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. Check out Lynn’s-Books for upcoming themes!
Shadow’s Edge by Brent Weeks
Welcome to the Friday Face-Off!
Now I know that a multitude of covers exist which display a graceful hand holding an ominous, powerful or fruit-like object. I, however, cannot for the life of me find them – especially not after a bottle of wine. So this week I’ve settled for a small, yet deadly, contribution to the Face-Off with a blade, both hidden and otherwise.
The first cover for this week’s ‘object’ edition was published by Orbit in 2008 and features artwork by Calvin Chu, and the second was published by Bragelonne in 2009, featuring artwork by Frédéric Perrin.
Take a look and see which one is your favourite!
Orbit | Cover #1
Cover art by Calvin Chu
Bragelonne | Cover #2
Cover art by Frédéric Perrin
| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |
As much as I love the Orbit edition of the Night Angel Trilogy; the smoke-like splashes of colour, the bold and graphic typeface, and the solitary figure looming ominously out of the white, I cannot help but feel that this is hardly a contest at all, especially considering the fact that Kylar’s hidden blade is all but concealed by Brent Weeks’ magnanimous name.
Bragelonne have a reputation for producing beautiful and powerful pieces of artwork to accompany their published titles and Shadow’s Edge, or Le Choix des Ombres, is no exception. The drama and perspective of the artwork is beautiful and arresting, and the muted colours of the backdrop set off the eye-catching splashes of red and luminous eyes that emanate from the figure. Frédéric Perrin has captivated the essence of the novel almost effortlessly which is why, almost without contest, it is this week’s winner!
The Night Angel Trilogy. Cover art by Frédéric Perrin
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:
Framed
A cover featuring a frame, a picture within a cover, or a murder mystery set up
Remember to check Lynn’s Books for upcoming themes
| Links |
Steve @ Books and Beyond Reviews
Kristi @ Confessions of a YA Reader
Books by Proxy 
I love your choice! And that is not a version I’ve seen yet for this book, so bonus! It’s beautiful!
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I hadn’t either! As much as I love the covers that I own, it makes me a little jealous!!
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I‘m with you! Drama!
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And knives!
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It would be a difficult choice for me: in cover #1 I like the fact that the figure’s face is mostly covered by the shadow of the cowl – so very mysterious! But in cover #2 I like the way the wind plays with the figure’s clothes and how the whole cover gives an impression of *motion* due to that wind. Can I pick both? 😉
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Of course you can! 😀 I have always liked the Orbit covers as they’re the ones I own… but I confess I’m a little jealous of the Bragelonne covers now that I’ve discovered them!
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Brent Weeks is my favorite. Love the Night Angel Trilogy. I agree with your choice of cover (even though they are both great). Thank you for highlighting this series.
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It is really fabulous, isn’t it?! 😀 I’m also really enjoying the Lightbringer series… which I am now woefully behind on!
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Lightbringer is my favorite series of all time. Does not get any better than THE BLACK PRISM.
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The Black Prism was fantastic! I really must catch up on all these amazing series I’ve started and not finished!!!
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It’s so hard… there are so many good books to read!
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Yes, cover #2 is beautiful and so much more interesting than the first one😁
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I quite liked the Orbit cover until I saw the second one! It is so eye catching!
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Ah… that second cover is sublime! And thank you for featuring the other Bragelonne covers for this series – you’re right, they are fabulous… And while the Orbit cover is still fine, it has simply been outclassed. Thank you for sharing these, Proxy:)
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That’s a good way of describing it! I don’t think I could ever resist picking up a book with cover art like that! 😀
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Cover number 2, hands down. The scenery in it is sublime 👌
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I really wish my copy had that cover!
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I’ve never tried anything by Brent Weeks 😦
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Oh you must give him a try! I’ve started his Lightbringer series too and think that’s my favourite so far 😀
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I’m currently experiencing a fantasy reading slump. Lord knows when I’ll get the fantasy urge again 😦
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Hey, it happens! I’m sure you’ll come back to it when you get burnt out by Poirot 🤭 I like to add in a historical crime novel or two in between fantasy rounds!
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I really like the Bragelonne cover too, but… I don’t know, I prefer the Orbit. Maybe it’s because I kept thinking of the wetboys as ninjas so the attire on the Orbit cover fits that better. But I also love that there’s so much to the Bragelonne cover and I love the smokey effect on it too.
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You know the one failing of Night Angel for me is the term Wetboys 😂😂 I love the books but that term… it just doesn’t work at all for me!
Yeah I definitely see what you mean – the Orbit cover really does have that classic assassin vibe. I really like it too… but the Bragelonne cover is just too damn pretty!
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Ikr! It’s kinda weird. Makes me laugh though. I keep doesn’t make me think of the badasses that my homie, Durzo Blint, and Kylar are.
(Really hoping Brent Weeks continues that series because I loved it.)
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Exactly! They are amazing books though so I suppose I can forgive it 😂😂
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That Perrin cover is absolutely gorgeous.
Lynn 😀
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It is, isn’t it! 😍
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