Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!!
This weekly feature
showcases beautiful book covers,
and provides information,
if available, on their very talented creators!
For more information
about Shelf Candy Saturday,
just click HERE.
Here's my choice for this week!
Other Oceans
(Hook and Jill Saga #2)
Hardcover, 640 pages
Reginetta Press
September 15, 2012
Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction,
Romance
Why do I love this cover?
While browsing across the blogosphere, I sometimes come across incredible literary gems, frequently with covers to match the book's excellent contents. Such was the case this Friday night, as I began to think about what beautiful cover to display on my "Shelf Candy Saturday" feature. I found this one when I visited Heidi at her magnificent blog, Rainy Day Ramblings! She's holding a giveaway for this book, too, which I've already entered, since I'd love to win this particular treasure! Included in her post is her in-depth review of the book.
This is such a breathtakingly beautiful cover! The composition is absolutely stunning. There's such a sense of movement in it; the girl's rippling hair mirrors the rippling waves, for instance. It's also present in the depiction of the pirate ship, which seems to be rolling to and fro with the rough waves.
The play of light is amazing; it, too, contributes to this cover's dynamism. The light bounces around, concentrating on certain parts of the metal hook, where it glints brilliantly. The orange-red tip of the hook is very effective; it seems to be catching the light of the setting sun, which is not visible on the cover. The light also plays along the tops of the waves and the ship's sails, over the cloudy sky, finally forming a nimbus around the girl's head.
The central element of the design is the huge hook that frames the far-off pirate ship. Why place a hook in the very center of the cover? In the heyday of pirate activity, such metal hooks were affixed to a coat or shirt sleeve, and substituted for a missing hand. Well, the reason for the hook is that this novel, along with its predecessor, Hook & Jill, is a retelling of the Peter Pan story (thus the Captain Hook reference), although the series (there will be five books, at this writing) is intended for the adult market. More than just a retelling, however, it's a re-visioning of the original story.
I love the detailed, very realistic portraits of the young girl and the man at the top of the cover! This realism is carried out all over the image. The ship and the waves make me feel as if I were standing on the deck of another ship, looking toward the one in the background. Also, it seems that a storm is brewing; those clouds sure look menacing!
In spite of all the realism, however, this cover has a very magical feel to it. It's not only the magic of fantasy, either, but the magic of artistic inspiration which is enhanced by the gorgeous, highly stylized font used for the letters of the title. The gold tone of these letters hints at buried treasure, I think. It also contributes to the overall glow of the cover.
Who created this magnificent cover illustration? His name is Erik Hollander. He is a truly gifted artist and filmmaker who has created stunning Christian art, as well as directing and producing various films. After graduating from the University of North Florida with a degree in Photography in 1989, he began to work with an animatronics company, Sally Corporation, where he eventually became Art Director. He is currently involved with the production of a documentary TV series, "Building A Difference", which tells the stories of people whose lives have been dramatically changed by the work and Christian ministry of Builders Care, a non-profit construction company based in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Each episode of the series tells the story of a different family whose members have been helped by this ministry's volunteers.
Hollander used to have a website, hollanderdesignlab.com, but he has apparently taken it down, because I went to that address, and found something else instead. I was so disappointed that I couldn't find more examples of his art....
Erik Hollander
Online Links
What do you think of my choice?
Leave me a comment
and let me know!
This is a really striking cover and I do like the way the ship in the middle seems to tie and anchor everything into place. It definitely has a Pirates of the Caribbean look to it.
ReplyDeleteHey, Brian!
DeleteOh, I just HAVE to get this book!! This cover is SO freaking gorgeous!! Of course, I like the story, too. Lol. I think you're absolutely right about the ship anchoring everything into place. Nice metaphor! And yes, the entire cover has a Pirates of the Caribbean look to it! This is a DEFINITEE must-have for me!!!! : )