorius and his team stumble upon a devastating revelation: the Chinese government has dispatched five time-travelers and a trove of advanced technology back to 165 CE, during the waning days of the Han dynasty. While believed they were guiding Rome toward a new era of modernization and unity, the emergence of Chinese influence threatens to unravel everything they have fought for.
As whispers of innovation ripple through the ancient world, Artorius and his companions realize they are in a race against time—not just to protect their vision for a united future, but to prevent a catastrophic clash that could bring about nuclear war centuries sooner than they ever imagined.
With their own presence now at risk of exposure, they must navigate the treacherous waters of politics, technology, and culture in a world caught between two colossal powers. As the balance of history teeters on a knife's edge, loyalties will be tested, alliances forged, and the very fabric of fate will hang in the balance.
To see more of the artist’s work, go to: samrkennedy.artstation.com
To learn more, go to: simonandschuster.com/books/The-Winds-of-Fate/S-M-Stirling/Make-the-Darkness-Light/9781668073384
To get the ebook, go to: baen.com/the-winds-of-fate.html
#BaenBooks #BeyondTheCover
