Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!
This is my weekly feature
showcasing beautiful covers!
It also provides information, if available,
on their very talented creators!
Although at present SCS is a personal
meme only, I would be more than happy to
turn it into a blog hop, which is
what it used to be!
If you're interested in participating,
just contact me!
I will install a Linky widget again,
and we can all have fun
visiting and commenting on each
other's posts!
Although at present SCS is a personal
meme only, I would be more than happy to
turn it into a blog hop, which is
what it used to be!
If you're interested in participating,
just contact me!
I will install a Linky widget again,
and we can all have fun
visiting and commenting on each
other's posts!
Here's my choice for this week!
Draykon
(The Draykon Series, Book 1)
Charlotte E. English
Trade Paperback, 402 pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Platform
September 15, 2012
Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction,
Science Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
My Thoughts About This Cover
week's cover?
Would you buy this book?
Why or why not?
Charlotte E. English
Trade Paperback, 402 pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Platform
September 15, 2012
Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction,
Science Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
My Thoughts About This Cover
Once again, I am totally blown away by the power of the color blue! It's practically everywhere in this striking cover, immersing the viewer in a magical, mysterious, and very compelling scene.
I see nothing creepy about this cover at all; in fact, I get a certain comic book feel about it. This image invites me to jump right into the magical world depicted! The central figure, a dragon shapeshifter, seems to be patiently waiting for the viewer to step across the threshold to his world. I only wish I could....
Looking closely at this shapeshifter, I noticed what looks like a small animal at his feet, cradling something in its front paws that also look like hands. It looks somewhat like a lemur, and I'm wondering if it's the man's pet or animal ally. Very interesting!
Now that I mention this character, I have to say that I love his wings, which are also blue. Another element I love is that the full moon (is it our Earth moon, or is it perhaps from another planet?) has been placed right behind him, and, of course, it's blue, as well.
The placement of the mist-shrouded trees is perfect; they frame the shapeshifter, and are beautifully detailed.
Then there's that equally mysterious light-blue gleam in the lower right-hand corner. Could it be a small fairy, hiding there, and about to come out?
As for the font used for the title, I have a feeling that it refers to the dragon shapeshifters. This title certainly does stand out, but I don't like it at all. Since this is a fantasy novel, I would have wanted something much more ornate. I still love this cover, though!
Thankfully, I was able to get information on the brilliant cover artist, as I found her name on the credits page of the book, in the Amazon reader. It's Elsa Kroese. She's a young Dutch freelance illustrator, concept artist, and animator, according to the bio on her website. She's currently based in Hamburg, Germany. Kroese has created many book covers, and is also involved in the creation of video games. I wasn't surprised to discover that she's also currently working on a comic book project, given the style of this cover.
I'm adding Elsa Kroese to my list of favorite book cover artists!
What do you think of this I see nothing creepy about this cover at all; in fact, I get a certain comic book feel about it. This image invites me to jump right into the magical world depicted! The central figure, a dragon shapeshifter, seems to be patiently waiting for the viewer to step across the threshold to his world. I only wish I could....
Looking closely at this shapeshifter, I noticed what looks like a small animal at his feet, cradling something in its front paws that also look like hands. It looks somewhat like a lemur, and I'm wondering if it's the man's pet or animal ally. Very interesting!
Now that I mention this character, I have to say that I love his wings, which are also blue. Another element I love is that the full moon (is it our Earth moon, or is it perhaps from another planet?) has been placed right behind him, and, of course, it's blue, as well.
The placement of the mist-shrouded trees is perfect; they frame the shapeshifter, and are beautifully detailed.
Then there's that equally mysterious light-blue gleam in the lower right-hand corner. Could it be a small fairy, hiding there, and about to come out?
As for the font used for the title, I have a feeling that it refers to the dragon shapeshifters. This title certainly does stand out, but I don't like it at all. Since this is a fantasy novel, I would have wanted something much more ornate. I still love this cover, though!
Thankfully, I was able to get information on the brilliant cover artist, as I found her name on the credits page of the book, in the Amazon reader. It's Elsa Kroese. She's a young Dutch freelance illustrator, concept artist, and animator, according to the bio on her website. She's currently based in Hamburg, Germany. Kroese has created many book covers, and is also involved in the creation of video games. I wasn't surprised to discover that she's also currently working on a comic book project, given the style of this cover.
I'm adding Elsa Kroese to my list of favorite book cover artists!
Online Links
week's cover?
Would you buy this book?
Why or why not?
This is a great cover Maria.
ReplyDeleteI do get a little sense of darkness and menace out of this, but in a totally fun, almost cozy way.
Like yourself, I also have the feeling that I could jump into the picture. Though there are many fanciful elements to this cover, it also triggers some real feelings that I get when observing real wooded scenes at night. I think that the grass and weed like vegetation on the ground, as well a the lighting, help cause this affect.
I love night, woodland scenes, be they depicted in art, photographs, or in reality.
Hey, Brian!
ReplyDeleteYou're right -- there's a slight sense of menace and danger in this cover, but, at the same time, it's kind of a "fun" thing, as you say. Perhaps this is because of the "comic book" feeling I get from this cover.
You're also saying that, whenever you see a group of trees at night, you feel certain things. I agree. You probably feel not only a sense of mystery, but also one of another reality, as if a totally different world were to open up before you -- a world full of fairies and other magical beings. Right? Because that's what I feel when seeing wooded scenes at night. (Not that there are that many of them, here in Miami, lol. I mostly see them in movies.)
I must confess that, although such wooded scenes are attractive, they also inspire a bit of fear in me. I would hate to be alone in a forest at night, for example....unless, of course, Titania and Oberon happened to suddenly show up, with their group of magical friends.... Ah, yes, "A Midsummer Night's Dream".....
Thanks for the nice comment!! : )