Sci-Fi cover opinions

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Messages
2,372
Reaction score
230
Location
Colorado
Website
indianroads.net
Back cover blurb to get the feel of the story:
Throughout decades of military service, Earl Koke has never met a challenge he couldn’t surmount or an enemy he couldn’t pummel into submission. Now, with his career nearing its end, he looks forward to retirement and enjoying a peaceful easy life.
When a massive solar storm threatens to reduce the Earth to ashes, Earl is among the last few to reach the safety of the ark starships waiting in orbit. Mankind’s future seems certain as the ships prepare to leave, but sabotage to their navigation system sends them millions of lightyears off course.
Lost in outer space, Earl’s dream of a comfortable life vanishes along with humanity’s bright future. As an Army Ranger, he can handle wrangling politicians and even civil war, but when their ship’s artificial intelligence decides to take control of human society, he’s out of his league.
Desperate times often call for extreme measures, but opposing a vastly superior mind is suicide. Earl has faced long odds before though, and giving up just isn’t in his nature.

The cover:
http://www.indianroads.net/images/Desperation_proof.jpg
 

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
18,800
Reaction score
4,591
Location
Caledonia
Website
derekpaterson.net
Yeah that looks cool.

I thought maybe the series # and title positioning could be shifted up from behind the moon so they're at the top of the cover, with the series # and top edge of the title overlaid on the red hatching area instead, which looks empty and creates an imbalance.

-Derek
 
Last edited:

ShaunHorton

AW's resident Velociraptor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
3,550
Reaction score
511
Location
Washington State
Website
shaunhorton.blogspot.com
Yeah, I have to agree that the red area at the top could be better utilized, even if you just have the series - number up there.

Also, the woman on the left is bugging me. Her outfit is kind of jarring next to the other two, I think it just looks too smooth and clean.

Otherwise, it looks pretty good. Nice and sci-fy-ey.
 

Curlz

cutsie-pie
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Messages
2,213
Reaction score
382
Location
here
I like it. The red band on top is actually computer circuitry and it's overpowering the "human" image, which exactly matches the plot of the book :Thumbs:
 

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Messages
2,372
Reaction score
230
Location
Colorado
Website
indianroads.net
Yeah, I have to agree that the red area at the top could be better utilized, even if you just have the series - number up there.

Also, the woman on the left is bugging me. Her outfit is kind of jarring next to the other two, I think it just looks too smooth and clean.

Otherwise, it looks pretty good. Nice and sci-fy-ey.

My wife feels the same way - she's complaining about the woman's butt. Other than that, her outfit works for her character in the story. All three are main characters, although the story is 3rd Person Limited told by the central male character. The woman on the left is an engineer rather than a soldier like the other two. I like that they appear assertive and strong because that's what they are in the story.
 

ShaunHorton

AW's resident Velociraptor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
3,550
Reaction score
511
Location
Washington State
Website
shaunhorton.blogspot.com
My wife feels the same way - she's complaining about the woman's butt. Other than that, her outfit works for her character in the story. All three are main characters, although the story is 3rd Person Limited told by the central male character. The woman on the left is an engineer rather than a soldier like the other two. I like that they appear assertive and strong because that's what they are in the story.

I did notice that actually. I think the design in the small of her back is drawing the eye to it. Dunno if you can really add or delete anything from the image at this point, but I'd suggest, if you can, maybe give her a tool belt and dirty her up a bit. She feels too clean, especially for an engineer, unless that's part of her character too. :-/ Then I don't know what to tell you.
 

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Messages
2,372
Reaction score
230
Location
Colorado
Website
indianroads.net
I did notice that actually. I think the design in the small of her back is drawing the eye to it. Dunno if you can really add or delete anything from the image at this point, but I'd suggest, if you can, maybe give her a tool belt and dirty her up a bit. She feels too clean, especially for an engineer, unless that's part of her character too. :-/ Then I don't know what to tell you.

The woman in white was the chief designer of the starships that are carrying the last of humanity. She has a couple hundred engineers working for her - so she doesn't directly get her hands dirty. She serves more as the mastermind in the schemes carried out by the other to people in the picture.

I told my cover designer to lighten / eliminate the (sorry if this is vulgar) butt crack on the woman in white. He'll be getting back to me with the final work which will include the spline and back cover. The manuscript is already loaded on Amazon (I'm a self publisher), so all that's left is the cover and I it will go live.
 
Last edited:

Silenia

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Messages
689
Reaction score
786
Might be just me, but it's slightly bugging me that the byline nearly-but-not-quite matches up with that slightly brighter horizontal red stripe. I'd either shift the byline a couple pixels up so it matches exactly (or cuts across the line), or a couple pixels down so there's some visible distance between them. As it is now creates a slightly strange visual effect, at least to me.

Other than that--and the butt, but you're addressing that already--it looks good to me. :)
 

Crispin

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 20, 2019
Messages
54
Reaction score
6
Looks good, though the top feels under utilized. Consider tossing "Extinction -2" up there and giving the main title more space to play!