Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new feature here at Books by Proxy. Join me every Friday as I pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.
| The Friday Face-Off: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab |
We’re soon to be celebrating the release of A Gathering of Shadows (hello, February 23rd!) so it seemed like perfect timing to have a look back at the first in what looks to become a highly enjoyable series. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab is a dazzling, gripping foray into a world that parts at its seams and allows the brave, the bold and the bloody reckless to slide between its pages. Published by Titan in the UK and Tor in the US, this week we have two striking covers to weigh up. Take a look at the contenders and see which, if any, you favour…
Titan – UK Cover
Cover Design by Julia Lloyd
Tor – US Cover
Cover Design by Will Staehle
| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |
I love both of these covers! They’re both beautiful, clearly relate back to the story and have a simple, eye-catching palette. The Titan cover is bold and brilliant – and makes a wonderful addition to my bookshelf! However it’s the illustrative Tor cover by Will Staehle that just tips the balance over to the other side of the Atlantic. Staehle’s cover is well composed and elegant whilst retaining its striking, bold use of colour and the typeface has a wonderful oldy-worldy quality to it that pairs well with the stylised illustration. As a whole Staehle’s cover just really hits me in my face-off sweet spot!
Have you read A Darker Shade of Magic? Which is your favourite cover?
Books by Proxy 
Love the use of color in both, since the combination of red, white and black is always striking. I’m with you though, I prefer the US cover. It’s more symbolic and “says” a lot more than the UK version.
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The style is instantly recognisable too which is always useful when it comes to a series!
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I really love these posts. It was a close one for me but I think I mostly liked the UK cover because of the colors. I do like that the figure is standing there with his feet in both worlds. I haven’t read the book but it fits what I’ve read in reviews. I also like the US cover because it draws my eye and makes me curious. It’s a tie for me. I really like Staehle’s work.
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Thanks! 😀 I do love the UK cover too. I love that geometric cloak and the figure striding across the worlds. I love that textured background too! Both are gorgeous covers!
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I prefer the UK cover for this one. I think the US one is very striking and clever too but the UK just appeals to me more and I love the way the character is stepping across the circles with the street grids.
Lynn 😀
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I love that too! Also that cloak is really rather fabulous.
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