The Friday Face-Off was created by Books by Proxy, where each week bloggers can showcase books with covers centered around a weekly theme. You can visit Lynn’s Books for a list of upcoming themes. Join in the fun each Friday by finding a book whose cover is based on the theme!
This week’s theme: “lawns and rocks and heather and different sorts of trees, lay spread out below them, the river winding through it.” – a cover featuring a panorama.
I thought this would be an easy theme, but I guess I don’t usually read sprawling epic fantasy, which is known for their panoramic covers. I thought Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel came the closest as some of the covers give the impression of a sweeping, panoramic view (although you won’t see any lawns or heather!) If you don’t know, Station Eleven is a bleak yet ultimately uplifting story that takes place in a post apocalyptic future after all the energy grids go dark. It was one of my favorite books of 2014 and I may need to do a reread soon. Here are some of my favorite covers:
Knopf hardcover 2014 | Subterranean Press Limited edition 2017
Piper e-book (German) 2015 | Bulgarian 2015
Chinese 2016 | Pan Macmillian 2014 (UK)
Alto 2016 (French) | Serbian 2015
Quite the variety, in my opinion! I really like a lot of these, but my hands down favorite has to go to the Subterranean Press limited edition. It really captures the mood of the story, and I love the image of the traveling caravan:
That’s the one I would pick too. Something about the current feel of the sky and the wagon train. Although that makes me think of The Hunger so maybe I should rethink this decision
Lol! The covered wagon theme is going to haunt you for the rest of your life!
Yes, the Subterranean Press cover is the one that caught my eye immediately as well: something about the combination of colors, and that hint of either sunset or dawn under the starry sky… It’s truly beautiful!
I liked the one your picked or the Chinese version.
I agree with your pick! I really like the blues and the sky is beautiful!
I saw the Subterranean Press cover and was like, “Ooh I should get this version!” Then I read “limited edition”…
It is so incredibly gorgeous–I’m in love with the colour palette!
I love all of these – what a cracking choice – I MUST get hold of this one, as I’ve somehow managed to miss reading this book. I really love the Chinese cover, though there aren’t bad ‘uns, is there…
That one’s beautiful! Love the image of the horse pulling the car with the old time wagon cover, it’s perfect
The Subterranean Press edition is most definitely my favorite too!
The Bulgarian cover is gorgeous!
Following! (I’m sorry if I said this before, but I’ve been double checking my follows as I comment to make sure everyone is there, and I enjoy your content and wanted you to know!)
Do You Dog-ear?
Yes- that’s definitely my choice too. What a great book.
Lynn
Totally agree with you pick. It is so mesmerizing. Something about the Chinese one too is pretty cool! Shamefully, I haven’t read this one yet.
Need to get around to it!!