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Violanthe Webmaster

Joined: 24 Jul 2003 Posts: 5903
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Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:52 am |
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Look at the following cover. Imagine that you have only the cover and the information it provides (including images, title and author name) to decide whether to buy this (or any) book.
Would you buy this book having looked only at its cover? If so, what on this cover sold you? If not, what on this cover turned you off?
If you have, in fact, bought and/or read this book, tell us how well our verdicts guided us. Did the cover lead us rightly into great fiction? Or did the cover wrongly steer us toward a bad story or away from a great one?
So, would you buy this book by its cover?
Regular posters are invited to join our "official" Buy the Cover game:
https://www.arwz.com/arwz/viewtopic.php?t=422 _________________ Violet "Violanthe" Kane
[email protected]
ARWZ.com: A Magazine of Alternative Reality Fiction
Last edited by Violanthe on Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Golophin Moderator
Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 238
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Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:09 pm |
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I would look at it. Turn it over to see what the back cover looks like. |
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librarylover Moderator
Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 277
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Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:16 pm |
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The cover is a bit boring for my tastes. I don't think I'd give it a second glance. |
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Mervi Warlord
Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 1119 Location: Finland
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Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 8:08 am |
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Yes, it's an interesting change from all of the embarassing fantasy covers. I have the book and enjoyed it. |
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DougGogerty Moderator
Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 418 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 6:16 pm |
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For me the cover conjures up wizardry. It is a cover of the books of old that are often used in fantasy. I'm guessing that Artemis Fowl is a wizard. I would probably pass even though the cover is effective. (If I'm correct.) _________________ Douglas E. Gogerty
-----
Around the Campfire
"No, I'm from Iowa. I just work in outer space."
-James T. Kirk |
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NotAgain Member
Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Posts: 60
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Buy the cover
Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 2:47 pm |
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Actually I did buy this one. Found it at a half price table. The cover didn't inspire me, but the back sounded interesting enough to give it a go. |
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Violanthe Webmaster

Joined: 24 Jul 2003 Posts: 5903
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NotAgain Member
Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Posts: 60
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Did you read it?
Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 3:07 pm |
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Not yet. I finished a Koontz and started a Clive Cussler. I have to be in the mood for fantasy. I will let you know when I do. |
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Violanthe Webmaster

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Mervi Warlord
Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 1119 Location: Finland
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Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:03 pm |
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DougGogerty wrote: | I'm guessing that Artemis Fowl is a wizard. I would probably pass even though the cover is effective. (If I'm correct.) |
No, he's a 12 years-old criminal who tried to use blackmail and kidnapping to try to force fairies to give him their gold. It's situated in the real world and funny. |
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Violanthe Webmaster

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Mervi Warlord
Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 1119 Location: Finland
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:13 pm |
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Modern day. |
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Violanthe Webmaster

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DougGogerty Moderator
Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 418 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:48 pm |
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Quote: | No, he's a 12 years-old criminal who tried to use blackmail and kidnapping to try to force fairies to give him their gold. It's situated in the real world and funny. |
Then the cover is doing the story a real disservice. _________________ Douglas E. Gogerty
-----
Around the Campfire
"No, I'm from Iowa. I just work in outer space."
-James T. Kirk |
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Mervi Warlord
Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 1119 Location: Finland
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:52 pm |
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Violanthe wrote: | Would you say that it is an urban fantasy? Or just a modern day fantasy? |
To the best of my recollection, it was just modern day fantasy and not really urban. |
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Violanthe Webmaster

Joined: 24 Jul 2003 Posts: 5903
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Shadow_Ferret Active Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 318 Location: Milwaukee, WI
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 5:20 pm |
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I would not give it a second glance. The cover is boring and conveys nothing. And the title, I would think it was a chldren's book about a bird or something.
In fact, I have seen that book at the bookstore and those were my reactions. I've never given it a second thought. |
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Violanthe Webmaster

Joined: 24 Jul 2003 Posts: 5903
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Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:15 pm |
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As a (albeit modest) web designer, one of the things that hits me when I look at a lot of marketing design is the font. It distracts me when I can recognize and name the font, which I can in this case (morpheus, if I'm not mistaken). _________________ Violet "Violanthe" Kane
[email protected]
ARWZ.com: A Magazine of Alternative Reality Fiction |
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Khuly New Member
Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Montana, USA
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Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:13 pm |
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I've read the book, and I think it's excellent. I'm glad they didn't try to do anything "fantastic" with the cover for the same reason I both dread and anticipate any sort of Artemis Fowl movie -- they just can't do the right face for such a round character |
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Violanthe Webmaster

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