A Dance of Dragons UK/US covers

[Krug]

http://grrm.livejournal.com/40964.html

 

[Starman]

Quit teasing us, George, and just finish the darn book!

 

[Thanee]

And the one after that, and the one after the one after that, and...

Bye
Thanee

 

[Meowzebub]

I had thought the bland covers were just for the reprints of the series, but I see the new books are getting the same treatment. The art was so great for the previous books, I am sad to see the trend will not be continued.

 

[Darth Shoju]

I had thought the bland covers were just for the reprints of the series, but I see the new books are getting the same treatment. The art was so great for the previous books, I am sad to see the trend will not be continued.

Yeah what is up with that? I would figure that a series as successful as this could spring for a decent cover artist (Lockwood anyone?). Or do they figure this book would sell with a dead fish for a cover, so they're allocating resources to the books that need them?

:\

 

[Starman]

Yeah what is up with that? I would figure that a series as successful as this could spring for a decent cover artist (Lockwood anyone?). Or do they figure this book would sell with a dead fish for a cover, so they're allocating resources to the books that need them?

:\

I believe it is to make it easier to get the book into more stores. Many smaller store (convenience stores and such) will not carry books with fantasy covers, so publishers will give them more generic covers to get them onto more shelves.

 

[Darth Shoju]

I believe it is to make it easier to get the book into more stores. Many smaller store (convenience stores and such) will not carry books with fantasy covers, so publishers will give them more generic covers to get them onto more shelves.

Ah makes sense. I was thinking something along those lines afterward: I always see books with covers like that in airport bookstores.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Yes.

The publisher, from early on, thought that the book had cross-over appeal and would be purchased by mainstream buyers if they would just look at it. This is especially thought to be the case with historical fiction readers in the USA and Canada.

Something that appears historical was marketable to those readers in a way that fantasy was not, according to the publisher.

The very first hardcover edition of A Game of Thrones had a silver low key deliberately non-traditional fantasy cover. And as GRRM confirms - it sold poorly

The softcover? After Jordan's recommendation went on the front cover and it had a traditional fantasy painting? It sold extremely well. Been all uphill ever since.

GRRM's publishers thought after ASoS became a monster hit and the series essentially reached "#1" in the genre that they had reached all the fantasy readers they needed to reach. The feeling was that the word of mouth on the novel amongst those familiar with the genre was huge enough that readers of the genre would seek it out no matter the cover. So they went back to the "stealth cover" to try to sell it to people who didn't already know about it.

This was GRRMs explanation in Toronto in January 2005 after AFFC came out and he was asked to explain the cover art change.

Anyways, that's the deal with the non-traditional "fantasy art" covers.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I actually really like these book covers.

A LOT... Okay, most fantasy book covers make me cringe ><

Especially the old, Wheel of Time book covers.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I like my fantasy novels like I like my fantasy RPGs. Purty, with art on da front. Shallow, maybe. But committed with tha $, also. So take note, O ye publisher types!

Anyway, can't wait. D'oh, I must wait. Can't wait!