Book Cover - What do you think?

Fins Left

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Messages
439
Reaction score
32
This is for a spec fic / humor book

BookCover.jpg
 

Nimram

sometimes woefully inaccurate
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 21, 2012
Messages
200
Reaction score
23
Location
EU, Romania
I didn't read the book, but yes. I find it funny and I would pick it up, so it does its job.

I really looked to find something out of place...and I did: The space between the "n" and the "d" in the author's name,it needs a little more kerning:).
And I'm not sure about the shadow in the title. Maybe it could work just as good without it.
 

Arpeggio

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 24, 2011
Messages
355
Reaction score
5
The mouse although it's not a rat makes me think implied "rat race?".

I think the US flag is too established for you to use it in it's own space and normal appearance like that.

You could have the US flag with the lines made into lanes in which rats are racing, with a sign saying "rat race" as part of the picture (not title). The flag as the ground it is happening on would be at an angle to portray the rat race while still recognisable that it is the flag. That would take some skilled cartoonist I know.

Something much easier would be to use the flag sideways filling the entire cover (and bleed over trim), stars on the top left. The same cracking effect you have used but making bits of the (stone) flag missing at the bottom of the cover having crumbled away and dropped off as it is gradually succumbing to gravity, like old stone.

Perhaps the title on the bottom where there is white space to go over; "Dimocracy" being beaten by falling stones? or at the top somehow with use of colour and thickness so it stands out from flag. How much flag has crumbled off doesn't matter so long as it doesn't get as far as the stars (still recognisable) meaning you could have as much space as you have already between the bottom of the flag and the bottom of the cover on the current design.
 

Fins Left

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Messages
439
Reaction score
32
Thanks everyone for taking the time to post.

@Nimram, thanks, I'll look at the kerning and try dropping out the shadow. That started because at first the text was over the flag... then I never thought about dropping it back out.

@Leahzero - mice play a role in the story line in a couple different ways.

@Arpeggio - wow, thanks for the input. I'm going to look at maybe crumbling up the flag. This is a political humor, so I'm not concerned about the flag being a prominent image. But I like the idea of crumbling it a bit. I hadn't even thought about that.

Thanks everyone.
 

robertbevan

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
706
Reaction score
70
Location
incheon, south korea.
i'd recommend doing away with the wacky font for "dim", and just go straight with "DIMOCRACY" all in the same font. i think most people would assume that it's a pun rather than that you don't know how to spell.

the corrupted flag removes any doubt.

and the mouse is a cool something extra. makes me wonder how that's going to be relevant to the story.

it's not something i'd personally pick up off the shelf, because i'm not into politics. but for someone who is, i think it's a tempting cover.
 

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman
Super Moderator
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
22,454
Reaction score
4,957
Location
In chaos
I'd be grateful if the OP could please reduce the size of the image: guidelines are here.

You'll have to use image-editing software to resize it, and then edit your post to delete the original image and upload the smaller one. Thank you.