a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Monday, October 10, 2011
Warleader by Joshua P. Simon
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 would say that this is either a horror or mystery short story.
I think that his cover works very well and is very eye catching.
I do say that I like the colors, the red blood on the blue background is very nice. The blood on the blade does look to be a bit too red for blood, but other than that I can't find any problems.
It looks like a historical due to the aged look of the knife. The blood, someone is going to get killed. The title, either it's the leader getting killed or doing the killing. Fresh blood does get that bright red color. Would I want to read it. Yes. I like bloody war stories.
I thought the stylised knife looked like fantasy as opposed to historical. It's an attractive cover. I might take a look at it even not being quite sure of the genre. I always think adding a subtitle to give the genre is a good idea though.
A bloody knife is always striking on a cover because it speaks of death and mayhem and asks questions. Who? Why? What?
I think the blue background distracts from the chilly atmosphere, however; I'd suggested gray tones. Blue seems too lively for the bloody dagger.
The genre says murder mystery or thriller to me, although the title "Warleader" is at odds with that in my mind, so I'd be intrigued enough to sample the book and probably purchase it if the price were right :-D.
I'm glad most seem to like the cover. I was hoping that the style of the knife and the title of "Warleader" would convey, as J.R. Tomlin stated above, that the setting is fantasy. Both the knife as well as the blue color are key details to the story.
Here is the description: As a young warrior in the elite Kifzo army of his father’s tribe, Tobin lives a life consumed by the relentless training demands of his uncle. Despite his best intentions and hard work, he struggles to cope with his father's indifference toward him and his brother's outright hatred.
A chance opportunity may change all of that. Tobin’s father gives him, his brother and three other young Kifzo each a small squad to lead on a key mission. The squad leader who succeeds will be named Warleader and will command the entire tribe’s army. Tobin sees this as his best chance to step out of the shadow of his brother and earn the respect and recognition he’s always desired.
Warleader is a short story of approximately 9,200 words. It is a prequel to the epic fantasy Rise and Fall: Book One of the Blood and Tears Trilogy. A free excerpt of Chapter 1 of Rise and Fall is included in the purchase of Warleader.
For anyone interested, you can read a sample here: http://joshuapsimon.blogspot.com/p/warleader-sample.html
I would say that this is either a horror or mystery short story.
ReplyDeleteI think that his cover works very well and is very eye catching.
I do say that I like the colors, the red blood on the blue background is very nice. The blood on the blade does look to be a bit too red for blood, but other than that I can't find any problems.
It looks like a historical due to the aged look of the knife.
ReplyDeleteThe blood, someone is going to get killed.
The title, either it's the leader getting killed or doing the killing.
Fresh blood does get that bright red color.
Would I want to read it. Yes. I like bloody war stories.
I thought the stylised knife looked like fantasy as opposed to historical. It's an attractive cover. I might take a look at it even not being quite sure of the genre. I always think adding a subtitle to give the genre is a good idea though.
ReplyDeleteThe font is fine and the silver knife with the red blood work for me. But the colors don't. The blue is too bright for a mystery suspense or thriller.
ReplyDeleteA bloody knife is always striking on a cover because it speaks of death and mayhem and asks questions. Who? Why? What?
ReplyDeleteI think the blue background distracts from the chilly atmosphere, however; I'd suggested gray tones. Blue seems too lively for the bloody dagger.
The genre says murder mystery or thriller to me, although the title "Warleader" is at odds with that in my mind, so I'd be intrigued enough to sample the book and probably purchase it if the price were right :-D.
Hi everyone, thanks for the comments!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad most seem to like the cover. I was hoping that the style of the knife and the title of "Warleader" would convey, as J.R. Tomlin stated above, that the setting is fantasy. Both the knife as well as the blue color are key details to the story.
Here is the description:
As a young warrior in the elite Kifzo army of his father’s tribe, Tobin lives a life consumed by the relentless training demands of his uncle. Despite his best intentions and hard work, he struggles to cope with his father's indifference toward him and his brother's outright hatred.
A chance opportunity may change all of that. Tobin’s father gives him, his brother and three other young Kifzo each a small squad to lead on a key mission. The squad leader who succeeds will be named Warleader and will command the entire tribe’s army. Tobin sees this as his best chance to step out of the shadow of his brother and earn the respect and recognition he’s always desired.
Warleader is a short story of approximately 9,200 words. It is a prequel to the epic fantasy Rise and Fall: Book One of the Blood and Tears Trilogy. A free excerpt of Chapter 1 of Rise and Fall is included in the purchase of Warleader.
For anyone interested, you can read a sample here: http://joshuapsimon.blogspot.com/p/warleader-sample.html