Book covers

[essayel]

Book covers are pretty important, aren't they? As in a good one can make all the difference between sales and no sales. So, I was just fooling around on Goodreads and was very startled to see



I was wondering what would be the thinking behind putting that cover on a book about the 100 Years War? This one is a lot more appropriate.

Then I looked a little more closely at the blurb with it and guess what - it's a large print book! Could the thinking be "The readers are probably not going to be able to see it that clearly so just bung on anything vaguely historical"?

If so - well - I just think that's pretty awful. If I get to the stage where I need large print books and can still read 16pt type I'm sure as hell still going to be able to tell the difference between 14th century and late 18th century men's dress. And if they are prepared to do it to the books of a well known and revered author what about the ones who are just starting out?

I'm unreasonably annoyed about this. I need some tea and a biccy to get my temper back.

Comments

[mcgonagalls-cat.livejournal.com]

You're just annoyed because the colour of his mobile case clashes with his coat.

[wulfila.livejournal.com]

Many historical novels have covers that have nothing whatsoever to do with the period they are set in. I distinctly remember picking up a book with a nice late medieval lady and a generic title some weeks ago, only to discover that it was supposed to be set in Carolingian times, and I also remember coming across a book set in Moorish Cordoba that had Beatrice Cenci (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrice_Cenci) on its cover. There is also a fantasy novel that has the silhouette of the Mont Saint-Michel in the background of its German cover, but is not set in France or any place based on it.

The reason behind all this foolishness is actually very simple: Covers are chosen mostly for marketing reasons, whether they fit the book very well or not, and they are also supposed to be relatively cheap (at least, that is how the publishing house I translate for usually chooses its covers). So perhaps, nice 18th-century-gentlemen are said to attract potential buyers right now, or stock images of 18th-century paintings abound.

And, yes, it does annoy me as well.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

It must go against the interests of the company. I'd be very disinclined to trust again a publisher who had lead me astray with a hokey cover. But hey - I guess it's the bottom line that's important.