a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Friday, January 13, 2012
The Uncertainty Principle by Tyler Montreux
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.
Have no idea of the genre. Guess: nonfiction. Artsy depiction of a twisted gangplank into a ship as if a voyage, but no idea if its the start or the end. The title gets lost. Expect that it would be even less visible, and thus less intriguing, from a distance on a bookseller's shelf.
I love it - staircase as question mark, leading to the great blue yonder? Really intriguing and dreamlike The writer appears to be using a pen name so I guess it's fiction, and with a title like that I guess somewhere towards the literary end rather than straight genre fiction. I'm probably swayed by the use of the aquamarine (favorite color). Think it looks cool on a screen but agree with previous comment that the title would probably get lost on a booksellers' shelf... but then I guess it's an ebook, so whatever...
My guess on genre would be Sci-fi, though I'm not quite sure why.
I love the artwork like damn and whoa. Very cool concept, gorgeous color, it really stands out.
I'm kind of meh about the typeface in general. I don't like the G and S. Somehow it looks more like something that should be for the 30s/art nouveau than modern. But that's nit picky; I do like the weight and the sans serif. I wish the title was not in grey. That color does not work for me.
I'd say the genre is mystery thriller, but this is based on the title more than the cover - I agree with first comment that it could easily be a non-fiction cover, maybe about psychology. I'm not sure I like it that much - it's maybe trying too hard to be clever. But that's just me. Also agree that title gets lost, and I really don't like the font. This cover looks self-published - but I'm not saying that's a bad thing. What I do like are the colours and the shading.
The cover artwork is great. Really is eye catching.
But as everyone else points out I really can't tell what the genre is either. However, the cover is interesting enough I would read the blub for this book.
Eye-catching colour scheme. It got my attention. For the genre, I'd say non-fiction, though I'm not sure what kind of non-fiction - probably either self-help or philosophy.
The choice of two pen names put me off. In non-fiction, I want one name.
The only time 'writing as' makes sense is if it's fiction, and the book was published many years ago under one name, and the author has since become famous under a different pen name. Then it makes sense to acknowledge the original author name and capitalise on the new famous name. But even then, it would be the famous name in big letters, and the 'writing as' in small letters.
A big 'writing as' makes no sense to me whatsoever. It doesn't help that I've heard of neither (though that may be a gap of knowledge on my part). And on a non-fiction cover, it's just bizarre.
Although the book attracted me at first with its colour scheme, and held my interest for a moment with its intriguing artwork, the lack of genre/subgenre clues and the 'gimmicky' double byline gimmick put me off.
I would notice the cover, but not move on to read blurb and sample chapters.
In marketing terms, this cover performs well at AIDA Stage 1, and poorly at AIDA Stage 2.
Looks science fiction to me, the stairs do look like a question mark and the title font looks like what Tor used in the seventies. Yeah, there does need to be a good reason for the two names.
Have no idea of the genre. Guess: nonfiction. Artsy depiction of a twisted gangplank into a ship as if a voyage, but no idea if its the start or the end. The title gets lost. Expect that it would be even less visible, and thus less intriguing, from a distance on a bookseller's shelf.
ReplyDeleteI love it - staircase as question mark, leading to the great blue yonder? Really intriguing and dreamlike The writer appears to be using a pen name so I guess it's fiction, and with a title like that I guess somewhere towards the literary end rather than straight genre fiction. I'm probably swayed by the use of the aquamarine (favorite color). Think it looks cool on a screen but agree with previous comment that the title would probably get lost on a booksellers' shelf... but then I guess it's an ebook, so whatever...
ReplyDeleteMy guess on genre would be Sci-fi, though I'm not quite sure why.
ReplyDeleteI love the artwork like damn and whoa. Very cool concept, gorgeous color, it really stands out.
I'm kind of meh about the typeface in general. I don't like the G and S. Somehow it looks more like something that should be for the 30s/art nouveau than modern. But that's nit picky; I do like the weight and the sans serif. I wish the title was not in grey. That color does not work for me.
Initially, this cover is beautiful in it's simplicity. I love the spiral staircase to the open door, big cloud-dotted sky as the destination.
ReplyDeleteGenre's a big "I dunno"
Really, this could be anything, which in a way, I oddly like that.
"Really, this could be anything, which in a way, I oddly like that."
ReplyDeleteUncertainty is appropriate considering the book's title, no?
The uncertainty of the image is in the title, I think?
ReplyDeleteFollowing you, follow me:
http://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.com
I like the fact that the stairs look like a winding roller coaster track which speaks of uncertainty and impending thrills. It's intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI'd say the genre is mystery thriller, but this is based on the title more than the cover - I agree with first comment that it could easily be a non-fiction cover, maybe about psychology. I'm not sure I like it that much - it's maybe trying too hard to be clever. But that's just me. Also agree that title gets lost, and I really don't like the font. This cover looks self-published - but I'm not saying that's a bad thing. What I do like are the colours and the shading.
ReplyDeleteThe cover artwork is great. Really is eye catching.
ReplyDeleteBut as everyone else points out I really can't tell what the genre is either. However, the cover is interesting enough I would read the blub for this book.
Eye-catching colour scheme. It got my attention.
ReplyDeleteFor the genre, I'd say non-fiction, though I'm not sure what kind of non-fiction - probably either self-help or philosophy.
The choice of two pen names put me off. In non-fiction, I want one name.
The only time 'writing as' makes sense is if it's fiction, and the book was published many years ago under one name, and the author has since become famous under a different pen name. Then it makes sense to acknowledge the original author name and capitalise on the new famous name. But even then, it would be the famous name in big letters, and the 'writing as' in small letters.
A big 'writing as' makes no sense to me whatsoever. It doesn't help that I've heard of neither (though that may be a gap of knowledge on my part). And on a non-fiction cover, it's just bizarre.
Although the book attracted me at first with its colour scheme, and held my interest for a moment with its intriguing artwork, the lack of genre/subgenre clues and the 'gimmicky' double byline gimmick put me off.
I would notice the cover, but not move on to read blurb and sample chapters.
In marketing terms, this cover performs well at AIDA Stage 1, and poorly at AIDA Stage 2.
Looks science fiction to me, the stairs do look like a question mark and the title font looks like what Tor used in the seventies. Yeah, there does need to be a good reason for the two names.
ReplyDelete