It's kinda busy on first glance. Lots going on. Have you shrunk it down to thumbnail size and compared it against other books on Amazon? Are they both in the game? Why is one upside down? Title needs to be bigger, imho. The series thing up top is cool. Will all the other books in the series be the same with one person upside down?
I gotta go with Paul on this one ... that's way too cluttered to see anything at thumbnail size. I have to squint to read that bottom paragraph at the enlarged size. Also, is the book humorous? The cover kind of gives off that vibe (which is totally cool if the book is funny. If not ...).
#1 - @Paul Bellow - There should be a folder just for this since it's such a common topic. #2 - Rather than critique your artwork I'm going to tell you what tone it gives me. - Informal - More about friends playing a game than a fantasy adventure - Reminds me of the Munchkin card game I don't know how you have your story set up, so it's hard to say if that works for you.
I believe there is one? If not, someone should start it. We have a thread for blurbs, but not covers maybe?
So far, this is great feedback. Thank you! I'm looking for impressions it gives you as opposed to whether it matches my story or not. Part of the one guy flipped upside down design was that there are six sides that oppose each other with three pairs of opposites and I was planning three books in the series.
I thought the bottom guy was sticking his thumb in his ear in the classic "nyah-nyah" gesture. But then I thought he might just be casting a spell.
A pattern I'm noticing is that the art style makes the books feel less epic fantasy and more middle grade. If I didn't know what you were selling, I'd think the second book was intended for pre-high school kids.
Hmmm... The book does have teenage hero/heronine/antogonist and I am expecting it to work for high schoolers, though not specifically focused on them. I must just not be a good enough artist to get across what I'm going for. More contrast? More detail? More realism? Argh, photorealism was always my downfall.
I'd say more detail, more realism. You can do that, but it needs to be more realistic, almost anime-ish if I may risk it. The cover should reflect the style of the game and that looks like 1980-70s choose your own adventure/point-and-click adventure pulp novel.
The axe effect is cool on the bellow ripoff, but whats he swinging it at and why? Looks like he's about to lop off his own leg. @Thomas Davidsmeier
