On those rare occasions I have to leave the GBNC lair, I'm always carrying the current book with me to catch a quick paragraph on the subway, waiting room, lunch break or whenever I find the time. You might have noticed that we are running a Great Fiction column here on the blog which we're always looking to add to.
One thing I have noticed with myself is that the books with the cheap and cheesy science fiction covers I carry quite covertly, while the ones with the slick and smart covers I like to place strategically in places so people can pick them up and admire. And really, a good cover (plus a good title) makes all the difference. Intriguing title, set in a cool font at the right place, plus a fitting artwork or photo can go a long way. A bad cover and title makes it hard to love a book. The same handsomely executed, gives so much more value to the book and also raises much more interest in the reading matter at hand. Just like with your mobile phone, camera, mp3 player and whatever gadget you carry around.
Anyway. The Penguin Science Fiction series has brought forward a great deal of great covers and they have a great site which shows some example covers with extensive annotations about the cover designs and their creators.
The Art of Penguin Science Fiction
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