a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Monday, December 26, 2011
Betrayal's Shadow by KH LeMoyne
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. Hmmm. Very nice display of muscle there, but I'm actually not quite sure of the genre. Ripped manliness with no shirt implies romance, but there's no woman and the rest of the typefaces and the background treatment imply paranormal or fantasy.
I like the color scheme. I like the gold band and the title. I don't get the stuff at the bottom around the ??globe?? But it's kind of cool looking so I can live with it.
Now. As for the model himself and the background, I think the masking job and lighting could be better done. My problem is specifically with the right side of his torso against the background. The dark edge of his right side is too hard against the lighter background. It makes him look like a flat 2-dimensional cutout. I'm also not really thrilled with the pose; for my taste it's a bit overdramatic.
I don't mean to imply this is a bad cover. It has a lot of really nice elements. I think if it was mine I'd do a different model or different pose and insert him more smoothly into the background and I'd be super happy with it.
My problem with this cover is that it seems to have no connection to the genre whatsoever. In fact, I have no idea what the genre is. The subtitle (series title?) "Guardians of Eden" could even indicate some sort of Christian fiction or it could be fantasy or paranormal. The over-muscled guy with no shirt sure doesn't give a hint. No clue and since I don't know, I wouldn't be likely to look more closely. It's not an unattractive cover though.
I am with the rest of you. There is something missing with this cover. The pose / artwork is dynamic and is well done but the total cover is missing information to help tell the audience what the book is about.
Just because it is a good piece of artwork doesn't make it a great cover. If we have to guess what the book is about then there is a problem with the cover.
Again I concur with Robin. Good elements here but they're not meshing, and I am not sure what's in the book: Is it Conan the Barbarian or Fabio? He seems to be trapped in a dungeon but looking towards a light source. Maybe that's his salvation up there? With that in mind I'd lose all the fussiness, aside from the author's name, natch, at the bottom and let it fade to black down there.
Well. Hmmm. Very nice display of muscle there, but I'm actually not quite sure of the genre. Ripped manliness with no shirt implies romance, but there's no woman and the rest of the typefaces and the background treatment imply paranormal or fantasy.
ReplyDeleteI like the color scheme. I like the gold band and the title. I don't get the stuff at the bottom around the ??globe?? But it's kind of cool looking so I can live with it.
Now. As for the model himself and the background, I think the masking job and lighting could be better done. My problem is specifically with the right side of his torso against the background. The dark edge of his right side is too hard against the lighter background. It makes him look like a flat 2-dimensional cutout. I'm also not really thrilled with the pose; for my taste it's a bit overdramatic.
I don't mean to imply this is a bad cover. It has a lot of really nice elements. I think if it was mine I'd do a different model or different pose and insert him more smoothly into the background and I'd be super happy with it.
This cover works for me. It catches my attention. The pose is dynamic and the body attractive.
ReplyDeleteWhile it wouldn't make me buy the book, it would make me read the book's blurb, and if the blurb interests me, I'd buy.
For the genre, I'm guessing it's heroic fantasy with erotic elements.
My problem with this cover is that it seems to have no connection to the genre whatsoever. In fact, I have no idea what the genre is. The subtitle (series title?) "Guardians of Eden" could even indicate some sort of Christian fiction or it could be fantasy or paranormal. The over-muscled guy with no shirt sure doesn't give a hint. No clue and since I don't know, I wouldn't be likely to look more closely. It's not an unattractive cover though.
ReplyDeleteI am with the rest of you. There is something missing with this cover. The pose / artwork is dynamic and is well done but the total cover is missing information to help tell the audience what the book is about.
ReplyDeleteJust because it is a good piece of artwork doesn't make it a great cover. If we have to guess what the book is about then there is a problem with the cover.
Again I concur with Robin. Good elements here but they're not meshing, and I am not sure what's in the book: Is it Conan the Barbarian or Fabio? He seems to be trapped in a dungeon but looking towards a light source. Maybe that's his salvation up there? With that in mind I'd lose all the fussiness, aside from the author's name, natch, at the bottom and let it fade to black down there.
ReplyDelete