a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Badwater by Toni Dwiggins
What's the genre? 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 love this cover as a cover. I love the color, the grunged out nuclear waste symbol and the use of color and shading in the title. If I had to nitpick, I think I'd question why, if the title is "Badwater" there was no water. Also, I'd be tempted to use more of a slab font and some grunge effect on the title. But this one would definitely make me pick it up.
I don't like the type face or the reverse gradient inside the letters. This cover would standout more with a different font. As Robin says a grunge font might work or something more futuristic. The choice will say more about what the book is about also.
I like this cover. My only issue is what Robin has already pointed out - it's interesting that the title is Badwater and the graphic is of a parched wasteland. I guess that really is some bad water. ;-)
Thanks everyone for your comments. Very interesting, very useful.
The genre is a hybrid: forensic mystery and ecothriller.
It's apocolyptic only in the sense that the threat is to contaminate Death Valley national park with radiation...but there is no end-of-the-world plot.
About the lack of water: I tried doing this cover myself first (it was much improved by a pro), and I searched the stock photo sites for scary desert pix with water. Everything with water looked so oasis-like, which is not the message I intended. Wanting to keep the cover as simple as possible, I gave up on the water.
Merrill: indeed, the bad guy makes a comment about turning water bad with contaminants. Very bad water, indeed. :)
As for the font, I'm really happy with it, but I still take the critiques seriously.
Modern thriller?
ReplyDeleteI love this cover as a cover. I love the color, the grunged out nuclear waste symbol and the use of color and shading in the title. If I had to nitpick, I think I'd question why, if the title is "Badwater" there was no water. Also, I'd be tempted to use more of a slab font and some grunge effect on the title. But this one would definitely make me pick it up.
Apocolyptic fiction. This is a really cool cover. The bleakness comes through so well, it creeps me out. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Apocolyptic fiction to me also.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the type face or the reverse gradient inside the letters. This cover would standout more with a different font. As Robin says a grunge font might work or something more futuristic. The choice will say more about what the book is about also.
I like this cover. My only issue is what Robin has already pointed out - it's interesting that the title is Badwater and the graphic is of a parched wasteland. I guess that really is some bad water. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your comments. Very interesting, very useful.
ReplyDeleteThe genre is a hybrid: forensic mystery and ecothriller.
It's apocolyptic only in the sense that the threat is to contaminate Death Valley national park with radiation...but there is no end-of-the-world plot.
About the lack of water: I tried doing this cover myself first (it was much improved by a pro), and I searched the stock photo sites for scary desert pix with water. Everything with water looked so oasis-like, which is not the message I intended. Wanting to keep the cover as simple as possible, I gave up on the water.
Merrill: indeed, the bad guy makes a comment about turning water bad with contaminants. Very bad water, indeed. :)
As for the font, I'm really happy with it, but I still take the critiques seriously.
Again, thanks to you all.