Dragon Keeper US cover art (spoiler-free)

[Nuytsia]

I guess this doesn't strictly relate to the specific cover which is the topic of this thread, but I didn't think this merited a separate thread.
I was looking at books for sale on a website and came across the 'cover' art for the US Audio Books of the RoTE books. Well it gave me a good laugh. I mean what the?????
OK it's hard to pick the craziest one, but for instance https://www.theplenty.net/wiki/index.php...ssin_L.jpg

Wha ??????

[Albertosaurus Rex]

I think they're okay for the most part, but Fitz sure does look studly on the RA/AQ audiobooks, doesn't he?

I like how the Liveship Traders audio book art is reminiscent of the US paper book covers.

['thul]

The thing these beings find funniest about that cover is the presence of a katana with an gilded handle. That does not strike them as very likely to exist in the six duchies.

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Not to mention that Fitz primarily fights with an ax...

[Mervi]

Almost every variation of the RA cover we've listed so far is either Fitz with a sword looking lunatic (but not in the way I imagined his battle rage to look like) or Fitz with a sword and a generic wolf. The only note-worthy exceptions to this are the UK covers. Oh, and the first part of the Japanese translation actually has an axe instead of a sword! (Oh, and one of the French editions as well.)

[redchild]

The thing these beings find funniest about that cover is the presence of a katana with an gilded handle. That does not strike them as very likely to exist in the six duchies.

Almost every variation of the RA cover we've listed so far is either Fitz with a sword looking lunatic (but not in the way I imagined his battle rage to look like) or Fitz with a sword and a generic wolf.

Hahaha!

Yes it looks like the covers that aren't as successful seem to be the ones trying too hard to look "epic."

[Nuytsia]

Hmm well I didn't want to list all the things I find crazy about it , but if ya insist

As mentioned, the weapon totally wrong...
Also, I cannot recall Fitz fighting with his shirt off (correct me if I'm wrong, gees I guess a Forged one ripped it off at some stage...)...
Also in that book I think he's like 15 at the start at least.. that guy looks about 25....
I'm pretty sure that's not a 'warrior's tail' hairstyle, and although I can't recall at what stage Fitz starts having that hairstyle, I really didn't ever picture him with some sort of short perm or whatever that guy has going on ... and I REALLY don't think he had medium brown hair with blonde highlights....
There's probably more but I'm not game to look at it again!

Hehehe not to bag it or anything......

And Albertosaurus, 'studly'? *gag*
(I'm fairrrrrrly sure you were joking though )

[Farseer]

Give me the plain UK covers any day...simple yet effective !

[Liquid Ice]

Almost every variation of the RA cover we've listed so far is either Fitz with a sword looking lunatic (but not in the way I imagined his battle rage to look like) or Fitz with a sword and a generic wolf. The only note-worthy exceptions to this are the UK covers. Oh, and the first part of the Japanese translation actually has an axe instead of a sword! (Oh, and one of the French editions as well.)

Man Germany, revised paperback for the assassin series gets the strangely epic/out of place reward
And Hungary, part 1 for Royal Assassin gets the reward of being most boring/horrible.

Give me the plain UK covers any day...simple yet effective !

Agreed

[redchild]

*continues bad book cover rantings*

I bet that saying of not judging a book by its cover is just an excuse used by incompetent art directors

I don't mind much about inaccuracies depicted in the covers so long as they are designed well. John Howe admitted to some mistakes, but they're teeny tiny ones nobody notices (something about Fitz's eye color.) Michael Whelan's painting for AA features the Fool's long, skinny, aged hand on the edge of the picture. In the story he is actually a young character. However I don't mind it so much because the picture works so well. On the other hand, the audiobook cover for AA looks like a bad ripoff of Whelan made by somebody who just learned photoshop 2 hours ago.

Of course good book covers depend not just on the image but the layout of the design as well. It's awful to have beautiful artwork completely obscured in big solid colored boxes or blocked by enormous, ugly typeface.

On another note I also noticed the US cover for Dragon Haven...

Spoiler

basically gives away the ending! Ugh!