Fantasy Book Critic: Some Superb Covers

Since there has been recently an upsurge in beautiful or interesting covers of various novels, I thought of showcasing some striking covers of 29 novels that I loved a lot, plus one that I plan to buy due in large part to the cover. These are the kind of covers that for various reasons would and actually did in quite a few cases make me pick up the book in question and pay much more attention to it than otherwise. Enjoy!

I also plan to do a contrasting post; books that I love but that have covers that make me cringe and use a brown bag in public, while I would have run far away from them without knowing that I really want them.

In this collage there is only one book I bought partly based on the cover (#4); all the others are from favorite authors/series and they illustrate very well the respective books.

Here there are 4 books I partly got based on the covers (#1,2,3,5). While I would have got Consorts anyway, the cover is just beautiful.

In this collage there are 3 books that I got partly based on the cover and one I plan to (#3,4,5 and #2 respectively), while Adam Roberts just got some magnificent covers that I even broke my rule of one author cover only and showcased two.

Here there are two books that it's unlikely I would have bought without the superb covers (#3, #5) while for the rest they are some of my favorite covers around.

In this collage there are 2 books I bought again mostly because of the covers (#1, #2), while #3 and #5 are just more examples of superb artwork, with #4 a great cover too because it reflects the book and series so well.

Here there is one book that the cover represented about 90% of my decision to buy unseen from the UK (#5), a book that I may not have opened without the striking cover that hints at the superb stuff inside (#1), and three more superb covers of books I would have got anyway, including one more Adam Roberts cover that should make any sf lover take a look at that book.

12:09 AM |

Posted by Liviu |

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7 comments:

SQT said...: I'm surprised you don't have Warbreaker on your list. I think the cover is so striking.; June 6, 2009 at 2:09 AM
Mihai A. said...: I love the covers for Adam Roberts' novels a lot too. Especially the one for "Yellow Blue Tibia" at which I spent quite a while looking over each detail of it :); June 6, 2009 at 3:28 AM
The Reader said...: Hi Liviu

This ia a good article, another good book with a great cover is Palace of Illusions by Chitra B. Divakaruni

Here it is http://images.contentreserve.com/ImageType-100/0111-1/%7BFA98C4B8-22F6-4039-A1D8-39334C72680C%7DImg100.jpg

Also Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series is getting released in UK by Orbit with another set of Fantastic covers http://www.orbitbooks.net/2009/02/27/deals-and-deliveries-jim-butchers-codex-alera-series-plus-cover-art-news/; June 6, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Julie Soul said...: I am so happy to see artists being showcased for some of the beautiful covers coming out lately. I'm always interested in the different international cover editions as well. I would be intrigued to see an article/commentary on books that do not have the best of covers but need a second look.; June 6, 2009 at 5:29 PM
Robin Sullivan said...: Book covers are so interesting - I personally don't like the WOT covers. I'm glad you liked my husband's Avempartha cover (he does the artwork himself) and the third book's cover just had a rough done of it. Here is a link to it. Riyria Series Covers; June 7, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Anonymous said...: The Yellow BLue Tibia cover convinced me to buy it. The other AR cover's cool too as is the Johannes Cabal.; June 13, 2009 at 6:07 AM
Anonymous said...: The Yellow BLue Tibia cover convinced me to buy it. The other AR cover's cool too as is the Johannes Cabal.; June 13, 2009 at 6:07 AM