Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

This is going to seem like blatant self-promotion, but truly i am looking for the group's opinion. What do you think of the cover of my book?



How does it compare to other covers you have seen? What don't you like and what do you like?

And to broaden the scope of this discussion, what are some of your favorite A/A covers?

Honestly? It is awesome! I love it. I honestly do. There is nothing that I don't like, I think it looks wonderful! But why does it have a 3 star rating? I think it looks pretty wicked!

hehe- I gave it three stars, cause i'm honest. Heinlein, Orwell, Trevanian. They get four and five stars. I'm not in their league, yet, maybe never. But I'm cool with that. It's not that I think my book is bad, but I know my place and for me to rate it any higher would be disingenuous.

Thanks for the love on the cover, and yes I am looking for honest, even if they are painful, critiques. i promise not to hold them against anyone.

Pax Rolfe

and now on my list of favorite covers



and a couple covers that had me buying without even reading the synopsis.

and

Haha, 3 isn't that bad. It means its good, but not great, but not perfect. I rated my book 5 stars because someone who hadn't even read my book gave it a mere 3 stars. And I know for a fact they didn't read it. So I didn't want an off rating. But yes, I love your cover, it is definetely fantastic!

Honestly I don't care for the cover but that wouldn't stop me from buying an ebook. Also I'm female and if your core audience is male and they're attracted to the cover...who am I to argue? Lol. Looking around at the books I have to read I like simple covers without much color. A symbol, a city shot, or ones that resemble a painting. Although I bought one today that I got 75% because of the cover. Here's some I like:



My favorite cover ever:

(not necessarily all A/A)

it looks good

Also I'm female and if your core audience is male and they're attracted to the cover...who am I to argue? Lol. Lo..."

Thank you Traci. That's the kind of thing I'm wondering about. 3 out of 5 of my beta readers were women and they all said it read like a romance. The guys overlooked the romantic parts and focused more on the guns and action. I'm wondering if it's possible to create a cover that appeals to both. Currently it might be a bit heavy on the testosterone.

Yes it is lol

The cover isn't bad, at all. My only complaint is that it's a little too busy. It really grabs the eye, though, so that's a good thing.

If the girl wasn't on there, I think it would look better.

It's not so much the woman's silhouette as the color of it and the crowded background. In my opinion the same silhoutte with a darker plainer background or a darker silhoutte with a brighter background would be easier on my eyes. But I don't hate it. And don't worry about being heavy on the testosterone.

Well I like the background right now as is, and taking the girl out would make it less "busy" and would be taking away from the testosterone. Thats all I meant Traci. I agree with the color of the silhouette :)

That's funny Spencer. It looks like I was answering you. But your comment wasn't up yet when I made mine. We crossed posts. I'm a very slow typist and I think for a long time over what looks right and how I want to say it. :)

Haha, thats hilarious lol

What about this one? https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rl...

Share how that makes you feel? :)

Pax wrote: "Share how that makes you feel? :)"

And remember, this is for posterity, so, please, be honest.

I like this one better much better, honestly. I think it's the colors that attract me to it. Also, with the silhouettes out front like that, it makes the stuff behind it seem less busy, as well. Which is a good thing.

Since I have about as much cooth and culture as a cave man or a long shoreman, meaning no offense to cave men, and speaking as an under educated retired career sailor, enlisted, I am probably in somebody's demographic.

Speaking as a rtired dirty ol' sailor, I have to say a flash hot chick on the cover will certainly get my attention. No cover has ever made me buy, or not buy a book but, since sialors, some monkies, and small children like shiny objects (and flashy babes) getting us to look gives you a better chance that we'll check out the back of the book and maybe skim the first chapter. THat's where the books sold.

So... I'm all for the testosterone level, but I won't buy the book unless it's got something in print that gets my attention.

I'm just sayin... (I promise I'm a gentleman now. I even take the dishes out of the sink before I pee in it.)

I like the new cover better. I think it looks loads better. As an english lad would say, even though I'm not english.

One last one- https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oL...

Better or worse than the last?

I don't care for it :( The last one you showed was the best :)

I like the last the best. It's the cleanest and also has to most immediate "alien" vibe to me.

Question, though: based on the blurb the books about a guy, so why is the female silhouette in such dominance? Is it for the "oh, look, hot chick" reaction from guys?

I'm not so sure a silouette works for me as much as without. I'm with Colleen (which is odd considering I like things with nice silouettes. Corvettes, an AEGIS Class Destroyer (Arlight Burke class) the F-22 joint strike fighter and... a hot babe).

Maybe if I understood the connection between the cover picture and the book?

Unless it's an "Adam and Eve" thing. THen I get that. I almost like the last cover without the silouette, or with only one.

Of course, I'm establishing a short but growing history of inserting my foot in my mouth so far I've got footprints on my underwear on the boards these days so... keeping that in mind, there's my buck and a quarter (I'd have given 2 cents but for inflation.)

Question, though: based on the blurb the books about a guy, so why is the female silhouette in such ..."

It's about both of them, Adam and Kate. The silhouette of the woman is in front because the original clip art ends at the knees so it had to be up front. Honestly, if you put a gun to my head and Sophie's choiced me on which character I would choose, to possibly die dramatically, leaving the other to go on....I'll be thinking on that one awhile.

I like the last one the best. Not the newest one, but the one before it. :) It grabs my eyes more. The new one is good, too, but there is a strangeness to the second one that attracts me. It's not just the female silhouette, either. LOL

I'm confused. Not hard to do. Lol. I think I like the darker green of the second one. Which would work on the first one too. The first two make me think it's about spies or something. The last one with the smaller figures looks like a science fiction cover.

TBH, I think it would look better without the suggestive female silhouette. It gives the cover a James Bond feel, which is not what I would go for if you want to attract female readers who are interested in a strong female character in your books. I like James Bond for its spy elements, but not for its message about women and their empowerment in the world.

James Bond practically kisses every girl he meets, and some other stuff lol. I can't stand that about his movies, especially when he knows the female is the bad guy...

James Bond practically kisses every girl he meets, and some other stuff lol. I can't stand that about his movies, especially when he knows the female is the bad guy...

James Bond practically kisses every girl he meets, and some other stuff lol. I can't stand that about his movies, especially when he knows the female is the bad guy...

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "TBH, I think it would look better without the suggestive female silhouette. It gives the cover a James Bond feel, which is not what I would go for if you want to attract female readers who are int..."

As you wish, a little more professional for Kate.

Awesomeness! It looks mighty wonderful :)

Awesome outcome, Pax! Congratulations!

That turned out wonderfully, Pax!

Good job!!!

Perfect choice, Pax! I didn't get a chance to respond earlier and that cover I would have chosen. Your book sounds like a book I would enjoy.

It's all subjective.

I like the first cover best.

I would just get rid of the green shadow behind Fifty One to make it more pro. Can you make the silhouettes opaque? I liked the scifi background. I like the original female silhouette much better than the new with the shopping bag. The title might benefit from a little transparency too. Actually, I think I liked the scifi cover best.

"You got your ears on, Pax?"