The Friday Face-Off: An Update


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.


| The Friday Face-Off – An Update |

The Friday Face-Off is back at Books by Proxy! Many thanks to the wonderful bloggers who continued with the meme in my prolonged absence! The following is a list of upcoming topics (compiled by said bloggers!). As always, check The Friday Face-Off page for any updates!


| The List |

12th May 2017

Don’t use the phone. People are never ready to answer it

A cover which features a phone

19th May 2017

When everything seem to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it…

A cover which features a plane

26th May 2017

Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘it might have been’…

A cover which features mice

02nd June 2017

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars

A cover which features the moon

09th June 2017

It shuffles through the dry, dusty darkness

A cover which features mummification

16th June 2017

You couldn’t not like someone who liked the guitar

A cover which features a guitar

23rd June 2017

In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this

A cover which features a cat

30th June 2017

It is always cruel to laugh at people, of course, although sometimes if they are wearing an ugly hat it is hard to control yourself

A cover which features a hat

07th July 2017

All that is gold does not glitter

A cover which features gold

14th July 2017

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea, in a beautiful pea green boat…

A cover which features boats

21st July 2017

Any planet is ‘Earth’ to those who live on it

A cover which features a planet


For those of you who are interested but haven’t seen a Face-Off post before, here’s how it goes:

Each week I select a book and make a comparison between the UK and the US covers, displaying the artwork (in all its awesome glory) before selecting one of the two or more covers as the ultimate winner of my Face-Off.

Simple! The following is a rough guide to how this meme will work:

  • Each week will follow a theme
  • The Friday Face-Off feature page will be kept up to date for the theme of the week and those several weeks following it
  • For the purposes of comparing a good variety of cover art only one of the two or more book covers chosen for comparison need relate to the theme (although if you can find two then great!)
  • The books most certainly don’t have to be the UK or US editions – they’re just the covers I’m usually most familiar with and consequently post more often – so post whichever covers catch your eye!
  • Still unsure? – Take a look at some past posts!
  • To sign up just add your link to the bottom of that Friday’s post and link back!

As always, topic suggestions are welcome!

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The Friday Face-Off: In The Beginning There Was Nothing, Which Exploded


Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new 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.


TBA!


Sorry for the late post! I’m away for the weekend but the blog should be back in full swing next week! I will update this post when I return but in the meantime, here are this Friday’s linky delights for covers which feature an explosion!


| Links |

Drew @ TheTattooedBookGeek –Gunpowder by Jack Kelly

Lynn @ Lynn’s Books  – The 5th Wave Series by Rick Yancey

S J Higbee @ Brainfluff – Hilldiggers by Neal Asher

DJ @ MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape – Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Nick V. Reys @ ThePaperDragon – Three Moments of an Explosion: Stories by China Mieville


Post LinksNext week’s theme is: All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter

A cover which features gold

Remember to check The Friday Face-Off Feature Page for upcoming themes

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The Friday Face-Off: Just Then Flew Down A Monstrous Crow


Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new 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.


Just Then Flew Down

Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough


Welcome to this week’s Friday Face-Off! This week we’re looking at covers which feature birds!

Monstrous crow you say? How about a teeny tiny one instead! Published by Jo Fletcher Books in both the US and the UK, this week we’re taking a look at the cover for the first book in the Dr. Thomas Bond series by Sarah Pinborough. Take a look and see what you think!


Jo Fletcher – UK Cover

Jo Fletcher – US Cover


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

Both covers for Sarah Pinborough’s Mayhem are inherently creepy, using the same striking colour palette of blacks, creams and reds, but with entirely different results. The flaming skull and the city map of the US cover are eye-catching and convey the book’s character but the typeface isn’t quite as effective as it might have been. By comparison the UK cover is much more paired back, showcasing some wonderful lettering amongst the swirls, blood spatters, gents and birds which come together to create a simple but effective winner!

Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads


Post LinksNext week’s theme is: Renewed Shall be Blade That Was Broken

A cover which features the word ‘blade’ in its title

Remember to check The Friday Face-Off Feature Page for upcoming themes


| Links |

Drew @ TheTattooedBookGeek – Fool’s Quest by Robin Hobb

Lynn @ Lynn’s Books  – Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield

S J Higbee @ Brainfluff – Fool’s Quest by Robin Hobb

DJ @ MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape – The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Staveley

Nick V. Reys @ ThePaperDragon – Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot

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The Friday Face-Off: Water, Water Everywhere


Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new 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.


Water, Water Everywhere

Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor


Welcome to this week’s Friday Face-Off! Whether it’s a romp on the high seas, a protagonist drowning their sorrows in a bottle of the soft stuff, or a reflective pool in a glade – if it’s water, anything goes! Distant (liquid) bodies, faint splatters and the odd drop or two are all welcome. Post your links in the comments!

For this Friday’s post I’ve settled on an author I cannot wait to sample – Nnedi Okorafor. Lagoon, published by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and by Saga Press in the US, not only has an intriguing premise, but also has some wonderfully eye-catching cover art. Take a look and see which one is your favourite.


Hodder & Stoughton – UK Cover

Artwork by Joey Hi-Fi

Saga Press – US Cover

Artwork by Franklin Kappa


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

Well… is there any comparison? Joey Hi-Fi, whose illustrations you might recognise from some of Chunk Wendig’s wondrous book covers, contributes such a stunning piece of artwork for Lagoon that it seems almost unfair to compare the two. But compare we must!

The UK edition, with its wonderfully watery and muted colour palette; its touch of urban splash; its writhing, chaotic sea creatures (which come together to compose a pretty damn awesome title); and its solitary figure floating in the void, is both beautiful and eye-catching. By comparison, the Saga Press offering is a little too simple, a little too bland and not nearly as evocative. A thoroughly deserved winner, this week’s title goes hands down to Joey Hi-Fi with the Hodder & Stoughton edition of Lagoon. Now I just need to hunt out all his other book covers…

Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads


Post LinksNext Friday’s theme is: Peace is Poor Reading

A cover which features war

Remember to check The Friday Face-Off Feature Page for upcoming themes

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The Friday Face-Off: Green With Envy


Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new 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.

Green With Envy

 

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson


Welcome to this week’s Friday Face-Off! This Face-Off is comparing books with predominantly green covers and, for me, there’s only one book which came instantly to mind!

Published by Gollancz in the UK and by Tor in the US, Elantris by Brandon Sanderson is not only a brilliant read but has some stunning artwork gracing its covers. Scroll down to see which one takes this week’s crown.


Gollancz – UK Cover

Artwork by Sam Green

Tor – US Cover

Artwork by Stephan Martiniere


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

Stephan Martiniere’s US cover is undeniably beautiful and incredibly detailed. It has a brilliant traditional and almost sci-fi quality to it which still manages to resonate beautifully with the narrative. However, the Sam Green covers for Brandon Sanderson’s extensive repertoire have been a long time favourite and so this week’s winner was an easy choice. Monochrome with a flash of colour, these beautiful illustrations never fail to impress. Capturing the beautiful eerie quality of a city under a magical plague, this wonderfully stylised artwork along with its eye-catching typeface couldn’t fail to come out on top in this week’s Face-Off.

Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads


Next Friday’s theme is: Water, Water Everywhere

Remember to check The Friday Face-Off Feature Page for upcoming themes

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The Friday Face-Off: Here be Dragons


Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new 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.


Here be Dragons

Temeraire / His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik


Welcome to this week’s Friday Face-Off! This Face-Off is all about dragons, so I’ve gone for the first book in a series I intended to start almost ten years ago and still haven’t got around to!

Published as Temeraire by Harper Voyager in the UK and as His Majesty’s Dragon by Del Rey in the US, the first book in Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series has some stunning cover art on offer by some very talented artists. Take a look and see which one is your favourite.


Harper Voyager – UK Cover

Artwork by Andrew Davidson

Del Rey / Ballantine – US Cover

Artwork by Dominic Harman


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

For me, the UK cover of Temeraire wins hands down. That wood engraving by Andrew Davidson is ridiculously detailed and has some wonderful depictions of dragons. I love the illustrative style, the very simple colour palette and the interesting typeface which grows from the tail of the main dragon!

On the other hand, despite an eye-catching piece of dragon artwork in the centre, the red background of the US cover completely distracts my attention – so much so that I’d almost say I disliked it if it weren’t for the alternative editions below. The typeface similarly does nothing for this cover which has led to a very easy decision this week! I only hope Andrew Davidson continues to produce beautiful cover art!


| Alternative Cover Bonus |

Temeraire - Alternative

Artwork by Dominic Harman

Additionally, Dominic Harman has produced several alternative covers for the UK including this mass market edition (left) based on the first edition UK cover, and the latest cover (right) which is incredibly similar to the US cover from Del Rey. Despite both these covers being beautiful and the fact that I prefer both to the US offering above (the cover on the right definitely benefits from a light background and improved typeface!), I can’t help but think it’s something of a loss to have come away from that gorgeous wood engraving from Andrew Davidson.

Which cover wins your vote this week? Are any of the alternative editions your favourite? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads


Next Friday’s theme is: Green With Envy

Remember to check The Friday Face-Off Feature Page for upcoming themes

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The Friday Face-Off: First Friday Freebie


Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new 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.


First Friday Freebie

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell


Welcome to the first post of The Friday Face-Off as a weekly meme! This week is a freebie so I’ve gone for a book which has been sitting on my shelf for far too long and has two gorgeous covers to its name (and who knows – possibly more!).

Published by Sceptre in the UK and by Random House in the US, The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell features two covers from completely different ends of the design spectrum. Take a look and see which one is your favourite!


Sceptre – UK Cover

Artwork by Neal Murren

Random House – US Cover

Artwork by Oliver Munday and Peter Mendelsund


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

These two covers really couldn’t get much more different. The US cover is clean and modern and, dare I say it, almost transcendent. It’s one of those covers which makes you think without revealing too much of itself, and I love those pale blues and the simple, elegant typeface. The US cover really is the calm before the storm of the UK!

Sceptre’s offering is chaotic and eye-catching, with golds and bright pinks splashed across a dark, starry sky. Even though it’s hard to know where to look first, the more you look, the more detail is revealed. Its sheer energy and and riot of colour, imagery and detail just clinch it as this week’s winner.

Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads


Next Friday’s theme is: Here be Dragons

Remember to check The Friday Face-Off feature page for upcoming themes

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The Friday Face-Off: March 04


Friday Face Off 2cWelcome 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: Dragon Hunters by Marc Turner |

As soon as I saw the stunning covers for Marc Turner’s Dragon Hunters, a book which has a premise just as captivating as its wrappings, I knew this second novel in The Chronicles of the Exile belonged at the top of my to-read list – and that it had to feature on The Friday Face-Off.

Published by Titan in the UK and Tor / Forge in the US, we have two incredibly evocative pieces of artwork to ogle. With both covers capturing the drama and scale of this imaginative work of fantasy, this week’s face-off is sure to prove a tough choice. Take a look and see which cover comes out on top.


Titan – UK Cover

Tor / Forge – US Cover

Artwork by Greg Manchess

“Wow, that is stunning! I saw some pencil sketches of the cover a few months ago, but kudos to Greg Manchess for producing a final image that really captures the drama and threat of the book. I love how the waterline view makes the dragon loom higher. I also love how the creature seems to be staring at you rather than at the unfortunate souls on the ship. Hard to believe, looking at that cover, that the dragon is the one that’s being hunted. Perhaps someone should remind the creature of that fact.”

Marc Turner


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

Both of these covers are ridiculously stunning and highlight one of the most appealing aspects of this book – the sea serpents! Whilst both the UK and the US cover capture two wonderfully dynamic images of dragons intent on dealing some damage on the high seas, both offerings remain distinct in their style and excecution.

However, despite the wonderful artwork of Greg Manchess, this week’s face-off has to go to Titan’s UK cover. The colours and lighting which play across the stormy skies and seas are so dramatic and so eye-catching that they bring out my inner magpie at just a glance. Plus, that is one awesome looking dragon. Titan? More please!

Which cover wins your vote this week? And stay tuned for the upcoming review!

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads


Announcement


From Friday 11th March, The Friday Face-Off will be a weekly meme! Each week will follow a loose theme – which should of course spark a veritable cornucopia of visual delights – just post and compare your favourites from across the globe and link back to that Friday’s post.

The master list is currently being compiled and will be posted in the next few days. If there are any themes you are eager to see just drop me a comment or message! Happy cover hunting bookworms!

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The Friday Face-Off: February 26


Friday Face Off 2cWelcome 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: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss |

I’ve been feeling the Rothfuss cravings. The Name of the Wind was a spectacular début and, eight years after I first read it, I still wait with great anticipation for the third book in The Kingkiller Chronicles. So in this week’s Friday Face-Off we’re paying homage to this wonderful book by taking a good look at its covers.

Published by Gollancz in the UK and Penguin in the US, we have two entirely different pieces of cover art to compare. Take a look and see which one wins your vote.


Gollancz – UK Cover

Penguin – US Cover


| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

The Gollancz UK cover wins hands down in this week’s Face-Off. It’s dark and unsettling and I love those creeping and twisting vines which enclose the hooded central figure (who is also strategically placed in the centre of my heart – a rather disturbing prospect considering his bloody red eyes). Together with that beautiful and whimsical typeface, the entire composition makes for a wonderfully enchanting and rather sinister cover.

I’m a little bit disappointed by the US offering this week, a cover which was introduced for the fifth edition print of the book. The typeface does the composition no favours and, despite the darkened wilderness and the similarly sinister hooded figure in the foreground, this cover just fails to capture my attention.

Comparing the US edition to its previous incarnations I can certainly see the development of a darker and more atmospheric cover but it has a tendency, despite the hooded figure, to remind me more of a crime thriller than a fantasy epic. However, one thing is abundantly clear – Penguin missed a trick when redesigning this cover. Shirtless Kvothe is ridiculously entertaining and the incorporation of an angry and demonic Pat Rothfuss make for two very interesting and highly amusing pieces of cover art.


| The Name of the Wind: International Edition Bonus |

As I was rather disappointed with the US effort in this week’s Face-Off, I’ve decided to scour the globe to see what other beauties can be found. And this search has certainly turned up some good’uns – though no doubt I’ve missed some wonderful covers as there are a rather hefty number of translations! Take a look at some of the gorgeous covers the rest of the world has to offer.

TNotW - Worldwide

 From top left: Serbia, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Japan, Russia and Latvia

Choosing a favourite from this beautiful lot is nigh on impossible – the majority are simply stunning and vary considerably from country to country. The Serbian edition is particularly lovely though – the misty and mountainous backdrop with a lute festooned Kvothe in the foreground make for a beautiful and eye-catching composition.

The French edition follows closely behind the Serbian cover with a landscape bathed in golden light, a distant city and similar foreground Kvothe. Both the Dutch and German editions follow a similar line of thought but use a washed out, almost watercolour backdrop and the typeface, though different, is equally beautiful on each edition.

The Finnish version has a wonderfully folkish cover whilst the Japanese offering is bold, vibrant and showcases Kvothe’s flaming red hair. The Russian edition is an entirely different affair, displaying some beautiful fantasy imagery, and the Latvian cover is bold, vibrant and gives us a defined Kvothe doing what he loves best. Altogether, a rather impressive display of artwork.

Which is your favourite cover? Do any of the alternative editions take your vote? 

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

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