Category: Covers

The Hunter

Covers

The author says:

An epic fantasy set in the medieval world of Fareldin. The story follows a man content to die, who begins to find new meaning as he helps a kidnapped teen girl return to her fiefdom. But protecting her may prove fatal as dark plots threat All because he can’t say no to his wolf. This book would appeal to adult readers of Tolkien, John Flanagan, and Micheal J. Sullivan.

Nathan says:

While there’s nothing specifically wrong here, it’s very murky, and strikes me more as a gritty medieval historical novel (or, at most, grimdark fantasy) rather than epic fantasy.  And at thumbnail size, it all fades into a gray that can be easily overlooked in favor of the book covers that will appear to its left and right on Amazon.

My advice: Up the contrast, crop it so there’s less gray space, and keep looking at fonts until you find one that gives a more epic feel.

Other comments?

APOLLO DREAMS: The Space Case Chronicles, Volume 1

Covers

The author says:

“APOLLO DREAMS: The Space Case Chronicles, Volume 1” is a coming-of-age novel set in 1970, juxtaposing the real-life challenges of a young boy named Billy McBride with his vivid space adventures as Captain Apollo. Set against the backdrop of the Apollo 13 launch, the narrative seamlessly blends historical events with a rich imaginative world. This dual narrative offers a unique exploration of family dynamics, bullying, and the power of imagination. Targeted towards middle-grade to young adult readers, the story would resonate with fans of authors like Madeleine L’Engle, Roald Dahl, and E.L. Konigsburg, who weave reality with elements of fantasy and adventure.

Nathan says:

No pun intended, but there’s an awful lot of empty space here.  Given that most of your potential readers will first encounter your book as a thumbnail on Amazon or some other ecommerce store, you would be well served by maximizing what they can see in that tiny real estate.

If you crop it like this, you lose no detail at all, and instead maximize what readers see:

My second suggestion would be to double the spaciness. Until you zoom in, you don’t really notice the instrument panel in the washing machine (there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write). So bling it up! Add glowing Christmas lights to the panel, put a Saturn-like ring around the title, anything so that the science fictional nature of the story is instantly apparent.

My third suggestion: Between the striped shirt and the glasses, your protagonist looks like the lovechild of Waldo and Harry Potter. That may be intentional, but if not, at least change the color of the red stripes.  (And the shadows on his face are a little distracting.)

Other comments?

Marginally Human

Covers

The author says:

This is NOT the blurb: It is hard sci-fi set in the 25th century in a city covered with a dome. Much of the world population is decimated. Loads of new (imaginary) science, themes of human nature, relationships, politics, nature of power… Our protagonists live in the welfare dormitories encircling Dome 91-110.

Nathan says:

You’ve got some great elements here. Let’s fine-tune them.

First up, I think it’s a shame that the main tower is obscured, as that’s the focal point of the underlying artwork. Have you tried putting the title at the bottom as well, so that the tower is intelligible in thumbnail?

Second: I think the artwork and the futuristic type for “Human” does enough to set the mood/genre/milieu that you don’t need to use the same futuristic font for the subtitle as well. Remember that the smaller the type is, the more easy-to-read it needs to be. Does the byline font have upper and lowercase?

Other comments?

Letters to Fern

Covers

The editor says:

This book contains letters written from England during World War II by a US Army airman to his girlfriend and later wife in the United States. The main purpose of the book is to help their posterity remember them.

Nathan says:

That purpose is the clincher. If this is a book meant for the posterity of the letter-writer, then you have a captive audience whose attention really doesn’t need to be drawn by the cover.

My only suggestion would be a descriptive subtitle: “The Wartime Letters of Rex Furniss 1939-1945” or somesuch.

Preserving our forefathers’ stories is important, so good on you.

 

Before It’s Too Late

Covers

The publisher says:

Deserted by her mother, Lydia, as a high school student, Melissa Streeter vowed never to see her again – and never has, until a letter from Iowa arrives, imploring her to visit her dying mother before it’s too late. The ask comes from a man named Gabe, Lydia’s husband. A dairy farmer in beautiful northeast Iowa, his urgent words compel her to break her long-ago vow.

Nathan says:

Assuming that the inciting incident leads to drama and reconciliation, I think the cover’s very wrong for this novel. The face looks like Lichtenstein-lite pop art, and it took me far too long to realize that the blotchy shapes at the bottom were in fact cows.

I just don’t think this is going to attract readers who would like the novel. Your best bet is to go to Amazon, figure out what category this novel would fit in, and look at the covers against which this book would be competing — figure out how the target audience is used to being wooed.

(Also, “estrangement” needs another “e.”)

Other comments?