Sci-fi Cover Art Becomes Less Skiffy
I planned to write up a blog post about how science fiction books generally have stranger, less attractive covers than mainstream genre books, and how publishers seem to be taking steps to correct that lately. But then I got sidetracked on how sci-fi books shouldn’t need to have especially skiffy covers, as long as their cover fits some tone of the book.
As you can see from these covers for Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven, it’s taken a while for a publisher to use a cover that’s not completely ridiculous (with the exception of the 1st edition, which I find kind of charming and interesting, and the latest edition which would look at home on the front table at Barnes and Noble).
But I’m thinking now that this isn’t an issue special to science fiction and fantasy. Sure, as sci-fi blog IO9′s Charlie Jane Anders illustrates, I’m not alone in thinking “science fiction books should have dignified covers that look less pulpy and skiffy” (but she closed with an unattributed quote “the bottom line…is that a cover should tell distributors and bookstore clerks where to shelve a book”).
But a fair amount of modern sci-fi books are coming out with beautiful cover art that, while certainly regulating them to the sci-fi section in appearance alone, is still dignified or artistic. Vernor Vinge’s A Deepness In The Sky comes to mind.
Am I crazy? Would that Vernor Vinge cover make non-sci-fi readers cringe? Will it seem ugly even to sci-fi fans in 10 years?
Or is this “being a sci-fi problem” all in my head? Do all genres have cover art cycles that suffer the same design/style cycles that make 1st gen iPods and 80′s cars look ugly? Can you think of a favorite book that used to have hideous cover art but now is available in attractive packaging?
Wow, I’m a cover art snob.
UPDATE: There’s a discussion thread on Tor.com about what people are looking for in a book cover (via SF Signal).
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I’d say the issue of covers is becoming less and less relevant because of the way we purchase books. Though ebooks haven’t taken off, ordering online has. When online, your search criteria determine what books are brought to your attention, not the cover. I’m guessing we’ll move further toward simple covers as times goes on – just plain colors, author name, and title. For example, http://www.amazon.com/Dune-40th-Anniversary-Chronicles-Book/dp/0441013597/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218647683&sr=8-1.
Ha, I have that 40th Anniversary Edition paperback of Dune.
I like simple covers too. With many hard covers, I end up taking off the dust jacket.
I didn’t realize how much I judge a book by its cover until we discussed some sci-fi cover art. Even the cover for A Deepness In The Sky seems a little cheesy to me (especially the embossed letters), and it’s light-years ahead of the middle Le Guin covers. I do think all genres “suffer the same design/style cycles that make 1st gen iPods and 80’s cars look ugly,” but both sci-fi and fantasy have been blighted by designs too garish for this justification.
“Wow, I’m a cover art snob.”
I am too.
Sci-Fi covers seem to go from great to mediocre to hideous. Maybe it’s really easy to screw them up.
I’m a cover art snob too. Check out these two covers of Kate Elliot’s Spirit Gate one is hideous, classic fantasy cover and the other one is, well, good. If you’re looking at crossover/cool cover design also check out the Gollancz top ten SF series. The covers are great, and even better they use a weighty tactile stock, rounded corners and all sorts of fancy stuff.
None of those covers you praise are at all appealing. Photo art? Also boring.
Basically, a cover should make you want to read the book. Those make me want to go wash my hair, instead.
Really interesting post. Yeah, I’m a cover art and binding snob. I like something that has an attractive spine as well as a dignified cover. And I think we definitely make judgements based on covers; I’m not as familiar with sci-fi as most of your commenters but I think about pop fiction, chick lit, etc. And you can spot them a mile away with those cheesy covers. I’m not sure if the big box store editons (like B&N) are helping the cause. But like I said, I’m a snob. Thanks for initiating the conversation.
I can’t resist a post about aesthetics AND books!
I disagree w/ Cholick. Covers are extremely important b/c they’re the book’s advertisement to the perusing buyer. I have picked up countless books because the cover interested me. I’ve passed up good books due to ugly covers. And, further, in this age of information and marketing surfeit, the consumer MUST judge books by their covers, movies by their previews, etc. There are too many ways to spend our time, and we have to eliminate options somehow. Also, ebooks are cool, but I don’t want them. I don’t think I’m alone. Give me paper pages that turn! Even when one compares books/ebooks to music/iPod, my iPod displays the album art on the screen. When it doesn’t, I miss the cover art.
Moving onto skiffy covers, I do think SciFi books suffer from extra-goofy covers, but cover art always changes with time. Fashion is a part of literature too, I guess. (Sigh)
Marialectrix is spot on that a cover should make you want to read the book. Unfortunately, Maria, what makes you want to read a book may make someone else pass it by. Marketers want covers that appeal to most people; they’ll never get everyone to like a given cover.
I’m appalled that so many folks remove their dust jackets from books! I like ‘em. Plus, well, they keep dust off the cover.
Amen hannahcsykes, bindings should be a prime appraisal point when one is shopping for actual, physical books. I like my books to be as beefy as possible, with bindings that look like they could survive intense and sustained perusal.
check out the 1922 cover art for Fitzgerald’s “Tales of the Jazz Age” and compare it to the latest edition. Big improvement.
http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/13939.html