bishop2knight

For me, the cover of the book is a huge part in which books I buy and which ones I don't. When looking for a new author, I often skip over 100s of books because the cover doesn't appeal to me. Instead, I pick up the ones that "look good" and then read the teaser info to decide if I'll actually buy it.

How 'bout you? Ever pass up a book, even one that's getting good reviews by friends or critics, simply because the cover didn't appeal to you?

Copenhagen

bishop YGM, totally off topic.

benedict

.... I'm seriously thinking of not concluding the Robert Jordan WoT series.

First there was the interminable length which, as I've mentioned before, sees me with eight volumes of which I have read but four!

Now, here in the UK, adding insult to injury they've just sprung a reissue of the entire series but with mostly black "graphic" covers! rather than the previous "fantasy" art.

When the last few come out they'll look very nice on the shelves next to the earlier volumes I bought over the years.... [sigh]

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.... I'm thinking of dumping the lot! Perhaps it'll be cathartic!

bishop2knight

I think the black cover looks awesome. But that's too bad they changed midstream like that. I like a series to have a universal look.

Verminaard

I think I prefer the black covers to the awful art in the other covers (to say nothing of that abomination that was the Guide to the Wheel of time).
Unfortunately the wheels look like Mickey Mouse ears.

Josh-da-man

Interesting fact here.

A lot of authors don't have any say on what goes on the covers of their books. Lots of times -- especially in genres like science fiction, fantasy, and horror -- a piece of pre-existing artwork will be used the book; art that has no connection at all to the story.

Jack Ketchum's Girl Next Door which is a psychological horror novel, very dark and disturbing and inspired by a true story, was released with a cover depicting a skeleton in a cheerleader's outfit. No cheerleaders or skeletons appear anywhere in the book.

fallow

Actually, I'm proud to say that I bought the most boring cover ever. My copy of Catcher in the Rye has a perfectly white cover with just the title and the author on it. There are some colored, diagonal stripes about an inch long across the top as well - but that doesn't really count. There are only 3 or 4 of them. I think the price tag was the most appealing part...only 5 dollars.

bishop2knight

Fallow, I actually liked that cover. Maybe it's just me, but the plain, one or two color covers are nice.

fallow

There isn't anything the matter with it, but there isn't anything great about it either...just kind of null. The only problem I had with it was that my fingers would leave smudges all over its immaculate cover!

I think my favorite cover is the Vintage International publication of Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury." I do a fair amount of photography, and even though I find pictures of sunsets, clouds, and beachlines to be hackneyed, I really like the foreboding feeling of this cover.

benedict

<small></small>Me too. I would have been happy with the all-black. I feel a letter to the publishing company coming on! This isn't the first time I've been caught like this (the Wingrove Chung Kuo series went the same way) but I think it will be the last: no more long series for me. At least not until they are finished. And I will explain to them why this is not good for sales ....

<small>I just hope die-hard fans won't go out and repurchase the entire series!</small>

Dirk

I'll admit that I've skipped books, based soley on the cover. If the image is really weird, or just doesn't seem to fit the type of book I'm looking for at that moment, and I don't already know the author... well, there's lots of others to look at.

Mister Beefhead

Man, I don't know what genre you prefer, but if it's Science Fiction/Fantasy, you're doing yourself a grave disservice. I mean, you'll find crappy covers on great books in any genre, but Science Fiction/Fantasy just takes the cake. Especially if you like to buy books used, as in the late 70s/early 80s covers were really bad. Some of the best Sci-Fi books I have ever read have covers that look like an Ed Wood movie.