a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Monday, June 27, 2011
The Gorge by JL McPherson
What's the genre? What's the logline? What is it you like or don't like about this cover? Does it make you want to know more about the book? Does it make you want to BUY the book? Discuss.
I’m sorry to say that I’m not a big fan of this cover.
To start with I do not like the typeface. It’s really hard to read and it doesn’t stand out enough. The little tag above the title can’t be read in thumbnail form at all. With the tag I would suggest either make it stand out more or lose it.
The image with all the overlays is a very tricky thing to do. At the moment it seems like everything is competing with each other. The red at the top of the skull, I can’t tell if it suppose to be part of the skull or a fireball or something else.
My suggestion would be to lose the skull and just keep the moon/clouds with the valley for your image and then fix the text.
The skull suggests horror. The title doesn't suggest anything...oh, wait, I just notice the miniscule tagline, "An Appalachian Thriller."
Ah.
I agree with Eric that you should lose the skull; I think it detracts from the fact that this is a thriller (what's wrong with just leaving it with the mountains/gorge/clouds). I'd think you'd have a much better chance putting across that it's a thriller/suspense novel with that.
And I think the font should be darker; kind of gets lost in the fog/mist.
I think maybe horror or thriller. I had to stare at it for a few seconds to figure out what it was. It seems there are too many things competing for the eye in the same place. It's one thing if the eye is guided from one part to another, say upper left to bottom left to bottom right, etc. But this one looks jumbled to me. Sorry.
(Eric-)
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry to say that I’m not a big fan of this cover.
To start with I do not like the typeface. It’s really hard to read and it doesn’t stand out enough. The little tag above the title can’t be read in thumbnail form at all. With the tag I would suggest either make it stand out more or lose it.
The image with all the overlays is a very tricky thing to do. At the moment it seems like everything is competing with each other. The red at the top of the skull, I can’t tell if it suppose to be part of the skull or a fireball or something else.
My suggestion would be to lose the skull and just keep the moon/clouds with the valley for your image and then fix the text.
I have to agree with Eric. This is too busy and nothing stands out.
ReplyDeleteThe skull suggests horror. The title doesn't suggest anything...oh, wait, I just notice the miniscule tagline, "An Appalachian Thriller."
ReplyDeleteAh.
I agree with Eric that you should lose the skull; I think it detracts from the fact that this is a thriller (what's wrong with just leaving it with the mountains/gorge/clouds). I'd think you'd have a much better chance putting across that it's a thriller/suspense novel with that.
And I think the font should be darker; kind of gets lost in the fog/mist.
I think maybe horror or thriller. I had to stare at it for a few seconds to figure out what it was. It seems there are too many things competing for the eye in the same place. It's one thing if the eye is guided from one part to another, say upper left to bottom left to bottom right, etc. But this one looks jumbled to me. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteOoooh, a skull faded and looming over the landscape; like we've never seen that before. That concept must have fallen right out of the sky!
ReplyDelete