Do you dig these covers?

[Chase Gamwell]

I was browsing an entertainment blog that I read and came across a post (read: advertisement) about new scifi book covers from Penguin Galaxy. These book covers are supposed to be stylish (and part of a specific set), but I'm not sure how I feel about them. (I'm leaning towards dislike, but I'm currently trapped in the realm of ambivalent right now)

Here's the link: http://io9.gizmodo.com/penguin-galaxys-gorgeous-new-scifi-book-covers-are-wort-1787656908

I want to hear how everyone else feels about the covers. Do you like them? Are they too much?

And that brings up another question (that I know we've probably talked about before): what makes a good book cover? And what are some of your favorite covers?

 

[David Newrick]

As someone who works on websites and social media as part of the day job my initial reaction is around accessibility. In case anyone doesn't know what that means - it is the readability of any medium by someone with visual impairment. No way would those covers pass an accessibility test. My vision is fine, yet I found them difficult to understand.

Quite simply, they are over designed. They are, however, distinctive. So I can see why there would be some arguments to keep them for their visual aspects rather than their communicative ones.

 

[Emurelda]

Well that hurt. Interesting comments though.

 

[Marc Joan]

I don't like them & suspect they only get away with it because the works are already so well known

 

[James Marinero]

I don't like them - they look as if no one could be bothered to make an effort.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Overfussy, deserving smacked wrists, rather than pats on the head for the artist/ designer and whoever signed off on approving them as being fitting for a book cover.

Surely, any book cover should act as a lure to draw the reader in, not as a puzzle making them confused.

 

[Bluma Bezbroda]

If I can't make out the title, I don't like the cover. It's sort of a minimum requirement. I think the "Space Odyssey" is the most preposterous of the whole bunch.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I'm getting longsighted and I find them hard to read. Once I get my eye in, they're OK...as a neon sign idea, minus the colours. The Once and Future King is legible enough, but lacks magic. Maybe it's just the lack of pictures.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

They wouldn't encourage me to pick up the books. They don't tell me anything about the books, and somehow say 1930s Art Deco to me...

 

[Diamond]

Those covers are fugly.

 

[Jay Aitch]

All of the above ...

A cover should attract, not repel, a reader. If one has to struggle to read the font, then it's an out and out failure.

Back to the drawing board guys.

 

[Jay Aitch]

A curious fine line though. When is any image striking and inviting, and when is it cheap and nasty?

Gut instincts, for me, I think, but what about everyone else?