I Love/Hate This Cover Art

[WalkingTarget]

Thread is for discussion of cover art in general. My first post here is a lament about some that I dislike, but I figured there's no need to be restrictive. Feel free to discuss ones you like if you want.

The "On Elves and Things" thread got me thinking about a book series that I really like again and how much it annoys me that the cover art is a misrepresentation of the contents.

This is the cover for the first book. The depicted character is Loiosh, the main character's familiar.

http://dreamcafe.com/graphics/book_covers/jhereg.jpg

Look's like a little dragon, right? The problem is that it does not accurately reflect the species as described in the book. Here's some fanart that the author has adopted as the "official" portrait of Loiosh.

http://images.elfwood.com/art/k/a/kathyg/jhereg.jpg

And the tattoo that the author got.

http://dreamcafe.com/words/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/loiosh1.jpg

Ok, basically still a dragon (though as Tycho says (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/6/14/fine-distinctions/), "My worldview allows for flying lizards which are not dragons,") but the more accurate versions aren't as "traditional" and the first cover was designed that way because "dragons sell books" and as he was a previously unpublished author I assume that he had little say in the matter. Now, 25 years and about 20 books later the cover art still follows the old pattern because it'd be jarring to redesign the character that's been on most of the covers to date.

http://dreamcafe.com/graphics/book_covers/dzur.jpg

Then there's these covers (from the second and fourth books).

http://dreamcafe.com/graphics/book_covers/yendi.jpghttp://dreamcafe.com/graphics/book_covers/taltos.jpg

The guy in those pictures is, probably, supposed to represent the main character, Vlad Taltos. The character description, background, and name (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%A1ltos) are heavily flavored as Hungarian (same family background as the author (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Brust), incidentally). Dark hair, dark eyes, and a full mustache (specifically grown by the character because the "elf" stand-ins for the setting can't grow them: "whiskers" is a racial slur against humans, even women or clean-shaven men).

That's all for now, I guess. It just irks me when the cover artist doesn't bother adjusting things to match the text their pictures are getting wrapped around.

[Fri]

this version of neverwhere is my favourite book cover ever

http://www.kutukutubuku.com/images/fictions/antahberantah.jpg

it still gives me shivers every time I look at it in a book store.

[adanedhel9]

Some of the Riverworld covers bug me a little bit, but in this case I think the cover art "mistake" is diliberate and very understandable.

For those who haven't read any Riverworld, the basic premise is that most of the humans who have ever lived find themselves simultaneously waking in some sort of afterlife, all at the prime of their life. These reborn humans don't age, don't get sick, and, for some reason, are unable to grow facial hair. The series follows several well-known (and not-so-well-known) historical figures as they try to figure out the secrets of this afterlife.

So here's the cover of book 3, The Dark Design:
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-sci-fi-fantasy-2006/2201-1.jpg

Most Americans should recognize the figure at lower left. However, he looks to be about 50 and has significant facial hair. Of course, if he looked to be 25 and beardless, how many people would recognize him? Probably not many, and he'd be just an unknown face on the cover.

Same goes for book 5, The Gods of Riverworld, which has several recognizable, albiet middle-aged and hirsuit, figures:
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-sci-fi-fantasy-2006/2803-1.jpg

[Revlid]

Jesus, any of the original Discworld Cover Art, by Josh Kirby. I recognise them with nostalgia, but there are much better covers on display in The Art of Discworld, really.

Compare the new
http://www.paulkidby.com/colourprints/index.html

to the old
http://www.joshkirbyart.com/

[Tam_OConnor]

Yay, Brust fans! I feel your pain. At least the Khaavren Romances covers are better.

That aside, I weep and lament at the Wheel of Time cover art. Look, there's even a website! (http://linuxmafia.com/~pam/cover_art.html)

Sure-fire way to get me to pick up a book: put a Luis Royo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Royo) piece on the cover. Heck, I bought an entire series of mediocre books just for the cover art (at 50 cents a book, but still).

[WalkingTarget]

@Fri - That is a much more interesting cover for Neverwhere.

This (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Neverwhere.jpg) one seems to be the only one I ever see in stores. :smallfrown: Maybe I just need to look harder.

I really like the covers I've seen for most of the rest of Gaiman's books (American Gods (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:American_gods.jpg), Anansi Boys (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/Anansi_Boys.png), and Fragile Things (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fragilethings.jpg) spring to mind immediately, the last in part because of the blank tissue-papery dustcover that you see the cover art through :smallbiggrin:).

@Revlid - I agree completely (like how Twoflower had four eyes on the original cover for The Colour of Magic instead of glasses due to a very literal reading of his introduction), but then again it's rare to see the Kirby art on the books in my experience (might just be location differences these days, unfortunately we also don't get the Kidby covers stateside :smallfurious:). Not that the US editions are particularly bad, but I like the Kidby illustrations.

Comparison:
UK edition: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/Making_Money_Paul_Kidby.jpg

US edition: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51pRP2w2djL.jpg

@Tam - yeah, the Khaavren books are better (and Brokedown Palace even got an Alan Lee illustration *glee*) but there's still stuff to nitpick. For example, look at the "dragons" on Morrolan's chest and throne on the cover of The Lord of Castle Black (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d9/Castleblack.jpg/384px-Castleblack.jpg) (dragons don't have wings) or consider who is on the cover of Sethra Lavode (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f8/Sethra.jpg) (not even remotely how I would picture Sethra, not to mention the lack of Iceflame. It could be Tazendra or one of the other women, but why put them on the cover for a book titled after another character?)

Wheel of Time covers also annoy me, but they pretty much nail the high points on that page you linked (up to where they got at least). Am I the only one that thinks the covers of Crossroads of Twilight (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0e/WoT10_CrossroadsOfTwilight.jpg) and Knife of Dreams (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9b/WoT11_KnifeOfDreams.jpg) should have been reversed?

[Metal Head]

I have to say that some of the album covers of the band Manowar are simply horrible. Mostly because they have buff men showing way too much skin.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/23/ManowarFightingtheworld.jpg

The guy who wears nothing more than really high boots and underwear is especially frightening.

[Satyr]

The greatest RPG covers I know of were illustrated by a Turkish artist, Ugurcan Yüce, who draw covers which were often much more interesting than the actual books. Illistration like these
http://www.xf-gmbh.de/kunden/ugurcanyuce/images/fantasy/large/web4_022.jpg

http://www.xf-gmbh.de/kunden/ugurcanyuce/images/fantasy/large/web1_016.jpg

have pretty much defined why I became a fantasy enthusiast and started with RPG's.

[Tengu_temp]

As badass as the idea of hunting hugeass dinosaurs is, I can't help but think of Asterix when I look at the guy with the sword and shield. Not that it makes the cover worse - Asterix is cool.

[Satyr]

The guy with the winged helm and the giant moustache was something like the illlustrator's signature character and reappeared on most covers. I am still convinced that true men wear beards or at least big moustaches.

[bosssmiley]

The greatest RPG covers I know of were illustrated by a Turkish artist, Ugurcan Yüce, who draw covers which were often much more interesting than the actual books. Illistration like these
http://www.xf-gmbh.de/kunden/ugurcanyuce/images/fantasy/large/web4_022.jpg

http://www.xf-gmbh.de/kunden/ugurcanyuce/images/fantasy/large/web1_016.jpg

have pretty much defined why I became a fantasy enthusiast and started with RPG's.

Ugurcan Yüce (Turkish for "Larry Elmore" :smallbiggrin:) is a man who truly understands the mentality of the gamer. Helmets should have horns or wings on them, topknots are always cool, and a good oiling is a legitimate form of armour.

Those covers need a soundtrack of purest METAL! :smallcool:

Oh, link very related (http://mightygodking.com/index.php/2008/10/20/mgk-versus-his-adolescent-reading-habits/). More here (http://mightygodking.com/index.php/2008/10/21/mgk-versus-his-adolescent-reading-habits-part-two/).

Edit: poor bloke seems to be having bandwidth troubles. :smallconfused:

[H. Zee]

The UK children's cover art for the seventh Harry Potter boom could not be more ugly. It's lucky they did an 'adult's version' as well, because I couldn't have the children's one in my house.

I mean, look at the thing.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m224/HazJT/harrypottercover.jpg

URRRGH. Harry Potter looks like he's pushing 40, and Hermione looks like some horrible thing (my descriptive powers failed me there).

[DomaDoma]

The UK children's cover art for the seventh Harry Potter boom could not be more ugly. It's lucky they did an 'adult's version' as well, because I couldn't have the children's one in my house.

I mean, look at the thing.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m224/HazJT/harrypottercover.jpg

URRRGH. Harry Potter looks like he's pushing 40, and Hermione looks like some horrible thing (my descriptive powers failed me there).


I was thinking "slutty teen slasher movie victim" when I first saw it.

So glad the actual scene that's from was actually pretty intimidating. I couldn't imagine at the time how it could be.

[Boo]

The UK children's cover art for the seventh Harry Potter boom could not be more ugly. It's lucky they did an 'adult's version' as well, because I couldn't have the children's one in my house.

I mean, look at the thing.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m224/HazJT/harrypottercover.jpg

URRRGH. Harry Potter looks like he's pushing 40, and Hermione looks like some horrible thing (my descriptive powers failed me there).

They look like the actors from the movies wearing too much make-up... :smallmad:

[Haruki-kun]

*snip*

There is no longer any need to debate on worst cover after seeing this. :smalltongue:

They don't look so much like the actors, though, except maybe for Ron. Emma Watson's way prettier than that Hermione.

[Metal Head]

Those covers need a soundtrack of purest METAL! :smallcool:

I have sooooooooooooo many recommendations for you...

[Mr._Blinky]

@WalkingTarget: Heh, that's really funny actually. I just checked Jhereg out from the library, having read it years ago. Funny coincidence.

More on topic, I've never found the American art for the Harry Potter series particularly attractive either.

[bosssmiley]

Love: the classic fantasy (Leiber, Moorcock, Vance, Zelazny, etc.) cover art on this page (http://xerun748.blogspot.com/2008_04_30_archive.html).

I don't normally go for minimalism, but those covers have style.