Cover art is, like most things, in the eye of the beholder. Considering the recent discussion here and here over perceived deficiencies in the US Bantam cover art for Scott Lynch's upcoming 2009 book, The Republic of Thieves, I guess it is a matter of tastes varying, because in a way, this is the sort of cover that is aesthetically pleasing to me. The mixture of dark purple and black is something "cool" with me, and the image is not a garish one and apparently is related to an important "new" character in Lynch's third volume. When I glance at it, it holds a bit of a mystery (why is the woman holding a mask?), but it also manages to convey a sense of expectation. Or perhaps that's just my own feeling in regard to this book, as I'm hoping it'll be an improvement over the second book, Red Seas Under Red Skies, which felt a bit "flat" to me (then again, I rarely like sailing/pirate stories).
The second cover art image was just posted on Felix Gilman's blog and is the just-released cover image for his second novel (and sequel to his excellent debut novel, Thunderer), called Gears of the City. This cover image certainly is more in tune with the spirit of Gilman's first novel (although to be fair, the Thunderer cover art does depict a scene from the novel) and perhaps will be received better by potential readers. The cover art is darker, both in color shades and in the images shown. The namesake gears give a more "steampunk" feel to the Gears cover art, which perhaps might convey more of the storyline, although I suspect (not having read this book, obviously) that there'll be other elements in there, just as there was in Thunderer. Wait and see, I suppose.But what about you? What do you think of these two just-released cover images?
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8 comments:
I shun books with the first type of cover art. I have to be fairly desperate to pick one up -- even if I have heard of the book. The second I might pick up if I was fairly sure I would like the book, but it would not tempt me to try an unknown one. Unless there was something really remarkable about the title. Actually, come to think of it, it is the font that kills that one. I do not mind the art.
But I am picky.
Interesting. I tend to hate bright, light colors on most everything (which tends to explain my avoidance of wearing white or yellow) and it carries over in my art preferences. It truly is a subjective thing, huh?
The Gear cover is superb; now it's true that Thunderer was one of my top 5 2007 books so I am biased - but I also disliked profoundly the cover of Thunderer
The Lynch cover is interesting too, but not as striking to me as the La Espada cover - both show a woman of some power and most likely to be an important character, but the Spanish one is much more striking. This being said I like the Lynch series and that book is a buy asap, though I also agree that book 2 fell flat to some extent for me too but not in the sailing thing which I tend to like but in the buddy/buddy poison thingy more than anything
Yeah, that Thunderer cover got ragged on quite a bit by Jeff VanderMeer some months ago, I remember (in good fun, of course). It was quite heinous. Do agree that the La espada cover is more striking than the Lynch.
Personally I think that covers should have one purpose - sell the book to the people who may enjoy it.
Since I am of the strong opinion that any book has a (very) limited audience it's very important for the book and audience to find each other and for many people the cover is the only thing they notice about a book.
For me in sff I am pretty much up to date with what's up - maybe not in some fantasy areas that I rarely read like paranormals and urban contemporary - so I do not rely on covers, but for "mainstream" books, I browse extensively in bookstores which I visit several times a week and title/covers are the first filter, than blurb, then browsing a page...
I agree that covers ought to reflect the types of stories being told, but often what that is ends up being a huge debate, colored by one's own attitudes towards art. When a certain friend of mine returns from vacation in a couple of weeks, I need to point her to this, since she's about to earn her arts degree and is interested in doing SF/F cover art.
Both of them look quite good, especially the one for Felix Gilman's novel.
I like both covers, actually, I like the Gilman cover more. It has a cool steampunky feel to it. Had I NOT read Thunderer, I might be interested in reading the book.
As to which I will read - just the Lynch.
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