Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme 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
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
Welcome to the Friday Face-Off where this week we’re comparing covers that feature towers.
Featuring only a single tower between them, this week’s covers for Steven Erikson’s ‘Gardens of the Moon’ showcase the diversity in style in today’s fantasy books. Take a look and see which cover wins your vote this week!
Tor | Cover #1
Cover Art by Steve Stone
Subterranean Press | Cover #2
Cover Art by Michael Kormarck
| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |
The Tor cover, whilst not overtly eye-catching, creates a pleasing a fantastical composition. Bathed in green light, with a landscape shrouded in mist, the crumbling stone tower is a strong focal point, with the single illuminated window drawing the eye. I love how the mist and the clouds filter to the dark black of the backdrop, and how realistically the landscape is rendered; and I love how the moon in the background lights the scene, creating an eerie green glow.
The Subterranean Press cover, however, is an entirely different creation. Focused on the back of a central, sword-bearing figure, this cover is bold, colourful and immediately draws the eye. I love the strong orange red glow of the sun which illuminates the figures face, the surrounding landscape and the birds which can be seen in flight; and I love the wisps of smoke that come off the sheathed sword. This cover was my immediate favourite.
Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!
Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads
Next week’s theme is:
A little soil to make it grow
A cover featuring seeds/spores
Remember to check The Friday Face-Off Feature Page for upcoming themes
| Links |
H.P. @ Every Day Should Be Tuesday
Steve Smith @ Books and Beyond Reviews
Lynn @ Books and Travelling with Lynn
Books by Proxy 
I prefer the Tor cover. Seeing that tower in the distance gives it a sense of wonder and mystery. I haven’t read the book but I almost purchased it cause of the Tor cover.
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It’s still sitting on my bookshelf gathering dust but I have the best intentions of getting round to it!! I own the Tor cover and, whilst I don’t find it as eye-catching as the Subterranean Press cover, I do rather like the way you can become lost in its imagery 😀
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Yup, that Subterranean Press cover is my fav too. It’s flashy, so the colors immediately pull my eyes to it. But I do like the mood in the Tor cover. It’s very atmospheric and actually keeps my attention longer than the Subterranean Press one.
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That’s true – the Tor cover is definitely one you can stare into… almost a fantasy photograph!! But that Subterranean Press cover immediately grabs my eye 😀
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I agree with your choice! The other one isn’t bad, but compared to the dramatic cover on the right, no contest.
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Yeah, thats the thing, the Tor cover is absolutely fine – quite nice even! – the other cover is just a bit more special 😀
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I love that cover, it’s so dramatic and the colours are amazing.
Lynn 😀
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I love the colours too!! 😀 I’d never seen it before doing this post- it almost reminds me a bit of The Witcher!
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Proxy, this is the first time I am going to disagree as I prefer the Tor cover 😛
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There’s a first time for everything! 😉 For me, there’s nothing wrong at all with the Tor cover – It just doesn’t stand out as much!
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I like cover #1 better but they are both really cool!
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They are both stunning covers, Proxy – a great choice of book for the theme:). But this week I do prefer the Tor cover – that landscape just calls to me…
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The Tor cover definitely seems to absorb you into it’s landscape! I find the Subterranean Press cover a lot more eye-catching though! 😀
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