How Well Does The Cover Illustration Reflect The Story?

Use this forum to discuss the October 2020 Book of the month, "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" by Matthew Tysz.
User avatar
PeterRabitt20
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1670
Joined: 12 Oct 2020, 10:35
Currently Reading: Verity
Bookshelf Size: 127
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-peterrabitt20.html
Latest Review: The Power Of Our Inner Gremlins by Suzanne Daplyn

Icon How Well Does The Cover Illustration Reflect The Story?

Post by PeterRabitt20 »

Judging a book by the cover illustration is always a bright idea. However, cover illustrations are done to attract a certain demographics. These covers either push the readers towards or away from a book. Does the cover illustration of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies do justice to the book?
User avatar
cydnas
Posts: 41
Joined: 24 Jul 2020, 17:15
Currently Reading: The Raven and other poems
Bookshelf Size: 19
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-cydnas.html
Latest Review: Timewise by Robert Leet

Post by cydnas »

Personally, I find the cover aesthetically pleasing but I think it doesn't fully do the book justice. The setting being that of fiction and glory, I think the cover can afford to be more eye-catching.
Atieno Magero
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 1024
Joined: 09 Nov 2020, 13:28
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 144
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-atieno-magero.html
Latest Review: Stevie Tenderheart Books WAIT A MINUTE! (An Illustrated Novella) by Steve William Laible

Post by Atieno Magero »

The cover does do the book justice because it depicts Galen on a journey 'under the great skies'. I think it illustrates the book title well.
User avatar
Valkyrie9
Posts: 702
Joined: 26 Nov 2018, 08:15
Currently Reading: the love letter
Bookshelf Size: 54
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-valkyrie9.html
Latest Review: From a burned charcoal, a diamond is born by Carlos Bonilla

Post by Valkyrie9 »

I felt the cover really depicted the title well, but perhaps did not really convey the tone of the story as a whole. Fair enough, Galen is the main character, so it only makes sense that he and his journey would be portrayed on the front cover; however, he is not the only character, and his story is perhaps not Voulhire's story.
"Doors are for people with no imagination." Skulduggery Pleasant, Derek Landy :idea:
User avatar
Alyssa
Posts: 149
Joined: 30 Aug 2015, 12:47
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 207
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alyssa.html
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Ascension of Akistry by Matthew Tysz

Post by Alyssa »

I thought the cover was beautiful. For me, it ties in with the title and opens up a brand new world/life which is essentially what the book was about. I thought it worked well.
User avatar
Fahad Afroz
Posts: 156
Joined: 05 May 2020, 05:40
Currently Reading: Creating Literary Stories: A Fiction Writer's Guide
Bookshelf Size: 40
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fahad-baibras.html
Latest Review: Living Abroad: Challenging the Myths of Expat Life by Jim Santos

Post by Fahad Afroz »

In my opinion the cover perfectly depicts that he is going through darkness into an unknown world, but there is always room for some addition as well
User avatar
Victoria Baadom
Posts: 18
Joined: 22 Oct 2020, 23:16
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 16
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-victoria-baadom.html
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko by Matthew Tysz

Post by Victoria Baadom »

To my mind, the cover depicted the title of the book. The picture on the cover page is Galen at the Habour of Magnum Caelum on the night of his arrival. However, the cover doesn't tell much about other events that happened in other cities of Voulhire.
RavingReads
Posts: 158
Joined: 22 Sep 2020, 09:16
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 31
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ravingreads.html
Latest Review: The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami

Post by RavingReads »

I think the book cover is very nice and pleasing. However, I think it did not reflect the book. Perhaps with the world building Tysz does, it was a cover to illustrate the great new world you are about to enter when you read the book!
User avatar
Vannaskivt
Posts: 202
Joined: 12 Oct 2020, 07:12
Currently Reading: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Bookshelf Size: 803
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-vannaskivt.html
Latest Review: Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress by Gustavo Kinrys, MD

Post by Vannaskivt »

I was just thinking about how the cover illustration looks like it should be paired with one of Nicholas Sparks's books! I like the pensive feel of it but if it had an element of magic, a sword, or a castle, I feel it would pull in a different demographic (and probably the intended one) of readers.
User avatar
SamaylaM
Posts: 975
Joined: 11 Aug 2020, 04:43
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 79
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-samaylam.html
Latest Review: Killing Abel by Michael Tieman

Post by SamaylaM »

The cover was actually pretty good in illustrating Galen's journey. However, with the intensity that the book is written, the cover could have been incorporated with a little more fantasy or graphic elements! I, for one, didn't imagine how thrilling the book would be from the cover!
User avatar
Nonso Samuelson
Posts: 936
Joined: 27 Mar 2019, 19:01
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 166
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nonso-samuelson.html
Latest Review: Doctoroo & the Case of the Hacking Hippo by Dr. Rachel B. Wellner

Post by Nonso Samuelson »

PeterRabitt20 wrote: 08 Nov 2020, 22:11 Judging a book by the cover illustration is always a bright idea. However, cover illustrations are done to attract a certain demographics. These covers either push the readers towards or away from a book. Does the cover illustration of We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies do justice to the book?
In my opinion, the book cover illustration could have been better. There was an issue of miscommunication with it. This was my second book after joining OBC. And while I enjoyed the story, I was confused as to why the boy on the front cover (obviously Galen) was dressed in 21st century garb (a hoodie and baggie pants) in a story that happened in medieval times. I remember that I mentioned this observation on my review too. So yes, I think the cover illustration could have better communicated the story.
User avatar
Justine Ocsebio
Posts: 1604
Joined: 29 Jul 2020, 21:55
Currently Reading: Dancing Under The Stars
Bookshelf Size: 243
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-justine-ocsebio.html
Latest Review: Sex and the Sixty Something Guy by Mr. X

Post by Justine Ocsebio »

It’s a pretty decent cover and I find it fitting to the title. However, I don’t think it does justice to the overall atmosphere of the story because it’s a dark high fantasy. I think it is better to employ a more graphic illustration that has characters in it or symbols that is relevant to the story.
User avatar
TheMazeRunner
Posts: 610
Joined: 31 Oct 2020, 04:47
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 102
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-themazerunner.html
Latest Review: Lady of the Play by Deena Lindstedt

Post by TheMazeRunner »

I like dark-styled covers, but I would glow this one up a bit more so it represents Galen's story.
Susanna83
Posts: 13
Joined: 23 Nov 2020, 07:36
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 13
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-susanna83.html
Latest Review: Tales from the Gray Area by Curtis Stephen Burdick

Post by Susanna83 »

I agree with earlier post, cover is nice to look, but doesn't show the great quality of the book. It's a bit lame, isn't it? Authors talent can't be seen from that. Cover could be a little more "magical", luring more people. It's true that most people choose a book just by giving a quick sight to cover. Like said, some symbols maybe?
User avatar
zainherb
Posts: 890
Joined: 27 Nov 2017, 04:31
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 130
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-zainherb.html
Latest Review: Legacy by Chris Coppel

Post by zainherb »

I think the cover is attention-grabbing as is the job of a good cover.
However, I think It does not completely illustrate the story overall.
All in all, it is a good cover, but it could be better.
:techie-reference:
Latest Review: Legacy by Chris Coppel
Post Reply

Return to “Discuss "We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies" By Matthew Tysz”