[Michael_J_Sullivan]

Awhile ago you guys gave me a bunch of feedback on covers for Hollow World and it really helped. I control the ebook rights and a traditional publisher has the print rights. I decided on one, and was running with it, but then my publisher made their own version, and I need to decide if:

(a) Theirs is better and I should adjust mine to that
(b) Mine is better and I need to convince them to use it
(c) Reconcile that the print and ebook will have different covers.

This is a science-fiction time travel book and here is the blurb that would go along with it:

The Future is coming...for some, sooner than others.​

Ellis Rogers is an ordinary man, who is about to embark on an extraordinary journey. All his life he has played
it safe and done the right thing, but faced with a terminal illness he's willing to take an insane gamble. He's built
a time machine in his garage, and if it works, he'll face a world that challenges his understanding of what it means
to be human, what it takes to love, and the cost of paradise. He could find more than a cure for his illness;
he might find what everyone has been searching for since time began…but only if he can survive Hollow World.​

Any input help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rod redux]

I like the guy with the blue hat.

 

[SarahCarter]

I prefer the look of the background in the second one, but I find the guy a bit creepy.

 

[Redbloon]

Not sure if this will help but the first cover looks like a fantasy and the second more like a steam punk than science fiction. If I had to choose between them I'd go for the second because it puts the man front and centre. I think he looks sad rather than creepy.

 

[68564]

Not sure if this will help but the first cover looks like a fantasy and the second more like a steam punk than science fiction. If I had to choose between them I'd go for the second because it puts the man front and centre. I think he looks sad rather than creepy.

This.

 

[maineavalanche]

I really like the look of the first cover, but I don't think it fits your story.  It reads more like fantasy and your title just adds to that feeling.  The second one is good, but the guy kind of looks like a marionette (I don't know if he's meant to or not).  As far as your options, it would of course be ideal to have the same cover for print and e-book and if you like the cover your publisher came up with, I'd go with that, but if you loathe it, you may have to fight for what you want or accept the different covers.

 

[ER Pierce]

Not sure if this will help but the first cover looks like a fantasy and the second more like a steam punk than science fiction. If I had to choose between them I'd go for the second because it puts the man front and centre. I think he looks sad rather than creepy.

Agreed

 

[beccaprice]

I'm always odd person out on these things, but I like the looks of the landscape better than the man - maybe if the man was sized a bit smaller, so you could see more of the background? I still like the glow on the landscape, however.

The man looks sad, not creepy to me, which would lead me to expect a sad book.

 

[Nancy Beck]

I like the second one. When I think of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine, I think of a dude who looked something like that.

And I read somewhere (maybe here?) that there are some books out there that have different ebook and print covers. How true that is, I don't know, but I'm actually considering doing something like that with my first series (make the print cover different), but I haven't decided on that yet.

 

[ingrid avluv]

The cover on the left looks professional, out of a real publishing house. One of the right looks like an amateur made it in photoshop.

 

[Mike McIntyre]

I prefer the one on the right.

 

[Michael_J_Sullivan]

Not sure if this will help but the first cover looks like a fantasy and the second more like a steam punk than science fiction. If I had to choose between them I'd go for the second because it puts the man front and centre. I think he looks sad rather than creepy.

It does help...as part of my fear is that the left give the impression of fantasy - which this is not. It's also not steam punk - but the clothing fits the person/setting so I'm okay with that. And yes they are supposed to be sad.

 

[Anne Frasier]

i prefer the one of the left. i so wish i'd been able to keep my ebook rights when i signed with hachette. they don't understand ebooks, so that was a massive loss of income for me.

 

[Michael_J_Sullivan]

i prefer the one of the left. i so wish i'd been able to keep my ebook rights when i signed with hachette. they don't understand ebooks, so that was a massive loss of income for me.

Yeah I have 5 titles with Hachette - there is just no way they are going to make a contract that doesn't include ebook rights. I had to move this title to another publisher to get it. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[ri6LN366n6dYw0]

I love both covers but would always go with the one on the right for a science fiction book. As much as I love the artwork on the left one, it screams fantasy to me.

 

[Al Dente]

The one on the left is my favorite. I know it's more indicative of fantasy, but it's beautiful and I'd probably go with it.

 

[D/W]

I prefer the cover on the right. The title font could use a little work, though, as it seems a bit too thick and flat, making it look harsh. The illustration is very eye-catching, and I love the colors.

I think it's better when the paperback and e-book covers match. Keep in mind that if the reader does a general search at Amazon for your book (not narrowed down to the Kindle Books category), the paperback cover will show by default in search results.

 

[Ian Marks]

Both covers are better than most of the self-published books I see on Amazon. However, I have to give my nod to the second cover, with the guy in the bowler hat. Your book does have a protagonist, doesn't it?

Also, I don't like the typography on one with the landscape.

Just my two drachmas.

 

[Anne Frasier]

Yeah I have 5 titles with Hachette - there is just no way they are going to make a contract that doesn't include ebook rights. I had to move this title to another publisher to get it. Thanks for the feedback.

ah, gotcha.

as far as the covers go... the one of the left says scifi to me. the one on the right says fantasy steampunk.

 

[Michael_J_Sullivan]

Your book does have a protagonist, doesn't it?

I'd say it has two - but only one has a "distinctive look" the other is just an "ordinary joe." Thanks for the feedback.