Me too, but that doesn’t mean it makes a good book cover. The font is boring and we can’t even read the author’s name. And it’s definitely not appropriate for the genre.
This cover is just wrong for the book, otherwise it isn’t that bad.
Side Note: Lucie Le Blanc,
What is your opinion on French to English translation? Specifically on the matter of bizarre, aggressive, and non sequitur statements as spoken by mythological creatures?
Waffles: huh? lol I had never pondered the question, but IMHO any translation takes away something from the original text. And since English and French don’t share the same roots and culture, translating from one to the other often sounds artificial.
French is very precise and at the same time very figurative. On the contrary, English is more pragmatic and logical, almost mathematical. This explains why it is so much easier for French speaking people to learn English, than the reverse.
Anyway, I really want to know more about you (and these mythical creatures) and I’m going to trust these nice fellows not to spam me or send me death threats. 😉 lulubizou at gmail dot com.
This pretty design is not in any appropriate for a crime novel. Maybe any novel, for that matter.
L.
10 years ago
I’m not digging it. The background does indeed look like upholstery that would be found on an armchair. That’s boring enough. But the psychedelic artwork layered over it does nothing for me. Unless it is supposed to represent the fact the “Armchair Detective” lives in Colorado and has just scored some of the good stuff.
Around the late 1950s images sort of like this were popular for science fiction paperbacks. They showed shapes that were just sort of… shapes. (Not that I’m really knocking these covers; I rather like them.)
The only mystery I’m seeing is why McGraw-Hill is putting their name on the cover of this.
ASwan
10 years ago
1. Blue and orange are complementary colors, so this color scheme has potential. However, the type of blue needs to be scaled back. Orange and teal look beautiful and are a perennial favorite of movie poster designers and book cover designers. As this book cover stands, the blue/orange contrast makes me think more of the Denver Broncos.
2. The abstract design is, in fact, pretty cool. But it seems to have been drawn without the antialiasing (that’s a thing, right?) turned on. As a result, it looks pixelated. This design would have been better as a vector image, with clean, smooth edges.
3. Random design is random. Or random smoke is random. I would have liked this better with only one or the other. The smoke adds intrigue. The design adds WTF. Either way, there should only be one image superimposed.
4. Saying that the image is good because it’s a close up of an armchair (It’s the “Armchair Detective,” GEDDIT?) would be like saying that and extreme close up of skin would work for a murder mystery called “Bodies.” Throw on some swirly designs, and BAM! Nailed it.
LydiaFCG
10 years ago
I hate that McGraw-Hill logo on the bottom left. I can’t judge the cover because I can’t look at anything else.
red
10 years ago
Is the pilot that drunk gnome with eyes on stalks? I’ll take the bus.
It’s a nice image but the wrong one, as everyone is pointing out…and made worse by using a template to place the type. An overlooked problem is that this is a stock image that has appeared on several other books. This is one of the major drawbacks to using unaltered stock art…
Woo, a stock image and it is that bad? Admittedly I liked it at first glance, the picture, not the cover, but on second glance that looks like a doodle. I have done a few on Alchemy art project, but I have so far not tried to push them as cover illustrations to anyone.
![cover[1]](https://lousybookcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/cover122.jpg)
I genuinely think that is quite beautiful
Me too, but that doesn’t mean it makes a good book cover. The font is boring and we can’t even read the author’s name. And it’s definitely not appropriate for the genre.
This cover is just wrong for the book, otherwise it isn’t that bad.
Side Note: Lucie Le Blanc,
What is your opinion on French to English translation? Specifically on the matter of bizarre, aggressive, and non sequitur statements as spoken by mythological creatures?
Pro or con?
Waffles: huh? lol I had never pondered the question, but IMHO any translation takes away something from the original text. And since English and French don’t share the same roots and culture, translating from one to the other often sounds artificial.
French is very precise and at the same time very figurative. On the contrary, English is more pragmatic and logical, almost mathematical. This explains why it is so much easier for French speaking people to learn English, than the reverse.
Anyway, I really want to know more about you (and these mythical creatures) and I’m going to trust these nice fellows not to spam me or send me death threats. 😉 lulubizou at gmail dot com.
The nice ones, certainly will not. The authors seeking revenge on the other hand… may send you a message, then you can block them.
This would look cool if it were a sci-fi novel.
But the picture is a close up of an armchair!
It’s a close of of upholstery fabric, at least, and says absolutely nothing about what the book is about.
Quick! Somebody! Save the drowning dude.
$10* to whoever can read the author’s name – no cheating, please.
* In pretend, invisible Monopoly money.
Ian Shimwell, that’s what she said.
Yep!
Ooh! Pretty!
…what is it?
This pretty design is not in any appropriate for a crime novel. Maybe any novel, for that matter.
I’m not digging it. The background does indeed look like upholstery that would be found on an armchair. That’s boring enough. But the psychedelic artwork layered over it does nothing for me. Unless it is supposed to represent the fact the “Armchair Detective” lives in Colorado and has just scored some of the good stuff.
Around the late 1950s images sort of like this were popular for science fiction paperbacks. They showed shapes that were just sort of… shapes. (Not that I’m really knocking these covers; I rather like them.)
http://bit.ly/1kXoN5P
http://bit.ly/1oYs3gd
http://bit.ly/1oEpHPa
Yes, but even then (a) they were done with more craft and skill, and (b) a sci-fi cover doesn’t make a good mystery cover.
Oh, I agree. This cover sucks by any standard. But it did bring up some fond associations for me.
Those are all by Richard Powers, one of the grand masters of science fiction art.
Perhaps the mystery is to figure out what in the world this cover is… (Maybe this is good advertising for McGraw-Hill Open Publishing though…)
The only mystery I’m seeing is why McGraw-Hill is putting their name on the cover of this.
1. Blue and orange are complementary colors, so this color scheme has potential. However, the type of blue needs to be scaled back. Orange and teal look beautiful and are a perennial favorite of movie poster designers and book cover designers. As this book cover stands, the blue/orange contrast makes me think more of the Denver Broncos.
2. The abstract design is, in fact, pretty cool. But it seems to have been drawn without the antialiasing (that’s a thing, right?) turned on. As a result, it looks pixelated. This design would have been better as a vector image, with clean, smooth edges.
3. Random design is random. Or random smoke is random. I would have liked this better with only one or the other. The smoke adds intrigue. The design adds WTF. Either way, there should only be one image superimposed.
4. Saying that the image is good because it’s a close up of an armchair (It’s the “Armchair Detective,” GEDDIT?) would be like saying that and extreme close up of skin would work for a murder mystery called “Bodies.” Throw on some swirly designs, and BAM! Nailed it.
I hate that McGraw-Hill logo on the bottom left. I can’t judge the cover because I can’t look at anything else.
Is the pilot that drunk gnome with eyes on stalks? I’ll take the bus.
It’s a nice image but the wrong one, as everyone is pointing out…and made worse by using a template to place the type. An overlooked problem is that this is a stock image that has appeared on several other books. This is one of the major drawbacks to using unaltered stock art…
Woo, a stock image and it is that bad? Admittedly I liked it at first glance, the picture, not the cover, but on second glance that looks like a doodle. I have done a few on Alchemy art project, but I have so far not tried to push them as cover illustrations to anyone.
That’s it, I’m downloading it!