It’s another week of covers - and we see the continuing trend of big name authors not actually using much on their covers to sell their books - their names speak for them, cover art is unnecessary. For those who aren’t relying on their name in block capitals to sell their books we have the usual ploys - sexy ladies for no reason, abstract to the point of sheer confusion and a sparse… but evocative suggestions.
Like Anne Rice’s books, this is another classic that doesn’t need a cover to tells us what it is or what it’s about. If you’re going to read this book, you’ve heard of it and you know what it is, or at the very least are familiar already with the author’s work. The cover is simple, evocative and lacking any need to actually sell itself. It is also worth noting that the society in this book is quite repressed and therefore to truly represent the story the cover must necessarily be understated. A loud aggressive in your face cover would not work for this book.
I like to kind of hope that they’re actually Weeping Angels and they’re there to try and save you from reading this book. Whatever you do…. BLINK!
There are no aliens in this book. It’s about witches - not even witches with spot lights
This is actually the kind of cover I usually see from male authors - a single image, more abstract than pictures, no central figure - lots of implication rather than an outright person on the front. I’m curious -it would make me pick it up and check the blurb
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Like Anne Rice’s books, this is another classic that doesn’t need a cover to tells us what it is or what it’s about. If you’re going to read this book, you’ve heard of it and you know what it is, or at the very least are familiar already with the author’s work. The cover is simple, evocative and lacking any need to actually sell itself. It is also worth noting that the society in this book is quite repressed and therefore to truly represent the story the cover must necessarily be understated. A loud aggressive in your face cover would not work for this book.
The Witching Hour (Mayfair Witches #1) by Anne Rice
Again, Anne Rice’s covers always scream “I’m Anne Rice, this could be covered in wall paper!” Which is true. The emphasis is on the title and the author’s name; everything else is just there to fill empty space. It’s like the editor wrote Anne Rice’s Name, the Book Title then rammed some stone angels on there because they had the rights and why not? Witches? Ah, it’s about an old house - statue angels will do.
I like to kind of hope that they’re actually Weeping Angels and they’re there to try and save you from reading this book. Whatever you do…. BLINK!
Zombie Fallout 2: A Plague Upon Your Family (Zombie Fallout #2) by Mark Tufo
What is a woman doing on the cover of a book with a male protagonist? Oh I know, sex sells and Tufo isn’t about making sense in his work whatsoever. Clearly the person on the cover is the vampire who is stalking the Talbot family. The problem is the name of the book is zombie fallout and therefore, shouldn’t there at least be a bloody zombie on the cover. There is nothing on the cover to give any indication of what this story is about. The cover is a boring stock image.
The Line (Witching Savannah #1) by J.D. Horn
This is… interesting. I have to be honest, glancing at the cover I kind of think flying saucers. It looks like a space ship! Alien abductions! Unidentified flying object in the sky! then I look closer and see runes and think… runic aliens. Runic aliens with spot lights
There are no aliens in this book. It’s about witches - not even witches with spot lights
World After (Penryn & the End of Days #2) by Susan Ee
This cover is dark, gritty and outright foreboding. The only lightness to the image are the angel wings. It’s intriguing - plain but kind of compelling - I especially like the rather faded background of the book, this implication of weathering and dog-earedness.
This is actually the kind of cover I usually see from male authors - a single image, more abstract than pictures, no central figure - lots of implication rather than an outright person on the front. I’m curious -it would make me pick it up and check the blurb
