Can you tell a book by its cover?

[Cuchulainn]

I think you can, most of the time.

For example, take fantasy books; they all have certain style of art to their covers.

Or if I see a historical fiction book with the portrait, say, of a lady, I know it's not likely to be a swashbuckling tale of adventure.

I think also, there can be even tell tale signs of the quality of writing in a cover (or maybe that's more just a thing of taste).

[JMJacobsen]

Oh absolutely, I think you're right. The marketing departments of the publishing houses are very much aware of this. You even find specific cover styles associated with specific authors. (Good example off the top of my head is Jodi Piccoult....pretty good writer, but all her books have what looks to me like the exact same cover.)

Readers tend to stick to their genres and naturally reach for books with covers that are common to their favorite genres. (I notice this trait in myself.)

Of course, sometimes covers surprise you. My all-time favorite, most-read, best-loved book ever is Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry. The cover indicates a western genre, it's still historical fiction....just historical fiction about cowboys. Now I'd never pick up a western genre book, it just isn't my thing, so go figure.

I generally don't judge the quality of the writing by the cover, though. Jean Plaidy books are a good example - I noticed though that as they re-release many of her books, the covers have changed to suit the times (pardon the pun).

[MLE]

The cover is almost never done by the writer. Even the decision isn't made by the writer, although they may have a say. So why should the cover matter to the discerning reader?

Covers matter a lot to the marketer, the publisher, the bookstore, and everybody on the selling end. The things you mentioned above are marketing trends, and they hold fine for new books. But covers in decades past were designed under different marketing conditions and might not communicate the same thing today. Doesn't change the story inside a bit.

As a reader, once I am into the text, it's the writing that matters to me. And when my friends recommend a book, they never say, "Read the Devil's Brood, it's got a GREAT cover!" In fact, the only time the cover is mentioned is if it is awful, as in "Never mind the cheesy cover, it's a good read."

Even if the cover was approved by the writer, their skill in selecting a cover is a different skill from that of telling a good story.

[Juniper]

I think you can, most of the time.



I agree, I think you can most of the time aswell. I am very guilty of one thing in particular: when I'm in a bookstore I tend to walk along the aisles whilst merely glancing at the covers of the books. The majority of times I'm drawn to a book that, when I flip it over and read the back, is exactly my type of book. But then again that's probably not that shocking considering the type of book I tend to read- female protagonist, a tragic love that you know is going to go wrong, a coming-of-age novel set many years ago... Thus, most of the covers are portraits of young women.

[Alaric]

Sure you can.

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5262/sharpeseaglepw8.jpg

It doesn't take a lot of guess work to have an idea what that's about by just looking at the cover. :p

[Divia]

I think most of the time you can tell. And thats how its hould be. I mean its marketing and in my opinion it would be stupid not to have a fantasy book without a guy carring a sword, dragon or troll on it.

[Misfit]

I'm going to have that that is not always the case and show you a couple of examples,

Recently rereleases of Jennifer Roberson's where I am left scratching my head wondering WTH the publishers were thinking. Lady of the Glen (http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Glen-17Th-Century-Scotland-Massacre/dp/1575661292/ref=cm_lmf_tit_1) which despite having a love story in it is about the massacre at Glen Coe (FGS) so you tell me why they'd pick a cover like that. Also her two Robin Hood Books Lady of Sherwood (http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Sherwood-Jennifer-Roberson/dp/1575665875/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b) and Lady of the Forest (http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Forest-Jennifer-Roberson/dp/1575667495/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b).

I've read all three books and I promise what sex there are in them is extremely tame compared to what we normally see. Thus, if one judged these books by the covers and was expecting a bodice ripping romance they are going to be sorely disappointed.

[Divia]

Those do look like bodice rippers and to be honest I would pass it right by because I would assume that its that type of book.

[Ariadne]

Wow, I hadn't seen the covers of the reissues before, and the first one (Lady of the Glen) is especially deceptive as to the real content.

[Madeleine]

Those do look like bodice rippers and to be honest I would pass it right by because I would assume that its that type of book.

Those covers are terrible!

[Misfit]

Wow, I hadn't seen the covers of the reissues before, and the first one (Lady of the Glen) is especially deceptive as to the real content.

Quite dreadful aren't they? And yes very deceiving and really does a great disservice to the topic of Lady of the Glen.

[LCW]

I definitely see a pattern as far as certain cover themes being similar to each particularn genre. But, as Misfit pointed out, there are always exceptions.

I think being able to tell whether or not a novel is a swashbuckler or more romance oriented depends on whether or not people are depicted on the cover. There are many many books with cover art work that is pretty ambiguous. Those are the ones that are difficult to "tell from the cover".

Never mind the fact that "quality writing" is subjective, I definitely don't think the cover has much to do with the quality of the writing. At least not to me!

What an interesting thread!

[Julianne Douglas]

Maybe they're trying to branch out and get some new readers, who tend to read historical romance, interested in the books?

[Calgal]

I tend to go for good covers. My favorite is the Vermeer on The Girl with the Pearl Earring. To be honest, my favorite covers are really good art and simple photos of domestic imagery. Usually, the good art is on a historical and the good photos are on contemporary, more or less literary novels. Sometimes I hate the art (like The Romanoff Bride) but find the books good anyway. I have yet to be disappointed by the contents of a book with a good, simple photo. (Water for Elephants) is an example of a good photo cover for a good book, which is both historical and contemporary.

For writers with a strong track record, publishers tend to go with the author's name more prominent than the title of the book. When a series has a similar set of these, it is a signal to me that the book has a touch of same old, same old to it, not always a bad thing.

My impression is that historical romance tends to have sensationalistic, commercial illustrator covers which can disguise some fairly decent books. Usually, there are too many books I am intrigued by with decent covers for me to bother with the ones that are garish.

[MLE]

Quite dreadful aren't they? And yes very deceiving and really does a great disservice to the topic of Lady of the Glen.
The problem with those covers is that I'm embarrassed to be seen reading them! Re the thread 'do you ask strangers about what they are reading', I prefer not to give people the wrong idea as to my tastes. Interpersonal communication is simpler if that kind of misconception can be avoided.

[nona]

depending on what book I'm looking for, only then does a cover have any influence. Now the romance books are a dead give away but some of the good HF books I think the cover fits the story .

[Leyland]

As discussed above - if the marketing concepts and cover design are done properly, then I want to be able to tell a book by its cover. For example, a story meant to tell the reader about the lives and experiences of a few characters during a certain era might invite me to investigate if the cover design has a 12th C castle displayed, or perhaps a landmark of the times such as the Liberty Bell for an American Revolutionary tale. I like scenery a lot! London burning during the Great Fire, a chilly Highland loch cradling a fortified manor house, the high misty peaks of the Andes, or the Spanish Armada being helplessly windswept ....

A book written primarily to tell the story of the main character might entice me with a portrait of the character on the cover. An artist's rendition based on the description in the text is better than using some unknown's 17th or 18th C portrait over and over. I realize the cost of paying an artist is a consideration when a publisher has the alternative to use stock or even a photo of a costumed model (but hold the heaving, barely concealed bosom).

I also like having a thumbnail picture of the cover on the spine when I'm in a bookstore and skimming shelf after shelf for HF. A thick paperback usually has room for one.

[Vanessa]

I'm just about to start the Scandal of the Season by Sophie Gee. It has mixed reviews on Amazon but the cover is so very pretty. My hardback copy has a pink masque wrapped around it, too!:) So I don't know whether it will live up to it's cover.

[Divia]

The problem with those covers is that I'm embarrassed to be seen reading them!

LOL. I agree!
Someone dropped the ball with those covers. Maybe they do want to get historical romance readers, but they are turning off HF readers.

[princess garnet]

Some book cover designs are just a work of art. I say this as a compliment to the design.

[sweetpotatoboy]

If you're interested in book covers, this is a good site that features interesting covers with discussion:
http://covers.fwis.com/