a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
12. 21. 12 by Killian McRae
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.
Well, because of all the talk about the end of the world coming in 2012, I wouldn't be surprised if this were a post-apocalyptic novel. But because the title is the "expected date" of the apocalypse, perhaps it's a thriller to show what earth-shattering events take place up to that day.
The cover has a bit much going on with the Mayan calendar, the inset of the frustrated looking woman, the half face and then the feather overlaid over the half-face. Unfortunately, the cover is a bit busy so aesthically it may not attracte me. But I admit I tend to perfer less busy covers. I think this cover would be a bit more attractive minus the feather and the inset of the woman.
I agree with Angela. The inset of the woman and the feather makes it so busy that at first I couldn't even figure out what it was about. Just too much to take in at a glance. I don't mind the half face or the calendar but the others are just a bit too much.
Just wanted to stop in and thank you all for your impressions! After reading through your comments, I think I'll redesign the cover for the ebook. This copy is for print, so the issues regarding size aren't really an issue, but I didn't even consider it's practicality as a thumbnail image and yes, that's very important.
I'm afraid this one doesn't work for me. It's nice-looking, but when viewed at thumbnail size (which is how most e-book covers are seen), none of the individual elements are visible. I fear that if I saw this on an Amazon page with a dozen other covers, my eyes would go right past and not even notice it. Fewer elements, and making them bigger and bolder, might be more effective. Of course, that's just one viewer's opinion.
PS - I've just read the other comments. So it's for print? Hmm. The design principles for a printed book are indeed different from those for an e-book - or rather, they used to be. In the days when most books were sold in brick&mortar book stores, potential buyers would see the cover at full size. But these days, most print books are sold online, and the buyers see the covers at thumbnail size. If you consider redesigning this cover, the sizing is worth thinking about.
I liked the light burst and the vertical font (although as I presume this is the title, I would like it more prominent). I thought the Mayan calendar was excellent. But, yes, too busy.
I'm not bothered by the font for the author name being small when presented as a thumbnail. For online browsing, I'm not sure what is the purpose of an author's name on the cover. I wasn't keen, though, on the black band over the image. something like a black outer glow would marry it better to the underlying image IMHO.
Well, because of all the talk about the end of the world coming in 2012, I wouldn't be surprised if this were a post-apocalyptic novel. But because the title is the "expected date" of the apocalypse, perhaps it's a thriller to show what earth-shattering events take place up to that day.
ReplyDeleteThe cover has a bit much going on with the Mayan calendar, the inset of the frustrated looking woman, the half face and then the feather overlaid over the half-face. Unfortunately, the cover is a bit busy so aesthically it may not attracte me. But I admit I tend to perfer less busy covers. I think this cover would be a bit more attractive minus the feather and the inset of the woman.
I agree with Angela. The inset of the woman and the feather makes it so busy that at first I couldn't even figure out what it was about. Just too much to take in at a glance. I don't mind the half face or the calendar but the others are just a bit too much.
ReplyDeleteI can barely tell what the title is or who the author is. Both kinda bad for a cover. Will be even harder in a thumbnail to see anything.
ReplyDeleteAgree with most of the above. To me the worst mistake is title and author name; beautiful, but really not readable in ebook form.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like that it is an end of the world story with 2012.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else has said the text is unreadable. the text needs to be totally redone.
The rest of the cover is a bit busy. I think that you can lose the person in the lower right, it is not really needed and is a bit over kill.
Just wanted to stop in and thank you all for your impressions! After reading through your comments, I think I'll redesign the cover for the ebook. This copy is for print, so the issues regarding size aren't really an issue, but I didn't even consider it's practicality as a thumbnail image and yes, that's very important.
ReplyDelete@Killian, I like the overall feel, it just needs some tweaking I think.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid this one doesn't work for me. It's nice-looking, but when viewed at thumbnail size (which is how most e-book covers are seen), none of the individual elements are visible. I fear that if I saw this on an Amazon page with a dozen other covers, my eyes would go right past and not even notice it.
ReplyDeleteFewer elements, and making them bigger and bolder, might be more effective.
Of course, that's just one viewer's opinion.
PS - I've just read the other comments. So it's for print? Hmm. The design principles for a printed book are indeed different from those for an e-book - or rather, they used to be.
ReplyDeleteIn the days when most books were sold in brick&mortar book stores, potential buyers would see the cover at full size.
But these days, most print books are sold online, and the buyers see the covers at thumbnail size. If you consider redesigning this cover, the sizing is worth thinking about.
I liked the light burst and the vertical font (although as I presume this is the title, I would like it more prominent). I thought the Mayan calendar was excellent. But, yes, too busy.
ReplyDeleteI'm not bothered by the font for the author name being small when presented as a thumbnail. For online browsing, I'm not sure what is the purpose of an author's name on the cover. I wasn't keen, though, on the black band over the image. something like a black outer glow would marry it better to the underlying image IMHO.