judging a book

[adelaidesean]

What attracts or repels you in a book cover? The excellent Mindy Klasky wants to know.

This question drives authors, editors, artists and marketing departments crazy, so even though though it's inevitably "squishy" (to steal Mindy's word) any kind of data point will help. It'd also be nice to have non-USAian tastes represented in the results.

Click here to go to the survey.

Comments

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. My favourite fantasy covers in recent years were Garth Nix's UK covers to Sabriel et al. Just symbols; sold brilliantly; no worries.

[mallory-blog.livejournal.com]

I like covers that feature the protagonist in a strong scene from the book - I want to see FACE and attitude.

I don't like penthouse covers or planets in space covers and enough with the tattoo on womans back thing already.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Re Penthouse covers: I still smile a little to myself that Saturn Returns has male figures on all the covers, when the protagonist spends most of the book as a busty blonde in a skintight suit. You can just imagine how it would've looked in the 50s.

[mallory-blog.livejournal.com]

I never was much of a fan of older covers or the often token role of women in the stories. I always felt the books weren't written or marketed toward me.