I *almost* bought an Avalanche Press book

[der_kluge]

I was in my FLGS the other day, and I picked up a copy of AP's Faerie sourcebook, "The Little People". I thought, "ooh, I'd like to have a good Fey sourcebook to potentially flesh out a fey-rich area of my world for my campaign." But, I couldn't get past the cover. My wife had come into the store with me, because she didn't want to stay in the car.

And, I felt "dirty" holding this book. The cover literally made me feel uneasy, and "unclean". Maybe it was because my wife was with me that made me feel uncomfortable. But, I have this suspicion that if I was alone, I would have tried to hide the fact that I was looking through it, using my body as a shield from prying eyes like you might do in the corner of a bookstore in the adult section.

Am I alone in feeling this way?

Avalanche - sorry. Check your D20 demographics. We're not all 12 years old anymore, and your cover has had the exact OPPOSITE effect that you intended for it to have on me.

 

[2WS-Steve]

I think AP is banking on the cover being enough to get your attention on a shelf swimming in products. To that extent it succeeded. The side effect is the problem

I don't like their covers either and avoid buying the books for that reason but, from what I understand, half their company is female. Also, AP might have been a bit miffed that their first book, Last Days of Constantinople, didn't get enough attention, this back when d20 was just starting out and they went with a more serious cover. It's sort of hard to fault them if they point to significantly better sales figures for the cheesecake covers even though the contents of those books and their non-chessecake covered books are similar in quality.

 

[Gez]

Faeries are actually the only sourcebook where I think near-naked ladies are appropriate. If they're winged, that is...

That's certainly less annoying than on Jade & Steel or Atlantis.

 

[tensen]

And, I felt "dirty" holding this book. The cover literally made me feel uneasy, and "unclean". Maybe it was because my wife was with me that made me feel uncomfortable. But, I have this suspicion that if I was alone, I would have tried to hide the fact that I was looking through it, using my body as a shield from prying eyes like you might do in the corner of a bookstore in the adult section.

Am I alone in feeling this way?

Could be worse. I game with my wife. And I'd have to keep bring out the book to use.. If I didn't... then she'd wonder what was up with the book with the racey cover.. that never seemed to make it to game... I um.. um. uh.. um.

 

[gariig]

I don't see much of a problem with their covers. They really are no different then Boris Viejello(sp), manga, or Cosmo. I'm fairly young(college aged) so maybe my views are a bit skewed compared to you old farts

Also, my girlfriend(same age group) really likes them because they are draw hearty, sexy looking women as compared to skinny/sickly looking girls.

Gariig

 

[Psion]

I don't see much of a problem with their covers. They really are no different then Boris Viejello(sp)

And that's not a problem?

I like the detail of Boris' drawings, and his mastery of the human form. But man, the composition of some of his fantasy artwork just kills me. When I look at a Boris painting, I have trouble beleiving that the woman in the pic is a fairie or a sorceress of whatever, because all I see is a woman in a swimsuit with a fantasy backdrop.

 

[Crothian]

I own a few of their books. The covers really don't matter to me one way or the other. However, their books cover topics I like that no one else is doing. So, unless someone else starts producing books that cover historical fantasy I'll keep buy Avalance stuff.

 

[Rifter]

Hmmm, I have never had a problem with their books. Heck, Noble Steeds was rather drab. But, I guess I just don't make a big deal about it. My friends and I tend to laugh about the covers, and that is it. My wife wouldn't have any problems with them either. It is just a cover. Nothing more.

 

[Pagan priest]

Gee, I like their covers. I have two reasons for not owning most or all of their books, however. 1: budget (buying all the gaming books I want would require me to rent a separate apartment just for that. 2: some of the rules. Looking through the books that have gunpowder weapons in them, I have noticed rules concerning massive, permanent injury due to hits by guns. These rules are a gross conceptual error and represent a complete misunderstanding of the hit point system. I am not saying that such injuries should never occur, I am saying that the mechanism presented in the vaious Avalanche books is flawed.

On the other hand, I will be getting Fairies as soon as money permits, once my FLGS gets Noble STeads in stock, I will be looking at it with an eye toward fitting it into my budget. I enjoy Jade & Steel.

 

[der_kluge]

Faeries are actually the only sourcebook where I think near-naked ladies are appropriate. If they're winged, that is...

You know, I'd almost agree with you, Gez, and even Mongoose's Fey Sourcebook had a somewhat provocative cover, and even included some pictures of naked fey women on the inside. And that's perfectly acceptable in my mind. I believe part of the appeal to the Fey, and Faeries, is the sex-appeal, and carnal desire of these creatures. Obviously, Nymphs and Dryads are described are beautiful creatures with the power to woo mortal men. So, in fairness, artistic depictions of such creatures could rightfully be images of exceedingly beatuful female figures in a nature setting.

But, I'm sorry if I offend anyone with the following statement, but AP's cover looks like a trashy Hustler whore. Had the cover for that product been done appropriately, with some mystery and class, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion right now. Don't get me wrong, the artwork is good, but the feel of it is just all wrong.